JP7831781B2 - Gaming machine - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a gaming machine.

Conventionally, there are gaming machines that perform a lottery based on the entry of game balls into a starting slot provided on the game board, and if the lottery result is a jackpot, the jackpot symbol is stopped on a display device that displays symbols in a variable manner to trigger a jackpot game. In such gaming machines, a gaming machine equipped with an electronic circuit board on which surface-mount electronic components are mounted has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-044017

However, in conventional gaming machines equipped with multiple electronic circuit boards on which the aforementioned surface-mount electronic components are mounted, there is still room for improvement in order to prevent a decrease in security.

This invention has been made in view of these circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a gaming machine that can suppress the reduction in security against unauthorized access to the electronic circuit board .

The following describes effective solutions for achieving the above-mentioned objectives. Explanations of their operation and other aspects will be provided as needed. Furthermore, for ease of understanding, corresponding configurations and other aspects in the embodiments of the invention will be shown as appropriate, but these are not limiting.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides:
A gaming machine having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted,
The aforementioned multiple substrates are
The main circuit board for game progression,
It includes a sub-board for game presentation,
The sub - sub
The main side board is ,
A specific main side substrate having a thermal pattern formed connecting multiple connection points to which the terminals of electronic components are soldered, and a ground plane,
The game machine has a non-specific main board which is provided on the front side of the game machine, further forward than the specific sub-side board and the specific main-side board, and on which no thermal pattern is formed,
The aforementioned plurality of electronic components include at least a plurality of surface-mount electronic components,
The plurality of surface-mount electronic components mounted on the specified sub-substrate include a first specified surface-mount electronic component and a second specified surface-mount electronic component having two opposing sets of sides and positioned adjacent to the first specified surface-mount electronic component.
The first specific connection portion to which the first specific connection terminal of the first specific surface mount electronic component is soldered is electrically connected to the ground plane of the specific sub-substrate by a thermal pattern formed so as to be located around the first specific connection portion.
The first specific surface-mount electronic component is placed on a specific side of the second specific surface-mount electronic component.
The second specific surface mount electronic component has a plurality of connection terminals formed along at least one of the two opposing sets of edges that does not include the specific edge.
The second specific connection portion to which the multiple connection terminals of the second specific surface mount electronic component are soldered, and which is located closer to a special side opposite to the specific side than to the specific side, is electrically connected to the ground plane of the specific sub-side substrate by a thermal pattern formed so as to be located around the second specific connection portion.
Furthermore, the thermal pattern of the specific main substrate includes a thermal pattern corresponding to the connection terminals of surface-mount electronic components and a thermal pattern corresponding to the connection terminals of through-hole electronic components.
It is characterized by the following:

In the gaming machine of the present invention, a decrease in security can be suppressed .

This is a front view of a pachinko machine, which is one embodiment of the design. This is a right-side view of a pachinko machine. This is a left side view of a pachinko machine. This is a rear view of a pachinko machine. This is a perspective view of a pachinko machine from the front right. This is a perspective view of a pachinko machine, seen from the front left. This is a perspective view of a pachinko machine from the back. This is a front view of a pachinko machine with the press operation part of the performance control unit in the raised position. This is a perspective view of a pachinko machine from the front right when the press operation part of the performance control unit is in the raised position. This is a perspective view of a pachinko machine from the front, with the door frame open from the main frame and the main frame open from the outer frame. This is a disassembled perspective view of a pachinko machine, showing it from the front after it has been separated into the door frame, game board, main body frame, and outer frame. This is a disassembled perspective view of a pachinko machine, showing it from the rear after it has been separated into the door frame, game board, main body frame, and outer frame. This is a front view of the outer frame of a pachinko machine. This is a rear view of the outer frame. This is a right side view of the outer frame. This is a perspective view of the outer frame from the front. This is a perspective view of the outer frame from the back. This is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame, broken down into its main components and viewed from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the left and right outer frame assemblies, viewed from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the lower outer frame assembly, seen from the front. (a) is an exploded perspective view of the outer frame upper hinge assembly as seen from the front and above, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of (a) as seen from the front and below. This is a front view of the door frame of a pachinko machine. This is a rear view of the door frame. This is a left side view of the door frame. This is a right-side view of the door frame. This is a perspective view of the door frame from the front right. This is a perspective view of the door frame from the front left. This is a perspective view of the door frame from the back. This is an exploded perspective view of the door frame, disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the door frame, showing it from the rear after being separated into its main components. (a) is a perspective view of the door frame base unit of the door frame, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the door frame base unit, seen from the rear. This is an exploded perspective view of the door frame base unit, disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the door frame base unit, showing each main component separately from the rear. (a) is a perspective view of the cylinder lock on the door frame from the front, (b) is a perspective view of the cylinder lock in (a) from the front and rear, (c) is a perspective view of the cylinder lock in a conventional pachinko machine from the front, and (d) is a perspective view of the cylinder lock in (a) from the rear. (a) is an exploded perspective view of the cylinder lock in Figure 34(a) as seen from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the cylinder lock in Figure 34(a) as seen from the rear. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the movable mechanism of the cylinder lock in Figure 34(a) from the front, (b) is an explanatory diagram of the cylinder lock rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise from the state in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram of the cylinder lock rotated 90 degrees clockwise from the state in (a). (a) is a perspective view of the ball feeding unit of the door frame base unit, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball feeding unit, seen from the rear. (a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball feeding unit after it has been disassembled and viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the ball feeding unit after the rear case and anti-tampering member have been removed and viewed from the rear. (a) is a perspective view of the foul cover unit of the door frame base unit, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the foul cover unit, seen from the rear. This is a front view of the foul cover unit with the lid removed. (a) is an enlarged front view showing the handle unit and handle cover unit in the door frame, and (b) is an enlarged perspective view showing the handle unit and handle cover unit in the door frame. This is a disassembled perspective view of the handle cover unit, taken from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the handle cover unit, taken from the rear. This is a disassembled perspective view of the handle unit, seen from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the handle unit, seen from the rear. This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-I in Figure 41(a). This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in Figure 1. This is a perspective view of the tray unit in the door frame. This is a perspective view of the plate unit from the rear. (a) is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of the door frame, cut horizontally at the lower lamp bulb supply opening, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the main part of a conventional door frame, cut at the same location as (a). This is a plan view showing an enlarged view of the ball dispensing operation unit in the tray unit of the door frame. (a) is a perspective view of the performance control unit from the front with the performance control buttons facing upwards, and (b) is a perspective view of the performance control unit from (a) from the rear. This is an exploded perspective view of the performance control unit, disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front and above. This is an exploded perspective view of the production control unit, disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front and below. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the performance control unit with the performance control unit in the lowered position and the lower holding member of the lifting spring in the upper end position, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the performance control unit with the performance control unit moved to the raised position from the state in (a). This is a cross-sectional view of the performance control unit, with the performance control unit in the lowered position and the lower holding member of the lifting spring in the lowered end position. This is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the outer decorative substrate of the performance control unit, the outer decorative substrate of the button, and the inner decorative substrate of the button, in a plan view of the performance control unit as seen from the pressing direction of the press operation section. (a) is a front view of the plate unit in its normal state, and (b) is a front view of the plate unit when the performance control unit is in the raised position. This is a plan view of a performance control unit showing an example in which multiple contact detection elements are provided in the performance control unit of the performance control unit. (a) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which multiple contact detection elements are connected to a single contact detection sensor body; (b) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which a switching unit is provided between the contact detection sensor body and the multiple contact detection elements in (a); and (c) is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which the left plate decoration unit, the right plate decoration unit, and the performance operation unit of the plate unit can move back and forth, and contact detection elements are provided on the front and rear sides of the performance operation unit, etc. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a decorative contact detection body, and (b) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing another embodiment of the performance control unit. (a) is a front view of the left side unit of the door frame, (b) is a perspective view of the left side unit of the door frame seen from the front, and (c) is a perspective view of the left side unit of the door frame seen from the rear. This is a disassembled perspective view of the left side unit of the door frame, seen from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the left side unit of the door frame, seen from the rear. This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line U-U in Figure 62(a). (a) is a front view of the right side unit of the door frame, (b) is a right side view of the right side unit of the door frame, (c) is a perspective view of the right side unit of the door frame seen from the front, and (d) is a perspective view of the right side unit of the door frame seen from the rear. This is a disassembled perspective view of the right side unit of the door frame, seen from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the right side unit of the door frame, seen from the rear. This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-E in Figure 66(a). This is a cross-sectional view taken along the O-O line in Figure 66(a). (a) is a right side view of the right side unit of the door frame, showing the outer layer of the two-color molded door frame in an opaque state, and (b) is a right side view of the right side unit of the door frame, showing the inner layer as is and the outer layer as transparent in (a). This is a front view showing each decorative base plate of the door frame. This is a plan view showing the decorative circuit board for the door frame's control unit. This is a rear view showing the decorative substrates installed around the door window of the door frame. This is a front view of the main frame of a pachinko machine. This is a rear view of the main frame of a pachinko machine. This is a perspective view of the main frame from the front right. This is a perspective view of the main frame from the front left. This is a perspective view of the main frame from the rear. This is an exploded perspective view of the main frame, disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the main frame, broken down into its main components and viewed from the rear. (a) is an enlarged perspective view showing the lower left corner of the main frame, and (b) is an enlarged perspective view showing the lower left corner of the main frame when the door frame is opened relative to the main frame. This is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the cable guide member for the main frame when the door frame is opened and closed relative to the main frame. (a) is a perspective view of the ball launcher in the main frame, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball launcher, seen from the rear. (a) is a perspective view of the dispensing base unit of the main frame, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the dispensing base unit, seen from the rear. (a) is a perspective view of the dispensing unit in the main frame, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the dispensing unit, seen from the rear. (a) is an exploded perspective view of the dispensing unit, disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the dispensing unit, disassembled into its main components and viewed from the rear. This is a rear cross-sectional view of the dispensing device of the dispensing unit, cut at the center in the front-to-back direction of the dispensing blades. (a) is a rear cross-sectional view of the dispensing device cut at the center in the front-to-back direction of the dispensing blade when the ball-removing movable piece is in the open position, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A in (a). This is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the door frame's foul cover unit and the lower full-ball path unit. This is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls within the main frame. (a) is a perspective view of the circuit board unit of the main frame, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the circuit board unit, seen from the rear. This is a perspective view of the circuit board unit, seen from the rear and below. This is a disassembled perspective view of the circuit board unit, broken down into its main components and viewed from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the circuit board unit, broken down into its main components and viewed from the rear. This is an enlarged side cross-sectional view showing the lower part of a pachinko machine, cut down the center in the left-right direction. (a) is a perspective view of the locking unit of the main frame seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the locking unit seen from the rear. (a) is a plan view of the main frame, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in (a). This is an enlarged view showing the upper part of the main frame in a perspective view seen from the rear. (a) is a perspective view of the spherical tank with the tank rails and other components assembled, seen from the front and above, and (b) is a perspective view of (a) seen from the front and below. Figure 100(a) is an exploded perspective view taken from the front. This is an explanatory diagram showing the area where game balls overflowing from the ball tank at the top of the main frame circulate. This is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls overflowing from the ball tank at the top of the main frame. This is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls to the detour passage at the top of the main frame. This is an enlarged view showing the area around the tank rail in a perspective view of the main frame seen from the rear on the hinge side. This is a perspective view showing a close-up of the tank rail portion of a pachinko machine equipped with a tank rail, etc., as seen from the rear, according to another embodiment. (a) is a plan view showing the tank rails etc. of Figure 106 assembled together with the spherical tank, (b) is a perspective view of the tank rails etc. of (a) from the front, and (c) is a perspective view of the tank rails etc. of (a) from the rear. (a) is an exploded perspective view of the tank rails etc. in Figure 107, as seen from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the tank rails etc. in Figure 107, as seen from the rear. Figure 107(a) shows a cross-sectional view of a tank rail, etc., cut along the caulk line. Figure 107 is an explanatory diagram showing a cross-sectional view of the flow of game balls within the tank rail. (a) is a front view of a substrate unit of another embodiment, (b) is a perspective view of the substrate unit of (a) viewed from the front right, and (c) is a perspective view of the substrate unit of (a) viewed from the front left. (a) is a perspective view of the circuit board unit in Figure 111(a) viewed from the upper right rear, and (b) is a perspective view of the circuit board unit in Figure 111(a) viewed from the lower right rear. Figure 111(a) is an exploded perspective view of the circuit board unit after it has been disassembled and viewed from the front. Figure 111(a) is an exploded perspective view of the circuit board unit, taken from the rear after disassembly. (a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the key-key line in Figure 111(a), (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the cool line in (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the k-ke line in (a). This is a bottom view of a pachinko machine equipped with the circuit board unit shown in Figure 111(a), showing the portion behind the door frame. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which a guide piece is provided at the out-of-bounds outlet of the out-of-bounds passage. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the out-of-sensor is detachable, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the out-of-sensor has been removed in (a). (a) is a perspective view of the circuit board unit of the third embodiment, with the power supply unit, payout control unit, and interface unit omitted, as seen from the front right, and (b) is a perspective view of the circuit board unit of (a) as seen from the front left. (a) is a perspective view of the circuit board unit in Figure 119, viewed from the upper right rear, and (b) is a perspective view of the circuit board unit in (a), viewed from the lower right rear. (a) is a plan view of the substrate unit in Figure 119, (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line in (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line in (a). This is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in Figure 121(a). Figure 119 is an exploded perspective view of the circuit board unit after it has been disassembled and viewed from the front. Figure 119 is a disassembled perspective view of the circuit board unit, seen from the rear. (a) is a perspective view of the spherical path member of the substrate unit in Figure 119, viewed from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the spherical path member of the substrate unit in Figure 119, viewed from the rear. Figure 119 is an explanatory diagram illustrating how to resolve ball jamming in the circuit board unit. Figure 119 is an explanatory diagram illustrating how to prevent the intrusion of a linear unauthorized tool into the substrate unit. Figure 119 is an explanatory diagram showing how to remove dust from the substrate unit. This is a front view of a pachinko machine with the center mechanism and other components made opaque. Figure 129 is a perspective view of the game board seen from the front right. Figure 129 is a perspective view of the game board seen from the front left. This is a perspective view of the game board from the back. This is a schematic diagram illustrating the wiring layout from the function display unit to the main control board. This is a front view of the game board with the center components and other parts made transparent. This is a disassembled perspective view of the game board, showing it broken down into its main components and viewed from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the game board, showing it from the rear after being broken down into its main components. This is a front view of the game board, showing the game area where the game balls circulate and the obstacle pins, with the front unit cut parallel to the surface of the game panel. (a) is a perspective view of the front components and game panel of the game board as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the front components and game panel as seen from the rear. (a) is a front view showing an enlarged view of the front component and the upper right corner of the game panel, (b) is a cross-sectional view of (a) cut along the susceptible line, and (c) is an exploded perspective view of (a) taken from the front, with each main component separated. (a) is a perspective view of the front unit of the game board, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the front unit of the game board, seen from the back. (a) is an exploded perspective view of the lower right guide passage in the center component, as seen from the front, and (b) is a side cross-sectional view of the front member on the front side of the lower right guide passage in the center component, as seen from the right, as it is cut in half horizontally at the separation hole. (a) is a perspective view of the gate member from the front, (b) is an exploded perspective view of the gate member from the front, and (c) is an exploded perspective view of the gate member from the rear. (a) is a front view of the gate member, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in (a). This is an explanatory diagram showing the flow path of the game balls on the right side of the front unit. This is an explanatory diagram showing enlarged views of the first and second attacker units in Figure 144. This is a front view of the game board showing the arrangement of magnetic sensors. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor capable of detecting magnetic field lines from a magnet; (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor that cannot detect magnetic field lines from a magnet; (c) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the detection range by a magnetic sensor using a perspective view; (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between a magnetic sensor and a magnetic material in which magnetic field lines from a magnet cannot be detected; and (e) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between a magnetic sensor and a magnetic material in which magnetic field lines from a magnet can be detected. (a) is a perspective view showing the magnetic sensor being held by the retaining member, (b) is an exploded perspective view showing the retaining member and the magnetic sensor separated, and (c) is an exploded view showing the retaining member in cross-section. (a) is a perspective view of the back unit of the game board seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the back unit of the game board seen from the back. This is a front view of the back-stage performance unit in the back-stage unit. (a) is a perspective view of the front-facing back-stage performance unit in the back-stage unit, seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the front-facing back-stage performance unit in the back-stage unit, seen from the rear. (a) is a cross-sectional view of the back-stage performance unit cut near the center in the vertical direction and viewed from above, (b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the left part of (a), and (c) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the right part of (a). This is a disassembled perspective view of the front left decorative unit of the front back performance unit, along with the light guide plate, as seen from the front. This is a disassembled perspective view of the rear front left decorative unit, showing only the rear front left first decorative element, rear front left second decorative element, rear front left third decorative element, and rear front left decorative element base, viewed from the rear. (a) is a front view of the first decorative element on the front left of the reverse side, shown in a transparent state; (b) is a front view of the second decorative element on the front left of the reverse side, shown in a transparent state; (c) is a front view of the third decorative element on the front left of the reverse side, shown in a transparent state; and (c) is a front view of the base of the decorative element on the front left of the reverse side, shown in a transparent state. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the light guide plate in the front-rear performance unit and the decorative substrate for illuminating the light guide plate and the front-rear left decorative unit, as seen from the front. (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the light guide plate in the front-rear performance unit and the decorative substrate for illuminating the decorative body of the front-rear lower performance unit, as seen from the front. This is a front view showing the front left decorative unit with the illumination effect activated. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the first pattern of the light guide plate is illuminated, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the second pattern of the light guide plate is illuminated. This is an explanatory diagram showing the light emission configuration of the second pattern on the light guide plate. This is a front view of the back-facing display unit, showing the second pattern on the light guide plate illuminated. This is a front view of the game board showing the state in which the first decorative part of the rear upper movable decorative body in the rear upper display unit of the rear unit is moved to the lowered position while facing forward. This is a front view of the game board showing the rear upper movable decorative element of the rear upper display unit of the rear unit moved to the lowered position, with the rear upper second decorative part facing forward. This is a front view of the game board showing the rear left movable decorative element and the rear right movable decorative element in the rear lower display unit of the rear unit, with the elements moved to their appearance positions. This is a front view of the game board showing the lower front decorative element of the lower front display unit of the back unit in a raised position. This is a front view of the game board showing the state in which the front left logo decoration section, front upper left logo decoration section, front left sub-decoration section, and front left band decoration section of the front left decoration unit 3120 of the front front display unit of the back unit are illuminated. This is a front view of the game board showing the first image on the light guide plate of the back front display unit illuminated. This is a front view of the game board showing the first image on the light guide plate in the rear front display unit of the rear unit illuminated, and the rear left movable decorative body and rear right movable decorative body in the rear lower display unit moved to their appearance positions. This is a front view of the game board showing the second image on the light guide plate of the back front display unit illuminated. This is a block diagram that shows the control configuration of a pachinko machine in general terms. This is a front exploded perspective view of the peripheral control unit. This is a rear view perspective of the peripheral control unit after disassembly. This is a front view of the peripheral control unit. (a) is a perspective view of a ROM socket with a conversion board, and (b) is a top view of a control ROM having a leadless package mounted in the ROM socket. This is a view from arrow P in Figure 173(a). This is a cross-sectional view of a through-hole, showing an overview of the positional relationship between through-holes formed on the peripheral control board and through-holes formed on the conversion board. (a) is a perspective view of a control ROM and ROM socket having a leadless package mounted on a conversion board, and (b) is a top view of the control ROM having a leadless package mounted in the ROM socket. These are schematic diagrams (a) to (c) showing the board management numbers of the peripheral control boards. This is a block diagram of the power supply system for a pachinko gaming machine. This is a schematic circuit diagram showing the circuit of the main control board. This is a circuit diagram showing the main control input circuit with an error detection function. This is a circuit diagram showing a power outage monitoring circuit. This is a schematic circuit diagram showing the circuit of the dispensing control board. (a) is a perspective view of the main control board box showing the state before the main control board is attached to the cover body and the base body is slid to cover the opening side of the cover body, and (b) is a perspective view of the main control board box with the cover body and base body sealed by a sealing mechanism. (a) is a perspective view of the setting key switch from the front right, (b) is a perspective view of the setting key switch from the front left, and (c) is a top view of the setting key switch. This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the setting key switch and the cover of the main control board box. Figure (a) shows the mounting surface (front) of the main control board on which the setting key switch is mounted; Figure (b) (part 1) shows the solder side (back) of the main control board corresponding to the mounting surface (front) of the main control board on which the setting key switch is mounted; and Figure (c) (part 2) shows the solder side (back) of the main control board corresponding to the mounting surface (front) of the main control board on which the setting key switch is mounted. This is a continuation of Figure 186, and is Figure (3) (d) showing the mounting side (front) of the main control board on which the setting key switch is mounted and the corresponding solder side (back) of the main control board, and Figure (4) (e) showing the mounting side (front) of the main control board on which the setting key switch is mounted and the corresponding solder side (back) of the main control board. This is a schematic diagram illustrating the general arrangement of various electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (front surface) of the main control board. This is a schematic diagram of the solder side (back side) of the main control board, illustrating the general wiring patterns to the main control MPU from the main control board. (a) is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns according to the first embodiment, formed on the mounting surface (surface) of the main control board; (b) is a schematic diagram of the cross-section of the line X-X in (a); and (c) is a schematic diagram of a modified example of (b). (a) is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns according to the second embodiment, which are formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310; (b) is a schematic diagram of the cross-section of the line X-X in (a); and (c) is a schematic diagram of a modified example of (b). (a) is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns according to the third embodiment, formed on the mounting surface (surface) of the main control board; (b) is a schematic diagram of the cross-section of the line X-X in (a); and (c) is a schematic diagram of a modified example of (b). (a) is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns according to the fourth embodiment, formed on the mounting surface (surface) of the main control board; (b) is a schematic diagram of the cross-section of the line X-X in (a); and (c) is a schematic diagram of a modified example of (b). These are schematic diagrams illustrating a configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board provided in the game board according to the first embodiment (a), schematic diagram of the cross-section of the line X-X in (a) (b), and schematic diagram of a modified example of (b) (c). These are schematic diagrams illustrating a configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board provided in the game board according to the second embodiment (a), schematic diagram of the cross-section of the line X-X in (a) (b), and schematic diagram of a modified example of (b) (c). These are schematic diagrams illustrating a configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board provided in the game board according to the third embodiment (a), schematic diagram of the cross-section of the line X-X in (a) (b), and schematic diagram of a modified example of (b) (c). These are schematic diagrams illustrating a configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board provided in the game board according to the fourth embodiment (a), schematic diagram of the cross-section of the line X-X in (a) (b), and schematic diagram of a modified example of (b) (c). (a) is a front view showing an enlarged portion of the game board of the first embodiment, and (b) is a front view showing an enlarged portion of the game board of the second embodiment, but of the same area as in (a). (a) is a front view showing an enlarged portion of the game board of the second embodiment, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in (a) where the front left decorative unit of the front back performance unit is illuminated. Figure 199(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the game panel with its panel board illuminated. This is an exploded perspective view of the panel board and cell in the third embodiment of the game board, viewed from the front after disassembly. (a) is a front view of the functional display unit of the second embodiment, (b) is a cross-sectional view of (a) along the line S-S, (c) is a perspective view of the functional display unit of (a) from the front, and (d) is a perspective view of the functional display unit of (a) from the rear. Figure 202 is a disassembled perspective view of the function display unit, seen from the front. Figure 202 is a disassembled perspective view of the function display unit, taken from the rear. This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the relationship between the function display unit in Figure 202 and the player. This is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the relationship between the function display unit of the third embodiment and the player. This is a cross-sectional view of the function display unit of the fourth embodiment. (a) is a cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the mounting of the magnetic sensor, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the mounting of the magnetic sensor in (a) in a perspective view, (c) is an exploded perspective view showing the mounting of the magnetic sensor in (b) in an exploded state, and (d) is an exploded perspective view showing the mounting of the magnetic sensor with a different holding member than in (c). (a) is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating an example in which the separation hole of the first member for removing the decorative element is also used as a positioning hole for the second member; (b) is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating an example in which a closed space is formed behind the separation hole of the first member for removing the decorative element by the second member; (c) is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating the state in (b) where decorative elements of different thicknesses are attached; and (d) is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating an example in which the separation hole of the first member for removing the decorative element is also used as a mounting hole for the decorative element. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the first member with a decorative element attached, viewed from the front; (b) is a cross-sectional view of (a); and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the first member with a different decorative element attached, viewed from the front. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between a horizontally elongated rectangular decorative element and the first member; (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between a circular decorative element and the first member; (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between a symmetrically arranged decorative element and the first member; and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between a symmetrically arranged decorative element with a different shape from (c) and the first member. (a) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the decorative element and the movable first member from the front; (b) is a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting along the tartare line in (a); (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the decorative element and the first member in (a) and (c); (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between a decorative element of a different form from (a) and the movable first member from the front; and (e) is a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting along the chi-chi line in (d). This is a general overview of a slot machine. This is a time chart showing an example of the amount of balls dispensed calculated based on the progress of the counter used to stop the game. This table shows the conditions for clearing the "amount of balls dispensed calculated before the stop-loss state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-loss state." This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and gameplay is restricted. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the restrictions on gameplay are lifted after the power is turned back on after a power outage. This is a specific example of a game animation that occurs when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a certain value at the moment a game ball enters the big prize slot during a jackpot game. This is a specific example of a presentation that occurs when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a certain value at the moment a game ball enters the general prize slot while a special symbol is being displayed in a variation mode. This is the restriction clear pattern table 4, which is selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "4". This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during normal operation or when the machine is stopped. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs during normal operation. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs while it is in a state of being stopped from playing. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during the preparation state for stopping play. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs while it is in the state of preparing to stop playing. This is a specific example of a visual effect that occurs when a minor abnormality occurs during normal or stopped-down states. This is a specific example of a visual effect that occurs when a severe abnormality occurs during normal or stopped-down states. This is a specific example of how the game will be presented when a minor or major abnormality occurs while the game is in the state of preparing to stop. This is a time chart showing the progression of pre-announcement displays after they began. This is a modified example of the limit clear pattern table 4 when the power is turned on. This is a time chart showing the start of outputting a special external signal before the shutdown preparation state and the shutdown state begin. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a state similar to a "stopped play" occurs after the machine has cleared its "stopped play" state upon power-up. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a pre-announcement or an "impossible to proceed" message is displayed while it is in standby mode. This is a time chart showing the movement of the movable parts when the game does not transition to a stop state while the special symbols are being displayed in a variable state. This is a time chart showing when the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and when the movable part does not move thereafter. This is a time chart showing when the game transitions to a stop state during the movement of a movable part while a special symbol is being displayed, and when the movable part does not move thereafter. This is a time chart showing the case where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and the movable part then starts moving. This is a specific example of a presentation where, during the display of a special symbol, the movable part transitions to a stop state and does not move thereafter. This is a specific example of a presentation where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and the movable part then moves. This is another example of a specific presentation when the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and the movable part moves afterward. This is a time chart showing the case where the game transitions to a stop state while the movable parts are inactive during the display of special symbols, and then the celebratory action of the movable parts is performed thereafter. This is a time chart showing the case where the game transitions to a stop state during the movement of a movable part while a special symbol is being displayed, and then the celebratory movement of the movable part is performed thereafter. This is a time chart showing a scenario where the movable body transitions to a stop state during an abnormal stop, and then performs a celebratory action when the movable body returns to its initial position. This is a time chart showing what happens when a movable part malfunctions and then transitions to a stop-down state, and the movable part does not return to its initial position. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the game board is replaced while the power is cut off. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the game board is replaced before the power is cut off. This table compares the notification patterns related to light emission and sound in normal standby mode, energy-saving mode, and shut-off mode. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it switches to energy-saving mode while in a state where it has stopped playing. This table compares the notification modes related to light emission and sound when transitioning to notification mode C during the stop-down state. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it transitions to notification mode C while in a stop-play state. This is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the first or second administrator task is performed while it is in energy-saving mode, causing it to transition to a stop-play state. This is a time chart showing when the amount of balls dispensed during a minor win game reaches a specific value. This is a time chart showing when the amount of balls dispensed during a special jackpot game does not reach a specific value. This is a time chart showing when the amount of balls dispensed during a special jackpot game reaches a specific value. This flowchart shows an example of the processing that occurs when the main control side power is turned on. This flowchart shows the continuation of the power-on processing on the main control side, as shown in Figure 255. This flowchart shows an example of the main control side timer interrupt processing. This flowchart shows an example of the process for changing settings. This flowchart shows an example of a process for confirming and displaying settings. This flowchart shows an example of error display processing. This flowchart shows an example of the processing that occurs when the power to the payout control unit is turned on. This flowchart shows the continuation of the power-on processing for the dispensing control unit in Figure 261. This flowchart, following Figure 262, shows the continuation of the processing when the power is turned on to the dispensing control unit. This flowchart shows an example of a timer interrupt process in the payout control unit. This flowchart shows an example of the processing that occurs when the peripheral control unit is powered on. A flowchart showing an example of V-blank interrupt processing in the peripheral control unit. This flowchart shows an example of the peripheral control unit's 1ms timer interrupt processing. This flowchart shows an example of interrupt processing for receiving commands from the peripheral control unit. This flowchart shows an example of the interrupt processing for a power outage warning signal in the peripheral control unit. This flowchart shows the procedure for controlling special symbols and special electric features (step S114). This is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for the first start port passage process (step S232). This flowchart shows the procedure for the pre-production judgment process (step S245). This flowchart shows the procedure for the second start port passage process (step S234). This is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special pattern processing (step S238). This flowchart shows the procedure for the normal processing of the first special symbol (step S280). This flowchart shows the procedure for the collision detection process (step S305). Various tables showing the winning determination table (A), the big winning symbol determination table (B), and the small winning symbol determination table (C). This flowchart shows the procedure for setting the first special symbol stop symbol (step S281). This is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first variation pattern setting process (step S282). This is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special symbol variation process (step S283). This flowchart shows the procedure for stopping the first special symbol (step S284). This flowchart shows the procedure for the jackpot control process (step S235A). This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a rainbow color effect. This is an explanatory diagram showing the grouping of multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards installed on a game board. This is an explanatory diagram showing the grouping of multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards installed in the door frame. This is a timing diagram showing an example of a rainbow color effect. This is a timing diagram showing an example of a rainbow-colored animation during an abnormal situation. (A) is a front perspective view of the rear upper movable decorative body, and (B) is a cross-sectional view of the rear upper movable decorative body cut along line A-A. This is a timing diagram showing the first variation of the rainbow color effect. This is a timing diagram showing the first variation of the rainbow color effect. This is a timing diagram showing a second variation of the rainbow effect. This is a timing diagram showing a second variation of the rainbow effect. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a gold-colored effect. This is a timing diagram showing an example of a gold-colored effect. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a low-expectation gold effect. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of effect processing in a golden color scheme. This is a front view of a pachinko machine. This is a timing diagram showing an example of light intensity adjustment during the gold effect. This is a timing diagram showing an example of volume adjustment during the gold-colored effect. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an information display. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an information display. (a) is a schematic front view of the divided game board, and (b) is a schematic rear view of the divided game board. (a) is a rear perspective view of the divided game board, seen from the lower left rear, before the right and left game boards that make up the divided game board are combined, and (b) is a rear perspective view of the divided game board, seen from the lower left rear. This is a schematic front view of the divided game board after the divided game board in Figure 302(a) has been redesigned. This is a circuit diagram showing an example of an ID output circuit. This is a circuit diagram showing an example of a serial output circuit for photosensor information. This is a circuit diagram showing an example of multiple ID output circuits. This is a list showing the compatibility (alignment) / incompatibility (misalignment) of combinations. This flowchart shows an example of the power-on processing for a peripheral control unit that can perform ID determination. This table shows how to handle various errors when the power is turned on (Specific Example 1). This table shows various error handling methods (Specific Example 1) that do not involve magnetic detection during the progression of the performance after power-on or while waiting for customers. This table shows how to handle various errors involving magnetic detection during the progression of the performance after power-on or while waiting for customers (Specific Example 1). This table shows how to handle various errors when the power is turned on (Specific Example 2). This table shows various error handling methods (specific example 2) that do not involve magnetic detection during the progression of the performance after power-on or while waiting for customers. This table shows how to handle various errors involving magnetic detection during the progression of the performance after power-on or while waiting for customers (Specific Example 2). This is a circuit diagram showing an example of an ID comparison circuit. This is a circuit diagram showing an example of the circuit of a relay board installed in a dish unit. This circuit shows an example of a modified version of Figure 316. Figure 316 shows an example of a circuit diagram where the LED driver constituting the ID comparison circuit provided on the frame-side decorative substrate is replaced with a serial-to-parallel conversion circuit. This is a schematic diagram showing the general allocation of each unit. This is a circuit diagram showing an example of the ID output circuit in each unit. This is a circuit diagram showing an example of a circuit that further includes a manufacturer identification code (manufacturer identification value) in the ID output circuit of each unit in Figure 321. (a) is a schematic front view of a split game board equipped with an ID error detection switch, and (b) is a schematic rear view of the split game board equipped with an ID error detection switch. This is a schematic disassembled perspective view of the right-side game board, separated into the right-side game panel and the right-side back box, as seen from the front. This is a schematic perspective view of a portion of the right-side back box of the back unit of the right-side game board, seen from the front. This is a schematic disassembled perspective view of the right-side game board, with a portion of it separated into the right-side game panel and the right-side back box, as seen from the front. This is an example of the behavior when changing the setting values when the split game board 5A, which consists of the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, is in a state of compatibility (alignment). This is an example of the behavior when changing the setting values while the combination of the split game board 5A is incompatible (inconsistent). This is an example of behavior when an unauthorized magnetic field is generated during the execution of a setting change process while the combination of the split game board 5A is incompatible (inconsistent). This is an example of behavior when an abnormal magnetic field is generated during the power-on operation check, which is performed after the setting change process is completed, while the combination of the split game board 5A is incompatible (inconsistent). This is an example of the behavior when changing the setting value while the right-side game board 5AR is not connected. This is an example of the behavior when an unauthorized magnetic field is generated while the setting change process is being executed with the right-side game board 5AR disconnected. This is an example of behavior when an abnormal magnetic field is generated during the power-on operation check, which is performed after the setting change process is completed while the right-side game board 5AR is not connected. This is an example of the behavior when the split game board 5A, which consists of the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, is compatible (aligned) and the setting value is displayed for confirmation. This is an example of the behavior when displaying confirmation of the set values while the combination of the split game board 5A is incompatible (inconsistent). This is an example of behavior when an unauthorized magnetic field is generated during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process while the combination of the split game board 5A is incompatible (inconsistent). This is an example of behavior when an abnormal magnetic field is generated during the power-on operation check, which is performed after the setting value confirmation display process is completed, while the combination of the split game board 5A is incompatible (inconsistent). This is an example of the behavior when displaying the setting value confirmation while the right-side game board 5AR is not connected. This is an example of the behavior when an unauthorized magnetic field is generated while the setting value confirmation display process is being executed with the right-side game board 5AR disconnected. This is an example of behavior when an abnormal magnetic field is generated during the power-on operation check, which is performed after the setting value confirmation display process is completed while the right-side game board 5AR is not connected. This is a schematic diagram showing a modified version of the main control board. This is an example of the behavior when the split game board 5A, which consists of the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, is controlled to transition to confirmation mode when it is found to be compatible (matched). This is an example of the behavior when the system is controlled to switch to confirmation mode when the combination of the split game board 5A is incompatible (inconsistent). This is an example of the behavior when the right-side game board 5AR is not connected and the system is controlled to switch to confirmation mode. This is a time chart showing the start timing of specific performances. This is a time chart for ending specific performance sequences. This is a time chart showing the start timing of specific effects during abnormal states. This is a time chart for ending specific effects in abnormal situations. This is a timing chart showing an example of the display mode of a performance display device. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display mode for a performance display device. (A) is a timing chart showing an example of a performance pattern during the second specific performance, and (B) is a timing chart showing an example of a performance pattern during the first specific performance. (C) is a timing chart showing an example of a performance pattern during the second specific performance. (A) is a timing chart showing an example of a performance pattern during the second specific performance, and (B) is a timing chart showing an example of a performance pattern during the first specific performance. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a display mode for a performance display device. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the front mounting surface of a rear rear left movable decorative substrate provided on the rear rear left movable decorative body. This is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of a rear-left movable decorative substrate provided on the rear-left movable decorative body. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the back mounting surface of a rear-rear left movable decorative substrate provided on the rear-rear left movable decorative body. This is a schematic diagram showing a part of the main control board in another example, where (A) is a schematic diagram showing the mounting state of electronic components on the mounting surface (front) of the main control board, and (B) is a schematic diagram showing through-holes and pads on the mounting surface (front) of the main control board. Figure 359 (B) is a schematic diagram showing a part of the main control board in another example, where (A) is a schematic diagram showing the wiring pattern on the mounting side (front) of the main control board, and Figure 359 (B) is a schematic diagram showing the wiring pattern on the solder side (back) y of the main control board. This is a schematic diagram showing a portion of the mounting surface (front) of the main control board in another example. This is a schematic diagram showing a function display unit in a different example. (a) is a perspective view showing the front (surface) of the magnetic sensor substrate, and (b) is a perspective view showing the rear (back) of the magnetic sensor substrate. This is a schematic diagram showing the mounting surface of the main control board in another example. This is a schematic diagram showing a portion of the mounting surface (front) of the main control board in another example. This is a schematic diagram showing the through-holes of the main control board in another example. This is an explanatory diagram showing a functional display board in a different example, and includes (A) the front mounting surface, (B) the back mounting surface, (C) a magnified view of a part of the back mounting surface, and (D) a magnified view of a part of the back mounting surface. This is a schematic diagram showing the mounting state of the main control board in another example. This is a schematic diagram showing the mounting state of the main control board in another example. This is a schematic diagram showing the mounting state of the main control board in another example. This is a schematic diagram showing the mounting state of the main control board in another example. This is a schematic diagram showing the mounting state of the main control board in another example. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the mounting state of the sensor board in a modified example. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the mounting state of the rear left movable decorative substrate in a modified example. (A) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the mounting state of the main control board in the modified example, and (B) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the mounting state of the peripheral control board in the modified example. This is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a pattern and land. This is a perspective view showing different forms of the first and second attacker units attached to the game board. This is a perspective view showing the first and second attacker units removed from the game board. This is an exploded perspective view showing the first attacker unit. (a) is a perspective view showing the first reciprocating mechanism with the grand prize door and the second start door in the closed position, and (b) is a perspective view showing the first reciprocating mechanism with the grand prize door and the second start door in the open position. This is an exploded perspective view showing the second attacker unit. (a) is a front view showing the second retraction mechanism with the prize entry door in the retracted position, and (b) is a front view showing the second retraction mechanism with the prize entry door in the extended position. (a) is a bottom view of the first retractable mechanism viewed from below, with the second start door and the large prize door in the extended position, and (b) is a bottom view of the first retractable mechanism viewed from below, with the second start door and the large prize door in the retracted position. (a) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction mechanism viewed from below, showing the second start door and the big prize door in the extended position; (b) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction mechanism viewed from below, showing the second start door and the big prize door in the retracted position; and (c) and (d) are schematic diagrams of the first retraction mechanism viewed from below, showing the second start door and the big prize door in a malfunctioning state. (a) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction mechanism viewed from below, showing the second start door and the big prize door in the extended position; (b) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction mechanism viewed from below, showing the second start door and the big prize door in the retracted position; and (c) and (d) are schematic diagrams of the first retraction mechanism viewed from below, showing the second start door and the big prize door in a malfunctioning state. (a) to (d) are schematic diagrams showing a bottom view of the first retractable device, which has a viewing section of another form provided on the bottom of the large prize-winning door. (a) is a partial rear view of a part of the second retraction mechanism where the prize entry door has been moved to the retracted position, and (b) is a partial rear view of a part of the second retraction mechanism where the prize entry door has been moved to the extended position, and is viewed from the rear. (a) is a schematic rear view of the second retraction mechanism showing the prize entry door in the retracted position, and (b) is a schematic rear view of the second retraction mechanism showing the prize entry door in the extended position. (a) is a top view of the first retraction mechanism as seen from above, with the second start door and the large prize door in the extended position, and (b) is a top view of the first retraction mechanism as seen from above, with the second start door and the large prize door in the retracted position. (a) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction mechanism viewed from above, showing the second start door and the big prize door in the extended position; (b) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction mechanism viewed from above, showing the second start door and the big prize door in the retracted position; and (c) and (d) are schematic diagrams of the first retraction mechanism viewed from above, showing the second start door and the big prize door in a malfunctioning state. (a) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction mechanism viewed from above, showing the second start door and the big prize door in the extended position; (b) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction mechanism viewed from above, showing the second start door and the big prize door in the retracted position; and (c) and (d) are schematic diagrams of the first retraction mechanism viewed from above, showing the second start door and the big prize door in a malfunctioning state. (a) is a partial rear view of a part of the second retraction mechanism where the prize entry door has been moved to the retracted state, and (b) is a partial rear view of a part of the second retraction mechanism where the prize entry door has been moved to the retracted abnormal state, and is viewed from the rear. (a) is a schematic rear view of the second retraction mechanism showing the prize entry door in the retracted position, and (b) is a schematic rear view of the second retraction mechanism showing the prize entry door in the extended position. (a) is a bottom view of the first retractable mechanism viewed from below, with the second start door and the large prize door in the extended position, and (b) is a bottom view of the first retractable mechanism viewed from below, with the second start door and the large prize door in the retracted position. (a) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction mechanism viewed from below, showing the second start door and the big prize door in the extended position; (b) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction mechanism viewed from below, showing the second start door and the big prize door in the retracted position; and (c) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction mechanism viewed from below, showing the second start door and the big prize door in a malfunctioning state. (a) to (c) are schematic diagrams of the first retractable mechanism, showing the second start door and the large prize door in a malfunctioning state, viewed from below. (a) through (d) are schematic diagrams of the first retractable mechanism showing the grand prize gate door in the advanced position, viewed from below. (a) is a partial rear view of a part of the second retraction mechanism where the prize entry door has been moved to the retracted state, and (b) is a partial rear view of a part of the second retraction mechanism where the prize entry door has been moved to the retracted abnormal state, and is viewed from the rear. (a) is a partial rear view of a part of the second reciprocating mechanism, viewed from the rear, when the prize entry door has been moved to the extended position, and (b) is a partial rear view of a part of the second reciprocating mechanism, viewed from the rear, when the prize entry door has been moved to the abnormal extended position. (A) An enlarged view showing the vicinity of a test point TP formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310; (B) An enlarged view showing a modified example of a test point formed on the ground line; (C) An enlarged view showing an example of a normal land formed on the ground line; (D) An enlarged view showing the state in which the solder of the test point formed on the ground line is welded. This is an enlarged view showing a portion of the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 in a modified example. This is an enlarged view showing a portion of the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 in a modified example. Figure 402(A) is an enlarged view showing an example of a test point TP formed on the signal line of the main control board 1310 in a modified example. Figure 402(B) is an enlarged view showing an example of a test point TP formed on the signal line of the main control board 1310 and comprising ordinary lands 1310s that are not used for mounting electronic components. This flowchart shows a modified example of the main control side timer interrupt processing. This is a front view showing the game board with the rear front left decorative unit and the rear rear lower display unit attached. This is an exploded perspective view showing the rear left movable decorative element of the rear lower performance unit. (a) is a rear view showing the back of the rear left movable decorative element of the rear lower performance unit, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 351(a). This is a perspective view showing a portion of the back of the rear left movable decorative element of the rear lower performance unit. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 351(a). This is a cross-sectional view of the rear left movable decorative body in another embodiment. Figures (A) to (C) are front views showing information displays that show information related to the game. (a) is a perspective view showing the front of the information display unit, and (b) is a perspective view showing the rear of the information display unit. This is a cross-sectional view showing the section A-A in Figure 356(a). This is a perspective view showing the front rear upper movable decorative element and a part of the rear upper first decorative substrate removed from the front rear upper movable decorative element. This is a perspective view showing the front-side rear upper movable decorative element and a portion of the rear upper first decorative substrate attached to the front-side rear upper movable decorative element. (a) through (d) are rear views showing a portion of the movable decorative element on the front, back, and upper rear. This is a perspective view showing the front rear upper movable decorative element and a part of the rear upper first decorative substrate removed from the front rear upper movable decorative element. This is a perspective view showing the front-side rear upper movable decorative element and a portion of the rear upper first decorative substrate attached to the front-side rear upper movable decorative element.

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

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment comprises a frame-shaped outer frame 2 installed on an island (not shown) in a gaming hall, a door frame 3 that can be opened and closed to close the front of the outer frame 2, a main body frame 4 that can be opened and closed to support the door frame 3 and is also attached to the outer frame 2 in an openable and closable manner, and a game board 5 that is detachably attached to the main body frame 4 from the front and has a game area 5a that is visible to the player through the door frame 3 and into which the player puts game balls B (see Figure 89).

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

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

Furthermore, when the main frame 4 is closed, the door frame 3, in cooperation with the speaker unit 620a of the circuit board unit 620 in the main frame 4, forms part of the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622. This inverts the phase of the sound output from the rear of the main frame speaker 622 and radiates it forward, allowing the player to hear deeper bass sounds.

The door frame 3 closes the game area 5a of the game board 5, into which the game balls B are inserted, making it visible from the front. It stores the game balls B to be inserted into the game area 5a and is equipped with a handle 195 operated by the player to insert the stored game balls B into the game area 5a. Furthermore, the door frame 3 decorates the entire front surface of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the door frame 3 is equipped with a separate performance control unit 301 that can be operated by the player, in addition to the handle 195. When a player-participation performance is executed, the player can participate in the performance by operating the performance control unit 301. This allows the player to enjoy the game not only through gameplay with the game balls B, but also through the operation of the performance control unit 301.

The main frame 4 comprises a frame-shaped main frame base unit 500 whose rear end can be inserted into the frame of the outer frame 2 and which can support the outer circumference of the game board 5; an upper hinge member 510 and a lower hinge assembly 520 for attaching the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 so as to be openable and closable, and for attaching the door frame 3 so as to be openable and closable; a main frame reinforcing frame 530 that reinforces the main frame base unit 500; a ball launching device 540 for launching game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5; and a ball launching device for supplying balls from the island equipment of the game hall. The system includes a payout base unit 550 for receiving game balls B, a payout unit 560 for dispensing the game balls B received by the payout base unit 550 to the player, a power supply board 630 equipped with a power switch 630a for powering on the pachinko machine 1, a board unit 620 having a payout control board 633, a back cover 640 covering the rear of the game board 5 attached to the main frame base 501, and a locking unit 650 for locking the space between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4, and between the door frame 3 and the main frame 4.

The main frame 4 holds the game board 5, which has a game area 5a where the game is played by inserting game balls B. It also dispenses the game balls B to the player and discharges the used game balls B to the rear of the pachinko machine 1 (towards the island equipment in the gaming hall). The main frame 4 is formed in a box shape with an open front, and the game board 5 is detachably housed inside from the front. Furthermore, the main frame 4 is attached to a frame-shaped outer frame 2, which is attached to the island equipment in the gaming hall, at the top and bottom of the front left side, and a door frame 3 is attached to it, which can be opened and closed, to close the open front side.

The game board 5 comprises a game area 5a where game balls B are played by the player's operation, a front component 1000 that demarcates the outer periphery of the game area 5a and has an outer shape that is roughly rectangular when viewed from the front, a plate-shaped game panel 1100 attached to the rear side of the front component 1000 and demarcates the rear end of the game area 5a, a circuit board holder 1200 attached to the lower rear side of the game panel 1100, and a main control unit attached to the rear surface of the circuit board holder 1200 that has a main control board 1310 and a setting change board 1311. The system comprises a control unit 1300, a function display unit 1400 that displays the game status based on control signals from the main control board 1310, a peripheral control unit 1500 (see Figure 12) located behind the game panel 1100, a performance display device 1600 located in the center of the game area 5a in a front view and capable of displaying predetermined performance images, a front unit 2000 attached to the front of the game panel 1100, and a back unit 3000 attached to the rear of the game panel 1100. The back unit 3000 is equipped with various performance units capable of performing movable and light-emitting effects according to the game state.

Within the game area 5a of the game board 5, there are multiple obstacle pins N planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement that come into contact with the game balls B, and a general prize entry point 2001, a first start entry point 2002, a gate 2003, a second start entry point 2004, and a large prize entry point 2005 that grant predetermined benefits to the player (for example, the payout of a predetermined number of game balls B) upon receipt or passage of the game balls B. The obstacle pins N are planted on the front surface of the game panel 1100. The general prize entry point 2001, the first start entry point 2002, the gate 2003, the second start entry point 2004, and the large prize entry point 2005 are provided on the front unit 2000.

Within the game area 5a of the game board 5, the player can insert game balls B by operating the handle 195 of the handle unit 180. This allows the player to enjoy the action of inserting the balls B into the general prize slots 2001, the first starting slot 2002, the gate 2003, the second starting slot 2004, and the large prize slot 2005 within the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the game board 5 can entertain players by displaying predetermined animation images on the animation display device 1600, or by performing light-up and movable animations using the front-reverse animation unit 3100, the upper-reverse animation unit 3200, the lower-reverse animation unit 3300, etc., in accordance with the game state that changes when game balls B are played into the game area 5a.

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

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

When the main frame 4 is closed, the outer frame 2, in cooperation with the speaker unit 620a of the circuit board unit 620 in the main frame 4, forms part of the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622. Furthermore, it allows the sound output from the rear of the main frame speaker 622 to be phase-inverted and radiated forward.

The outer frame 2 allows the upper hinge assembly 50 to detachably support the upper hinge member 510 of the main frame 4. The outer frame 2, through the upper hinge assembly 50 and the lower hinge member 60, can coaxially support the upper hinge member 510 and the lower hinge assembly 520 of the main frame 4, enabling the main frame 4 to be mounted so that it can open and close forward, centered on the left side when viewed from the front.

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

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

The left outer frame member 11 extends vertically with a fixed cross-sectional shape and is formed from an extruded aluminum alloy profile. The left outer frame member 11 has a recess 11a on the rear portion of its left side (divided into three equal parts in the front-to-back direction), a bulge 11b on the right side (opposite the recess 11a), and a cavity 11c that penetrates the bulge 11b vertically. The left outer frame member 11 has increased strength and rigidity due to the recess 11a and bulge 11b, while its weight is reduced by the cavity 11c.

Furthermore, the left outer frame member 11 has multiple grooves extending vertically on both its left and right sides. The grooves on the left side are V-shaped, while the grooves on the right side are semicircular. The left outer frame member 11 is symmetrically formed with the right outer frame member 21 of the right outer frame assembly 20, which will be described later.

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

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

The lower left connecting member 13 is for connecting the lower end of the left outer frame member 11 and the left end of the lower outer frame assembly 40 (lower outer frame member 41). The lower left connecting member 13 comprises a horizontally extending, flat plate-shaped horizontal fixing portion 13a, a flat plate-shaped upper horizontal fixing portion 13b extending upward from the left side of the horizontal fixing portion 13a and further rearward than the horizontal fixing portion 13a, a flat plate-shaped lower horizontal fixing portion 13c extending downward from the lower side of the upper horizontal fixing portion 13b, and a flat plate-shaped contact portion 13d extending briefly to the right from the rear side of the upper horizontal fixing portion 13b. The lower left connecting member 13 is formed by bending a flat metal plate.

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

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

The right outer frame member 21 extends vertically with a fixed cross-sectional shape and is formed from an extruded aluminum alloy profile. The right outer frame member 21 has a recess 21a on the rear portion of its right side (divided into three equal parts in the front-to-back direction), a bulge 21b on the left side (opposite the recess 21a), and a cavity 21c that penetrates the bulge 21b vertically. The right outer frame member 21 has increased strength and rigidity due to the recess 21a and bulge 21b, while its weight is reduced by the cavity 21c.

Furthermore, the right outer frame member 21 has multiple grooves extending vertically on both its left and right sides. The grooves on the right side are V-shaped, while the grooves on the left side are semicircular. The right outer frame member 21 is formed symmetrically to the left outer frame member 11 of the left outer frame assembly 10.

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

The upper right connecting member 22 is attached to the right outer frame member 21 by inserting the rear lower horizontal fixing portion 22c into the cavity 21c of the right outer frame member 21, abutting the horizontal fixing portion 22a against the upper end of the right outer frame member 21, and further abutting the front and rear lower horizontal fixing portions 22c against the left side of the right outer frame member 21, while screws are screwed into the lower horizontal fixing portion 22c from the outside of the right side of the right outer frame member 21. The upper right connecting member 22 is attached to the upper outer frame member 30 by abutting the horizontal fixing portion 22a against the lower right end of the upper outer frame member 30, inserting the upper horizontal fixing portion 22b into the notch 30a on the right side of the upper outer frame member 30, and screwing screws into the upper outer frame member 30 through the horizontal fixing portion 22a and the upper horizontal fixing portion 22b.

The lower right connecting member 23 is for connecting the lower end of the right outer frame member 21 and the right end of the lower outer frame assembly 40 (lower outer frame member 41). The lower right connecting member 23 comprises a horizontally extending, flat plate-shaped horizontal fixing portion 23a, a flat plate-shaped upper horizontal fixing portion 23b extending upward from the right side of the horizontal fixing portion 23a and further rearward than the horizontal fixing portion 23a, a flat plate-shaped lower horizontal fixing portion 23c extending downward from the lower side of the upper horizontal fixing portion 23b, and a flat plate-shaped contact portion 23d extending briefly to the left from the rear side of the upper horizontal fixing portion 23b. The lower right connecting member 23 is formed by bending a flat metal plate.

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

The upper hooking member 24 and the lower hooking member 25 are used to secure the outer frame hook 653 of the locking unit 650 in the main frame 4, which will be described later. The upper hooking member 24 extends vertically with a constant width in the front-rear direction and includes a flat mounting portion 24a attached to the left side of the right outer frame member 21, and a flat hooking piece 24b extending to the left from the front edge of the mounting portion 24a, to which the upper outer frame hook 653 is secured.

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

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

The outer frame upper member 30 has notches 30a on both the left and right sides, located in the center of the front-to-back direction, that penetrate vertically and are recessed towards the center in the left-to-right direction. The upper lateral fixing portion 12b of the upper left connecting member 12 and the upper lateral fixing portion 22b of the upper right connecting member 22 are inserted into these notches 30a at both ends and attached accordingly.

Furthermore, the upper frame member 30 has a mounting step 30b at its left end, where the top and front surfaces are recessed compared to the general surface. The upper frame hinge assembly 50, described later, is attached to this mounting step 30b.

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

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

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

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

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

The front panel member 42 extends in the left-right direction to the same length as the lower outer frame member 41, and is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular box shape with a shorter depth in the front-to-back direction relative to its height, with the entire rear side open. The front panel member 42, by closing its open rear side with the rear panel member 43, works together with the rear panel member 43 to form the internal space 40a of the front panel, which becomes part of the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622. The front panel member 42 has an elongated opening 42a on its front surface near the right end, which penetrates from front to back and extends from left to right.

The rear fascia member 43 extends slightly shorter in the left-right direction than the lower outer frame member 41 and is formed in a box shape with an open front. By attaching the front fascia member 42 to its front surface, the rear fascia member 43 works in cooperation with the front fascia member 42 to form the internal fascia space 40a, which becomes part of the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622. The rear fascia member 43 has a cylindrical connecting tube portion 43a at the center of its upper surface, extending left and right and protruding upward, communicating with the internal fascia space 40a. The upper end of the connecting tube portion 43a is inclined such that it is positioned higher towards the rear from the front end, which coincides with the general upper surface of the rear fascia member 43. In this embodiment, the upper end of the connecting tube portion 43a is inclined at a 45-degree angle.

The connecting cylinder portion 43a is formed with a length in the left-right direction that is approximately one-third the length of the entire rear panel member 43, and a depth in the front-to-back direction that is slightly shorter than the entire depth of the rear panel member 43. Multiple ribs 43b are provided inside the connecting cylinder portion 43a, connecting the front end and the rear end. When the main frame 4 is closed to the outer frame 2, the connecting portion 621c of the speaker cover 621 of the speaker unit 620a of the circuit board unit 620 in the main frame 4 is connected to the upper end of this connecting cylinder portion 43a, creating communication with the internal space of the speaker unit 620a and forming the enclosure 624.

The ball jamming prevention mechanism 44 prevents the game ball B from getting caught between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4 by preventing the game ball B from accumulating at the left end of the upper surface of the rear panel member 43, specifically at the portion of the lower hinge member 60 of the outer frame.

The ball-jamming prevention mechanism 44 is formed at the left end of the upper surface of the rear panel member 43 and includes a mounting portion 44a that is flat so as to be adjacent to the lower hinge member 60 of the outer frame (described later), a first discharge port 44b that opens upward at the left end of the mounting portion 44a, a second discharge port 44c that opens upward to the right of the first discharge port 44b on the mounting portion 44a, a vertical wall portion 44d that extends upward from the rear and right sides of the mounting portion 44a, and an upper end projection 44e that protrudes forward from the upper end of the vertical wall portion 44d and is inclined so that its upper surface is positioned upward as it approaches the rear.

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

This ball-joint prevention mechanism 44 prevents unauthorized tools, such as piano wire, from being inserted through the gap between the lower hinge member 60 of the outer frame and the lower hinge assembly 520 of the main frame (described later). The vertical wall portion 44d, rising from the rear end of the mounting portion 44a, prevents the unauthorized tool from entering. Even if the tip of the unauthorized tool bends upward upon contact with the vertical wall portion 44d, it will contact the forward-projecting upper end projection 44e located at the upper end of the vertical wall portion 44d, preventing further intrusion. Therefore, unauthorized actions can be prevented through the lower hinge member 60 of the outer frame.

Incidentally, if a vertical wall portion 44d is provided at the rear end of the mounting portion 44a, when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2, any game balls B that fall onto the mounting portion 44a for some reason will be prevented from moving backward by the vertical wall portion 44d, making it easy for the game balls B to accumulate on the mounting portion 44a. Furthermore, when closing the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the game balls B can get trapped between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4, preventing the main frame 4 from being closed.

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

The outer frame lower assembly 40 comprises a pair of guide members 45 positioned spaced apart to the left and right on the upper surfaces of the front panel member 42 and the rear panel member 43; a flat plate-shaped grill member 46 that closes the opening 42a of the front panel member 42 from the rear; a port member 47 having two cylindrical parts extending front and rear, mounted inside the front panel member 42 to close the opening 42a while sandwiching the grill member 46; and a frame-shaped sealing member 48 positioned at the upper end of the connecting cylinder portion 43a of the rear panel member 43.

The pair of guide members 45 are positioned so that the lower end of the door frame 3 contacts the outer frame 2 when the main frame 4 is closed. The guide members 45 are made of a low-friction material with low frictional resistance, making the lower end of the main frame 4 slide easily and facilitating opening and closing.

The grille member 46 is a strip-shaped plate extending in the left-right direction and has multiple fin portions 46b spaced apart in the vertical direction. The fin portions 46b are inclined such that their front ends are higher than their rear ends (see Figure 47). This grille member 46 allows ventilation between the interior of the front panel member 42 (the interior space 40a of the panel) and the exterior through the gaps between the fin portions 46b.

The port member 47 connects the internal space 40a (enclosure 624) of the fascia panel (enclosure 624) to the front of the outer frame 2 via the gap between the fin portions 46b of the grill member 46, using two cylinders. The port member 47 is formed with two cylinders of a predetermined inner diameter and length, and by the principle of Helmholtz resonance, it resonates and amplifies the bass emitted from the main frame speaker 622 towards the rear (inside the enclosure 624), allowing rich bass to be radiated towards the front of the outer frame 2 (towards the player). In other words, in this embodiment, the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622 is of the bass reflex type, allowing players to hear deep bass.

The sealing member 48 is compressed between the upper end of the connecting cylinder portion 43a and the lower end of the connecting portion 621c of the speaker cover 621 on the main frame 4 when the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2. This prevents sound from leaking from the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622 through the gap between the connecting cylinder portion 43a and the connecting portion 621c.

According to the grill member 46 of this embodiment, the air vibrations released from the internal space 40a of the fascia by the main frame speaker 622 can be directed by the multiple inclined vane portions 46b through the notched opening 295b on the lower side of the handle cover 295 in the handle cover unit 290 located diagonally upward and forward, into the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 in which the handle unit 180 is housed. This allows the main frame speaker 622 to vibrate and send air into the front cylindrical portion 291a when the player inserts their fingers inside the handle cover 295 (front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291) to rotate the handle 195 (the device for inserting the game ball B), thereby surprising the player and creating an unprecedented effect.

Furthermore, because the port member 47 is open towards the front, a portion of the sound pressure emitted from the port member 47 through the multiple vane portions 46b of the grill member 46 is released forward. Therefore, the sound effects emitted from the port member 47 can be heard by players seated in front of the pachinko machine 1, as well as by other players circulating within the gaming hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed. This allows the sound effects to attract the players' attention, providing a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players.

Furthermore, since the port member 47 is provided on the lower outer frame assembly 40 of the outer frame 2, relative to the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622 located on the main frame 4, the volume of the enclosure 624 can be increased. This allows for the output of deeper bass sounds, which can entertain players and prevent a decline in their enjoyment.

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

The outer frame upper hinge member 51 comprises an upper fixing portion 51a that is a horizontally extending flat plate and is attached to the upper surface of the mounting step portion 30b of the outer frame upper member 30; a flat plate-shaped forward extension portion 51b that extends forward from the front edge of the upper fixing portion 51a; a bearing groove 51c that extends from the middle of the right edge of the forward extension portion 51b toward the left and right center of the forward extension portion 51b and penetrates vertically; a flat plate-shaped lateral fixing portion 51d that extends downward from the left edge of the forward extension portion 51b, around the front edge, to the part where the bearing groove 51c opens, and is a flat plate-shaped edge wall portion 51e that extends downward from the edge and is continuous with the lateral fixing portion 51d. The outer frame upper hinge member 51 is formed by stamping and bending a metal plate by press molding. The outer frame upper hinge member 51 can rotatably support the main frame upper hinge pin 512 of the main frame upper hinge member 510 (described later) within the bearing groove 51c.

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

When the locking member 52 is attached to the upper hinge member 51 of the outer frame, the lock body 52a is able to block the bearing groove 51c in a plan view, and the right side surface near the front end extends forward so that it can contact the portion of the edge wall portion 51e of the upper hinge member 51 of the outer frame that extends to the opening of the bearing groove 51c. In addition, the tip of the elastic portion 52c that extends to the left from the rear end of the lock body 52a contacts the inner circumferential surface of the edge wall portion 51e of the upper hinge member 51 of the outer frame. The locking member 52 is biased by the biasing force of the elastic portion 52c so that its front end rotates to the left around the mounting hole 52d. Therefore, in the normal state, the right side surface of the lock body 52a of the locking member 52 near the front end contacts the edge wall portion 51e. In this state, a space is formed in the bearing groove 51c in front of the lock body 52a, capable of accommodating the upper hinge pin 512 of the upper hinge member 510.

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

[2-5. Lower hinge component of the outer frame]
The lower outer frame hinge member 60 of the outer frame 2 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 18. The lower outer frame hinge member 60 comprises a horizontally extending flat plate-shaped horizontal portion 60a, a flat plate-shaped rising portion 60b rising upward from a point on the left side of the horizontal portion 60a that is further back than the center in the front-to-back direction, a lower outer frame hinge pin 60c protruding upward from near the front end of the horizontal portion 60a, and an ejection hole 60d that penetrates the horizontal portion 60a vertically and is sized to allow only one game ball B to pass through. This lower outer frame hinge member 60 is formed by punching and bending a metal plate by press molding.

The horizontal portion 60a of the lower outer frame hinge member 60 is formed in a trapezoidal shape with the left side as the base when viewed from above. The lower outer frame hinge pin 60c is cylindrical, with the upper part above the vertical center narrowing to a frustoconical shape. This lower outer frame hinge pin 60c is mounted near the front end of the horizontal portion 60a, slightly to the left. The discharge hole 60d is in contact with the central part of the vertical portion 60b in the front-rear direction, and extends in an inverted U-shape from the left side of the horizontal portion 60a to the right. This discharge hole 60d is formed to be approximately the same size as the first discharge port 44b of the ball-jamming prevention mechanism 44 in the lower outer frame assembly 40.

The lower outer frame hinge member 60, when assembled to the outer frame 2, has its rear horizontal portion 60a resting on the mounting portion 44a of the rear fascia member 43 on the lower outer frame assembly 40, and is fixed to the rear fascia member 43 with screws (not shown). The vertical portion 60b is attached to the right side of the left outer frame member 11, in front of the bulging portion 11b, with screws (not shown). This lower outer frame hinge member 60 can be attached to the main frame 4 in an openable and closable manner by inserting the lower outer frame hinge pin 60c into the lower outer frame hinge hole 521a in the lower main frame hinge assembly 520 of the main frame 4, in cooperation with the upper outer frame hinge member 51.

Furthermore, when the outer frame 2 is assembled, the discharge hole 60d coincides with the first discharge port 44b of the ball jamming prevention mechanism 44 in the lower outer frame assembly 40. This allows the game balls B on the horizontal section 60a to fall (discharge) to the rear of the outer frame 2 through the discharge hole 60d and the first discharge port 44b. More specifically, when closing the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, the game balls B that have fallen between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4 will roll towards the rear where the gap is wider as the main frame 4 is closed, and will be discharged through the discharge hole 60d. In this case, since the discharge hole 60d is formed at a position approximately the same as the rear end of the main frame 4 when the main frame 4 is closed to the outer frame 2 in the assembled state of the pachinko machine 1, it is possible to easily prevent the game balls B that have fallen between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4 from rolling further behind the main frame 4 by discharging them through the discharge hole 60d, and thus making it less likely for the game balls B to get stuck in the area of the lower hinge member 60 of the outer frame.

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

The door frame 3 is formed as a rectangle extending vertically when viewed from the front, with approximately the same size as the inside of the outer frame 2. It is attached to the inside of the outer frame 2 via the main frame 4, allowing it to be opened and closed from the front. The door frame 3 closes the game area 5a of the game board 5, where the game balls B are inserted, allowing it to be visible from the front. It stores the game balls B for insertion into the game area 5a and includes a handle 195 operated by the player to insert the stored game balls B into the game area 5a. Furthermore, the door frame 3 serves to decorate the entire front surface of the pachinko machine 1.

The door frame 3 consists of a rectangular door frame base unit 100 with an outer shape that extends vertically when viewed from the front, a glass unit 160 that is detachably attached to the door frame base unit 100 and closes the game area 5a of the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 so that it can be seen from the front, a security cover 170 that is attached to the door frame base unit 100 so as to cover the lower part of the glass unit 160 from the rear, a handle unit 180 attached to the lower right corner of the front of the door frame base unit 100, and a handle that covers the outer circumference of the handle unit 180. The system comprises a cover unit 290, a tray unit 200 mounted on the lower front of the door frame base unit 100, a left door frame side unit 420 mounted on the left front of the door frame base unit 100 above the tray unit 200, a right door frame side unit 430 mounted on the right front of the door frame base unit 100 above the tray unit, and a top door frame unit 450 mounted on the upper front of the door frame base unit 100 above the left door frame side unit 420 and the right door frame side unit 430.

The door frame base unit 100 comprises a door frame base 101 having a door window 101a that extends vertically through the front and back, forming a rectangular shape when viewed from the front; a speaker duct 103 attached to the lower right corner of the rear side of the door frame base 101 when viewed from the rear; a main door frame relay board 104 attached to the lower rear side of the door frame base 101 near the right end when viewed from the rear; a sub-door frame relay board 105 attached to the left of the main door frame relay board 104 when viewed from the rear; a rear handle relay board 106 attached to the left of the sub-door frame relay board 105 when viewed from the rear; a door frame relay board cover 107 that covers the main door frame relay board 104 and a part of the sub-door frame relay board 105 from the rear; a rear handle relay board cover 108 that covers the rear handle relay board 106 from the rear; and a cable cover 109 that covers the wiring cable.

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

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

Furthermore, the ball supply unit 140 is for supplying the game balls B in the upper tray 201 one by one to the ball launching device 540 on the main frame 4. The foul cover unit 150 guides game balls B (foul balls) that were launched by the ball launching device 540 but did not reach the game area 5a of the game board 5 to the lower tray 202, and also guides game balls B dispensed from the payout device 580 to either the upper tray 201 or the lower tray 202.

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

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

The door frame base unit 100 is attached to the main frame 4 on a hinged rotatable hinge on its left side when viewed from the front. It allows the front of the main frame 4 to be opened and closed, while also allowing the game area 5a of the game board 5 mounted on the main frame 4 to be visible from the front. The door frame base unit 100 comprises a rectangular, flat door frame base 101 with an elongated vertical shape, and a speaker duct 103 attached to the rear of the door frame base 101, specifically at the lower right corner when viewed from the rear.

Furthermore, the door frame base unit 100 includes a main door frame relay board 104 mounted near the right end of the rear view at the lower rear of the door frame base 101, a sub-door frame relay board 105 mounted to the left of the main door frame relay board 104 at the lower rear of the door frame base 101, a rear handle relay board 106 mounted to the left of the sub-door frame relay board 105 at the lower rear of the door frame base 101, a door frame relay board cover 107 mounted on the rear of the door frame base 101 that covers the main door frame relay board 104 and a portion of the sub-door frame relay board 105 from the rear, a rear handle relay board cover 108 mounted on the rear of the door frame base 101 that covers the rear handle relay board 106 from the rear, and a cable cover 109 mounted on the rear of the door frame base 101 that covers the wiring cable.

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

The door frame base unit 100 is fitted with the following components: a handle unit 180 and a handle cover unit 290 at the lower front corner; a tray unit 200 at the lower front of the door window 101a; a left side unit 420 on the left outer front of the door window 101a; a right side unit 430 on the right outer front of the door window 101a; and a top unit 450 on the upper outer front of the door window 101a.

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

[3-1a. Door frame base]
The door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100 in the door frame 3 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 31 to 33. The door frame base 101 is formed in a rectangular shape with an extended vertical outer shape when viewed from the front. The door frame base 101 has a door window 101a that penetrates from front to back and has an inner circumference shape that is roughly rectangular with an extended vertical shape when viewed from the front. The upper edge and both left and right edges that form the inner circumference of the door window 101a are close to the outer perimeter of the door frame base 101, respectively, and the lower edge that forms the inner circumference is located at a height of approximately 1/3 of the height from the lower end of the door frame base 101 in the vertical direction. In this way, the entire door frame base 101 is formed in a frame shape by the door window 101a that penetrates from front to back. This door frame base 101 is integrally molded from synthetic resin.

The door frame base 101 includes a handle mounting surface 101b (see Figure 42, etc.) formed at the lower right corner of the front view, with the left end slightly protruding forward compared to the right end; a cylinder insertion hole 101d that penetrates front to back between the handle mounting surface 101b and the door window 101a, into which the cylinder mounting frame 115 of the door frame reinforcement unit 110 is inserted; and a ball feeding opening 101e that penetrates front to back on the left side of the cylinder insertion hole 101d and the handle mounting surface 101b in a front view, allowing the entry point 141a and ball exit point 141b of the ball feeding unit 140 to face forward.

Furthermore, the door frame base 101 includes a lower ball passage opening 101f located slightly to the left of the center in the left-right direction and extending from front to back at approximately the same height as the handle mounting surface 101b, allowing the ball discharge port 150d of the foul cover unit 150 to face forward; an upper ball passage opening 101g located near the left end in the front view, adjacent to the lower edge of the door window 101a, allowing the through ball passage 150a of the foul cover unit 150 to face forward; and a glass unit mounting portion 101h recessed from the rear to the front along the inner circumference of the door window 101a, into which the glass frame 161 of the glass unit 160 is inserted.

Furthermore, the door frame base 101 has multiple vertically elongated slits 101i formed in the lower left corner of the front view (below the ball passage opening 101g for the upper tray) that penetrate from front to back. A speaker duct 103 is attached to the rear of the multiple slits 101i. Also, when the pachinko machine 1 is assembled, the speaker opening 211b of the tray unit base 211 of the tray unit 200 is located at the front of the multiple slits 101i, while the main frame speaker 622 of the speaker unit 620a of the main frame 4 is located at the rear, allowing sound from the main frame speaker 622 to be radiated forward.

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

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

Furthermore, the speaker duct 103 is equipped with a cable holder 103a on the lower rear surface of the cylindrical portion to hold the connecting cable 503. The cable holder 103a is positioned to the left of the door frame relay board cover 107 in a front view, and holds the connecting cable 503, which is connected to the door frame main relay board 104 and the door frame sub-relay board 105, so that it extends toward the left end of the door frame 3.

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

The door frame sub-relay board 105 has an external shape that is an inverted L-shape, with a vertically extending rectangle on the upper right side of the front view and a horizontally extending rectangle on the right side of the upper part. It is mounted on the rear side of the door frame base 101 so that the vertically extending portion is adjacent to the left side of the door frame main relay board 104 when viewed from the rear. The door frame sub-relay board 105 serves to relay connections between the handle decorative board 184 of the handle unit 180, the plate unit relay board 214 of the plate unit 200, the upper left-side decorative board 422 and lower left-side decorative board 423 of the door frame left side unit 420, the upper right-side decorative board 432 and lower right-side decorative board 433 of the door frame right side unit 430, the door frame top relay board of the door frame top unit 450, etc., and the interface board 635 of the main frame 4. The remaining portion of the connection cable 503 extending from the main frame 4 is connected to it.

The main door frame relay board 104 and the sub-door frame relay board 105 are mounted on the door frame base 101 so that their connection terminals protrude towards the rear. When the door frame base unit 100 is assembled, the upper and lower extending portions of the main door frame relay board 104 and the sub-door frame relay board 105 are covered at the rear by the door frame relay board cover 107, while the remaining portion of the sub-door frame relay board 105 is covered at the rear by the foul cover unit 150.

The rear handle relay board 106 is formed in a rectangular shape with an outer shape extending to the left and right, and is mounted on the rear side of the handle mounting surface 101b below the ball supply opening 101e on the rear side of the door frame base 101. The rear handle relay board 106 serves to relay connections between the door frame main relay board 104 and the handle rotation detection sensor 189, handle touch sensor 192, single-button operation sensor 194 of the handle unit 180, and the ball supply solenoid 145 of the ball supply unit 140. When the door frame base unit 100 is assembled, the rear side of the rear handle relay board 106 is covered by the rear handle relay board cover 108.

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

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

[3-1e. Door frame reinforcement unit]
The door frame reinforcement unit 110 of the door frame base unit 100 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 31 to 33. The door frame reinforcement unit 110 is attached to the rear side of the door frame base 101, thereby reinforcing the flat door frame base 101 and providing rigidity to the door frame base unit 100. The door frame reinforcement unit 110 includes a left reinforcement frame 111 and a right reinforcement frame 112 that extend vertically and are spaced apart to the left and right, an upper reinforcement frame 113 that extends horizontally and connects the upper ends of the left reinforcement frame 111 and the right reinforcement frame 112, an intermediate reinforcement frame 114 whose left end is attached to a position slightly above the lower end of the left reinforcement frame 111 and which extends to the right to the vicinity of the right reinforcement frame 112, a cylinder mounting frame 115 that connects the right end of the intermediate reinforcement frame 114 to the right reinforcement frame 112, and a number of hooking members 116 that are attached vertically spaced apart to the rear side of the right reinforcement frame 112 and to which the door frame hook 652 of the locking unit 650 of the main frame 4 is hooked.

The left reinforcing frame 111 and the right reinforcing frame 112 have a constant width in the left-right direction and extend vertically with a length approximately equal to the vertical height of the door frame base 101. The right reinforcing frame 112 has multiple through-holes that are spaced apart vertically and penetrate through in the front-to-back direction. These through-holes are through which the tips of the door frame hooks 652 of the locking unit 650 are inserted when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4. The upper reinforcing frame 113 has a constant width in the vertical direction and extends horizontally with a length approximately equal to the left-right width of the door frame base 101.

The intermediate reinforcing frame 114 extends horizontally with a width wider vertically than the vertical width of the upper reinforcing frame 113. The intermediate reinforcing frame 114 has a rectangular notch 114a near its left end, extending downward from the upper end, and a through-hole 114b near its right end, extending front to back. The notch 114a is formed at a position corresponding to the ball passage opening 101g for the upper tray of the door frame base 101, and the through-hole 114b is formed at a position corresponding to the through-hole 101j of the door frame base 101.

The cylinder mounting frame 115 comprises a pair of rear sections, spaced apart to the left and right and formed as flat rectangular plates extending vertically in a front view; a pair of side sections, each extending forward in a flat plate shape from the opposite sides of the pair of rear sections; and a flat front section connecting the front ends of the pair of forward extensions. In plan view, the cylinder mounting frame 115 has a convex shape projecting forward. The left rear section of the cylinder mounting frame 115 is attached to the right end of the intermediate reinforcing frame 114, and the right rear section is attached to the right reinforcing frame 112. The cylinder lock 130 is attached to the front section of the cylinder mounting frame 115.

The hooking member 116 is attached to the rear side of the right reinforcing frame 112, at the location of the through-hole that penetrates from front to back. The door frame hook 652 of the locking unit 650 is hooked onto these hooking members 116.

The left reinforcing frame 111, right reinforcing frame 112, upper reinforcing frame 113, intermediate reinforcing frame 114, cylinder mounting frame 115, and hooking member 116, which constitute the door frame reinforcement unit 110, are formed by stamping and bending metal plates using press molding. These are assembled using rivets.

The door frame reinforcement unit 110 is assembled such that the left reinforcement frame 111, the right reinforcement frame 112, and the upper reinforcement frame 113 are aligned along the left, right, and top edges of the door frame base 101, while the intermediate reinforcement frame 114 is positioned below the door window 101a of the door frame base 101.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The upper hinge assembly 120 can move the entire upper hinge pin 122 downward by moving the horizontally extending lower end portion of the upper hinge pin 122 downward against the biasing force of the lock spring 124, thereby allowing the upper end of the upper hinge pin 122 to retract below the upper surface of the upper protruding piece 121b. Therefore, the upper end of the upper hinge pin 122 of the upper hinge assembly 120 can be inserted into and removed from the upper hinge hole 511a of the main frame upper hinge member 510 from below. By inserting the upper end of the upper hinge pin 122 into the upper hinge hole 511a of the main frame upper hinge member 510, the upper left end of the door frame 3, as viewed from the front, can be supported relative to the main frame 4 in a hinge-rotatable manner.

Furthermore, the upper hinge assembly 120 of the door frame has a vertically extending portion of the upper hinge pin 122 that is coaxial with the lower hinge pin 126 of the lower hinge member 125, which will be described later. This allows the door frame 3 to rotate smoothly relative to the main frame 4 through the upper hinge pin 122 and the lower hinge pin 126.

[3-1g. Door frame lower hinge component]
The lower hinge member 125 of the door frame base unit 100 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 31 to 33. The lower hinge member 125 is attached to the lower left corner of the door frame reinforcement unit 110 in a front view. The lower hinge member 125 is for attaching the door frame 3 to the main frame 4 so that it can hinge rotatably in cooperation with the upper hinge assembly 120 of the door frame.

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

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

This lower door frame hinge member 125 allows the door frame 3 to be hinge-rotatably supported relative to the main frame 4 by inserting the lower door frame hinge pin 126 into the lower door frame hinge hole 522a of the main frame lower hinge assembly 520.

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

The cylinder lock 130 is mounted on the cylinder mounting frame 115 of the door frame reinforcement unit 110 and works in cooperation with the locking unit 650 of the main frame 4 to open and close the door frame 3 and the main frame 4, and to open, close, lock, and lock the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4. The cylinder lock 130 comprises a cylindrical cylinder body 131 extending front to back, a keyhole 132 formed on the front end surface of the cylinder body 131, and a rotation transmission member 133 provided at the rear of the cylinder body 131 that rotates together with the rotation of the correct key inserted into the keyhole 132.

The cylinder body 131 of the cylinder lock 130 penetrates the front portion of the cylinder mounting frame 115 from the rear, with its rear end attached to the front portion. The rotation transmission member 133 is formed in a cylindrical shape with an open rear (more specifically, a conical shape with a diameter increasing towards the rear), and has a pair of notches cut out from the rear end towards the front at positions opposite each other on the central axis. The rotation transmission member 133 is formed so that the transmission cylinder 654 of the locking unit 650 in the main frame 4 is inserted from the rear. The pair of projections of the transmission cylinder 654 are inserted into the pair of notches, thereby transmitting the rotation of the rotation transmission member 133 (the key inserted into the keyhole 132) to the transmission cylinder 654, allowing it to rotate.

To elaborate further, the cylinder lock 130 comprises: a first cam member 134 provided on the rear end of the cylinder body 131 and rotating together with the rotation of the correct key inserted into the keyhole 132; a second cam member 135 mounted on the cylinder mounting frame 115 at a portion below the cylinder body 131 so as to be rotatable around a front-rear axis; a strip-shaped first arm 136, whose upper end is rotatably mounted to the right of the rotation center of the first cam member 134 and whose lower end is rotatably mounted to the right of the rotation center of the second cam member 135; and a strip-shaped second arm 137, whose upper end is rotatably mounted below the rotation center of the first cam member 134 and whose lower end is rotatably mounted below the rotation center of the second cam member 135.

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

The first cam member 134 has its upper end attached to the rear side of the first arm 136, and its upper end attached to the front side of the second arm 137. The second cam member 135 is rotatably mounted from the rear by the cylinder mounting frame 115, and a rotation transmission member 133 is integrally rotatably mounted on the rear side of the cylinder mounting frame 115, sandwiching the front surface. The second cam member 135 has its lower end attached to the front side of the first arm 136, and its lower end attached to the front side of the second arm 137, further forward than the first arm 136.

The first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135 are positioned such that the portion to which the first arm 136 is attached and the portion to which the second arm 137 is attached are separated by a 90-degree angle around their respective axes of rotation. Furthermore, the portion to which the first arm 136 is attached is located further from the center of rotation than the portion to which the second arm 137 is attached.

The rear cover 138 is detachably attached to the cylinder mounting frame 115 by screws (not shown) at its upper end, with the shaft portions 138a, which protrude outward in a cylindrical shape from the lower ends of both the left and right sides, being locked into the L-shaped locking slits 115b of the cylinder mounting frame 115.

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

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

Here, we will describe a conventional cylinder lock 130A. As shown in Figures 34(c) and (d), the conventional cylinder lock 130A has a cylinder body 131 that penetrates the front portion of the cylinder mounting frame 115A from the rear, with its rear end attached to the front portion. In this cylinder lock 130A, a rotational transmission member 133 is provided on the axis of the cylinder body 131.

Next, the operation of the cylinder lock 130 of this embodiment will be described. In conventional cylinder locks 130, as shown in Figures 34(c) and (d), the rotational transmission member 133 is provided on the axis of the cylinder body 131. In contrast, in the cylinder lock 130 of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 34(a) and (b), the rotational transmission member 133 is provided at a position separated downward from the axis of the cylinder body 131.

In its normal state, as shown in Figure 36(a), the cylinder lock 130 has its upper and lower ends attached to the right-hand side of the rotation center of the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135, respectively, while the upper and lower ends of the second arm 137 are attached to the lower-hand side of the rotation center of the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135, respectively. The cylinder body 131 can be rotated by a standard key in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions by 90 degrees each, from its normal position.

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

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

Therefore, when the rotation angle of the first cam member 134 in the counterclockwise direction exceeds 45 degrees from its normal state, the upward force acting on the second arm 137 becomes greater than that on the first arm 136, and the second cam member 135 rotates counterclockwise mainly via the second arm 137. This allows the key inserted into the keyhole 132 to be rotated up to a 90-degree angle counterclockwise from its normal state (see Figure 36(b)).

Furthermore, when using the key to rotate the device 90 degrees counterclockwise from its normal position back to its normal position by rotating it 90 degrees clockwise, the operation will be reversed compared to the above.

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

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

Therefore, when the rotation angle of the first cam member 134 exceeds 45 degrees clockwise from its normal position, the force exerted by the second arm 137 on rotating the second cam member 135 becomes greater than that of the first arm 136. As a result, the second cam member 135 rotates clockwise primarily via the second arm 137. This allows the key inserted into the keyhole 132 to be rotated up to a 90-degree angle clockwise from its normal position (see Figure 36(c)).

Furthermore, when using the key to rotate the device 90 degrees clockwise from its normal position back to its normal position by rotating it 90 degrees clockwise, the operation will be reversed compared to the above.

Thus, in this embodiment of the cylinder lock 130, the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135 are connected by the first arm 136 and the second arm 137, which are mounted at a 90-degree phase from each other, thereby transmitting rotation. Therefore, regardless of the rotational position of the first cam member 134 (the key inserted into the keyhole 132), rotation can be transmitted by at least one of the first arm 136 and the second arm 137, causing the second cam member 135 (the rotation transmission member 133) to rotate. This allows for smooth locking and unlocking of the door frame 3 and the main body frame 4.

Furthermore, according to the cylinder lock 130 of this embodiment, by transmitting rotation using the first arm 136 and the second arm 137 as a rotation transmission mechanism, the axis of the rotation transmission member 133 (the transmission cylinder 654 of the locking unit 650 in the main frame 4) can be positioned at a different location from the axis of the cylinder body 131. Therefore, without changing the locking unit 650, the position of the cylinder body 131 in the door frame 3 can be changed to any desired position. This allows the cylinder body 131 (keyhole 132) to be placed in a location that does not interfere with the decoration of the door frame 3, thus providing a highly decorative pachinko machine 1 for the door frame 3.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, even if the position of the cylinder body 131 in the door frame 3 is changed, there is no need to change the locking unit 650 in the main frame 4. Therefore, the locking unit 650 can be reused, and the increase in costs for the pachinko machine 1 can be suppressed.

In contrast, in conventional cylinder locks 130A, the rotational transmission member 133 is located at the rear of the cylinder body 131. Therefore, a fraudster who is aware of this configuration could insert a tool from the front into the rear of the cylinder body 131 and illegally rotate the rotational transmission member 133, thereby opening the door frame 3 and committing fraud. In contrast, the cylinder lock 130 of this embodiment has the rotational transmission member 133 located away from the axis (rear) of the cylinder body 131. Therefore, even if a tool is inserted into the rear of the cylinder body 131 to attempt to rotate the rotational transmission member 133, the rotational transmission member 133 is not present in that location. This prevents the rotation of the rotational transmission member 133, thus preventing fraudulent acts such as opening the door frame 3 or the main body frame 4.

Furthermore, in the cylinder lock 130, the second arm 137 connects the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135 at points separated by a 90-degree rotation angle relative to the first arm 136. Therefore, even if the portion of one of the first arm 136 or the second arm 137 attached to the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135 lies on a straight line connecting the center of the first cam member 134 and the center of the second cam member 135, the other arm 136 or the second arm 137 connects the points furthest from the straight line connecting the center of the first cam member 134 and the center of the second cam member 135. Therefore, even if one of the first arm 136 or the second arm 137 is positioned at the dead center of the first cam member 134 and the second cam member 135, preventing the transmission of rotation from the first cam member 134 to the second cam member 135, the other arm can transmit the rotation from the first cam member 134 to the second cam member 135. This prevents significant resistance to the rotation of the first cam member 134, allowing the key inserted into the keyhole 132 to rotate smoothly, facilitating unlocking and locking. Furthermore, it prevents the key from being forcibly rotated, thus preventing damage to the key.

Furthermore, since the rotation of the key inserted into the keyhole 132 is transmitted by the two arms, the first arm 136 and the second arm 137, to the rotation transmission member 133 located at an eccentric position, even if one arm is damaged for any reason, the rotation can still be transmitted by the remaining arm, thus providing a highly reliable cylinder lock 130 for the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the smooth, rod-shaped (strip-shaped) first arm 136 and second arm 137 transmit the rotation of the key inserted into the keyhole 132 to the rotation transmission member 133, which is positioned at an eccentric location, if rotation were transmitted by gears, there would be a risk that the tip of a tool could catch on the teeth of the gears, causing the gears to rotate and thus the rotation transmission member 133 to rotate. However, by making the first arm 136 and second arm 137 smooth and rod-shaped, it is difficult for the tip of a tool to catch on the first arm 136 or second arm 137, thus preventing the rotation transmission member 133 from being rotated by the movement of the first arm 136 or second arm 137. This reliably prevents the locking unit 650 from being tampered with and unlocking the door frame 3 or the main body frame 4.

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

[3-1i. Ball feeding unit]
The ball feeding unit 140 of the door frame base unit 100 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 37 and 38. Figure 37(a) is a perspective view of the ball feeding unit of the door frame base unit from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the ball feeding unit from the rear. Figure 38(a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball feeding unit after it has been disassembled and viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the ball feeding unit after the rear case and anti-tampering member have been removed and viewed from the rear. The ball feeding unit 140 can supply game balls B supplied from the upper tray 201 of the tray unit 200 one by one to the ball launching device 540 of the main frame 4, and can also remove the game balls B stored in the upper tray 201 to the lower tray 202 by operating the upper tray ball release button 222.

The ball supply unit 140 has a box-shaped front cover 141 that is open at the rear and has an entry port 141a that penetrates in the front-to-back direction and a ball removal port 141b that opens below the entry port 141a, into which game balls B are supplied from the upper tray 201 of the tray unit 200, and a rear cover 142 that is open at the front and closes the rear end of the front cover 141 and has a ball supply port 142a for supplying game balls B that have entered through the entry port 141a of the front cover 141 to the ball launching device 540, and the rear cover 142 and The system includes a ball removal member 143 that is pivotally supported around an axis extending in the front-rear direction between the front cover 141 and the front cover 141, and has a partition portion 143a that separates the entry port 141a and the ball removal port 141b on the rear side of the front cover 141; a ball feeding member 144 that feeds the game balls B on the partition portion 143a of the ball removal member 143 one by one to the ball supply port 142a of the rear cover 142, and is pivotally supported around an axis extending in the vertical direction between the front cover 141 and the rear cover 142; and a ball feeding solenoid 145 that rotates the ball feeding member 144.

As shown in the figure, in a front view, the ball feeding unit 140 has the ball feeding member 144 positioned to the right of the inlet 141a, the ball removal member 143 positioned to the left of the ball feeding member 144, and the ball feeding solenoid 145 positioned to the right of the ball feeding member 144.

The front cover 141 of the ball feeding unit 140 has an arc-shaped slit 141c, formed concentrically with respect to the rotation center of the ball extraction member 143, to the left of the ball extraction opening 141b when viewed from the front. The operating rod 143c of the ball extraction member 143, described later, extends forward from this slit 141c. Furthermore, the upper part of the front cover 141 extends upward from the upper edge of the entrance opening 141a, and is designed to close, from the rear, the portion of the ball feeding guide path 241b and ball extraction guide path 241c of the rear base 241 of the upper tray ball extraction rear unit 240 that is open to the rear when the door frame 3 is assembled.

The ball removal member 143 includes a partition portion 143a that separates the entrance 141a and the ball removal opening 141b below the entrance 141a, with its upper surface becoming lower toward the ball feeding member 144; a rotating rod portion 143b that extends downward from the end of the partition portion 143a opposite to the ball feeding member 144, and bends in a V-shape toward the lower center of the ball removal opening 141b from near the middle in the vertical direction, with its lower end supported so as to be rotatable around an axis extending in the front-rear direction; a rod-shaped operating rod 143c that protrudes forward from the upper end of the rotating rod portion 143b; and a weight portion 143d that protrudes from the side of the rotating rod portion 143b below the operating rod 143c toward the opposite side of the partition portion 143a. The operating rod 143c of the ball release member 143 is formed to protrude forward through an arc-shaped slit 141c formed in the front cover 141 (see Figure 37(a)). The operating rod 143c contacts the upper end (upper surface) of the operating transmission portion 242b of the upper tray ball release slider 242, which moves downward when the upper tray ball release button 222 of the tray unit 200 is pressed, via the ball feeding opening 101e of the door frame base 101.

The ball feeding member 144 comprises a fan-shaped blocking section 144a in plan view, which faces the entrance 141a and the partition 143a of the ball removal member 143 and extends vertically towards the rotation axis; a ball holding section 144b that is recessed in an arc shape from the rear end of the blocking section 144a toward the rotation axis; and a rod-shaped shaft section 144c that extends downward from the rear end of the ball holding section 144b. The blocking section 144a and the ball holding section 144b of the ball feeding member 144 are formed adjacent to each other within an angular range of approximately 180° around the rotation axis. The ball holding section 144b of the ball feeding member 144 is sized to hold one game ball B. The ball feeding member 144 rotates around the rotation axis when the shaft section 144c, which is positioned eccentrically with respect to the rotation axis, is moved left and right by the drive of the ball feeding solenoid 145.

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

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

The ball feeding actuation rod 146 is equipped with an iron plate 146a at the lower part of the ball feeding solenoid 145. The ball feeding actuation rod 146 extends to the left and right, and the end opposite to the ball feeding crank 147 (the right end) is attached to the front cover 141 and the rear cover 142 so as to be rotatable around an axis that extends front to back. When the ball feeding solenoid 145 is driven, the generated magnetic force pulls the iron plate 146a toward the ball feeding solenoid 145 (upwards), causing the rod 146 to rotate around the right end so that the left end, which is closer to the ball feeding crank 147, moves upward. Subsequently, when the drive of the ball feeding solenoid 145 is released, the magnetic force disappears, and the weight of the iron plate 146a acts on it, causing it to rotate around the right end so that the left end, which is closer to the ball feeding crank 147, moves downward, returning it to its initial state. As a result, the ball feeding rod 146, at its left end (tip) closest to the ball feeding crank 147, swings vertically due to the ball feeding solenoid 145.

The ball feeding crank 147 comprises an engaging portion 147a extending in the left-right direction and capable of engaging with the vertically moving tip of the ball feeding actuation rod 146; a shaft portion 147b positioned on the opposite side of the engaging portion 147a from the side engaging with the ball feeding actuation rod 146, and pivotally supported around an axis extending in the front-rear direction between the front cover 141 and the rear cover 142; and a transmission portion 147c extending upward from the shaft portion 147b and engaging with a rod-shaped shaft portion 144c (see Figure 38(b)) that protrudes downward from a position eccentric with respect to the pivot center of the ball feeding member 144.

This ball feeding unit 140 can rotate the ball feeding crank 147 around its front-to-back axis via the ball feeding crank 146 by moving the tip (left end) of the ball feeding actuation rod 146 upward through the ball feeding actuation rod 146.

When the ball feeding solenoid 145 is not driven (normal operation), the ball feeding actuation rod 146 of the ball feeding unit 140 is separated from the lower end of the ball feeding solenoid 145 and its tip is positioned downwards, and in this state the ball feeding member 144 is in the supply position. When the ball feeding solenoid 145 is driven, the ball feeding actuation rod 146 is attracted to the lower end of the ball feeding solenoid 145 and its tip (left end) is positioned upwards, and the ball feeding member 144 rotates to the holding position. In other words, when the ball feeding solenoid 145 is driven (ON state), the ball feeding member 144 receives one game ball B, and when the drive of the ball feeding solenoid 145 is released (OFF state), the ball feeding member 144 can send (supply) the received game ball B to the ball launching device 540. The drive of the ball feeding solenoid 145 in this ball feeding unit 140 is controlled synchronously with the drive control of the launch solenoid 542 by the launch control unit 633b (see Figure 169) of the dispensing control board 633.

Furthermore, the ball feeding unit 140 is subjected to a moment that causes it to rotate counterclockwise when viewed from the front, either by the rotatably supported ball removal member 143 or the weight portion 143d. However, the rotation of the ball removal member 143 is restricted because the operating rod 143c, which protrudes forward from the ball removal member 143, abuts against the upper end of the operating transmission portion 242b of the upper tray ball removal slider 242, which is operated by pressing the upper tray ball removal button 222 of the tray unit 200. Therefore, under normal conditions, the partition portion 143a of the ball removal member 143 is positioned between the entry point 141a and the ball removal opening 141b, preventing game balls B from entering the ball removal opening 141b side.

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

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

Furthermore, the ball feeding unit 140 has a rectangular mounting recess 142b (see Figure 38(b), etc.) formed in the upper right corner of the rear view of the ball supply opening 142a of the rear cover 142, which is recessed forward. An anti-tampering member 148 is mounted within this mounting recess 142b. The anti-tampering member 148 of the ball feeding unit 140 is made of a hard metal plate such as tool steel or stainless steel, and is detachably mounted from the rear side within the mounting recess 142b of the rear cover 142.

The anti-tampering member 148 has a rectangular shape extending horizontally when viewed from the front. It comprises an upper portion 148a and a lower portion 148b, separated vertically at approximately the center of the vertical direction, at a predetermined distance from the right edge to the left; and inclined portions 148c, each formed in a C-chamfer shape at the tip side (right end side when viewed from the front) of the opposing edges of the upper portion 148a and the lower portion 148b. The upper portion 148a of the anti-tampering member 148 is bent so that its right end protrudes backward when viewed from the front relative to the general surface of the anti-tampering member 148. The lower portion 148b extends on the same plane as the general surface of the anti-tampering member 148. As a result, in a plan view, the upper portion 148a and the lower portion 148b form a V-shaped groove that widens towards the right.

The anti-tampering member 148 is attached to the mounting recess 142b of the rear cover 142, so that the V-shaped groove formed by the upper portion 148a and the lower portion 148b communicates with the inside of the ball supply opening 142a.

According to this anti-fraud member 148, when a fraudulent act is attempted in which a fraudulent game ball B with a string attached is launched from the upper tray through the ball feeding unit 140 into the game area 5a by the ball launching device 540, and the string attached to the fraudulent game ball B is manipulated to move the fraudulent game ball B in and out of the first start opening 2002, the force of the fraudulent game ball B launched (shot) by the ball launching device 540 causes the string attached to the fraudulent game ball B to be inserted between the upper piece 148a and the lower piece 148b, and then cut by the V-shaped narrowed portion formed by the upper piece 148a and the lower piece 148b, thereby preventing fraudulent acts using a fraudulent game ball B with a string attached.

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

The foul cover unit 150 includes a through-ball passage 150a that penetrates from front to back at the upper left corner in a front view, connecting the lower normal discharge passage 610a of the lower full-fill ball path unit 610 of the main frame 4 with the upper tray ball supply port 211a of the tray unit 200, and a full-fill ball receiving port 150b that opens towards the rear at the lower right side of the through-ball passage 150a in a front view, and is capable of communicating with the lower full-fill discharge passage 610b of the lower full-fill ball path unit 610 of the main frame 4.

Furthermore, the foul cover unit 150 includes a foul ball receiving port 150c, which opens upward on the right side of the full ball receiving port 150b in a front view and receives game balls B (foul balls) that were launched by the ball launching device 540 of the main frame 4 but did not reach the game area 5a; and a ball discharge port 150d, which opens forward near the lower right corner in a front view and discharges game balls B received in the full ball receiving port 150b and the foul ball receiving port 150c forward, and communicates with the lower tray ball supply port 211c of the tray unit 200.

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

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

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

This foul cover unit 150 can store a certain number of game balls B in the storage passage 150e when the lower tray 202 of the tray unit 200 is full of game balls B and no more game balls B are released from the ball discharge port 150d towards the lower tray 202. When a certain number of game balls B are stored in the storage passage 150e, the weight of the game balls B causes the movable piece 153 to rotate so that its upper end moves away from the storage passage 150e against the biasing force of the spring 155, and this rotation is detected by the full-tray detection sensor 154. This allows it to be determined that the lower tray 202 is full of game balls B, and when the full-tray detection sensor 154 detects that it is full, it stops the dispensing of any more game balls B and notifies the player or staff of the gaming hall to encourage them to clear the lower tray 202.

Furthermore, the foul cover unit 150 is attached to the rear side of the unit body 151 and below the through-ball passage 150a. It has a door opening/closing contact portion 150f that can contact the operating projection 613a of the payout passage opening/closing door 613 of the lower full-ball passage unit 610 in the payout unit 560 (described later) of the main body frame 4 (see Figure 90). The door opening/closing contact portion 150f is inclined so that it moves forward as its rear surface moves downward. When the operating projection 613a of the payout passage opening/closing door 613 contacts this door opening/closing contact portion 150f, the payout passage opening/closing door 613 can be rotated to open the downstream end (front opening) of the lower normal payout passage 610a and the lower full-ball payout passage 610b.

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

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

The glass frame 161 has a pair of mounting pieces 161a that extend outward in a flat shape from a position below the upper left and right corners when viewed from the front, and a strip-shaped locking piece 161b that protrudes downward from the lower end and extends along the lower edge. The mounting pieces 161a of the glass frame 161 are capable of contacting the protruding portion 163b of the glass unit mounting member 163. The locking piece 161b is capable of being inserted into the space between the door frame base 101 and the intermediate reinforcing frame 114 of the door frame reinforcing unit 110 (see Figure 96). The two glass plates 162 are attached to the front and rear ends of the glass frame 161, respectively, and are spaced apart front to back so that a space is formed between them (see Figure 96).

The glass unit mounting member 163 has a disc-shaped base portion 163a that is rotatably mounted on the rear side of the door frame base 101 around an axis extending in the front-to-back direction, and a rod-shaped projection portion 163b that protrudes from the base portion 163a perpendicular to the axis of rotation. The glass unit mounting member 163 is rotatably mounted on the outer sides of the two upper corners of the door window 101a on the rear surface of the door frame base 101.

To attach the glass unit 160 to the door frame base 101, first, rotate the glass unit mounting member 163, which is attached to the door frame base 101, so that the protruding portion 163b is positioned above the base portion 163a. Then, from the rear side of the door frame base 101, insert the locking piece 161b of the glass frame 161 of the glass unit 160 into the gap between the door frame base 101 and the intermediate reinforcing frame 114 of the door frame reinforcing unit 110 from above, and bring the front end of the glass frame 161 into contact with the rear surface of the glass unit mounting portion 101h of the door frame base 101. After that, rotate the glass unit mounting member 163 so that the protruding portion 163b is positioned below the base portion 163a, bringing the protruding portion 163b into contact with the rear surface of the mounting piece 161a of the glass frame 161. This attaches the glass unit 160 to the door frame base 101.

To remove the glass unit 160 from the door frame base 101, follow the reverse procedure described above. This allows the glass unit 160 to be detachably attached to the door frame base 101 (door frame base unit 100).

Furthermore, in the glass unit 160, when the protruding portion 163b of the glass unit mounting member 163 is positioned below the base portion 163a, the protruding portion 163b restricts the rearward movement of the glass frame 161. Therefore, even if vibrations or other forces act on the glass unit mounting member 163, it will not rotate to a position where the protruding portion 163b is above the base portion 163a. Consequently, the restriction on the rearward movement of the glass frame 161 will not be released spontaneously, and the glass unit 160 will not spontaneously detach from the door frame base 101.

[3-3. Security Cover]
The security cover 170 on the door frame 3 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 29 and 30. The security cover 170 is attached to the rear side of the door frame base unit 100 so as to cover the lower rear surface of the glass unit 160, and is made of transparent synthetic resin. The security cover 170 comprises a flat main body portion 171 whose outer circumference is formed into a predetermined shape, a flat rear projection 172 that protrudes a short distance to the rear along the outer edge of the main body portion 171, and a pair of locking pieces 173 that are spaced apart on the left and right, protrude forward of the main body portion 171, and can be locked to the rear side of the door frame base 101.

The main body 171 of the security cover 170 is formed so that its lower end protrudes below the lower end of the glass unit 160 when attached to the door frame base unit 100. Furthermore, the upper end of the main body 171 is shaped to follow the lower end of the game area 5a on the game board 5 when assembled to the pachinko machine 1. More specifically, the upper end of the main body 171 is shaped to follow a portion of the inner rail 1002, the out-guiding section 1003, a portion of the lower right rail 1004, and the right rail 1005 of the aforementioned component 1000, and is designed so that it does not protrude into the game area 5a when assembled to the pachinko machine 1.

The rear projection 172 is formed along almost the entire circumference of the outer edge of the main body 171. Therefore, the security cover 170 is formed in a shallow, box-like shape that opens to the rear, due to the main body 171 and the rear projection 172, resulting in high strength and rigidity. Furthermore, the rear projection 172 also protrudes rearward from a portion of the rear surface of the main body 171, distinct from its outer edge. This rear projection 172, protruding rearward from a portion of the rear surface of the main body 171, is formed to align with a portion of the outer rail 1001 of the front component 1000 of the game board 5 when assembled into the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the rear projection 172 is not formed in the portion of the game board 5 located between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 when assembled to the pachinko machine 1. As a result, the game balls B (launched by the ball launching device 540) passing between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 do not come into contact with the rear projection 172 of the security cover 170, and thus do not obstruct the entry of the game balls B into the game area 5a.

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

When the security cover 170 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the front of the main body 171 abuts against the rear surface of the glass unit 160 (the rear end of the glass frame 161), and the rear projection 172, excluding the portion protruding rearward from the lower edge of the main body 171, is inserted into the security recess 1009 of the front component 1000. Furthermore, the rear projection 172 of the security cover 170, which protrudes rearward from the lower edge of the main body 171, protrudes further rearward than the front surface of the front component 1000 so as to contact the lower surface of the front component 1000. As a result, the space between the security cover 170 and the game board 5 (front component 1000) is intricately bent by the rear projection 172 of the security cover 170 and the security recess 1009 of the front component 1000. Therefore, even if someone attempts to insert an illegal tool such as piano wire into the game area 5a from below the front of the game board 5 through the space between the security cover 170 and the front component 1000, it will be blocked by the rear projection 172 and the security recess 1009, thus preventing the illegal tool from entering the game area 5a.

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

In this embodiment, the handle unit 180, together with the handle cover unit 290 that covers the outer circumference, is attached to the door frame base unit 100 and the tray unit 200. By operating it, the player can launch the game balls B in the upper tray 201 into the game area 5a of the game board 5.

First, let's describe the handle unit 180. The handle unit 180 comprises a handle base 181, whose rear end is attached to the handle mounting surface 101b of the door frame base 101 via the handle cover base 291 of the handle cover unit 290 (described later); a handle 195 rotatably attached to the front end of the handle base 181; a plurality of handle guides 196 attached to the rear side of the handle 195 and guided to the handle cover base 291 (described later); a disc-shaped cover base 183 attached to the handle base 181 so as to cover the center of the front end of the handle 195; a handle decorative substrate 184 attached to the front side of the cover base 183 and having a plurality of LEDs 184a mounted on its front surface; and a handle front lens 185 attached to the cover base 183 so as to cover the front side of the handle decorative substrate 184.

Furthermore, the handle unit 180 includes an inner base 186 attached to the front of the handle base 181 at the rear of the handle 195, a shaft member 187 to which the handle 195 is attached at its front end and which is rotatably mounted by the inner base 186 and the handle base 181 and has a drive gear portion 187a on its outer circumference, a transmission gear 188 that meshes with the drive gear portion 187a of the shaft member 187, and a handle rotation detection sensor 189 having a detection shaft 189a that rotates integrally with the transmission gear 188 and being sandwiched between the handle base 181 and the inner base 186.

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

Furthermore, the handle unit 180 includes a handle touch sensor 192 attached to the handle base 181 at the rear of the inner base 186, a single-shot button 193 whose tip protrudes outward from the left side of the front outer circumference of the handle base 181 in a front view, and whose base end is rotatably mounted on the handle base 181 at the rear of the inner base 186 around an axis extending in the front-to-back direction, and a single-shot button operation sensor 194 attached to the handle base 181 that detects the pressing operation of the single-shot button 193.

The handle base 181 of the handle unit 180 comprises a cylindrical base portion 181a extending front to back, a disc-shaped front end portion 181b projecting radially from the front end of the base portion 181a, and three groove portions 181c that are recessed from the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical base portion 181a, extending axially and formed at unequal intervals in the circumferential direction. The outer diameter of the base portion 181a of the handle base 181 is formed to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the rear cylindrical portion 291c of the handle cover base 291 of the handle cover unit 290. Furthermore, the three groove portions 181c are formed at positions corresponding to the three protrusions 291d of the handle cover base 291, which will be described later. Therefore, with the three grooves 181c aligned with the three protrusions 291d, the base 181a can be inserted into the rear cylindrical portion 291c of the handle cover base 291. Furthermore, with the protrusions 291d inserted into each of the three grooves 181c, the handle base 181 becomes unable to rotate relative to the handle cover base 291.

The handle 195 comprises a disc-shaped central hub portion 195a, multiple (three in this case) spoke portions 195b extending radially outward from the central hub portion 195a at circumferential intervals, an annular outer ring portion 195c connecting the ends of the multiple spoke portions 195b, two slits 195d extending in an arc shape around the rotation axis (shaft member 187) and penetrating the central hub portion 195a in the front-rear direction, and a locking projection 195e protruding rearward from a position inside the rotation center relative to the slits 195d, to which the other end of the handle return spring 190 is engaged. The outer diameter of the central hub portion 195a is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the general outer surface of a conventional pachinko machine handle.

The three spoke sections 195b of the handle 195 are arranged such that, when the handle 195 is in a free state (not rotating), two spoke sections 195b extend from a single spoke section 195b that extends horizontally to the left from the central hub section 195a, at 120-degree angles in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions, respectively. The three spoke sections 195b extend to a length such that a gap is formed between the central hub section 195a and the outer ring section 195c, allowing the player's fingers to be inserted.

The outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195 is located coaxially with the center of the central hub portion 195a. The outer ring portion 195c is formed in an annular shape with a fixed cross-sectional shape, where the curved side of the U-shape faces forward.

The handle 195 is formed to be translucent throughout, and a portion of it, from the central hub portion 195a to the outer ring portion 195c, is electrically continuous with plating. This allows the handle touch sensor 192 to detect a touch on the handle 195 even when only the outer ring portion 195c is touched. Therefore, the game ball B can be inserted even when the outer ring portion 195c is rotated.

The handle guide 196 has a U-shaped guide portion 196a that opens toward the center of the handle 195, and a flat mounting stay 196b that extends toward the center from the front end of the guide portion 196a. The three handle guides 196 are mounted such that the guide portion 196a is positioned behind the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195, with the mounting stay 196b attached to the rear of the spoke portion 195b of the handle 195. The handle guide 196's movement in the front-rear direction is restricted by inserting a guide piece 291g of the handle cover base 291 (described later) into the inside of the guide portion 196a.

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

The handle decoration board 184 has a total of 10 LEDs 184a (full-color LEDs) mounted in a triple concentric circle arrangement: one in the center, three on the middle circumference at regular intervals, and six along the outer circumference at regular intervals. These LEDs 184a are divided into five groups: the one in the center, the three in the middle, the two on the upper left of the outer circumference, the two on the upper right of the outer circumference, and the two on the lower part of the outer circumference (see Figure 72). The handle decoration board 184 is equipped with a 24-bit LED driver 184b, each with a unique address for illuminating each LED 184a. This LED driver 184b can control up to 24 systems, and is configured to control the 10 LEDs 184a (divided into five groups) using a total of 15 systems (3 systems per group) to ensure full-color illumination.

The handle decoration board 184 has a wiring cable consisting of four wires, although not shown in the diagram: two power lines (one of which is a ground wire) that supply power to drive the LEDs 184a and LED drivers 184b; one control signal line for receiving commands and addresses from the peripheral control board 1510; and one clock line for synchronizing the LED drivers 184b with the peripheral control board 1510. The LED driver 184b of this handle decoration board 184 receives a command addressed to that address from the peripheral control board 1510 (performance control board) via the control signal line. In response to that command, it can cause the ten LEDs 184a, divided into five groups, to illuminate with appropriate colors and intensities for each group.

Thus, because this handle decoration board 184 has an LED driver 184b, it is possible to individually (in this case, in sets) control the illumination of more LEDs 184a than the number of wires constituting the connected wiring cable. This reduces the number of wires and simplifies the electrical wiring configuration.

The front lens 185 of the handlebar has a rounded, forward-protruding front surface and is translucent. Inside the front lens 185 is a three-dimensionally formed lens element made of a transparent material. This front lens 185 can be illuminated by appropriately illuminating the LEDs on the front of the handlebar decoration substrate 184.

The handle rotation detection sensor 189 is a variable resistor. When the handle 195 is rotated, the detection shaft 189a of the handle rotation detection sensor 189 rotates via the shaft member 187 and the transmission gear 188. The internal resistance of the handle rotation detection sensor 189 changes according to the rotation angle of this detection shaft 189a. Therefore, by rotating the handle 195 and changing the internal resistance of the handle rotation detection sensor 189, the driving force of the launch solenoid 542 in the ball launching device 540 (described later) changes according to that internal resistance, allowing the game ball B to be launched into the game area 5a with a force corresponding to the rotation angle of the handle 195.

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

Therefore, even if a player attempts to rotate the handle 195 without touching it, and tries to launch the game ball B into the game area 5a, the handle touch sensor 192 does not detect the player's contact. As a result, the launch solenoid 542 is not driven, and the game ball B cannot be launched. This prevents players from rotating the handle 195 in a way that is not intended, thereby reducing the load (burden) on the gaming hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

The single-shot button operation sensor 194 detects when the player presses the single-shot button 193. When this sensor detects the operation of the single-shot button 193, the launch control unit 633b of the payout control board 633 stops the drive of the launch solenoid 542. Therefore, if the player presses the single-shot button 193 while rotating the handle 195, the launch of the game ball B can be temporarily stopped without having to reverse the rotation of the handle 195. Furthermore, by releasing the pressure on the single-shot button 193, the game ball B can be launched into the game area 5a again with the same force as before the single-shot button 193 was pressed.

Next, the handle cover unit 290 will be described. The handle cover unit 290 comprises: a handle cover base 291 that covers the outer circumference of the handle unit 180 rearward from the handle 195 and whose rear end is attached to the handle mounting surface 101b of the door frame base 101; an inner 292 that covers the outer circumference of the handle cover base 291 and whose rear end is attached to the plate unit body 252 of the plate unit 200; an annular handle cover decorative substrate 293 provided in front of the inner 292 and on which multiple LEDs 293a are mounted; an annular substrate cover 294 that covers the handle cover decorative substrate 293 from the front; and a handle cover 295 that covers the outer circumference of the inner 292 and whose rear end is attached to the plate unit body 252 of the plate unit 200.

The handle cover base 291 comprises a cylindrical front section 291a extending front to back with an inner diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the outer ring section 195c of the handle 195; a middle wall section 291b extending forward from the rear end of the front section 291a such that its inner diameter decreases as it moves forward; a cylindrical rear section 291c extending front to back, penetrating the middle wall section 291b and having an inner diameter that allows insertion of the base section 181a of the handle base 181; and multiple (three in this case) protrusions 291d projecting inward from the inner circumference of the rear section 291c and extending front to back, positioned at locations corresponding to the groove section 181c of the handle base 181 in the circumferential direction.

Furthermore, the handle cover base 291 includes a flange portion 291e extending outward from a portion behind the front end of the outer circumference of the front cylinder portion 291a, a cylindrical outer cylinder portion 291f projecting forward from the middle of the flange portion 291e to the same position as the front end of the front cylinder portion 291a, a guide piece 291g projecting outward from the front cylinder portion 291a in the portion between the front end of the front cylinder portion 291a and the flange portion 291e, and an opening 291h penetrating the lower part of the front cylinder portion 291a.

The inner wall portion 291b of the handle cover base 291 extends in an arc shape with a cross-section that bulges outward from the rear end of the front cylindrical portion 291a to near the center in the front-rear direction. The rear cylindrical portion 291c is attached at its rear end to the handle mounting seat surface 101b of the door frame base 101. This rear cylindrical portion 291c is formed to the same length as the base portion 181a of the handle base 181, and the base portion 181a of the handle base 181 is inserted into it. The three protrusions 291d correspond to the three groove portions 181c of the handle base 181, and by being inserted into the groove portions 181c, the handle base 181 can be made non-rotatable relative to the handle base 181. The outer cylindrical portion 291f extends forward from a position outside the radial center of the flange portion 291e. In this handle cover base 291, multiple triangular ribs are provided circumferentially, connecting the front surface of the flange portion 291e and the outer circumferential surface of the outer cylinder portion 291f.

The guide piece 291g protrudes from the outer circumference of the front cylinder portion 291a, from the center between the outer circumference of the front cylinder portion 291a and the inner circumference of the outer cylinder portion 291f, to a position closer to the front cylinder portion 291a. The guide piece 291g extends circumferentially over a length of approximately 110 degrees, and three of them are provided circumferentially at 10-degree intervals. By inserting the rear end of the guide portion 196a of the handle guide 196 in the handle unit 180 behind the guide piece 291g and rotating the handle 195, the guide piece 291g can be positioned within the U-shaped guide portion 196a, thereby restricting the forward and backward movement of the guide portion 196a (handle 195).

The opening 291h extends from the rear end of the front cylindrical portion 291a to the vicinity of the flange portion 291e in the front-to-back direction, and its circumferential size is within an angle range of approximately 90 degrees. It penetrates the front cylindrical portion 291a.

The inner part 292 has an annular base 292a with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 and an outer diameter larger than the flange portion 291e; a leg portion 292b extending rearward from the outer peripheral edge of the base portion 292a; and a plurality (four in this case) of notches 292c that are cut out from the rear end of the leg portion 292b to the vicinity of the base portion 292a and spaced apart in the circumferential direction. The base portion 292a is positioned behind the flange portion 291e, into which the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 is inserted from the front. The leg portion 292b extends in a curved shape that bulges outward, and its rear end is attached to the plate unit body 252 of the plate unit 200. The notches 292c are provided at the upper and lower portions and the left and right portions of the leg portion 292b, respectively.

The handle cover decorative substrate 293 is formed in an annular shape with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291, and the same outer diameter as the flange portion 291e. The handle cover decorative substrate 293 is mounted with 12 LEDs 293a and an LED driver 293b having a unique address for emitting light from each LED 293a. The 12 LEDs 293a (full-color LEDs) are arranged in a single row with spacing in the circumferential direction. These 12 LEDs 293a are divided into six groups: two on the lower left, two on the left, two on the upper left, two on the upper right, two on the right, and two on the lower right (see Figure 72). The LED driver 293b can control up to 24 systems, and controls 18 systems in total (3 systems per group) so that each of the 10 LEDs 293a divided into 6 groups can emit light in full color.

The handle cover decorative circuit board 293 has a wiring cable consisting of four wires, although not shown in the diagram: two power lines (one of which is a ground wire) that supply power to drive the LEDs 293a and LED drivers 293b; one control signal line for receiving commands and addresses from the peripheral control board 1510; and one clock line for synchronizing the LED drivers 293b with the peripheral control board 1510. The LED driver 293b of this handle cover decorative circuit board 293 receives a command addressed to that address via the control signal line from the peripheral control board 1510 (performance control board). In response to that command, it can cause the twelve LEDs 293a, divided into six groups, to illuminate with appropriate colors and intensities for each group.

The base plate cover 294 has an annular front plate portion 294a with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 and approximately the same outer diameter as the base portion 292a of the inner 292, and a cylindrical side plate portion 294b whose outer peripheral edge of the front plate portion 294a extends shortly to the rear. In this base plate cover 294, the front plate portion 294a is positioned between the flange portion 291e of the handle cover base 291 and the handle cover decorative base plate 293, and the side plate portion 294b extends to the base portion 292a of the inner 292.

The handle cover 295 has a front hole 295a at its front end with an inner diameter the same as the outer diameter of the outer cylindrical portion 291f of the handle cover base 291. It is formed in a spindle-shaped (igloo-shaped, bowl-shaped, etc.) cylindrical form that bulges towards the rear, and has multiple (four in this case) notched openings 295b extending circumferentially from the rear end towards the front. The handle cover 295 is formed to cover the outer circumference of the inner 292, with the multiple notched openings 295b aligned with the notches 292c. The rear end of the handle cover 295 is attached to the plate unit body 252 of the plate unit 200 via the inner 292.

The steering wheel cover 295 is molded in two colors using synthetic resins with different colors and light transmittances. More specifically, the steering wheel cover 295 is molded in two colors using two types of resin: an inner layer 3a and an outer layer 3b. A portion of the inner layer 3a penetrates the outer layer 3b and appears on the outer surface, forming circular and radial patterns. In other words, the circular and radial patterns visible on the surface of the steering wheel cover 295 are the inner layer 3a, and these patterns are connected on the back side of the outer layer 3b (see Figure 71(a)). Note that when molding the steering wheel cover 295, the inner layer 3a may be injection molded first, or the outer layer 3b may be injection molded first.

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

The handle 195 of this handle unit 180 has a central hub portion 195a that is rotatably supported by the handle base 181. Furthermore, the outer peripheral ring portion 195c of the handle 195a is rotatably supported by the handle cover unit 290 via a handle guide 196 attached to its rear side. The rear end of the guide portion 196a of the handle guide 196a is inserted (locked) between the front cylinder portion 291a and the outer cylinder portion 291f of the handle cover base 291, and between the flange portion 291e and the guide piece 291g, thereby restricting movement in the front-rear direction (axial direction) while allowing it to rotatably support the handle.

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

The handle cover unit 290 has matching notched openings 295b and 292c in the handle cover 295 and inner 292. Therefore, when viewed from the outside, it appears as if there are holes on both the left and right sides and the bottom that communicate with the inside of the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291. This alleviates the player's anxiety about inserting their hand (fingers) into the inside of the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 through the gap between the central hub portion 195a and the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195.

Furthermore, the upper notched opening 295b of the handle cover 295 (the upper notched portion 292c of the inner part 292) is closed by the right-hand decorative unit 275 and the right-side unit 430 of the door frame.

In this embodiment, the steering wheel cover unit 290 has a front cylindrical portion 291a of the steering wheel cover base 291 into which the rear side of the steering wheel unit 180 is inserted. This front cylindrical portion 291a communicates with the lower notches 292c and 295b of the inner 292 and steering wheel cover 295, respectively, through an opening 291h (see Figure 47). This allows liquids such as beverages or game balls B to enter the front cylindrical portion 291a of the steering wheel cover base 291 through the gap between the central hub portion 195a and the outer ring portion 195c of the steering wheel 195, and then be discharged downwards through the lower opening 291h, notch 292c, and 295b of the steering wheel cover unit 290.

Furthermore, if liquid or game balls B enter the notched openings 295b on both the left and right sides of the handle cover 295, they can be discharged downwards through the gap between the front cylinder portion 291a and the leg portion 292b of the inner 292, via the lower notched opening 295b.

Furthermore, the opening 291h of the handle cover base 291, the lower notch 292c of the inner 292, and the lower notched opening 295b of the handle cover 295 are located on the extension of the inclination direction of the fin portion 46b of the grill member 46 in the lower outer frame assembly 40 of the outer frame 2, as shown in Figure 47. This allows the wind (wind pressure) released diagonally upward and forward from the grill member 46 via the fin portion 46b due to the vibration of the main frame speaker 622 to enter the front cylinder portion 291a through the opening 291h, the notch 292c, and the notched opening 295b. Therefore, when a player inserts their fingers into the inside of the handle cover 295 (the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291) and rotates the handle 195 (the device for inserting the game ball B), the main body speaker 622 vibrates, sending air into the front cylindrical portion 291a. This can surprise the player and create an unprecedented visual effect.

Furthermore, because the handle cover 295 has a notched opening 295b, when opening the door frame 3 or the main frame 4, one can place a finger on the notched opening 295b on the right side and pull, thus serving as a handle for opening the door frame 3, etc.

Furthermore, since the handle 195 is plated up to the outer ring portion 195c, the handle touch sensor 192 can detect touch on the handle 195, allowing the game ball B to be inserted even when only the outer ring portion 195c is touched.

Furthermore, because the handle cover 295 has a notched opening 295b, the rotational position of the handle 195 can be easily fixed by gripping it with fingers on the outer ring portion 195c and the notched opening 295b. This allows the player to continuously drive the game balls B into the game area 5a with a consistent force without having to continuously twist their hand. Thus, because the handle 195 can be rotated in various ways to drive the game balls B, a pachinko machine 1 can be provided that allows the player to select a driving operation suitable for them.

The handle unit 180 is attached to the handle mounting surface 101b of the door frame base 101 via a handle cover unit 290 (handle cover base 291). The handle mounting surface 101b of the door frame base 101 is inclined such that, in a plan view, the right end is positioned further back than the left end, and it faces outward (towards the open side). Therefore, the handle unit 180, which is attached via the handle cover base 291, is also inclined outward in a plan view (in other words, its tip is inclined so that it faces outward from the pachinko machine 1 with respect to a line perpendicular to the front of the pachinko machine 1) and is fixed to the door frame 3. This makes it easy for the player to grip the handle 195 of the handle unit 180 and allows for comfortable and natural rotation.

As described above, according to the handle unit 180 and handle cover unit 290 of this embodiment, a handle 195 is provided at the lower right corner of the door frame 3, which is provided so as to be openable and closable with the left side as the axis and which closes the game area 5a of the game board 5 so that it can be seen from the front. The handle 195 has a disc-shaped central hub portion 195a, a plurality of spoke portions 195b that protrude radially from the central hub portion 195a, and an annular outer ring portion 195c that connects the tips of the plurality of spoke portions 195b. A cylindrical handle cover unit extends rearward from the outer ring portion 195c. Because of the inclusion of handle 290, the handle 195 and handle cover unit 290, which have never been seen before, are visible in the area where the handle is normally located on a pachinko machine. This creates a strong impact on players, attracting their attention and increasing their desire to play this pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, it makes it easier for players browsing a gaming hall where this pachinko machine 1 is installed to choose it as their preferred machine to play.

Furthermore, since the player's fingers can be inserted into the handle cover unit 290 (the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291) through the gap between the central hub portion 195a and the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195, when the player operates the handle 195 to shoot the game ball B into the game area 5a, if the player grasps the central hub portion 195a of the handle 195, the player's fingers are inserted into the handle cover unit 290. This provides the player with a different feel when operating the handle 195 compared to conventional pachinko machine handles, allowing for a new sensation in shooting the game ball B and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Then, when the player operates the handle 195, the main frame speaker 622, which is provided in the speaker unit 620a of the circuit board unit 620A of the main frame 4, outputs a sound effect. The vibration of the main frame speaker 622 causes the air inside the enclosure 624 made up of the speaker box 623 to vibrate, and the vibration of the air inside the enclosure 624 is released forward as sound pressure (sound wind) through the internal space 40a of the fascia panel and the port member 47 of the outer frame lower assembly 40 of the outer frame 2, which is in communication with the enclosure 624. In this case, the multiple fin portions 46b of the grill member 46 provided at the front end of the port member 47 allow the sound pressure (sound air) from the main frame speaker 622 to be guided into the handle cover unit 290 (inside the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291) through the notched opening 295b of the handle cover 295 and the opening 291h of the handle cover base 291, thereby providing sound pressure stimulation to the fingers of the player who is operating the handle 195 with their fingers inserted into the handle cover unit 290 through the space between the central hub portion 195a and the outer ring portion 195c. Therefore, depending on the game state within the game area 5a, by supplying sound pressure from the port member 47 to the player's fingers inserted into the handle cover unit 290 through the notched openings 295b and 291h, it is possible to surprise the player, give them a sense of impending opportunity, or change the amount of handle operation, thereby entertaining the player, preventing them from getting bored, and suppressing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, since sound pressure (sound air) from the main frame speaker 622 can be supplied into the handle cover unit 290 (the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291) through the notched opening 295b and the opening 291h, the inside of the handle cover unit 290 can be cooled, making the environment around the player's hands and fingers more comfortable while operating the handle 195. This reduces stress on the player and helps prevent a decline in their enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, as described above, when a player operates the handle 195 with their fingers inserted into the handle cover unit 290 through the central hub portion 195a and the outer ring portion 195c, the sound pressure (sound wind) emitted forward from the port member 47 provided on the lower outer frame assembly 40 of the outer frame 2, which is different from the door frame 3 on which the handle 195 and handle cover unit 290 are installed, is guided by the multiple vane portions 46b of the grill member 46 to provide stimulation to the player's fingers. Therefore, compared to the case where a vibration device is installed on the handle 195, damage to the various sensors (handle rotation detection sensor 189, handle touch sensor 192, single-button operation sensor 194, etc.) and bearing mechanisms on the handle 195 is avoided, making the handle unit 180 less susceptible to damage. This prevents the player from experiencing discomfort due to damage to the handle unit 180, thus suppressing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game.

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

Furthermore, since the handle cover unit 290 has notched openings 295b and 291h on the lower side of its outer surface, allowing the player's fingers to be inserted between the central hub portion 195a and the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195, when viewing the handle cover unit 290 (the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291) from the front, the area below the handle cover unit 290 is visible through opening 291h and the lower notched opening 295b. This provides a sense of openness to the cylindrical handle cover unit 290, reducing the player's anxiety about inserting their fingers into the handle cover unit 290 and allowing them to operate the handle 195 without hesitation.

Furthermore, the handle cover unit 290 has through-holes 295b and 291h on the downward-facing portion of its outer circumferential surface, and the port member 47 of the outer frame 2 (lower outer frame assembly 40) is opened forward. Therefore, even if liquids such as beverages or game balls B enter the handle cover unit 290, they can be discharged downward through the lower notches 295b and 291h, while preventing the discharged liquids from entering the port member 47.

Furthermore, the handle 195 has a central hub portion 195a, a spoke portion 195b, and an outer ring portion 195c, and the handle cover 295 of the handle cover unit 290, which has the same diameter at the front end as the outer ring portion 195c, is provided with multiple notched openings 295b. As a result, the central hub portion 195a can be used to grip and operate the handle in the same way as a conventional pachinko machine handle, the spoke portion 195b can be used to operate the handle with just the fingers, the outer ring portion 195c can be used to operate the handle like a car's steering wheel, the outer ring portion 195c can be used to grip the handle by placing fingers on the outer ring portion 195c and the notched openings 295b, and the inner and outer sides of the handle cover unit 290 can be pinched with the fingers, straddling the outer ring portion 195c, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that allows for a variety of game ball B insertion operations (handle operation). Therefore, depending on the game state and the player's condition, the game ball B can be driven into the game area 5a in a way that is easy for the player to operate, making it less likely for the player to get bored, and allowing the player to enjoy the operation of driving in the game ball B, thereby suppressing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

Furthermore, by gripping the handle 195 by placing fingers on the outer ring portion 195c and the notched opening 295b, or by pinching the inside and outside of the handle cover unit 290 with fingers, straddling the outer ring portion 195c, the operating position of the handle 195 can be fixed. Therefore, in addition to the same handle operations as conventional pachinko machines, it is possible to perform handle operations that are not possible with conventional pachinko machines. This provides players with a variety of handle operations, making the game more enjoyable and less likely to bore them.

Furthermore, since the diameter of the front end of the handle cover unit 290 is the same as the diameter of the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195, the handle cover unit 290 appears to extend rearward from the outer ring portion 195c. This allows the handle cover unit 290 to appear integrated with the handle 195, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 that is visually appealing and attracts the attention of players.

Furthermore, since the diameter of the front end of the handle cover unit 290 is the same as the diameter of the outer ring portion 195c, it is possible to suppress the vertical dimension of the handle cover unit 290 from becoming unnecessarily large. This prevents the game area 5a (door window 101a) from being compressed upward by the handle cover unit 290, thus avoiding a reduction in the game area 5a. This allows for a relatively larger game area 5a, and the larger game area 5a makes the pachinko machine 1 stand out, resulting in a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that strongly attracts the attention of players.

Furthermore, by appropriately illuminating the LED 293a of the handle cover decoration substrate 293, the handle cover unit 290 (inside the front cylindrical portion 291a of the handle cover base 291 and the handle cover 295) and the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195 can be illuminated. Therefore, even when the player operates the handle 195, the illumination of the handle cover 295 and the outer ring portion 195c is not obstructed by the player's hand, making the handle cover 295 and the outer ring portion 195c stand out and providing a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that strongly attracts the player's attention.

Furthermore, a handle 195 is provided in the lower right corner of the door frame 3, opposite the hinge side. Additionally, a notched opening 295b is provided in the right-facing portion of the outer surface of the handle cover 295 of the handle cover unit 290. Therefore, this notched opening 295b can be used as a handle when opening and closing the door frame 3. Consequently, there is no need to provide an unsightly handle on the door frame 3, thus improving its appearance.

Furthermore, the handle cover unit 290 (handle cover base 291) is provided with a flange portion 291e and a guide piece 291g that support the outer ring portion 195c (handle guide 196) of the handle 195 so as to be rotatable in the circumferential direction, while also restricting its movement in the front-rear direction. Therefore, even if the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195 is pulled forward, the guide piece 291g and the like can restrict its forward movement. As a result, the outer ring portion 195c and the spoke portion 195b connecting the outer ring portion 195c to the central hub portion 195a will not deform, thus preventing damage to the handle 195.

Furthermore, since the handle touch sensor 192 detects when the player is touching the handle 195 and then accepts the operation of the handle 195 to launch the game ball B, the game ball B can be launched even if the player is only touching the spoke portion 195b or the outer ring portion 195c while operating the handle 195. This allows for a variety of launching operations (handle operations) as described above, and prevents the launching of game ball B when the player is not touching the handle 195, thereby preventing the use of tools to operate the handle and reducing the burden on the pachinko parlor.

[3-5. Overall configuration of the plate unit]
The tray unit 200 in the door frame 3 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 48 and 49. Figure 48 is a perspective view of the tray unit in the door frame, and Figure 49 is a perspective view of the tray unit from the rear. The tray unit 200 is attached to the front of the door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100, below the door window 101a. The tray unit 200 includes an upper tray 201 for storing game balls B to be played into the game area 5a, and a lower tray 202 located below the upper tray 201 and capable of storing game balls B supplied from the upper tray 201 and the foul cover unit 150.

The plate unit 200 comprises a plate base unit 210 having an upper plate 201 and mounted on the front of the door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100; a plate decoration unit 250 mounted on the front of the plate base unit 210 and having a lower plate 202; and a performance operation unit 300 mounted on the front of the plate decoration unit 250 and the plate base unit 210 and operable by the player.

The pan base unit 210 comprises a flat pan unit base 211 extending to the left and right, an upper pan body 212 mounted on the upper front of the pan unit base 211 and having an upper pan 201, a mounting base (not shown) mounted to the right of the upper pan body 212 and protruding forward, a pan unit relay board (not shown) mounted to the right of the mounting base, a ball dispensing operation unit 220 mounted on the upper surface of the mounting base, an upper pan ball removal unit (not shown) mounted below the mounting base, and an upper pan ball removal unit 240 mounted behind the upper pan ball removal unit.

The plate decoration unit 250 comprises a lower plate body 251 attached to the lower front of the plate unit base 211 and having a lower plate 202; a plate unit body 252 attached to the front of the plate unit base 211 so as to cover the outer circumference of the lower plate body 251; a lower plate ball release unit 260 attached to the lower surface of the lower plate body 251; and a left plate decoration unit 270 and a right plate decoration unit 275, respectively, attached to the upper front of the plate unit body 252, spaced apart to the left and right.

The performance control unit 300 includes a performance control section 301 that can be operated by the player, comprising a contact control section 302 that the player can touch and operate, and a press control section 303 that the player can press and operate. The performance control unit 300 also includes a performance control section cover unit 310 with a spherical outer surface, an operation section base 315 housed within the performance control section cover unit 310 and mounted on the front of the plate decoration unit 250, an annular performance control section outer peripheral decoration board 320 mounted on the upper surface of the operation section base 315, an outer peripheral board cover 325 covering the upper part of the performance control section outer peripheral decoration board 320, and an operation section relay board unit 330 mounted on the rear side of the operation section base 315.

Furthermore, the performance control unit 300 includes a performance control unit 350 that is capable of protruding upward from the performance control unit cover unit 310 and is equipped with a performance control unit 301; a performance control unit lifting mechanism 360 attached to the control unit base 315 that supports the performance control unit 350 so that it can be raised and lowered; and a protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 that adjusts the upward protrusion force of the performance control unit 350 by the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360.

The plate unit 200 bulges forward overall. The performance control unit 301 is positioned so that its upper surface faces diagonally upward and forward at the center in the left-right direction. The upper plate 201 is located to the left of the performance control unit 300 on its upper surface, the ball dispensing control unit 220 is located to the right of the performance control unit 300, and the lower plate 202 is located below the upper plate 201 and to the left of the performance control unit 300.

[3-5a. Upper plate]
The upper tray 201 of the tray unit 200 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 48 and 49. The upper tray 201 is formed by the tray unit base 211 and the upper tray body 212, and is formed in a container shape that bulges significantly forward on the left side from the center when viewed from the front, and is open upward. The upper tray 201 (upper tray body 212) bulges out the most at about 1/3 of the distance from the left end to the right of the width of the door frame 3 in the left-right direction. The front end of the upper tray 201 recedes backward as it moves from the most bulging part toward the right when viewed from the front, and has a guide passage portion 201a (see Figure 73) whose depth in the front-rear direction is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The entire bottom surface of the upper tray 201, including the guide passage portion 201a, is inclined so that the right end is lower, and the right end of the guide passage portion 201a when viewed from the front is recessed below the ball dispensing operation unit 220.

When assembled to the tray unit 200, the upper tray 201 is inclined such that its bottom surface slopes downward from a position below the upper tray ball supply port 211a of the tray unit base 211 to a position slightly below the outer diameter of the game ball B relative to the upper end of the upper tray ball supply port (not shown in the figure). This allows game balls B released forward from the upper tray ball supply port 211a to be received and stored in the upper tray 201, and also allows the received game balls B to be supplied to the ball supply unit 140 from the right end of the guide passage 201a through the upper tray ball supply port.

Furthermore, the guide passage section 201a is equipped with a metal grounding fitting that is electrically grounded (earthed) in the pachinko machine 1. When the game ball B comes into contact with (rolls over) this fitting, the static electricity accumulated on the game ball B can be removed.

[3-5b. Lower plate]
The lower tray 202 of the tray unit 200 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 48 and 50. Figure 50(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the main part when the door frame is cut horizontally at the lower tray ball supply port, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the main part when the same part as (a) is cut in a conventional door frame. The lower tray 202 is located below the upper tray 201 and, in a front view, is positioned to the left of the center in the left-right direction of the tray unit 200 (door frame 3). The lower tray 202 is formed from a lower tray body 251 and a tray unit base 211. The lower tray 202 is formed in the shape of a container capable of storing game balls B and has a lower tray ball release hole 202a that penetrates vertically through the bottom wall and allows game balls B to be discharged. The lower tray ball release hole 202a of the lower tray 202 is closed by a lower tray ball release lid 265 of the lower tray ball release unit 260, which can be opened and closed.

The lower tray 202 has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view, extending horizontally, with the front end on the left side protruding further forward than the right side. The lower tray 202 has a vertically penetrating ball outlet 202a located near the front end, close to the right edge. The bottom surface of the lower tray 202 slopes downward towards the ball outlet 202a. When assembled with the tray unit 200, the ball outlet 202a is located slightly to the left of the front of the ball supply port 211c and below the performance control unit 300.

The lower tray 202 can store game balls B released forward from the lower tray ball supply port 211c when the lower tray ball release hole 202a is closed, and by opening the lower tray ball release hole 202a, the stored game balls B can be discharged downwards from the tray unit 200 (for example, to a coin box). Furthermore, when the lower tray ball release hole 202a of the lower tray 202 is open, since the lower tray ball release hole 202a is located in front of the lower tray ball supply port 211c, game balls B released forward from the lower tray ball supply port 211c can be quickly discharged downwards from the lower tray ball release hole 202a by moving the shortest distance.

In conventional pachinko machines, as shown in Figure 50(b), the lower tray ball outlet 202b is provided in front of the lower tray ball supply port 211j of the tray unit base 210, which is connected to the ball discharge port 150d of the foul cover unit 150, on the central axis. The lower tray ball supply port 211j is shaped like a straight cylinder extending forward so that the game balls B discharged forward from the ball discharge port 150d travel straight towards the lower tray ball outlet 202b. This allows the game balls B discharged forward from the lower tray ball supply port 211j to be quickly discharged downward through the lower tray ball outlet 202b by traveling the shortest distance.

By the way, if the lower tray ball supply port 211j guides the game balls B straight towards the lower tray ball release hole 202b, and the lower tray ball release hole 202b is closed by the lower tray ball release cover 265, then because the lower tray ball release hole 202b and the lower tray ball supply port 211j are located near the right edge of the lower tray 202, there is a risk that the game balls B will concentrate in the area to the right of the center of the lower tray 202. Furthermore, if the game balls B concentrated in the right area of the lower tray 202 block the area in front of the lower tray ball supply port 211j, the game balls B will not be released from the storage passage 150e of the foul cover unit 150 towards the lower tray 202. This could cause the full-tray detection sensor 154 to activate, potentially leading to the lower tray 202 being incorrectly determined to be full, even though there is still space in the left area of the lower tray 202.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 50(a), the left side wall of the lower tray ball supply opening 211c is inclined to extend diagonally forward and to the left. More specifically, the left side wall of the lower tray ball supply opening 211c is inclined diagonally forward and to the left at the point directly behind the lower tray ball removal hole 202a, such that the distance between it and the front surface of the tray unit base 211 is sufficient for at least one game ball B to pass through.

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

This allows the lower tray ball release hole 202a to move to the left, causing the lowest part of the lower tray 202 (the part of the lower tray ball release hole 202a) to move to the left. This reduces the concentration of game balls B on the right side of the lower tray 202 when the lower tray ball release hole 202a is closed. Furthermore, within the lower tray 202, multiple game balls B are stored from the lower tray ball release hole 202a. Even when they reach the rear end of the lower tray 202 (the front surface of the tray unit base 211), the left side wall of the lower tray ball supply port 211c extends diagonally, creating a gap between it and the rear end of the lower tray 202 through which the game balls B can flow. Therefore, game balls B released from the foul cover unit 150 (ball release port 150d) and the upper tray ball release unit 240 (ball release guide path 241c) towards the lower tray ball supply port 211c can be guided along the diagonally extending left side wall to the left side of the lower tray 202 and released, ensuring that game balls B are properly stored throughout the entire lower tray 202.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the full-tank detection sensor 154 from activating and issuing a full-tank notification even though there is still sufficient space remaining in the lower tray 202 to store game balls B.

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

Furthermore, the pan base unit 210 includes a ball dispensing operation unit 220 mounted on the upper front of the pan unit base 211, an upper pan ball removal unit (not shown) mounted on the front of the pan unit base 211 below the ball dispensing operation unit 220, and an upper pan ball removal unit 240 mounted on the rear side of the pan unit base 211 behind the upper pan ball removal unit.

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

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

The upper tray ball supply port 211a of the tray unit base 211, when assembled with the door frame 3, has its front end opening into the rear wall of the upper tray 201, and its cylindrical rear end passing through the upper tray ball passage port 101g of the door frame base 101 from the front and connecting to the front end of the ball passage 150a of the foul cover unit 150. As a result, game balls B dispensed from the dispensing device 580 of the dispensing unit 560 are supplied (dispensed) into the upper tray 201 through the upper tray ball supply port 211a.

The lower tray ball supply port 211c, when assembled to the door frame 3, has its front end opening into the rear wall of the lower tray 202, and its cylindrical rear end passing through the lower tray ball passage port 101f of the door frame base 101 from the front and connecting to the front end of the ball discharge port 150d of the foul cover unit 150. This allows the game balls B circulating in the storage passage 150e of the foul cover unit 150 to be supplied into the lower tray 202 through the lower tray ball supply port 211c. Furthermore, the downstream end of the ball removal guide path 241c in the rear base 241 of the upper tray ball removal unit 240 is connected to the notch 211d formed in the cylindrical portion of the lower tray ball supply port 211c. As a result, the game balls B stored in the upper tray 201 are discharged into the lower tray 202 from the lower tray ball supply port 211c via the upper tray ball supply port, the entry port 141a and ball release port 141b of the ball supply unit 140, the ball supply guide path 241b and ball release guide path 241c of the upper tray ball release unit 240, and the notch 211d, when the upper tray ball release button 222 is operated.

The upper tray ball supply port, when assembled with the tray base unit 210, is located in front of the ball receiving port (not shown) of the rear base 241 in the upper tray ball removal unit 240. Game balls B in the upper tray 201 are supplied from the ball receiving port of the upper tray ball removal unit 240 to the ball supply guide path 241b.

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

The upper tray body 212, when assembled with the tray unit 200, is mounted so that the closed upper portion near the right end tucks beneath the ball dispensing operation unit 220. Furthermore, the upper tray body 212 has a performance operation unit mounting section 212a formed in the middle of its upper section in the left-right direction, and a portion of the performance operation unit 300 is attached to this performance operation unit mounting section 212a.

[3-5c-3. Dish Unit Relay Board]
The dish unit relay board 214 of the dish base unit 210 is for relaying connections between the door frame sub-relay board 105 in the door frame base unit 100, the left dish decorative board 273, the right dish decorative board 278, and the operation unit relay board 332. The dish unit relay board 214 is mounted near the lower right corner of the rear surface of the dish unit base 211. When mounted on the dish unit base 211, the rear surface of the dish unit relay board 214 faces the rear side of the dish unit base 211.

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

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

The upper tray ball release button 222 protrudes upward in a cylindrical shape from the top surface of the base 221 and can be moved downward when pressed by the player. The ball dispensing button 224 is circular in shape and has the character "玉" (ball) inscribed on its top surface. The return button 225 is triangular in shape. The ball dispensing display unit 226 consists of three 7-segment LEDs and one bullet-shaped LED, and when illuminated, it is clearly visible to the player through the transparent ball dispensing operation base 223.

The ball dispensing operation unit 220 can dispense game balls B stored in the upper tray 201 to the lower tray by pressing the upper tray ball release button 222. Furthermore, by inserting cash or a prepaid card with remaining balance into the ball dispensing machine and then pressing the ball dispensing button 224, a predetermined number of game balls B are supplied to the upper tray 201. Pressing the return button 225 returns the cash or prepaid card inserted into the ball dispensing machine minus the amount of the dispensed game balls B. The ball dispensing display unit 226 displays the remaining balance of cash or prepaid cards inserted into the ball dispensing machine. The ball dispensing display unit 226 also displays an error code if the ball dispensing machine malfunctions.

The volume control button 227 is used to adjust the volume of music, voices, sound effects, and other sounds output from the top center speaker and top side speakers of the door frame 3, and the main frame speaker 622 for bass frequencies in the main frame 4. This volume control button 227 is shaped like a double-circular gourd, with two circles joined together. The volume control button 227 has a "+" sign in the center of one (upper) circle and a "-" sign in the center of the other (lower) circle. A picture of sound emitting from a speaker is depicted in the area between the two circles. The diameter of the "+" side of the volume control button 227 is larger than the diameter of the "-" side. Pressing the "+" side of the volume control button 227 increases the volume, and pressing the "-" side decreases the volume.

The light intensity adjustment button 228 is used to adjust the light intensity (brightness) of the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards located on the door frame 3 and the game board 5. This light intensity adjustment button 228 is shaped like a double-circular gourd, with two circles joined together. The button 228 has a "+" sign in the center of one (upper) circle and a "-" sign in the center of the other (lower) circle, with a light bulb icon in the area between the two circles. The diameter of the "+" side of the light intensity adjustment button 228 is larger than the diameter of the "-" side. Pressing the "+" side of the button 228 brightens the light, and pressing the "-" side dims it. In addition to the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, the brightness of the display screen of the performance display device 1600 may also be adjustable.

The volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 are colored differently (for example, the volume control button 227 is white and the light intensity control button 228 is black) to prevent players from making mistakes.

By the way, if the volume and light intensity are adjusted using the contact operation section 302 and the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 301, when a player-participation performance requiring operation of the performance operation unit 301 is not being performed, the player would have to appropriately operate the performance operation unit 301 to display a setting menu for adjusting the volume, light intensity, etc. on the performance display device 1600, select the item to adjust, and then operate the contact operation section 302 to change the volume level, light intensity brightness, etc., which would be time-consuming and cumbersome to adjust. In contrast, according to this embodiment, the volume and light intensity can be adjusted directly by operating the volume adjustment button 227 and the light intensity adjustment button 228, thereby simplifying the process of adjusting the volume and light intensity and providing a pachinko machine 1 that can be adjusted in a short time.

[3-5c-5. Unit after removing the upper tray bulb]
The upper tray ball removal unit and the upper tray ball removal unit 240 in the tray base unit 210 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 49. The upper tray ball removal unit 240 works in cooperation with the ball supply unit 140 to discharge the game balls B stored in the upper tray 201 to the lower tray 202 when the upper tray ball removal button 222 of the ball dispensing operation unit 220 is pressed.

The upper tray bulb removal unit 240 comprises a rear base 241 attached to the rear surface of the tray unit base 211 to close the upper tray bulb supply port from the rear, an upper tray bulb removal slider 242 mounted on the front surface of the rear base 241 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction, a spring (not shown) that biases the upper tray bulb removal slider 242 upward, and a rear cover 244 attached to the rear side of the rear base 241.

The rear base 241 protrudes upward from the portion where the upper tray ball release slider 242 is slidably mounted and opens forward, providing a ball receiving opening (not shown) through which game balls B can pass; a ball feeding guide path 241b that guides the game balls B received in the ball receiving opening downward and then backward on the rear surface of the rear base 241; and a ball release guide path 241c that guides the game balls B downward from a position below the ball feeding guide path 241b on the rear surface of the rear base 241 and then guides them to the right when viewed from the rear.

The ball receiving port, when assembled to the tray base unit 210, is formed at the downstream end (right end in front view) of the guide passage 201a of the upper tray 201, opening forward through the upper tray ball supply port of the tray unit base 211. The ball supply guide path 241b, when assembled to the door frame 3, is formed such that the entry port 141a of the ball supply unit 140 is located at the rear of the lower part. This allows the game balls B supplied to the upper tray 201 to enter the entry port 141a of the ball supply unit 140 through the ball receiving port and the ball supply guide path 241b.

The portions of the ball removal guide path 241c that extend to the left and right protrude to the right in a rear view from the portion where the upper pan ball removal slider 242 is slidably mounted, and are inclined so that the right end in a rear view is lower, opening to the right side in a rear view. The rear of the portions of the ball removal guide path 241c that extend to the left and right is closed by the rear cover 244. When assembled to the door frame 3, the upper part of the portion of the ball removal guide path 241c that extends vertically below the ball supply guide path 241b is located in front of the ball removal opening 141b of the ball supply unit 140, and the right end of the portions that extend to the left and right in a rear view is connected to the notch 211d of the lower pan ball supply opening 211c in the pan unit base 211. As a result, the game balls B discharged from the ball outlet 141b of the ball feeding unit 140 are released into the lower tray 202 through the ball release guide path 241c and the notch 211d via the lower tray ball supply opening 211c.

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

When assembled to the door frame 3, the upper tray ball release slider 242 has an operating receiver that penetrates the tray unit base 211 from the rear and protrudes forward, with the lower end of the upper tray ball release button 222 in contact with the upper surface of the operating receiver. Furthermore, when assembled to the door frame 3, the operating transmission unit 242b of the upper tray ball release slider 242 protrudes behind the rear base 241, with the operating rod 143c of the ball release member 143 of the ball supply unit 140 in contact with its upper surface.

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

The upper tray ball removal unit 240, by the biasing force of a spring, positions the upper tray ball removal slider 242 at its upward movement end, and also positions the upper tray ball removal button 222 at its upward movement end via the operating receiving portion of the upper tray ball removal slider 242. Furthermore, because the upper tray ball removal slider 242 is positioned at its upward movement end by the biasing force of the spring, downward movement of the operating rod 143c, which is in contact with the upper surface of the operating transmission portion 242b, is prevented. The partition portion 143a of the ball removal member 143 is positioned between the entry point 141a and the ball removal opening 141b, separating the two.

Therefore, when the upper tray ball release button 222 is not pressed, the ball feeding unit 140 is partitioned between the entry port 141a and the ball release port 141b. This allows the game balls B sent from the upper tray 201 to the ball receiving port to be sent to the ball launching device 540 side via the entry port 141a and the ball feeding member 144 through the ball supply port 142a.

On the other hand, when the upper tray ball release button 222 is pressed downward against the biasing force of the spring, the upper tray ball release slider 242 moves downward, allowing the operating rod 143c of the ball release member 143, which is in contact with the upper surface of the operating transmission part 242b of the upper tray ball release slider 242, to move downward. The weight portion 143d of the ball release member 143 causes the ball release member 143 to rotate, and the partition portion 143a retracts from between the entry port 141a and the ball release port 141b. As a result, the game balls B that entered the entry port 141a from the upper tray 201 through the ball receiving port and the ball feeding guide path 241b are discharged forward from the ball release port 141b which is open below the entry port 141a. Then, the game balls B discharged forward from the ball removal opening 141b are guided through the ball removal guide path 241c to the lower tray ball supply opening 211c via the notch 211d, and then released into the lower tray 202 from the lower tray ball supply opening 211c, thus discharging the game balls B in the upper tray 201 into the lower tray 202.

When the downward pressure on the upper tray ball release button 222 is released, the spring biasing force causes the upper tray ball release slider 242 to move upward, raising the upper tray ball release button 222. Simultaneously, the operating rod 143c, which is in contact with the operating transmission unit 242b, causes the ball release member 143 to rotate, repositioning the partition 143a between the entry point 141a and the ball release opening 141b, returning it to its original state.

In this way, the upper tray ball removal unit 240 can either supply the game balls B in the upper tray 201 to the ball launching device 540 via the ball supply unit 140, or discharge them to the lower tray 202.

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

The plate decoration unit 250 comprises a lower plate body 251 attached to the lower front of the plate unit base 211 and cooperating with the plate unit base 211 to form the lower plate 202; a plate unit body 252 attached to the front of the plate unit base 211 so as to cover the outer circumference of the lower plate body 251; a lower plate ball release unit 260 attached to the lower surface of the lower plate body 251; and a left plate decoration unit 270 and a right plate decoration unit 275, respectively, attached to the upper front of the plate unit body 252, spaced apart to the left and right.

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

The lower pan body 251 has a roughly rectangular shape in plan view, extending horizontally, with the front end on the left side protruding further forward than the right side. In plan view, the lower pan body 251 has a vertically penetrating lower pan ball release hole 202a near the front right end. The bottom surface of the lower pan body 251 is sloped downwards toward the lower pan ball release hole 202a. The lower pan ball release hole 202a is closed and opened/closed by the lower pan ball release cover 265 of the lower pan ball release unit 260.

When assembled with the tray decoration unit 250, the lower tray body 251 has its outer circumference and a portion of its bottom surface covered by the tray unit body 252. Furthermore, when assembled with the tray unit 200, the bottom surface of the lower tray body is located below the lower tray ball supply opening 211c of the tray unit base 211, and the lower tray ball release hole 202a is located in front of the lower tray ball supply opening 211c. This allows for the storage of game balls B released forward from the lower tray ball supply opening 211c.

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

The plate unit body 252 includes upper side bulges 252a that bulge forward from both left and right ends toward the center in the left-right direction and extend downward, spaced apart on the left and right sides, and lower front decorative portion 252b that bulges forward from the left side of the center in the left-right direction so as to cover the outer circumference of the lower plate body 251.

The left and right upper side bulges 252a are fitted with the left and right plate decorative units 270 and 275 respectively on their front surfaces.

The tray unit body 252 has a lower tray opening 252d that extends front to back between the upper side bulge 252a on the left side and the lower front decorative part 252b. The lower tray opening 252d is sized to allow a player's fingers to be inserted and is formed to widen vertically towards the left. The lower tray opening 252d is formed in a cylindrical shape extending front to back by the lower tray body 251 and the lower surface of the upper side bulge 252a on the left side.

Furthermore, although not shown in the illustration, the plate unit body 252 is formed between a pair of upper side bulges 252a that are in the center in the left-right direction, and includes a mounting section for the performance control unit 300. The performance control unit mounting section is formed to a width of approximately 1/3 of the left-right width of the plate unit body 252.

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

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

The lower tray bulb removal unit 260 includes a lower tray bulb removal button 263 and a lower tray bulb removal cover 265 that opens and closes a through-hole when the lower tray bulb removal button 263 is operated.

In the assembled state of the lower tray ball release unit 260 with the tray decoration unit 250, the lower tray ball release button 263 aligns with the front surface of the lower front decoration portion 252b of the tray unit body 252, and the lower tray ball release cover 265 closes the lower tray ball release hole 202a. In this normal state, the lower tray ball release hole 202a is closed by the lower tray ball release cover 265, allowing game balls B to be stored in the lower tray 202.

In the normal state, pressing the lower tray ball release button 263 backward moves the lower tray ball release cover 265, opening the lower tray ball release hole 202a. This allows the game balls B in the lower tray 202 to be discharged downwards into the tray unit 200 through the lower tray ball release hole 202a.

Furthermore, when the lower tray ball release button 263 is pressed, the lower tray ball release cover 265 remains in that position, keeping the lower tray ball release hole 202a open and allowing the game balls B in the lower tray 202 to be continuously discharged downwards.

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

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

The left-side decorative unit 270 comprises a semi-cylindrical, translucent left-side decorative body 271, a translucent left-side decorative lens 272 penetrating the left-side decorative body 271, and a left-side decorative substrate 273 located behind the left-side decorative lens 272, with multiple LEDs mounted on its front surface.

The left-side decorative element 271 extends in a curved shape, moving forward and downward from the left end to the right end, and is attached to the upper part of the left upper side bulge 252a. The left-side decorative element 271 is formed in a shape resembling a twisted semi-circular arc, with its central axis extending diagonally upward and to the left at the left end, and its central axis extending left and right at the right end. This left-side decorative element 271 is made of milky white material.

The left-side decorative lens 272 extends longitudinally, aligning with the front surface of the left-side decorative body 271. Multiple LEDs mounted on the left-side decorative substrate 273 are full-color LEDs, and by illuminating them, the left-side decorative body 271 can be illuminated.

The left-side decorative unit 270, when assembled to the door frame 3, has its left end continuous with the lower end of the left-side door frame unit 420. Because the left-side decorative unit 270 does not have ribs along its longitudinal direction in the left-side decorative body 271, illuminating the multiple LEDs on the left-side decorative substrate 273 allows for nearly uniform illumination of the entire front surface of the left-side decorative body 271, giving the appearance of embedded fluorescent lights.

The right-side decorative unit 275 comprises a semi-cylindrical, translucent right-side decorative body 276, a translucent right-side decorative lens 277 penetrating the right-side decorative body 276, and a right-side decorative substrate 278 located behind the right-side decorative lens 277, with multiple LEDs mounted on its front surface.

The right-hand decorative element 276 extends in a curved shape, moving forward and downward from the right end to the left end, and is attached to the upper right side bulge 252a. The right-hand decorative element 276 has a semicircular arc that bulges forward, with its central axis extending diagonally upwards and to the right at the right end, and its central axis extending to the left and right at the left end, forming a shape resembling a twisted semicylinder. This right-hand decorative element 276 is made of milky white material.

The right-side decorative lens 277 extends longitudinally, aligning with the front surface of the right-side decorative body 276. Multiple LEDs mounted on the right-side decorative substrate 278 are full-color LEDs, and by illuminating them, the right-side decorative body 276 can be illuminated.

The right-hand decorative unit 275, when assembled to the door frame 3, has its right end continuous with the lower end of the right-side unit 430 of the door frame. Because the right-hand decorative unit 275 does not have ribs along its longitudinal direction in the right-hand decorative body 276, illuminating the multiple LEDs on the right-hand decorative substrate 278 allows for nearly uniform illumination of the entire front surface of the right-hand decorative body 276, giving the appearance of embedded fluorescent lights.

When assembled to the door frame 3, the left and right decorative units 270 and 275 of the tray protrude upward from the front end of the upper side bulge 252a of the tray unit body 252 of the tray decorative unit 250. This creates a step between the left and right decorative units 270 and 275, with the left and right decorative units 270 being higher. This step allows the player to grip the trays with their fingers, providing a grip for leveling the game balls B in the upper tray 201 or operating the performance control unit 301 (described later). Furthermore, the step between the left and right decorative units 270 and 275 and the upper side bulge 252a prevents the game balls B on the upper side bulge 252a from flowing forward.

[3-5e. Overall configuration of the production control unit]
The overall configuration of the performance control unit 300 in the plate unit 200 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 52 to 56. Figure 52(a) is a perspective view of the performance control unit from the front with the performance control buttons facing upwards, and (b) is a perspective view of the performance control unit of (a) from the rear. Figure 53 is an exploded perspective view of the performance control unit disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front and above, and Figure 54 is an exploded perspective view of the performance control unit disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front and below. Figure 55(a) is a cross-sectional view of the performance control unit with the performance control unit in the lowered position and the lower holding member of the lifting spring in the upper end position, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the performance control unit after it has moved from the state in (a) to the raised position. Figure 56 is a cross-sectional view of the performance control unit with the performance control unit in the lowered position and the lower holding member of the lifting spring in the lower end position.

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

The performance control unit 300 includes a performance control section 301 that can be operated by the player. The performance control section 301 consists of a contact control section 302 that the player can touch and operate, and a press control section 303 that the player can press. It can receive player input and move (vibrate) the performance control section 301, allowing the player to participate not only in the operation of inserting the game ball B, but also in the performance effects during the game. The contact control section 302 is located above the press control section 303. The contact control section 302 and the press control section 303 of the performance control unit 301 are formed in a circular shape with a diameter approximately 5/8 of the outer diameter of the performance control unit 300.

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

Furthermore, the performance control unit 300 comprises a performance control unit 350 having a performance control section 301, a performance control unit lifting mechanism 360 for raising and lowering the performance control unit 350, and a protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 for adjusting the protrusion force of the performance control unit 350. The performance control unit 350 is mounted so as to be able to move upward and backward from the upper surface of the performance control unit cover unit 310 by the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360.

[3-5e-1. Performance Control Unit Cover Unit]
The performance control unit cover unit 310 of the performance control unit 300 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 53 to 56. The performance control unit cover unit 310 is attached to the performance control unit mounting portion of the plate unit body 252 of the plate decoration unit 250 via the control unit base 315. The performance control unit cover unit 310 decorates the outer circumference of the performance control unit 300 (around the performance control unit 350) at the center of the plate unit 200 in the left-right direction.

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

The control panel cover unit 310 is mounted at an angle such that the axis of the annular unit upper cover 312 is positioned forward as it extends upward. In this embodiment, it is inclined at an angle of approximately 18 degrees (18.65 degrees) with respect to the vertical line.

The control panel cover unit 310, when assembled to the door frame 3, has its front end aligned with the front end of the door frame 3. The distance from the front of the door frame base 101 to the front end of the unit's lower cover 311 is approximately half the total width of the door frame base 101 in the left-right direction.

The performance control unit cover unit 310 has at least the upper cover 312 of the unit that is translucent, and can be illuminated by the light emitted from multiple LEDs on the performance control unit outer peripheral decorative substrate 320, which will be described later.

The performance control unit cover unit 310, when assembled to the plate unit 200, has its front end protruding significantly further forward than the upper plate 201 and lower plate 202. Furthermore, the performance control unit cover unit 310 is connected to the left and right sides of the lower cover 311 of the unit, with the left plate decorative element 271 and the right plate decorative element 276 extending outward. This makes the performance control unit 300 more prominent and improves its appearance through integrated decoration.

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

The control unit base 315 comprises a roughly cubic, box-shaped main body 315a with an open top, and a flange portion 315b extending outward from the upper end of the main body with a circular outer circumference. The main body 315a houses the performance control unit 350. The lower ends of the pair of guide shafts 362 and the central shaft 366 of the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360 (described later) in the performance control unit 350 are attached to the bottom wall of the main body 315a. Furthermore, the lower end of the adjustment screw 384 of the projection force adjustment mechanism 380 is rotatably supported on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the main body 315a. Finally, the circuit board base 331 of the control unit relay circuit board unit 330 is attached to the rear surface of the rear wall of the main body 315a.

The flange portion 315b has the outer periphery decorative substrate 320 of the performance control unit mounted on its upper surface. Furthermore, an annular outer periphery substrate cover 325 is attached to the flange portion 315b so as to sandwich the outer periphery decorative substrate 320 of the performance control unit. The unit upper cover 312 is attached to the outer periphery substrate cover 325.

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

[3-5e-3. Operation Panel Relay Board Unit]
The control unit relay board unit 330 of the performance control unit 300 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 53 to 56. The control unit relay board unit 330 is mounted on the rear surface of the control unit base 315. The control unit relay board unit 330 comprises a board base 331 mounted on the rear surface of the main body portion 315a of the control unit base 315, a control unit relay board 332 mounted on the rear surface of the board base 331, and a board cover 333 mounted on the board base 331 so as to cover the control unit relay board 332 from the rear.

The control unit relay board 332 relays the connections between the outer periphery decoration board 320 (front decoration board 321 and rear decoration board 322) of the performance control unit, the outer button decoration board 355, the vibration motor 356, the contact detection sensor body 358, the inner button decoration board 364, the operation button lifting drive motor 367, the pressure detection sensor 373, the lifting detection sensor 374, the thrust force detection sensor 375, and the thrust force adjustment drive motor 381, and the plate unit relay board 214 of the plate base unit 210.

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

The performance control unit 350 comprises a bottomed cylindrical button body 351 with its upper end closed, a disc-shaped contact detection element 352 mounted on the upper part of the button body 351, a cylindrical button sleeve 353 inserted into the button body 351 from below, a disc-shaped button base 354 attached to the lower end of the button sleeve 353 and supported so as to be vertically movable by the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360, and an annular button exterior decoration substrate 355 positioned above the button base 354 and having multiple LEDs 355a mounted on its upper surface.

Furthermore, the performance control unit 350 includes a vibration motor 356 positioned between the button body 351 and the button sleeve 353, a motor cover 357 that attaches the vibration motor 356 to the button sleeve 353, and a contact detection sensor body 358 connected to the contact detection element 352 and mounted on the outer circumference of the button sleeve 353.

The button body 351 is made entirely of transparent material. The button body 351 has a disc-shaped upper surface portion 351a that curves upward, a cylindrical portion 351b that extends downward from the outer circumference of the upper surface portion 351a, and a locking portion 351c that protrudes downward from the lower end of the cylindrical portion 351b. The upper surface portion 351a is shaped to form part of a sphere with the same diameter as the spherical surface of the performance control unit cover unit 310. This upper surface portion 351a is decorated with a circular ornament that has a diameter of approximately 1/2 of the outer diameter. The outer diameter (diameter) of the upper surface portion 351a (cylindrical portion 351b) is approximately 5/8 of the diameter of the performance control unit cover unit 310. The length (height) of the cylindrical portion 351b is approximately 5/8 of the diameter of the upper surface portion 351a. The locking portions 351c are provided in four equal-spacing positions around the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 351b. The locking portions 351c are secured to the button base 354. Incidentally, the button body 351 in this embodiment has a diameter of approximately 127 mm.

The contact detection body 352 has a circular outer circumference and is formed in a dish shape with a certain width of inward bulging upward from the outer circumference. The contact detection body 352 is located below the circular decoration on the upper surface 351a of the button body 351, bulging diagonally upward and having a flat inner surface. This makes the contact detection body 352 appear as part of the decoration on the button body 351. The contact detection body 352 has flat, downwardly extending pieces 352a extending downward from both the left and right ends and the rear end of the outer edge. The contact detection body 352 is attached to the lower surface of the upper surface 351a of the button body 351. The contact detection body 352 is made of perforated metal. The capacitance of the contact detection body 352 relative to its overall area is suppressed by the multiple holes in the perforated metal, preventing false detections. Furthermore, because the contact detection element 352 is made of perforated metal, light from the LED 364a of the button's decorative substrate 364 located below it can be transmitted upwards, allowing the central portion of the upper surface 351a of the button body 351 to be illuminated and decorated in a good manner.

The contact detection element 352 is connected to the external electrode terminal of the connection connector on the contact detection sensor body 358. This allows the contact detection element 352 to function as a sensor electrode for detecting capacitance, enabling detection of contact or approach of the object to be detected (the player's hand) to the top or side surface of the button body 351. In other words, the contact detection element 352 and the contact detection sensor body 358 work together to enable the button body 351 to function as a contact operation unit 302.

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

The button base 354 is disc-shaped with approximately the same diameter as the outer diameter of the button body 351 and is attached to the lower end of the button body 351 so as to close the open lower end of the button body 351. The button base 354 includes a pair of guide holes 354a that penetrate vertically at symmetrical points with respect to the center, a central hole 354b that penetrates vertically at the center, and a pair of guide pins 354c that protrude toward the center from the inner surface of the central hole. The guide shafts 362 of the lifting mechanism 360 of the performance control unit are slidably inserted into each of the pair of guide holes 354a. The central hole 354b has an inner diameter large enough for the lifting cam member 371 to pass through. The pair of guide pins 354c face each other on the same axis and are mounted so as to be rotatable around the axis.

The button base 354 extends downward and further has a flat detection piece 354d that is detected by the pressure detection sensor 373 of the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360. The locking portion 351c of the button body 351 is locked to the outer surface of the button base 354. The button base 354 is guided to move up and down by a pair of guide shafts 362 inserted through a pair of guide holes 354a. Furthermore, the button base 354 is moved up and down by a pair of guide pins 354c guided by the cam portion 371a of the lifting cam member 371. The upper ends of a pair of lifting springs 365 of the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360 abut against the lower surface of the button base 354, and it is biased upward by the pair of lifting springs 365.

The button exterior decoration substrate 355 has multiple LEDs 355a mounted on its upper surface. These LEDs 355a are arranged in a row on a double concentric circle. More specifically, the LEDs 355a are located slightly outside the sleeve body 353a of the button sleeve 353, and near the center of the width of the flange portion 353b. By appropriately illuminating the LEDs 355a of the button exterior decoration substrate 355, the area outside the contact detection element 352 on the upper surface of the button body 351, and the side (circumferential surface) of the button body 351 can be illuminated.

The vibration motor 356 has an eccentric weight attached to its rotating shaft, and generates vibration by rotating the weight. The vibration motor 356 is positioned so that its rotating shaft extends in the left-right direction. In other words, the vibration motor 356 is positioned so that its rotating shaft extends in a direction perpendicular to the forward and backward direction of the performance control unit 301. Furthermore, the vibration motor 356 is located in a position that lies on a straight line passing through a pair of guide shafts 362 that guide the performance control unit 301 (performance control unit 350) in the vertical direction. This allows for effective transmission of vibrations from the vibration motor 356 to the performance control unit 301. Additionally, the vibrations from the vibration motor 356 can reduce the impact on the pair of guide holes 354a (the pair of guide shafts 362).

The contact detection sensor body 358 is a capacitance sensor. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the contact detection sensor body 358 includes a sensor IC with a surge protection circuit, an oscillator circuit, a detection and smoothing circuit, and a comparator circuit, an output circuit, a constant voltage circuit for supplying power to the sensor IC and output circuit, a sensor electrode, and a connection connector. The contact detection sensor body 358 can detect the capacitance of the sensor electrode it contains. Furthermore, the connection connector of the contact detection sensor body 358 has an external electrode terminal connected to the sensor electrode, and this external electrode terminal is connected to the contact detection body 352. In other words, the contact detection sensor body 358 can make the contact detection body 352 function as an external sensor electrode. The contact detection sensor body 358 detects capacitance with the sensor electrode and outputs an ON signal when it exceeds a predetermined capacitance set by an external resistor. In this embodiment, an ON signal is output when the predetermined capacitance is exceeded, but it may also output multiple signals depending on the magnitude of the capacitance.

In this embodiment, the performance control unit 350 has a contact detection body 352 on the underside of the upper surface 351a of the button body 351. This contact detection body 352 functions as a sensor electrode for detecting capacitance via a contact detection sensor body 358. Therefore, contact or approach of the object to be detected (the player's hand) to the upper surface of the button body 351 can be detected via the contact detection body 352. Furthermore, since the contact detection body 352 of the performance control unit 350 has multiple downwardly extending pieces 352a, contact or approach of the object to be detected (the player's hand) to the side of the button body 351 can be detected even when the performance control unit 350 is projecting upwards. Thus, the performance control unit 350, with the contact detection body 352 and the contact detection sensor body 358, can make the button body 351 function as a contact control unit 302.

The performance control unit 350 is supported by the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360 so that it can move up and down. When the performance control unit 350 is in its lowest position (normal position), the upper surface 351a of the button body 351 coincides with the upper surface of the unit upper cover 312 of the performance control unit cover unit 310, making the performance control unit 300 appear as a single sphere. When the performance control unit 350 is moved upward from its normal position by the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360, the upper surface 351a of the button body 351 protrudes above the upper surface of the unit upper cover 312, and by being pressed downward against the biasing force of the lifting spring 365, it can function as a press operation unit 303.

In detail, when the performance control unit 350 is in its lowest position (normal state), it cannot be pressed any further downwards, making it impossible to perform a press operation. In this normal state, the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 is detected by the press detection sensor 373 of the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360. When the performance control unit 350 is moved upwards from its normal position by the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360, the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 separates from the press detection sensor 373, resulting in a non-detection state. Then, when the upper surface of the performance control unit 350 is pressed downwards, and the performance control unit 350 is lowered to its lowest position against the biasing force of the lifting spring 365, the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 is detected by the press detection sensor 373. This detects a press operation of the performance control unit 350 (press operation unit 303).

Furthermore, since the control unit 350 covers the contact detection element 352, which is made of perforated metal, with the button body 351, when operating the contact control unit 302, the player touches the smooth, spherical upper surface of the button body 351. The player does not directly touch the surface of the perforated metal, which has multiple holes and irregularities, allowing the player to operate the contact control unit 302 smoothly. Also, because the contact detection element 352 is covered by the button body 351, it is possible to create fine irregularities or multiple grooves on the surface (upper surface) of the button body 351, thereby providing the contact control unit 302 with a desired tactile sensation. This increases the design flexibility of the contact control unit 302, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 that is more enjoyable for the player.

Furthermore, while the button body 351 is described as transparent above, it is not limited to this. It may also be opaque or semi-transparent, making it difficult to see the lower side through the button body 351. This makes the contact detection element 352, made of perforated metal, less visible through the button body 351, thereby improving the appearance of the performance control unit 350. Also, if the button body 351 is opaque, it is desirable that it be translucent. This allows the button body 351 to be illuminated by light from the LEDs 355a on the outer decorative substrate 355 and the LEDs 364a on the inner decorative substrate 364, providing entertainment for the player through the illumination of the button body 351.

[3-5e-5. Lifting mechanism for the stage control unit]
The lifting mechanism 360 for the performance control unit 300 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 53 to 56. The lifting mechanism 360 for the performance control unit is attached to the control unit base 315 and is capable of raising and lowering the performance control unit 350. The performance control unit lifting mechanism 360 comprises a lifting mechanism base 361, which is mounted inside the main body portion 315a of the control unit base 315 below the performance control unit 350 and has a substantially circular outer circumference; a pair of cylindrical guide shafts 362, which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the central axis of the lifting mechanism base 361, with their lower ends attached to the bottom wall of the main body portion 315a of the control unit base 315 and their upper ends extending upward through the control unit base 315 and the button base 354; a disc-shaped upper base 363, which connects the upper ends of the pair of guide shafts 362 and has an outer circumference smaller than the inner diameter of the button sleeve 353; and a button interior decoration substrate 364, which is mounted on the upper surface of the upper base 363 and has a plurality of LEDs 364a mounted on it that can emit light upward.

Furthermore, the staging control unit lifting mechanism 360 comprises a pair of lifting springs 365 through which a pair of guide shafts 362 are inserted, each biasing the button base 354 upward, and a central shaft 366 that penetrates vertically through the center of the lifting mechanism base 361 and the button base 354, with its lower end attached to the bottom wall of the main body 315a and its upper end attached to the upper base 363.

Furthermore, the lifting mechanism 360 of the performance control unit comprises: an operation button lifting drive motor 367 mounted on the lower surface of the lifting mechanism base 361 such that its rotating shaft protrudes upward; a spur gear-shaped lifting drive gear 368 mounted on the rotating shaft of the operation button lifting drive motor 367; a spur gear-shaped driven gear 369 that meshes with the lifting drive gear 368 and is rotatably mounted on the upper side of the lifting mechanism base 361; and a lifting cam drive gear member 370 that is rotated by the driven gear 369 and rotatably mounted through which a central shaft 366 is inserted.

Furthermore, the staging control unit lifting mechanism 360 includes a lifting cam member 371 whose lower end is connected to the lifting cam drive gear member 370 and which is rotatably mounted with a central shaft 366 inserted through it, causing the button base 354 to move up and down by rotating; and a disc-shaped gear cover 372 mounted on the upper side of the lifting mechanism base 361 so as to cover the lifting drive gear 368, the driven gear 369, and the lifting cam drive gear member 370 from above.

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

The lifting mechanism base 361 comprises a disc-shaped base body 361a, a plurality of legs 361b protruding downward from the base body 361a, and a pair of through holes 361c that penetrate the base body 361a and through which a lifting spring 365 can pass together with a pair of guide shafts 362. The base body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361 has an outer diameter that is slightly smaller than the inner circumference diameter of the main body 315a of the operating unit base 315. A driven gear 369, a lifting cam drive gear member 370, a gear cover 372, a pressure detection sensor 373, and a protruding force detection sensor 375 are mounted on the upper surface of the base body 361a. In addition, an operation button lifting drive motor 367, a lifting detection sensor 374, and a protruding force adjustment drive motor 381 are mounted on the lower surface of the base body 361a. The lower end of the leg portion 361b of the lifting mechanism base 361 is attached to the bottom wall of the main body portion 315a of the operating unit base 315. This creates a space between the bottom wall of the main body portion 315a of the operating unit base 315 and the base body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361, where the protruding force adjustment mechanism 380 is positioned. A pair of through holes 361c are provided in the base body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361, at positions half the diameter of the base body 361a, extending forward and backward from the center, respectively.

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

The upper base 363 has an outer diameter approximately half the outer diameter of the base body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361. The upper base 363 has a downward projection. By bringing the downward projection of the upper base 363 into contact with the upper projection of the gear cover 372, a space capable of accommodating the lifting cam member 371 can be formed between the upper base 363 and the lifting mechanism base 361.

The button's decorative circuit board 364 has multiple full-color LEDs 364a mounted on its upper surface. By appropriately illuminating the multiple LEDs 364a, the button's decorative circuit board 364 can illuminate the central portion of the upper surface of the button body 351.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The gear cover 372 has a through-hole through which the lifting spring 365 and the lifting cam member 371 can pass. Furthermore, the gear cover 372 has an upwardly projecting upper projection at the portion facing the lower projection of the upper base 363. By bringing the upper projection of the gear cover 372 into contact with the lower end of the lower projection of the upper base 363, a space capable of accommodating the lifting cam member 371 can be formed between the upper base 363 and the lifting mechanism base 361.

The pressure detection sensor 373 detects the pressing operation of the performance control unit 350 (pressure control unit 303) by detecting the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 in the performance control unit 350. When the performance control unit 350 is moved to its lowest position (normal state), the pressure detection sensor 373 constantly detects the detection piece 354d of the button base 354. When the performance control unit 350 is moved upward from its normal position by the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360, the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 separates, and the pressure detection sensor 373 becomes non-detective. Furthermore, when the upper surface of the performance control unit 350 is pressed downwards, causing the performance control unit 350 to descend to its lower end against the biasing force of the lifting spring 365, the pressure detection sensor 373 detects the detection piece 354d of the button base 354, thereby detecting the press operation of the performance control unit 350 (press operation unit 303).

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

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

The performance control unit lifting mechanism 360 supports the performance control unit 350 via the button base 354 using a pair of front-to-back guide shafts 362, and can bias the performance control unit 350 upward via the button base 354 using a pair of lifting springs 365. Furthermore, the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360 can raise and lower the performance control unit 350 (performance control unit 301) relative to the performance control unit cover unit 310 by rotating the lifting cam member 371 with the operation button lifting drive motor 367. Additionally, the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360 can illuminate the central portion of the upper surface of the button body 351 by appropriately illuminating multiple LEDs 364a mounted on the button's decorative substrate 364.

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

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

As the lifting cam member 371 rotates, the guide pin 354c, which rolls relatively to the left along the first cam 371b, moves from the left end of the first cam 371b towards the second cam 371d. Since the second cam 371d extends perpendicularly upward relative to the first cam 371b, the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 causes the guide pin 354c to move upward along the second cam 371d. This causes the button base 354 to rise together with the guide pin 354c, bringing the performance control unit 350 to the raised position. In this state, the detection piece 354d separates from the pressure detection sensor 373, resulting in the pressure detection sensor 373 being in a non-detection state.

Furthermore, the lower spring retaining member 385 of the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380, to which the lower end of the lifting spring 365 abuts, can be moved to various vertical positions by the protrusion force adjustment drive motor 381, as will be described in detail later. Since the compression amount of the lifting spring 365 can be changed according to the vertical position of the lower spring retaining member 385, the performance control unit 350 can be projected to the raised position with a protrusion force corresponding to the compression amount of the lifting spring 365.

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

When the performance control unit 350 is in the raised position, the upper surface of the button base 354 is in contact with the lower surface of the upper base 363, restricting further upward movement of the button base 354. Furthermore, when the performance control unit 350 is in the raised position, the entire performance control unit 350 (performance control unit 301) is in an upward position, and the upper surface portion 351a of the button body 351 protrudes above the upper surface of the unit's upper cover 312.

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

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

To return the control unit 350 (press operation unit 303) from the raised position to the lowered position, the lifting cam member 371 is rotated counterclockwise in a plan view by the operation button lifting drive motor 367. As shown in Figure 55(b), the third cam 371e, which is in contact with the upper left of the guide pin 354c of the button base 354, moves to the right (in the direction of the guide pin 354c). Therefore, the guide pin 354c is pressed downward by the third cam 371e, causing the button base 354 to move downward against the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 via the guide pin 354c.

Furthermore, when returning the performance control unit 350 to its lowered position, the protrusion force adjustment drive motor 381 of the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 moves the lower holding member 385 of the lifting spring downward, reducing the compression amount of the lifting spring 365 (see Figure 56). This weakens the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 that biases the performance control unit 350 upward. Consequently, the force acting on the third cam 371e of the lifting cam member 371 via the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 is also weakened. This reduces the load on the operation button lifting drive motor 367 that rotates the lifting cam member 371, thereby reducing the risk of damage (failure) to the operation button lifting drive motor 367. Additionally, a low-torque, inexpensive motor can be used as the operation button lifting drive motor 367.

Then, as the lifting cam member 371 rotates, the guide pin 354c moves from the lower end of the third cam 371e towards the first cam 371b. This stops the downward movement of the button base 354, and the guide pin 354c rolls along the first cam 371b. Subsequently, when the guide pin 354c reaches the position of the locking portion 371c on the first cam 371b, the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 inserts the guide pin 354c into the upwardly recessed locking portion 371c. Simultaneously, the rotation of the lifting cam member 371 by the operation button lifting drive motor 367 stops, returning the performance control unit 350 to its original lowered position.

In the above description, in the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360, the lifting cam member 371 is rotated counterclockwise by the operation button lifting drive motor 367, thereby moving the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 from the first cam 371b (locking portion 371c) to the second cam 371d, and causing the button base 354 (button body 351) to extend rapidly from the lowered position. However, in the normal state where the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 is locked to the locking portion 371c of the lifting cam member 371 and the button body 351 (performance control unit 350) is in the lowered position, the lifting cam member 371 may also be rotated clockwise in a plan view by the operation button lifting drive motor 367. Incidentally, the lifting distance of the button body 351 (performance control unit 350) by the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360 in this embodiment is approximately 40 mm.

When the lifting cam member 371 is rotated clockwise in the normal state, the guide pin 354c moves from the first cam 371b to the third cam 371e, and the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 causes the guide pin 354c to move upward along the third cam 371e. When the rotation of the lifting cam member 371 is stopped while the guide pin 354c is in an intermediate position along the third cam 371e, the button body 351 can be stopped from protruding upward at any position between the lowered and raised positions. By protruding the button body 351 to a position above the lowered position, it becomes possible to press the button body 351 downward against the biasing force of the lifting spring 365, allowing the button body 351 to function as a press operation part 303.

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

In this way, the amount of protrusion of the button body 351 (performance operation unit 350) can be changed according to the rotational position of the lifting cam member 371. Therefore, by varying the amount of protrusion of the button body 351 according to the game state (for example, according to the special lottery result determined by the acceptance of game balls B into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004), the level of expectation for the game can be suggested to the player.

Furthermore, at least one shallow recess capable of engaging the guide pin 354c may be provided in the middle of the third cam 371e of the lifting cam member 371. This allows the button body 351 (performance operation unit 350) to protrude stably to the same position, preventing variations in the protrusion amount. Additionally, if at least one recess is provided in the middle of the third cam 371e, the guide pin 354c can be engaged in the recess, eliminating the need for the operation button lifting drive motor 367 to continuously stop the rotation of the lifting cam member 371, thereby reducing the load on the operation button lifting drive motor 367.

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

The protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 comprises a protrusion force adjustment drive motor 381 mounted on the lower surface of the base body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361; a spur gear-shaped pinion gear 382 mounted on the rotating shaft of the protrusion force adjustment drive motor 381; a transmission gear 383 that meshes with the pinion gear 382 and is rotatably mounted on the lower surface of the base body 361a; an adjustment screw 384 having a spur gear-shaped gear portion 384a that meshes with the transmission gear 383, and a screw portion 384b that extends downward in a cylindrical shape from the gear portion 384a and has a spiral groove formed on its outer circumference, through which a central shaft 366 is inserted and which is rotatably supported; and a lifting spring lower holding member 385 that meshes with the screw portion 384b of the adjustment screw 384, through which a pair of guide shafts 362 pass, and in contact with the lower ends of a pair of lifting springs 365.

The protruding force adjustment drive motor 381 is mounted on the lower surface of the base body 361a of the lifting mechanism base 361 such that a gap is formed between the motor and the lower surface of the base body 361a. The rotating shaft of the protruding force adjustment drive motor 381 protrudes into this gap between the motor and the base body 361a.

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

The lower spring retaining member 385 has a main body portion 385a extending front to back, a screw hole 385b that penetrates vertically through the center of the main body portion 385a and is screwed into a screw portion 384b, downwardly recessed spring retaining recesses 385c provided at both the front and rear ends of the main body portion 385a and capable of accommodating the lower end of the lifting spring 365, and a flat plate-shaped detection piece 385d extending upward from the front end of the main body portion 385a. The guide shaft 362 passes through the center of each of the pair of spring retaining recesses 385c of the lower spring retaining member 385. The detection piece 385d is detected by the protrusion force detection sensor 375 of the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360.

The force-out adjustment mechanism 380, when the force-out adjustment drive motor 381 rotates the pinion gear 382, can rotate the adjustment screw 384 around the central shaft 366 via the transmission gear 383 and gear section 384a. By rotating the adjustment screw 384 with the force-out adjustment drive motor 381, the force-out adjustment mechanism 380 can move the lower spring holding member 385 vertically through the threaded hole 385b that meshes with the screw section 384b.

When the lifting spring lower holding member 385 of the lifting spring lower holding member 385 is moved upward, the lower end of the lifting spring 365 held in the spring holding recess 385c moves upward, increasing the amount of compression of the lifting spring 365. On the other hand, when the lifting spring lower holding member 385 is moved downward, the lower end of the lifting spring 365 held in the spring holding recess 385c moves downward, decreasing the amount of compression of the lifting spring 365 (see Figure 56). In other words, when the lifting spring lower holding member 385 is moved upward, the biasing force that the lifting spring 365 exerts on the performance control unit 350 upward can be increased, and when the lifting spring lower holding member 385 is moved downward, the biasing force that the lifting spring 365 exerts on the performance control unit 350 upward can be decreased. In this way, the lifting spring lower holding member 380 can adjust the upward lifting force of the performance control unit 350.

The detection piece 385d of the lower spring retaining member 385 is detected by the protrusion force detection sensor 375 when the lower spring retaining member 385 is raised to its highest position. In other words, the detection piece 385d is detected by the protrusion force detection sensor 375 when the compression amount of the lower spring 365 is at its greatest. Therefore, when the lower spring retaining member 385 is being moved upward by the protrusion force adjustment drive motor 381, if the protrusion force detection sensor 375 detects the detection piece 385d, the upward movement of the lower spring retaining member 385 by the protrusion force adjustment drive motor 381 is stopped, thereby preventing further compression of the lower spring 365 and preventing damage to the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380.

Furthermore, as described above, the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 can appropriately adjust the protrusion force of the performance operation unit 350. Therefore, when the performance operation unit 350 is in the lowered position, and the contact detection body 352 detects contact or approach of an object to be detected (for example, the player's fingers, etc.) to the button body 351, and the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 causes the performance operation unit 350 to protrude and come into contact with the object to be detected, the vertical position of the lower lifting spring holding member 385 can be appropriately selected to vary the protrusion force of the button body 351. This makes it possible to vary the force applied to the player's fingers, etc., when the button body 351 protrudes upward. Therefore, if the button body 351 makes strong contact, it can make the player think that something good is going to happen, thereby increasing the player's anticipation for the game. Therefore, the protruding force adjustment mechanism 380 can suggest to the player the level of expectation for the game by increasing or decreasing the protruding force of the button body 351 according to the game state (for example, according to the result of a special lottery drawn by receiving game balls B into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004).

Incidentally, one possible method for changing the biasing force of a spring is to change the biasing force by applying torsion to the spring. However, in order to protrude the performance control unit 350, a compressed spring (compression coil spring) is required. If the biasing force is changed by applying torsion to the compression coil spring, an unnatural stress will be applied to the compression coil spring that is not intended for use, potentially causing premature deterioration and breakage of its internal structure. In contrast, the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 of this embodiment adjusts the protrusion force (biasing force) of the performance control unit 350 by changing the amount of compression of the lifting spring 365 by moving the lower spring holding member 385 in the vertical direction. Therefore, no unnatural stress is applied to the lifting spring 365, reducing the risk of premature deterioration of the lifting spring 365, and allowing the performance control unit 350 to protrude stably over a long period of time.

[3-5e-7. Function of the Performance Control Unit]
Next, the operation of the performance control unit 300 will be explained in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 57 and 58. Figure 57 is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship of the outer decorative substrate of the performance control unit, the outer decorative substrate of the button, and the inner decorative substrate of the button in a plan view of the performance control unit as seen from the pressing direction of the press operation part. Figure 58(a) is a front view of the plate unit in its normal state, and (b) is a front view of the plate unit when the performance control unit is in the raised position. The performance control unit 300 is formed in a spherical shape overall and has a performance control part 301 on its upper surface that can be operated by the player. The performance control part 301 consists of a contact operation part 302 that can be operated by contact or approach of the player's hand, etc., and a press operation part 303 that can be pressed. The contact operation part 302 is provided on the upper part of the press operation part 303 (button body 351).

The performance control unit 300 is assembled to the plate unit 200 with the upward-projecting push-button operation section 303 (performance control unit 350) tilted so that its projection direction is inclined upwards relative to the vertical direction. In other words, the center of the performance control section 301 is located in front of the apex of the spherical performance control unit 300. This makes the performance control section 301 easily visible to a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1.

In its normal state, the press-button 303 (performance control unit 350) of the performance control unit 300 is in the lowered position, and the curved upper surface of the button body 351 of the performance control unit 350 coincides with the spherical surface of the performance control cover unit 310. Furthermore, in the normal state, even if the press-button 303 is pressed downwards, the press-button 303 (performance control unit 350) does not move downwards. Therefore, in the normal state, the performance control unit 300 appears to the player as merely a spherical decorative object, making it difficult for them to recognize that it is operable.

As shown in Figure 57, the performance operation unit 300 has a performance operation unit outer periphery decorative substrate 320 positioned below the unit upper cover 312 surrounding the outer periphery of the press operation unit 303 (performance operation unit 350). Furthermore, an annular button outer decorative substrate 355 is positioned inside near the outer edge of the press operation unit 303, and a button inner decorative substrate 364 is positioned further inside. The performance operation unit 300 is arranged outward from the button inner decorative substrate 364, in the order of button outer decorative substrate 355, and performance operation unit outer periphery decorative substrate 320. The LEDs 355a inside the button inner decorative substrate 364 and the button outer decorative substrate 355 are positioned below the contact detection body 352. Because the contact detection body 352 is made of perforated metal and is therefore translucent, light from them can be transmitted well upwards (towards the player).

The performance control unit 300 can illuminate the annular unit upper cover 312 using the LED 320a on the outer peripheral decorative substrate 320 of the performance control section. Furthermore, the LED 355a on the outer button decorative substrate 355 can illuminate the peripheral edge and outer surface of the upper surface of the button body 351. Additionally, the LED 364a on the inner button decorative substrate 364 can illuminate the central portion of the upper surface of the button body 351.

The multiple LEDs 320a on the outer decorative substrate 320 of the performance control section, the multiple LEDs 355a on the outer decorative substrate 355 of the button, and the multiple LEDs 364a on the inner decorative substrate 364 of the button are each arranged in a circular pattern. Therefore, by sequentially illuminating them in the circumferential direction, the player can see a lighting effect where the light appears to rotate around the center of the press operation section 303. Furthermore, because the multiple LEDs 320a, 355a, and 363a are arranged concentrically, the player can see lighting effects where the light spreads outwards from the center of the press operation section 303, or where the light converges from the outside towards the center of the press operation section 303.

In its normal state, as shown in Figure 58(a), the press operation section 303 (performance operation unit 350) of the performance operation unit 300 is in a lowered position with its upper surface aligned with the surface of the unit's upper cover 312. In this state, the press operation section 303 is not possible. On the other hand, the contact operation section 302 can be made capable of contact operation depending on the player-participation performance being performed.

In the normal state where the press operation unit 303 (performance operation unit 350) is not protruding, a performance (player-participatory performance) can be performed, for example, by displaying a performance image on the performance display device 1600 prompting the player to touch the top surface of the performance operation unit 300, or by outputting voices or sound effects. When the contact detection element 352 detects contact (or approach) to the button body 351, the system proceeds to the next performance stage. Furthermore, when contact is detected, the button body 351 may be illuminated by the LED 355a on the button exterior decoration board 355 and the LED 364a on the button interior decoration board 364, allowing the player to recognize that a contact operation has been accepted and providing a tactile sensation to the contact operation unit 302. At this time, the color, brightness, and pattern of the illuminated button body 351 may be used to suggest to the player the expected level of play (for example, the occurrence of a favorable game state such as a "jackpot").

Alternatively, when the contact detection element 352 detects contact (or approach) to the button body 351, the vibration motor 356 may be driven to vibrate the button body 351. This provides a tactile sensation to the contact operation section 302, strongly indicating to the player that their contact operation has been accepted. Furthermore, the vibration motor 356 may be used to apply strong, weak, or rhythmic vibrations to suggest to the player the level of anticipation for the game.

Furthermore, in the normal state of the performance (player-participatory performance), an image prompting the player to touch the top surface of the performance operation unit 300 is displayed on the performance display device 1600, and after outputting sounds and sound effects, when the contact detection body 352 detects contact of the player (hand or finger) with the top surface of the button body 351, the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360 causes the button body 351 (performance operation unit 350) to protrude upward (pop up) due to the biasing force of the lifting spring 365. In detail, under normal conditions, when the lifting/lowering drive motor 367 rotates the lifting/lowering cam member 371 counterclockwise in a plan view, the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 detaches from the cam portion 371a (first cam 371b). Due to the biasing force of the pair of lifting/lowering springs 365, the performance operation unit 350 (button body 351, pressing operation part 303) is forcefully pushed upward together with the button base 354, reaching the raised position (see Figure 55(b)). In this raised position, the upper surface of the button body 351 is positioned significantly higher than the upper surface of the unit's upper cover 312, causing the button body 351 to protrude upward. Because the button body 351 protrudes upward as described above, any fingers touching the button body 351 are pushed upward along with it, greatly surprising the player and strongly attracting their attention.

Subsequently, the game transitions to a sequence where the player presses the button body 351 (pressure operation section 303), allowing the player to enjoy the experience of pressing the press operation section 303. More specifically, when the button body 351 (pressure operation section 303) is in its raised position, pressing it downwards against the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 causes the button body 351 (performance operation unit 350) to move downwards. The upper surface of the button body 351 becomes flush with the upper surface of the unit's upper cover 312, and the detection piece 354d of the button base 354 is detected by the pressure detection sensor 373. This detects the press operation of the button body 351 (pressure operation section 303), triggering a change in the performance and allowing the player to enjoy a player-participatory performance.

Furthermore, during the above-described presentation, the force of the protrusion (momentum) of the button body 351 may be adjusted using the force adjustment mechanism 380 to increase or decrease its strength, thereby suggesting to the player the level of expectation for the game based on the strength of the protrusion. Additionally, the button body 351 may be vibrated by the vibration motor 356 when it pops up or when it is pressed.

In a performance where the performance control unit 350 is made to protrude, the contact detection element 352 may detect when the player's fingers or other body parts approach the range of movement (protrusion range) of the upwardly protruding button body 351. This can cause the button body 351 (performance control unit 350) to protrude upward. This will cause the button body 351 to contact the player's fingers or other body parts, resulting in an impact that can surprise the player and strongly attract their attention. Even in this case, the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 may be used to increase or decrease the protrusion force of the button body 351, thereby suggesting to the player the level of anticipation for the game through the strength of the protrusion force.

Furthermore, in a performance where the performance control unit 350 is made to protrude, the contact detection element 352 may detect when the player's fingers or other body parts approach within a predetermined distance from the protruding button body 351, but outside the protruding range of the button body 351. In this case, the button body 351 (performance control unit 350) may be made to protrude upward. This allows the wind pressure generated by the protrusion of the button body 351 to hit the player's fingers or other body parts, surprising the player and strongly attracting their attention. Even in this case, the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 may be used to increase or decrease the protrusion force of the button body 351, suggesting to the player the level of anticipation for the game through the strength of the wind pressure hitting the player's fingers or other body parts.

Furthermore, as a visual effect for the protruding performance control unit 350, the button body 351 (performance control unit 350) may be made to protrude upward regardless of the detection of the player's fingers, etc., by the contact detection element 352. In this case, if the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 is used to protrude the button body 351 with a strong force, the button body 351 will protrude forcefully, generating a sound (protrusion sound), which can surprise the player. Alternatively, if the protrusion force adjustment mechanism 380 is used to protrude the button body 351 with a weak force, the button body 351 will protrude quietly, making it difficult for the player to notice the protrusion of the button body 351, thus surprising the player when the button body 351 has suddenly protruded.

As for the effects after the effect control unit 350 (button body 351) is extended, the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 may be weakened by the extension force adjustment mechanism 380 to perform an effect that causes the button body 351 (pressure operation part 303) to be pressed in the same way as a typical push button. Alternatively, the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 may be strengthened by the extension force adjustment mechanism 380 to perform an effect that causes the player to press the button body 351 with greater force.

Furthermore, as a performance after the performance control unit 350 (button body 351) is extended, a performance may be performed that causes the user to make contact with the extended button body 351. In this case, since the contact detection body 352 has a downwardly extending piece 352a, the side surface of the button body 351 may also be made to be made to make contact. In this case, it is desirable to increase the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 using the extension force adjustment mechanism 380. This makes it more difficult for the extended button body 351 to move, and makes it easier to make contact with the button body 351 (contact operation part 302).

Furthermore, as an example of a performance mechanism that causes the performance control unit 350 to protrude, the above example shows the lifting mechanism 360 of the performance control unit rotating the lifting cam member 371 in a counterclockwise direction using the operation button lifting drive motor 367, thereby moving the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 from the first cam 371b (locking portion 371c) to the second cam 371d, and causing the button base 354 (button body 351) to protrude rapidly from the lowered position to the raised position. However, the method is not limited to this example.

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

Thus, even when the button body 351 is partially extended by the third cam 371e of the lifting cam member 371, the button body 351 can still be pressed, allowing it to function as a press operation part 303 and enabling the player to enjoy interactive gameplay. In this case, the amount of upward protrusion of the button body 351 can be varied depending on the rotational position of the lifting cam member 371. Therefore, the amount of protrusion of the button body 351 can indicate the level of expectation for the game, thus entertaining the player.

Furthermore, as a feature to induce pressing of the protruding performance control unit 350 (button body 351), after the performance control unit 350 is protruding, the lower holding member 385 for the lifting spring 365 is moved downward to minimize the compression of the lifting spring 365. As a result, the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 is at its weakest state, allowing the performance control unit 350 to be pressed with light (weak) force, thereby improving the operability of the pressing operation and making the pressing operation more enjoyable. Alternatively, as a feature to induce pressing of the performance control unit 350 (button body 351), the lower holding member 385 for the lifting spring 365 may be moved to an appropriate vertical position according to the result of a special lottery, so that the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 can be set to any strength from strongest to weakest. This allows players to press the performance control unit 350 harder or lighter, thus providing entertainment through variations in the force applied to the unit. Furthermore, it enables the presentation of a wider variety of effects, making it less likely for players to become bored.

Furthermore, as a performance using the performance control unit 300, multiple threshold levels corresponding to the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 may be provided so that contact of the player's fingers, etc., with the contact operation section 302 (button body 351) can be detected in multiple contact stages (approach stages), and the performance may be changed according to each stage. In other words, by focusing on the fact that the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 increases as the player's fingers, etc., approach the button body 351 (contact detection element 352), multiple threshold levels may be provided for the magnitude of this capacitance to detect it in multiple stages and utilize this for performance purposes. Specifically, for example, by dividing the game into stages such as when the player's fingers are more than a predetermined distance away from the button body 351, when the player's fingers are within a predetermined distance from the button body 351 but not in contact with it, and when the player's fingers are in contact with the button body 351, and changing the presentation according to each stage, a single contact detection sensor body 358 can present the player with a variety of presentations, making it less likely for the player to get bored and preventing a decline in interest.

In the above embodiment, the normal state of the performance operation unit 300 is shown as shown in Figure 55(a), with the performance operation unit 350 (button body 351) in the lowered position and the lower spring retaining member 385 moved upward. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 56(a), the performance operation unit 350 may be in the lowered position while the lower spring retaining member 385 is moved downward. This prevents the lifting spring 365 from being strongly compressed in the normal state, thus suppressing premature deterioration (fatigue) of the lifting spring 365. Furthermore, the biasing force of the strongly compressed lifting spring 365 can suppress premature deterioration (fatigue) of the button base 354 and the lower spring retaining member 385.

Thus, the performance control unit 300 of this embodiment can be used for various patterns of player-participation performances, allowing players to enjoy a variety of performances, making it less likely for players to get bored and preventing a decline in interest.

Incidentally, the performance control unit 300 has a spherical performance control cover unit 310, on top of which a ring-shaped (two arcs joined together) performance control outer periphery decorative substrate 320 is provided. Furthermore, a contact detection sensor body 358 is provided on the performance control unit 350, which moves up and down inside the performance control outer periphery decorative substrate 320. Also, a fixed-position button inner decorative substrate 364 is provided inside the button sleeve 353 of the performance control unit 350. Since the contact detection sensor body 358 is equipped with sensor electrodes for detecting capacitance, when the performance control unit 350 is moved from the lowered position to the raised position, the contact detection sensor body 358 (sensor electrodes) approaches the performance control outer periphery decorative substrate 320 and the button inner decorative substrate 364. This proximity may cause a change in the capacitance of the sensor electrodes, potentially leading to a false detection by the contact detection sensor body 358.

Therefore, a conductive shield (e.g., perforated metal, metal plate, expanded metal, wire mesh, metal wire, metal foil, etc.) connected to ground (GND) may be provided between the outer decorative substrate 320 of the performance control unit and the contact detection sensor body 358, and between the button interior decorative substrate 364 and the contact detection sensor body 358. This allows the contact detection sensor body 358 to function even when the distance between it and the outer decorative substrate 320 or button interior decorative substrate 364 changes due to the vertical movement of the performance control unit 350. The shield, connected to ground (GND) and remaining at a constant distance from the contact detection sensor body 358, reduces the impact of capacitance changes caused by the approach of the outer decorative substrate 320 or button interior decorative substrate 364, thus preventing false detections in the contact detection sensor body 358.

[3-5f. Another Embodiment of the Dish Unit]
Next, a plate unit 200 of a different embodiment from the above will be described mainly with reference to Figures 59 to 61. Figure 59 is a plan view of a performance operation unit showing an example in which multiple contact detection elements are provided in the performance operation unit of the performance operation unit. Figure 60(a) is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example in which multiple contact detection elements are connected to a single contact detection sensor body, (b) is a schematic explanatory diagram showing an example in which a switching unit is provided between the contact detection sensor body and the multiple contact detection elements in (a), and (c) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the plate left decorative unit, plate right decorative unit, and performance operation unit of the plate unit can move back and forth, and contact detection elements are provided on the front and rear sides of the performance operation unit, etc. Figure 61(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a decorative contact detection element, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of the performance operation unit. Note that in Figures 59 to 61, the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as described above.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 59, the contact detection body 352 is divided into left and right contact detection body 390L and right contact detection body 390R on the lower side of the button body 351 of the performance operation unit 350, and the left contact detection sensor body 391L and right contact detection sensor body 391R are connected to the left contact detection body 390L and right contact detection body 390R, respectively. According to this embodiment, for example, when a player moves their fingers or the like from left to right on the upper surface of the button body 351, first, when the player's fingers or the like are positioned on the left side of the button body 351, the capacitance of the left contact detection body 390L changes and the left contact detection sensor body 391L detects contact, while the capacitance of the right contact detection body 390R does not change and the right contact detection sensor body 391R remains non-detecting. When the player's fingers or other body parts move to the center of the button body 351, the capacitance of both the left contact detection element 390L and the right contact detection element 390R changes, causing both the left contact detection sensor body 391L and the right contact detection sensor body 391R to detect contact. Furthermore, when the player's fingers or other body parts move to the right side of the button body 351, the capacitance of the left contact detection element 390L returns to its original state, causing the left contact detection sensor body 391L to become non-detective, while the capacitance of the right contact detection element 390R changes, resulting in the right contact detection sensor body 391R remaining detected.

In this way, the movements of the player's fingers and other body parts can be detected by the combination of detection and non-detection patterns of the left contact sensor body 391L and the right contact sensor body 391R, as detected by the left contact sensor body 390L and the right contact sensor body 390R, and the patterns of changes in these combinations. This allows for the detection of a wider variety of contact operations, enabling the presentation of player-participatory features that allow for diverse contact operations on the contact operation unit 302, and further enhancing the enjoyment of player-participatory features that involve operating the contact operation unit 302. Furthermore, by adding more contact sensor bodies, it becomes possible to detect even more complex movements.

The embodiment shown in Figure 60(a) is an example in which multiple contact detection elements 393 are connected to a single contact detection sensor body 392. According to this embodiment, even with multiple contact detection elements 393 installed at different locations, a single contact detection sensor body 392 can detect contact from any of the contact detection elements 393, such as a human body.

For example, by distributing multiple contact detection elements 393 on the inside (underside) of the button body 351, contact can be detected by any of the contact detection elements 393 regardless of which part of the surface of the button body 351 the player's fingers or other body parts touch, thereby improving the detection accuracy of contact with the contact operation section 302.

Furthermore, multiple contact detection elements 393 may be installed in areas of the pachinko machine 1 that players should not touch (for example, areas where players may be injured, areas where players may be inconvenienced, areas where fraudulent activity may occur, etc.), and a warning or alert may be issued when any of the contact detection elements 393 detects a person or other object.

Furthermore, the embodiment shown in Figure 60(b) is an example in which a switching unit 394 is provided between one contact detection sensor body 392 and multiple contact detection elements 393, allowing only one of the contact detection elements 393 to be connected to the contact detection sensor body 392. According to this embodiment, by switching the connection to one of the multiple contact detection elements 352 using the switching unit 394, contact of a human body or the like can be detected only at the desired location (contact detection element 352). The switching unit 394 can be configured in various ways, including: "switching using a switching circuit with relays or transistors," "switching using other electronic circuits," or "switching in accordance with the movement of a movable member (for example, the movable left-side decorative unit 270, right-side decorative unit 275, and performance operation unit 300 as shown in Figure 60(c))."

For example, in the performance control unit 301 (contact control unit 302), multiple contact detection elements 393 are distributed, and when a player-participation performance is executed in which the player touches the parts detected by each contact detection element 393 in sequence, the contact detection elements 393 connected to the contact detection sensor body 392 are switched by the switching unit 394 in the order of touch, so as to detect whether or not the player's fingers or other body parts have made contact with the contact detection elements 393. This allows for the presentation of highly engaging player-participation performances using multiple contact detection elements 393, thereby entertaining the player and preventing a decline in their enjoyment.

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

This allows the first contact detection element 393a to detect contact or approach of a player when the performance control unit 300, etc., is extended (moved) forward, thereby stopping the forward movement of the performance control unit 300, etc. This prevents the performance control unit 300, etc., from unnecessarily pressing against a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1, thus avoiding causing discomfort to the player.

On the other hand, when the performance control unit 300 is extended forward, a gap may be formed behind it. If a player's fingers or other body parts are inserted into this gap and the performance control unit 300 is moved back to its initial position, there is a risk that the player's fingers or other body parts may be caught and injured. Therefore, in this embodiment, when moving the performance control unit 300, which has been moved forward, backward, the switching unit 394 switches the connection of the second contact detection element 393b to the contact detection sensor body 392. When the second contact detection element 393b detects the player's fingers or other body parts, the backward movement of the performance control unit 300 is stopped, and the player is notified to release their fingers or other body parts from behind the performance control unit 300. The performance control unit 300 is then moved backward to return to its initial state only when the second contact detection element 393b does not detect anything. This prevents players from getting injured by gaps at the rear of the control unit 300, thereby enhancing the safety of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the embodiment shown in Figure 61(a) features a star-shaped contact detection element 395 that detects contact from the player's fingers, giving it a decorative (design) appearance. The shape of the decorative contact detection element 395 is not limited to a star; it may also be circular, polygonal, geometric, modeled after a specific character, item, logo, or frame. This allows the contact detection element 395, visible through the transparent button body 351, to have a decorative (design) appearance, thereby improving the overall appearance of the button body 351 and, consequently, the pachinko machine 1, providing a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players.

Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows the contact detection body 352 formed from perforated metal, it is not limited to this. The contact detection body may also be formed from a metal plate, expanded metal, wire mesh, metal wire, plating, metal vapor deposition, foil stamping, etc., and the same effects and advantages as described above can be achieved. It is desirable to place the contact detection body on the back side of the transparent surface member so that the player's fingers or other body parts do not directly touch it. This prevents wear on the contact detection body and allows the surface member to provide a smoother tactile feel.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows a button-internal decorative substrate 364 (LED 364a) provided below the contact detection element 352, the invention is not limited to this configuration. As shown in Figure 61(b), a contact detection element 397 may be provided below the transparent surface member 396, and a decorative element 398 may be provided below that. This allows the decorative element 398 to be visible through the surface member 396 and the contact detection element 397, thereby enhancing the decorative appeal of the performance control unit on which the surface member 396 is located, and improving the overall appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 61(b), the contact detection body 397 may be formed by metal deposition. Under normal conditions, the metallic luster of the contact detection body 397 may prevent the decorative body 398 located below it from being visible. However, upon detection of contact with the surface member 396, an LED located below the contact detection body 397 may illuminate the decorative body 398, allowing the decorative body 398 to be visible through both the surface member 396 and the contact detection body 397.

Furthermore, the contact detection element 352 may be formed in a way that makes it unrecognizable to the player. Examples of unrecognizable contact detection elements include those made from transparent materials, or those designed to appear integrated with the surface decoration of the button body or other surface components. This allows the player to perceive the contact detection element 352 as unrecognizable within the performance control unit 301, thus creating the illusion that it is not detecting or manipulating contact with fingers or other body parts. For example, when a predetermined player-participation performance is executed and the player's fingers or other body parts come into contact with or approach the button body 351, the performance control unit's lifting mechanism 360 causes the button body 351 to protrude upward. This causes the player to notice the contact detection element 352 (contact control unit 302) for the first time, greatly surprising the player and preventing a decline in their enjoyment.

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

The left side unit of the door frame 420 includes a left side base 421 attached to the left outer side of the door window 101a on the front of the door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100, a left side decorative substrate 422 attached to the upper front of the left side base 421 and on which multiple first LEDs 422a are mounted vertically at regular intervals on the front, and a multiple first LEDs 423a are mounted vertically at regular intervals on the front, attached to the lower front of the left side base 421. It comprises a decorative base plate 423 on the lower left side of the door frame, a left-side upper reflector 424 mounted on the left-side base 421 of the door frame so as to cover the front of the left-side upper decorative base plate 422 of the door frame, a left-side lower reflector 425 mounted on the left-side base 421 of the door frame so as to cover the front of the left-side lower decorative base plate 423 of the door frame, and a left-side decorative body 426 mounted on the left-side base 421 of the door frame so as to cover the front of the left-side upper reflector 424 and the left-side lower reflector 425 of the door frame.

Furthermore, the left side unit 420 of the door frame includes a left-side upper light guide member 427 that guides light from the first LED 422a of the left-side upper decorative substrate 422 of the door frame forward, a left-side middle light guide member 428 that guides light from the first LED 423a located above the vertical center of the left-side lower decorative substrate 423 of the door frame forward, and a left-side lower light guide member 429 that guides light from the first LED 423a located below the vertical center of the left-side lower decorative substrate 423 of the door frame forward.

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

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

On the decorative substrate 422 on the upper left side of this door frame, a total of 12 full-color LEDs are mounted: four first LEDs 422a and eight second LEDs 422b. The first LEDs 422a, which have second LEDs 422b on both the upper and lower sides, are positioned in the center (center between) the second LEDs 422b. Furthermore, at least the second LEDs 422b are wide-angle, top-view type LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle range centered on an optical axis perpendicular to the front.

On the decorative circuit board 422 on the upper left side of the door frame, as shown in Figure 72, the four first LEDs 422a are divided into two sets: the top two and the remaining two. Similarly, the eight second LEDs 422b are divided into three sets: the top two, the third to fifth LEDs from the top, and the sixth to eighth LEDs from the top. The LED driver 422c can control up to 24 systems, and controls the four first LEDs 422a (divided into two sets) and the eight second LEDs 422b (divided into three sets) using a total of 15 systems (3 systems per set) to ensure full-color illumination.

The decorative circuit board 422 on the upper left side of this door frame (not shown in the diagram) is connected to a wiring cable consisting of four wires: two power lines (one of which is a ground wire) that supply power to drive the first LED 422a, the second LED 422b, and the LED driver 422c; one control signal line for receiving commands and addresses from the peripheral control board 1510; and one clock line for synchronizing the LED driver 422c with the peripheral control board 1510. When the LED driver 422c of this decorative circuit board 422 on the upper left side of the door frame receives a command addressed to that address via the control signal line from the peripheral control board 1510 (performance control board), it can cause the four first LEDs 422a (divided into two sets) and the eight second LEDs 422b (divided into three sets) to illuminate with appropriate colors and intensities for each set, according to that command.

The decorative substrate 423 on the lower left side of the door frame is formed in a strip shape extending vertically, with its right side having an uneven surface. Multiple first LEDs 423a are mounted on the front surface of the decorative substrate 423 at regular intervals in the vertical direction, and two second LEDs 423b are mounted vertically between the first LEDs 423a. Furthermore, a 24-bit LED driver 423c, having a unique address for illuminating the first LEDs 423a and second LEDs 423b, is mounted on the decorative substrate 423.

This decorative substrate 423 on the lower left side of the door frame has a total of 18 full-color LEDs mounted on it: six first LEDs 423a and twelve second LEDs 423b. The first LEDs 423a, which have second LEDs 423b on both the top and bottom, are positioned in the center (center between) the second LEDs 423b. Furthermore, at least the second LEDs 423b are wide-angle, top-view type LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle range centered on an optical axis perpendicular to the front.

On the decorative circuit board 423 on the lower left side of the door frame, as shown in Figure 72, the six first LEDs 423a are divided into three sets of two from top to bottom. The twelve second LEDs 423b are divided into four sets: three sets of three from the top (1st to 3rd LEDs), three sets of three from the top (4th to 6th LEDs), three sets of three from the top (7th to 9th LEDs), and three sets of three from the top (10th to 12th LEDs). The LED driver 423c can control up to 24 systems, and controls the six first LEDs 423a (divided into three sets) and the twelve second LEDs 423b (divided into four sets) with a total of 21 systems (3 systems per set) to enable full-color illumination for each set.

The decorative circuit board 423 on the lower left side of the door frame is connected to a wiring cable consisting of four wires (one of which is a ground wire) to supply power for driving the first LED 423a, the second LED 423b, and the LED driver 423c (though this is not shown in the diagram). These wires include one control signal wire for receiving commands and addresses from the peripheral control board 1510, and one clock wire for synchronizing the LED driver 423c with the peripheral control board 1510. The LED driver 423c on this decorative circuit board 423 receives a command addressed to that address from the peripheral control board 1510 (performance control board) via the control signal wire. In response to this command, it can cause the six first LEDs 423a (divided into three groups) and the twelve second LEDs 423b (divided into four groups) to illuminate with appropriate colors and intensities for each group.

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

The retaining cylinder 424b of the left-side upper reflector 424 holds the cylindrical light guide shaft portion 427a of the left-side upper light guide member 427 (described later) straight in the front-rear direction by inserting the cylindrical light guide shaft portion 427a into it. This retaining cylinder 424b is located in the center between the through-holes 424a. As a result, the light from the second LED 422b of the door frame left-side upper decorative substrate 422, viewed from the through-holes 424a on both the upper and lower sides of the light guide shaft portion 427a of the left-side upper light guide member 427 which protrudes forward through the retaining cylinder 424b, illuminates the light guide shaft portion 427a with equal light intensity from both above and below, thus preventing the shadow of the light guide shaft portion 427a from being cast on the back of the door frame left-side decorative body 426.

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

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

The retaining cylinder 425b of the lower left-side reflector 425 holds the cylindrical light guide shaft portion 428a of the left-side middle light guide member 428 and the cylindrical light guide shaft portion 429a of the lower left-side light guide member 429 straight in the front-rear direction by inserting them into the cylinder. This retaining cylinder 425b is provided in the center between the through holes 425a. As a result, the light from the second LED 423b of the lower left-side decorative substrate 423 of the door frame, viewed through the through-holes 425a on both the upper and lower sides of the light guide shaft portion 428a of the left-side central light guide member 428 and the light guide shaft portion 429a of the left-side lower light guide member 429, which protrude forward through the retaining cylinder 425b, illuminates the light guide shaft portions 428a and 429a with equal light intensity from both the upper and lower sides. This prevents the shadows of the light guide shaft portions 428a and 429a from being cast on the back of the left-side decorative body 426 of the door frame.

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

The decorative body 426 on the left side of the door frame is formed in a translucent, milky white color. The decorative body 426 on the left side of the door frame is formed in a shape where a semi-circular arc bulging forward extends vertically. As a result, the decorative body 426 on the left side of the door frame is formed in a semi-tubular shape that is open to the rear. This decorative body 426 on the left side of the door frame has a plurality of openings 426a that penetrate from front to back at regular intervals in the vertical direction along the center of the width in the left-right direction. The plurality of openings 426a are provided in positions corresponding to the retaining cylinder 424b of the upper left-side reflector 424 and the retaining cylinder 425b of the lower left-side reflector 425. The tips of the light guide shaft portion 427a of the upper left-side light guide member 427, the light guide shaft portion 428a of the middle left-side light guide member 428, and the light guide shaft portion 429a of the lower left-side light guide member 429 are inserted into these openings 426a from the rear. The decorative element 426 on the left side of the door frame is made of a synthetic resin with a higher light transmittance than the base 421 on the left side of the door frame. Furthermore, the decorative element 426 on the left side of the door frame has a decorative portion 426b that extends along the center of the width in the left-right direction, with a fixed, arc-shaped recess to avoid the multiple openings 426a.

The left-side upper light guide member 427 has four cylindrical light guide shafts 427a extending front to back, and a runner portion 427b connecting the lower ends of the four light guide shafts 427a, and is made of a transparent material. The four light guide shafts 427a are provided at regular intervals vertically to correspond to the four retaining cylinders 424b of the left-side upper reflector 424. The light guide shafts 427a also extend front to back with a diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the retaining cylinders 424b. Each light guide shaft 427a penetrates the retaining cylinder 424b of the left-side upper reflector 424 from the rear and is inserted into the corresponding opening 426a of the door frame left-side decorative body 426, so that its tip surface is in line with the surface of the door frame left-side decorative body 426. This left-side upper light guide member 427, via its light guide axis 427a, guides light from the first LED 422a of the left-side upper decorative substrate 422 of the door frame forward, allowing it to illuminate outward from its tip, thereby brightly illuminating the opening 426a of the left-side decorative body 426 of the door frame.

The left-side central light guide member 428 has three cylindrical light guide shafts 428a extending front to back, and a runner portion 428b connecting the lower ends of the three light guide shafts 428a, and is made of a transparent material. The three light guide shafts 428a are provided at regular intervals vertically to correspond to the three upper retaining cylinders 425b of the left-side lower reflector 425. The light guide shafts 428a also extend front to back with a diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the retaining cylinders 425b. Each light guide shaft 428a penetrates the retaining cylinder 425b of the left-side lower reflector 425 from the rear and is inserted into the corresponding opening 426a of the left-side decorative body 426 of the door frame, so that its tip surface is in line with the surface of the left-side decorative body 426 of the door frame. This left-side light guide member 428, via its light guide shaft 428a, guides light from the first LED 423a of the lower left-side decorative substrate 423 of the door frame forward, allowing it to illuminate outward from its tip, thereby brightly illuminating the opening 426a of the left-side decorative body 426 of the door frame.

The left-side lower light guide member 429 has three cylindrical light guide shafts 429a extending front to back, and a runner portion 429b connecting the lower ends of the three light guide shafts 429a, and is made of a transparent material. The three light guide shafts 429a are provided at regular intervals vertically to correspond to the three retaining cylinders 425b on the lower side of the left-side lower reflector 425. The light guide shafts 429a also extend front to back with a diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the retaining cylinders 425b. Each light guide shaft 429a penetrates the retaining cylinder 425b of the left-side lower reflector 425 from the rear and is inserted into the corresponding opening 426a of the left-side decorative body 426 of the door frame, so that its tip surface is in line with the surface of the left-side decorative body 426 of the door frame. This lower left-side light guide member 429, via its light guide axis 429a, guides light from the first LED 423a of the lower left-side decorative substrate 423 of the door frame forward, allowing it to illuminate outward from its tip, thereby brightly illuminating the opening 426a of the left-side decorative body 426 of the door frame.

In this embodiment, the door frame left side unit 420 has circular or radial pattern areas on the door frame left side base 421 that are the same color as the circular or radial pattern areas on the handle cover 295, and the area outside the circular or radial pattern on the door frame left side base 421 is the same color as the area outside the circular or radial pattern on the handle cover 295.

In this embodiment, the left side unit 420 of the door frame has a portion above the center in the vertical direction that protrudes slightly forward compared to the portion below, and the lower end is gently curved to the right. The upper end of this left side unit 420 is above the door window 101a and located below the upper hinge assembly 120 of the door frame, while the lower end is below the door window 101a and located above the speaker opening 211b on the dish base unit base 211 of the dish base unit 210. Furthermore, the upper part of the left side unit 420 is located on the left outer side of the door frame top unit 450. When assembled to the door frame 3, the left side unit 420 decorates the left outer side of the door window 101a on the door frame base 101, giving the appearance of a cylindrical fluorescent lamp being embedded.

According to the door frame left side unit 420 of this embodiment, the door frame left side upper decorative substrate 422 and the door frame left side lower decorative substrate 423 are provided at a position a certain distance behind the front surface of the door frame left side decorative body 426. Therefore, the light from the second LEDs 422b and 423b mounted on these substrates spreads sufficiently and illuminates the back surface of the door frame left side decorative body 426, allowing the door frame left side decorative body 426 to be illuminated uniformly.

Furthermore, the light from the first LED 422a of the upper left-side decorative substrate 422 and the first LED 423a of the lower left-side decorative substrate 423, which are located at a distance from the front to the rear of the left-side decorative body 426 of the door frame, is guided forward (light guided) by the light guide axis 427a of the upper left-side light guide member 427, the light guide axis 428a of the middle left-side light guide member 428, and the light guide axis 429a of the lower left-side light guide member 429. This allows the opening 426a of the left-side decorative body 426 of the door frame to emit light more brightly and in a point-like manner than other parts.

Furthermore, the first LED 422a on the upper left side decorative substrate 422 of the door frame, the first LED 423a on the lower left side decorative substrate 423 of the door frame, the light guide shaft portion 427a of the upper left side light guide member 427, the light guide shaft portion 428a of the middle left side light guide member 428, and the light guide shaft portion 429a of the lower left side light guide member 429 are positioned in the center between the two adjacent second LEDs 422b and second LEDs 423b. As a result, the light guide shafts 427a, 428a, and 429a are illuminated with equal light intensity from the second LEDs 422b and 423b on both sides. Therefore, even if the shadows of the light guide shafts 427a, 428a, and 429a are projected onto the left side decorative element 426 of the door frame from behind, these shadows become less visible, allowing the left side decorative element 426 of the door frame to be illuminated evenly and uniformly.

Furthermore, the decorative element 426 on the left side of the door frame has a decorative section 426b that extends along the center of the width in the left-right direction, connecting multiple openings 426a. This means that even if the shadows of the light guide shafts 427a, 428a, and 429a are projected onto the decorative element 426 due to the light from the second LEDs 422b and 423b, the presence of the decorative section 426b in the area where the shadows are projected makes the shadows of the light guide shafts 427a, 428a, and 429a less noticeable, improving the appearance of the illuminated decoration on the decorative element 426 on the left side of the door frame.

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

The door frame right side unit 430 comprises: a door frame right side base 431 attached to the right outer side of the door window 101a on the front surface of the door frame base 101 of the door frame base unit 100; a door frame right side upper decorative substrate 432 attached to the upper front surface of the door frame right side base 431, on which multiple first LEDs 432a are mounted vertically at regular intervals on the front surface; a door frame right side lower decorative substrate 433 attached to the lower front surface of the door frame right side base 431, on which multiple first LEDs 433a are mounted vertically at regular intervals on the front surface; a right side reflector 434 attached to the door frame right side base 431 so as to cover the front sides of the door frame right side upper decorative substrate 432 and the door frame right side lower decorative substrate 433; and a door frame right side decorative body 435 attached to the door frame right side base 431 so as to cover the front side of the right side reflector 434.

Furthermore, the right side unit 430 of the door frame includes a right-side upper light guide member 436 that guides light from the first LED 423a of the right-side upper decorative substrate 432 of the door frame forward, and a right-side lower light guide member 437 that guides light from the first LED 433a of the right-side lower decorative substrate 433 of the door frame forward.

Furthermore, the right side unit 430 of the door frame comprises: a left side decorative body 438 that covers and is attached to the left side of the right side base 431 of the door frame and has a plurality of decorative holes 438a that penetrate from left to right in a predetermined shape; a translucent right-side left lens 439 that is provided between the left side decorative body 438 and the right side base 431 of the door frame and has a decorative portion 439a that is fitted to close the decorative holes 438a of the left side decorative body 438; a right side decorative body 440 that covers and is attached to the right side of the right side base 431 of the door frame and has a plurality of decorative holes 440a that penetrate from left to right in a predetermined shape; and a translucent right-side right lens 441 that is provided between the right side decorative body 440 and the right side base 431 of the door frame and has a decorative portion 441a that is fitted to close the decorative holes 440a of the right side decorative body 440.

The right side base 431 of the door frame extends vertically with approximately constant width on both sides. Furthermore, the rear end of the right side base 431 extends vertically along its entire height, while the front end extends almost straight downwards from the top to approximately the center in the vertical direction, then curves diagonally backward, before curving vertically near the bottom and extending vertically to the bottom end.

The right side base 431 of the door frame has multiple reflector sections 431a that are recessed from the left and right sides and extend forward to the front end, at the height where the decorative holes 438a of the left side decorative body 438 of the right side decorative body 438 and the decorative holes 440a of the right side decorative body 440 of the right side decorative body (decorative sections 439a of the left lens 439 and 441a of the right lens 441) are located. These reflector sections 431a have their rear ends, which are on the inside of the decorative sections 439a and 441a, inclined towards the side, and their bottom surfaces are curved.

Furthermore, the right side base of the door frame 431 has a reflector portion 431a that corresponds to the decorative holes 438a and 440a (decorative portion 439a of the left lens 439 and decorative portion 441a of the right lens 441) located further back than the center in the front-to-back direction of the left side decorative body 438 and the right side decorative body 440 of the right side of the door frame. The front portion of the reflector portion, excluding the parts inside the decorative portions 439a and 441a, penetrates in the left-to-right direction (it is recessed from the left and right sides and connected to each other).

These reflector portions 431a of the right side base 431 of the door frame reflect light emitted from the third LED 432c of the upper right side decorative substrate 432 of the door frame and the third LED 433c of the lower right side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame in a left-right direction, causing the decorative portion 439a of the left side lens 439 and the decorative portion 441a of the right side lens 441 to emit light (see Figure 70, etc.).

The decorative substrate 432 on the upper right side of the door frame is formed in the shape of a vertically extending strip. Multiple first LEDs 432a are mounted on the front surface of the decorative substrate 432 at regular intervals in the vertical direction, and two second LEDs 432b are mounted vertically between the first LEDs 432a. Furthermore, multiple third LEDs 432c are mounted on the rear surface of the decorative substrate 432 at intervals in the vertical direction. In addition, a 24-bit LED driver 432d, which has a unique address for illuminating the first LEDs 432a, second LEDs 432b, and third LEDs 432c, is mounted on the decorative substrate 432.

On the upper right side decorative substrate 432 of this door frame, a total of 16 full-color LEDs are mounted: four first LEDs 432a, eight second LEDs 432b, and four third LEDs 432c. The first LEDs 432a, which have second LEDs 432b on both their upper and lower sides, are positioned in the center (center between) the second LEDs 432b. Furthermore, at least the second LEDs 432b and third LEDs 432c are wide-angle, top-view type LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle range centered on an optical axis perpendicular to the front.

On the upper right side decorative substrate 432 of the door frame, as shown in Figure 72, the four first LEDs 432a are divided into two sets: the top two and the remaining two. The eight second LEDs 432b are also divided into three sets: the top two, the third to fifth LEDs from the top, and the sixth to eighth LEDs from the top. Furthermore, the four third LEDs 432c are divided into two sets: the top two and the remaining two.

The decorative circuit board 432 on the upper right side of the door frame is divided into two sets of first LEDs 432a, three sets of second LEDs 432b, and two sets of third LEDs 432c. Therefore, to illuminate each of the first LEDs 432a, second LEDs 432b, and third LEDs 432c in full color, there are three circuits per set, totaling 21 circuits. In contrast, the LED driver 432d of the decorative circuit board 432 on the upper right side of the door frame can control up to 24 circuits. Therefore, in addition to the 21 circuits mentioned above, it controls the upper set of the third LEDs 433c (which are divided into two sets) on the lower right side decorative circuit board 433 of the door frame (described later), totaling 24 circuits.

The decorative substrate 432 on the upper right side of the door frame is connected to a wiring cable consisting of four wires: two power lines (one of which is a ground wire) that supply power to drive the first LED 432a, the second LED 432b, the third LED 432c, the two third LEDs 433c on the lower decorative substrate 433 on the lower right side of the door frame, and the LED driver 432d (though these are not shown in the diagram); one control signal line that receives signals such as commands and addresses from the peripheral control board 1510; and one clock line that synchronizes the LED driver 432d with the peripheral control board 1510. Furthermore, the LED driver 432d on the upper right-side decorative board 432 of the door frame, upon receiving a command addressed to that address via a control signal line from the peripheral control board 1510 (performance control board), can, in response to that command, cause the four first LEDs 432a (divided into two sets), the eight second LEDs 432b (divided into three sets), the four third LEDs 432c (divided into two sets), and the two third LEDs 433c (the upper of the two sets) on the lower right-side decorative board 433 of the door frame to illuminate with appropriate colors and intensities for each set.

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

This decorative substrate 433 on the lower right side of the door frame has a total of 22 full-color LEDs mounted on it: 6 first LEDs 433a, 12 second LEDs 433b, and 4 third LEDs 433c. The first LEDs 433a, which have second LEDs 433b on both the upper and lower sides, are positioned in the center (center between) the second LEDs 433b. Furthermore, at least the second LEDs 433b and third LEDs 433c are wide-angle, top-view type LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle range centered on an optical axis perpendicular to the front.

On the decorative substrate 433 on the lower right side of the door frame, as shown in Figure 72, the six first LEDs 433a are divided into three sets of two from top to bottom. The twelve second LEDs 433b are divided into four sets: three from the top (1st to 3rd LEDs), three from the top (4th to 6th LEDs), three from the top (7th to 9th LEDs), and three from the top (10th to 12th LEDs). Furthermore, the four third LEDs 433c are divided into two sets: the top two and the remaining two.

The decorative circuit board 433 on the lower right side of the door frame is divided into three sets of first LEDs 433a, four sets of second LEDs 433b, and two sets of third LEDs 433c. Therefore, to illuminate each of the first LEDs 433a, second LEDs 433b, and third LEDs 433c in full color, there are three sets of LEDs per set, totaling 27 sets of LEDs. However, the LED driver 433d on the lower right side decorative circuit board 433 can only control a maximum of 24 sets. Therefore, on the lower right side decorative circuit board 433, the upper set of the two sets of third LEDs 433c (three sets) is controlled by the LED driver 432d on the upper right side decorative circuit board 432, while the remaining 24 sets (all of the front first LEDs 433a and second LEDs 433b, and the two lower third LEDs 433c at the rear) are controlled by the LED driver 433d on the lower right side decorative circuit board 433. This helps to limit the number of LED drivers required.

The decorative substrate 433 on the lower right side of this door frame (not shown in the diagram) is connected to a wiring cable consisting of four wires: two power lines (one of which is a ground wire) that supply power to drive the first LED 433a, the second LED 433b, the two lower third LEDs 433c, and the LED driver 433d; one control signal line for receiving commands and addresses from the peripheral control board 1510; and one clock line for synchronizing the LED driver 433d with the peripheral control board 1510. When the LED driver 433d on this decorative substrate 433 on the lower right side of the door frame receives a command addressed to that address via the control signal line from the peripheral control board 1510 (performance control board), it can cause the six first LEDs 433a (divided into three sets), the twelve second LEDs 433b (divided into four sets), and the two lower third LEDs 433c (divided into two sets) to illuminate with appropriate colors and intensities for each set, according to the command.

The right-side reflector 434 has through-holes 434a that extend front to back at positions corresponding to the second LED 432b on the upper right-side decorative substrate 432 of the door frame and the second LED 433b on the lower right-side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame. A cylindrical retaining tube 434b extending front to back is also formed at positions corresponding to the first LEDs 432a and 433a. The rear end of the right-side reflector 434a around the through-holes 434a is formed to abut against the front surfaces of the upper right-side decorative substrate 432 and the lower right-side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame. The area around the front side of the through-holes 434a is formed in a dish-like shape that widens towards the front. This allows the light from the second LEDs 432b and 433b to be widely diffused forward.

The retaining cylinder 434b of the right side reflector 434 holds the cylindrical light guide shaft portion 436a of the right side upper light guide member 436 and the cylindrical light guide shaft portion 437a of the right side lower light guide member 437 straight in the front-rear direction by inserting them into the cylinder. This retaining cylinder 434b is provided in the center between the through holes 434a. As a result, the light from the second LED 432b of the upper right-side decorative substrate 432 and the second LED 433b of the lower right-side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame, viewed through the through-holes 434a on both the upper and lower sides of the light guide shafts 436a and 437a, is illuminated with equal light intensity from both above and below. This prevents the shadows of the light guide shafts 436a and 437a from being cast on the back of the right-side decorative body 435 of the door frame.

Furthermore, the right-side reflector 434 has a mounting hole located in the center (on the center line) between the through-holes 434a for attachment to the right-side base 431 of the door frame. This prevents the shadow of the screw head inserted through the mounting hole from being cast on the back of the right-side decorative element 435 of the door frame.

The right-side decorative element 435 of the door frame is formed in a translucent, milky white color. The right-side decorative element 435 is formed in a shape where a semi-circular arc bulging forward extends vertically. As a result, the right-side decorative element 435 is formed in a semi-tubular shape that opens to the rear. This right-side decorative element 435 has multiple openings 435a that penetrate vertically at regular intervals along the center of its width in the left-right direction. These multiple openings 435a are positioned corresponding to the retaining cylinder 434b of the right-side reflector 434. The tips of the light guide shaft portion 436a of the right-side upper light guide member 436 and the light guide shaft portion 437a of the right-side lower light guide member 437 are inserted into these openings 435a from the rear. This right-side decorative element 435 is made of a synthetic resin with a higher light transmittance than the right-side left-side decorative element 438 and the right-side right-side decorative element 440 of the door frame. The right-side decorative element 435 of the door frame has the same light transmittance as the left-side decorative element 426. Furthermore, the right-side decorative element 435 has a decorative section 435b that extends along the center of the width in the left-right direction, with a fixed, arc-shaped recess to avoid multiple openings 435a.

The upper right-side light guide member 436 has four cylindrical light guide shafts 436a extending front to back, and a runner portion 436b connecting the lower ends of the four light guide shafts 436a, and is made of a transparent material. The four light guide shafts 436a are provided above the right-side reflector 434 at regular intervals vertically, corresponding to the four retaining cylinders 434b. The light guide shafts 436a also extend front to back with a diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the retaining cylinders 434b. Each light guide shaft 436a penetrates the retaining cylinders 434b of the right-side reflector 434 from the rear and is inserted into the corresponding opening 435a of the right-side decorative body 435 of the door frame, so that its tip surface is in line with the surface of the right-side decorative body 435 of the door frame. This upper right-side light guide member 436, via its light guide shaft 436a, guides light from the first LED 432a of the upper right-side decorative substrate 432 of the door frame forward, allowing it to irradiate outward from its tip, thereby brightly illuminating the opening 435a of the right-side decorative body 435 of the door frame.

The lower right-side light guide member 437 has six cylindrical light guide shafts 437a extending front to back, and a runner portion 437b connecting the lower ends of the six light guide shafts 437a, and is made of a transparent material. The six light guide shafts 437a are provided at regular intervals vertically from below the right-side reflector 434, corresponding to the six retaining cylinders 434b. The light guide shafts 437a also extend front to back with a diameter approximately the same as the inner diameter of the retaining cylinders 434b. Each light guide shaft 437a penetrates the retaining cylinders 434b of the right-side reflector 434 from the rear and is inserted into the corresponding opening 435a of the right-side decorative body 435 of the door frame, so that its tip surface is in line with the surface of the right-side decorative body 435 of the door frame. This lower right-side light guide member 437, via its light guide axis 437a, guides light from the first LED 433a of the lower right-side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame forward, allowing it to irradiate outward from its tip, thereby brightly illuminating the opening 435a of the right-side decorative body 435 of the door frame.

The right-side left-side decorative element 438 of the door frame is formed in a plate shape that extends vertically and has a plurality of decorative holes 438a that penetrate in the left-right direction in a predetermined shape (radial pattern shape). The front end of the right-side left-side decorative element 438 is formed in a shape that follows the rear end of the right-side decorative element 435 of the door frame. The right-side left-side decorative element 438 of the door frame is molded in two colors using synthetic resins with different colors and translucency (light transmittance). More specifically, the right-side left-side decorative element 438 of the door frame is molded in two colors using two types of resin, an inner layer 3a and an outer layer 3b, similar to the handle cover 295 and the left-side base 421 of the door frame described above. A part of the inner layer 3a penetrates the outer layer 3b and appears on the outer surface, forming circular or radial patterns. In other words, some of the circular and radial patterns visible on the surface of the left-side decorative element 438 of the right-side door frame are the inner layer 3a, and these circular and radial patterns are connected on the back side of the outer layer 3b (see Figure 71(a)). Note that when molding the left-side decorative element 438 of the right-side door frame, the inner layer 3a may be injection molded first, or the outer layer 3b may be injection molded first.

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

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

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

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

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

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

In this embodiment, the right side unit 430 of the door frame has circular and radial patterns on the left side decorative element 438 and the right side decorative element 440 of the door frame, and the colors of these patterns are the same as those on the handle cover 295 and the left side base 421 of the door frame. Furthermore, the colors of the outer parts of the circular and radial patterns on the left side decorative element 438 and the right side decorative element 440 of the door frame are the same as those on the handle cover 295 and the left side base 421 of the door frame.

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

The right side unit 430 of the door frame, when assembled to the door frame 3, decorates the right outer side of the door window 101a of the door frame base 101, making the right side decorative element 435 of the door frame appear as if a cylindrical fluorescent light is embedded within it.

The right side unit 430 of the door frame protrudes significantly forward from the top to approximately half its height, forming a screen. This makes it difficult for players seated in front of a pachinko machine adjacent to it on the right side of the island setup in a gaming hall to see inside the door window 101a (playing area 5a). Therefore, because the right side unit 430 of the door frame is formed in a screen-like manner, it can block the line of sight of nearby players, making it difficult for other players to see the entire playing area 5a. This reduces the feeling of being watched by other players, allowing them to play without feeling self-conscious.

According to the right-side door frame unit 430 of this embodiment, the upper right-side decorative substrate 432 and the lower right-side decorative substrate 433 are positioned a certain distance behind the front surface of the right-side decorative body 435 of the door frame. Therefore, the light from the second LEDs 432b and 433b mounted on these substrates spreads sufficiently and illuminates the back surface of the right-side decorative body 435, allowing the right-side decorative body 435 to be illuminated uniformly.

Furthermore, the right-side unit 430 of the door frame guides (directs light) the light from the first LED 432a of the upper right-side decorative substrate 432 and the first LED 433a of the lower right-side decorative substrate 433, which are located at a position away from the front and rear of the right-side decorative body 435 of the door frame, forward using the light guide axis 436a of the upper right-side light guide member 436 and the light guide axis 437a of the lower right-side light guide member 437. This allows the opening 435a of the right-side decorative body 435 to emit light more brightly and in a point-like manner than other parts.

Furthermore, the right-side unit 430 of the door frame can illuminate the decorative part 439a of the left-side lens 439, which is fitted into the decorative hole 438a of the left-side decorative body 438 of the right-side base 431, and the decorative part 441a of the right-side lens 441, which is fitted into the decorative hole 440a of the right-side decorative body 440 of the right-side base 431, via the reflector part 431a of the right-side base 431. Also, since parts of the left and right sides of the partition-like right-side unit 430 (the areas of the decorative parts 439a and 441a) can be illuminated, the pachinko machine 1 can be made more conspicuous to other players, providing a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players.

Furthermore, according to the door frame right side unit 430 of this embodiment, the first LED 432a and second LED 432b on the front side of the upper right side decorative substrate 432 of the door frame, and the first LED 433a and second LED 433b on the front side of the lower right side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame, illuminate the front end door frame right side decorative body 435. In addition, the third LED 432c on the rear side of the upper right side decorative substrate 432 of the door frame, and the third LED 433c on the rear side of the lower right side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame, illuminate the left side decorative body 43 of the door frame, which is behind the right side decorative body 435. Because the right side decorative element 440 on the right side of the door frame is illuminated, the presence of the upper decorative substrate 432 and the lower decorative substrate 433 on the right side of the door frame prevents light from the first LED 432a, second LED 432b, first LED 433a, and second LED 433b from illuminating the rear left side decorative element 438 and the right side decorative element 440 on the right side of the door frame, and prevents light from the third LED 432c and third LED 433c from illuminating the front right side decorative element 435 on the door frame. This allows the right side decorative element 435 and the rear left side decorative element 438 and the right side decorative element 440 on the right side of the door frame to be illuminated completely independently, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that can present a more visually appealing illumination effect to the player.

Furthermore, the right-side unit 430 of the door frame has the first LED 432a of the upper right-side decorative substrate 432 and the first LED 433a of the lower right-side decorative substrate 433, as well as the light guide shaft portion 436a of the upper right-side light guide member 436 and the light guide shaft portion 437a of the lower right-side light guide member 437, positioned in the center between two adjacent second LEDs 432b and 433b. This ensures that the light guide shaft portions 436a and 437a are illuminated with equal light intensity from both the second LEDs 432b and 433b on either side. Therefore, even if the shadows of the light guide shaft portions 436a and 437a are projected onto the right-side decorative body 435 from behind, these shadows become less visible, allowing the right-side decorative body 435 to be illuminated evenly and uniformly.

Furthermore, the right-side unit 430 of the door frame has a decorative section 435b that extends along the center of the width in the left-right direction, connecting multiple openings 435a to each other. This allows the shadows of the light guide shafts 436a and 437a to be projected onto the right-side decorative section 435 due to the light from the second LEDs 432b and 433b. Because the decorative section 435b is present in the area where the shadows are projected, the shadows of the light guide shafts 436a and 437a are less noticeable, improving the appearance of the illuminated decoration on the right-side decorative section 435.

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

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

Furthermore, the door frame top unit 450 includes a door frame top central decorative board 455, which is mounted at the rear of the door frame top decorative body 453 and in the center of the front of the top cover 452, with multiple LEDs mounted on its front surface; a door frame top left decorative board 456, which is mounted at the rear of the door frame top decorative body 453 and to the left of the door frame top central decorative board 455 on the front of the top cover 452, with multiple LEDs mounted on its front surface; and a door frame top right decorative board 457, which is mounted at the rear of the door frame top decorative body 453 and to the right of the door frame top central decorative board 455 on the front of the top cover 452, with multiple LEDs mounted on its front surface (see Figure 72).

Furthermore, the door frame top unit 450 includes a pair of top central speakers (not shown) provided on the front of the door frame top base 451, a pair of top side speakers (not shown) provided on the left and right outer sides of the pair of top central speakers, a top lower cover 465 attached to the underside of the door frame top decorative body 453 so as to cover the front of the top central speakers and top side speakers, a door frame top relay board (not shown) attached near the right end of the front of the door frame top base 451, and a door frame top plate 468 attached to the top upper cover 452 so as to cover the upper part of the door frame top base 451.

The door frame top base 451 extends to the left and right with a length approximately equal to the distance between the left side unit 420 and the right side unit 430 of the door frame. The top cover 452, in a plan view, protrudes forward in a semi-circular shape and has a large cutout opening 452a extending forward from its rear end. This opening 452a is closed by the door frame top plate 468.

The door frame top decorative element 453 is formed in a translucent, milky white color. In a plan view, the door frame top decorative element 453 extends in a semi-circular arc to the left and right, following the front end of the top cover 452. Furthermore, the front surface of the door frame top decorative element 453 is formed in a semi-circular arc, with the center in the vertical direction protruding forward. As a result, the door frame top decorative element 453 is formed in a semi-tubular shape that opens to the rear.

The central decorative substrate 455 at the top of the door frame is formed in the shape of a strip extending to the left and right. The multiple LEDs 455a mounted on the front of the central decorative substrate 455 are full-color LEDs. By appropriately illuminating the multiple LEDs 455a, the central portion of the decorative body 453 at the top of the door frame can be illuminated and decorated.

The left decorative substrate 456 at the top of the door frame is formed in the shape of a strip extending to the left and right. The multiple LEDs 456a mounted on the front of the left decorative substrate 456 are full-color LEDs. By appropriately illuminating the multiple LEDs 456a, the left portion of the decorative body 453 at the top of the door frame can be illuminated and decorated.

The right decorative substrate 457 at the top of the door frame is formed in a strip-like shape extending to the left and right. The multiple LEDs 457a mounted on the front of the right decorative substrate 457 are full-color LEDs. By appropriately illuminating the multiple LEDs 457a, the right portion of the decorative body 453 at the top of the door frame can be illuminated and decorated.

The pair of top-center speakers are positioned spaced apart on the left and right. These top-center speakers are full-range speakers, outputting sounds such as voice and music across a wide frequency range. The pair of top-side speakers are tweeters, outputting high-frequency sounds such as voice and music.

The top lower cover 465 is formed from perforated metal, consisting of a metal plate with countless through-holes. Through the top lower cover 465, sound output from the top center speaker and top side speakers is radiated forward and downward.

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

The door frame top panel 468 closes the opening 452a of the top cover 452. Its front end is secured to the top cover 452, and its rear end is attached to the door frame base unit 100.

The door frame top unit 450, when assembled to the door frame 3, decorates the upper outer surface of the door window 101a of the door frame base 101. The left and right ends of the door frame top decorative body 453 of the door frame top unit 450 are connected so that they sink in from the front, behind the upper inner surfaces of the left side decorative body 426 and the right side decorative body 435. Furthermore, the door frame top unit 450 can output sounds such as voice and music to the player through a pair of top central speakers and a pair of top side speakers.

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

The left and right decorative elements 271, 426, 435, and 453 surrounding the outer perimeter of the door window 101a are formed in a semi-tubular shape, allowing the player to see the door window 101a as if it were surrounded by fluorescent lights.

In the door frame 3, the left plate decorative board 273, right plate decorative board 278, performance control unit outer perimeter decorative board 320, upper left door frame decorative board 422 and lower left door frame decorative board 423, upper right door frame decorative board 432 and lower right door frame decorative board 433, central door frame top decorative board 455, left door frame top left decorative board 456, and right door frame top right decorative board 457 are arranged behind or below the left plate decorative board 271, right plate decorative board 276, unit upper cover 312, left door frame decorative board 426, right door frame decorative board 435, and top right door frame decorative board 453 that surround the outer perimeter of the door window 101a. Therefore, by appropriately illuminating the LEDs on these decorative boards, it is possible to illuminate the entire outer perimeter of the door window 101a, or to show the player an illumination effect where the light moves along the outer perimeter of the door window 101a.

In the tray unit 200 of the door frame 3, a spherical-shaped performance control unit 300, with a diameter larger than the front-to-back distance of the upper tray 201, is mounted in the center in the left-to-right direction. This central placement of the large spherical performance control unit 300 in the tray unit 200 enhances its visual impact and makes the performance control section 301 (contact control section 302 and press control section 303) of the performance control unit 300 more prominent.

Furthermore, in the normal state, the upper surface of the button body 351, which serves as the performance control unit 301, aligns with the upper surface of the unit's upper cover 312, forming a single sphere. This makes it difficult for the player to perceive the performance control unit 301 (button body 351) as operable. Moreover, the large spherical performance control unit 300 allows the player to immediately recognize that this pachinko machine 1 is distinct from other pachinko machines, strongly attracting their attention and increasing its appeal, making it easier for them to choose this pachinko machine 1 as their preferred machine to play.

Furthermore, in the plate unit 200, the center of the performance operation section 301 of the performance operation unit 300 is positioned in front of the apex of the spherical performance operation unit 300. As a result, the upper surface of the performance operation section 301 (contact operation section 302 and pressing operation section 303) faces the direction of the head (face) of a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, the entire performance operation section 301 can be easily seen by a player who recognizes the large sphere located in the center of the plate unit 200 as the performance operation section 301, making the performance operation section 301 appear larger. Furthermore, it strongly encourages players to want to operate the large, spherical performance control unit 301, thereby increasing their anticipation for the execution of player-participatory performances involving the operation of the performance control unit 301. Additionally, when a player-participatory performance is executed, players can actively operate the performance control unit 301, allowing them to enjoy the performance and preventing a decline in their interest.

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

To elaborate, the multiple circular and radial patterns on the exterior surface of the door frame 3 are formed by two-color molding using two types of synthetic resin with different colors and translucency (light transmittance). The patterned exterior portion of the door frame 3 is formed by two-color molding using two types of resin: an inner layer 3a and an outer layer 3b. The circular and radial patterns are formed when a portion of the inner layer 3a penetrates the outer layer 3b and appears on the outer surface.

For example, using the right side unit 430 of the door frame as an example, as shown in Figure 71(a), if a honeycomb pattern is applied to the inner layer 3a and the outer layer 3b is made opaque, the honeycomb pattern of the inner layer 3a will be visible in the areas with circular patterns, while the opaque outer layer 3b will be visible in the areas without patterns, resulting in an exterior appearance that emphasizes circular or radial patterns.

In contrast, as shown in Figure 71(b), making the outer layer 3b transparent allows the honeycomb pattern applied to the inner layer 3a to be seen through the outer layer 3b, making the circular and radial patterns relatively less visible. In other words, the exterior appearance emphasizes the honeycomb pattern applied to the inner layer 3a.

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

Thus, according to this embodiment, since the main components constituting the exterior of the door frame 3 are formed by two-color molding, the appearance can be significantly altered while maintaining the same shape by appropriately selecting and combining the colors and light transmittances of the materials (synthetic resins) used for the inner layer 3a and the outer layer 3b.

Therefore, for example, during minor changes, the exterior of the pachinko machine 1 can be modified without incurring additional costs by making the outer layer 3b transparent to allow the pattern of the inner layer 3a to be visible.

Alternatively, by changing the colors of the inner layer 3a and outer layer 3b for each manufacturing lot, and shipping pachinko machines 1 from different lots to the same gaming hall and installing them in island-style setups, it's possible to create a more colorful appearance and enhance its appeal to players.

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

Furthermore, while the above embodiments show circular and radial patterns, the invention is not limited to these, and various shapes of patterns may be formed.

Thus, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, decorative elements such as the handle cover 295, the left side base 421 of the door frame, the left side decorative element 438 of the right side of the door frame, and the right side decorative element 440 of the door frame, which are provided on the outside of the door window 101a facing forward in the game area 5a of the door frame 3, are molded in two colors (multicolor molding) using two synthetic resins with different light transmittances, and a polka dot pattern is applied through this two-color molding. Therefore, the decorative elements are formed into the desired shape and simultaneously given the desired decoration. This eliminates the need to apply the desired decoration by painting or other means after forming the desired shape, as is the case with conventional pachinko machines, thus reducing the effort required for decoration and suppressing cost increases.

Furthermore, because the decoration is formed by two-color molding, the appearance of the decoration can be easily changed by changing the color of the synthetic resin used. Specifically, when forming a polka dot pattern using two-color molding, if the inner layer 3a (forming the inside of the polka dot circles) and the outer layer 3b (forming the outside of the circles) are formed with the same color but different light transmittances, the polka dots become difficult to see because the inner layer 3a and outer layer 3b are the same color, resulting in an appearance as if no polka dot decoration is present. On the other hand, if the inner layer 3a is white and the outer layer 3b is pink, the difference in color between the inner layer 3a and outer layer 3b makes the polka dots clearly visible, resulting in an appearance of white polka dots on a pink background. Thus, by appropriately selecting the light transmittance (including color) of the synthetic resin used when forming the decoration, the appearance of the decoration can be easily changed, and the cost associated with changing the appearance can be reduced.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, by appropriately selecting the light transmittance (including color) of the synthetic resin used when forming the decorative element, the appearance of the decorative element can be easily changed. Therefore, by changing the combination of synthetic resins used for each manufacturing lot, and shipping different lots of this pachinko machine 1 to the same gaming hall and installing them in a row on the island equipment, the island equipment can be made to appear colorful. This can create a strong impact on players circulating within the gaming hall, providing a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can attract players.

Furthermore, decorative elements such as a handle cover 295, a door frame left side base 421, a door frame right side left decorative element 438, and a door frame right side right decorative element 440 are provided on the part of the door frame 3 that faces the door window 101a, where the play area 5a is located. These decorative elements are molded in two colors using multiple synthetic resins with different light transmittances. Therefore, the exterior of the door window 101a can be decorated with these decorative elements to improve its appearance.

Furthermore, because the outer layer 3b of the two-color molded decorative body is made of a synthetic resin with lower light transmittance than the remaining inner layer 3a, the inner layer 3a can be made less visible through the outer layer 3b. This makes the boundary of the decoration (polka dot pattern) composed of the inner layer 3a more clearly visible, thus making the decoration more distinct.

Furthermore, by making the light transmittance of the outer layer 3b lower than that of the remaining inner layer 3a, it is possible to make the inner layer 3a difficult to see through the outer layer 3b. Therefore, in the initial model, the outer layer 3b was made with low light transmittance to prevent the inner layer 3a from being visible from the outside. During model changes, by using a synthetic resin with high light transmittance for the outer layer 3b, the inner layer 3a can be made visible, significantly changing the appearance of the decorative element. This allows for easy modification of the appearance (decoration) without altering the shape of the decorative element.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the low light transmittance of the outer layer 3b makes the inner layer 3a difficult to see. Therefore, by applying a pattern (a pattern created by shape, paint, printing, or sticker application) to the surface of the inner layer 3a, the initial model can be made to prevent the pattern of the inner layer 3a from being visible through the opaque outer layer 3b with low light transmittance. During model changes, by using a transparent synthetic resin for the outer layer 3b, the pattern of the inner layer 3a can be made visible. This allows for significant changes to the appearance (decoration) of the decorative element without altering its shape, thereby suppressing the increase in costs associated with model changes.

Furthermore, the right-side left decorative element 438 and the right-side right decorative element 440 of the door frame are equipped with a third LED 432c on the upper right decorative substrate 432 and a third LED 433c on the lower right decorative substrate 433 of the door frame, which are capable of emitting light. In addition, the inner layer 3a is formed of a synthetic resin with a higher light transmittance than the others, causing the third LEDs 432c and 433c located inside the right-side left decorative element 438 and the right-side right decorative element 440 of the door frame to emit light. This allows the inner layer 3a (the polka dot area) of the decorations formed on the left and right sides of the door frame's right and right side decorative elements 438 and 440 to be brightly illuminated. By illuminating the outside of the door window 101a facing the game area 5a, the appearance is improved, and players can enjoy the illuminated decorations of the left and right side decorative elements 438 and 440, thus preventing a decline in player interest.

Furthermore, depending on the light transmittance of the outer layer 3b, the outer layer 3b can also be illuminated by light from the third LED 432c and third LED 433c irradiated onto the outer layer 3b through the inner layer 3a. This allows the entire right-side left-side decorative element 438 and the right-side right-side decorative element 440 of the door frame to be illuminated, resulting in a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that beautifully displays the right-side left-side decorative element 438 and the right-side right-side decorative element 440, strongly attracting the player's attention.

Furthermore, as described above, the decorations of the decorative elements such as the left side decorative element 438 and the right side decorative element 440 of the right side decorative element of the door frame are formed by two-color molding (multi-color molding) of multiple synthetic resins with different light transmittances. Therefore, depending on the number of layers up to the surface and the differences in light transmittance of the synthetic resins used, the decorations visible when the LEDs (light-emitting means) such as the third LED 432c and the third LED 433c are not emitting light can be made different from the decorations visible when the LEDs are emitting light. This change in decoration can strongly attract the attention of the player. To elaborate, for example, if we explain using two-color molding as an example of multi-color molding, if a hole of a predetermined shape is formed in the inner layer 3a in the area covered by the outer layer 3b, then when the LEDs are not emitting light, only the part of the inner layer 3a that is exposed on the surface is visible. On the other hand, when the LED is illuminated, in the areas where holes are formed in the inner layer 3a, the light from the LED shines directly onto the outer layer 3b without passing through the inner layer 3a. As a result, the shape of the holes in the inner layer 3a becomes visible on the surface of the outer layer 3b, and both the exposed areas and the holes in the inner layer 3a become visible, resulting in a different decoration than when the LED is not illuminated. Alternatively, for example, if the inner layer 3a is yellow and the outer layer 3b is blue, when the LED is illuminated in yellow, only the areas of the inner layer 3a on the surface decoration will be illuminated. On the other hand, when the LED is illuminated in green (or white), both the areas of the inner layer 3a and the areas of the outer layer 3b on the surface will be illuminated. Therefore, by changing the color of the light emitted by the LED, the areas of the decoration that are illuminated can be changed, and the illuminated decoration can be altered. In this way, the decoration of the decoration can be changed by emitting light from the LED, which can strongly attract the attention of the player and entertain them. Furthermore, by illuminating LEDs according to the game state, the changes in the decorative elements can suggest to the player the arrival of a chance or a change in the shooting operation (for example, "shooting to the right"), thus providing a pachinko machine 1 capable of diverse effects.

Furthermore, by different protrusion amounts in the front-to-back direction of the left-side decorative element 426 and the right-side decorative element 435 of the door frame, which are provided on the left and right outer sides of the door window 101a (game area 5a), the impression (appearance) of the pachinko machine 1 when viewed from the left front and the right front can be made different. Therefore, in a gaming hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, even if a player initially passes in front of the pachinko machine 1, when they approach it from the opposite side, the different appearance compared to their initial pass will attract their attention to the pachinko machine 1. This makes the pachinko machine 1 highly appealing, as it can entice players who are browsing the gaming hall in search of a pachinko machine to play.

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

The handle 195 has its front central hub portion 195a covered by a front handle lens 185. Between the front handle lens 185 and the central hub portion 195a, a handle decorative substrate 184 is provided, with multiple LEDs 184a mounted on its front surface. Furthermore, a handle cover decorative substrate 293, with multiple LEDs 293a mounted on its front surface, is provided behind the outer ring portion 195c of the handle 195.

The handle decoration board 184 has a total of 10 LEDs 184a (full-color LEDs) mounted in a triple concentric circle arrangement: one in the center, three on the middle circumference at regular intervals in the circumferential direction, and six along the outer circumference at regular intervals in the circumferential direction. These LEDs 184a are divided into five groups: the one in the center, the three in the middle connected by dashed lines in Figure 72, and the two on the upper left of the outer circumference, the two on the upper right of the outer circumference, and the two on the lower part of the outer circumference, each connected by dashed lines. These five groups of LEDs 184a are controlled by an LED driver 184b in 15 circuits, allowing each group of LEDs 184a to emit light in full color as appropriate.

On the other hand, the steering wheel cover decorative substrate 293 has 12 LEDs 293a arranged in a row with spacing in the circumferential direction. These 12 LEDs 293a are divided into six groups, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 72: two on the lower left, two on the left side, two on the upper left, two on the upper right, two on the right side, and two on the lower right. These six groups of LEDs 293a are controlled by an LED driver 293b in 18 circuits, allowing each group of LEDs 293a to emit light in full color as appropriate.

Thus, since the handle 195 is equipped with a handle decoration board 184 and a handle cover decoration board 293, it is possible to show the player various lighting effects, such as a light rotating around the handle 195, a light concentrating toward the center of the handle 195, or a light spreading outwards from the handle 195. Furthermore, the LED 293a on the handle cover decoration board 293 allows for the illumination and decoration of the outside and inside of the handle cover 295.

Furthermore, as shown in the figure, the door frame 3 has a roughly rectangular door window 101a extending vertically, located in the center of the front view, which is closed by a transparent glass plate 162 of the glass unit 160. The door frame 3 is surrounded all around by the left and right decorative elements 271 and 276 of the plate unit 200, the performance operation unit 300, the left side decorative element 426 of the left side unit 420, the right side decorative element 435 of the right side unit 430, and the top decorative element 453 of the top unit 450.

The left and right decorative elements 271, 426, 435, and 453 surrounding the outer perimeter of the door window 101a are formed in a semi-tubular shape. This allows the player to see the door window 101a as if it were surrounded by fluorescent lights.

In this door frame 3, as shown in Figure 72, the following are provided facing forward: the left plate decorative base plate 273 behind the left plate decorative body 271 surrounding the outer perimeter of the door window 101a; the right plate decorative base plate 278 behind the right plate decorative body 276; the upper left side decorative base plate 422 and lower left side decorative base plate 423 behind the left side decorative body 426; the upper right side decorative base plate 432 and lower right side decorative base plate 433 behind the right side decorative body 435; and the central top decorative base plate 455, left top decorative base plate 456, and right top decorative base plate 457 behind the top decorative body 453.

More specifically, the left-hand decorative substrate 273 of the dish has four LEDs 273a mounted on its front surface in a single row running horizontally, and an LED driver (not shown in the diagram) for illuminating the LEDs 273a and the LEDs 273a of the right-hand decorative substrate 278, which will be described later. These four LEDs 273a are divided into two sets: two on the left and two on the right, as indicated by the dashed lines in Figure 72. These two sets of LEDs 273a are controlled by the LED driver in six separate circuits, allowing each set of LEDs 273a to emit light in full color as appropriate.

The right-hand decorative substrate 278 is equipped with four LEDs 278a mounted on its front surface, arranged in a single row from left to right. These four LEDs 278a are divided into two sets: two on the left and two on the right, as indicated by the dashed lines in Figure 72. These two sets of LEDs 278a are controlled by the LED driver on the left-hand decorative substrate 273 via six separate circuits, allowing each set of LEDs 278a to emit full-color illumination in appropriate colors.

The decorative substrate 422 on the upper left side of the door frame is equipped with four first LEDs 422a mounted at regular intervals in the vertical direction, eight second LEDs 422b mounted in pairs vertically between the first LEDs 422a, and an LED driver 422c to illuminate the total of twelve first LEDs 422a and second LEDs 422b. The first LEDs 422a and second LEDs 422b are mounted on the front. The four first LEDs 422a on the decorative substrate 422 on the upper left side of the door frame are divided into two sets: the top two and the remaining two, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 72. The eight second LEDs 422b are also divided into three sets: the top two, the third to fifth from the top, and the sixth to eighth from the top, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 72. The four first LEDs 422a, divided into two sets, and the eight second LEDs 422b, divided into three sets, are controlled by the LED driver 422c via 15 circuits. Each set of first LEDs 422a and second LEDs 422b can emit light in full color as appropriate.

The decorative substrate 423 on the lower left side of the door frame is equipped with six first LEDs 423a mounted at regular intervals in the vertical direction, twelve second LEDs 423b mounted in pairs vertically between the first LEDs 423a, and an LED driver 423c for illuminating a total of eighteen first LEDs 423a and second LEDs 423b. The first LEDs 423a and second LEDs 423b are mounted on the front. The six first LEDs 423a are divided into three sets of two from the top, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 72. The twelve second LEDs 423b are divided into four sets, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 72: three from the 1st to 3rd from the top, three from the 4th to 6th from the top, three from the 7th to 9th from the top, and three from the 10th to 12th from the top. The six first LEDs 423a, divided into three groups, and the twelve second LEDs 423b, divided into four groups, are controlled by the LED driver 423c via 21 circuits. Each group of first LEDs 423a and second LEDs 423b can emit light in full color as appropriate.

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

The decorative substrate 433 on the lower right side of the door frame includes six first LEDs 433a mounted on the front at regular intervals in the vertical direction, twelve second LEDs 433b mounted on the front in pairs, arranged vertically between the first LEDs 433a, four third LEDs 433c mounted on the rear at intervals in the vertical direction, and an LED driver 433d for illuminating the first LEDs 433a, the second LEDs 433b, and the two lower third LEDs 433c. The six first LEDs 433a are divided into three sets of two from top to bottom, as indicated by the dashed lines in Figure 72. Furthermore, the twelve second LEDs 433b are divided into four groups, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 72: three from the top (1st to 3rd), three from the top (4th to 6th), three from the top (7th to 9th), and three from the top (10th to 12th). Additionally, the four rear third LEDs 433c are divided into two groups, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 72: the top two and the remaining two. The six first LEDs 433a (divided into three groups), the twelve second LEDs 433b (divided into four groups), and the two third LEDs 433c (the lower of the two divided groups) are controlled by the LED driver 433d in 24 circuits, allowing each group of first LEDs 433a, second LEDs 433b, and third LEDs 433c to emit light in full color as appropriate.

In this embodiment, the upper left-side decorative substrate 422 and the lower left-side decorative substrate 423 of the door frame, located on the left side of the door window 101a, and the upper right-side decorative substrate 432 and the lower right-side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame, located on the right side of the door window 101a, are formed in an asymmetrical shape with respect to the center of the door window 101a in the left-right direction. Furthermore, the upper left-side decorative substrate 422 and the lower left-side decorative substrate 423, and the upper right-side decorative substrate 432 and the lower right-side decorative substrate 433, also differ in shape in the front-to-back direction.

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

The central decorative substrate 455 at the top of the door frame is equipped with six LEDs 455a mounted on the front surface, spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction, and an LED driver (not shown in the figure) for illuminating the LEDs 455a, the LEDs 456a on the left decorative substrate 456 at the top of the door frame, and the LEDs 457a on the right decorative substrate 457 at the top of the door frame. The six LEDs 455a are divided into three groups of two from left to right, as indicated by the dashed lines in Figure 72. These six LEDs 455a are controlled by the LED driver in nine separate circuits, allowing each group of LEDs 455a to emit light in full color as appropriate.

The decorative circuit board 456 on the left top of the door frame is equipped with four LEDs 456a mounted on the front, with openings extending to the left and right. As shown by the dashed lines in Figure 72, the four LEDs 456a are divided into two sets: two on the left and two on the right. These two sets of four LEDs 456a are controlled by the LED driver on the central decorative circuit board 455 of the door frame, using six separate systems. Each set of LEDs 456a can emit full-color illumination in appropriate colors.

The right decorative circuit board 457 at the top of the door frame is equipped with four LEDs 457a mounted on the front, with openings extending to the left and right. As shown by the dashed lines in Figure 72, the four LEDs 457a are divided into two sets: two on the left and two on the right. These two sets of four LEDs 457a are controlled by the LED driver on the central decorative circuit board 455 at the top of the door frame via six circuits, allowing each set of LEDs 457a to emit full-color illumination in appropriate colors.

According to the door frame 3 of this embodiment, light from the first LED 422a of the upper left side decorative substrate 422 of the door frame, the first LED 423a of the lower left side decorative substrate 423 of the door frame, the first LED 432a of the upper right side decorative substrate 432 of the door frame, and the first LED 433a of the lower right side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame are guided by the light guide axis 427a of the upper left side light guide member 427, the light guide axis 428a of the middle left side light guide member 428, the light guide axis 429a of the lower left side light guide member 429, the light guide axis 436a of the upper right side light guide member 436, and the light guide axis 437a of the lower right side light guide member 437 to the opening 426a of the left side decorative body 426 of the door frame and the opening 435a of the right side decorative body 435 of the door frame, and are irradiated outward (forward). This allows the player to see a bright, point-like illumination effect on the front of the decorative elements 426 on the left side of the door frame and 435 on the right side of the door frame. This unique, spot-like illumination effect, unlike anything seen in previous pachinko machines, is sure to surprise and delight the player.

Furthermore, in the door frame 3, by appropriately illuminating the LEDs surrounding the outer perimeter of the door window 101a—the LED 273a on the left decorative board 273, the LED 278a on the right decorative board 278, the second LED 422b on the upper left side decorative board 422 of the door frame, the second LED 423b on the lower left side decorative board 423 of the door frame, the second LED 432b on the upper right side decorative board 432 of the door frame, the second LED 433b on the lower right side decorative board 433 of the door frame, the LED 455a on the central top decorative board 455 of the door frame, the LED 456a on the left top decorative board 456 of the door frame, and the LED 457a on the right top decorative board 457 of the door frame—it is possible to illuminate the entire outer perimeter of the door window 101a, or to show the player a lighting effect where the light moves along the outer perimeter of the door window 101a.

In other words, in the door frame 3, the LED system connected by the dashed line in Figure 72 allows for spot illumination on the front surfaces of the left-side decorative element 426 and the right-side decorative element 435 of the door frame, while the LED system connected by the single-dash line in Figure 72 allows for surface illumination (surface emission) of the left-side decorative element 426 and the right-side decorative element 435 of the door frame.

Furthermore, with respect to the door frame 3, the light from the first LED 422a, first LED 423a, first LED 432a, and first LED 433a is guided by the light guide shafts 427a, 428a, 429a, 436a, and 437a to the front end inserted into the opening 426a of the left side decorative body 426 of the door frame and the opening 435a of the right side decorative body 435 of the door frame, and then illuminated forward from there. As a result, the openings 426a and 435a can be made to emit bright, spot light with high luminosity compared to the general surfaces of the left side decorative body 426 and the right side decorative body 435 of the door frame. In this configuration, since the decorative elements 426 on the left side of the door frame and 435 on the right side of the door frame are positioned outside the door window 101a facing the game area 5a, even if the openings 426a of the decorative element 426 and 435a of the decorative element 435 are illuminated with high brightness, the glare will not obscure the view inside the game area 5a through the door window 101a. This allows for clear viewing of the game balls B, animation images, and decorative elements within the game area 5a through the door window 101a.

Furthermore, in the case of the door frame 3, the left-side decorative element 426 and the right-side decorative element 435 of the door frame protrude forward beyond the door window 101a (game area 5a), and the openings 426a and 435a, which emit high-brightness spot light, are located on the ridge portion at the front end of the forward-protruding left-side decorative element 426 and the right-side decorative element 435 (on the vertical line connecting the front ends that protrude forward in an arc shape in a plan view). Therefore, the spot-emitting light does not shine towards the rear (door window 101a side). Consequently, the spot-emitting light from the left-side decorative element 426 and the right-side decorative element 435 of the door frame is not reflected towards the player by the glass plate 162 provided in the door window 101a, preventing the inside of the game area 5a behind the door window 101a from becoming difficult to see, and the high-brightness spot-emitting light can attract the attention of other players to this pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in the case of the door frame 3, the spot-emitting parts are provided on the left side decorative member 426 and the right side decorative member 435 of the door frame, which protrude forward and outside the door window 101a of the door frame 3. Therefore, the spot-emitting parts are located approximately at the same position as the outer perimeter of the pachinko machine 1. As a result, even if a player is seated in front of the pachinko machine 1, the spot-emitting parts are located outside the player, so the player does not obstruct the light. This means that when spot-emitting lights are emitted from the left side decorative member 426 and the right side decorative member 435 of the door frame, the high-luminosity spot-emitting light is visible to other players who are not seated in front of the pachinko machine 1. This effectively draws attention to the presence of the pachinko machine 1, attracting players' interest and creating a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can entice players wandering around the hall to choose a machine to play.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the surface LEDs (second LEDs 422b, 423b, 432b, 433b) on both sides of the spot LEDs (first LEDs 422a, 423a, 432a, 433a) used to spot-illuminate the front surfaces of the left and right side decorative elements of the door frame belong to the same system. This ensures that the surface LEDs on both sides of the light guide pins (light guide shafts 427a, 428a, 429a, 436a, and 437a) that guide the light from the spot LEDs illuminate in the same manner. As a result, the same amount of light is emitted from both sides of the light guide pins at the same time, making the shadows of the light guide pins less visible on the left and right side decorative elements of the door frame.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 73, the door frame 3 is located below the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation section 301 of the performance operation unit 300, and includes an annular performance operation section outer peripheral decorative substrate 320 on its upper surface, with 31 LEDs 320a mounted on it. This performance operation section outer peripheral decorative substrate 320 includes two LED drivers for illuminating the 31 LEDs 320a. The performance operation section outer peripheral decorative substrate 320 is divided into two parts: a front decorative substrate 321 and a rear decorative substrate 322.

On the front decorative board 321 of the outer perimeter decorative board 320 of the performance control unit, 18 of the 31 LEDs 320a are mounted. Of the 18 LEDs 320a on the front decorative board 321, 6 are spaced apart on the circumference near the inner circumference, 3 are spaced apart on the circumference midway between the inner and outer circumferences, and the remaining 9 are spaced apart on the circumference near the outer circumference.

The remaining 13 LEDs 320a are mounted on the rear decorative board 322 of the outer perimeter decorative board 320 of the performance control unit. Of the 13 LEDs 320a on the rear decorative board 322, four are arranged in pairs near the ends of the arc on the circumference close to the inner circumference, three are arranged in pairs on the circumference midway between the inner and outer circumference, and the remaining six are arranged in pairs near the ends of the arc on the circumference close to the outer circumference, with spacing between them.

The 18 LEDs 320a on the front decorative substrate 321 are divided into a total of 9 sets, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 73: the 6 LEDs on the inner circumference are divided into 3 sets of 2 LEDs each in the circumferential direction; the 3 LEDs on the middle circumference are divided into 3 sets of 1 LED each; and the 9 LEDs on the outer circumference are divided into 3 sets of 3 LEDs each in the circumferential direction. Similarly, the 18 LEDs 320a on the rear decorative substrate 322 are divided into a total of 7 sets, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 73: the 4 LEDs on the inner circumference are divided into 2 sets of 2 LEDs each near both ends; the 3 LEDs on the middle circumference are divided into 3 sets of 1 LED each; and the 9 LEDs on the outer circumference are divided into 2 sets of 3 LEDs each near both ends. In other words, the 31 LEDs 320a on the outer perimeter decorative substrate 320 of the performance control unit are divided into 16 sets. These 16 groups of LEDs 320a are controlled by two LED drivers in 48 separate circuits, allowing each group of LEDs 320a to emit light in full color as appropriate.

This decorative circuit board 320 for the outer perimeter of the performance control unit allows for the illumination of 31 LEDs 320a in 48 circuits, enabling the player to see various light effects in the performance control unit 301, such as rotating light, light concentrating towards the center, or light spreading outwards.

Furthermore, according to the door frame 3, on the left and right sides of the door window 101a facing the game area 5a, there are a left side decorative body 426 of the door frame left side unit 420 and a right side decorative body 435 of the door frame right side unit 430, which extend vertically along the door window 101a so that their protrusion amounts in the front-to-back direction are different. Behind the left side decorative body 426 and the right side decorative body 435, there is a left side upper decorative board 422 on which multiple first LEDs 422a and second LEDs 422b are mounted, and a left side lower decorative board 423 on which multiple first LEDs 423a and second LEDs 423b are mounted, and multiple The door frame's upper right side decorative substrate 432 is equipped with a number of first LEDs 432a and second LEDs 432b, and the door frame's lower right side decorative substrate 433 is equipped with a number of first LEDs 433a and second LEDs 433b. In addition, the left upper light guide member 427 has a light guide axis 427a, the left middle light guide member 428 has a light guide axis 428a, the left lower light guide member 429 has a light guide axis 429a, and the right upper light guide member 436 has a light guide axis that guides the light from the first LEDs 422a, 423a, 432a, and 433a to the front of the door frame's left side decorative body 426 and the door frame's right side decorative body 435 and illuminates it forward. Because section 436a and the light guide shaft portion 437a of the right side lower light guide member 437 are provided, the second LEDs 422b, 423b, 432b, and 433b of the upper left side decorative substrate 422, lower left side decorative substrate 423, upper right side decorative substrate 432, and lower right side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame can be illuminated, thereby causing the left side decorative body 426 and the right side decorative body 435 to be illuminated in a planar manner (surface illumination), and the first LEDs 422a and 433b of the upper left side decorative substrate 422, lower left side decorative substrate 423, upper right side decorative substrate 432, and lower right side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame can be illuminated in a planar manner (surface illumination), and the first LEDs 422a and 433 When LEDs 23a, 432a, and 433a are illuminated, the light irradiated forward is guided by the columnar light guide shafts 427a, 428a, 429a, 436a, and 437a to the vicinity of the front surface of the left side decorative body 426 and the right side decorative body 435 of the door frame. Afterward, the light is emitted forward from their front ends (front surfaces), causing the parts of the left side decorative body 426 and the right side decorative body 435 corresponding to the tips of the light guide shafts 427a, 428a, 429a, 436a, and 437a to emit point-like light (spot illumination).

Therefore, by appropriately illuminating the first LED 422a and second LED 422b, first LED 423a and second LED 423b, first LED 432a and second LED 432b, and first LED 433a and second LED 433b of the upper left side decorative substrate 422, lower left side decorative substrate 423, upper right side decorative substrate 432, and lower right side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame, the decorative body 426 on the left side of the door frame and the door, which are located outside the play area 5a (door window 101a), will be illuminated. The entire right-side decorative element 435 of the frame can be illuminated in a surface-like manner, or parts of the left-side decorative element 426 and the right-side decorative element 435 of the door frame can be illuminated in a point-like manner, or the entire left-side decorative element 426 and the right-side decorative element 435 of the door frame can be illuminated in a surface-like manner while parts of them are illuminated in a point-like manner. This allows for a variety of illumination effects to be shown to the player, preventing boredom and ensuring enjoyment, thus suppressing a decline in interest in the game.

In this case, the systems in which the multiple first LEDs 422a, second LEDs 422b, first LED 423a, and second LEDs 423b on the upper left side decorative board 422 and the lower left side decorative board 423 of the door frame are separated, and the systems in which the multiple first LEDs 432a, second LEDs 432b, first LED 433a, and second LEDs 433b on the upper right side decorative board 432 and the lower right side decorative board 433 of the door frame are separated are symmetrical to each other, and in each case, the multiple first LEDs 422a, first LEDs 423a, first LEDs 432a, and first LEDs 433a and the multiple second LEDs 422b, second LEDs 423b, second LEDs 432b, and second LEDs 433b are separated, so the first LEDs 422a, second LEDs 422b, first LEDs 423a, and second LEDs 423b on the left side decorative body 426 of the door frame and the first LEDs on the right side decorative body 435 of the door frame are separated, and in each case, the multiple first LEDs 422a, first LEDs 423a, first LEDs 423a, and second LEDs 423b on the left side decorative body 426 of the door frame and the first LEDs 422a, second LEDs 422b, first LEDs 423a, and second LEDs 423b on the right side decorative body 435 of the door frame are separated, so When creating the lighting pattern data for ED432a, second LED432b, first LED433a, and second LED433b, it is possible to reuse data for the left side decorative element 426 of the door frame as data for the right side decorative element 435 of the door frame, or to create similar data flows for both the left side decorative element 426 and the right side decorative element 435 of the door frame. This simplifies the effort required to create the lighting pattern data, making it easier to construct more complex lighting patterns (with the same creation time). This allows for a variety of lighting effects to be shown to the player, and enables the creation of a pachinko machine 1 that can provide sufficient visual effects for the lighting effects on the left side decorative element 426 and the right side decorative element 435 of the door frame on both the left and right outer sides of the door window 101a.

Furthermore, since the two second LEDs 422b, 423b, 432b, and 433b, which are positioned between the first LEDs 422a, 423a, 432a, and 433a, are in the same system, the two second LEDs 422b, 423b, 432b, and 433b, which are positioned to sandwich the first LEDs 422a, 423a, 432a, and 433a (light guide shafts 427a, 428a, 429a, 436a, and 437a), will always light up simultaneously. Therefore, the light guide shafts 427a and 428a, By illuminating the light guide shafts 429a, 436a, and 437a from both sides, the shadows cast by the light guide shafts 427a, 428a, 429a, 436a, and 437a from the respective second LEDs 422b, 423b, 432b, and 433b are faintly reduced, effectively canceling them out. This makes the shadows of the light guide shafts 427a, 428a, 429a, 436a, and 437a projected onto the left and right side decorative elements of the door frame less visible, allowing for even, surface-level illumination and decoration of the left and right side decorative elements.

Furthermore, the left and right side decorative elements of the door frame, 426 and 435, which are illuminated in a planar manner by the second LEDs 422b, 423b, 432b, and 433b, can be illuminated in a point-like manner at the front ends of the light guide shafts 427a, 423a, 432a, and 433a by the first LEDs 422a, 423a, 432a, and 433a. This allows for a unique lighting effect, previously unseen in pachinko machines, where the lights illuminate both planarly and partially in a point-like manner. This effect strongly attracts the player's attention with bright, point-like illumination, and the unique, sparkling, point-like illumination can surprise the player, resulting in a highly appealing pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the decorative boards 422 and 423 on the left side of the door frame, and the decorative boards 432 and 433 on the right side of the door frame, are asymmetrical in shape, it is possible to distinguish between them at a glance. This prevents mistakes in assembling the wrong decorative boards during the assembly of the pachinko machine 1, improving assembly efficiency and suppressing cost increases.

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

In this embodiment of the pachinko machine 1, a white circuit board is used for the decorative circuit board on which the LEDs are mounted. The LED drivers and connectors for non-white LEDs are mounted on the rear side of the circuit board. This allows the light from the LEDs mounted on the front of the decorative circuit board to be reflected forward, making the decorative elements at the front brighter and less conspicuous from the front (the player's side).

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

In the pachinko machine 1, since it has many decorative circuit boards, each decorative circuit board is provided with a different identification section 7 on its rear surface to allow for easy identification of each board (see Figure 74). This identification section 7 includes a character identification section 7a using characters such as kanji, kana, alphabet, symbols, numbers, and model numbers, and a color identification section 7b using different colors (shown as shades of shading in Figure 74).

To elaborate, the character identification section 7a features the following characters: the left plate decorative board 273 displays "down left," the right plate decorative board 278 displays "down right," the upper left side decorative board 422 displays "upper left," the lower left side decorative board 423 displays "lower left," the upper right side decorative board 432 displays "upper right," the lower right side decorative board 433 displays "lower right," the center top decorative board 455 displays "upper center," the left top decorative board 456 displays "upper left," and the right top decorative board 457 displays "upper right."

Furthermore, the color identification section 7b is a different color for each decorative substrate and is applied to approximately the entire front surface of the rear. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 74, the color identification section 7b is not applied to the entire rear surface, but only partially to avoid interfering with the soldering of LEDs and other components mounted on the decorative substrate.

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

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

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows an identification unit 7 equipped with both a character identification unit 7a and a color identification unit 7b, it is not limited to this configuration. It may also be equipped with only a character identification unit 7a, or only a color identification unit 7b.

According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, since the decorative circuit board on which the LEDs are mounted is provided with an identification unit 7 (character identification unit 7a and color identification unit 7b), decorative circuit boards with similar shapes can be easily distinguished, preventing the incorrect decorative circuit board from being installed during assembly and improving the efficiency of the assembly process.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1, since the identification unit 7 is located on the rear surface of the decorative circuit board, the front side of the decorative circuit board can be made as white as possible. This allows the light from the LEDs mounted on the front of the decorative circuit board to be reflected forward, making the decorative elements at the front brighter and more luminous. At the same time, the decorative circuit board can be made less conspicuous from the front (the player's side), improving its appearance.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1, the color identification section 7b, which serves as the identification section 7, is applied to almost the entire surface of the decorative circuit board. Therefore, by simply looking at a portion of the decorative circuit board, it is possible to recognize whether or not it is the desired (desired color) decorative circuit board. Consequently, even when multiple types of decorative circuit boards are stacked on top of each other during assembly, if a portion of the decorative circuit board is visible, the desired board can be easily found, simplifying the assembly process.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1, since the color identification section 7b is different for each decorative circuit board, when preparing the decorative circuit boards required for one pachinko machine 1 during assembly, if there are decorative circuit boards with the same colored color identification section 7b, it is easy to recognize that duplicate decorative circuit boards have been prepared. Alternatively, if there are insufficient colors in the color identification section 7b of the prepared decorative circuit boards, it is easy to recognize that there are missing decorative circuit boards. Therefore, when preparing the decorative circuit boards required for the assembly of the pachinko machine 1, it is easy to recognize whether extra circuit boards have been prepared or if there are insufficient circuit boards, ensuring that only the necessary number of circuit boards are prepared, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 that is easy to assemble. Consequently, the assembly work of the pachinko machine 1 can be carried out smoothly, reducing assembly time and suppressing cost increases.

Furthermore, in the case of pachinko machine 1, a character identification section 7a is provided on the rear surface of the decorative circuit board to distinguish it from other circuit boards. Therefore, by reading the characters on the character identification section 7a, the operator can easily determine which part the decorative circuit board belongs to, thus achieving the same effects as described above.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1, the front and rear surfaces of each decorative circuit board are white, and an identification section 7 is provided on the rear surface. Therefore, even if the transparency of the decorative element located in front of the decorative circuit board is high, the decorative circuit board can be made less conspicuous from the front (player side), improving the appearance of the decorative element. Additionally, the white front surface of the decorative circuit board allows light from the LEDs to be reflected forward, enabling brighter illumination of the decorative element. This creates a highly effective lighting effect that entertains players and prevents a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1, functional components such as LED drivers are located on the rear of the decorative circuit board, making them invisible from the front (player side). This avoids the unsightly appearance caused by the functional components being visible through the decorative elements, thus improving the overall appearance of the decorative elements (gaming machine). Additionally, because the functional components are hidden by being located on the rear of the decorative circuit board, there is no need to color them white (or yellow) to make them less conspicuous. The components can be used as they are, eliminating the need for coloring and thus reducing the cost increase associated with the pachinko machine 1.

[3-12. Effects of Door Frames]
According to this embodiment, in the pachinko machine 1, a plurality of contact detection bodies 393 are provided at different positions from one another. By switching the connection between a contact detection body 393 provided at a desired location where the approach or contact of a player is to be detected and the contact detection sensor body 392, the capacitance of the contact detection body 393 changes when a player approaches or makes contact with the contact detection body 393 at the desired location. The contact detection sensor body 392 connected to the contact detection body 393 can detect this change in capacitance, thereby detecting the approach or contact of a player at the desired location. In response to the detection by the contact detection sensor body 392, the main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, peripheral control unit 1511, and performance display control unit 1512 can execute predetermined controls. On the other hand, when the switching unit 394 connects the contact detection element 393 of the desired location to the contact detection sensor body 392, the connection between the contact detection elements 393 provided in other locations and the contact detection sensor body 392 is disconnected. Therefore, even if the capacitance of the contact detection element 393 provided in other locations changes due to the player approaching or touching those locations, the connection to that contact detection element 393 is disconnected by the switching unit 394. As a result, the change in capacitance of that contact detection element 393 is not detected, and only the capacitance of the contact detection element 393 of the desired location can be reliably detected, thus preventing false detections.

In this way, since the contact detection elements 393 connected to the contact detection sensor body 392 are appropriately selected and switched by the switching unit 394 for multiple contact detection elements 393 located at different positions, it becomes possible to detect the capacitance of multiple contact detection elements 393 with a single contact detection sensor body 392. This reduces the number of channels used for detecting the approach or contact of a player in the control means such as the main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, peripheral control unit 1511, and performance display control unit 1512, thereby increasing the number of channels available for performance effects. Consequently, it becomes possible to control more performance effects (e.g., movable decorations, light-emitting decorations, performance display devices, etc.) by the control means. This increase in performance effects allows for the presentation of a wider variety of effects to the player, making it less likely for the player to get bored, ensuring they are fully entertained, and preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, by providing contact detection elements 393 on multiple parts of the pachinko machine 1 that are not to be touched by the player, and by connecting the contact detection element 393 located at the desired location to the contact detection sensor body 392 via a switching unit 394 according to the game state, it becomes possible to detect the player's approach or contact to the desired location and ignore predetermined warnings or alarms issued by control means such as the main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, peripheral control unit 1511, and performance display control unit 1512. Therefore, a single contact detection sensor body 392 can monitor a wide area of the pachinko machine 1 while relatively increasing the number of channels that can be used for performances, achieving the same effects as described above.

Furthermore, since multiple contact detection elements 393 are detected by a single contact detection sensor body 392, each contact detection element 393 and the contact detection sensor body 392 are positioned separately. This allows the sensor body, which contains electronic components such as the sensor IC and output circuit, to be placed in a location less visible to the player, thereby improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 and increasing its appeal to players.

Furthermore, since the contact detection sensor body 392 is equipped with pre-existing connection terminals for electrically connecting multiple contact detection elements 393, the contact detection sensor body 392 can detect the capacitance of the contact detection elements 393 simply by connecting the wiring from the contact detection elements 393 to the connection terminals of the contact detection sensor body 392. This simplifies the assembly process of the pachinko machine 1 and helps to reduce the cost increase associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the contact detection sensor body 392 is pre-equipped with connection terminals, the contact detection sensor body 392 and the contact detection body 393 can be connected simply by connecting the wiring from the contact detection element 393 to the connection terminals of the contact detection sensor body 392. Compared to a case where a conductive member is brought into contact with the sensor electrode of the contact detection sensor body 392 and connected to the contact detection element 393 via the conductive member, the number of parts can be reduced, lowering the cost of the pachinko machine 1. Additionally, the design of the conductive member for connecting to the contact detection element 393 can be eliminated, increasing the flexibility of the placement of the contact detection element 393 and the contact detection sensor body 392, making it easier to realize a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the aforementioned effects.

Furthermore, a switching unit 394 is provided to switch the contact detection elements 393 connected to the contact detection sensor body 392. Since the switching unit 394 allows selection of the contact detection element 393 to be detected, for example, when a player-participation feature is implemented where multiple contact detection elements 393 are distributed and the player is instructed to touch them in a predetermined order, the switching unit 394 can be used to switch the contact detection element 393 connected to the contact detection sensor body 392 at the timing when the player touches the elements in order. This allows for detection of whether the player touched the contact detection elements 393 in the correct order, enabling the implementation of highly engaging player-participation features using a single contact detection sensor body 392, thereby providing a more enjoyable pachinko machine 1 for players.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the performance operation unit 300 of the plate unit 200 of the door frame 3, when a player's fingers or other body approach or come into contact with the button body 351 of the performance operation unit 350, which can be pressed by the player, the player approaches the contact detection element 352, which is made of a metal plate covered by the button body 351 on the player's side, and the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 changes. Since the capacitance of this contact detection element 352 is detected by the contact detection sensor body 358, the change in the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 can be detected, and therefore, the approach or contact of the player to the button body 351 (performance operation unit 350) can be detected via the contact detection element 352.

In this way, when the contact detection body 352 and the contact detection sensor body 358 detect the player's approach to or contact with the performance operation unit 350, a predetermined performance is output to the player through the contact detection body 352 and the button body 351 by performance means such as the button exterior decoration board 355, vibration motor 356, performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360, button interior decoration board 364, and sudden output adjustment mechanism 380. This allows the player to be entertained by the performance and prevents a decrease in the player's interest in the game. At this time, since a predetermined performance is output when the player approaches or contacts the performance operation unit 350, the contact detection body 352 and the contact detection sensor body 358 can make the performance operation unit 350 function as a non-contact operation unit or a contact operation unit. Furthermore, since the performance control unit 350, which functions as both a non-contact and a contact control unit, can be pressed by the player when extended, the performance control unit 350 allows for a variety of performance operations, including non-contact, contact, and press operations. This makes it easier to realize a pachinko machine 1 with a different appearance from conventional pachinko machines equipped with buttons that only allow press operations, thereby differentiating it from other pachinko machines and providing a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players.

Furthermore, the system outputs predetermined effects to the player in response to the detection of the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 by the contact detection sensor body 358. Since the capacitance varies depending on the distance between the contact detection element 352 (button body 351) and the player, multiple capacitance thresholds can be set, allowing for the output of different effects for each threshold. Therefore, it becomes possible to detect the distance from the player's approach to the button body 351 (effect operation unit 350) to contact in multiple stages. By outputting effects corresponding to each stage, a wider variety of effects can be presented to the player, preventing boredom and maintaining a sense of enjoyment.

Furthermore, since the contact detection sensor body 358, which detects the capacitance of the contact detection element 352, is located away from the contact detection element 352, the contact detection sensor body 358, which contains electronic components such as the sensor IC and output circuit, can be installed in a part of the performance operation unit 350 that is not easily visible to the player. This improves the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 and enhances its appeal to players.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the control unit allows for a variety of performance operations, including non-contact, contact, and pressing operations. By enabling player-participatory performances that allow for player control, a diverse range of performance operations can be enjoyed, preventing players from becoming bored. Additionally, the player-participatory performances can be enjoyed, thus preventing a decline in players' interest in the game.

Furthermore, since the contact detection body 352, whose capacitance is detected by the contact detection sensor body 358, is made of perforated metal consisting of a metal plate with multiple holes, the capacitance of the contact detection body 352 can be reduced when the player is not approaching or touching the button body 351 due to the multiple holes, thereby preventing false detections by the contact detection sensor body 358. Therefore, by appropriately selecting the number, size, and arrangement of the multiple holes, it is possible to increase the area of the contact detection body 352 while suppressing the increase in capacitance, thereby widening the range in which the contact detection body 352 detects the player's approach or contact with the button body 351 (performance operation unit 350). This allows the contact detection element 352 to be enlarged, thereby widening the detection range. Therefore, as in the above embodiment, when the button body 351 (performance operation unit 350) that the player can press is enlarged, and the contact detection element 352 is made to be the same size as the upper surface 351a of the button body 351, when a player is required to approach or touch the performance operation unit 350 (button body 351) due to the execution of a player-participation performance, the contact detection element 352, which is covered by the button body 351, is as large as the upper surface 351a of the button body 351. This shortens the distance the player's fingers or other body must move to approach or touch the performance operation unit 350, allowing for quicker operation of the performance operation unit 350. This makes it less likely for the player to miss the timing of operations in a player-participation performance, ensures reliable participation in the performance, and allows the player to enjoy the performance and prevent a decline in interest.

Furthermore, because the contact detection element 352 is made of perforated metal, the light emission from the LED 364a of the button's decorative circuit board 364, which is located on the opposite side of the contact detection element 352 from the player, can be output to the player through the multiple holes formed in the contact detection element 352. This ensures that the player can enjoy the light emission and prevents a decline in their enjoyment.

Furthermore, since the pressable performance control unit 350 (button body 351) is equipped with a contact detection element 352, the contact detection element 352, made of perforated metal, which has a certain degree of strength and rigidity, can reinforce the performance control unit 350. Therefore, even if the player strongly presses or strikes the performance control unit 350 (button body 351) during the press operation, the performance control unit 350 is less likely to deform or break. Consequently, because the contact detection element 352 makes the performance control unit 350 less susceptible to damage, players can press the performance control unit 350 without hesitation, allowing them to enjoy the player-participatory performances involving the operation of the performance control unit 350 more fully and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, since the contact detection element 352 is made of perforated metal, compared to the case where the contact detection element 352 is made of expanded metal processed from a metal plate of the same thickness, the thickness of the contact detection element 352 can be reduced. This makes it easier to secure space for the contact detection element 352, facilitating its installation, and increasing design flexibility, thus making it easier to design a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, because the contact detection element 352 is made of perforated metal, its thickness is constant compared to expanded metal. This allows for easy processing of the contact detection element 352 into a desired three-dimensional shape through press working. This makes it easier to create a shape optimized for detecting the player's approach or contact with the button body 351 (performance operation unit 350), thus reliably realizing the aforementioned effects and advantages.

Furthermore, in the performance control unit 350, the player-facing side of the contact detection element 352 is covered by the button body 351. This prevents the player from directly touching the contact detection element 352, which is made of perforated metal with multiple holes. This avoids causing discomfort to the player by preventing them from touching the perforated contact detection element 352. Additionally, in player-participation performances where the button body 351 is used as the control unit, the button body 351 can be operated without discomfort, allowing the player to enjoy the performance and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, since the player-facing side of the contact detection element 352, which is made of perforated metal, is covered by the button body 351, dust, food, and other contaminants do not adhere to the multiple holes formed in the contact detection element 352. This makes cleaning easier, and as a pachinko machine 1 that is easy to clean, it reduces the burden on the amusement hall that installs this pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the external decorative circuit board 355, vibration motor 356, performance control unit lifting mechanism 360, internal decorative circuit board 364, and protruding output adjustment mechanism 380 are provided on the side of the contact detection body 352 opposite to the player's side. This allows predetermined performances to be output to the player through the contact detection body 352 and the button body 351. When the contact detection sensor body 358 detects the player's approach to or contact with the button body 351 (performance control unit 350), the predetermined performance is output through the multiple holes formed in the contact detection body 352 and the transparent button body 351. This strongly attracts the player's attention to the performance control unit 350, ensuring they enjoy the performance output through the unit and preventing a decline in their interest.

Furthermore, since the performance means such as the button exterior decoration board 355, vibration motor 356, performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360, button interior decoration board 364, and sudden output adjustment mechanism 380 are provided on the side of the contact detection body 352 opposite to the player's side, the performance means are covered by the contact detection body 352. This allows the contact detection body 352 (performance operation unit 350) and the performance means to be compactly integrated. Therefore, the performance operation unit 350 and performance means, which exhibit the above-mentioned effects, can be easily installed in desired locations on the pachinko machine 1, making it easier to provide a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can be differentiated from other pachinko machines.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when a player approaches or touches the performance control unit 350 (button body 351), which is provided to move up and down in the plate unit 200 of the door frame 3, the capacitance of the contact detection body 352 of the performance control unit 350 changes. Therefore, by detecting the capacitance of the contact detection body 352 with the contact detection sensor body 358, the approach or contact of the player to the performance control unit 350 can be detected. When the contact detection sensor body 358 detects the approach or contact of the player to the performance control unit 350, the performance control unit 350 protrudes upward due to the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 of the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360. Therefore, if the performance control unit 350 protrudes while the player is not in contact with it, it will come into contact with (collide with) the player. If the performance control unit 350 protrudes while the player is in contact with it, it can present the player with a performance effect that uses a physical force to push the player. Therefore, the unique effects not seen in previous pachinko machines can create a strong impact on players, drawing their attention to the effects control unit 350 and ensuring that players notice the protrusion of the effects control unit 350.

When extending the performance control unit 350, moving the lower spring retaining member 385 of the extension force adjustment mechanism 380 toward the upper end of the spring 365 (upward) increases the compression of the spring 365, thereby increasing the biasing force. Moving it toward the direction away from the upper end of the spring 365 (downward) weakens the compression of the spring 365, thereby decreasing the biasing force. By moving the lower spring retaining member 385 to an appropriate position, the biasing force of the performance control unit 350 by the spring 365 can be changed. In this way, the performance control unit 350 can be extended with various extension forces, increasing the variety of performances caused by physical force, making it less likely for players to get bored, and allowing them to enjoy the performance caused by the extension of the performance control unit 350, thus preventing a decline in players' interest in the game.

Furthermore, since the force output of the performance control unit 350 is changed according to the game state, when a player approaches or touches the performance control unit 350 with their fingers or other body parts, the strong force with which the unit 350 makes contact creates a strong impact on the player. This can strongly suggest that something good is about to happen (for example, the occurrence of a favorable game state), thereby increasing the player's anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, since the performance control unit 350 is equipped with a pressable operation unit 303, when a player-participation performance is executed, the player can be made to press the performance control unit 350, thereby allowing the player to participate in the performance and preventing a decline in enjoyment by providing an enjoyable experience of pressing the performance control unit 350.

Furthermore, since the performance control unit 350 is designed to be pressable, for players who have their fingers or other body parts resting on the performance control unit 350 (the upper surface of the button body 351) so that they can press it at any time, when a player-participation performance requiring the press of the performance control unit 350 is executed, the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360 extends the performance control unit 350. This allows players to quickly recognize the start of the player-participation performance without needing to be notified by performance images or sounds, thereby increasing their motivation to press the performance control unit 350 and making the player-participation performance even more enjoyable.

Furthermore, since the performance control unit 350 is extended by the biasing force of the lifting spring 365 in the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360, compared to the case where the performance control unit 350 is extended using a drive motor, the performance control unit 350 can be extended more easily and forcefully, making it easier to achieve the effects described above.

Furthermore, by detecting the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 using the contact detection sensor body 358, the system detects the player's approach to or contact with the performance control unit 350. Since the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 varies depending on the distance between the performance control unit 350 and the player, multiple capacitance thresholds can be set, allowing the performance control unit 350 to protrude with different protrusion forces for each threshold. Therefore, the contact detection sensor body 358 can detect the distance from the player's fingers or other body parts approaching the performance control unit 350 to contact in multiple stages. By protruding with protrusion forces appropriate to each stage, a wider variety of performances can be presented to the player, preventing boredom and maintaining a sense of enjoyment.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, when a player approaches or touches the performance operation unit 350, which is provided so that the player can move forward and backward when the plate unit 200 of the door frame 3 is popped up by the execution of a player-participation performance, the capacitance of the contact detection body 352 provided on the back side of the button body 351 of the performance operation unit 350 that the player touches changes. On the other hand, the contact detection sensor body 358, which is provided separately from the contact detection body 352 in the performance operation unit 350, detects the capacitance of the contact detection body 352. Therefore, it can capture the change in capacitance of the contact detection body 352 due to the player's approach or contact, and thus it can detect the player's approach or contact to the button body 351 of the performance operation unit 350, and the contact detection sensor body 358 can detect the player by capacitance. Then, based on the detection by the contact detection sensor body 358 or the player's movement (pressing) of the performance control unit 350, predetermined performances are executed by the performance means, including the performance control unit's outer decorative substrate 320, button outer decorative substrate 355, performance control unit lifting mechanism 360, button inner decorative substrate 364, protruding output adjustment mechanism 380, and performance display device 1600. In other words, since predetermined performances are executed by the player moving the performance control unit 350 forward or backward, or approaching or touching the performance control unit 350, these performances can entertain the player and prevent a decline in the player's interest in the game.

In this case, when the player approaches or touches the performance control unit 350, the performance is executed, allowing the performance control unit 350 (button body 351) to function like a performance control unit (non-contact operation unit, contact operation unit). Conversely, when the player moves the performance control unit 350 forward or backward (presses it), the performance is executed, allowing the performance control unit 350 to function like a performance control unit (press operation unit). Because of this, players can perform a variety of performance operations. By implementing player-participatory performances that allow for player-operated performances, a variety of performance operations can be enjoyed, preventing players from becoming bored. Furthermore, players can enjoy player-participatory performances, which helps to prevent a decline in their interest in the game.

Furthermore, the player is detected by the capacitance of a contact detection element 352 located near the part of the button body 351 that the player touches (below the upper surface 351a) in the performance control unit 350. Since the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 varies depending on the distance between the contact detection element 352 (button body 351) and the player, it is possible to set multiple capacitance thresholds for executing predetermined performances, and execute different performances for each threshold. Therefore, it is possible to detect the distance from the player's fingers or other body to contact with the performance control unit 350 in multiple stages. By presenting performances according to each stage, a wider variety of performances can be offered to the player, making it less likely for the player to get bored and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, since a predetermined performance is executed upon detection of the player by the contact detection element 352 and the contact detection sensor main unit 358, this performance can provide a sense of control to the performance operations (non-contact operations and contact operations) using the contact detection element 352 and the contact detection sensor main unit 358, thereby making the performance operation more enjoyable for the player.

Furthermore, because the system includes a performance control unit 350 that the player can move forward and backward (press), and a contact detection body 352 and a contact detection sensor body 358 that can detect the player's approach or contact with the performance control unit 350, it becomes possible to request a variety of operations from the player during player-participation performances, such as moving the performance control unit 350 forward and backward (pressing operation) or approaching or touching the performance control unit 350 with fingers, etc. (non-contact operation, contact operation). These diverse operations can increase the player's desire to participate in the player-participation performance, making it easier for them to participate. When the player participates in the player-participation performance, the variety of operations using the performance control unit 350, the contact detection body 352, and the contact detection sensor body 358 can keep the player from getting bored, allow them to enjoy the player-participation performance, and prevent a decline in the player's interest.

Furthermore, by locking the guide pin 354c of the button base 354 of the performance control unit 350 to the locking portion 371c of the lifting cam member 371 in the performance control unit lifting mechanism 360, the performance control unit 350 can be locked to prevent it from moving forward or backward. Therefore, until an effect that causes the performance control unit 350 to move forward or backward is executed, the guide pin 354c and the lifting cam member 371 keep the performance control unit 350 immobile, preventing it from moving or shaking unintentionally. Consequently, it is possible to avoid causing distrust or anxiety in the player due to the performance control unit 350 moving or shaking unintentionally, and to allow the player to enjoy the performances provided by the performance control unit 350 more fully.

Furthermore, since the contact detection sensor body 358 in the performance control unit 350 is positioned away from the contact detection element 352, the contact detection sensor body 358, which contains electronic components such as the sensor IC and output circuit, can be placed in a location that is difficult for the player to see, thereby improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the contact detection element 352 for detecting capacitance and the contact detection sensor body 358, which has a sensor IC and output circuit for detecting the capacitance of the contact detection element 352, are separate components, the shape and material of the contact detection element 352 can be appropriately selected independently of the contact detection sensor body 358. Therefore, the contact detection element 352 can be optimally matched to the shape, form, and specifications of the button body 351 of the performance operation unit 350, thereby reliably realizing the pachinko machine 1 that achieves the effects described above.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the door frame 3's performance operation unit 300, when a player approaches or touches the button body 351 or surface member 396 covering the button exterior decorative substrate 355, the button interior decorative substrate 364, or the decorative body 398, the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 or contact detection element 397 provided between the button body 351 or surface member 396 and the button exterior decorative substrate 355, the button interior decorative substrate 364, or the decorative body 398 changes. In response to this change, a predetermined performance is executed in which light is emitted towards the player by the button exterior decorative substrate 355, the button interior decorative substrate 364, or the decorative body 398. As a result, the player's attention can be strongly attracted to the button exterior decorative substrate 355, the button interior decorative substrate 364, or the decorative body 398 by the light emitted towards the player, and the player can be entertained by the performed performance. In this case, the contact detection element 352 or 397, which is provided between the button body 351 or surface member 396 and the button's outer decorative substrate 355 or the button's inner decorative substrate 364 or decorative element 398, is formed to follow the decorative portion provided on the button body 351 or surface member 396. Therefore, the player can be made to perceive the contact detection element 352 or 397 as part of the decorative portion, making it impossible for the player to recognize that the contact detection element 352 or 397 is for detecting the player.

In this way, since the contact detection element 352 or 397 is made undetectable by the player, even if the contact detection element 352 or 397 obstructs part of the button's outer decorative board 355, the button's inner decorative board 364, or the decorative element 398 (effect), the player will not be bothered by the contact detection element 352 or 397. Furthermore, even if the contact detection element 352 or 397 is positioned in front of the button's outer decorative board 355, the button's inner decorative board 364, or the decorative element 398, its presence will not cause the player any discomfort. Therefore, the effects of the button's outer decorative board 355, the button's inner decorative board 364, or the decorative element 398 can be displayed to the player in a good state, allowing the player to enjoy the game and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, by detecting the approach or contact of the player's fingers, etc., to the button body 351 or surface member 396 using the contact detection element 352 or contact detection element 397, a light effect is performed on the button exterior decorative substrate 355, the button interior decorative substrate 364, or the decorative element 398, which are covered by the button body 351 or surface member 396, so that light is projected toward the player. This allows the button body 351 or surface member 396 to function like a performance operation unit 301 (contact operation unit 302), and also provides the player with a sense of operation through light. Therefore, for example, when a player-participation feature is executed, the player's fingers or other body parts are brought close to or into contact with the button body 351 or surface member 396. The contact detection element 352 or 397 detects the approach or contact of the fingers or other body parts, triggering the execution of the feature by the button's outer decorative board 355, the button's inner decorative board 364, or the decorative element 398. This allows the player to participate in the player-participation feature and enjoy it.

Furthermore, since the contact detection element 352 or 397 detects the player's approach to or contact with the button body 351 or surface member 396, the effects of the button's outer decorative board 355, the button's inner decorative board 364, or the decorative element 398 can be varied depending on the distance between the button body 351 or surface member 396 and the player's fingers, etc. Therefore, the effects of the button's outer decorative board 355, the button's inner decorative board 364, or the decorative element 398 can be changed according to the movement (position) of the player's fingers, etc., allowing for a wider variety of effects to be shown to the player. This variety of effects can also help to keep the player from getting bored and prevent a decline in the player's interest.

Furthermore, the system is designed to detect changes in the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 or 397. When a player approaches or touches the button body 351 or surface member 396, the capacitance of the contact detection element 352 or 397, located between the button body 351 or surface member 396 and the button's outer decorative substrate 355 or the button's inner decorative substrate 364 or decorative element 398, changes. This allows for easy detection of the player's approach or contact with the button body 351 or surface member 396, thus reliably realizing the pachinko machine 1 that achieves the aforementioned effects.

Furthermore, since the contact detection element 352 or 397 is used to detect changes in capacitance, the contact detection element 352 or 397 can be made of a conductive material. For example, if the contact detection element 397 is made of a metal vapor-deposited film, it can be made transparent by making the vapor-deposited film thin, or it can be made to have a metallic luster by making the vapor-deposited film thicker, making it appear as part of the decoration. Alternatively, if the contact detection elements 352 and 395 are made of perforated metal with an aesthetically pleasing shape such as a star or heart, the contact detection elements 352 and 395 can be made to appear as part of the decoration. Therefore, the contact detection elements 352, 395, and 397 can be made unrecognizable by the player, and the above-mentioned effects can be reliably achieved.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in the performance operation unit 300 of the door frame 3, the capacitance changes when a player's fingers or the like approach or touch the transparent button body 351 covering the upper side (surface side). As a result of this change, the contact detection body 395 (including contact detection body 352, left contact detection body 390L, right contact detection body 390R, contact detection body 393, and contact detection body 397, etc.) that causes the performance presentation means such as the button outer decoration substrate 355, vibration motor 356, performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360, button inner decoration substrate 364, sudden output adjustment mechanism 380, and performance display device 1600 to present a predetermined performance is formed into a predetermined outer peripheral shape that has design appeal. Therefore, the pachinko machine 1 can be decorated by the contact detection body 395 itself, making it look good and providing a pachinko machine 1 that is highly appealing to players. Furthermore, the surface of the contact detection element 395, etc., is covered with a transparent button body 351, and in response to the change in capacitance of the contact detection element 395, etc., caused by the approach of the player's fingers, etc., to the contact detection element 395, etc., the performance presentation means presents a predetermined performance via the button body 351 and the contact detection element 395, etc. Therefore, in response to the approach or contact of the player's fingers, etc., to the button body 351, a predetermined performance is presented, and the button body 351 can function as a performance operation unit 301. Moreover, since the contact detection element 395, etc., visible through the button body 351 has a design aesthetic, the performance operation unit 301 appears to have a design aesthetic, and the pachinko machine 1, equipped with a performance operation unit 301 that has not been seen in conventional pachinko machines, can make a strong impact on the player and can be made into a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can be differentiated from other pachinko machines. Furthermore, as described above, the aesthetically pleasing contact detection element 395, etc., can make a strong impact on the player, thereby generating strong interest in the contact detection element 395, etc. (button body 351), increasing anticipation for operating the button body 351 (performance operation unit 301), and allowing the player to enjoy operating the button body 351 when a player-participation performance involving the button body 351 is executed, thus preventing a decline in the player's interest.

Furthermore, since the contact detection element 395, which detects the approach or contact of the player's fingers, etc., with the button body 351, is formed in an aesthetically pleasing outer shape, it is possible to make it difficult for some players to notice the presence of the performance operation unit 301 (button body 351) that is used to present performances by the performance presentation means at first glance. Therefore, when a player-participation performance that involves operating the performance operation unit 301 is performed, prompting the player to approach or touch the button body 351 allows the player to realize for the first time that the button body 351 is the performance operation unit 301 controlled by the contact detection element 395, etc., adding an element of surprise to the player and making the player-participation performance more enjoyable. Alternatively, when a player-participation type of performance is executed using the performance control unit 301, if the player approaches or touches the button body 351 with their fingers or other body without realizing it is the performance control unit 301, the capacitance of the contact detection element 395, etc., changes, and a performance is presented by the performance presentation means. This can surprise the player, and the presented performance can entertain the player and prevent a decline in their enjoyment.

Furthermore, since the presentation means displays effects in response to changes in the capacitance of the contact detection element 395, etc., it is possible to easily detect the approach and contact of the player's fingers, etc., with the button body 351 covering the contact detection element 395, etc., making it easier to realize a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the above-mentioned effects. Also, because the presentation means displays effects in response to changes in the capacitance of the contact detection element 395, etc., it is possible to detect the distance from the approach to the contact of the player's fingers, etc., with the button body 351 covering the contact detection element 395, etc., in multiple stages. By displaying effects according to each stage, a wider variety of effects can be presented to the player, making it less likely for the player to get bored and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, because the outer circumference of the contact detection element 395 is formed into a predetermined shape, even if inorganic materials such as perforated metal, expanded metal, or wire mesh are used as the conductive contact detection element 395, it is possible to give the contact detection element 395 aesthetic appeal, prevent deterioration of the appearance due to the contact detection element 395, and make the contact detection element 395 stand out, thereby making it easier to realize a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, since the outer shape of the contact detection element 395, etc., is formed into a predetermined shape, it is possible to construct an aesthetically pleasing device without having to form the contact detection element 395, etc., into a three-dimensional shape. Therefore, the contact detection element 395, etc., can be made into a planar shape or a simple three-dimensional shape, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost of the contact detection element 395, etc.

Furthermore, since the surface of the contact detection element 395, etc., is covered with a transparent button body 351, dust, food, and other contaminants do not adhere to the contact detection element 395, etc., making cleaning much easier. More specifically, because the contact detection element 395, etc., uses a material with irregularities such as perforated metal, dust, food, and other contaminants easily adhere to these irregularities, making cleaning time-consuming. However, because the surface of the contact detection element 395, etc., is covered with the button body 351, even if a material with irregularities like perforated metal is used for the contact detection element 395, etc., the button body 351 prevents the adhesion of contaminants, making cleaning easier and reducing the burden on the amusement hall where this pachinko machine 1 is installed.

Furthermore, since the surface of the contact detection element 395 is covered with a transparent button body 351, preventing the player from touching the contact detection element 395, if a material that enhances the design, such as a metal vapor-deposited film or foil stamping, is used for the contact detection element 395, premature wear due to player contact can be prevented, thereby increasing the durability of the contact detection element 395.

Furthermore, the surface of the contact detection element 395 is covered with a transparent button body 351. As described above, since the transparent button body 351 prevents the player from directly touching the contact detection element 395, it becomes possible to use materials that are rough to the touch or that would cause discomfort to the player as the contact detection element 395. This increases the freedom of materials used for the contact detection element 395, allowing it to be formed using materials that meet specific needs.

Furthermore, by bringing the player's fingers or other body parts close to or touching the button body 351, which covers the contact detection element 395, etc., the capacitance of the contact detection element 395, etc., is changed. This causes a predetermined visual effect to be presented to the player via the button body 351 and the contact detection element 395, etc. Therefore, the visual effect presented via the button body 351 and the contact detection element 395, etc., allows the player to intuitively recognize that their fingers or other body parts have come close to or touched the button body 351, thus allowing the player to enjoy the action of their fingers or other body parts.

Furthermore, the system presents visual effects to the player via the button body 351 and the contact detection element 395. When the player's fingers or other body parts approach or touch the button body 351, which covers the contact detection element 395, the visual effects presented to the player via the button body 351 and the contact detection element 395 are executed. This allows the button body 351 to function like a contact operation unit, while the presented visual effects provide a sense of operation, enabling the player to enjoy operation using the button body 351 (player-participatory visual effects).

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, in order to operate the button body 351 of the performance operation unit 350 which is capable of multiple operations, the player approaches or touches the button body 351 with their fingers or the like, and when the contact detection body 352 (contact detection sensor body 358) detects that the fingers or the like have entered the detection area of the button body 351, the following effects are performed: a lighting effect in which light is shone on the player through the button body 351 by the illumination of multiple LEDs 355a on the button exterior decoration board 355 and multiple LEDs 364a on the button interior decoration board 364; a vibration effect in which the player's fingers or the like that are in contact with the button body 351 are vibrated by the vibration motor 356; and an effect in which the button body 351 is extended upward by the performance operation unit lifting mechanism 360, thereby applying impact, pushing up, wind pressure, etc., to the player through the button body 351. As a result, the button body 351 can function as a contact operation unit 302, and the player can be entertained. Furthermore, during this process, the player receives various effects such as light, vibration, impact, upward pressure, and air pressure through the button body 351. These effects can surprise and entertain the player, increasing their motivation to operate the button body 351. When the player's fingers touch the button body 351 and move them appropriately to press it downwards, the button body 351 functions as a press operation unit 303. Therefore, the contact operation detected by the contact detection element 352, along with the press operation of the button body 351, allows the player to enjoy a variety of effects, preventing boredom and maintaining a high level of interest.

Furthermore, since the detection means for detecting the approach or contact of a player's fingers, etc., is composed of a contact detection body 352 and a contact detection sensor body 358, and the contact detection body 352 is positioned near the back surface of the upper surface portion 351a of the button body 351, even if the contact detection sensor body 358, which contains the detection circuit, is positioned on the flange portion 353b of the button sleeve 353, away from the upper surface portion 351a of the button body 351, the contact detection body 352 can still detect the approach or contact of a player's fingers, etc., on the upper surface portion 351a of the button body 351, thus achieving the same effects as described above.

Furthermore, since the detection means for detecting the approach or contact of the player's fingers, etc., is composed of a contact detection body 352 and a contact detection sensor body 358, the contact detection sensor body 358, which has the detection circuit, can be placed on the flange portion 353b of the button sleeve 353, away from the upper surface portion 351a (contact detection body 352) of the button body 351. This allows the contact detection sensor body 358 to be placed in a less conspicuous location, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the button's outer decorative circuit board 355, the button's inner decorative circuit board 364, and the effect control unit lifting mechanism 360 are provided on the back (bottom) side of the button body 351, it is easier to apply effects such as light, vibration, impact, upward movement, and air pressure to the player through the button body 351, thereby achieving the same effects as described above.

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

The main frame 4 holds the game board 5, which has a game area 5a where the game is played by inserting game balls B. It also dispenses the game balls B to the player and discharges the used game balls B to the rear of the pachinko machine 1 (towards the island equipment side of the gaming hall). As shown in the figure, the main frame 4 is formed in a box shape with an open front, and the game board 5 is detachably housed inside from the front. The main frame 4 is attached to the outer frame 2, which is mounted on the island equipment of the gaming hall, at the top and bottom of the front left side, and a door frame 3 is attached to it, which can be opened and closed, to close the open front side.

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

Furthermore, the main frame 4 includes a main frame reinforcing frame 530 attached to the left side of the main frame base unit 500 in a front view, a ball launching device 540 attached to the lower front of the main frame base unit 500 for launching game balls B into the game area 5a of the game board 5, an inverted L-shaped payout base unit 550 attached along the upper and left edges in a front view on the rear side of the main frame base unit 500, a payout unit 560 attached to the rear of the payout base unit 550 for dispensing game balls B to the player, a circuit board unit 620 attached to the lower rear side of the main frame base unit 500, a back cover 640 attached to the rear of the main frame base unit 500 so as to be openable and closable and covering the rear side of the game board 5 attached to the main frame base 501, and a locking unit 650 attached to the right side of the main frame base unit 500 in a front view for locking the space between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4, and between the door frame 3 and the main frame 4.

The main frame base unit 500 comprises a main frame base 501, which is formed in a rectangular frame shape with an elongated vertical shape when viewed from the front; a connection cable guide member 502 for guiding the connection cable 503 for connecting to the door frame 3; and a game board lock member 505 for detachably holding the game board 5.

The dispensing base unit 550 comprises a dispensing base 551 attached to the rear side of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500; a box-shaped ball tank 552 attached to the dispensing base 551, extending to the left and right and open upwards; a tank rail 553 attached to the left side of the ball tank 552, extending to the left in a groove shape and open upwards; a first rail cover 554 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553; a second rail cover 555 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553, spaced to the left of the first rail cover 554 in a front view; a ball flow straightening member 556 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553 at a position between the first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555; and a ball stopper member 557 attached to the downstream end of the tank rail 553.

The dispensing unit 560 includes a ball guidance unit 570 that guides the game balls B from the tank rail 553 downward in a meandering manner, a dispensing device 580 that dispenses the game balls B guided by the ball guidance unit 570 one by one based on instructions from the dispensing control board 633, an upper full-tank ball path unit 600 that guides the game balls B that have passed through the dispensing device 580 downward, and a lower full-tank ball path unit 610 that guides the game balls B that have passed through the upper full-tank ball path unit 600 toward the door frame 3 side or the board unit 620 side.

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

The locking unit 650 comprises a unit base 651 attached to the main frame base 501, a plurality of door frame hooks 652 protruding forward from the unit base 651 and capable of engaging with the door frame 3, a plurality of outer frame hooks 653 protruding rearward from the unit base 651 and capable of engaging with the outer frame 2, a transmission cylinder 654 for moving the door frame hooks 652 or outer frame hooks 653 vertically, a lock spring 655 that biases the door frame hooks 652 downward and the outer frame hooks 653 upward, and an outer frame unlocking lever 656 for moving the outer frame hooks 653 downward.

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

The main frame base unit 500 comprises a main frame base 501, which is formed in a rectangular frame shape extending vertically when viewed from the front; a connection cable guide member 502 attached to the lower left corner of the front surface of the main frame base 501 for guiding the connection cable 503; and a game board lock member 505, which is rotatably attached to the lower front surface of the main frame base 501 around an axis extending front to back, for detachably holding the game board 5.

The main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500 comprises: a base body 501a formed in a rectangular shape extending vertically when viewed from the front; a game board insertion opening 501b extending from slightly below the upper end of the base body 501a, penetrating from front to back for approximately 3/4 of the total height, into which the game board 5 is inserted from the front; a game board mounting section 501c forming the lower edge of the game board insertion opening 501b, on which the game board 5 is placed; and a game board restricting section 501d protruding upward from the left-right center of the game board mounting section 501c, restricting the left-right and rearward movement of the lower end of the game board 5.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 includes a launching device mounting section 501e which is recessed to the rear on the lower right side of the front view of the game board mounting section 501c on the front of the base body 501a and is used to mount the ball launching device 540, a cylinder insertion opening 501f which penetrates from front to back on the right side of the launching device mounting section 501e in a front view and through which the transmission cylinder 654 of the locking unit 650 is inserted, a circular speaker opening 501g which penetrates from front to back on the lower left side of the front view of the game board mounting section 501c and allows the main frame speaker 622 of the speaker unit 620a in the circuit board unit 620 to face forward, and the main frame base 501 is recessed to the rear below the speaker opening 501g and extends to the left and right and is used to mount the connecting cable guide member 502, and a cable insertion opening 501i which penetrates from front to back at the upper right end of the cable mounting recess 501h in a front view.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 extends in a plate-like shape to the rear from the right side of the game board insertion opening 501b in the base body 501a when viewed from the front. A locking unit 650 is attached to its right side, and a rear cover 640 is rotatably attached to its rear end. It also includes an upper hinge mounting portion 501k and a lower hinge mounting portion 501l formed near both the upper and lower ends of the left edge of the rear surface of the base body 501a when viewed from the front, for attaching the upper hinge member 510 and the lower hinge assembly 520 of the main frame.

Furthermore, the main frame base 501 has a door frame release switch mounted below the cylinder insertion opening 501f on the front surface of the base body 501a through which the transmission cylinder 654 of the locking unit 650 is inserted, for detecting the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4. The door frame release switch is released when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, allowing detection of the opening of the door frame 3. The detection signal from the door frame release switch is input to the main control board 1310 via the dispensing control board 633. In addition, the main frame base 501 has a main frame release switch mounted on the rear surface of the base body 501a below the position where the door frame release switch is mounted, for detecting the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2. The main frame release switch is released when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2, allowing detection of the opening of the main frame 4. The detection signal from the main frame release switch is input to the main control board 1310 via the payout control board 633.

A game board locking member 505 is rotatably mounted on the main frame base 501, below the game board mounting section 501c on the front and to the right of the speaker opening 501g. The game board locking member 505 restricts the forward movement of the game board 5 inserted into the game board insertion opening 501b, thereby allowing the game board 5 to be attached and detached from the opening.

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

The connecting cable guide member 502 of the main frame base unit 500 comprises a flat guide body 502a extending to the left and right, a pair of strip-shaped frame pieces 502b protruding forward from both the upper and lower sides of the guide body 502a and extending to the right of the right end of the guide body 502a, a cylindrical mounting shaft 502c connecting the right ends of the pair of frame pieces 502b, and a plurality of through holes 502d that penetrate the upper and lower ends of the guide body 502a in the front-to-back direction and are arranged in a row in the left-to-right direction.

The connecting cable guide member 502 has a length in the left-right direction that is slightly shorter than the left-right length of the cable mounting recess 501h of the main frame base 501, and is formed to a size that can be accommodated within the cable mounting recess 501h. The connecting cable guide member 502 is rotatably mounted around a vertically extending axis near the right end within the cable mounting recess 501h, with its mounting shaft 502c. This allows the connecting cable guide member 502 to rotate (hinge rotation) so that its left end protrudes forward.

This connecting cable guide member 502 is for guiding the connecting cable 503. The connecting cable 503 consists of multiple wiring cords; one end is connected to the interface board 635 of the board unit 620, and the other end is connected to the main relay board 104 and the sub-relay board 105 of the door frame 3.

Next, the effects of the connecting cable guide member 502 will be explained. As shown in Figure 83, the connecting cable guide member 502 is rotatably attached to the main frame base 501 at the end opposite to the side (left side) where the door frame 3 is hinge-rotatably mounted in the left-right direction, around an axis extending parallel to the hinge axis of the door frame 3.

The connecting cable 503, which connects the interface board 635 of the main frame 4 to the main door frame relay board 104 and the sub-relay board 105 of the door frame 3, is attached to the guide body 502a by fastening it together with the guide body 502a using a cable tie 504, which is inserted through a pair of through holes 502d (located in the same left-right direction) among the multiple through holes 502d formed on both the upper and lower ends of the guide body 502a, while the end connected to the interface board 635 is in contact with the front surface of the guide body 502a of the connecting cable guide member 502.

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

In this state, when the door frame 3 is hinged to open relative to the main frame 4, the left end of the connecting cable guide member 502 is pulled forward by the side of the connecting cable 503 attached to the door frame 3, causing the connecting cable guide member 502 to rotate around the mounting shaft 502c at its right end. In this embodiment, the relationship between the opening angle α of the door frame 3 and the opening angle β of the connecting cable guide member 502 is formed to satisfy α/2 ≥ β (preferably α/3 ≥ β) (see Figure 83(b)).

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

In this way, when the door frame 3 is opened, the left end of the connecting cable guide member 502 rotates so that it moves forward of the main frame base 501. This guides the connecting cable 503, preventing it from hanging down between the door frame 3 and the main frame 4.

When closing the open door frame 3, the portion of the connecting cable 503 attached to the door frame 3 moves relatively backward. This causes the left end of the connecting cable guide member 502 to be pressed backward by the connecting cable 503, resulting in the connecting cable guide member 502 rotating around the mounting axis 502c so that its left end moves backward. At this time, because the connecting cable guide member 502 is open at an opening angle β of less than 45 degrees, it does not obstruct the closing movement of the door frame 3, allowing the door frame 3 to close smoothly. Furthermore, because the connecting cable 503 is guided by the connecting cable guide member 502, the connecting cable 503 is not caught between the door frame 3 and the main frame 4 when closing the door frame 3, preventing any malfunction of the connecting cable 503.

Furthermore, when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the connecting cable 503 guided by the connecting cable guide member 502 is folded back 180 degrees. This creates a crease in the folded portion of the connecting cable 503. Therefore, when the door frame 3 is opened, the 180-degree folded portion of the connecting cable 503 opens, and the crease acts as a closing force on the connecting cable 503. This prevents the connecting cable 503 (and the connecting cable guide member 502) from moving in the opening direction when the door frame 3 is closed, and instead guides the connecting cable 503 (and the connecting cable guide member 502) in the closing direction, allowing the door frame 3 to close smoothly.

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

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the angle at which the tangent line intersects the front surface of the main frame 4 with the circle that passes through the rotation center of the connecting cable guide member 502 and the central axis (axis) of the upper hinge pin 122 and lower hinge pin 126 of the door frame, and the portion (pressing portion) that protrudes rearward on the side of the central axis (axis) of the upper hinge pin 122 and lower hinge pin 126 of the speaker duct 103 compared to the cable holder 103a, is 45 degrees or less. As a result, when closing the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4, the pressing portion comes into contact with the connecting cable 503, pressing the tip of the connecting cable guide member 502, which is open via the connecting cable 503, in the closing direction. Therefore, as the door frame 3 moves in the closing direction, the connecting cable guide member 502 can be smoothly closed, and the door frame 3 can be reliably closed. Furthermore, since the maximum opening angle β of the connecting cable guide member 502, which rotates (opens and closes) in conjunction with the opening and closing of the door frame 3, can be set to 45 degrees or less, the connecting cable guide member 502 can be reliably rotated in the closing direction when closing the door frame 3, thereby achieving the same effects as described above.

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

The main frame upper hinge member 510 comprises an upper hinge body 511, which is a horizontally extending flat plate with its rear portion bent downwards in an L-shape, and a main frame upper hinge pin 512, which protrudes upwards in a cylindrical shape from the front end of the upper hinge body 511 and is pivotally supported by the outer frame upper hinge assembly 50. The upper hinge body 511 has a door frame upper hinge hole 511a that penetrates vertically on the left side of the main frame upper hinge pin 512 in a front view of the horizontally extending portion, for pivotally supporting the door frame upper hinge assembly 120.

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

This upper hinge member 510 of the main frame works in cooperation with the lower hinge assembly 520 of the main frame to enable hinge-rotatable mounting of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, and also enables hinge-rotatable mounting of the door frame 3 to the main frame 4.

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

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

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

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

The lower hinge assembly 520 of the main frame is attached to the lower hinge mounting portion 501l of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500, at the vertically extending portions of the first lower hinge body 521 and the second lower hinge body 522. The lower hinge assembly 520, in cooperation with the upper hinge member 510 of the main frame, allows the main frame 4 to be hinge-rotatably mounted to the outer frame 2, and also allows the door frame 3 to be hinge-rotatably mounted to the main frame 4.

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

The main frame reinforcement frame 530 has two left position restricting members 531 attached to the rear of the portion extending to the right from the front end. These members restrict the forward and vertical movement of the game board 5 inserted into the game board insertion opening 501b of the main frame base 501.

The main frame reinforcement frame 530 has a U-shape on its front side, which is open on the right side in a plan view, and a groove 530a that is open to the right and extends vertically. When the door frame 3 is closed to the main frame 4, the rear left end of the left reinforcement frame 111 of the door frame reinforcement unit 110 in the door frame 3 is inserted into this groove 530a. When the left reinforcement frame 111 is inserted into the groove 530a, the gap between the main frame reinforcement frame 530 and the left reinforcement frame 111 becomes meandering in a plan view, preventing unauthorized tools from being inserted into the pachinko machine 1 from the left side. The main frame reinforcement frame 530 reinforces the left side (hinge side) of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500, and also prevents unauthorized tools from being inserted into the main frame 4 (game board 5) from the left side, passing between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4.

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

The ball launching device 540 comprises a flat launching base 541 attached to the launching device mounting portion 501e of the main frame base unit 500, a launching solenoid 542 consisting of a rotary solenoid attached to the rear surface of the right side of the launching base 541 in a front view, with its pivot axis extending forward through the launching base 541, a ball striking hammer 543 whose base end is attached to the pivot axis of the launching solenoid 542, and a launching rail 544 attached to the front surface of the launching base 541 so as to extend diagonally upward to the left from near the tip of the ball striking hammer 543, on which the game ball B can roll.

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

Furthermore, if, due to factors such as the force with which the game ball B is struck, the struck game ball B does not reach the game area 5a, it will fall from between the launch rail 544 and the game board 5 (outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002) into the foul ball receiving opening 150c of the foul cover unit 150 below, pass through the foul cover unit 150, and be discharged into the lower tray 202.

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

The dispensing base unit 550 includes a dispensing base 551 which is attached to the rear side of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500. The dispensing base 551 has a top plate portion 551a which extends left and right with a width that is approximately constant in the front-to-back direction, a left side plate portion 551b which extends long downward from the left side of the top plate portion 551a in a front view with a width that is approximately the same as the top plate portion in the front-to-back direction, a right side plate portion 551c which extends short downward from the right side of the top plate portion 551a in a front view with a width that is approximately the same as the top plate portion 551a in the front-to-back direction, and a back plate upper portion 551d which extends downward from the rear side of the top plate portion 551a to the same position as the bottom side of the right side plate portion 551c, and the left side plate portion The dispensing base 551 comprises: a left back plate portion 551e extending to the right with a roughly constant width from a position slightly forward of the rear edge of 551b to near the bottom edge; an inner plate portion 551f extending from the right edge of the left back plate portion 551e to the rear to the same position as the rear edge of the left side plate portion 551b; a bottom plate portion 551g extending from the front of the lower edge of the left side plate portion 551b to the right to approximately the same position as the right edge of the left back plate portion 551e; and a connecting plate portion 551h connecting the right edge of the bottom plate portion 551g to the lower edge of the inner plate portion 551f. The dispensing base 551 is formed in an inverted L-shape in a front view, and is a box-shaped structure open to the front and inward of the L-shape.

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

Furthermore, the dispensing base 551 has a shallow recessed area that is open to the rear and extends vertically, formed by the left side plate portion 551b, the left side of the back plate portion 551e, and the inner plate portion 551f. The dispensing unit 560 is attached to this area. The dispensing base 551 also has a back cover mounting portion 551i that protrudes to the right from the upper right side of the inner plate portion 551f in a front view, to which the back cover 640 is attached.

The dispensing base unit 550 includes a box-shaped spherical tank 552 that extends to the left and right and is open upwards, mounted on the upper surface of the top plate portion 551a of the dispensing base 551; and a tank rail 553 that extends to the left in a groove-like shape and is open upwards, mounted on the left side of the spherical tank 552, above the portion of the dispensing base 551 that extends to the left and right.

Furthermore, the discharge base unit 550 includes a first rail cover 554 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553 midway along its left-right direction; a second rail cover 555 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553, spaced to the left of the first rail cover 554 in a front view, and extending to the left end of the tank rail 553; a spherical flow straightening member 556 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553 at a position between the first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555; and a spherical stopper member 557 attached near the left end in a front view at the lower end of the tank rail 553.

The spherical tank 552 is formed to have a length in the left-right direction that is approximately half the width of the top plate portion 551a of the discharge base 551 in the left-right direction, and a length in the front-back direction that is shorter than the depth of the top plate portion 551a in the front-back direction. The spherical tank 552 is mounted on the upper surface of the top plate portion 551a at a position slightly to the right in the left-right direction. The bottom surface of the spherical tank 552 is sloped so that the left end is lower. The left end of the spherical tank 552 is in communication with the tank rail 553.

The tank rail 553 is attached to the upper surface of the top plate portion 551a of the dispensing base 551, near the rear end to the left of the center in the left-right direction. In plan view, the tank rail 553 is formed with a shape where, from the right end communicating with the ball tank 552, it extends diagonally to the left and rear, with a depth in the front-to-back direction that is several times the outer diameter of the game ball B, then approximately one ball's worth, and then extends straight to the left with a depth in the front-to-back direction that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The bottom surface of the tank rail 553 is sloped so that the left end is lower, and the left end of the bottom surface opens downwards with a size slightly larger than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The opening at the left end of the bottom surface of the tank rail 553 communicates with the upper end opening of the guide passage 570a in the ball guide unit 570 of the dispensing unit 560.

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

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

The ball flow straightening member 556 is mounted at the upper end of the tank rail 553, between the first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555, with its end on the first rail cover 554 side rotatably mounted around an axis extending in the front-rear direction. The ball flow straightening member 556 includes a straightening piece 556a that protrudes into the tank rail 553 and extends in the left-right direction (see Figure 91). This straightening piece 556a slows down the flow of the upper game balls B, which are flowing in two stages, and straightens the flow so that they flow in a single stage downstream. This prevents ball jamming even when the height inside the tank rail 553 decreases.

The ball-stopping member 557 is mounted on the lower surface of the tank rail 553 near the left end when viewed from the front, and is slidable in the left-right direction. By sliding it to the left, the opening at the left end of the bottom surface of the tank rail 553 can be closed, preventing game balls B from flowing from the tank rail 553 to the downstream dispensing unit.

Furthermore, the payout base unit 550 is further equipped with an external terminal board 558, which is mounted on the upper surface of the portion extending left and right from the payout base 551, on the left side of the ball tank 552 in a front view. The external terminal board 558 is for making an electrical connection between the pachinko machine 1 and the island equipment of the gaming hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed. Although not shown in the illustration, the external terminal board 558 has an earth connection section facing the game board insertion opening 501b side of the main frame base 501. An earth wire extending from the game board 5 side is connected to the earth connection section.

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

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

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

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

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

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

The spherical guidance unit 570 has a rectangular shape when viewed from the front, with the guidance unit base 571 and the guidance passage front cover 572 extending vertically. The guidance passage 570a opens upward near the left end of the upper surface of the guidance unit base 571, extends vertically downward from the upper end to near the center of the height of the guidance unit base 571, then bends to the right, and extends downward in a meandering manner, repeatedly folding back and forth within the width of the guidance unit base 571, before opening downward near the left end of the lower surface of the guidance unit base 571.

The guidance passage 570a is formed so that its depth in the front-to-right direction and its width in the left-to-right direction are slightly larger than the outer diameter of the game ball B, allowing the game ball B to be guided in a single line.

The ball guidance unit 570 has a movable piece member 573 mounted near its upper part so that it can move back and forth within the guidance passage 570a. Specifically, the movable piece member 573 is mounted so as to be rotatable around an axis extending front to back at the right outer edge of the guidance passage 570a in a front view, and is formed so that a portion of its lower end protrudes into the guidance passage 570a due to its own weight. When a game ball B comes into contact with the portion of the movable piece member 573 protruding into the guidance passage 570a, the protruding portion is pushed back from the guidance passage 570a by the game ball B, returning to a state where it is not protruding.

The ball-deprivation detection sensor 574 does not detect the movable piece member 573 when a portion of it protrudes into the guide passage 570a, and detects the movable piece member 573 when a portion of it has retracted from the guide passage 570a and is not protruding. Therefore, the ball-deprivation detection sensor 574 is in a detection state when a game ball B is present in the guide passage 570a, and in a non-detection state when a game ball B is not present in the guide passage 570a.

In the assembled state on the main frame 4, the ball guidance unit 570 has its upstream end of the guidance passage 570a connected to the downstream end of the tank rail 553, and its downstream end connected to the upstream end of the payout passage 580a of the payout device 580. Because the guidance passage 570a for guiding the game balls B extends in a meandering manner, the guidance passage 570a extends longer than the total height of the ball guidance unit 570, allowing a large number of game balls B to be stored within the guidance passage 570a. Furthermore, the ball guidance unit 570 can detect the presence or absence of game balls B in the guidance passage 570a using the ball depletion detection sensor 574, and therefore can detect the presence or absence of game balls B in the ball tank 552 via the guidance passage 570a.

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

The dispensing device 580 comprises a dispensing device body 581 having a box-shaped dispensing passage 580a through which game balls B can flow, and a ball removal passage 580b branching off from the middle of the dispensing passage 580a; a flat plate-shaped dispensing device rear cover 582 that closes the dispensing device body 581 from the rear; and a shallow box-shaped dispensing device front cover 583 attached to the front of the dispensing device body 581 and open to the rear.

Furthermore, the dispensing device 580 includes a dispensing motor 584 mounted on the rear surface of the dispensing device body 581 with its rotating shaft protruding between the dispensing device body 581 and the dispensing device front cover 583, a spur gear-shaped drive gear 585 mounted on the rotating shaft of the dispensing motor 584, a spur gear-shaped first transmission gear 586 meshing with the drive gear 585 and rotatably mounted by the dispensing device body 581 and the dispensing device front cover 583, a spur gear-shaped second transmission gear 587 meshing with the first transmission gear 586 and rotatably mounted by the dispensing device body 581 and the dispensing device front cover 583, and second The device comprises a dispensing gear member 588 rotatably mounted between the dispensing device body 581 and the dispensing device front cover 583, having a spur gear-shaped dispensing gear 588a meshing with a transmission gear 587 and a plurality of detection pieces 588b extending outward from the dispensing gear 588a; a dispensing blade 589 having a plurality of blade pieces 589a that rotate integrally with the dispensing gear member 588 between the dispensing device body 581 and the dispensing device rear cover 582 and protrude into the dispensing passage 580a; and a blade rotation detection sensor 590 mounted on the rear side of the dispensing device body 581 for detecting the detection pieces 588b of the dispensing gear member 588.

Furthermore, the dispensing device 580 includes a dispensing detection sensor 591 that detects game balls B and is attached to the dispensing device body 581 and the dispensing device rear cover 582 at the downstream end of the dispensing passage 580a; a ball removal movable piece 592 that is attached to the dispensing device body 581 and the dispensing device rear cover 582 at the point where it branches off from the dispensing passage 580a, allowing the ball removal passage 580b to be opened and closed; and a ball removal lever 593 that is held in a position where the ball removal movable piece 592 is closing the ball removal passage 580b and is attached to the dispensing device body 581 and the dispensing device rear cover 582 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction.

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

As shown in Figure 88, the discharge passage 580a of the discharge device 580 opens upward at its upstream end, slightly to the left of the center in the left-right direction, when viewed from the rear, and opens downward at its downstream end, near the right end in the left-right direction. The discharge passage 580a extends diagonally downward from the top to about 1/3 of its total height, gradually moving to the left as it moves downward from the upstream end. From there, it bends slightly diagonally downward to the right, then bends again at about 1/3 of its width and extends almost vertically downward toward the center (rotation axis) of the discharge vane 589. Then, above the center of the payout vane 589, it bends to the right in a rear view with a width slightly larger than the outer diameter of the game ball B. After this, it extends downward in a concentric arc with the payout vane 589, forming a gap slightly larger than the game ball B between it and the outer circumference of the payout vane 589. Finally, it extends vertically downward to the downstream end at a position to the right of the center of the payout vane 589 in a rear view.

Within the dispensing passage 580a, the dispensing detection sensor 591 is positioned below the dispensing vane 589 and directly above the downstream end.

The ball removal passage 580b extends diagonally downward from the upstream end within the discharge passage 580a, branches off at a point where it bends to the right, extends vertically along the left edge in a rear view to its lower end, and opens downward near the left end in a rear view of the bottom surface.

The main body 581 and the rear cover 582 of the dispensing device are provided with a main body side guide wall 581a and a rear cover side guide wall 582a, respectively, which protrude rearward and forward from each other at the point where the movable ball-removing piece 592 is attached at the point where the dispensing passage 580a and the ball-removing passage 580b diverge, and which are formed to be continuous with the left side wall of the dispensing passage 580a and the ball-removing passage 580b in a rear view. The main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a are formed at a position to the left in a rear view of the part of the dispensing passage 580a that branches off from the ball-removing passage 580b and extends to the right in a rear view at a height of approximately 1/3 from the top. The main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a are curved so as to be recessed diagonally upward to the left in a rear view, and are mainly formed to constitute the side wall of the ball-removing passage 580b. The ball-removing movable piece 592 rotates by passing between the main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a.

The dispensing motor 584 is mounted on the right side of the dispensing passage 580a in the dispensing device body 581, in a rear view, at the point where the dispensing passage extends diagonally downward from the upstream end. The drive gear 585, first transmission gear 586, second transmission gear 587, and dispensing gear member 588 are positioned in front of the dispensing device body 581, and their front sides are covered by the dispensing device front cover 583. The dispensing gear member 588 has three flat detection pieces 588b extending outward, spaced at 120-degree angles in the circumferential direction.

The dispensing blade 589 is positioned between the dispensing device body 581 and the dispensing device rear cover 582. The dispensing blade 589 has three flat blade pieces 589a extending outward, spaced at 120-degree angles in the circumferential direction. The blade pieces 589a protrude into the dispensing passage 580a in such a way that the space between them and the side wall of the dispensing passage is narrower than the outer diameter of the game ball B, in the portion that extends from above towards the axis of rotation and then extends to the right in a rear view. Between the three blade pieces 589a, the dispensing blade 589 has a ball housing section 589b recessed in the center by an arc with a radius slightly larger than the radius of the game ball B. This ball housing section 589b can accommodate only one game ball B. As a result, the dispensing vane 589 can restrict the movement of the game balls B in the dispensing passage 580a downstream of the dispensing vane 589 by the vane piece 589a, and can also move the game balls B stored in the ball storage section 589b downstream by rotating in a clockwise direction when viewed from the rear.

The dispensing gear member 588 and the dispensing blade 589 are mounted coaxially and rotatably by the rear cover 582 and front cover 583 of the dispensing device. The blade rotation detection sensor 590 is positioned to the left of the rotation axis of the dispensing gear member 588 in a rear view. The blade rotation detection sensor 590 detects the rotation of the dispensing blade 589 by detecting a detection piece 588b on the dispensing gear member 588, which rotates integrally with the dispensing blade 589.

The ball-removing movable piece 592 is rotatably mounted around an axis extending front-to-back at the upper ends of the main body-side guide wall 581a and the rear cover-side guide wall 582a. The ball-removing movable piece 592 is bent in a V-shape, and is mounted so that the recessed side faces into the discharge passage 580a. The depth of the ball-removing movable piece 592 in the front-to-back direction is smaller than the gap between the main body-side guide wall 581a and the rear cover-side guide wall 582a, allowing it to protrude into the ball-removing passage 580b or retract outside the ball-removing passage 580b through the gap between the two walls.

The ball release lever 593 is attached to the dispensing device body 581 and the dispensing device rear cover 582 so as to be slidable vertically near the upper end of the ball release movable piece 592, to the left in a rear view. A portion of the ball release lever 593 protrudes rearward through the dispensing device rear cover 582, and it can be slid by operating this protruding portion. By positioning the ball release lever 593 at its lower end, its lower part can contact the ball release movable piece 592, restricting the rotation of the ball release movable piece 592 in a clockwise direction in a rear view, and allowing the ball release passage 580b to be closed by the ball release movable piece 592. Furthermore, by positioning the ball release lever 593 at its raised end, the ball release movable piece 592 can be rotated outward from the ball release passage 580b, allowing the ball release passage 580b to be opened (see Figure 89).

When the ball removal lever 593 is raised to allow the ball removal movable piece 592 to rotate, the game balls B, which were in a chain-like state upstream of the ball removal movable piece 592, flow over the ball removal movable piece 592 and down to the ball removal passage 580b. At this time, because the ball removal passage 580b extends straight from the upstream side of the payout passage 580a, the game balls B flowing down from upstream of the payout passage 580a flow straight down to the ball removal passage 580b. Furthermore, since the downstream side of the ball removal passage 580b is connected to the island equipment side, there is nothing to restrict the flow of game balls B, such as the payout vane 589, resulting in the game balls B flowing down faster than those on the payout passage 580a side.

In this manner, when the ball-removing movable piece 592 is rotatable, the game ball B flows down the ball-removing passage 580b at a high speed. Therefore, the game ball B forcefully strikes the lower end of the ball-removing movable piece 592 protruding into the ball-removing passage 580b. However, since the ball-removing movable piece 592 can move outside the inner surface of the ball-removing passage 580b by passing between the main body-side guide wall 581a of the dispensing device body 581 and the rear cover-side guide wall 582a of the dispensing device rear cover 582, the force of this contact causes the ball-removing movable piece 592 to move outside the ball-removing passage 580b. As a result, the ball-removing movable piece 592 is not trapped between the wall of the ball-removing passage 580b and the game ball B. This prevents strong forces from acting on the ball-removing movable piece 592 by the game ball B, thereby suppressing a decrease in durability and damage to the ball-removing movable piece 592 due to collisions with the game ball B.

Therefore, since the ball-removing movable piece 592 can be made less prone to damage, more game balls B can be discharged more quickly to the island equipment side downstream of the ball-removing passage 580b. This reduces the time required for replacing or maintaining the pachinko machine 1, thereby easing the burden on the gaming hall.

Furthermore, when the ball-removing movable piece 592 is in a rotatable state, it moves to the outside of the ball-removing passage 580b through the gap between the main body-side guide wall 581a and the rear cover-side guide wall 582a, which is narrower than the gap between the game ball B. Therefore, when the game ball B comes into contact with the ball-removing movable piece 592 protruding into the ball-removing passage 580b, causing the ball-removing movable piece 592 to move outward through the gap between the main body-side guide wall 581a and the rear cover-side guide wall 582a, even if the game ball B moves towards the gap between the main body-side guide wall 581a and the rear cover-side guide wall 582a together with the ball-removing movable piece 592, the narrower gap between the main body-side guide wall 581a and the rear cover-side guide wall 582a prevents only the game ball B from moving outward.

Furthermore, the movement of the game ball B outward is prevented by the gap between the main body-side guide wall 581a and the rear cover-side guide wall 582a. This causes the game ball B to separate from the ball-removing movable piece 592, and the subsequent movement of the ball-removing movable piece 592 is due to inertia. Therefore, no strong force acts on the ball-removing movable piece 592, making it less likely to be damaged. Additionally, the game ball B will not fly out of the ball-removing passage 580b through the gap between the main body-side guide wall 581a and the rear cover-side guide wall 582a, ensuring that the game ball B flows reliably downstream of the ball-removing passage 580b.

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

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

Furthermore, the upper full ball path unit 600 has an upper ball dispensing passage 600a that opens upward near the left end of the upper surface in a front view and extends downward along the left side to a height of approximately 2/3 of the total height from the bottom, and an upper ball storage passage 600b that communicates with the upper ball dispensing passage 600a and extends to the right in a front view for about 3/4 of the total width and also extends downward from the bottom to a height of approximately 1/6 of the total height, and from the left side in a front view from the center of the upper ball storage passage 600b in the left-right direction, The system includes an upper normal discharge passage 600c that extends in the direction and opens downward on its lower surface, an upper full-tank discharge passage 600d adjacent to the upper normal discharge passage 600c and extending downward from the right side of the center of the upper ball storage passage 600b in a front view, and opening downward on its lower surface, and an upper ball removal passage 600e that opens upward near the right end of the upper surface in a front view, extends downward almost vertically, and then opens downward near the right end of the lower surface (see Figure 91).

The upper full ball path unit 600 has, on its underside, an upper normal payout passage 600c, an upper full payout passage 600d, and an upper ball removal passage 600e opening downwards in order from the left side when viewed from the front. When the upper full ball path unit 600 is assembled with the payout unit 560, the upstream end of the upper payout ball receiving passage 600a opens directly below the downstream end of the payout passage 580a in the payout device 580, and the upstream end of the upper ball removal passage 600e opens directly below the downstream end of the ball removal passage 580b in the payout device 580. As a result, the game balls B released (dispensed) from the payout passage 580a of the payout device 580 are released downwards through either the upper normal payout passage 600c or the upper full payout passage 600d, passing through the upper payout ball receiving passage 600a and the upper ball storage passage 600b. Furthermore, the game balls B released downward from the ball release passage 580b of the payout device 580 are released downward through the upper ball release passage 600e.

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

The lower full-tank ball path unit 610 comprises a lower full-tank base 611 that extends in the front-rear direction and is open upward, having a lower normal discharge passage 610a, a lower full-tank discharge passage 610b, and a lower ball removal passage 610c; a lower full-tank cover 612 attached to the upper side of the lower full-tank base 611; a discharge passage opening/closing door 613 that is rotatably attached to the front end of the lower full-tank base 611 around an axis extending in the front-rear direction and is capable of opening and closing the downstream end openings of the lower normal discharge passage 610a and the lower full-tank discharge passage 610b; and a closing spring 614 that biases the discharge passage opening/closing door 613 in a direction that closes the downstream end openings of the lower normal discharge passage 610a and the lower full-tank discharge passage 610b.

The lower full-tank ball path unit 610 has, on the upper surface of the portion extending upward at its rear end, the lower normal discharge passage 610a, the lower full-tank discharge passage 610b, and the lower ball removal passage 610c arranged in order from left to right in a front view, with the upstream ends of each opening upward. The lower normal discharge passage 610a and the lower full-tank discharge passage 610b extend forward side by side and open forward at the front end of the lower full-tank ball path unit 610. The lower full-tank discharge passage 610b extends forward at a slightly lower position than the lower normal discharge passage 610a. The lower ball removal passage 610c extends forward along the right side of the lower full-tank discharge passage 610b in a front view and opens to the right midway along its length in the front-to-back direction.

The dispensing passage opening/closing door 613 is rotatably mounted between the front end openings of the lower normal dispensing passage 610a and the lower full-tank dispensing passage 610b. This dispensing passage opening/closing door 613 is biased in a clockwise direction when viewed from the front by a closing spring 614, and in the normal state, it closes the front end openings (downstream end openings) of the lower normal dispensing passage 610a and the lower full-tank dispensing passage 610b. The dispensing passage opening/closing door 613 is equipped with an operating projection 613a that protrudes forward. The operating projection 613a, when viewed from the front, is formed in the shape of a short arc centered on the pivot point of the dispensing passage opening/closing door 613, and its front end surface is inclined to protrude forward as it approaches the end side in the counterclockwise direction. This operating projection 613a is formed to contact the door opening/closing contact portion 150f of the foul cover unit 150 on the door frame 3 when the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4.

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

Furthermore, when assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the lower full ball passage unit 610 has its front ends (downstream ends) of the lower normal payout passage 610a and the lower full ball payout passage 610b opening immediately after the through ball passage 150a and the full ball receiving opening 150b of the foul cover unit 150 in the door frame 3. Also, the downstream end of the lower ball removal passage 610c opens opposite the ball removal guide section 627, which opens to the left in the base unit 620b of the circuit board unit 620.

In the normal state (with the door frame 3 closed relative to the main frame 4), the lower full-ball passage unit 610 rotates counterclockwise in a front view against the biasing force of the closing spring 614. This is because the operating projection 613a of the dispensing passage opening/closing door 613 contacts the door opening/closing contact portion 150f of the foul cover unit 150. As a result, the openings at the downstream ends of the lower normal dispensing passage 610a and the lower full-ball dispensing passage 610b are open, communicating with the through-ball passage 150a and the full-ball receiving opening 150b of the foul cover unit 150.

On the other hand, when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the operating projection 613a of the payout passage opening/closing door 613 separates from the door opening/closing contact portion 150f of the foul cover unit 150. The payout passage opening/closing door 613 rotates clockwise in a front view direction due to the biasing force of the closing spring 614, closing the downstream openings of the lower normal payout passage 610a and the lower full payout passage 610b. In this state, the game balls B in the lower normal payout passage 610a and the lower full payout passage 610b cannot move forward from their respective front openings. Therefore, even when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, the game balls B will not spill out of the lower normal payout passage 610a and the lower full payout passage 610b.

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

The ball tank 552, which is open to the top, receives a predetermined number of game balls B from the gaming hall island equipment where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, for example, based on the detection of a ball shortage by the ball shortage detection sensor 574 of the ball guidance unit 570. The game balls B supplied to and stored in the ball tank 552 are arranged in a line by the tank rail 553 and sent through the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 to the payout passage 580a of the payout device 580. When the payout motor 584 is not rotating, the game balls B cannot move (flow) downstream of the payout vane 589, resulting in a state where multiple game balls B accumulate upstream of the payout vane 589.

Then, the game ball B in the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 presses against the movable piece member 573, and the ball-cut detection sensor 574 detects the movable piece member 573. This indicates that at least the game ball B is stored in the passage between the movable piece member 573 and the payout vane 589.

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

The game balls B sent to the upper payout ball receiving passage 600a of the upper full ball path unit 600, under normal conditions, flow down through the upper ball storage passage 600b to the upper normal payout passage 600c located directly below the upper payout ball receiving passage 600a. The game balls B that have flowed down to the upper normal payout passage 600c then flow through the lower normal payout passage 610a of the lower full ball path unit 610 and the through-ball passage 150a of the foul cover unit 150 of the door frame 3, and are released into the upper tray 201 from the upper tray ball supply port 211a of the tray unit base 211 of the tray unit 200.

When a large number of game balls B are dispensed from the dispensing device 580 and the upper tray 201 is full of game balls B, it becomes impossible to release game balls B forward from the upper tray ball supply port 211a. As a result, the game balls B dispensed from the dispensing device 580 accumulate in the lower normal dispensing passage 610a of the lower full ball passage unit 610. Furthermore, when game balls B are dispensed, they also accumulate in the upper normal dispensing passage 600c of the upper full ball passage unit 600, which is in communication with the lower normal dispensing passage 610a on the upstream side. Then, when the upper normal payout passage 600c is full of game balls B, and more game balls B are dispensed, game balls B begin to accumulate in the upper ball storage passage 600b, which is connected to the upper normal payout passage 600c upstream, and game balls B begin to flow down toward the upper full-capacity payout passage 600d, which is adjacent to the upper normal payout passage 600c.

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

Furthermore, when the lower tray 202 is full of game balls B and it is no longer possible to release game balls B forward from the lower tray ball supply port 211c, if more game balls B are dispensed, the game balls B will accumulate and be stored in the storage passage 150e of the foul cover unit 150 upstream of the lower tray ball supply port 211c. When a certain number of game balls B are stored in the storage passage 150e, the movable piece 153 moves, and the full-capacity detection sensor 154 detects this. The system then provides a voice alert (e.g., "Please remove the balls!") to the player indicating that the upper tray 201 and lower tray 202 are full of game balls B, and temporarily stops the dispensing motor 584 of the dispensing device 580 until the full-capacity detection sensor 154 no longer detects anything.

When discharging game balls B stored in the ball tank 552 from the pachinko machine 1 during maintenance or replacement, the ball release lever 593 of the payout device 580 is slid upward from its lowered position to its raised position. Then, the lower end of the movable ball release piece 592 is pushed by the game balls B, causing it to rotate clockwise when viewed from the rear. This pushes the movable ball release piece 592 through the gap between the main body side guide wall 581a and the rear cover side guide wall 582a, pushing it out to the outside of the ball release passage 580b. This allows the game balls B to enter the ball release passage 580b, which branches off from the payout passage 580a, and the upstream game balls B are released downward through the ball release passage 580b.

In this process, at the location of the ball-removing movable piece 592, the flowing game ball B makes stronger contact with the main body-side guide wall 581a and the rear cover-side guide wall 582a than with the ball-removing movable piece 592, thus making the ball-removing movable piece 592 less likely to be damaged.

The game balls B released downward from the ball removal passage 580b of the payout device 580 pass through the upper ball removal passage 600e of the upper full ball passage unit 600 and the lower ball removal passage 610c of the lower full ball passage unit 610. They are then released from the downstream end opening of the lower ball removal passage 610c into the ball removal guide section 627 of the circuit board unit 620, and finally discharged to the rear outside of the pachinko machine 1 (towards the island equipment side of the gaming hall) through the ball receiving section 628 and the ball discharge port 629.

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

The circuit board unit 620 includes a speaker unit 620a mounted below the game board mounting section 501c on the rear surface of the main frame base unit 500, a base unit 620b mounted on the rear surface of the main frame base unit 501 so as to cover a portion of the speaker unit 620a from the rear, a power supply unit 620c mounted on the rear side of the base unit 620b, a payout control unit 620d mounted on the rear side of the power supply unit 620c, and an interface unit 620e mounted on the rear surface of the speaker unit 620a so as to cover a portion of the payout control unit 620d from the rear.

The speaker unit 620a comprises a speaker cover 621 mounted below the game board mounting section 501c on the rear surface of the main frame base unit 500, a main frame speaker 622 mounted facing forward near the left end of the rear surface of the speaker cover 621 in a front view, and a container-shaped speaker box 623 mounted on the rear side of the speaker cover 621 so as to cover the rear side of the main frame speaker 622, and open to the front.

The speaker cover 621 extends in the left-right direction and comprises a circular speaker mounting portion 621a that penetrates from front to back near the left end in a front view and is composed of multiple slits extending vertically; a front recess 621b for space that bulges from rear to front on the right side of the speaker mounting portion 621a in a front view; and a connecting portion 621c that protrudes downward from the lower surface of the front recess 621b, extends in the left-right direction, and opens diagonally downward and towards the rear.

The main frame speaker 622 is mounted to the speaker mounting portion 621a of the speaker cover 621 from the rear, facing forward. The connection portion 621c of the speaker cover 621 is inclined at a 45-degree angle so that its lower end coincides with the upper end of the connection cylinder portion 43a of the rear panel member 43 of the lower outer frame assembly 40 of the outer frame 2. The main frame speaker 622 is a cone-type speaker primarily designed to output low frequencies.

The speaker box 623 is formed in a container shape that opens to the front. The portion behind the main speaker frame 622 protrudes the most significantly to the rear, and the protrusion gradually decreases in a stepped manner towards the right when viewed from the front. This ensures sufficient space to the right and rear of the speaker box 623 from the center when viewed from the front, allowing for the placement of the base unit 620b, power supply unit 620c, etc. The speaker box 623 is formed to cover (close) the entire rear surface of the speaker cover 621, excluding the connection portion 621c.

The speaker unit 620a, together with the speaker cover 621 and speaker box 623, forms part of the enclosure 624 that contains the sound output from the main frame speaker 622 to the rear. Because the speaker cover 621 has a forward-protruding recess 621b on the right side of the speaker mounting portion 621a when viewed from the front, even if the speaker box 623 is formed in a stepped shape so that the amount of rearward protrusion decreases as it moves to the right, a sufficiently wide space to the right of the main frame speaker 622 is ensured.

When the main frame 4 is closed to the outer frame 2, the speaker unit 620a has a connection portion 621c of the speaker cover 621 connected to the connection cylinder portion 43a, sandwiching the sealing member 48. This creates a communication between the space behind the main frame speaker 622 and the internal space 40a of the outer frame 2's fascia panel. Therefore, a spacious enclosure 624 can be formed behind the main frame speaker 622 by the speaker cover 621, speaker box 623, front fascia panel member 42, and rear fascia panel member 43. This allows the sound output from the rear of the main frame speaker 622 to be output (radiated) forward through the opening 42a of the front fascia panel member 42.

To elaborate, as described above, in the speaker unit 620a, the space behind the main frame speaker 622 (part of the enclosure 624) is extended to the right in a front view with a relatively wide depth, and communicates with the outer frame lower assembly 40 side via the connection part 621c and the connection cylinder part 43a. Therefore, the sound output from the main frame speaker 622 to the rear can be transmitted to the outer frame lower assembly 40 side without attenuating the low frequencies in particular. Furthermore, the transmitted low frequencies can be resonated and amplified by passing through the two port members 47 and radiated forward from the opening 42a of the front panel member 42.

In this configuration, the sound radiated forward from the opening 42a of the front panel member 42 is radiated with inverted phase. This causes it to resonate in a way that amplifies the sound output from the front of the main frame speaker 622 and radiated from the speaker opening 211b of the dish unit 200. Therefore, even with a small diameter main frame speaker 622, it is possible to output a loud sound with deep bass.

In other words, in this embodiment, the enclosure 624 of the main frame speaker 622 is of the bass reflex type, allowing players to hear deep bass. This allows players to hear a sound with rich bass, produced by the sound output from the front of the main frame speaker 622 and radiated from the speaker opening 211b of the disc unit 200, and the sound output from the rear of the main frame speaker 622 and radiated from the grille member 46 of the outer frame 2.

Furthermore, the speaker unit 620a has a through-hole 621d formed in the speaker cover 621, extending in the front-to-back direction between the lower part of the speaker mounting portion 621a and the front recess 621b for space. The speaker box 623 also has a through-cylinder 623a that extends cylindrically and communicates with the through-hole 621d, extending in the front-to-back direction. When assembled into the speaker unit 620a, the through-hole 621d and the through-cylinder 623a communicate with each other, and the unit becomes independent of the enclosure 624. A connecting cable 503 is inserted through these through-holes 621d and 623a.

The base unit 620b of the circuit board unit 620 comprises a front base 625 attached to the rear surface of the main frame base 501 so as to cover a portion of the speaker box 623 from the rear, and a rear base 626 attached to the rear of the front base 625, on which the power supply unit 620c is attached.

Furthermore, the base unit 620b is formed by the cooperation of the front base 625 and the rear base 626, and includes a ball release guide section 627 that receives game balls B released from the lower ball release passage 610c of the lower full ball path unit 610 and guides them to the right in a front view, a discharged ball receiving section 628 that opens upward to the right in a front view downstream of the ball release guide section 627 and receives game balls B discharged downward from the game board 5, and a ball discharge port 629 that discharges the game balls B that have passed through the ball release guide section 627 and the discharged ball receiving section 628 downward.

The ball release guide unit 627 has an upstream end that opens to the left on the upper left side when viewed from the front, and a downstream end that opens to the left end of the discharged ball receiving unit 628. When assembled to the main frame 4, the upstream end opening of the ball release guide unit 627 is positioned to coincide with the downstream end opening of the lower ball release passage 610c of the lower full ball path unit 610, allowing it to receive the game balls B released from the lower ball release passage 610c and guide them to the discharged ball receiving unit 628.

The ball ejection receiving section 628 is open upwards and extends long to the left and right. The bottom surface of the ball ejection receiving section 628 is continuous with the bottom surface of the ball release guide section 627 at its left end in a front view, and slopes downwards towards the right.

The base unit 620b guides the game balls B removed from the ball tank 552 and those discharged from the game board 5 to the right in a front view using the ball removal guide unit 627 and the discharged ball receiving unit 628, and then discharges them downward from the ball discharge port 629. This makes it easier to secure a wider space to the left of the center in a front view. As a result, the enclosure 624 of the speaker unit 620a can be made larger, allowing players to hear a sound with richer bass than conventional pachinko machines.

The power supply unit 620c of the circuit board unit 620 comprises a power supply board 630 mounted on the rear side of the rear base 626 of the base unit 620b, and a power supply board cover 631 mounted on the rear base 626 so as to cover the rear side of the power supply board 630.

The payout control unit 620d comprises a box-shaped payout control board box 632 detachably attached to the rear side of the power supply board cover 631 of the power supply unit 620c, and a payout control board 633 (see Figure 96) housed within the payout control board box 632. The payout control board 633 controls the payout motor 584 of the payout device 580 in response to the pressing of the ball dispensing button 224 of the ball dispensing operation unit 220 in the tray unit 200, or payout commands from the main control board 1310 of the game board 5, to dispense a specified number of game balls B to the player (upper tray 201 or lower tray 202). The payout control board box 632 is designed to leave traces of opening and closing. This allows for the detection of unauthorized modifications to the payout control board 633, thereby increasing the deterrent against fraudulent activity.

The interface unit 620e comprises a circuit board base 634 attached to the rear side of the speaker box 623 in the speaker unit 620a, an interface circuit board 635 attached to the rear surface of the circuit board base 634, and an interface circuit board cover 636 attached to the circuit board base 634 so as to cover the rear side of the interface circuit board 635.

The circuit board base 634 is mounted on the rear surface of the speaker box 623, at the point that protrudes most far to the rear, behind the main frame speaker 622. One end of the connection cable 503 (the main frame 4 side) is connected to the interface board 635. The interface board 635 is connected to the power supply board 630, the payout control board 633, the main control board 1310, the peripheral control board 1510, etc., and is also connected to the CR unit installed outside the pachinko machine 1. The interface board cover 636 extends to the right of the circuit board base 634 (interface board 635) in a front view, covering a portion of the payout control unit 620d.

[4-9. Back cover]
The back cover 640 of the main frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 75 to 81. The back cover 640 covers the rear side of the game board 5, which is inserted from the front into the game board insertion opening 501b of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500. In a front view, the right edge of the back cover 640 is rotatably attached around a vertically extending axis to the rear end of the rear extension portion 501j of the main frame base 501, which extends vertically, and the left edge is attached to the back cover mounting portion 551i of the payout base 551 and the back cover mounting portion 601a of the upper full ball path unit 600.

The back cover 640 is formed in a shape where the right side of a flat plate extending in the up, down, left, and right directions is bent forward when viewed from the front. When assembled to the main frame 4, its rear surface is positioned approximately flush with the rear surface of the upper part 551d of the back plate of the dispensing base 551. The back cover 640 has multiple slits 641 that penetrate from front to back and extend vertically. In this embodiment, the back cover 640 is made of transparent synthetic resin, allowing the inside of the main frame 4 to be viewed from the rear of the pachinko machine 1.

[4-10. Locking Unit]
The locking unit 650 in the main frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 97. Figure 97(a) is a perspective view of the locking unit of the main frame viewed from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the locking unit viewed from the rear. The locking unit 650 is attached to the main frame base 501 of the main frame 4 and locks the space between the main frame 4 and the door frame 3, and between the main frame 4 and the outer frame 2.

The locking unit 650 comprises a unit base 651 attached to the right side of the rear extension 501j of the main frame base 501 and extending vertically; a plurality of door frame hooks 652 protruding forward from the unit base 651 and capable of engaging with the door frame 3; a plurality of outer frame hooks 653 protruding rearward from the unit base 651 and capable of engaging with the outer frame 2; and a transmission cylinder 654 protruding forward from the lower front end of the unit base 651 and moving the door frame hooks 652 or outer frame hooks 653 vertically depending on the rotational direction.

Furthermore, the locking unit 650 includes a lock spring 655 that biases the door frame hook 652 downward and the outer frame hook 653 upward, and an outer frame unlocking lever 656 that protrudes forward from a position above the transmission cylinder 654 at the front end of the unit base 651 and slides downward to move the outer frame hook 653 downward.

In the assembled state on the main frame 4, the locking unit 650 has multiple (three) door frame hooks 652, a transmission cylinder 654, and an outer frame unlocking lever 656 that protrude forward from the front surface of the main frame base 501. The transmission cylinder 654 protrudes forward through the cylinder insertion opening 501f of the main frame base 501. When the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, its front end engages with the rotation transmission member 133 of the cylinder lock 130 on the door frame 3, transmitting the rotation of the key inserted into the keyhole 132 and causing it to rotate.

The locking unit 650 has multiple (three) door frame hooks 652 that engage with the hooking members 116 of the door frame reinforcement unit 110 on the door frame base unit 100 of the door frame 3, and multiple (two) outer frame hooks 653 that engage with the upper hooking member 24 and lower hooking member 25 of the outer frame right assembly 20 on the outer frame 2.

When the locking unit 650 is assembled to the pachinko machine 1, inserting the key corresponding to the keyhole 132 of the cylinder lock 130 and rotating it counterclockwise (from a front view) causes multiple door frame hooks 652 to move upward via the transmission cylinder 654, unlocking the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4. Conversely, rotating the key clockwise (from a front view) causes multiple outer frame hooks 653 to move downward via the transmission cylinder 654, unlocking the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2. With the door frame 3 open relative to the main frame 4, sliding the outer frame unlocking lever 656 downward causes multiple outer frame hooks 653 to move downward, unlocking the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2. In this way, the locking between the main frame 4 and the door frame 3, and between the main frame 4 and the outer frame 2, can be unlocked.

When locking the gap between the main frame 4 and the door frame 3, or between the main frame 4 and the outer frame 2, the door frame hook 652 and the outer frame hook 653 are angled so that their tips become thinner. Therefore, when the door frame 3 is closed against the main frame 4, or the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2, the door frame hook 652 and the outer frame hook 653 move downward or upward, overcoming the hooking member 116, the upper hooking member 24, and the lower hooking member 25, before being locked by the biasing force of the lock spring 655.

[4-11. Detailed configuration of the upper part of the main frame]
Next, the detailed configuration of the upper part of the main frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 98 to 105. Figure 98(a) is a plan view of the main frame, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B in (a). Figure 99 is an enlarged view showing the upper part in a perspective view of the main frame seen from the rear. Figure 100(a) is a perspective view seen from the front and above with the tank rails etc. assembled on the ball tank, and (b) is a perspective view of (a) seen from the front and below. Figure 101 is an exploded perspective view seen from the front, with Figure 100(a) disassembled. Figure 102 is an explanatory diagram showing the area in the upper part of the main frame through which game balls overflowing from the ball tank flow. Figure 103 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls overflowing from the ball tank in the upper part of the main frame. Figure 104 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls to the detour passage in the upper part of the main frame. Figure 105 is an enlarged view showing the area near the tank rails in a perspective view of the main frame seen from the rear on the hinge side.

As described above, the main frame 4 consists of a frame-shaped main frame base 501 whose rear end can be inserted into the frame of the outer frame 2, and which is attached to the outer frame 2 detachably and hinge-rotatably by the main frame upper hinge member 510 and the main frame lower hinge assembly 520, and which is capable of supporting the outer circumference of the game board 5; an inverted L-shaped payout base 551 attached along the upper and left edges in a front view on the rear side of the main frame base 501; a box-shaped (container-shaped) ball tank 552 attached to the payout base 551 that extends to the left and right and is open upwards; and a groove-shaped element attached to the left side of the ball tank 552 that is open upwards and extends to the left. The system comprises a tank rail 553, a first rail cover 554 attached to a portion of the upper end of the tank rail 553, a second rail cover 555 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553, spaced to the left of the first rail cover 554 in a front view, a ball flow straightening member 556 attached to the upper end of the tank rail 553 at a position between the first rail cover 554 and the second rail cover 555, a ball stopping member 557 attached to the downstream end of the tank rail 553, and a payout device 580 attached to the downstream side of the tank rail 553 at the rear of the payout base 551 for dispensing game balls B to the player.

The ball tank 552 is formed in a rectangular shape in plan view, extending horizontally. It has a bottom wall 552a that slopes downwards on the left side in front view, a front wall 552b and a rear wall 552c extending upwards from the front and rear edges of the bottom wall 552a, and a left side wall 552d and a right side wall 552e extending upwards from the left and right edges of the bottom wall 552a. It is formed as a container with an open top. The ball tank 552 stores game balls B supplied from island facilities such as amusement halls where pachinko machines 1 are installed.

Furthermore, the spherical tank 552 has an overflow section 552f formed by cutting out from above the front wall 552b, resulting in a section lower than the remaining upper edge of the outer circumference. This overflow section 552f extends from the end of the left wall 552d to the opposite end (the right wall 552e side) of the front wall 552b, covering approximately 3/4 of the length of the front wall 552b in the left-right direction.

In a front view, the right end (upstream side) of the tank rail 553 communicates with the interior of the ball tank 552, while the downstream side extends to one side (left side) in the left-right direction, moving away from the ball tank 552. At the bottom of the tank rail 553, it has a trough-shaped main guide section 553a that extends from near the upstream end to the downstream end and has a width direction perpendicular to the flow direction of the game ball B, which is formed to allow only one game ball B to flow through at a time. The main guide section 553a is inclined so that it becomes lower towards the left in a front view. Furthermore, in a plan view, the main guide section 553a is formed in a crank shape, extending parallel to the axis extending in the left-right direction from the right end to a position approximately 1/10 of the total length in the left-right direction from the right end, then moving backward as it moves to the left, extending diagonally from the right end to a position approximately 4/10 of the total length in the left-right direction from the right end, and then extending parallel to the axis extending in the left-right direction to the left end. In the main guide section 553a, the tank rail 553 has a portion extending parallel to the axis extending from the left end to the right in the left-right direction, and this portion extends to the upper end with the same width. The upper end of this portion is closed by attaching the first rail cover 554, the second rail cover 555, and the ball flow straightening member 556. Furthermore, in the portion where the upper end of the tank rail 553 is closed, the height of the flow path through which the game ball B flows decreases towards the downstream end (left end). At the downstream end, the height is such that only one game ball B can flow (slightly higher than the outer diameter of the game ball B).

Furthermore, the tank rail 553 extends above the main guide section 553a, from its upstream end to a closed section at the top. It has a bulging section 553b that is wider than the main guide section 553a, allowing multiple game balls B to be lined up in a width direction perpendicular to the direction of game ball B's flow. The bulging section 553b narrows in width from the upstream end towards the downstream side, matching the width of the main guide section 553a. This bulging section 553b allows multiple game balls B, which were spread out in the width direction upstream, to be aligned so that their width becomes the width of a single game ball B as they move downstream. The bulging section 553b is also formed so that its width narrows from the upper end towards the main guide section 553a below. Therefore, the tank rail 553 can align multiple game balls B flowing through the bulging section 553b so that their width becomes a single line as they move downstream and downward.

The bulge 553b of the tank rail 553 has its center of curvature located on the inward side and is formed in a three-dimensionally curved shape. Because the center of curvature of the bulge 553b is located above the main guide section 553a, a slightly chamfered corner is formed at the boundary between the main guide section 553a and the bulge 553b in the tank rail 553. Furthermore, the curvature of the bulge 553b is greater on the downstream side than on the upstream side. As a result, when a game ball B flows through the three-dimensionally curved bulge 553b, the direction in which the reaction force from the bulge 553b acts changes in various directions depending on the position of contact with the bulge 553b, thereby suppressing the occurrence of ball jamming within the bulge 553b. In detail, if the bulge 553b is formed in a shape that extends uniformly, a reaction force will always act on the game ball B circulating within the bulge 553b from the inner surface of the bulge 553b in a constant direction. This reaction force is difficult to disperse, causing the game ball B inside to be constantly pushed in a constant direction, making it difficult for the game ball B to escape and increasing the likelihood of ball jams (ball jams). In contrast, because the bulge 553b is a three-dimensional curved surface, the direction of the reaction force acting from the inner surface of the bulge 553b varies depending on the position of the game ball B. Therefore, the direction in which the multiple game balls B circulating inside are pushed is dispersed, making it easier for the pushed game balls B to escape and reducing the likelihood of ball jams (ball jams).

Furthermore, the tank rail 553 is made of a transparent material, allowing the interior to be seen from the outside. This means that even if a ball jam occurs within the tank rail 553, the condition of the game balls B inside can be seen from the outside, allowing for quick identification of the jam's location. Therefore, ball jams within the tank rail 553 can be quickly resolved, minimizing interruptions to gameplay and reducing the decline in player enjoyment. Additionally, because the tank rail 553 is transparent, the rear of the game board 5 (rear unit 3000) attached to the main frame 4 can be seen through the tank rail 553 from behind. Therefore, if a malfunction occurs in the movable performance unit of the game board 5, the condition of the drive motor, gears, belts, and other transmission mechanisms can be checked while the game board 5 remains attached to the main frame 4, achieving the same effects as described above.

The main frame 4 is located in front of the ball tank 552 and extends in the front-rear direction. The side on which the tank rail 553 is downstream in the left-right direction (the left side in a front view) extends outward (to the left) from the left side wall 552d of the ball tank 552. The frame includes an overflow surface 501m, which is sloped so that the rear end is at the same height as the overflow section 552f and the front end is higher, in order to return the game balls B that have overflowed from the ball tank 552 to the ball tank 552. The frame also includes a detour passage 552g, which extends rearward from the outside of the left side wall 552d of the ball tank 552 to above the bulging section 553b of the tank rail 553, which is open on the upper side, and is sloped so that the rear end is lower. The side on which the frame is furthest from the ball tank 552 in the left-right direction (the left side) is lower, and the detour passage 552g guides some of the game balls B that have overflowed from the ball tank 552 onto the overflow surface 501m.

Furthermore, the main frame 4 is provided on the left and right outer sides of the bypass passage 552g, opposite the left wall 552d of the ball tank 552. It includes a discharge section 551j, where the distance in the left-right direction is wider than the outer diameter of the game ball B, and the height of the bottom surface is lower than the open upper portion of the tank rail 553; an external terminal board 558, located on the opposite side of the bypass passage 552g with the discharge section 551j in between, at a position lower than the overflow surface 501m, and having multiple wire connection terminals 558a that allow electrical wiring to be connected from the rear; and a terminal cover 551k, which covers the upper side of the multiple wire connection terminals 558a (external terminal board 558), with its upper surface extending horizontally at a position higher than the overflow surface 501m.

The overflow surface 501m is formed on the main frame base 501. The overflow surface 501m extends in a flat, plate-like shape backward from a position 2 to 4 times the outer diameter of the game ball B, below the upper edge of the rear surface of the base body 501a, which is formed as a vertically elongated rectangle in front view. The length of the overflow surface 501m in the left-right direction is approximately 1/3 the length of the main frame base 501 in the left-right direction, and its left end in front view is located to the right of 1/3 of the total length in the left-right direction from the left end of the main frame base 501. The height of the overflow surface 501m from its front end to its rear end is approximately 1/2 the height of the outer diameter of the game ball B. When the main frame 4 is closed to the outer frame 2, a gap of approximately 2 times the outer diameter of the game ball B is formed between the overflow surface 501m and the outer frame upper member 30.

The main frame base 501 is positioned on both the left and right sides of the overflow surface 501m and has a flat plate-shaped left step section 501n and a right step section 501o that extend substantially horizontally at the same height as the front end of the overflow surface 501m, and a plurality of ribs 501p that extend in a strip-like shape in the front-rear direction, with their upper ends higher than the left step section 501n and the right step section 501o on both the left and right outer sides of each, and are arranged in a row in the left-right direction at intervals narrower than the outer diameter of the game ball B. The left step section 501n is formed so that its length in the left-right direction is shorter than its length in the front-rear direction. Also, the left step section 501n is inclined such that, in a front view with respect to the horizontal plane, the rear right corner is slightly lower. The right step section 501o is formed so that its length in the left-right direction is longer than its length in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the right-hand section 501o is inclined such that, in a front view, its rear left corner is slightly lower than the horizontal plane.

The multiple ribs 501p of the main frame base 501 are formed higher than the upper surface of the terminal cover 551k. When the main frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2, the gap between the lower surface of the outer frame upper member 30 of the outer frame 2 is formed to be narrower than the outer diameter of the game ball B.

When assembled to the main frame 4, the main frame base 501, in a front view, has the right end of the overflow surface 501m aligned with the right end of the overflow section 552f of the spherical tank 552 in the left-right direction, the left end of the overflow surface 501m aligned with the left end of the bypass passage 552g in the left-right direction, and the right end of the right step section 501o aligned with the right side wall 552e of the spherical tank 552 in the left-right direction.

The bypass passage 552g is formed integrally with the spherical tank 552. Hereafter, the container-shaped region enclosed by the bottom wall 552a, front wall 552b, rear wall 552c, left side wall 552d, and right side wall 552e will also be simply referred to as the spherical tank 552. The bypass passage 552g has a passage surface 552h that extends flat to the left from the outside of the left side wall 552d of the spherical tank 552, with its front end at the same height as the overflow section 552f and its rear end being lower, and a weir section that extends upward from the opposite end of the passage surface 552h to the same height as the left side wall 552d. The rear end edge of the passage surface 552h of the bypass passage 552g extends rearward to the same position as the rear wall 552c of the spherical tank 552 at the left end (towards the weir 552i) when viewed from the front, and then extends diagonally, moving forward from the left end to the right end. The passage surface 552h of the bypass passage 552g may also have a horizontal slope in the left-right direction.

The detour passage 552g, when assembled to the main frame 4, extends along the front end of the portion of the tank rail 553 that extends diagonally in the left-right direction, which is crank-shaped in the left-right direction. In other words, the rear end of the detour passage 552g extends diagonally in the left-right direction. As a result, the direction of flow of the game ball B guided to the rear by the detour passage 552g changes so that it becomes perpendicular to the diagonal rear end. The diagonally extending rear end of the detour passage 552g extends approximately parallel to the diagonally extending portion of the tank rail 553 (the direction of flow of the game ball B within the tank rail 553). Therefore, since the game ball B is released from the rear end of the detour passage 552g in a direction approximately perpendicular to the flow direction (width direction) of the tank rail 553, the wider portion of the tank rail 553 can receive the game ball B from the detour passage 552g. Furthermore, since the game balls B are supplied from the bypass passage 552g into the tank rail 553 in a direction approximately perpendicular (right-angle) to the direction of ball flow, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of ball jams occurring in the tank rail 553 due to game balls B from the bypass passage 552g.

The detour passage 552g extends diagonally in the left-right direction, with its rear end moving backward as it approaches the downstream side of the tank rail 553. Therefore, when the game ball B is released from the detour passage 552g towards the tank rail 553, the diagonally extending rear end allows the game ball B to be released towards the wider upstream side of the tank rail 553 rather than the narrower downstream side. By releasing the ball into the wider section, the occurrence of ball jamming within the tank rail 553 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, the area in the tank rail 553 where the detour passage 552g guides the game balls B corresponds to the rear of the left side wall 552d of the ball tank 552 and the outside of the left side of the rear wall 552c in a front view. Game balls B that have passed under the guide surface 552j of the ball tank 552 (towards the ceiling of the opening 552k) flow through this area. For this reason, in the area of the tank rail 553 behind the detour passage 552g, the height of the multiple game balls B stacked vertically will not exceed the height of the ceiling of the opening 552k (the height of the wall of the tank rail 553). Therefore, on the downstream side of the ball tank 552 in the tank rail 553, that is, at the rear end of the bypass passage 552g, a space (empty space) can be secured where game balls B can be stacked on top. This ensures that the game balls B guided backward by the bypass passage 552g are reliably received by the tank rail 553, and that game balls B do not spill out of the tank rail 553.

The spherical tank 552 has a flat guide surface portion 552j that extends to the rightward from a position slightly lower than the overflow portion 552f on the left side wall 552d, within the interior enclosed by the front wall 552b, the rear wall 552c, and the left side wall 552d. The guide surface portion 552j extends in the front-rear direction from the front wall 552b to the rear wall 552c. Furthermore, the guide surface portion 552j, in a front view, has a right edge that extends diagonally backward from approximately 1/3 of the total length of the front wall 552b in the left-right direction from the left edge of the front wall 552b, to approximately 1/9 of the total length of the front wall 552b in the left-right direction from the left edge of the front wall 552b, to approximately 1/2 of the total length of the front-rear direction from the front wall 552b to the vicinity of the rear wall 552c, and from there extends parallel to the rear wall 552c with a constant width in the front-rear direction from the left edge of the rear wall 552c to approximately 1/3 of the total length of the rear wall 552c in the left-right direction.

The spherical tank 552 has an opening 552k formed so that, in a plan view, the area enclosed by the right end edge of the guide surface portion 552j, which is formed in the shape described above, and the straight line connecting the end of the right end edge on the front wall 552b side and the end on the rear wall 552c side, penetrates vertically. Furthermore, the spherical tank 552 has flat plate-shaped flange portions 552l extending outward in the left-right direction and vertically on the same plane as the front wall 552b, on the front end side of the right side wall 552e and the front end side of the weir portion 552i of the bypass passage 552g. The height of the upper edge of the portion of the front wall 552b excluding the overflow portion 552f, and the upper edges of the two flange portions 552l, are higher than the upper edges of the left side wall 552d and the rear wall 552c (the upper surfaces of the left step portion 501n and right step portion 501o of the main frame base 501).

When assembled, the spherical tank 552 and the tank rail 553 are connected at the opening 552k of the spherical tank 552, with the upstream end (right end in a front view) of the tank rail 553 being connected. Furthermore, in a plan view, the diagonally extending portion of the tank rail 553, which extends horizontally in a crank shape, and the portion extending straight horizontally to its left are positioned (protrude) behind the spherical tank 552. The rear end of the left bypass passage 552g on the left side wall 552d of the spherical tank 552 is located at the front end of the diagonally extending portion of the tank rail 553, which extends horizontally in a crank shape.

The discharge section 551j is formed on the upper surface of the discharge base 551. When assembled to the main frame 4, the discharge section 551j extends backward from a height lower than the bypass passage 552g to the same height as the bottom wall 552a of the spherical tank 552, in a stepped manner. It extends backward from the rear of the flange portion 552l on the left side of the spherical tank 552 (as viewed from the front) to the tank rail 553, then along the tank rail 553 to a position higher than the upper end of the tank rail 553 (near the center of the second rail cover 555 in the left-right direction), and then extends backward again.

The external terminal plate 558 has multiple wire connection terminals 558a mounted on its rear surface, arranged horizontally. These wire connection terminals 558a are one-touch terminals; their gripping portion opens by operating a lever to grip the end of an electrical wire. When assembled on the main frame 4, the external terminal plate 558 is positioned in front of the portion of the tank rail 553 that is closed off by the first rail cover 554, the second rail cover 555, and the spherical rectifier member 556. The terminal cover 551k, which covers the upper part of the external terminal plate 558 (multiple wire connection terminals 558a), is formed on the upper surface of the discharge base 551. The upper surface of the terminal cover 551k is formed at approximately the same height as the upper end of the flange portion 552l of the spherical tank 552.

Next, the effects of the upper part of the main frame 4 in the pachinko machine 1 will be explained. First, as shown by the white arrows in Figure 102, the overflow surface 501m, the left step 501n, the right step 501o, and the bypass passage 552g are inclined such that the rear end of the overflow surface 501m and bypass passage 552g is lower, the rear right corner of the left step 501n is lower, and the rear left corner of the right step 501o is lower. Furthermore, the bottom wall 552a and the tank rail 553 (main guide section 553a) of the ball tank 552 are inclined such that the left end is lower when viewed from the front. Also, the guide surface 552j of the ball tank 552 is inclined such that the right end, opposite to the bottom wall 552a, is lower.

As the amount of game balls B stored in the ball tank 552 increases due to supply from the island equipment, the balls B can first flow out to the outside (forward) of the ball tank 552 by overflowing the lowest overflow section 552f on the upper edge of the outer circumference. This allows the overflowing game balls B to escape to the overflow surface 501m, and the game balls B that have flowed out of the ball tank 552 to the forward overflow surface 501m can be returned to the ball tank 552 by the slope of the overflow surface 501m (see Figure 103). Therefore, further increases in the number of game balls B in the ball tank 552 can be prevented, thereby suppressing strong pushing between game balls B (increase in ball pressure) within the ball tank 552, and preventing jamming (so-called ball jamming) caused by the game balls B interlocking within the ball tank 552.

Furthermore, because a bypass passage 552g is provided, as shown in Figure 104, game balls B that overflow from the ball tank 552 onto the overflow surface 501m can be sent to the tank rail 553 via the bypass passage 552g. This prevents strong rearward pressure from acting on the game balls B in the ball tank 552 due to the game balls B accumulated on the overflow surface 501m, thus preventing clogging of the game balls B in the ball tank 552. Also, because the game balls B can be sent to the tank rail 553 via the bypass passage 552g, it is possible to prevent game balls B overflowing from the ball tank 552 or the overflow surface 501m from spilling onto the outside (rear side) of the main frame 4. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the occurrence of problems where game balls B spilled onto the outside of the main frame 4 become trapped between the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4, preventing the main frame 4 from opening and closing.

Furthermore, a portion of the game balls B that overflow from the ball tank 552 onto the overflow surface 501m can be guided downstream of the tank rail 553 by the bypass passage 552g. Additionally, game balls B can be sent to the tank rail 553 from a fixed position along the left side, away from the ball tank 552. This allows the flow (pressure) of the game balls B sent to the tank rail 553 by the bypass passage 552g to be directed downstream of the tank rail 553, thereby suppressing strong pushing between the game balls B within the tank rail 553 and preventing blockage.

Furthermore, at the upper edge of the outer circumference of the ball tank 552, the height of the remaining upper edge, excluding the overflow section 552f, is higher than the overflow section 552f. Therefore, the upper edge of the left-side wall 552d on one side of the ball tank 552, between the ball tank 552 and the bypass passage 552g, is higher than the overflow section 552f, i.e., the rear end of the overflow surface 501m. This prevents game balls B that have overflowed from the ball tank 552 beyond the overflow section 552f into the overflow surface 501m and are flowing from the overflow surface 501m into the bypass passage 552g from being blocked by the left-side wall 552d of the ball tank 552. This prevents them from returning to the ball tank 552 side from the bypass passage 552g, thus preventing game balls B on the bypass passage 552g side from pressing against game balls B in the ball tank 552 and causing a blockage of game balls B within the ball tank 552.

Furthermore, as described above, the upper edge of the left wall 552d between the ball tank 552 and the bypass passage 552g is higher than the rear end of the overflow surface 501m (the passage surface 552h on which the game balls B roll in the bypass passage 552g). This prevents the game balls B from overflowing from the ball tank 552 into the bypass passage 552g without passing through the overflow surface 501m. This prevents the inflow of game balls B from the side (ball tank 552) into the bypass passage 552g, thus allowing the flow of game balls B in the bypass passage 552g to be a constant flow from the overflow surface 501m at the front end to the tank rail 553 at the rear end, and thus the pressure of the game balls B guided from the bypass passage 552g to the tank rail 553 to be constant. Therefore, within the tank rail 553, the direction of pressure applied to the game balls B is varied, preventing the game balls B from pushing against each other and getting jammed, thus preventing jamming of the game balls B.

Furthermore, since the tank rail 553 has a main guide section 553a that extends to the downstream end, the game balls B inside the tank rail 553 will line up in a single row in the left-right direction when they reach the main guide section 553a. This allows the game balls B inside the tank rail 553 to be aligned and reliably guided to the downstream payout device 580. Additionally, the upper part of the tank rail 553 has a wide bulge 553b that can accommodate multiple game balls B, allowing it to reliably receive game balls B released from the rear end of the bypass passage 552g, thus reliably achieving the above-mentioned effects.

Furthermore, the bulging portion 553b of the tank rail 553 extends from the upstream end to the closed portion at the top, and its width narrows towards the downstream side, matching the width of the main guide portion 553a. Therefore, as multiple game balls B move downstream within the bulging portion 553b, they can be aligned in a single line in the width direction. Additionally, the closed portion at the top of the tank rail 553 is formed such that the height of the flow path for the game balls B decreases towards the downstream end. This allows multiple game balls B, which were stacked in multiple layers in the height direction on the upstream side (ball tank 552 side), to be guided downstream through the closed portion at the top of the tank rail 553, thereby reducing the number of layers in the height direction and aligning them in a single line. Thus, the tank rail 553 can guide multiple game balls B downstream (towards the payout device 580 side) in a single line.

Furthermore, because it is equipped with an overflow surface 501m and a bypass passage 552g, it is possible to store a certain number of game balls B in these areas. Additionally, because the tank rail 553 is equipped with a bulge 553b, the volume within the tank rail 553 can be increased, allowing for the storage of even more game balls B in combination with the ball tank 552.

Furthermore, since the external terminal board 558, equipped with multiple wire connection terminals 558a to which electrical wiring is connected, and a terminal cover 551k covering the upper side of the multiple wire connection terminals 558a (external terminal board 558) are provided on the opposite side from the ball tank 552, with the bypass passage 552g and discharge section 551j in between, the wire connection terminals 558a and terminal cover 551k can be placed far away from the ball tank 552 to which game balls B are supplied from the island equipment, even if the game balls B supplied from the island equipment bounce or are supplied with force in the ball tank 552 or overflow surface 501m, it is difficult for them to reach (contact) the wire connection terminals 558a, etc., and malfunctions such as short circuits or disconnections of electrical wiring due to contact by game balls B will not occur.

Furthermore, by orienting multiple wire connection terminals 558a towards the rear and raising the upper surface of the terminal cover 551k higher than the overflow surface 501m, it is possible to prevent game balls B supplied from the island equipment to the ball tank 552 from bouncing off the ball tank 552 or the overflow surface 501m, making it less likely for them to land on the upper surface of the terminal cover 551k. Even if game balls B do land on the upper surface of the terminal cover 551k, they are less likely to fall from the rear, thus making it easier to avoid the aforementioned problems.

Furthermore, the game balls B returned from the overflow surface 501m to the guide surface 552j of the ball tank 552 are directed upstream (to the right in Figure 103) of the ball tank 552 due to the inclination of the guide surface 552j. This prevents the game balls B on the guide surface 552j from being pressed downstream against the game balls B inside the ball tank 552, thereby preventing jamming of the game balls B within the ball tank 552.

Furthermore, even if the game balls B supplied from the island equipment to the ball tank 552 bounce off the ball tank 552 or the overflow surface 501m and land on the left step 501n or right step 501o on either side of the overflow surface 501m, as shown in Figure 103, their inclinations can guide the game balls B to the overflow surface 501m or the detour passage 552g, preventing malfunctions from occurring due to the game balls B spilling outside the main frame 4.

Furthermore, when the game balls B flow from the ball tank 552 to the tank rail 553, the configuration ensures that the game balls B pass beneath the guide surface 552j. Therefore, the guide surface 552j can regulate the amount (height) of game balls B stacked on top of the tank rail 553 so that it does not exceed the height of the guide surface 552j. Consequently, a space (empty space) can be secured on the downstream side of the ball tank 552 (guide surface 552j) on the tank rail 553, that is, at the rear end of the bypass passage 552g, allowing for the stacking of game balls B on top and ensuring reliable reception of the game balls B guided by the bypass passage 552g.

Furthermore, since multiple wire connection terminals 558a and terminal covers 551k are positioned in front of the closed upper portion of the tank rail 553, even if a game ball B falls backward from the terminal cover 551k, the game ball B will not be received by the tank rail 553. This prevents the game ball B from affecting the game balls B inside the tank rail 553 and causing malfunctions.

[4-12. Another Embodiment, such as a Tank Rail]
Next, another embodiment of the tank rail 553, etc., in the main frame 4 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 106 to 110. Figure 106 is a perspective view from the rear of a pachinko machine equipped with a tank rail, etc., of another embodiment, showing an enlarged view of the tank rail portion. Figure 107(a) is a plan view showing the tank rail, etc., of Figure 106 assembled together with the ball tank, (b) is a perspective view of the tank rail, etc., of (a) from the front, and (c) is a perspective view of the tank rail, etc., of (a) from the rear. Figure 108(a) is an exploded perspective view of the tank rail, etc., of Figure 107, disassembled and viewed from the front, and (b) is an exploded perspective view of the tank rail, etc., of Figure 107, disassembled and viewed from the rear. Figure 109 is a cross-sectional view of the tank rail, etc., cut along the carker line in Figure 107(a). Figure 110 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow of game balls in the tank rail of Figure 107 in cross-section. In a different embodiment from the one described above, the tank rail 553A, etc., differs from the tank rail 553, first rail cover 554, second rail cover 555A, and spherical flow straightening member 556A in the tank rail 553A, first rail cover 554, second rail cover 555, and spherical flow straightening member 556 in the above embodiment. Similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals and described accordingly.

In this embodiment, the tank rail 553A rectifies the flow of game balls B stored in the ball tank 552 and transfers them to the ball guidance unit 570 of the payout unit 560. This tank rail 553A extends to the left in a groove shape that is open upwards. The tank rail 553A is fitted with a first rail cover 554A to close its upper end, a second rail cover 555A located to the left of the first rail cover 554A in a front view, and a ball rectifying member 556A located above the second rail cover 555A. Additionally, a ball stopping member 557 capable of preventing the flow of game balls B is attached to the downstream end of the tank rail 553A.

As shown in Figure 107(a), the tank rail 553A has a meandering section 553c downstream of the bulging section 553b that meanders in the front-rear direction. This meandering section 553c can suppress the flow speed of the game balls B. The first rail cover 554A is attached upstream of the meandering section 553c (towards the ball tank 552).

The second rail cover 555A extends horizontally from the first rail cover 554A to the downstream end (left end in front view), including the meandering section 553c, at the open upper end of the tank rail 553A. The second rail cover 555A has a plate-shaped cover portion 555a that closes the upper end of the tank rail 553A, a pair of protective walls 555b extending upward from both the front and rear ends upstream of the center of the cover portion 555a, and an opening 555c that penetrates the cover portion 555a between the pair of protective walls 555b. In the area where the meandering section 553c of the tank rail 553A is provided, the pair of protective walls 555b are formed in a meandering shape following the meandering section 553c. The flow straightening piece 556a of the spherical flow straightening member 556A, described later, is inserted into the opening 555c so as to penetrate from above.

The ball flow straightening member 556A extends forward and backward at its upstream end and is mounted rotatably around its axis. The ball flow straightening member 556A is located above the cover portion 555a of the second rail cover 555A, between a pair of protective walls 555b, and has a flat straightening piece 556a that penetrates the opening 555c of the second rail cover 555A and protrudes into the tank rail 553A. This ball flow straightening member 556A contacts the game balls B, which are stacked in multiple layers within the tank rail 553A, from above, making it easier to unravel the layers of game balls B and align them in a single line. It also suppresses the rapid downstream movement of the uppermost game ball B, preventing ball jamming on the downstream side of the tank rail 553A.

In this embodiment, the tank rail 553A, etc., when assembled, is positioned between the pair of protective walls 555b on the second rail cover 555A, below the upper end of the protective walls 555b. This prevents the electric wire (shown as a dashed line in Figure 106) connected to the electric wire connection terminal 558a of the external terminal plate 558, which is provided on the front upper side of the part of the tank rail 553A to which the electric wire 556A is attached, from contacting the electric wire 556A from above. However, if the electric wire connected to the electric wire connection terminal 558a contacts the electric wire 556A from above, the weight of the electric wire may prevent the electric wire 556A from rotating upward even when a game ball B comes into contact with the rectifier piece 556a of the electric wire 556A, potentially preventing the electric wire 556A from rotating upward and thus preventing it from fully performing its rectifying effect on the game ball B. In contrast, in this embodiment, the pair of protective walls 555b of the second rail cover 555A prevent contact between the ball rectifier member 556A and the wire connected to the wire connection terminal 558a. Therefore, when a game ball B contacts the rectifier piece 556a of the ball rectifier member 556A, the ball rectifier member 556A can rotate upward, allowing it to fully exert its rectifying effect and preventing ball jamming or jamming within the tank rail 553A.

Furthermore, since the tank rail 553A is provided with a meandering section 553c, the flow speed of the game balls B can be suppressed by the meandering section 553c. However, in the tank rail 553A, where the height narrows towards the downstream side, if the upper game balls B, among the multiple layers of stacked game balls B, move downstream first, ball jamming is more likely to occur. In contrast, in this embodiment, as described above, the flow speed of the game balls B can be suppressed by the meandering section 553c, thus preventing the upper game balls B from moving downstream first and reducing the occurrence of ball jamming.

Furthermore, as described above, the protective wall 555b of the second rail cover 555A prevents the wires from contacting the ball rectifier member 556A, thereby preventing ball jamming. This allows the tank rail 553A to be positioned near terminal boards (e.g., external terminal board 558) or control boards to which many wires are connected, or to be positioned near the tank rail 553A. This provides a pachinko machine 1 with a high degree of flexibility in the placement of the tank rail 553A (ball tank 552), terminal boards, etc.

[4-13. Another Embodiment of the Substrate Unit]
Next, a substrate unit 620A of a different embodiment (second embodiment) will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 111 to 116. Figure 111(a) is a front view of the substrate unit of the other embodiment, (b) is a perspective view of the substrate unit of (a) from the front right, and (c) is a perspective view of the substrate unit of (a) from the front left. Figure 112(a) is a perspective view of the substrate unit of Figure 111(a) from the rear upper right, and (b) is a perspective view of the substrate unit of Figure 111(a) from the rear lower right. Figure 113 is an exploded perspective view of the substrate unit of Figure 111(a) as seen from the front, and Figure 114 is an exploded perspective view of the substrate unit of Figure 111(a) as seen from the rear. Figure 115(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the key-key line in Figure 111(a), (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the cool-k line in (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view taken along the k-ke line in (a). Figure 116 is a bottom view showing the part of the pachinko machine equipped with the circuit board unit of Figure 111(a) that is behind the door frame.

The circuit board unit 620A of this embodiment is mounted on the lower rear surface of the main frame base unit 500, replacing the circuit board unit 620 described above. In the circuit board unit 620A of this embodiment, the configuration of the base unit 660 differs significantly from that of the base unit 620b of the circuit board unit 620 described above. Here, components similar to those in the circuit board unit 620 are given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations are omitted.

The circuit board unit 620A includes a speaker unit 620a mounted below the game board mounting section 501c on the rear surface of the main frame base unit 500, a base unit 660 mounted on the rear surface of the main frame base unit 501 so as to cover a portion of the speaker unit 620a from the rear, a power supply unit 620c mounted on the rear side of the base unit 660, a payout control unit 620d mounted on the rear side of the power supply unit 620c, and an interface unit 620e mounted on the rear surface of the speaker unit 620a so as to cover a portion of the payout control unit 620d from the rear.

The base unit 660 includes a front base 661 attached to the rear surface of the main frame base 501 so as to cover a part of the speaker box 623 from the rear, a rear base 662 attached to the rear side of the front base 661 with a power supply unit 620c attached to its rear surface, an out ball passage 663 provided between the front base 661 and the rear base 662 through which the game balls B discharged downward from the game board 5 flow, and a mechanism to check each game ball B flowing through the out ball passage 663 one by one. The system includes an out-of-bounds sensor 664, a ball-removal guide unit 627 that receives game balls B released from the lower ball-removal passage 610c of the lower full-ball path unit 610 and guides them to the right in a front view, a ball-removal discharge passage 665 through which the game balls B guided by the ball-removal guide unit 627 flow and which is located behind the out-of-bounds ball passage 663 in the rear base 662, and a passage wall member 666 attached to the rear base 662 to close the rear side of the ball-removal discharge passage 665.

The front base 661 is formed in a box shape that is long and open to the front. The rear base 662 has flat partition walls 662a that extend to the left and right at a substantially constant height in the vertical direction. An out ball passage 663 and a ball removal guide section 627 are formed on the front side of the partition walls 662a, and a ball removal discharge passage 665 is formed on the rear side of the partition walls 662a. The rear side of the rear base 662a is formed in a box shape that is open to the rear.

The base unit 660 has a front base 661, a rear base 662, and a passage wall member 666, all made of transparent material. Therefore, the ball removal guide section 627, the out-ball passage 663, and the ball removal and discharge passage 665 are also made of transparent material. Consequently, the inside of the ball removal guide section 627, the out-ball passage 663, and the ball removal and discharge passage 665 can be clearly seen from above and below the base unit 660, making it easier to check for ball blockages and other issues.

The out-ball passage 663 is formed on the front side of the flat, plate-shaped partition wall 662a that extends horizontally at approximately constant height in the vertical direction of the rear base 662, with its front end open. The open front end is closed by the front base 661.

The out-ball passage 663 includes a ball discharge receiving section 663a that is open upward and extends to the left and right at approximately the center of the left-right direction in the pachinko machine 1; an out-ball straightening section 663b that straightens the game balls B received by the ball discharge receiving section 663a into a single line while causing them to meander significantly in the left-right direction; a downward guiding section 663c that guides the game balls B straightened into a single line by the out-ball straightening section 663b downward; and an out-ball discharge port 663d that opens downward at the lower end of the downward guiding section 663c and discharges the game balls B downward from the lower surface of the base unit 660. The out-ball discharge port 663d of the out-ball passage 663 is located behind the outer frame 2 (see Figure 116).

The ball discharge receiving section 663a of the out-ball passage 663 has a depth in the front-to-back direction that is approximately 2.5 times the outer diameter of the game ball B. The ball discharge receiving section 663a is inclined at a gentle angle so that the right end is lower.

The out-ball straightening section 663b is inclined at a gentle angle from a position to the right of the right end of the ball discharge receiving section 663a, downwards toward the left end of the ball discharge receiving section 663a. Furthermore, the depth of the out-ball straightening section 663b narrows as it moves downstream (to the left), and near the downstream end below the ball discharge receiving section 663a, its depth is slightly greater than the diameter of the game ball B. Also, the portion of the out-ball straightening section 663b to the left of the right end of the ball discharge receiving section 663a decreases in height as it moves downstream (to the left), and near the downstream end, its height is slightly greater than the diameter of the game ball B. This allows the out-ball straightening section 663b to align the game balls B in a single line.

The downward guide section 663c extends downward from the downstream end of the out-ball straightening section 663b, which is below the ball discharge receiving section 663a. Midway along its vertical direction, the front wall is bent slightly backward in a crank-like curve so that it lies flush with the rear wall (partition wall). As a result, the downstream end of the downward guide section 663c (out-ball discharge port 663d) is located behind the front surface of the partition wall 662a of the rear base 662. An out-sensor 664 is provided upstream of the cranked portion of this downward guide section 663c. Because the downward guide section 663c is curved so that the cranked portion does not have a horizontally extending section, even if a game ball B passes the out-sensor 664 and hits the cranked portion, it will not bounce up towards the out-sensor 664 above, preventing the out-sensor 664 from detecting a single game ball B twice.

The out-sensor 664 uses a non-contact electromagnetic proximity switch, which is highly durable and has a long lifespan, because game balls B pass over it frequently.

The ball release guide section 627 is located to the left of the ball discharge receiving section 663a in the out ball passage 663. The upstream end of the ball release guide section 627 opens to the left at the upper left side in a front view, and the downstream end bends backward, extending to the rear of the partition wall section 662a of the rear base 662, before connecting to the upstream end of the ball release passage 665 (see Figure 115(a), etc.).

The ball extraction and discharge passage 665 is formed on the rear side of the partition wall portion 662a in the rear base 662. The ball extraction and discharge passage 665 is formed in the rear base 662 in an open state toward the rear, and its rear end is closed by the passage wall member 666. The rear end of this ball extraction and discharge passage 665 is positioned approximately one unit of the outer diameter of the game ball B forward of the rear end of the rear base 662. In other words, a gap of at least one unit of the game ball B is formed between the ball extraction and discharge passage 665 and the power supply board 630 of the power supply unit 620c, which is attached to the rear side of the rear base 662.

The ball extraction and discharge passage 665 has its upstream end (left end) connected to the downstream end of the ball extraction guide section 627. It includes a lateral guide section 665a that extends to the right of the ball extraction receiving section 663a at the same incline as the ball extraction receiving section 663a of the out-ball passage 663, a vertical guide section 665b that extends vertically downward from the downstream end (right end) of the lateral guide section 665a to the underside of the rear base 662, and a ball extraction and discharge port 665c that opens downward at the downstream end (lower end) of the vertical guide section 665b. The ball extraction and discharge port 665c is located slightly behind the out-ball discharge port 663d of the out-ball passage 663 (see Figure 116).

Furthermore, the ball removal and discharge passage 665 has multiple protrusions 665d that alternately project inward at regular intervals in the vertical direction on the left and right inner walls of the vertical guide section 665b. The ball removal and discharge passage 665 allows the game balls B flowing through the vertical guide section 665b, which extends vertically downward, to alternately contact the multiple protrusions 665d, thereby causing the game balls B to flow downward in a zigzag pattern and suppressing an increase in their flow speed. This suppresses the speed of the game balls B discharged downward from the ball removal and discharge port 665c.

This ball extraction and discharge passage 665 is a simple L-shaped passage formed by a horizontal guide section 665a and a vertical guide section 665b. Therefore, when operating the ball extraction lever 593 to discharge the game balls B from the ball tank 552, a large number of game balls B can be smoothly guided and discharged.

In this embodiment, according to the circuit board unit 620A, game balls B that are driven into the game area 5a and discharged from the game board 5 are received by the ball discharge receiving section 663a of the out ball passage 663, detected by the out sensor 664, and then discharged to the island equipment side of the game hall. On the other hand, in order to discharge (remove) game balls B from the ball tank 552, etc., the ball removal lever 593 of the payout device 580 is operated to discharge the game balls B to the ball removal passage 580b side, and these game balls B are then discharged to the island equipment side of the game hall through the ball removal guidance section 627 and the ball removal discharge passage 665, which are separate and independent from the out ball passage 663. As a result, only game balls B discharged from the game board 5 can be detected by the out sensor 664 provided in the out ball passage 663, so that only game balls B discharged from the game board 5 can be accurately counted. Therefore, the pachinko machine 1 can be configured to accurately calculate the payout rate (ball payout rate) of game balls B by using the number of game balls B (safe balls) counted by the payout detection sensor 591 of the payout device 580 and the number of game balls B (out balls) counted by the out sensor 664.

The number of game balls B counted by the out sensor 664 (number of out balls) is the sum of the number of game balls B that were shot into the game area 5a and received into the prize slots such as the general prize slot 2001, the first start slot 2002, the gate 2003, the second start slot 2004, the large prize slot 2005, the special prize slot 2006, etc., and discharged from the game board 5, and the number of game balls B that were shot into the game area 5a but not received into any prize slot and were received into the out slot 1008 and discharged from the game board 5. This represents the total number of game balls B shot into the game area 5a (number of launched balls).

Furthermore, since the payout rate (ball payout rate) changes depending on the game state, the payout rate within a predetermined period (for example, per unit time, per predetermined time, per day, etc.) is calculated as follows: "Number of payouts within the predetermined period ÷ Number of balls out within the predetermined period = Payout rate within the predetermined period."

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the circuit board unit 620A of the main frame 4 to which the game board 5 is detachably attached is provided with an out-ball passage 663 through which game balls B discharged from the game board 5 flow. The out-ball sensor 664 detects the game balls B flowing through the out-ball passage 663. Since it is possible to detect game balls B discharged from the game board 5, there is no need to provide an out-ball detection unit on the game board 5 to detect "out-balls," thus simplifying the configuration of the game board 5 and reducing costs.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, a gap larger than the outer diameter of the game ball B is formed between the rear end of the ball extraction/discharge passage 665 and the power supply board 630 of the power supply unit 620c, which is attached to the rear side of the rear base 662. This causes the out-ball passage 663 and the ball extraction/discharge passage 665 to be further away from the power supply board 630 and the payout control board 633, etc. As a result, the impact of electrical noise caused by static electricity and induced currents generated by the flow of many game balls B through the out-ball passage 663 and the ball extraction/discharge passage 665 on the power supply board 630 and the payout control board 633, etc., can be reduced, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 with fewer malfunctions due to the flow of game balls B.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the game ball B, whose flow speed has been suppressed by the out-ball rectifier 663b of the out-ball passage 663, is detected by the out-sensor 664, the impact on the out-sensor 664 due to the flow of the game ball B can be weakened, thereby reducing the likelihood of the out-sensor 664 wearing out and breaking prematurely.

Furthermore, if the payout rate (ball payout rate) per predetermined time, calculated from the number of safe balls and the number of out balls per predetermined time, is displayed in a way that is visible to the player, then, since players desire a large payout of game balls B, a high displayed payout rate allows them to immediately recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is likely to pay out a large number of game balls B, making it easier for them to choose the pachinko machine 1 to play. Also, if the payout rate is displayed in a way that is visible to the player, then if fraudulent activity occurs that results in a large payout of game balls B, the displayed payout rate will be higher than normal. This makes it easier for other players and staff at the amusement hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed to notice the fraudulent activity, thus deterring fraudulent behavior and making the pachinko machine 1 a highly effective deterrent against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, if the payout rate calculated from the number of safe balls and out balls is displayed in a location invisible to the player, then staff at the amusement hall can detect fraudulent activity for the same reasons as described above. Also, if the displayed payout rate differs from the normal value during maintenance of the pachinko machine 1, it suggests a possible malfunction within the machine (for example, faulty nails N, main control board 1310, payout control board 633, relay board, connector, wiring cable, various sensors, etc.). This allows for early response to the malfunction, reducing the burden on the amusement hall.

Furthermore, since an out-sensor 664 is provided in the out-ball passage 663 through which the game balls B discharged from the game board 5 flow, there is no need to provide a device (for example, an out-ball detection unit) for detecting the game balls B discharged from the game board 5. This reduces the cost of the game board 5, and also allows for the creation of space on the game board 5 that would otherwise be used for detecting the game balls B. By using this space to install a display device, a pachinko machine 1 (game board 5) that can provide a more enjoyable experience for players can be created.

Furthermore, since the ball extraction and discharge passage 665 has a vertical guide section 665b with multiple protrusions 665d that alternately protrude from it, the speed at which the game balls B flow through this vertical guide section 665b can be suppressed. This prevents damage to the ball extraction and discharge passage 665 due to the impact of the flowing game balls B, and prevents damage to the island equipment in the gaming hall that receives the game balls B discharged from the ball extraction and discharge passage 665.

Furthermore, the out-ball passage 663 is provided with a meandering out-ball rectifier section 663b, and the ball extraction/discharge passage 665 is provided with a vertical guide section 665b having multiple protrusions 665d. These features suppress the flow speed of the game balls B, thereby reducing the electrical noise emitted from the game balls B flowing through the out-ball passage 663 and the ball extraction/discharge passage 665. This minimizes the impact on nearby components such as the power supply board 630 and the payout control board 633, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 with fewer malfunctions caused by the flow of game balls B.

Furthermore, since the out-ball discharge ports 663d and 665c of the out-ball passage 663 and ball-removal discharge passage 665, respectively, are designed to open downwards, the game balls B are discharged downwards from the out-ball passage 663 and ball-removal discharge passage 665. This makes it less likely for the game balls B to collide with other pachinko machines or walls located behind the pachinko machine 1 in the island equipment, thus preventing damage to other pachinko machines or walls. Additionally, because the game balls B are discharged downwards from the out-ball passage 663 and ball-removal discharge passage 665, the discharged game balls B are less likely to scatter, making it easier for the island equipment to collect the game balls B discharged from the out-ball passage 663 and ball-removal discharge passage 665.

Furthermore, since a base unit 660 is provided below the part of the main frame 4 where the game board 5 is attached, with a ball extraction/discharge passage 665 and an out-ball passage 663 formed therein, the game board 5 can simply discharge the game balls B that have been played into the game area 5a downwards, and transfer them to the out-ball passage 663 of the base unit 660. This allows for a simpler (easier) configuration for discharging the game balls B from the game board 5, thereby reducing the cost of the game board 5.

Furthermore, since the ball extraction and discharge port 665c of the ball extraction and discharge passage 665 and the out-ball discharge port 663d of the out-ball passage 663 are located behind the outer frame 2, it is possible to prevent the game balls B discharged from the ball extraction and discharge passage 665 and the out-ball passage 663 from colliding with the outer frame 2. This prevents the outer frame 2 from being damaged by the game balls B rapidly flowing through the ball extraction and discharge passage 665 and the out-ball passage 663 colliding with it, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that is less prone to damage.

Furthermore, because the ball extraction and discharge port 665c of the ball extraction and discharge passage 665 and the out-ball discharge port 663d of the out-ball passage 663 are located behind the outer frame 2, it is not necessary to move the parts for collecting the game balls B on the island equipment side (out-receiving section, bucket, etc.) forward to a position where they overlap with the outer frame 2. This reduces the effort required for both installing and moving the pachinko machine 1.

[4-13a. Another Embodiment of Ball Discharge in a Substrate Unit]
Next, another embodiment of ball ejection in the above-described substrate unit 620A will be described in detail with reference to Figures 117 and 118, etc. Figure 117 is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which a guide piece is provided at the ball ejection port of the ball ejection passage. Figure 118(a) is an explanatory diagram showing an example in which the ejection sensor is detachable, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the ejection sensor has been removed in (a).

The embodiment shown in Figure 117 is characterized by the provision of a guide piece 667 at the downstream end of the out-ball passage 663 in the base unit 660, specifically at the out-ball discharge port 663d, which guides the game ball B to the rear. More specifically, in this embodiment, the out-ball passage 663 has a merging section 663e near its downstream end where it merges with the ball removal passage 665. The merging section 663e opens downwards, and its opening end forms the out-ball discharge port 663d (ball removal port 665c). The guide piece 667 protrudes briefly to the rear from the front wall of the out-ball discharge port 663d.

According to the embodiment shown in Figure 117, the game ball B discharged downward from the out-ball discharge port 663d comes into contact with the guide piece 667, thereby directing the discharge direction of the game ball B diagonally downward and rearward. This makes it easier to discharge the game ball B towards the recovery area (out-receiving section, bucket, etc.) located behind the island equipment in a gaming hall, rather than towards the front of the island equipment, ensuring reliable recovery of the game ball B at the island equipment.

Furthermore, according to the embodiment shown in Figure 117, the guide piece 667 can direct the release direction of the game balls B diagonally downward and rearward. Therefore, even if the out-ball discharge port 663d of the out-ball passage 663 is located near the position directly below the game area 5a of the game board 5 attached to the main frame 4 (a position near the front of the island equipment), the game balls B can be reliably received into buckets or the like within the island equipment. Consequently, since the out-ball passage 663 (out-ball discharge port 663d) can be positioned as far forward as possible, the space behind the out-ball passage 663 in the main frame 4 can be widened. As a result, the out-ball passage 663 is moved further away from the power supply board 630 and the payout control board 633, etc., the impact on the power supply board 630 and the payout control board 633, etc. due to electrical noise caused by static electricity and induced currents generated by the flow of many game balls B through the out-ball passage 663 can be reduced, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 with fewer malfunctions due to the flow of game balls B.

Next, the embodiment shown in Figure 118 features an out-of-ball sensor 664 that can be attached and detached from below at the out-of-ball outlet 663d in the out-of-ball passage 663. This embodiment includes a sensor mounting recess 663f formed at the downstream end of the downward guide portion 663c in the out-of-ball passage 663, which is open downwards to accommodate the out-of-ball sensor 664, and a sensor cover 668 that restricts the downward movement of the out-of-ball sensor 664 housed in the sensor mounting recess 663f.

The sensor mounting recess 663f is formed at the lower end of the downward guide portion 663c, which is connected to the downstream end of the out-of-ball rectifier portion 663b in the out-of-ball passage 663 of the base unit 660. In this embodiment as well, the base unit 660 is made of a transparent material, allowing the inside of the out-of-ball passage 663 to be viewed from above or below the base unit 660.

The sensor cover 668 has a main body portion 668a that extends longer than the sensor mounting recess 663f and whose base end is rotatably attached to the base unit 660, a through hole 668b in the main body portion 668a that is through which the game ball B can pass, at a location that coincides with the detection hole of the out sensor 664 housed in the sensor mounting recess 663f, and an elastically deformable locking claw portion 668c provided on the opposite side of the base end of the main body portion 668a.

The sensor cover 668 is rotatably mounted at its base end to the outer portion of the sensor mounting recess 663f on the base unit 660, opposite to the out-of-bulb rectifier portion 663b. The locking claw portion 668c of the sensor cover 668 engages with a locking portion 663g located on the outer side of the sensor mounting recess 663f on the out-of-bulb rectifier portion 663b side of the base unit 660.

The sensor cover 668 is closed by rotating it so that the locking claw portion 668c moves upward, with the out-of-ball sensor 664 housed in the sensor mounting recess 663f so that the detection hole of the out-of-ball sensor 664 aligns with the out-of-ball passage 663. This locks the locking claw portion 668c into the locking portion 663g, causing the main body portion 668a to contact the lower surface of the out-of-ball sensor 664, restricting its downward movement and allowing the out-of-ball sensor 664 to be attached to the base unit 660 (see Figure 118(a)). In this state, the through-hole 668b of the sensor cover 668 aligns with the detection hole of the out-of-ball sensor 664. After the game ball B that has flowed through the out-of-ball passage 663 is detected by the out-of-ball sensor 664, it is discharged downward through the through-hole 668b. This through-hole 668b of the sensor cover 668 also serves as the out-of-ball discharge port 663d of the out-of-ball passage 663.

To replace (remove) the out-of-sensor 664, the locking claw portion 668c of the sensor cover 668 is operated to elastically deform the locking claw portion 668c and release its engagement with the locking portion 663g. Then, by rotating the sensor cover 668 around the base end of the main body portion 668a so that the locking claw portion 668c moves downward, the main body portion 668a of the sensor cover 668 moves away from the lower surface of the out-of-sensor 664, allowing the out-of-sensor 664 to be removed from the sensor mounting recess 663f (see Figure 118(b)).

As shown in Figure 118(b), in this embodiment, when the sensor cover 668 is rotated open, a certain gap is created between the lower end of the sensor cover 668 and the upper end of the object that may come into contact with the sensor (for example, the upper end surface of the lower outer frame assembly 40 in the outer frame 2, the upper end of the connecting cylinder portion 43a of the rear panel member 43, etc.), or between the lower end of the main frame 4 and the sensor cover 668. This prevents the sensor cover 668 from coming into contact with the object even when the main frame 4 is opened or closed relative to the outer frame 2 while the sensor cover 668 is open, thus preventing damage to the sensor cover 668.

According to the embodiment shown in Figure 118, the out-sensor 664 detects all game balls B that are played into the game area 5a of the game board 5. Therefore, there is a risk of premature wear and tear and damage due to the large volume of game balls B in circulation. However, as described above, the out-sensor 664 can be easily replaced by opening the sensor cover 668 and attaching/detaching it from below.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, even if the main frame 4 is opened and closed relative to the outer frame 2 while the sensor cover 668 is open, the sensor cover 668 will not come into contact with the outer frame 2 or other objects that may come into contact with it, thus preventing damage to the sensor cover 668. In detail, the sensor cover 668 supports the out sensor 664 from below, but since many game balls B come into contact with the out sensor 664 from above, there is a risk that the locking claw portion 668c of the sensor cover 668 may come off due to vibrations caused by the contact of many game balls B, causing the sensor cover 668 to open. If the sensor cover 668 opens during gameplay and the out sensor 664 falls downward, the out sensor 664 will no longer detect the game balls B even though they are played into the game area 5a, and the main control board 1310 or the like will be notified of the occurrence of an abnormality. Upon receiving notification of this anomaly, staff at the gaming hall will open the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 to check for the anomaly. However, because there is a gap between the lower end of the opened sensor cover 668 and any objects that could come into contact with it, such as the outer frame 2, the main frame 4 can be opened without the sensor cover 668 coming into contact with any such objects, thus preventing damage to the sensor cover 668.

Furthermore, according to the embodiment shown in Figure 118, the base end of the sensor cover 668 is rotatably attached to the base unit 660 at the outer portion of the sensor mounting recess 663f opposite to the out-ball rectification section 663b. Since the base unit 660 is transparent, opening the sensor cover 668 and removing the out-sensor 664 allows for clear visualization of the out-ball passage 663 from below. Therefore, when a game ball B jams in the out-ball passage 663, the passage can be visually inspected from the outside, allowing for immediate identification of the jammed game ball B and prompt resolution of the jam.

Furthermore, in this embodiment of the pachinko machine 1, since the upper surface of the door frame top unit 450 in the door frame 3 is formed to be substantially flush with the upper surface of the outer frame upper member 30 in the outer frame 2, the pachinko machine 1 can be turned upside down and stood upright. This allows for easy replacement of the out sensor 664 by opening and closing the sensor cover 668, and easy inspection of the out ball passage 663 and ball extraction/discharge passage 665 from the bottom side through the transparent base unit 660.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, even if the out-sensor 664 is damaged, it can be easily replaced. Therefore, the game that was interrupted due to the failure of the out-sensor 664 can be resumed quickly, mitigating player frustration caused by the interruption and preventing a decline in enjoyment. This also helps to prevent a decrease in the operating rate of the pachinko machine 1, thereby reducing the burden on the pachinko parlor.

Furthermore, since one end of the sensor cover 668 is rotatably attached to the base unit 660, when replacing the out-of-sensor 664, even if the sensor cover 668 is opened, the sensor cover 668 will remain suspended from the base unit 660 and will not fall off, thus preventing the sensor cover 668 from being lost.

Furthermore, in the sensor cover 668 that holds the out sensor 664 from below, the outer part of the base unit 660, close to the out ball passage 663 through which many game balls B pass, is mounted so as to be rotatable around the front-rear (horizontal) axis. As a result, the distribution of the downward force acting on the sensor cover 668 via the out sensor 664 due to the passage of game balls B is largely concentrated on the side that is rotatably mounted to the base unit 660 (one end), and relatively smaller on the side of the locking claw portion 668c that is locked to the locking portion 663g of the base unit 660 (the other end). Therefore, even if a downward force acts on the sensor cover 668 via the out sensor 664 as many game balls B pass through the out sensor 664, most of this force can be received on the rotatably mounted end. This makes it difficult for the locking claw portion 668c on the other end to release, thus reducing the risk of the sensor cover 668 opening and the out sensor 664 falling out.

[4-14. Third Embodiment of the Substrate Unit]
Next, a third embodiment of the substrate unit 700, which is further different from the above, will be described in detail with reference to Figures 119 to 128, etc. Figure 119(a) is a perspective view of the substrate unit of the third embodiment, which omits the power supply unit, the dispensing control unit, and the interface unit, as seen from the front right, and (b) is a perspective view of the substrate unit of (a) as seen from the front left. Figure 120(a) is a perspective view of the substrate unit of Figure 119 as seen from the rear upper right, and (b) is a perspective view of the substrate unit of (a) as seen from the rear lower right. Figure 121(a) is a plan view of the substrate unit of Figure 119, (b) is a cross-sectional view of (a) cut along the line ----, (c) is a cross-sectional view of (a) cut along the line ----, and Figure 122 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 121(a) cut along the line ----.

Figure 123 is an exploded perspective view of the circuit board unit in Figure 119, viewed from the front. Figure 124 is an exploded perspective view of the circuit board unit in Figure 119, viewed from the rear. Figure 125(a) is an exploded perspective view of the ball path member of the circuit board unit in Figure 119, viewed from the front. (b) is a perspective view of the ball path member of the circuit board unit in Figure 119, viewed from the rear. Figure 126 is an explanatory diagram showing how to resolve ball jamming in the circuit board unit in Figure 119. Figure 127 is an explanatory diagram showing how to prevent the intrusion of a linear, unauthorized tool into the circuit board unit in Figure 119. Figure 128 is an explanatory diagram showing how to remove debris from the circuit board unit in Figure 119.

The third embodiment of the substrate unit 700 differs from the substrate units 620 and 620A described above only in the configuration of the base unit 710; all other configurations are identical. Therefore, components similar to those in the substrate units 620 and 620A are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations are omitted. Furthermore, the power supply unit 620c, the dispensing control unit 620d, and the interface unit 620e are omitted from Figures 119 to 128.

The circuit board unit 700 of this embodiment is mounted on the lower rear surface of the main frame base unit 500, replacing the circuit board unit 620 or circuit board unit 620A described above. The circuit board unit 700 includes a speaker unit 620a mounted below the game board mounting section 501c on the rear surface of the main frame base 501 of the main frame base unit 500; a base unit 710 mounted on the rear surface of the main frame base 501 so as to cover a portion of the speaker unit 620a from the rear; a power supply unit 620c mounted on the rear side of the base unit 710; a payout control unit 620d mounted on the rear side of the power supply unit 620c; and an interface unit 620e mounted on the rear surface of the speaker unit 620a so as to cover a portion of the payout control unit 620d from the rear.

This circuit board unit 700 includes a first ball path 701 through which game balls B released downward from the game board 5 can flow, a second ball path 702 located behind the first ball path 701 through which game balls b released downward from the game board 5 can flow, a first ball sensor 703 for detecting game balls B flowing through the first ball path 701, a second ball sensor 704 for detecting game balls b flowing through the second ball path 702, and a ball removal passage 705 through which game balls B released from the lower ball removal passage 610c of the lower full ball path unit 610 can flow. The first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 each have an opening facing upward, and the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 detect one game ball B at a time in each before discharging them downward.

In this embodiment, in the game board 5, game balls B received at the out port 1008, the first sub-out port 2021, and the second sub-out port 2022 circulate through the first ball path 701, and game balls b received at the general prize port 2001, the first start port 2002, the second start port 2004, the big prize port 2005, and the special prize port 2006 circulate through the second ball path 702. In other words, out balls circulate through the first ball path 701 and safe balls circulate through the second ball path 702, and the number of all out balls can be counted by the first ball sensor 703, and the number of all safe balls can be counted by the second ball sensor 704. As a result, if fraudulent activity occurs at the entry points (entry point sensors) of the game board 5, such as the general entry point 2001, the first start entry point 2002, the second start entry point 2004, the large entry point 2005, and the special item entry point 2006, the number of safe balls counted by the game board 5 will differ from the number of safe balls counted by the second ball sensor 704, allowing for the detection of fraudulent activity at the entry points.

To elaborate further, the base unit 710 of the circuit board unit 700 includes a front base 711 attached to the rear side of the speaker cover 621 so as to cover a part of the speaker box 623 from the rear, a rear base 712 attached to the rear side of the front base 711 and having a power supply unit 620c attached to its rear surface and having a ball removal passage 705, a ball path member 713 provided between the front base 711 and the rear base 712 and having a first ball path 701 and a second ball path 702, an anti-theft cover 714 that is openable and closable on the front base 711 and the rear base 712 to resolve ball jams of game balls B in the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 and to prevent the intrusion of illegal tools, a passage wall member 715 attached to the rear side of the rear base 712 and closing the rear end of the ball removal passage 705, and a frame relay circuit board 716 attached to the rear side of the rear base 712. In the base unit 710, the front base 711, rear base 712, spherical path member 713, and passage wall member 715 are formed transparently.

The front base 711 is formed in a long, box-like shape, open to the rear and upward. The ball path member 713 is housed inside the front base 711 from the rear. The front wall of the front base 711 closes the front end of the first ball path 701 of the ball path member 713. The front base 711 has a ball receiving opening 711a that extends long in the left-right direction in the upper peripheral wall, and a release opening 711b that opens slightly to the right of the center in the left-right direction in the lower peripheral wall. With the ball path member 713 housed inside the front base 711, the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 of the ball path member 713 are visible upward from the ball receiving opening 711a. Furthermore, the front base 711 supports the anti-theft cover 714 at the front end of the release opening 711b so that it can rotate around an axis extending in the left-right direction.

The rear base 712 is formed in a long, box-like shape that is open to the rear. The rear base 712 closes the rear end of the second ball path 702 of the ball path member 713 with its front wall. The rear base 712 has a ball removal passage 705 that receives the game balls B released from the lower ball removal passage 610c of the lower full ball path unit 610, guides them to the right in a front view, and then guides them downwards for discharge. The ball removal passage 705 is located within the box-shaped rear base 712 and is entirely open to the rear. The rear end of the ball removal passage 705 is closed by a passage wall member 715. The portion of the ball removal passage 705 of the rear base 712 located above the speaker box 623 (the portion on the left end in a front view) penetrates in the front-to-back direction, with its front end closed by the front base 711 and its rear end closed by the passage wall member 715.

Furthermore, the rear base 712 has a first discharge guide section 712a that receives game balls B that have flowed through the first ball path 701 of the ball path member 713, guides them to the rear, and then discharges them downward, and a second discharge guide section 712b that receives game balls B that have flowed through the second ball path 702 of the ball path member 713, guides them to the rear, and then discharges them downward. The inlet sides of the first discharge guide section 712a and the second discharge guide section 712b protrude forward from the front wall of the rear base 712, with the inlet of the first discharge guide section 712a opening forward and the inlet of the second discharge guide section 712b opening upward. The outlets of the first discharge guide section 712a and the second discharge guide section 712b are located at the same position in the front-rear direction. The rear side of the first discharge guide section 712a and the second discharge guide section 712b is open to the rear from the front wall, and the rear end is closed by the passage wall member 715.

The rear base 712 has its ball removal passage 705, first discharge guide section 712a, and second discharge guide section 712b outlets positioned to the left of the front base 711's discharge opening 711b, and arranged sequentially from left to right. The outlet of the ball removal passage 705 widens significantly forward at its front end and slightly backward at its rear end compared to the outlets of the first discharge guide section 712a and second discharge guide section 712b (see Figure 120(b)). In other words, the outlet of the ball removal passage 705 is wider (larger) in the front-to-back direction than the outlets of the first discharge guide section 712a and second discharge guide section 712b.

The sphere path member 713 is inserted from the rear into the box-shaped front base 711 and housed there. The sphere path member 713 has a first sphere path 701 and a second sphere path 702. The sphere path member 713 has a left wall portion 713a that extends vertically downward from the upper end at the right end, an upper left shelf portion 713b that slopes downward to the right from the lower end of the left wall portion 713a, a stepped wall portion 713c that extends vertically downward from the right end of the upper left shelf portion 713b, an upper right shelf portion 713d that slopes downward to the right from the lower end of the stepped wall portion 713c, a straightening wall portion 713e that extends diagonally downward to the left from the right end of the upper right shelf portion 713d, and the lower end of the straightening wall portion 713e It has a lower shelf section 713f that rises to the right from a position separated to the right and extends to the right of the upper right shelf section 713d; a right wall section 713g that extends vertically upward from the right end of the lower shelf section 713f to approximately the same height as the upper end of the left wall section 713a; an upper wall section 713h that extends to the left from the upper end of the right wall section 713g to the same position as the right end of the upper right shelf section 713d; and a U-shaped grooved wall section 713i that is connected to the left end of the upper wall section 713h and opens upward. The left end of the grooved wall section 713i is located slightly to the right of the center in the left-right direction of the upper right shelf section 713d.

Furthermore, the ball path member 713 includes an upper lower wall portion 713j extending to the left from the lower end of the rectifying wall portion 713e, a middle wall portion 713k extending vertically upward from the left end of the upper lower wall portion 713j to the lower surface of the upper left shelf portion 713b, an overhang portion 713l extending downward to the left from the middle of the left side of the middle wall portion 713k, a short hanging wall portion 713m extending vertically downward from near the left end of the lower shelf portion 713f, and a lower lower wall portion 713n extending to the left parallel to the upper lower wall portion 713j from the lower end of the hanging wall portion 713m. The portion of the lower lower wall portion 713n located below the area between the lower end of the rectifying wall portion 713e and the left end of the lower shelf portion 713f is cut out vertically and horizontally to allow the game ball B to pass through.

Furthermore, the spherical path member 713 has multiple obstructing ribs 713o that extend downward from the lower surfaces of the upper left shelf portion 713b, the lower shelf portion 713f, and the upper wall portion 713h, and are spaced apart in the left-right direction. The spherical path member 713 also has a flat partition wall portion 713p that divides the space enclosed by the left wall portion 713a, the upper left shelf portion 713b, the stepped wall portion 713c, the upper right shelf portion 713d, the rectifying wall portion 713e, the lower shelf portion 713f, the right wall portion 713g, the grooved wall portion 713i, the upper part of the lower wall portion 713j, the middle wall portion 713k, the hanging wall portion 713m, and the lower part of the lower wall portion 713n into front-to-back sections.

Furthermore, the ball path member 713 has multiple notches 713q in the upper left shelf section 713b, the upper right shelf section 713d, and the lower shelf section 713f, which are cut out so as to be recessed from the front and rear ends toward the partition wall section 713p. Each of these notches 713q is provided such that, when assembled to the circuit board unit 700, a gap smaller than the radius of the game ball B is formed between it and the front base 711 and the rear base 712. This gap allows debris and dust from within the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 to be discharged downwards.

Furthermore, the spherical path member 713 is provided in the area between the rectifying wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f on the front surface of the partition wall portion 713p, and has a plurality of guide protrusions 713r extending to the left and right.

Furthermore, the spherical path member 713 has a sensor housing front 713s, which houses the first spherical sensor 703, surrounded by the upper lower wall portion 713j, the hanging wall portion 713m, and the lower lower wall portion 713n, located in front of the partition wall portion 713p; and a sensor housing rear 713t, which houses the second spherical sensor 704, surrounded by the upper lower wall portion 713j, the hanging wall portion 713m, and the lower lower wall portion 713n, located behind the partition wall portion 713p.

In the front 713s and rear 713t of the sensor housing, the first and second ball sensors 703 and 704 are housed such that their detection holes are located below the area between the rectifier wall 713e and the lower shelf 713f, that is, with the detection holes facing to the right. Although not shown in the illustration, the wiring cables extending from the first and second ball sensors 703 and 704 extend to the left of the middle wall 713k from the front 713s and rear 713t of the sensor housing.

Furthermore, the ball path member 713 is provided in a portion of the lower surface of the lower wall portion 713n that is forward of the partition wall portion 713p, and has a first ball guide portion 713u that protrudes downward and is open to the rear. When assembled to the substrate unit 700, the right half of the rear end of the first ball guide portion 713u is closed by the front surface of the rear base 712, while the left half faces the entrance side of the first discharge guide portion 712a of the rear base 712. The first ball guide portion 713u can guide the game ball B that has flowed downward from between the rectifying wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f in front of the partition wall portion 713p to the right, then to the rear, and hand it over to the first discharge guide portion 712a of the rear base 712.

On the other hand, behind the partition wall 713p in the ball path member 713, below the portion that opens downwards to the lower part 713n of the lower wall (the portion of the detection hole for the second ball sensor 704 housed in the rear sensor housing 713t), there is an inlet that opens upwards to the second discharge guide section 712b of the rear base 712. This allows the game balls B that have flowed downwards from between the rectifying wall 713e and the lower shelf 713f behind the partition wall 713p to be transferred to the second discharge guide section 712b of the rear base 712.

The right end of the upper left shelf section 713b is located slightly to the right of the left end of the venting port 711b on the front base 711. The right end of the upper right shelf section 713d is located slightly to the right of the right end of the venting port 711b on the front base 711. The left end of the lower shelf section 713f is located to the left of the left end of the venting port 711b on the front base 711. Therefore, the area directly above the venting port 711b on the front base 711 is covered by the flow straightening wall section 713e. The upper left shelf section 713b, the upper right shelf section 713d, and the lower shelf section 713f are inclined in a straight line. On the other hand, the flow straightening wall section 713e is inclined in a curved shape, and its left end curves so that it faces vertically downwards. The distance (height) between the rectifying wall 713e and the lower shelf 713f is sloped to narrow towards the left, so that the left end is at a height that allows one game ball B to pass through. This rectifying wall 713e and lower shelf 713f allow multiple game balls B to be straightened and guided downwards in a single line.

As described above, the space between the flow straightening wall 713e and the lower shelf 713f is formed so that the vertical dimension narrows as you move to the left (the downstream direction in which the game balls B flow). Therefore, depending on the flow rate of game balls B, multiple game balls B may get jammed between the flow straightening wall 713e and the lower shelf 713f, potentially causing a ball jam (see Figure 126). Since the flow straightening wall 713e is located above the release opening 711b, if a ball jam occurs between the flow straightening wall 713e and the lower shelf 713f, the security cover 714 can be opened to open the release opening 711b. A rod-shaped tool can then be inserted from below through the release opening 711b and the notch 713q of the lower shelf 713f, and the jammed game balls B can be pushed out with the tool to resolve the jam.

Furthermore, since the lower shelf section 713f is provided with a notch 713q for clearing ball jams and allowing debris and dust to fall downwards, there is a risk that a linear illegal tool, such as piano wire or a catheter, could be inserted from below through the notch 713q to the upper part of the lower shelf section 713f (the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702), and then the tip of the illegal tool could be extended upwards from the ball path member 713 (the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702), potentially leading to illegal activity against the game board 5 located above. Such insertion of illegal tools is not limited to the lower shelf section 713f; similar concerns exist in the upper left shelf section 713b and the upper right shelf section 713d, where the notch 713q is also located.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the lower surfaces of the upper left shelf portion 713b, the lower shelf portion 713f, and the upper wall portion 713h are provided with a plurality of flat, plate-shaped obstructing ribs 713o that are spaced apart in the left-right direction and extend downward. Therefore, even if the tip of a linear fraudulent tool attempts to move along the lower surfaces of the upper left shelf portion 713b, the lower shelf portion 713f, and the upper wall portion 713h, it will abut against the obstructing ribs 713o, preventing further movement of the tip and thus preventing the insertion of the fraudulent tool (see Figure 127). Consequently, it is possible to prevent fraudulent activity on the game board 5 through the ball path member 713 (first ball path 701 and second ball path 702), thereby reducing the burden on the game hall where this pachinko machine 1 is installed, and providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, in the upper right shelf section 713d and the upper left shelf section 713b, the portions to the right of the middle wall section 713k are closed off below and to the left and right by the straightening wall section 713e, the upper part of the lower wall section 713j, and the middle wall section 713k, which do not have a notch 713q. Therefore, it is impossible for an unauthorized tool to be inserted from below through the notch 713q in the corresponding portions of the upper right shelf section 713d and the upper left shelf section 713b, and unauthorized acts cannot be performed through the notch 713q in those portions.

As described above, the spherical path member 713 has multiple notches 713q in the upper left shelf section 713b, the upper right shelf section 713d, and the lower shelf section 713f, allowing dust and debris to be discharged downwards through the notches 713q (see Figure 128). Dust and debris discharged downwards through the notches 713q located above the sensor housing front section 713s and the sensor housing rear section 713t in the upper left shelf section 713b are contained within the space enclosed by the rectifying wall section 713e, the upper part of the lower wall section 713j, and the middle wall section 713k. As a result, dust and debris do not adhere to the first spherical sensor 703 and the second spherical sensor 704 housed in the sensor housing front section 713s and the sensor housing rear section 713t.

Furthermore, wiring cables are connected by connectors to the left ends of the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704, which are housed in the front 713s and rear 713t of the sensor housing section, respectively. The wiring cables and connectors protrude to the left from the front 713s and rear 713t of the sensor housing section. In other words, the wiring cables and connectors of the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 protrude to the left of the middle wall section 713k. In this central wall section 713k, the canopy section 713l extends to the left from the upper part of the sensor housing front 713s and sensor housing rear 713t on the left side. Therefore, debris and dust that fall downward through the notch 713q formed in the upper left shelf section 713b are guided to the left by the inclination of the canopy section 713l, preventing them from falling onto the wiring cables and connectors of the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704, which protrude to the left of the central wall section 713k. This prevents malfunctions caused by debris and other contaminants.

The base unit 710 forms the first ball path 701 with the front left wall portion 713a, upper left shelf portion 713b, stepped wall portion 713c, upper right shelf portion 713d, rectifying wall portion 713e, lower shelf portion 713f, right wall portion 713g, grooved wall portion 713i, first ball guide portion 713u, and the first discharge guide portion 712a of the rear base 712. The second ball path 702 is formed with the rear left wall portion 713a, upper left shelf portion 713b, stepped wall portion 713c, upper right shelf portion 713d, rectifying wall portion 713e, lower shelf portion 713f, right wall portion 713g, grooved wall portion 713i, and the second discharge guide portion 712b of the rear base 712.

The security cover 714 is formed in a flat shape and is attached to the front end of the release opening 711b of the front base 711 in a manner that allows its front end to rotate around an axis in the left-right direction. The security cover 714 also has an elastic locking portion 714a at its rear end that engages with the rear base 712. As shown in Figure 122, when the security cover 714 is horizontal with the elastic locking portion 714a engaged with the rear base 712, the release opening 711b is closed. When the locking of the elastic locking portion 714a is released and the cover is rotated so that the rear end is positioned downwards and vertical, the release opening 711b is open. In other words, the security cover 714 can be used to open and close the release opening 711b.

The anti-theft cover 714, when closed, can close the relief opening 711b of the front base 711, thereby preventing a linear tool from being inserted into the ball path member 713 (first ball path 701 or second ball path 702) through the relief opening 711b. Furthermore, when a ball jam occurs between the rectifying wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f of the ball path member 713, the anti-theft cover 714 can be opened, thereby opening the relief opening 711b of the front base 711. This allows a rod-shaped tool to be inserted from below through the relief opening 711b and the notch 713q of the lower shelf portion 713f to clear the ball jam of the game balls B. This ball jam clearing operation is performed with the main frame 4 opened forward relative to the outer frame 2.

When the release opening 711b of the security cover 714 is open (vertical), its lower end (the end on the elastic locking portion 714a side) is located below the height of the object of contact (in this case, the connecting cylindrical portion 43a of the rear panel member 43 on the outer frame 2) (the height shown by the dashed line in Figure 122). Therefore, even if one attempts to close the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 while the security cover 714 remains open, after opening the main frame 4 forward relative to the outer frame 2 to resolve a jam of game balls B within the ball path member 713, the open security cover 714 will come into contact with the object of contact (the connecting cylindrical portion 43a of the rear panel member 43), preventing the main frame 4 from closing. This prevents the security cover 714 from being left open, ensuring that it is securely closed and thus enabling the security function of the security cover 714 to be effectively utilized.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the security cover 714 opens for any reason while the main frame 4 is closed to the outer frame 2, even if the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2 in that state, an object posing a contact risk will come into contact with the open security cover 714 from the front. However, since the front end of the security cover 714 is mounted so as to be rotatable around an axis in the left-right direction, when an object posing a contact risk comes into contact with it from the front, the security cover 714 rotates in the closing direction. Therefore, the main frame 4 can be opened without the security cover 714 getting caught on the object posing a contact risk, thus avoiding damage to the security cover 714 and the object posing a contact risk.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the anti-theft cover 714 rarely jams game balls B between the rectifying wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f, and is primarily designed to remain closed. Therefore, the locking mechanism by the elastic locking portion 714a is set to be firm to prevent it from opening easily.

The passage wall member 715 is attached to the rear side of the rear base 712 and closes the rear end of the ball removal passage 705, which is open to the rear. Furthermore, the passage wall member 715 closes the rearward-opening portions of the first discharge guide section 712a and the second discharge guide section 712b on the rear base 712, allowing the game balls B that have flowed through the first and second discharge guide sections 712a and 712b to be discharged downward. In addition, the passage wall member 715 sandwiches the frame relay board 716 between itself and the rear base 712, and also covers the rear side of the frame relay board 716.

The frame relay board 716 is sandwiched between the rear base 712 and the passage wall member 715. The frame relay board 716 serves to relay the connections between the handle touch sensor 192, single-button operation sensor 194, first ball sensor 703, and second ball sensor 704 of the door frame 3 and the main control board 1310.

As shown in Figure 121(a), the base unit 710 of this embodiment has the upper left shelf section 713b and a portion of the upper right shelf section 713d of the ball path member 713 extending upward from the ball receiving opening 711a of the front base 711, allowing it to receive all the game balls B released downward from the game board 5. Game balls B that fall onto the upper left shelf section 713b or upper right shelf section 713d through the ball receiving opening 711a roll to the right and flow down from the right end of the upper right shelf section 713d onto the lower shelf section 713f. Then, the game balls B that flow down onto the lower shelf section 713f roll to the left. At this time, if multiple game balls B are stacked vertically on the lower shelf section 713f, the upper flow straightening wall section 713e will break them down so that they form a single line as they move to the left.

When a game ball B rolls to the left along the lower shelf 713f, it falls downward from the left end of the lower shelf 713f. If it lies in front of the partition wall 713p, it is detected by the first ball sensor 703 housed in the sensor housing front 713s, passes through the first ball guide 713u, and is then discharged downward through the first discharge guide 712a of the rear base 712. On the other hand, if it lies behind the partition wall 713p, it is detected by the second ball sensor 704 housed in the sensor housing rear 713t, and then discharged downward through the second discharge guide 712b of the rear base 712.

As described above, in the base unit 710 of this embodiment, the game balls B flow through paths separated from each other before and after the partition wall 713p of the ball path member 713 and are discharged downward. The area in front of the partition wall 713p is designated as the first ball path 701, and the area behind the partition wall 713p is designated as the second ball path 702. Therefore, game balls B that fall from the game board 5 in front of the partition wall 713p of the ball path member 713 flow through the first ball path 701, are detected by the first ball sensor 703, and can be discharged downward. On the other hand, game balls B that fall from the game board 5 behind the partition wall 713p of the ball path member 713 flow through the second ball path 702, are detected by the second ball sensor 704, and can be discharged downward.

Furthermore, the base unit 710 can discharge the game balls B released from the lower ball release passage 610c of the lower full ball path unit 610 downwards through the ball release passage 705 of the rear base 712, in order to remove the game balls B from the ball tank 552, etc. The game balls B discharged downwards from the first discharge guide section 712a (first ball path 701), the second discharge guide section 712b (second ball path 702), and the ball release passage 705 of the base unit 710 are then passed to the game ball collection section (out receiving section, bucket, etc.) on the island equipment side.

In the base unit 710 of the circuit board unit 700 of this embodiment, since multiple notches 713q are provided in the upper left shelf section 713b, the upper right shelf section 713d, and the lower shelf section 713f, debris and dust can fall through the notches 713q and be removed from the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702. This prevents debris from obstructing the flow of game balls B, thereby suppressing the occurrence of ball jams and other problems.

Furthermore, since the front base 711, rear base 712, ball path member 713, and passage wall member 715 are made of transparent material, by opening the door frame 3 forward relative to the main body frame 4 and removing the game board 5 from the main body frame 4, it is possible to easily check from above the base unit 710 (circuit board unit 700) whether or not there is a jam of game balls B in the ball path member 713 (first ball path 701 and second ball path 702). Furthermore, in the section of the ball path member 713 where the rectifying wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f align the game balls B in a single line, a notch 713q is provided in the lower shelf portion 713f. Therefore, if a ball jam occurs between the rectifying wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f, the main frame 4 can be opened forward relative to the outer frame 2, and the security cover 714 can be opened. This allows a rod-shaped tool to be inserted from below through the release opening 711b and the notch 713q, between the rectifying wall portion 713e and the lower shelf portion 713f, and the ball jam can be resolved using this tool.

Furthermore, a downward-opening relief opening 711b is provided in the lower part of the rectifying wall 713e in the lower shelf section 713f, and a security cover 714 is provided to close the relief opening 711b. Therefore, ball jams can be resolved through the relief opening 711b as described above. Moreover, by keeping the relief opening 711b closed by the security cover 714 under normal conditions, it is possible to prevent linear illegal tools from being inserted into the first ball path 701 or the second ball path 702 through the relief opening 711b, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, since the security cover 714 that opens and closes the release opening 711b is opened and closed by rotating it around a left-right axis at the front end, if the security cover 714 is left open when attempting to close the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2, the security cover 714 will come into contact with a potential object (the connecting cylinder portion 43a of the rear panel member 43), preventing the main frame 4 from closing. This alerts the user to the fact that the security cover 714 has been left open, ensuring that the security cover 714 is properly closed and thus enabling the security function of the security cover 714 to be activated.

Furthermore, since the lower surfaces of the upper left shelf section 713b, the lower shelf section 713f, and the upper wall section 713h are provided with multiple flat, plate-shaped obstruction ribs 713o that are spaced apart in the left-right direction and extend downward, even if the tip of a linear fraudulent tool attempts to move along the lower surfaces of the upper left shelf section 713b, the lower shelf section 713f, and the upper wall section 713h, it will come into contact with the obstruction ribs 713o, preventing further movement of the tip and thus preventing further insertion of the fraudulent tool. Therefore, it is possible to prevent fraudulent acts from being performed on the game board 5 through the ball path members 713 (first ball path 701 and second ball path 702), thereby reducing the burden on the game hall where this pachinko machine 1 is installed, and providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activities.

Furthermore, as described above, the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 are configured to form a complex flow path that meanders and turns due to the first discharge guide section 712a and the second discharge guide section 712b of the rear base 712 and the ball path member 713. Therefore, even if a linear illegal tool is inserted from the exit side of the first discharge guide section 712a or the second discharge guide section 712b, the complex path can prevent its entry, thus preventing the illegal tool from entering the game board 5 through the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702.

Furthermore, since the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 can detect (count) all game balls B released from the game board 5, there is no need to provide a separate unit (for example, an out-ball detection unit) for detecting the game balls B released from the game board 5. This reduces the cost of the game board 5 and allows for the creation of additional space on the game board 5 that would otherwise be used for detecting the released game balls B. By using this space to install a performance device, the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5) can be made more entertaining for players.

Furthermore, since out balls circulate through the first ball path 701 and safe balls circulate through the second ball path 702, by comparing the number of safe balls counted on the game board 5 with the number of safe balls counted by the second ball sensor 704, it is possible to determine whether or not fraudulent activity is occurring on the game board 5, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, if the payout rate (ball payout rate) per predetermined time, calculated from the number of safe balls and the number of out balls per predetermined time, is displayed in a way that is visible to the player, then, since players desire a large payout of game balls B, a high displayed payout rate allows them to immediately recognize that the pachinko machine 1 is likely to pay out a large number of game balls B, making it easier for them to choose the pachinko machine 1 to play. Also, if the payout rate is displayed in a way that is visible to the player, then if fraudulent activity occurs that results in a large payout of game balls B, the displayed payout rate will be higher than normal. This makes it easier for other players and staff at the amusement hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed to notice the fraudulent activity, thus deterring fraudulent behavior and making the pachinko machine 1 a highly effective deterrent against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, if the payout rate calculated from the number of safe balls and out balls is displayed in a location invisible to the player, then staff at the amusement hall can detect fraudulent activity for the same reasons as described above. Also, if the displayed payout rate differs from the normal value during maintenance of the pachinko machine 1, it suggests a possible malfunction within the machine (e.g., faulty nails N, main control board 1310, payout control board 633, relay board, connector, wiring cable, various sensors, etc.). This allows for early response to the malfunction, reducing the burden on the amusement hall.

Furthermore, since the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 are separated from the ball removal passage 705 for discharging game balls B from the ball tank 552, the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 do not count the removed game balls B. Therefore, the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 can accurately count only the game balls B released from the game board 5.

In the above embodiment, out balls are shown circulating through the first ball path 701 and safe balls through the second ball path 702. However, the embodiment is not limited to this configuration. Safe balls may circulate through the first ball path 701 and out balls through the second ball path 702. Alternatively, game balls B discharged from the game board 5, regardless of whether they are safe or out balls, may circulate through either the first ball path 701 or the second ball path 702.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows the opening 711b being opened and closed by rotating the security cover 714, it is not limited to this, and the opening 711b may also be opened and closed by sliding it forward, backward, or left and right.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows a configuration where a single partition wall 713p separates the game balls B released downward from the game board 5, causing them to be discharged through one of two separate ball paths, one before and one after the first ball path 701 and the other after the second ball path 702, the system is not limited to this configuration. It is also possible to provide three or more separate ball paths separated by multiple partition walls, allowing the game balls B released from the game board 5 to be discharged downward through any of these ball paths.

[5. Overall configuration of the game board]
The overall configuration of the game board 5 in the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 129 to 137. Figure 129 is a front view of the game board in the pachinko machine with the center mechanism and other elements made opaque. Figure 130 is a perspective view of the game board of Figure 129 seen from the front right, Figure 131 is a perspective view of the game board of Figure 129 seen from the front left, and Figure 132 is a perspective view of the game board seen from the rear. Figure 133 is a schematic diagram illustrating the wiring from the function display unit on the main control board. Figure 134 is a front view of the game board with the center mechanism and other elements made transparent. Figure 135 is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components and viewed from the front, and Figure 136 is an exploded perspective view of the game board disassembled into its main components and viewed from the rear. Figure 137 is a front view of the game board showing the game area where the game balls flow and the obstacle nails, with the front unit cut parallel to the surface of the game panel.

The game board 5 of the pachinko machine 1 has a game area 5a into which game balls B are played when the player operates the handle 195 of the handle unit 180. The game area 5a is equipped with a general prize entry point 2001, a first start entry point 2002, a gate 2003, a second start entry point 2004, a large prize entry point 2005, and a special prize entry point 2006, which grant the player predetermined benefits (for example, the payout of a predetermined number of game balls B) upon receipt or passage of game balls B. This game board 5 is designed to allow players to enjoy a game where game balls B are received or passed through the general prize slots 2001, first start slot 2002, gate 2003, second start slot 2004, major prize slot 2005, and special prize slot 2006, etc., within the game area 5a, through the operation of the handle 195 and the circulation of game balls B within the game area 5a.

The game board 5 comprises a front component 1000 that demarcates the outer perimeter of the game area 5a and has a roughly rectangular shape when viewed from the front, a plate-shaped game panel 1100 attached to the rear side of the front component 1000 and demarcating the rear end of the game area 5a, and a plurality of magnetic sensors 1050 that detect magnetic fields acting improperly within the game area 5a. Multiple obstacle nails N (see Figure 137, etc.) that come into contact with the game ball B are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement on the front surface of the game panel 1100 within the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the game board 5 includes a circuit board holder 1200 attached to the lower rear side of the game panel 1100, and a main control unit 1300 attached to the rear surface of the circuit board holder 1200, which has a main control board 1310 (see Figure 169, etc.) that controls the game content performed by driving game balls B into the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the game board 5 includes a function display unit 1400 that displays the game status based on control signals from the main control board 1310 and is mounted on the upper left corner of the front component 1000 so that it is visible to the player; a peripheral control unit 1500 located behind the game panel 1100; an effect display device 1600 located in the center of the game area 5a in a front view and capable of displaying predetermined effect images; a panel relay board 1710 located behind the game panel 1100 and relaying the connection between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510; a front unit 2000 mounted on the front of the game panel 1100; and a rear unit 3000 mounted on the rear of the game panel 1100.

A display device 1600 is mounted on the rear of the rear unit 3000, and a peripheral control unit 1500 is mounted on the rear of the display device 1600. A panel relay board 1710 is mounted behind the display device 1600 on the rear of the rear unit 3000. The panel relay board 1710 serves to relay connections between the main control board 1310 and the following: general prize entry sensor 3001, first start entry sensor 3002, second start entry sensor 2401, gate sensor 2801, large prize entry sensor 2402, special prize entry sensor 2601, V prize entry sensor 3003, losing entry sensor 3004, start entry solenoid 2412, attacker solenoid 2414, special prize entry solenoid 2612, V distribution solenoid 3007, magnetic sensor 1050, etc.

The front unit 2000 includes a plurality (three in this case) of general prize slots 2001 that are always open to receive game balls B that have been driven into the game area 5a, a first start slot 2002 that is always open to receive game balls B at a different location within the game area 5a from the plurality of general prize slots 2001, a gate 2003 that is always open to receive game balls B at yet another different location within the game area 5a, a second start slot 2004 that becomes open to receive game balls B according to the result of a normal lottery drawn when game balls B are received into gate 2003, and a gate that leads to the first start slot 2002 or the second start slot 2004. The system includes: a large prize slot 2005 that allows the acceptance of game ball B according to the result of the first or second special lottery, which is determined by the acceptance of game ball B; a special prize slot 2006 that allows the acceptance of game ball B according to the result of the first or second special lottery, which is determined by the acceptance of game ball B into the first start slot 2002 or the second start slot 2004; a V prize slot 2007 and a losing slot 2008 that provide an opportunity to accept game ball B that has been accepted into the special prize slot 2006; and a plurality of magnetic sensors 1050 that detect magnetic fields acting improperly within the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the front unit 2000 comprises: a start-up unit 2100 mounted in the center of the game area 5a in the left-right direction and directly above the lower end of the game area 5a, having a first start-up opening 2002; a side unit 2200 mounted to the left of the start-up unit 2100 in a front view, along the inner rail 1002, having three general prize-winning openings 2001; a side upper left unit 2300 mounted slightly above the left of the side unit 2200 in a front view; a first attacker unit 2400 located to the right of the start-up unit 2100 in a front view, which is the lower right corner of the game area 5a in a front view, having a second start-up opening 2004, a large prize-winning opening 2005, and a first sub-out opening 2021; and a frame-shaped center mechanism 2500 located above the start-up unit 2100 and the side unit 2200, slightly above the approximate center in a front view of the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the front unit 2000 includes a second attacker unit 2600 located to the right of the center prize mechanism 2500 and above the first attacker unit 2400, having a prize entry opening 2006; a side right-center unit 2700 located above the second attacker unit 2600, having one general prize entry opening 2001 and a second sub-out opening 2022; and a gate member 2800 located above the side right-center unit 2700, having a gate 2003.

The first attacker unit 2400 is equipped with a second start-up sensor 2401 that detects game balls B received into the second start-up opening 2004, and a large prize-winning opening sensor 2402 that detects game balls B received into the large prize-winning opening 2005. The second attacker unit 2600 is equipped with a prize-winning opening sensor 2601 that detects game balls B received into the prize-winning opening 2006. The gate member 2800 is equipped with a gate sensor 2801 that detects the passage of game balls B through the gate 2003.

The back unit 3000 is attached to the rear surface of the panel holder 1120 of the game panel 1100 and includes a box-shaped back box 3010 that is open at the front and has a square opening 3010a in its rear wall, and a locking mechanism (not shown) attached to the rear surface of the back box 3010 for detachably attaching the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the back unit 3000 includes a general prize slot sensor 3001 that detects game balls B received into the general prize slot 2001 provided on the front unit 2000, a first start slot sensor 3002 that detects game balls B received into the first start slot 2002, a V prize slot sensor 3003 that detects game balls B received into the special prize slot 2006 and then distributed to the V prize slot 2007, and a losing slot sensor 3004 that detects game balls B received into the special prize slot 2006 and then distributed to the losing slot 2008 (see Figure 145, etc.).

Furthermore, the rear unit 3000 includes a V-prize door 3006 that can move back and forth to open and close the V-prize opening 2007, and a V-distribution solenoid 3007 that moves the V-prize door 3006 back and forth to distribute the game balls B received in the prize opening 2006 to either the V-prize opening 2007 or the losing opening 2008.

Furthermore, the rear unit 3000 comprises a front rear performance unit 3100 located near the front end of the rear box 3010, a rear upper performance unit 3200 located at the rear of the front rear performance unit 3100 and at the top of the rear box 3010, and a rear lower performance unit 3300 located below the rear upper performance unit and at the bottom of the rear box 3010.

[5-1. Front Components]
The front component 1000 of the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 138 and 139. Figure 138(a) is a perspective view of the front component and game panel of the game board as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the front component and game panel as seen from the rear. Figure 139(a) is a front view showing an enlarged view of the upper right corner of the front component and game panel, (b) is a cross-sectional view cut along the susceptible line in (a), and (c) is an exploded perspective view of (a) as seen from the front, with each main component separated.

The front component 1000 is entirely transparent. The front component 1000 has a roughly square outer shape when viewed from the front, and its inner shape is roughly circular, penetrating in the front-to-back direction. The inner circumference of the inner shape demarcates the outer perimeter of the game area 5a. This front component 1000 includes an outer rail 1001 that extends in an arc along the circumferential direction clockwise from the lower left end of the left-center direction in a front view, passing the upper center of the front view and extending to the upper right diagonally; an inner rail 1002 positioned inside the front component 1000, roughly parallel to the outer rail 1001, and extending in an arc from the lower center of the front view to the upper left diagonally; and an out-guiding section 1003 formed at the lowest point of the game area 5a on the right side of the lower end of the inner rail 1002 in a front view, and sloping downwards toward the rear.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 includes a right-lower rail 1004 that slopes linearly from the right end of the out-guiding section 1003 in a front view to the vicinity of the right edge of the front component 1000, with the right end being slightly higher; a right rail 1005 that extends from the right end of the right-lower rail 1004 along the right edge of the front component 1000 to the lower side of the upper end of the outer rail 1001, with its upper part curving inward from the front component 1000; and a stopper 1006 that connects the upper end of the right rail 1005 to the upper end of the outer rail 1001, and which the game ball B that has rolled along the outer rail 1001 comes into contact with.

Furthermore, the aforementioned component 1000 is pivotally supported at the upper end of the inner rail 1002 and includes a backflow prevention member 1007 that is rotatable only between a closed position extending upward from the upper end of the inner rail 1002 to close the gap between it and the outer rail 1001, and an open position that rotates clockwise in a front view to open the gap between it and the outer rail 1001. The backflow prevention member 1007 is biased by a spring (not shown) to return to the closed position.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 is provided with an out-hole 1008 located at the lower center in the left-right direction when viewed from the front within the frame, and which penetrates from front to back at the rear end of the out-guide section 1003. The game ball B, guided backward by the out-guide section 1003, is discharged through the out-hole 1008 to the rear of the front component 1000 (game panel 1100).

Furthermore, the front component 1000 is provided with anti-theft recesses 1009 that are recessed from the front end to the rear at the outer side of the parts of the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002 that extend approximately vertically from the lower ends, the underside of the out guide section 1003 and the lower right rail 1004, and the outer side of the right rail 1005. When the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4 and the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, the rear projection 172 of the anti-theft cover 170 on the door frame 3 is inserted into these anti-theft recesses 1009. As a result, the space between the security cover 170 and the game board 5 (front component 1000) is intricately bent by the rear projection 172 of the security cover 170 and the security recess 1009 of the front component 1000. Therefore, even if someone attempts to insert an illegal tool such as piano wire into the game area 5a from below the front of the game board 5 through the space between the security cover 170 and the front component 1000, it will be blocked by the rear projection 172 and the security recess 1009, thus preventing the illegal tool from entering the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 has a notch 1010 cut out upward from the lower end at the lower left corner when viewed from the front. This notch 1010 coincides with the notch 1122 of the game panel 1100, and when the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4, the front end openings of the lower normal payout passage 610a and the lower full payout passage 610b of the lower full ball path unit 610 face forward, passing through the notch 1010 and the notch 1122.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 includes a function display unit mounting portion 1011 formed in the upper left corner when viewed from the front, to which the function display unit 1400 is attached, and a sticker attachment portion 1012 formed in the lower left corner.

Furthermore, the front component 1000 is formed to be almost entirely transparent, allowing the game panel 1100, located at the rear, to be visible from the front.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 139, the front component 1000 includes a spec sticker attachment section 1021 that is recessed from the front to the rear in a predetermined range along the right rail 1005 from the impact section 1006 in the upper right corner of the front view, to which a spec sticker 1020 displaying the specifications of the pachinko machine 1 is attached; an insertion pin 1022 that protrudes cylindrically from the rear of the spec sticker attachment section 1021 for positioning the impact section 1006; and a separation hole 1023 that penetrates from front to back at the center of the insertion pin 1022.

The spec seal application area 1021 is formed to be slightly larger than the outer dimensions of the spec seal 1020 and is recessed to the rear by a depth greater than the thickness of the spec seal 1020 (0.4 mm to 1.0 mm) (see Figure 139(b)). In this spec seal application area 1021, the horizontally extending portion at the lower end and the straight portion extending vertically upward from the right end of that portion are set as contact surfaces for applying the spec seal 1020.

The insertion pin 1022 extends rearward from the rear surface of the spec seal attachment portion 1021 to the same position as the rear end of the front component 1000. The impact portion 1006 is positioned by the insertion of the insertion pin 1022.

The separation hole 1023 penetrates from the front to the rear of the front component 1000. The separation hole 1023 is circular and extends forward and backward with a constant inner diameter. When assembled to the game board 5, the front of the separation hole 1023 is closed by the spec seal 1020 attached to the spec seal attachment area 1021, and the rear is closed by the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, thus creating a closed space (closed space) within the separation hole 1023. As shown in the figure, the separation hole 1023 is located near the edge of the spec seal attachment area 1021 (spec seal 1020).

The separation hole 1023 in this embodiment has an inner diameter within the range of 2 mm to 6 mm. If the separation hole 1023 is smaller than this, the diameter of the rod-shaped member (tool) inserted into the separation hole 1023 becomes smaller, making it more prone to bending and potentially preventing sufficient pressure on the speck seal 1020. If the separation hole 1023 is larger than this, bending may occur at the separation hole 1023 portion of the speck seal 1020, potentially detracting from the appearance of the speck seal 1020.

According to the front component 1000 of this embodiment, if the spec seal 1020 cannot be properly attached to the spec seal attachment area 1021 during the manufacturing of the pachinko machine 1, a rod-shaped member can be passed through the separation hole 1023 from the rear of the front component 1000, and the tip of the rod-shaped member can be used to press the spec seal 1020 from rear to front. This allows the edge of the spec seal 1020 to peel forward, and the peeled portion can be easily removed by the worker, allowing the spec seal 1020 to be reattached.

Furthermore, by separating the front component 1000 from the game panel 1100, passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole 1023 from the rear of the front component 1000, and pressing the spec seal 1020 from the rear with its tip, the spec seal 1020 can be easily removed from the spec seal attachment area 1021. This makes the replacement of the spec seal 1020 when changing models much easier.

Furthermore, as described above, when the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100 are separated, the spec seal 1020 can be easily removed from the spec seal attachment area 1021 using the separation hole 1023. This makes it easier to separate the components of the pachinko machine 1 by material, thereby reducing the cost of disposing of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by attaching the spec sticker 1020 to the spec sticker attachment area 1021, the separation hole 1023 can be hidden from the front. This suppresses the deterioration of appearance caused by the separation hole 1023, and makes it difficult for players to notice its presence, thus making it harder for them to plan fraudulent activities using the separation hole 1023.

Furthermore, when assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the game panel 1100, which is attached to the rear of the front component 1000 to which the spec sticker 1020 is affixed, closes the separation hole 1023 from the rear. Since there is no hole that penetrates to the rear, as in conventional pachinko machines, it is possible to prevent the insertion of a wire-like fraudulent tool, such as piano wire, into the game board 5 through this hole, thereby preventing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, since the separation hole 1023 is closed from the rear by the game panel 1100, even if an illegal tool is inserted into the separation hole 1023 from the front, penetrating the spec seal 1020, the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) prevents further insertion (intrusion) to the rear. Therefore, the intrusion of an illegal tool into the game board 5 from the front through the separation hole 1023 is prevented, thus preventing fraudulent activity. Additionally, since the illegal tool penetrating the spec seal 1020 leaves a trace on it, it deters fraudulent activity, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

In the above embodiment, the separation hole 1023 is shown as being provided in the specification seal attachment area 1021. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration, and the separation hole may also be provided in the area where the seal is attached, such as the certification label attachment area 1012.

[5-2. Game Panel]
The game panel 1100 in the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 138, etc. The game panel 1100 is attached to the rear surface of the front component 1000, and the front unit 2000 and the back unit 3000 are attached to it. The game panel 1100 comprises a flat panel plate 1110 made of transparent synthetic resin, the outer circumference of which is formed to be slightly larger than the inner circumference of the frame-shaped front component 1000, and a frame-shaped panel holder 1120 which holds the outer circumference of the panel plate 1110 and is attached to the rear side of the front component 1000, and the back unit 3000 is attached to the rear surface. Multiple obstacle nails N are planted on the front surface of the game panel 1100 in a predetermined gauge arrangement (see Figure 137, etc.).

The panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 is formed from synthetic resin plates such as acrylic resin, polycarbonate resin, polyarylate resin, or methacrylic resin, or from inorganic plates such as glass or metal. The thickness of this panel plate 1110 is thinner than that of the panel holder and is the minimum necessary thickness (8-10 mm) to adequately hold the obstacle nails N planted on the front surface and the front unit 2000 attached. In this embodiment, the panel plate 1110 is formed from a transparent synthetic resin plate.

The panel 1110 is located at the lowest position within the game area 5a, and the area corresponding to the out opening 1008 of the front component 1000 is recessed upward from its lower end. Furthermore, the panel 1110 has multiple openings 1112 that penetrate from front to back, for attaching the front unit 2000.

Furthermore, although not shown in the illustration, the panel plate 1110 includes a plurality of positioning holes formed as circular holes and short elongated holes that penetrate from front to back, and a plurality of engagement steps that are spaced apart in the left-right direction at the upper and lower edges, and are formed with a thin plate thickness. The positioning holes are for positioning relative to the panel holder 1120 by inserting the protruding pins (not shown) of the panel holder 1120. The engagement steps are for detachably attaching to the panel holder 1120 by engaging with the engagement claws (not shown) or engagement pieces (not shown) of the panel holder 1120.

As shown in Figure 138, the panel 1110 has a large opening 1112 for mounting the center mechanism 2500, which is offset to the upper right of the center in a front view. This gives the panel 1110 a frame-like shape, and in a front view, the width perpendicular to the direction of movement of the game balls B (the circumferential direction of the frame) is wider on the left and lower sides from the center, allowing multiple game balls B to be arranged side by side, while the upper side is narrower, making it impossible for multiple game balls B to be arranged side by side.

The panel holder 1120 of the game panel 1100 is sized to enclose the panel plate 1110, has a roughly rectangular shape, and is thicker than the panel plate 1110 (approximately 20 mm in this embodiment). The panel holder 1120 is made of a transparent synthetic resin (for example, a thermoplastic synthetic resin). This panel holder 1120 has a retaining step (not shown) that is approximately the same size as the panel plate 1110 and recessed from the front to the rear, and a through-hole 1121 that penetrates the retaining step in the front-to-back direction, approximately the same size as the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the panel holder 1120 has a notch 1122 cut out upward from the lower end at the lower left corner when viewed from the front. This notch 1122 is formed to coincide with the notch 1010 of the previous component 1000, so that when the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4, the front end openings of the lower normal payout passage 610a and the lower full ball payout passage 610b of the lower full ball path unit 610 face forward, passing through the notch 1010 and the other notch.

Furthermore, the panel holder 1120 has an outlet recess 1123 that extends upward from its lower end to a position corresponding to the outlet opening 1008, and is recessed from the rear surface toward the front. The upper part of the outlet recess 1123 is in communication with the outlet opening 1008.

Furthermore, the panel holder 1120, although not shown in the illustration, includes a plurality of protruding pins that protrude forward from the retaining step and are inserted into a plurality of positioning holes in the panel plate 1110, three engaging claws that are positioned outside the retaining step and elastically engage with the engaging steps on the upper and lower left inclined portions of the panel plate 1110, and a pair of engaging pieces that protrude upward from the lower outer side of the retaining step and engage with the two engaging steps on the lower edge of the panel plate 1110. The panel holder 1120 can be detachably attached to the panel plate 1110 while it is housed in the retaining step by engaging the engaging steps on the lower edge of the panel plate 1110 with the engaging pieces from diagonally above the front, and then moving the upper part of the panel plate 1110 backward to elastically engage the engaging steps on the upper and lower left inclined portions with the engaging claws. At this point, the protruding pins of the panel holder 1120 are inserted into the positioning holes of the panel plate 1110, thereby positioning the panel plate 1110 in a predetermined position relative to the panel holder 1120.

Since this game panel 1100, along with the front component 1000 attached to the front, is made of transparent material, when assembled with the game board 5, it reduces the visibility of the boundary of the game area 5a, giving the player a sense of openness. Furthermore, although the actual size of the game area 5a remains unchanged, it makes the game area 5a appear larger (wider) to the player.

Furthermore, since the game panel 1100 is transparent along with the front component 1000, light from the display device 1600, the front unit 2000, the back unit 3000, etc., can be reflected or refracted forward (towards the player), making it appear as if it is emitting light, thereby further enhancing the overall decorative appeal of the game board 5.

[5-3. Circuit board holder]
The circuit board holder 1200 in the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 135 and 136. The circuit board holder 1200 is formed in a horizontally elongated box shape with the top and front open, and the bottom surface is inclined to become lower towards the center in the left-right direction. The circuit board holder 1200 has an ejection section 1201 that is cut out from the front end toward the rear at the center in the left-right direction of the bottom surface. When assembled to the game board 5, the circuit board holder 1200 covers the lower part of the back unit 3000, which is attached to the rear side of the game panel 1100, from below and from the rear, and the main control board box 1320 of the main control unit 1300 is attached to its rear surface.

When assembled to the pachinko machine 1, the circuit board holder 1200 has its discharge section 1201 positioned directly above the ball receiving section 628 of the base unit 620b in the circuit board unit 620 of the main frame 4. This allows it to receive all the game balls B discharged to the rear of the game panel 1100 through the out opening 1008, and all the game balls B discharged downwards from the front unit 2000 and the back unit 3000. These balls can then be discharged from the discharge section 1201 formed on the bottom surface to the ball receiving section 628 or the out ball passage 663 (see Figure 115). The game balls B discharged into the out ball passage 663 are detected (counted) one by one by the out sensor 664.

[5-4. Main Control Board Unit]
The main control unit 1300 in the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 135 and 136. The main control unit 1300 is detachably mounted on the rear surface of the circuit board holder 1200. The main control unit 1300 comprises a main control board 1310 (see Figure 169) that controls the game content and the payout of game balls B, a setting change board 1311 (see Figure 133) that can set the game performance, and a main control board box 1320 that houses the main control board 1310 and the setting change board 1311 and is mounted on the circuit board holder 1200.

The main control board box 1320 consists of a cover and a base. Both the cover and base are made of polycarbonate resin and are molded to be transparent. The internal space formed by the cover and base can accommodate the main control board 1310 and the setting change board 1311. Because the cover and base are made of polycarbonate resin and are molded to be transparent, the condition of the front and back surfaces of the main control board 1310 and the setting change board 1311 (whether unauthorized modifications have been made or whether unauthorized ICs are mounted) can be checked from the outside of the main control board box 1320. Furthermore, the main control board box 1320 is equipped with multiple sealing mechanisms corresponding to the cover and base, respectively. When the main control board box 1320 is closed using one sealing mechanism, it is necessary to destroy that sealing mechanism in order to open the main control board box 1320 again, thus leaving a trace of the opening and closing of the main control board box 1320. Therefore, by observing the traces of opening and closing, unauthorized opening and closing of the main control board box 1320 can be detected, thereby increasing the deterrent against unauthorized actions against the main control board 1310.

The main control board 1310 of the main control unit 1300 is connected to the interface board 635, the peripheral control board 1510, and the setting change board 1311. The main control board 1310 is also connected to the function display unit 1400, the general prize entry sensor 3001, the first start entry sensor 3002, the gate sensor 2801, the second start entry sensor 2401, the large prize entry sensor 2402, the special prize entry sensor 2601, the V prize entry sensor 3003, the losing entry sensor 3004, the start entry solenoid 2412, the attacker solenoid 2414, the special prize entry solenoid 2612, the V distribution solenoid 3007, the magnetic sensor 1050, and other devices.

The setting change board 1311 of the main control unit 1300 includes a setting key switch 1311a that can switch and confirm the setting values of the pachinko machine 1, a setting switching button 1311b that can select and switch setting values, and a setting change permission lamp 1311c that indicates that switching the setting values of the pachinko machine 1 is permitted. The connector SMCN of the setting change board 1311 is connected to the connector MSCN of the main control board 1310 via a connector (board-to-board connection) (the connectors SMCN of the setting change board 1311 and the connector MSCN of the main control board 1310 may also be electrically connected via a harness). Through this connector connection (board-to-board connection), the signals from the setting key switch 1311a and the signals from the setting switching button 1311b are electrically connected to the main control board 1310. The setting change board 1311 has vertical distance dimensions of its right and left sides that are approximately the same as those of the main control board 1310, and its horizontal distance dimension is shorter than that of the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the centerlines passing through the midpoints of the right and left sides of the main control board 1310 coincide with the centerlines passing through the midpoints of the right and left sides of the setting change board 1311.

The connector SMCN of the setting change board 1311 is positioned along the right side of the setting change board 1311, with its vertical distance dimension centered on the centerline, and the connector MSCN of the main control board 1310 is positioned along the left side of the main control board 1310, with its vertical distance dimension centered on the centerline. Below the centerline of the setting change board 1311 is a setting key switch 1311a having a setting key cylinder into which a setting key is inserted and rotated, and above the centerline of the setting change board 1311 is a setting change switching button 1311b having a press operation part, and a setting change permission lamp 1311c that can emit a single color (for example, red) is positioned on the centerline of the setting change board 1311, to the upper left of the setting key switch 1311a (to the lower left of the setting switching button 1311b). A setting indicator 1310g, consisting of a single 7-segment LED display with a decimal point (so-called dot), is positioned above the center line of the main control board 1310 and near the connector MSCN. A base monitor 1310h, consisting of six 7-segment LED displays with decimal points (so-called dots) arranged in a row from the center to the right edge, is positioned below the center line of the main control board 1310. A RAM clear switch 1310f with a press-button is positioned near the center of the lower edge of the main control board 1310. Note that the RAM clear switch 1310f is not limited to being installed on the main control board 1310; it may also be installed on the dispensing control board 633 or the power supply board 630. In other words, the RAM clear switch 1310f may be installed on any one of the main control board 1310, the dispensing control board 633, or the power supply board 630.

In this embodiment, the initial position of the setting key switch 1311a is OFF when it is ready to receive the setting key into the socket formed in the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a (for example, when the longitudinal direction of the rectangular socket is aligned vertically). When the setting key cylinder is in the initial position, the setting key can be inserted into the socket and removed from the socket. Furthermore, in this embodiment, even if the main body frame 4 is closed to the outer frame 2 while the setting key is inserted into the socket, the depth dimension of the setting key switch 1311a is designed to prevent interference and damage to other pachinko machine components (or components of the gaming hall's island equipment) arranged in a row facing each other in the gaming hall's island setup.

The setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise from its initial position to perform a first ON operation, which sets the setting key switch 1311a to the setting key ON state. This setting key ON signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees counterclockwise from its initial position to perform a second ON operation, which sets the setting key switch 1311a to the confirm key ON state. This confirm key ON signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned OFF by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is turned ON back to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF). Conversely, the setting key switch 1311a can also be turned OFF by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the confirmation key is turned ON back to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF). This OFF signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. In this embodiment, two completely different functions—the setting key ON function and the confirm key ON function—can be realized by a single setting key switch 1311a, depending on the direction in which the setting key cylinder is rotated. This allows the setting key ON operation and the confirm key ON operation to be performed simultaneously using only the setting key switch 1311a.

The front surface of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a, the press operation part of the setting switch button 1311b, and the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f are exposed through openings formed in the cover body of the corresponding main control board box 1320. However, to prevent wires or the like from entering through the "gaps" formed between the front surface of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a, the press operation part of the setting switch button 1311b, and the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f and the corresponding openings, wire intrusion prevention parts are molded into the cover body of each of these openings. The setting display unit 1310g and the base monitor 1310h are housed in an internal space formed by the cover and base and cannot be touched at all. However, since the cover is molded to be transparent as described above, the setting value displayed by the setting display unit 1310g and the calculation result displayed by the base monitor 1310h can be viewed through the cover. Here, the setting display unit 1310g is capable of displaying the setting value of the pachinko machine 1, while the base monitor 1310h is capable of displaying the calculation result of the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered (number of prize balls to the number of balls entered). However, it is also possible to provide only the base monitor 1310h and have it serve the same purpose as displaying the setting value of the pachinko machine 1 and displaying the calculation result of the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered. In this case, the base monitor 1310h displays the settings of the pachinko machine 1 when the setting value can be changed (change permitted state) or when the setting value is displayed for confirmation (confirmation display state). However, when the change permitted state and confirmation display state are excluded, it displays the calculated result of the ratio of payouts to balls entered. This reduces the number of parts and lowers costs.

Furthermore, in order to prevent unauthorized modification, the wiring patterns for transmitting the setting key ON signal of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key ON signal of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key OFF signal of the setting key switch 1311a, and the setting change board 1311 are formed so that they are not close to each other (spaced apart from each other), and the connections to the terminals of the connector SMCN of the setting change board 1311 (the terminals of the connector MSCN of the main control board 1310) are also formed so that they are spaced apart, and on the main control board 1310... Furthermore, the wiring patterns for transmitting various signals from the setting key switch 1311a (i.e., the wiring pattern for transmitting the setting key ON signal of the setting key switch 1311a, the wiring pattern for transmitting the confirmation key ON signal of the setting key switch 1311a, and the wiring pattern for transmitting the OFF signal of the setting key switch 1311a) and the wiring pattern for transmitting signals from the setting switch button 1311b are routed so that they are not close to each other (they are spaced apart). Similarly, the wiring patterns for transmitting signals from the RAM clear switch 1310f are routed so that they are not close to each other (they are spaced apart).

This section briefly explains the setting key switch 1311a, the setting switching button 1311b, and the setting display 1310g. First, it briefly explains how to change the setting value, and then briefly explains how to check the current setting value. Note that the setting key is an important key that allows not only the change of setting value but also the confirmation of the current setting value. Therefore, only a limited number of people, including the manager of the amusement hall, are permitted to possess it, and this is limited to 2-3 people.

When changing the setting value, the "predetermined conditions for permission to change the setting value" must be met, which include the main body frame 4 being opened from the outer frame 2 when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage, the setting key being inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, and the setting key cylinder being rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a to the ON position. In other words, the person actually changing the setting value must first confirm that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then open the main body frame 4 from the outer frame 2, and then insert the setting key into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a and rotate it 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a to the ON position and powering on the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, the "predetermined conditions for permitting setting value changes" described above may also include the condition that the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is operated and an operation signal is input. That is, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage, the main body frame 4 is opened from the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON, and the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is operated. If these "predetermined conditions for permitting setting value changes" are met, then the setting value can be changed.

The person performing the setting change must first confirm that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then open the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2, and then insert the setting key into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, and rotate the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a to the setting key ON position. Next, operate the power switch 630a in Figure 7 to power on the pachinko machine 1. As a result, the setting key ON signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. The main control MPU 1310a displays the current setting value (one of the setting values 1 to 6 set at the time the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a is first turned ON) stored in a specific area of its built-in RAM on the setting display 1310g, and switches the setting change permission lamp 1311c from off to on.

When a user changes the setting value, pressing the press button 1311b triggers a detection signal from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Each time the user presses the press button 1311b, the main control MPU 1310a, based on the detection signal from the setting change board 1311b, increases the current setting value by 1, and when it reaches the maximum value of 6, it returns to the initial value of 1, increases the value by 1 again, and displays the setting value on the setting display 1310g. Alternatively, instead of providing a setting change button 1311b, the setting value may be switched using the RAM clear switch 1310f. In this case, when the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is pressed, a detection signal from the RAM clear switch 1310f is input to the main control MPU 1310a. Each time the person changing the setting value presses the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f, the main control MPU 1310a increases the value by 1 from the current setting value based on the detection signal from the RAM clear switch 1310f. When it reaches the maximum value of setting value 6, it returns to the initial value of setting value 1, and then increases the value by 1 again, displaying the setting value on the setting display unit 1310g.

When a user changes a setting value, they rotate the setting key cylinder 120 degrees counterclockwise to determine the setting value (that is, they rotate the setting key switch 1311a 60 degrees counterclockwise to return it from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is OFF) to OFF, and then rotate it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to perform a second ON operation, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a to the determination key ON. This determination key ON signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. As a result, the main control MPU 1310a stores the setting value determined by the setting change in a specific area of the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a.

Furthermore, the setting key cylinder may be rotated 120 degrees counterclockwise (i.e., the setting key switch 1311a is returned from its rotational position when the setting key is ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position when the setting key switch 1311a is OFF) to input the ON signal of the confirmation key from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310). In this case, after pressing the press operation part of the setting switching button 1311b to display the setting value on the setting display unit 1310g, the setting value can be confirmed simply by turning the setting key switch 1311a OFF, and the setting key can then be removed from the setting key cylinder, improving work efficiency.

To change the setting value, the user turns off the setting key switch 1311a by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the confirmation key is ON to its original position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns off the setting key switch 1311a). This setting key OFF signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. As a result, the main control MPU 1310a switches from displaying the setting value on the setting indicator 1310g to hiding it, and switches the setting change permission lamp 1311c from lit to off. In other words, the "predetermined condition for ending setting value changes" is met when the setting key cylinder rotates 60 degrees clockwise, returning the setting key switch 1311a from its rotational position when the confirmation key is ON to its original position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a OFF. This fulfills the "predetermined condition for ending setting value changes," and thus ends the period during which the setting value can be changed.

The person performing the setting change removes the setting key from the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, closes the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2, and completes the setting change procedure.

To display the currently set value, the following "predetermined conditions for permission to display the set value" must be met: when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage, the main body frame 4 is opened from the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, and the setting key switch 1311a is set to ON. In other words, the person actually displaying the currently set value must first confirm that the pachinko machine 1 is powered on (a state where power has been restored after a power outage or momentary interruption), then open the main body frame 4 from the outer frame 2, and then insert the setting key into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a and rotate it 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby setting the setting key switch 1311a to ON.

The person performing the check and display of the currently set settings first confirms that the pachinko machine 1 is powered on (a state where power has been restored after a power outage or momentary interruption), then opens the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, and then inserts the setting key into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a and rotates it 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON. This setting key ON signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. The main control MPU 1310a displays the current setting value (the value set among setting values 1 to setting values 6 at the time the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a was first turned ON) stored in a specific area of its built-in RAM on the setting display 1310g. At this time, the setting change permission lamp 1311c remains off, and even if the person performing the confirmation display of the currently set setting value presses the setting switch button 1311b, the setting value will not be changed at all in response to this press, nor will the content displayed on the setting display unit 1310g be changed.

The person performing the confirmation and display of the currently set value, after confirming the current setting value, rotates the setting key switch 1311a 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that activated the setting key to its original position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that deactivates the setting key switch 1311a) to deactivate it. This setting key deactivation signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310.

The main control MPU 1310a switches the setting indicator 1310g from displaying the setting value to hiding it. Specifically, the setting key switch 1311a is turned OFF when the setting key cylinder rotates 60 degrees clockwise from the position where the confirmation key was pressed to its original position (i.e., the position where the setting key switch 1311a is turned OFF). This fulfills a predetermined condition for ending the display of the setting value, thus ending the period during which the setting value can be viewed (the period during which the setting value is displayed on the setting indicator 1310g).

The person performing the verification and display of the currently set setting value removes the setting key from the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, closes the main body frame 4 against the outer frame 2, and completes the verification and display of the currently set setting value.

Furthermore, the predetermined conditions for permitting a change in the setting value require, as described above, that when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage, the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, a setting key is inserted into the slot of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key ON, and the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is operated to input an operation signal. In contrast, the predetermined conditions for permitting the display of the setting value require, as described above, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage, the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, a setting key is inserted into the slot of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key ON. Thus, the predetermined conditions for allowing changes to the set value and the predetermined conditions for allowing the display of the set value share a common requirement: the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the socket of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a, and the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key ON. Furthermore, the conditions for permitting setting value changes are defined as follows: when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage, the setting key is inserted into the slot of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key ON; and the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is operated to input an operation signal. The conditions for permitting setting value display are also defined as follows: when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage, the setting key is inserted into the slot of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key ON. The condition that the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 may be excluded from the conditions for permitting setting value changes and setting value display.

To briefly explain the settings, "settings" allow for changes to probabilities such as the probability used to determine whether a big win or a small win occurs, the probability used to determine whether a player wins a small win or not, the probability used to determine when transitioning from a bonus round to a normal round, and the distribution rate to areas advantageous to the player. These settings pre-set probabilities (degrees of advantage) that are advantageous to the player (i.e., the number of game balls B that the player can acquire can be increased). In this embodiment, setting values 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are pre-set, and the probabilities (degrees of advantage) that are advantageous to the player are pre-set from setting value 1 to setting value 6. The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 selects various tables used in various lottery judgments associated with set values (for example, a jackpot judgment table that defines the proportion of jackpot judgment values indicating a jackpot has been won, a jackpot symbol determination table that defines the proportion of judgment values for determining the jackpot symbols, a minor win judgment table that defines the proportion of minor win judgment values indicating a minor win, a minor win symbol determination table that defines the proportion of judgment values for determining the minor win symbols, a normal mode transition judgment table that defines the proportion of judgment values for determining the transition from probability variation to normal mode, etc.), and also selects various tables used in various distribution rates associated with set values (for example, a distribution table that defines the distribution time, a block that manages the driving of electrical drive sources such as motors and solenoids, etc.). In the various tables used in various lottery judgments associated with set values, various judgment values are allocated in predetermined proportions. Furthermore, the various tables used in the various lottery determinations are set so that at least some of their values differ from each other. Similarly, the various tables used in the various distribution rates are set so that at least some of their values differ from each other, or they are set so that their values differ based on the relationship between the table corresponding to the block managing the drive of one electrical drive source and the table corresponding to the block managing the drive of other electrical drive sources. Also, while the above-mentioned setting values were six integers ranging from setting value 1 to setting value 6, the range may be smaller or larger. For example, it may be four integers ranging from setting value 1 to setting value 4, or eight integers ranging from setting value 1 to setting value 8.

As described above, the setting display unit 1310g displays the setting value. In addition, when the main control MPU 1310a restores power, it checks the contents of its built-in RAM to determine if there is an abnormality. If an abnormality is found, and the main control side power-off processing has not completed normally when the power is cut off, the display unit displays an error indicating that the contents stored in its built-in RAM are abnormal (or unreliable). In this embodiment, the main control MPU 1310a displays the letter E on the setting display unit 1310g as an error.

Next, to briefly explain the base monitor 1310h, it counts the number of balls entered and the number of balls dispensed (prize balls) that increase as the game progresses, and displays the base value (the ratio of the number of balls dispensed to the number of balls entered). Of the game balls B launched into the game area 5a, those collected by the out port 1008 are detected by the out sensor 664 (see Figure 169, etc.), and this detection signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a via the panel relay board 1710.

The main control MPU 1310a calculates the ratio of payouts (the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls when balls enter the prize slots) to the number of balls entered (the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize slots, payout slots) provided in the game area 5a partitioned on the game board 5). This calculation result is stored as a base value in a specific area of the built-in RAM and displayed on the base monitor 1310h. The formula for calculating the ratio of payouts to balls entered is "Base Value = (Payouts ÷ Balls Entered) × 100". For example, if the ratio of payouts to balls entered is too high, it may indicate that balls are entering only the prize slots, which are the slots that award prize balls. By monitoring the information displayed on the base monitor 1310h, it is possible to determine whether balls are being entered into the prize slots through fraudulent means.

In this example, among the various game states, only in the low-probability non-time-saving state are the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slot (prize entry slot, out slot) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out) counted and reflected on the display of the base monitor 1310h. Here, in the low-probability time-saving state (time-saving state) and the high-probability time-saving state (probability-changing state), balls frequently enter the second start slot 2004, resulting in a larger number of game balls B being paid out as prize balls, and a tendency for the ratio of payouts to balls entered to be higher. In other words, whether or not the ratio of payouts to balls entered is high depends on the period of the low-probability time-saving state (time-saving state) or the high-probability time-saving state (probability-changing state). By excluding such periods, the ratio of payouts to balls entered can be kept within a certain range, provided there is no fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, while the base monitor 1310h displays the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered, it may also be possible to display the number of game balls B that entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, payout slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that were paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out), separately.

Furthermore, the base monitor 1310h calculates the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered using the main control MPU 1310a, stores the calculation result in a specific area of the built-in RAM, and displays it on the base monitor 1310h. The information stored in the specific area of the RAM (the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered) is not cleared even if the RAM clear switch 1310f is operated when the power is turned on. However, regarding the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered, a new calculation of the payout ratio is performed each time the number of game balls B entered into the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) reaches 60,000 balls. The calculation results of the older payout ratio are saved as a history up to a predetermined number of calculations. In the specifications of the base monitor 1310h, for example, the display of the ratio of payouts to incoming balls may be restricted from the time a new ratio of payouts to incoming balls is calculated until at least 1000 game balls B have entered the ball entry slots (prize slots, out slots). This is because immediately after calculating the new ratio of payouts to incoming balls, biases are likely to occur. For example, if balls continue to enter the prize slots that award prize balls, the ratio of payouts to incoming balls may be higher than the standard value. Conversely, if balls continue not to enter the prize slots that award prize balls, the ratio of payouts to incoming balls may be lower than the standard value. Therefore, immediately after calculating the new ratio of payouts to incoming balls, the information obtained from the base monitor 1310h information command may be deemed unreliable, and the display of the ratio of payouts to incoming balls may not be executed.

Furthermore, in this example, game balls B collected in the out-out port 1008, the first sub-out-out port 2021, and the second sub-out-out port 2022 are detected (counted) by an out-ball sensor provided on the main frame 4 side, and game balls B that enter prize-winning ports such as the general prize-winning port 2001, the first start-up port 2002, the second start-up port 2004, the big prize-winning port 2005, and the special prize-winning port 2006 are detected (counted) by a safe-ball sensor provided on the main frame 4 side. However, these sensors may also be provided on the game board 5 side. Alternatively, a passage may be formed so that the game balls B collected at the out-out port 1008, the first sub-out-out port 2021, and the second sub-out-out port 2022 merge with the game balls B that enter the various prize-winning ports. A sensor may be installed in this passage, and the number of game balls B that enter the entry ports (prize-winning ports, out-out ports) is counted based on the detection of this sensor.

Furthermore, in this example, the base monitor 1310h is located on the main control board 1310, but it may also be located on the payout control board 633. In such a case, the ratio of the number of balls paid out to the number of balls received is calculated on the main control board 1310, and the calculation result is displayed on the base monitor 1310h via the payout control board 633, but other methods may be used. For example, commands related to the number of balls received and the number of balls paid out may be sent from the main control board 1310 to the payout control board 633 at predetermined timings, and the payout control board 633 may calculate the ratio of the number of balls paid out to the number of balls received and display the calculation result on the base monitor 1310h. In this way, by having the payout control board 633 handle some of the control related to the base monitor 1310h, the control burden on the main control board 1310 can be reduced. Note that in a managed gaming machine that does not pay out prize balls, the base monitor 1310h may be located on the board that manages prize balls (the board equivalent to the payout control board 633).

Furthermore, in this example, the number of game balls B that enter the entry points (prize entry points, out entry points) is calculated using out ball sensors and safe ball sensors. However, the number of game balls B that enter the entry points (prize entry points, out entry points) may be calculated using a different configuration. For example, when the payout control board 633 calculates the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered, the number of game balls launched into the game area 5a may be calculated, and this value (the number of game balls launched into the game area 5a) may be used as a substitute for the "number of game balls B that enter the entry points (prize entry points, out entry points)". It is preferable that the "number of game balls launched into the game area" here excludes the number of balls that were processed as foul balls as described above. In this case, the calculation of the base value on the payout control board 633 can be exemplified by "Base value = (Number of payouts ÷ Number of game balls launched into the game area) × 100". By having the payout control board 633 handle some of the control related to the base monitor 1310h in this way, the control burden on the main control board 1310 can be reduced.

In the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned OFF by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is turned ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is turned OFF), and then a second ON operation is performed by rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise. This ON signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a' that can only be rotated within a range from the initial position to the rotational position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is turned ON. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a' can be turned OFF by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that activates the setting key ON back to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF). This ON signal of the confirm key can then be input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 (this configuration of the setting key switch 1311a' may be described as "Modified form of the confirm key (1)").

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF. This ON signal of the decision key is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, instead, a decision key button with a pressable operation part may be provided on the setting change board 1311. In this case, the pressable part of the confirmation key button is exposed through an opening formed in the cover body of the main control board box 1320 corresponding to the confirmation key button. A wire intrusion prevention section is molded into the cover body to prevent the insertion of wires or other objects through the "gap" between the pressable part of the confirmation key button and the corresponding opening, thereby preventing modification of the setting change board 1311 and the main control board 1310. When the pressable part of the confirmation key button is pressed, this operation signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Based on the detection signal from the confirmation key button, the main control MPU 1310a can determine that the confirmation key is ON when the pressable part of the confirmation key button is pressed, and can determine that the confirmation key is not ON when the pressable part of the confirmation key button is not pressed.

The position of the confirmation key button on the setting change board 1311 may be near the setting key switch 1311a or near the setting switching button 1311b. To prevent confusion between the confirmation key button and the setting switching button 1311b, stickers with the names of each button are affixed to the cover of the main control board box 1320 at positions corresponding to the confirmation key button and the setting switching button 1311b, respectively (instead of these stickers, the names of each button may be molded into the cover). Furthermore, to prevent confusion between the confirmation key button and the setting switch button 1311b, a button with a cover that covers the pressable part of either the confirmation key button or the setting switch button 1311b (requiring the cover to be opened in order to press the pressable part) may be used, or the pressable parts may be of different colors, or the external shape or the shape of the pressable part of the confirmation key button and the setting switch button 1311b may be different, or another type of switch that does not have a pressable part may be used as the confirmation key button. Examples of other types of switches that do not have a pressable part as the confirmation key button include toggle switches with levers, slide switches with sliding parts, rotary switches with rotating parts, rocker switches, touch switches, and various other switches. Furthermore, when the setting change board 1311 is provided with a confirmation key button and a setting switch button 1311b, in order to prevent unauthorized modification, the wiring patterns for the confirmation key button and the setting switch button 1311b are routed so that they are not close to each other (spaced apart) on the setting change board 1311, and the connections to the terminals of the connector SMCN of the setting change board 1311 (the terminals of the connector MSCN of the main control board 1310) are also formed to be spaced apart. Similarly, on the main control board 1310, the wiring patterns for transmitting the detection signal from the confirmation key button and the wiring patterns for transmitting the detection signal from the setting switch button 1311b are routed so that they are not close to each other (spaced apart). Furthermore, if a confirmation key button is provided on the setting change board 1311, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a' that can only be rotated within a range from the initial position to the rotational position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is turned ON (the configuration of the confirmation key button (including the configuration of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified Configuration of the Confirmation Key (2)").

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that has been turned ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns OFF the setting key switch 1311a), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF. This ON signal of the determining key is transmitted from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 13 of the main control board 1310. Although the signals were previously input to 10a, instead, a detection signal from the handle touch sensor 192, which detects whether or not the palm or fingers are touching the handle 195 in the handle unit 180, and a detection signal from the single-button operation sensor 194, which detects whether or not the launch of the game balls B is forcibly stopped by the player's will, may be branched in the payout control board 633 and input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 via the payout control board 633, and the presence or absence of the decision key ON may be determined based on these detection signals. In this case, the main control MPU 1310a can determine that the "Decision Key" is ON when the palm or fingers are touching the handle 195 based on the detection signal from the handle touch sensor 192, while determining that the "Decision Key" is NOT ON when the palm or fingers are not touching the handle 195. Furthermore, based on the detection signal from the single-shot button operation sensor 194, the "Decision Key" can determine that the launch of game balls B is forcibly stopped, while determining that the "Decision Key" is NOT ON when the launch of game balls B is not forcibly stopped (the configuration of the handle touch sensor (which may include the configuration of the single-shot button operation sensor) may be described as "Modified Configuration of the Decision Key (3)").

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF. This second ON operation turns the setting key switch 1311a to the decision key ON, and this decision key ON signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, instead, a firing reference pulse may be branched from the firing timing control circuit provided in the firing control unit 633b of the dispensing control board 633 (described later) at the dispensing control board 633 and input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 via the dispensing control board 633, and the presence or absence of the decision key ON may be determined based on these firing reference pulses. The launch reference pulse is a reference pulse that allows 100 game balls B to be launched towards the game area 5a per minute, and is generated based on a clock signal from the oscillation circuit. In this case, the main control MPU 1310a can determine that the decision key is ON when the launch reference pulse is input from the payout control board 633, and can determine that the decision key is not ON when the launch reference pulse is not input (the form of the launch reference pulse may be described as "Modified form of the decision key (4)").

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF), thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON. This ON signal for the setting key is received from the setting change board 1311. Although the signal was originally input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, if a distance measuring sensor capable of detecting the movements of a player seated opposite the pachinko machine 1 is provided on the game board 5, and the detection signal from this distance measuring sensor is input to the peripheral control board 1510 via a relay board, then the detection signal from this distance measuring sensor may be branched at the relay board and input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 via the relay board, and the presence or absence of the decision key ON may be determined based on this detection signal. The distance measuring sensor is capable of detecting the player's movements by having the light emitted from the light-emitting part pass through the transparent glass plate 162 of the glass unit 160 in the door frame 3, reflect off the player's arm or hand, etc., within a predetermined distance dimension, and then having this reflected light pass through the transparent glass plate 162 again and be received by the light-receiving part. In this case, when the main control MPU 1310a receives a detection signal from the distance measuring sensor via the relay board, it determines whether or not there is operation based on this detection signal. If it determines that there is operation, it can determine that the decision key is ON, while if it determines that there is no operation, it can determine that the decision key is not ON (the configuration of the distance measuring sensor may be described as "Modified form of the decision key (5)").

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise from its initial position to perform a first ON operation, thereby setting the setting key switch 1311a to the setting key ON state. This setting key ON signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Additionally, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees counterclockwise from its initial position to perform a second ON operation, thereby setting the setting key switch 1311a to the confirm key ON state. This confirm key ON signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Finally, the setting key switch 1311a is set to return from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that activated the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF). The setting key switch 1311a can be turned OFF by rotating the key cylinder 60 degrees counterclockwise to the OFF position, and the setting key switch 1311a can also be turned OFF by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise to the OFF position, returning it from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the confirmation key is ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF). This OFF signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, a serial output circuit may be provided on the setting key switch 1311a that can output information indicating setting key ON, confirmation key ON, and OFF as serial information to the outside. This improves security for signals from the setting key switch 1311a. The setting key switch 1311a, which is equipped with this serial output circuit, was originally located on the setting change board 1311, but it may instead be located on the main control board 1310 or on the payout control board 633. When serial information output from this serial output circuit is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the main control MPU 1310a can determine from the received serial information whether it is indicating setting key ON, confirmation key ON, or OFF (an embodiment of the setting key switch 1311a having a serial circuit may be described as "Modified form of confirmation key (6)").

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise from its initial position to perform a first ON operation, thereby setting the setting key switch 1311a to the setting key ON state. This setting key ON signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. The setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees counterclockwise from its initial position to perform a second ON operation, thereby setting the setting key switch 1311a to the confirm key ON state. This confirm key ON signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. The setting key switch 1311a is then returned from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that set the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF). The setting key switch 1311a can be turned OFF by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees counterclockwise to the OFF position, and the setting key switch 1311a can also be turned OFF by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise to the OFF position, returning it from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the confirmation key is ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF). This OFF signal was input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, a pulse output circuit may be provided in the setting key switch 1311a that can output information indicating setting key ON, confirmation key ON, and OFF as pulse signals to the outside. This improves security for signals from the setting key switch 1311a. The setting key switch 1311a, which is equipped with this pulse output circuit, was originally located on the setting change board 1311, but it may instead be located on the main control board 1310 or on the payout control board 633. The pulse signal output from this pulse output circuit has a pulse width of 1 ms when it indicates setting key ON, 3 ms when it indicates confirm key ON, and 5 ms when it indicates OFF. When the pulse signal output from this pulse output circuit is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310, the main control MPU 1310a can determine from the input pulse signal whether it indicates setting key ON, confirm key ON, or OFF (an embodiment of the setting key switch 1311a having a pulse output circuit may be described as "Modified Confirm Key (7)").

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise from its initial position to perform a first ON operation, thereby setting the setting key switch 1311a to the setting key ON state. This setting key ON signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. In addition, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees counterclockwise from its initial position to perform a second ON operation, thereby setting the setting key switch 1311a to the decision key ON state. A signal indicating that the setting key is ON is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Additionally, the setting key switch 1311a is turned OFF by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that activated the setting key to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF). The setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to return from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the confirmation key is turned ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a OFF. This OFF signal is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, the voltage level of the setting key ON signal and the confirmation key ON signal... The voltage levels of the ON and OFF signals may be measured using an intermediate potential (for example, a potential between 2V and 3V, within the range of 0V to 5V) between the setting change board 1311 and the main control board 1310. A comparator circuit may be provided on the main control board 1310, and the comparison result from the comparator circuit is input to the main control MPU 1310a. The main control MPU 1310a then determines the ON/OFF status of the setting key ON signal, the confirmation key ON signal, and the OFF signal. This improves security for signals from the setting key switch 1311a (an embodiment of the setting key switch using an intermediate potential may be described as "Modified Confirmation Key (8)").

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that has the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF. This ON signal of the decision key is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, instead, a decision key button with a pressable operation part may be provided on the dispensing control board 633. In this case, the pressable part of the confirmation key button is exposed through an opening formed in the cover body of the corresponding dispensing control board box 632. A wire intrusion prevention section is molded into the cover body to prevent the dispensing control board 633 from being modified by a wire or the like entering through the "gap" between the pressable part of the confirmation key button and the corresponding opening. When the pressable part of the confirmation key button is pressed, this operation signal is input from the dispensing control board 633 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Based on the detection signal from the confirmation key button, the main control MPU 1310a can determine that the confirmation key is ON when the pressable part of the confirmation key button is pressed, and can determine that the confirmation key is not ON when the pressable part of the confirmation key button is not pressed.

Furthermore, the position of the confirmation key button on the dispensing control board 633 may be near the error release switch having a pressable operation part, as described later. To prevent confusion between the confirmation key button and the error release switch, stickers with the names of each button are affixed to the cover of the dispensing control board 633 at positions corresponding to the confirmation key button and the error release switch, respectively (instead of these stickers, the names of each button may be molded into the cover). Also, to prevent confusion between the confirmation key button and the error release switch, a button with a cover that covers the pressable operation part of either the confirmation key button or the error release switch may be used (the cover must be opened to press the pressable operation part), or the pressable operation parts may be of different colors, or the external shape or the shape of the pressable operation part of the confirmation key button and the error release switch may be different, or another type of switch that does not have a pressable operation part may be used as the confirmation key button. Other types of switches that do not have a pressable part as a confirmation key button include, for example, toggle switches with levers, slide switches with sliding parts, rotary switches with rotating parts, rocker switches, touch switches, and various other switches. Furthermore, when a confirmation key button and an error release switch are provided on the dispensing control board 633, in order to prevent unauthorized modification, the wiring patterns for the confirmation key button and the error release switch are routed so that they are not close to each other (spaced apart) on the dispensing control board 633, and the connections to the terminals of the connector on the dispensing control board 633 (the terminals of the connector on the main control board 1310) are also spaced apart. Similarly, on the main control board 1310, the wiring patterns that transmit the detection signal from the confirmation key button and the wiring patterns that transmit the detection signal from the error release switch are routed so that they are not close to each other (spaced apart). Furthermore, if a confirmation key button is provided on the dispensing control board 633, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a' that can only be rotated within a range from its initial position to the rotational position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is turned ON (the configuration of the confirmation key button (including the configuration of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified Configuration of the Confirmation Key (9)").

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF. This ON signal for the decision key was input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, instead, a signal from an error release switch having a press operation part on the dispensing control board 633 may be branched on the dispensing control board 633 and input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 via the dispensing control board 633, and the presence or absence of the decision key ON may be determined based on this signal. As described above, the error clearing switch is used to clear the error displayed on the error LED indicator. After power is restored, once the pachinko machine 1's system has finished starting up (completing power-on processing on various control boards and performing interrupt processing), and if no errors are present in the pachinko machine 1's state, the press button on the error clearing switch is never operated. Therefore, the main control MPU 1310a can determine that the confirmation key is ON when the press button on the error clearing switch is operated based on the signal from the error clearing switch, and conversely, it can determine that the confirmation key is NOT ON when the press button on the error clearing switch is not operated based on the signal from the error clearing switch. This improves security regarding the presence or absence of the confirmation key (the form of the error clearing switch may be described as "Modified form of the confirmation key (10)").

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF), thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON. This ON signal is transmitted from the setting change board 1311 to the main control board 1310. Although the signal was previously input to the main control MPU 1310a, instead, the payout control board 633's payout control MPU may monitor the logic of the signal from the error release switch, which has a pressable operation section, in the port input processing of the payout control unit power-on processing described later, and create a command. The command created in the command transmission processing of the payout control unit power-on processing described later is then sent to the main control board 1310, and the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, which receives this command, determines whether the OK key is ON or not. As described above, the error release switch is for clearing errors displayed on the error LED indicator. After power is restored, the pachinko machine 1 system has finished starting up (it has completed the power-on processing of various control boards and is in a state where interrupt processing is being performed), and if there are no errors in the state of the pachinko machine 1, the pressable operation section of the error release switch is not operated at all. Therefore, in the frame command reception processing of the main control timer interrupt processing described later, the main control MPU 1310a can determine that the confirmation key is ON when it receives a command from the dispensing control MPU indicating that the press operation unit has been operated based on the signal from the error release switch. Conversely, it can determine that the confirmation key is not ON when it receives a command from the dispensing control MPU indicating that the press operation unit has not been operated based on the signal from the error release switch. This improves security regarding whether the confirmation key is ON or not (the second form of the error release switch may be described as "modified form of the confirmation key (11)").

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a RAM clear switch 1310f is provided on the main control board 1310. The setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise to return it from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that has been turned ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns OFF the setting key switch 1311a), and then by rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON for a second time. This signal of the decision key being ON is set Previously, the change board 1311 was configured to input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, instead, a RAM clear switch 1310f may be provided on the dispensing control board 633. The operation signal from the RAM clear switch 1310f is input to the dispensing control MPU of the dispensing control board 633, and is also branched on the dispensing control board 633 and input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 via the dispensing control board 633. The main control MPU 1310a then determines whether the decision key is ON or OFF based on the input operation signal. As described later, when the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is operated when power is restored (more precisely, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on while pressing the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f), or when a setting change is made that allows the setting value to be changed (when the main control MPU 1310a performs the setting change process described later), the main control MPU 1310a will always clear a predetermined area of the RAM built into itself (an area of the entire RAM excluding a specific area). Therefore, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on while the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is pressed, the main control MPU 1310a will always clear a predetermined area of the RAM it has built into. Thus, the RAM clear switch 1310f can be used as a confirmation key. The main control MPU 1310a can determine that the confirmation key is ON when the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is pressed, based on the operation signal from the RAM clear switch 1310f on the payout control board 633. Conversely, it can determine that the confirmation key is NOT ON when the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is not pressed, based on the operation signal from the RAM clear switch 1310f on the payout control board 633. This improves security regarding the presence or absence of the confirmation key.

The press-button portion of the RAM clear switch 1310f on the dispensing control board 633 is exposed through an opening formed in the cover body of the corresponding dispensing control board box 632. To prevent the dispensing control board 633 from being modified by inserting a wire or the like through the "gap" between the press-button portion of the RAM clear switch 1310f and the corresponding opening, a wire intrusion prevention portion is molded into the cover body at the opening.

Furthermore, the position of the RAM clear switch 1310f on the dispensing control board 633 may be near the error release switch having a pressable operation part, as described later. To prevent confusion between the RAM clear switch 1310f and the error release switch, stickers bearing the names of each button are affixed to the cover of the dispensing control board 633 at positions corresponding to the RAM clear switch 1310f and the error release switch, respectively (instead of these stickers, the names of each button may be molded into the cover). Also, to prevent confusion between the RAM clear switch 1310f and the error release switch, a button with a cover that covers the pressable operation part of either the RAM clear switch 1310f or the error release switch (the cover must be opened to press the pressable operation part) may be used, or the pressable operation parts may be of different colors, or the external shape or the shape of the pressable operation part may be different between the RAM clear switch 1310f and the error release switch, or another type of switch without a pressable operation part may be used as the RAM clear switch 1310f. Other types of switches that do not have a press-button operation part, such as the RAM clear switch 1310f, include, for example, toggle switches with a lever, slide switches with a sliding part, rotary switches with a rotating operation part, rocker switches, touch switches, and various other switches. Furthermore, when the payout control board 633 is equipped with both the RAM clear switch 1310f and the error release switch, in order to prevent unauthorized modification, the wiring patterns for the RAM clear switch 1310f and the error release switch are routed so that they are not close to each other (spaced apart) on the payout control board 633, and the connections to the terminals of the connector on the payout control board 633 (the terminals of the connector on the main control board 1310) are also spaced apart. Similarly, on the main control board 1310, the wiring patterns that transmit the operation signal from the RAM clear switch 1310f and the wiring patterns that transmit the detection signal from the error release switch are routed so that they are not close to each other (spaced apart). Furthermore, if a RAM clear switch 1310f is provided on the dispensing control board 633, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a' that can only be rotated within a range from the initial position to the rotational position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is turned ON (this configuration of the RAM clear switch (including the configuration of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified configuration of the confirmation key (12)").

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a RAM clear switch 1310f is provided on the main control board 1310. The setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise to return it from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that has been turned ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns OFF the setting key switch 1311a), and then by rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON. This ON signal is transmitted from the setting change board 1311 to the main control board 1310. Although the signal was previously input to the main control MPU 1310a, instead, a RAM clear switch 1310f may be provided on the dispensing control board 633. The dispensing control MPU on the dispensing control board 633 may monitor the logic of the operation signal from the RAM clear switch 1310f during the port input processing of the power-on processing of the dispensing control unit described later, and create a command. The command created during the command transmission processing of the power-on processing of the dispensing control unit described later will be sent to the main control board 1310. The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, upon receiving this command, may determine whether the OK key is ON or not. As described later, when the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is operated when power is restored (more precisely, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on while pressing the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f), or when a setting change is made that allows the setting value to be changed (when the main control MPU 1310a performs the setting change process described later), the main control MPU 1310a will always clear a predetermined area of the RAM built into itself (an area of the entire RAM excluding a specific area). Therefore, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on while the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is pressed, the main control MPU 1310a is guaranteed to clear a predetermined area of the RAM built into itself. Thus, the RAM clear switch 1310f can be used as a confirmation key. In the frame command reception processing in the main control timer interrupt processing described later, the main control MPU 1310a can determine that the confirmation key is ON when it receives a command from the payout control MPU indicating that the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f has been operated based on the operation signal from the RAM clear switch 1310f on the payout control board 633, while the main control MPU can determine that the confirmation key is not ON when it receives a command from the payout control MPU indicating that the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f has not been operated based on the operation signal from the RAM clear switch 1310f on the payout control board 633. This improves security regarding whether the confirm key is ON or OFF (the RAM clear switch embodiment 2 (which may include the embodiment of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "modified form of the confirm key (13)").

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned OFF by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then by performing a second ON operation (rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise), thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a to the decision key ON. This decision key ON signal was input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, instead, detection signals from the full tank detection sensor 154, the bulb depletion detection sensor 574, or the dispensing detection sensor 591 are input to the dispensing control board 633. The signals are input to the MPU and also branched at the dispensing control board 633 and input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 via the dispensing control board 633. Based on these detection signals, the main control MPU 1310a may determine whether the decision key is ON or OFF. Alternatively, the logic of the detection signals from the full tank detection sensor 154, the bulb depletion detection sensor 574, or the dispensing detection sensor 591 may be monitored by the dispensing control MPU of the dispensing control board 633 during the port input processing of the power-on processing of the dispensing control unit described later, and a command may be created. The created command may then be sent to the main control board 1310 during the command transmission processing of the power-on processing of the dispensing control unit described later. The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, upon receiving this command, may determine whether the decision key is ON or OFF. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a', which allows rotation only within the range from the initial position to the rotational position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is turned ON (the configuration of the dispensing unit (including the configuration of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified configuration of the confirmation key (16)").

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise to return it from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then by rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to perform a second ON operation, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON. This ON signal was input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, instead, the main control MPU 1310a can determine that the decision key is ON when the main frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2, based on the detection signal from the main frame open switch, while determining that the decision key is not ON when the main frame 4 remains open relative to the outer frame 2. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a' that can only be rotated within a range from the initial position to the rotational position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON (the configuration of the main frame release switch (including the configuration of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified form of the confirmation key (17)"). Note d. In this case, the person changing the setting value must close the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 in order to turn the confirmation key ON. After turning the confirmation key ON, the main frame 4 must be opened again relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key removed from the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, and the main frame 4 must be closed again relative to the outer frame 2.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF. This ON signal was input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, instead, the main control MPU 1310a can determine that the decision key is ON when the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4, based on the detection signal from the door frame open switch, while determining that the decision key is not ON when the door frame 3 remains closed relative to the main frame 4. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a', which allows rotation only within a range from the initial position to the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON (the configuration of the door frame release switch (including the configuration of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified form of the confirmation key (17)"). In this case, the person changing the setting value must open the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 in order to turn the confirmation key ON. After turning the confirmation key ON, the door frame 3 must be closed again relative to the main frame 4, the setting key removed from the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, and the main frame 4 closed relative to the outer frame 2.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a provided on the setting change board 1311 is turned OFF by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that has the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then a second ON operation is performed by rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise. This ON signal is then input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, the setting key switch 1311a may also be provided on the main control board 1310 (this configuration of the setting key switch may be described as "Modified Configuration of the Configuration Key (18)").

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a on the setting change board 1311 can be turned ON by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise to return it from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that has been turned ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns OFF the setting key switch 1311a), and then by rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF, thereby performing a second ON operation. This ON signal is then input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. While this was the case, the setting key switch 1311a is provided on the main control board 1310. By rotating the setting key switch 1311a from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is ON back to its initial position, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned OFF. This OFF signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. The main control MPU 1310a can then determine that the confirmation key is ON when the OFF signal is received, and that the confirmation key is not ON when the OFF signal is not received. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a', which can only be rotated within a range from the initial position to the rotational position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is ON (this second embodiment of the setting key switch (which may include the embodiment of setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified form of the confirmation key (19)").

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF. This ON signal of the decision key is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, instead, the main control board 1310 may be provided with a decision key button having a pressable operation part. In this case, the pressable portion of the confirmation key button is exposed through an opening formed in the cover body of the main control board box 1320 corresponding to the confirmation key button. A wire intrusion prevention portion is molded into the cover body to prevent the main control board 1310 from being modified by inserting a wire or the like through the "gap" formed between the pressable portion of the confirmation key button and the corresponding opening. When the pressable portion of the confirmation key button is pressed, this operation signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Based on the detection signal from the confirmation key button, the main control MPU 1310a can determine that the confirmation key is ON when the pressable portion of the confirmation key button is pressed, and can determine that the confirmation key is not ON when the pressable portion of the confirmation key button is not pressed.

Furthermore, the position of the select key button on the main control board 1310 may be near the RAM clear switch 1310f. To prevent confusion between the select key button and the RAM clear switch 1310f, stickers bearing the names of each button are affixed to the cover of the main control board box 1320 at positions corresponding to the select key button and the RAM clear switch 1310f, respectively (the names of each button may be molded into the cover instead of these stickers). Additionally, to prevent confusion between the select key button and the RAM clear switch 1310f, a button with a cover that conceals the press operation portion of either the select key button or the RAM clear switch 1310f (requiring the cover to be opened to press the press operation portion) may be used, or the press operation portions may be of different colors, or the external shape or press operation portion shape of the select key button and the RAM clear switch 1310f may be different, or another type of switch that does not have a press operation portion may be used as the select key button. Other types of switches that do not have a press-button operation section as a confirmation key button include, for example, toggle switches with levers, slide switches with sliding sections, rotary switches with rotating sections, rocker switches, touch switches, and various other switches. Furthermore, when the confirmation key button and RAM clear switch 1310f are provided on the main control board 1310, the wiring patterns for the confirmation key button and the RAM clear switch 1310f are routed so that they are not close to each other (spaced apart) on the main control board 1310 to prevent unauthorized modification. Also, when the confirmation key button is provided on the main control board 1310, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a' that can only be rotated within a range from the initial position to the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is ON (this second form of the confirmation key button (which may include the form of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified form of the confirmation key (20)").

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF. This ON signal of the ON status As described later, when the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is operated when power is restored (more precisely, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on while pressing the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f), or when a setting change is made that allows the setting value to be changed (when the main control MPU 1310a performs the setting change process described later), the main control MPU 1310a will always clear a predetermined area of the RAM built into itself (an area of the entire RAM excluding a specific area). Therefore, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on while the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is pressed, the main control MPU 1310a will always clear a predetermined area of the RAM built into itself. Thus, the RAM clear switch 1310f can be used as a confirmation key. The main control MPU 1310a can determine that the confirmation key is ON when the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is pressed based on the operation signal from the RAM clear switch 1310f, while it can determine that the confirmation key is not ON when the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is not pressed based on the operation signal from the RAM clear switch 1310f provided on the payout control board 633. This improves security regarding whether the confirmation key is ON or not. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a' that can only be rotated within a range from the initial position to the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is turned ON (the RAM clear switch embodiment 3 (which may include the embodiment of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified form of the confirmation key (21)"). Furthermore, since the period during which the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is pressed is limited to when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, and the operation signal from the RAM clear switch 1310f is input to the payout control MPU of the payout control board 633, as described later, if the RAM clear switch 1310f is configured to also function as an error release switch, as described later, an error release switch on the payout control board 633 becomes unnecessary.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that has been turned ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns OFF the setting key switch 1311a), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF. This ON signal of the determining key is then transmitted from the setting change board 1311 to the main Although the signals were previously input to the main control MPU 1310a of the control board 1310, instead, the main control MPU 1310a, which receives detection signals from the gate sensor 2801 of the gate 2003, various sensors of various prize winning holes (for example, the second start hole sensor 2401, the big prize winning hole sensor 2402, the special prize winning hole sensor 2601, the general prize winning hole sensor 3001, and the first start hole sensor 3002) and the out sensor 664 of the main frame 4, may determine whether the decision key is ON or OFF based on these detection signals. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a may be a setting key switch 1311a' that can only be rotated within a range from the initial position to the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is ON (various forms of sensors, etc. (including the form of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "modified form of the decision key (22)"). In this case, the person changing the settings must open the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4, and send game balls B to gate 2003, to the various prize slots, and to the out slot 1008 in order to turn on the confirm key.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF), thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON. This ON signal of the setting key is received by the setting change board 1311. Previously, the input was sent from the main control board 1310 to the main control MPU 1310a. However, instead, if the main control MPU 1310a controls the operation of the movable body (device) by controlling the drive of an electrical drive source such as a stepping motor, DC motor, or solenoid, and determines the original position or operating position of the movable body (device) based on a detection signal from an optical sensor (such as a photosensor or distance sensor), the main control MPU 1310a may determine whether the decision key is ON or OFF based on the detection signal from the optical sensor. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a' that can only be rotated within a range from the initial position to the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is ON (an embodiment of the optical device sensor (which may include the embodiment of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified form of the decision key (23)"). In this case, the person changing the setting value must open the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 in order to activate the confirmation key, and move the movable part (device) so that the optical sensor can detect its original position, operating position, etc.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF. This ON signal of the decision key is input from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, instead, the main control MPU 1310a, which receives a detection signal from a magnetic sensor 1050 that detects unauthorized magnetism within the game area 5a, may determine whether or not the decision key is ON based on the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a', which allows rotation only within a range from the initial position to the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is turned ON (the configuration of the magnetic sensor (including the configuration of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified form of the confirmation key (24)"). In this case, the person changing the setting value needs to bring a magnet close to the front of the game board 5 from the front of the pachinko machine 1 in order to turn the confirmation key ON.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF. This ON signal of the determining key is transmitted from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MPU of the main control board 1310. Although the input was previously set to 1310a, instead, if a vibration sensor is installed on the game board 5 to detect fraudulent activity such as shaking or hitting the pachinko machine 1 to apply vibration to the pachinko machine 1 and change the path of the game balls B flowing down the game area 5a partitioned on the game board 5, thereby causing the balls to enter various prize slots and gates provided on the game board 5, the main control MPU 1310a may determine whether or not fraudulent activity has occurred based on the detection signal from the vibration sensor, and may also determine whether or not the decision key is ON based on the detection signal from the vibration sensor. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a may be made into a setting key switch 1311a' that can only be rotated within a range from the initial position to the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is ON (the form of the vibration sensor (including the form of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified form of the decision key (25)"). In this case, the person changing the setting value will need to shake or tap the pachinko machine 1 to activate the confirm key.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that has been turned ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns OFF the setting key switch 1311a), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF), thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON. This ON signal is transmitted from the setting change board 1311 to the main control board 1 Although the signal from 310 was previously input to the main control MPU 1310a, instead, if radio wave sensors are installed on the game board 5 and the payout device 580 to detect fraudulent activity such as illegally obtaining game balls B by irradiating radio waves onto the pachinko machine 1 and causing various sensors on the various prize-winning slots on the game board 5 and various sensors on the payout device 580 to malfunction, the main control MPU 1310a may determine whether or not fraudulent activity has occurred based on the detection signal from the radio wave sensors, and also determine whether or not the decision key is ON based on the detection signal from the radio wave sensors. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a' that can only be rotated within a range from the initial position to the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is ON (the configuration of the radio wave sensor (including the configuration of the setting key switch 1311a') may be described as "Modified configuration of the decision key (26)"). In this case, the person changing the setting value needs to emit radio waves to the pachinko machine 1 in order to activate the confirm key.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the setting key switch 1311a can be turned ON by performing a second ON operation (by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise to turn it OFF. This ON signal of the determining key is transmitted from the setting change board 1311 to the main control MP of the main control board 1310. While the signals were previously input to U1310a, instead, detection signals from the pressure detection sensor 373, which detects the press operation of the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 350, and detection signals from the contact detection sensor body 358, which detects contact of the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 350, may be input to the peripheral control board 1510. These signals are then branched on the peripheral control board 1510 and input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Based on these detection signals, the main control MPU 1310a may determine whether the confirmation key is ON or OFF. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a may be configured as a setting key switch 1311a', which can only rotate within a range from its initial position to the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is ON (this configuration of the performance operation button unit, including the configuration of the setting key switch 1311a', may be referred to as "Modified Configuration of the Confirmation Key (27)").

Furthermore, in the embodiment described above, the main control board 1310 and the setting change board 1311 were housed in the internal space of the main control board box 1320, which is composed of a cover body and a base body. However, the setting change board 1311 may be housed in a separate setting change board box and arranged around or adjacent to the main control board box 1320. The main control board box 1320 is constructed by crimping the cover body and the base body together using one-way screws or the like in the crimping section. This crimping section is a sealing mechanism and is provided in multiple locations. The main control board box 1320 can be closed by crimping the cover body and the base body together using one of these sealing mechanisms and the one-way screws or the like in the crimping section. To open the main control board box 1320, it is necessary to destroy this sealing mechanism. In other words, the cover body cannot be removed from the base body unless the sealing mechanism is destroyed. This structure of the main control board box 1320 can also be applied to the structure of the setting change board box. In this case, although the front surface of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a and the pressing operation part of the confirmation key button are exposed through openings formed in the cover body of the main control board box 1320 corresponding to them, a wire intrusion prevention part is molded into the cover body at the openings to prevent the setting change board 1311 from being modified by inserting a wire or the like through the "gap" formed between the front surface of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a and the pressing operation part of the confirmation key button and the corresponding openings. If the structure of the setting change board box differs from the structure of the main control board box 1320 described above, and the cover body can be opened or closed from the base body, an opening/closing switch for the setting change board cover body that can detect the opening of the cover body relative to the base body may be provided. In this case, the detection signal from the opening/closing switch for the setting change board cover body may be configured to be directly input to the main control board 1310, or it may be configured to be (indirectly) input to the main control board 1310 via the setting change board 1311. Based on the detection signal from the opening/closing switch for the setting change board cover, the condition that the cover is released from the base can be included in the predetermined setting value change permission conditions described above (the configuration of the setting change board box may be described as "modified form of the confirmation key (28)").

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the connector SMCN of the setting change board 1311 and the terminals of the connector MSCN of the main control board 1310 are connected, and in order to prevent unauthorized modification, the wiring pattern through which the setting key ON signal of the setting key switch 1311a is transmitted, the wiring pattern through which the confirmation key ON signal of the setting key switch 1311a is transmitted, the wiring pattern through which the OFF signal of the setting key switch 1311a is transmitted, and the wiring pattern through which the signal from the setting switching button 1311b is transmitted. Furthermore, the wiring is arranged such that the settings change board 1311 is not close to each other (is spaced apart from each other), and the connections to the terminals of the connector SMCN of the settings change board 1311 (the terminals of the connector MSCN of the main control board 1310) are also spaced apart. On the main control board 1310, the wiring patterns through which various signals from the setting key switch 1311a are transmitted (that is, the wiring pattern through which the setting key ON signal of the setting key switch 1311a is transmitted, the setting key ON signal of the setting key switch 1311a) The wiring patterns (through which the ON signal is transmitted, and through which the OFF signal of the setting key switch 1311a is transmitted) and the wiring pattern (through which the signal from the setting switch button 1311b is transmitted) were also routed so as not to be close to each other (spaced apart from each other). However, for either the wiring pattern through which the setting key ON signal of the setting key switch 1311a is transmitted, or the wiring pattern through which the confirmation key ON signal of the setting key switch 1311a is transmitted, the setting change base The connector SMCN on board 1311 may be connected to another connector provided on the setting change board 1311 via a separate connector, and the connector MSCN on the main control board 1310 may be connected to another connector provided on the main control board 1310 via a separate connector (inter-board connection). These other connectors on the setting change board 1311 and the main control board 1310 may be electrically connected via a harness (the configuration of the wiring pattern may be described as "Modified form of the confirmation key (29)").

Furthermore, any of the above-mentioned variations (1) to (29) of the decision key may be appropriately selected and combined (the selected combination of variations may be referred to as "Variation of the decision key (30)").

Furthermore, the above-mentioned settings allow for changes to probabilities for determining whether a big win or a small win occurs, as well as probabilities for determining whether a small win or a big win occurs. It also allows for changes to probabilities for determining when transitioning from a probability variation state to a normal state, and the distribution rate to areas advantageous to the player. A probability (degree of advantage) that is advantageous to the player (i.e., an increase in the number of game balls B that the player can acquire) is pre-set. In this embodiment, setting values 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are pre-set, with probabilities (degrees of advantage) that are advantageous to the player pre-set from setting value 1 to setting value 6. Incidentally, while the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment has multiple setting values from setting value 1 to setting value 6, other pachinko machines have a single setting value that pre-sets a probability (degree of advantage) that is advantageous to the player. In other words, there are two types of game specifications: one where multiple pre-set probabilities (degrees of advantage) exist for the player, as in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, requiring setting changes; and another where only a single pre-set probability (degree of advantage) exists for the player, requiring no setting changes at all. However, if the hardware configuration of the main control board 1310 is redesigned according to these game specifications, and the hardware configuration of the setting change board 1311 is redesigned or not used, the main control board 1310 and the setting change board 1311 become dependent on the game specifications. Therefore, the main control board 1310 and the setting change board 1311 will have similar or different hardware configurations depending on the game specifications. Thus, there is a need for a main control board 1310 and a setting change board 1311 that are not dependent on the game specifications, that is, can be used commonly without requiring changes to the hardware configuration.

For example, in a game specification where there is only one predetermined setting value for the probability (degree of advantage) that is advantageous to the player, and no setting changes are necessary, there is no need to use the setting value as the probability (degree of advantage) that is advantageous to the player. Therefore, this can be addressed by changing the software design to assign setting values 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 as follows:

For example, after the main control MPU 1310a clears a predetermined area of its built-in RAM (an area of the entire RAM excluding a specific area), multiple machine verification operation patterns can be set (allowing variations in the startup method of the pachinko machine 1 after RAM clearing). In this case, for the operation of the movable body (mechanism) and the lighting of light-emitting elements such as lamps and LEDs that are controlled by the main control MPU 1310a, machine verification operation pattern 1 specifying "all operations (operation of the movable body (mechanism), lighting of light-emitting elements)" is assigned as setting value 1, machine verification operation pattern 2 specifying "operation of the movable body (mechanism)" is assigned as setting value 2, machine verification operation pattern 3 specifying "light-up of light-emitting elements" is assigned as setting value 3, and detailed operation of the movable body (mechanism) (variable movement speed, movement across the entire operating area, other structures and other movements) is assigned as setting value 4. Actual machine verification operation pattern 4 is assigned, which specifies operations such as interference checks with moving parts (mechanisms) and the order of operation with other moving parts (mechanisms). Actual machine verification operation pattern 5 is assigned, which specifies "lighting of light-emitting elements in units of one port (lighting of light-emitting elements by predetermined output port units of the main control MPU 1310a (i.e., each output port))" as setting value 5. Actual machine verification operation pattern 6 is assigned, which specifies "no operation" as setting value 6 (the manner in which the settings for changing the actual machine verification operation after RAM clearing are sometimes described as "Modification by common hardware configuration (1)"). The main control MPU 1310a performs the actual machine verification operation after RAM clearing by repeatedly performing the main control side timer interrupt processing described later, thereby operating the moving parts (mechanisms) and lighting up light-emitting elements such as lamps and LEDs. The peripheral control board 1510, upon receiving a setting change command from the main control MPU 1310a, can perform operations on the movable parts (features) and light-emitting elements controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 according to the setting values included in the setting change command (actual machine verification operation pattern). The method of starting the pachinko machine 1 after a RAM clear can be varied depending on the configuration of the actual machine verification operation change setting after the RAM clear.

Furthermore, for example, it can be used as a setting value to set multiple time intervals from the end of the symbol variation until the demonstration (a demo performance performed while the player is waiting) begins. In this case, setting value 1 is assigned to time setting pattern 1, specifying "10 seconds", setting value 2 is assigned to time setting pattern 2, specifying "15 seconds", setting value 3 is assigned to time setting pattern 3, specifying "20 seconds", setting value 4 is assigned to time setting pattern 4, specifying "25 seconds", setting value 5 is assigned to time setting pattern 5, specifying "30 seconds", and setting value 6 is assigned to time setting pattern 6, specifying "35 seconds" (the manner in which the setting is changed from the end of the symbol variation until the player is waiting may be described as "Modified example using common hardware configuration (2)"). The peripheral control board 1510, which receives the setting change command from the main control MPU 1310a, can start the demonstration at a time (time setting pattern) corresponding to the setting value included in the setting change command. By adjusting the settings for the time between the end of the symbol change and the start of the player waiting state, it is possible to vary the time between the end of the symbol change and the start of the demonstration.

Furthermore, for example, it can be used as a setting value to set multiple types of demonstrations (demonstration performances performed while the player is waiting) that take place after the pattern changes have finished. In this case, setting value 1 is assigned to demo performance setting pattern 1, which specifies "comical performance," setting value 2 is assigned to demo performance setting pattern 2, which specifies "comical performance and movement performance of movable parts (mechanical devices)," setting value 3 is assigned to demo performance setting pattern 3, which specifies "serious performance," setting value 4 is assigned to demo performance setting pattern 4, which specifies "serious performance and movement performance of movable parts (mechanical devices)," setting value 5 is assigned to demo performance setting pattern 5, which specifies "period drama style performance," and setting value 6 is assigned to demo performance setting pattern 6, which specifies "period drama style performance and movable parts (mechanical devices)" (the manner in which the content of the demo performance can be changed may be described as "Modification by common hardware configuration (3)"). Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510, which receives setting change commands from the main control MPU 1310a, can perform demonstrations using demo animations (demo animation setting patterns) corresponding to the setting values included in the setting change commands. The content of these demo animations can be varied depending on how the settings are changed.

Furthermore, for example, it can be used as a setting value that allows setting multiple default volume levels, which are adjusted by the volume adjustment switch provided on the peripheral control board 1510. By rotating the volume adjustment switch, the volume can be increased or decreased from the default volume. In this case, volume setting pattern 1, which specifies "volume 1", is assigned as setting value 1, volume setting pattern 2, which specifies "volume 2", is assigned as setting value 2, volume setting pattern 3, which specifies "volume 3", is assigned as setting value 3, volume setting pattern 4, which specifies "volume 4", is assigned as setting value 4, volume setting pattern 5, which specifies "volume 5", is assigned as setting value 5, and volume setting pattern 6, which specifies "volume 6", is assigned as setting value 6 (the manner in which the default volume can be changed may be described as "Modified example using common hardware configuration (4)"). Note that the volume is set to increase from setting value 1 to setting value 6. The peripheral control board 1510, which receives a setting change command from the main control MPU 1310a, sets the default volume with a volume (volume setting pattern) corresponding to the setting value included in the setting change command. Furthermore, the default volume for "Volume 1," assigned to setting value 1, may be set so that when the volume adjustment switch is moved in the direction of decreasing the volume (the opposite direction to increasing the volume) and reaches the minimum volume end, the sound is muted, or it may be set to a volume that can be perceived when standing still in front of the pachinko machine. Similarly, the default volume for "Volume 6," assigned to setting value 6, may be set to the maximum volume when the volume adjustment switch is moved in the direction of increasing the volume (the opposite direction to decreasing the volume) and reaches the maximum volume end, or it may be set to a predetermined percentage of the maximum volume (for example, 85%). This method of changing the default volume allows for variations in the default volume adjusted by the volume adjustment switch on the peripheral control board 1510.

Furthermore, for example, it can be used as a setting value to set multiple volume levels for error notification sounds in error announcements such as various malfunctions, cheating, and errors. The various error notification sounds cannot be adjusted by operating the volume adjustment switch on the peripheral control board 1510 (i.e., they are not dependent on it). While setting the volume to maximum makes it easier for staff at the amusement hall to notice a pachinko machine emitting an error notification sound, it may be irritating to players playing on other pachinko machines. Therefore, there is a need for a system that allows adjustment of the volume of the various error notification sounds. In this case, error alarm volume setting pattern 1 is assigned, specifying "error alarm volume 1" as setting value 1; error alarm volume setting pattern 2 is assigned, specifying "error alarm volume 2" as setting value 2; error alarm volume setting pattern 3 is assigned, specifying "error alarm volume 3" as setting value 3; error alarm volume setting pattern 4 is assigned, specifying "volume 4" as setting value 4; error alarm volume setting pattern 5 is assigned, specifying "error alarm volume 5" as setting value 5; and error alarm volume setting pattern 6 is assigned, specifying "error alarm volume 6 (maximum volume)" as setting value 6 (the manner in which the error alarm volume can be changed may be described as "Modification by common hardware configuration (5)"). The error notification sound volume is set to increase from setting value 1 (a volume that does not silence the sound, and is loud enough to be heard when standing in front of the pachinko machine emitting the error notification sound) to setting value 6 (the maximum volume, and is loud enough to be heard even when several meters away from the pachinko machine emitting the error notification sound). The peripheral control board 1510, which receives a setting change command from the main control MPU 1310a, controls the system to emit the error notification sound at a volume (error notification volume setting pattern) corresponding to the setting value included in the setting change command. This method of changing the error notification sound volume allows for variations in the volume of the error notification sound during error warnings.

Furthermore, it can be used as a setting value to set multiple default brightness levels for light-emitting elements such as lamps and LEDs. The brightness of the light-emitting element controlled by the main control MPU 1310a can be increased or decreased from the default brightness. In this case, default brightness setting pattern 1, specifying "Brightness 1," is assigned as setting value 1; default brightness setting pattern 2, specifying "Brightness 2," is assigned as setting value 2; default brightness setting pattern 3, specifying "Brightness 3," is assigned as setting value 3; default brightness setting pattern 4, specifying "Brightness 4," is assigned as setting value 4; default brightness setting pattern 5, specifying "Brightness 5," is assigned as setting value 5; and default brightness setting pattern 6, specifying "Brightness 6," is assigned as setting value 6 (the manner of changing the default brightness setting may be described as "Modified example using common hardware configuration (6)"). The main control MPU 1310a adjusts the brightness of the light-emitting element by repeatedly performing the main control-side timer interrupt processing described later, thereby controlling the lighting, blinking, and gradation of the light-emitting element. The peripheral control board 1510, upon receiving a setting change command from the main control MPU 1310a, can adjust the brightness of the light-emitting element it controls based on the default brightness (default brightness setting pattern) corresponding to the setting value included in the setting change command, thereby enabling functions such as lighting, blinking, and gradation of the light-emitting element. The default brightness of light-emitting elements such as lamps and LEDs can be varied depending on the configuration of this default brightness setting.

Furthermore, for example, it can be used as a setting value to set multiple brightness levels for light-emitting elements such as lamps and LEDs in error notification for various malfunctions, tampering, and errors. For lamps controlled by the main control MPU 1310a, error notification brightness setting pattern 1 is assigned as setting value 1, specifying "error notification brightness 1"; error notification brightness setting pattern 2 is assigned as setting value 2, specifying "error notification brightness 2"; error notification brightness setting pattern 3 is assigned as setting value 3, specifying "error notification brightness 3"; error notification brightness setting pattern 4 is assigned as setting value 4, specifying "error notification brightness 4"; error notification brightness setting pattern 5 is assigned as setting value 5, specifying "error notification brightness 5"; and error notification brightness setting pattern 6 is assigned as setting value 6, specifying "error notification brightness 6 (maximum brightness)" (the manner of setting changes for the brightness of light-emitting elements in error notification may be described as "Modified example using common hardware configuration (7)"). The lamp brightness is set to increase from setting value 1 (the lamp does not turn off, but its brightness is low enough that an error notification can be recognized when standing in front of the pachinko machine) to setting value 6 (maximum brightness). The main control MPU 1310a adjusts the brightness of the light-emitting element in the error notification by repeatedly performing the main control-side timer interrupt processing described later, thereby controlling the illumination, blinking, and gradation of the light-emitting element. The peripheral control board 1510, which receives the setting change command from the main control MPU 1310a, adjusts the brightness of the light-emitting element it controls based on the error notification brightness (error notification brightness setting pattern) corresponding to the setting value included in the setting change command, thereby controlling the illumination, blinking, and gradation of the light-emitting element. This method of changing the brightness of the light-emitting element in the error notification allows for variations in the brightness of light-emitting elements such as lamps and LEDs in the error notification.

Furthermore, the various setting values assigned to the modified examples (1) to (7) using the common hardware configuration described above are displayed on the setting display unit 1310g when the predetermined setting value display permission conditions are met in the setting value confirmation and display processing performed by the main control MPU 1310a, as described later. However, they may also be displayed on the setting display unit 1310g at all times from the time the pachinko machine 1 is powered on until it is powered off (this method of displaying the setting values may be referred to as "Modified Example (8) using the Common Hardware Configuration").

Furthermore, one of the variations (1) to (8) described above, based on the common hardware configuration, may be appropriately selected and adopted as the variation (30) of the decision key described above.

Furthermore, the predetermined conditions for allowing the setting value to be changed as described above required that, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage, the main frame 4 be open to the outer frame 2, the setting key be inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, and the setting key cylinder be rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key ON. When the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on while the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is pressed, the main control MPU 1310a clears all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area in the main control side power-on processing described later, and then proceeds with the game by performing interrupt permission settings, etc. Furthermore, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered back on, if the predetermined setting value change permission conditions described above are met, the main control MPU 1310a will perform a setting change process in the main control side power-on processing described later, clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, and then proceed with the game by performing interrupt permission settings, etc. In other words, when the power of the pachinko machine 1 is turned on while pressing the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f, if the predetermined setting value change permission conditions described above are met when the pachinko machine 1 is powered back on, in either case, the main control MPU 1310a will clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area in the main control side power-on processing described later, and then proceed with the game by performing interrupt permission settings, etc. Therefore, as a predetermined condition for permitting setting value changes as described above, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage, the main body frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2, and the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, and the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key ON. In addition, the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f may also be pressed (this may be described as a "modified example of the predetermined condition for permitting setting value changes").

Furthermore, the predetermined conditions for permitting the display of the set value described above required that, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage, the main body frame 4 be open to the outer frame 2, the setting key be inserted into the socket of the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key cylinder be rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key ON, and the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f not be operated. Furthermore, when the main control MPU 1310a performs the setting value confirmation display processing when a modified version of the predetermined setting value display permission condition is met, it has not yet performed the interrupt permission setting, so it does not perform the main control timer interrupt processing. Instead, it reads the detection signal from the main frame open switch to detect the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, and the setting key ON signal from the setting key switch 1311a, when the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, causing the setting key cylinder to rotate 60 degrees clockwise from its initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), thereby performing the first ON operation and turning the setting key switch 1311a ON. However, it does not store these signals as input information in the input information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM, as described later. Therefore, when a modified version of the predetermined set value display permission condition is met and the set value confirmation display process is performed, the main control MPU 1310a reads the detection signal from the main frame release switch for detecting the release of the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2, and the setting key ON signal from the setting key switch 1311a.

By adopting both the modified version of the predetermined setting value change permission condition and the modified version of the predetermined setting value display permission condition described above, when the power is turned on to the pachinko machine 1 or when power is restored after a power outage, the main body frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2, and the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, and the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby assuming that the setting key is ON, the RAM clear switch 1310f When the press operation part is pressed, the main control MPU 1310a performs a setting change process in the main control side power-on processing described later, clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, and then proceeds with the game by setting interrupt permission, etc. On the other hand, when the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is not pressed, the main control MPU 1310a performs a setting value confirmation display process in the main control side power-on processing described later, and then proceeds with the game by setting interrupt permission, etc. By adopting this configuration, once the main control MPU 1310a starts the game, the setting value confirmation display process is never performed. In other words, once the main control MPU 1310a starts the game by setting interrupt permission, etc., it never displays the currently set setting value on the setting display 1310g. The main control MPU 1310a calculates the ratio of the number of payouts (the number of game balls B that are paid out (given) as prize balls when balls enter the prize slots) to the number of balls entered (the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize slots, out slots) provided in the ball counting process of the main control timer interrupt processing described later), stores the calculation result as a base value in a specific area of the built-in RAM, and displays it on the base monitor 1310h. Therefore, the current setting value displayed by the setting display unit 1310g may be displayed on the base monitor 1310h as described above (this may be described as "a modified example of how to use the base monitor"). As a result, the main control MPU 1310a can use the base monitor 1310h to display the current settings during the period from when power is restored until interrupt permission is enabled and the game begins. Furthermore, once power is restored and the game begins, it can display the calculated ratio of the number of payouts (the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls upon entry into the prize slots) to the number of balls entered (the number of game balls B entered into the ball entry slots (prize slots, payout slots) in the game area 5a partitioned on the game board 5). Therefore, the need for a setting display unit 1310g is eliminated, contributing to cost reduction.

Furthermore, one of the following modifications—the modified conditions for allowing changes to predetermined settings, the modified conditions for allowing display of predetermined settings, and the modified method for using the base monitor—may be appropriately selected and adopted as the modified version (30) of the decision key described above.

Furthermore, one of the following modifications—the modified conditions for allowing changes to predetermined settings, the modified conditions for allowing display of predetermined settings, and the modified method for using the base monitor—may be appropriately selected and adopted in the modified versions (1) to (8) using the common hardware configuration described above.

[5-5. Function Display Unit]
The function display unit 1400 in the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 129, etc. The function display unit 1400 is attached to the upper left corner of the front component 1000 outside the game area 5a. When assembled in the pachinko machine 1, the function display unit 1400 can be seen from the front (player side) through the door window 101a of the door frame 3. Based on control signals from the main control board 1310, the function display unit 1400 uses multiple LEDs to display the game status, normal lottery results, special lottery results, etc.

The function display unit 1400, although not shown in detail, includes a status indicator consisting of three LEDs that displays the game status, a regular symbol indicator consisting of two LEDs that displays the results of the regular lottery drawn when game balls B are received into gate 2003, and a regular hold indicator consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of hold balls related to the receipt of game balls B into gate 2003.

Furthermore, the function display unit 1400 includes a first special symbol display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the first special lottery drawn upon the acceptance of game ball B into the first start port 2002; a first special reserved number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserved game balls related to the acceptance of game ball B into the first start port 2002; a second special symbol display consisting of eight LEDs that displays the result of the second special lottery drawn upon the acceptance of game ball B into the second start port 2004; and a second special reserved number display consisting of two LEDs that displays the number of reserved game balls related to the acceptance of game ball B into the second start port 2004.

Furthermore, the function display unit 1400 includes a round indicator consisting of five LEDs that displays the number of repetitions (rounds) of the opening and closing pattern of the main prize opening 2005 when the result of the first or second special lottery is "win," etc.

This function display unit 1400 can display the number of reserved items, symbols, etc., by appropriately lighting, extinguishing, and flashing the provided LEDs.

[5-6. Peripheral Control Units]
The peripheral control unit 1500 in the game board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 132 and 136, etc. The peripheral control unit 1500 is mounted behind the performance display device 1600, which is mounted on the rear surface of the back box 3010 of the back unit 3000. The peripheral control unit 1500 includes a peripheral control board 1510 (see Figure 169) that controls the performances presented to the player based on control signals from the main control board 1310, and a peripheral control board box 1520 that houses the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control unit 1511 for controlling light effects, sound effects, and movable effects, etc., and a performance display control unit 1512 for controlling performance images.

The peripheral control board 1510 of the peripheral control unit 1500 is connected to the main control board 1310, the performance operation unit 300, various decorative boards on the door frame 3 side, the performance display device 1600, etc. (See Figure 169).

[5-7. Performance display device]
The performance display device 1600 in the game board 5 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 135 and 136, etc. The performance display device 1600 is positioned in the center of the game area 5a when viewed from the front, and is attached to the rear side of the game panel 1100 via the back box 3010 of the back unit 3000. The performance display device 1600 is detachably attached to the rear surface of the back wall of the back box 3010, approximately in the center. When the game board 5 is assembled, the performance display device 1600 can be seen from the front (player side) through the transparent game panel 1100 and the frame of the frame-shaped center feature 2500.

The display device 1600 is a 19-inch full-color liquid crystal display with a white LED backlight, and is mounted in a vertical orientation. The display device 1600 is connected to the peripheral control board 1510 and can display predetermined still images and videos.

The display device 1600 comprises a single left fixing piece 1601 protruding to the left from its left side, and two right fixing pieces 1602 protruding to the right from its right side. With the liquid crystal screen facing forward, the display device 1600 is attached to the back box 3010 by inserting the two right fixing pieces 1602 into two fixing grooves 3010c opening on the right inner circumferential surface within the frame-shaped liquid crystal mounting portion 3010b of the back box 3010 (described later) from the diagonal rear of the back box 3010, then moving the left fixing piece 1601 forward, inserting the left fixing piece 1601 into the opening of the locking mechanism, and sliding the locking mechanism upward in a rear view.

[5-8. Overall structure of the table unit]
The front unit 2000 in the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 140 and 144. Figure 140(a) is a perspective view of the front unit in the game board as seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the front unit in the game board as seen from the rear. Figure 144 is an explanatory diagram showing the flow path of the game balls on the right side of the front unit. Figure 145 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the first attacker unit and the second attacker unit in Figure 144. The front unit 2000 is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front, with its front end protruding forward from the front surface of the game panel 1100, and a part of its rear end protruding into the opening 1112 of the game panel 1100.

The front unit 2000 includes a plurality (four in this case) of general prize slots 2001 that are always open and capable of receiving game balls B that have been driven into the game area 5a, a first start slot 2002 that is always open and capable of receiving game balls B at a different location within the game area 5a from the plurality of general prize slots 2001, a gate 2003 provided at a predetermined location within the game area 5a for detecting the passage of game balls B, a second start slot 2004 that can receive game balls B according to the result of a normal lottery drawn when game balls B pass through the gate 2003, and the first start slot 200 The system includes: a large prize slot 2005 that allows the acceptance of game ball B according to the result of the first or second special lottery, which is determined by the acceptance of game ball B into the second starting slot 2004; a special prize slot 2006 located at a different position from the large prize slot 2005, which allows the acceptance of game ball B according to the result of the first or second special lottery, which is determined by the acceptance of game ball B into the first starting slot 2002 or the second starting slot 2004; and a V prize slot 2007 that provides an opportunity for acceptance of game ball B that has been accepted into the special prize slot 2006.

The multiple (four in this case) general prize entry points 2001 are arranged such that three are located to the left of the center in the lower part of the game area 5a, and the remaining one is located above the center in the vertical direction in the right part of the game area 5a. The first start entry point 2002 is located directly above the lowest exit entry point 1008 in the center in the left-right direction of the game area 5a. The gate 2003 is located near the right edge of the game area 5a in a front view, at a height of approximately 3/4 of the way up from the bottom in the vertical direction. The second start entry point 2004 is located in the lower right corner of the game area 5a, at a height slightly higher than the leftmost general prize entry point 2001. The large prize entry point 2005 is located between the first start entry point 2002 and the second start entry point 2004. The special prize entry point 2006 is located above the second start entry point 2004 and directly below the rightmost general prize entry point 2001. The V-prize entry point 2007 is located at the height between the prize entry point 2006 and the second start entry point 2004, behind the game panel 1100.

The first sub-out port 2021 is located below the second start port 2004, and the second sub-out port 2022 is located to the right of the general prize port 2001 on the right side.

The front unit 2000 comprises: a start-up unit 2100 mounted in the center of the game area 5a in the left-right direction and directly above the lower end of the game area 5a, having a first start-up opening 2002; a side unit 2200 provided to the left of the start-up unit 2100 in a front view, along the inner rail 1002, having three general prize-winning openings 2001; a side upper left unit 2300 provided slightly above the left of the side unit 2200 in a front view; a first attacker unit 2400 provided to the right of the start-up unit 2100 in a front view, at the lower right corner of the game area 5a in a front view, having a second start-up opening 2004, a large prize-winning opening 2005, and a first sub-out opening 2021; and a frame-shaped center mechanism 2500 provided above the start-up unit 2100 and the side unit 2200, slightly above the approximate center in a front view of the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the front unit 2000 includes a second attacker unit 2600 located to the right of the center prize mechanism 2500 and above the first attacker unit 2400, having a prize entry opening 2006; a side right-center unit 2700 located above the second attacker unit 2600, having one general prize entry opening 2001 and a second sub-out opening 2022; and a gate member 2800 located above the side right-center unit 2700, having a gate 2003.

[5-8a. Starter Unit]
Next, the starting port unit 2100 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 140, etc. The starting port unit 2100 of the front unit 2000 is located within the game area 5a, near the lower end of the center in the left-right direction, directly above the out port 1008, and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The starting port unit 2100 has a first starting port 2002 that is always open upward with a width that can accept only one game ball B.

The starter unit 2100, when attached to the game panel 1100, causes the first starter opening 2002 to protrude forward from the front of the game panel 1100 and open upwards, positioned directly below the center of the center mechanism 2500 in the left-right direction.

The starting port unit 2100, while attached to the game panel 1100, guides the game ball B received in the first starting port 2002 to the rear of the game panel 1100 and transfers it to the second discharge passage 3182 of the rear front lower display unit 3160 in the rear front display unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000.

[5-8b. Side Unit]
Next, the side unit 2200 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figure 140, etc. The side unit 2200 of the front unit 2000 extends along the inner rail 1002 to the left of the start unit 2100 within the game area 5a and is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front. The side unit 2200 is equipped with three general prize slots 2001 that are open to receive game balls B at all times. The three general prize slots 2001 of the side unit 2200 are arranged in an arc shape along the inner rail 1002. The two general prize slots 2001 on the right open upwards, and the general prize slot 2001 on the left opens to the upper left.

When assembled to the game board 5, the side unit 2200 has three general prize slots 2001 that protrude forward from the front of the game panel 1100. This side unit 2200 guides the game balls B received in the general prize slots 2001 to the rear of the game panel 1100 and can transfer them to the first discharge passage 3181 of the rear front lower display unit 3160 in the rear front display unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000.

[5-8c. Upper left side unit]
Next, the upper left side unit 2300 of the front unit 2000 will be described, mainly with reference to Figure 140, etc. The upper left side unit 2300 of the front unit 2000 is attached to the game panel 1100 from the front so as to the left of the side unit 2200 and in contact with the inner rail 1002 within the game area 5a. The upper left side unit 2300 has a shelf section 2301 that slopes downward to the right.

When assembled to the game board 5, the upper left side unit 2300 has a shelf section 2301 that protrudes forward beyond the front of the game panel 1100. The upper left side unit 2300 can guide the game balls B, which have flowed down the left side of the center mechanism 2500, to the right side, below the center mechanism 2500, via the shelf section 2301.

[5-8d. First Attacker Unit]
Next, the first attacker unit 2400 of the front unit 2000 will be described mainly with reference to Figures 140 to 145, etc. The first attacker unit 2400 of the front unit 2000 is located to the right of the start opening unit 2100, which is in the lower right corner when viewed from the front, within the game area 5a, and is attached to the front of the game panel 1100 from the front. This first attacker unit 2400 is equipped with a gate 2003, a second start opening 2004, and a large prize opening 2005 (see Figure 144, etc.).

In a front view, the first attacker unit 2400 has a second start port 2004 located slightly to the right of the center in the left-right direction, a large prize port 2005 located to the left of the center in the left-right direction and lower than the second start port 2004, and a first sub-out port 2021 located below the second start port 2004 and lower than the large prize port 2005.

Furthermore, the first attacker unit 2400 includes a second start-up sensor 2401 for detecting game balls B received into the second start-up opening 2004, a large prize-winning opening sensor 2402 for detecting game balls B received into the large prize-winning opening 2005, and a magnetic sensor 1050 for detecting fraudulent magnetism (see Figure 169, etc.). Two large prize-winning opening sensors 2402 are provided in parallel.

The first attacker unit 2400 includes a second start gate door 2411 capable of guiding game ball B to the second start gate 2004, a start gate solenoid 2412 that opens and closes the second start gate door 2411 according to the result of a normal lottery determined by the passage of game ball B through gate 2003, a large prize gate door 2413 capable of opening and closing the large prize gate 2005, and an attacker solenoid 2414 that opens and closes the large prize gate door 2413 according to the result of a first special lottery determined by the acceptance of game ball B into the first start gate 2002 or the second start gate 2004, according to the result of a second special lottery.

As shown in Figure 144, the first attacker unit 2400 has a first shelf section 2421 that extends downward to the left from near the upper right corner in a front view, and a second shelf section 2422 that extends shorter than the first shelf section 2421, starting from a position lower than the left end of the first shelf section 2421 and extending downward to the left, with a gap slightly longer than the diameter of the game ball B, and forming a second start opening 2004 between it and the first shelf section 2421. The machine also includes a third shelf section 2423 that extends to the left of the second shelf section 2422, starting from a position lower than the diameter of the game ball B and sloping downwards to the left, and a fourth shelf section 2424 that extends from the left end of the third shelf section 2423, at a distance of 4 to 6 times the diameter of the game ball B, starting from a position lower than the third shelf section 2423 and sloping downwards to the left, forming a large prize opening 2005 between it and the third shelf section 2423.

The right end of the first shelf section 2421 is slightly longer to the left than the diameter of the game ball B, from the right side of the first attacker unit 2400. The first shelf section 2421, the second shelf section 2422, and the third shelf section 2423 are all inclined at the same angle, while the fourth shelf section 2424 is inclined at a steeper angle than the first shelf section 2421, etc.

Furthermore, the first attacker unit 2400 includes a first vertical wall section 2425 extending vertically downward from the right end of the first shelf section 2421, a second vertical wall section 2426 extending vertically downward from the left end of the first shelf section 2421 to the same height as the lower end of the first vertical wall section 2425, and a third vertical wall section 242 extending vertically downward from the right end of the second shelf section 2422 to the same height as the lower end of the first vertical wall section 2425. It includes 7, a fourth vertical wall section 2428 extending vertically downward from the right end of the third shelf section 2423 to the bottom edge of the first attacker unit 2400, a fifth vertical wall section 2429 extending downward from the left end of the third shelf section 2423, a sixth vertical wall section 2430 extending downward from the right end of the fourth shelf section 2424, and a seventh vertical wall section 2431 extending downward from the left end of the fourth shelf section 2424.

The fifth vertical wall section 2429 extends downward from the left end of the third shelf section 2423 to a position lower than the fourth shelf section 2424, then extends slightly longer than the diameter of the game ball B, sloping downward to the left, and further extends downward to the bottom edge of the first attacker unit 2400. Similarly, the sixth vertical wall section 2430 extends downward from the right end of the fourth shelf section 2424 to a position lower than the fourth shelf section 2424, then extends slightly longer than the diameter of the game ball B, sloping downward to the right, and further extends downward to the bottom edge of the first attacker unit 2400. The left-right distance between the lower parts of the fifth vertical wall section 2429 and the sixth vertical wall section 2430 is longer than twice the diameter of the game ball B.

Furthermore, the first attacker unit 2400 has a first horizontal wall section 2432 connecting the lower ends of the first vertical wall section 2425, the second vertical wall section 2426, and the third vertical wall section 2427, and a second horizontal wall section 2433 that starts from a position lower than the lower end of the first vertical wall section 2425 on the right side of the first attacker unit 2400, slopes downward to the left with a gap that allows game balls B to pass through between it and the first horizontal wall section 2432, and then slopes upward towards the middle of the fourth vertical wall section 2428 on the left. The second horizontal wall section 2433 is formed so that the lowest point is at the portion of the first sub-out opening 2021 below the second start opening 2004.

Furthermore, the first attacker unit 2400 has a third horizontal wall section 2434 that extends from near the lower parts of the fifth vertical wall section 2429 and the sixth vertical wall section 2430, respectively, in a direction approaching each other, to near the center between the fifth vertical wall section 2429 and the sixth vertical wall section 2430, and a partition section 2435 that connects the opposing ends of the two third horizontal wall sections 2434 and extends upward.

Furthermore, the first attacker unit 2400 extends in a stepped manner along its upper edge, sloping downwards to the left, and has an upper shelf section 2436 provided between the second shelf section 2422 and the third shelf section 2423, with a spacing that allows game balls B to circulate. The right end of the upper shelf section 2436 is located directly above the left end of the first shelf section 2421, and the left end is located slightly to the right of the right end of the fourth shelf section 2424. Also, the upper shelf section 2436 slopes downwards to the right near its right end.

Furthermore, although detailed illustrations are omitted, the first attacker unit 2400 has multiple triangular contact points protruding into the space between the upper shelf 2436 and the large prize opening 2005, where the game balls B can flow to the left. These contact points are arranged alternately from the front and rear walls forming the space, in a staggered manner in the left-right direction. When the large prize opening 2005 is closed, these contact points cause the game balls B rolling on the large prize opening door 2413 to flow in a large zigzag pattern in the front-back direction.

The second start port door 2411 is designed to move in the front-rear direction. When the start port solenoid 2412 is not energized, the second start port door 2411 moves forward due to the spring biasing force of the plunger of the start port solenoid 2412, closing the second start port 2004. When the start port solenoid 2412 is energized, the second start port door 2411 moves backward due to the spring biasing force of the plunger of the start port solenoid 2412, opening the second start port 2004.

The starter solenoid 2412, when not energized, has its plunger protruding forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), and when energized, the plunger retracts.

The large prize opening door 2413 is a long, flat plate that moves back and forth. The large prize opening door 2413 can open and close the large prize opening 2005 by the forward and backward movement of the plunger of the attacker solenoid 2414. When the attacker solenoid 2414 is not energized, the plunger of the attacker solenoid 2414 protrudes due to the biasing force of the spring, moving the large prize opening door 2413 forward and closing the large prize opening 2005. When the attacker solenoid 2414 is energized, the plunger of the attacker solenoid 2414 retracts against the biasing force of the spring, moving the large prize opening door 2413 backward and opening the large prize opening 2005.

The attacker solenoid 2414, when not energized, has its plunger protruding forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), and when energized, the plunger retracts.

In the normal state, the first attacker unit 2400 has its start port solenoid 2412 and attacker solenoid 2414 both de-energized (OFF). In this normal state, the plunger of the start port solenoid 2412 protrudes forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), and the second start port door 2411 also protrudes forward. In this state, the second start port door 2411 is located above the second start port 2004, preventing the acceptance of game balls B into the second start port 2004. In other words, the second start port 2004 is closed by the second start port door 2411 (see Figures 144 and 145).

Furthermore, in the normal state, the plunger of the attacker solenoid 2414 protrudes forward due to the biasing force of a spring (not shown), and the large prize opening door 2413 also protrudes forward. In this state, the large prize opening door 2413 is located above the large prize opening 2005, making it impossible to receive game balls B into the large prize opening 2005. In other words, the large prize opening 2005 is closed by the large prize opening door 2413 (see Figures 144 and 145).

In this normal state, when a game ball B flows down onto the first shelf 2421, the inclination of the first shelf 2421 causes the game ball B to roll to the left, then rolls along the upper surface of the second start door 2411 and the second shelf 2422, before being released to the left from the left end of the second shelf 2422. The game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2422 falls onto the third shelf 2423 or the large prize door 2413, depending on its momentum, and rolls to the left due to their inclinations. Furthermore, if the game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2422 hits the lower surface of the upper shelf 2436 and bounces back to the right, it may enter the gap between the second shelf 2422 and the third shelf 2423.

At this time, the game ball B, rolling on the large prize opening door 2413 that is closing the large prize opening 2005, alternately strikes against multiple contact points provided in the space between the upper shelf 2436 and the large prize opening 2005, causing it to roll to the left in a zigzag pattern in the front-to-back direction. After rolling to the left on the large prize opening door 2413, the game ball B rolls along the fourth shelf 2424 and is then released from its left end to the outside of the first attacker unit 2400.

In this first attacker unit 2400, when a game ball B flows down to the right of the first shelf section 2421, it passes to the right of the first vertical wall section 2425, falls near the right end of the second horizontal wall section 2433, and, due to the inclination of the second horizontal wall section 2433, rolls to the left and enters the first sub-out opening 2021. Also, when a game ball B enters the gap between the second shelf section 2422 and the third shelf section 2423, it passes between the third vertical wall section 2427 and the fourth vertical wall section 2428, falls near the left end of the second horizontal wall section 2433, and, due to the inclination of the second horizontal wall section 2433, rolls to the right and enters the first sub-out opening 2021.

The game balls B that enter the first sub-outlet 2021 are not returned to the game area 5a, but are instead passed to the fifth discharge passage 3185 of the lower front-rear performance unit 3160 in the front-rear performance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and discharged from the fifth discharge passage 3185 onto the lower circuit board holder 1200. In this first attacker unit 2400, the game balls B that flow along the right side of the first shelf 2421 and the game balls B that pass through the gap between the second shelf 2422 and the third shelf 2423 are both configured to enter the first sub-outlet 2021, effectively providing two first sub-outlet 2021s.

In this normal state, when the game ball B passes through gate 2003, the start port solenoid 2412 is energized (ON) according to the result of the normal lottery. Against the biasing force of the spring, the plunger retracts, and the second start port door 2411 moves backward. As the second start port door 2411 moves backward, the upper part of the second start port 2004 becomes open, allowing the game ball B to be received into the second start port 2004. In other words, the second start port 2004 becomes open.

When the second start port 2004 is open, a game ball B is received into the second start port 2004, flows down between the second vertical wall 2426 and the third vertical wall 2427, is detected by the second start port sensor 2401, and is then discharged rearward from the first attacker unit 2400. The game ball B received into the second start port 2004 and discharged rearward from the first attacker unit 2400 is then passed to the third discharge passage 3183 of the rear front lower display unit 3160 in the rear front display unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, and discharged from the third discharge passage 3183 onto the lower circuit board holder 1200.

On the other hand, under normal conditions, when a game ball B is received into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004, and the result of the special lottery (first special lottery result or second special lottery result) is determined, the attacker solenoid 2414 is energized (ON), causing the plunger to retract against the biasing force of the spring, and the large prize opening door 2413 to move backward. As the large prize opening door 2413 moves backward, the large prize opening 2005 opens upward, making it possible to receive game ball B into the large prize opening 2005. In other words, the large prize opening 2005 becomes open.

When the large prize opening 2005 is open, if a game ball B is received into the large prize opening 2005, it passes between the fifth vertical wall section 2429 and the sixth vertical wall section 2430, then between the fifth vertical wall section 2429 and the partition section 2435, or between the sixth vertical wall section 2430 and the partition section 2435, is detected by one of the two large prize opening sensors 2402, falls onto the third horizontal wall section 2434, and is discharged rearward from the first attacker unit 2400. The game ball B received into the large prize opening 2005 and discharged rearward from the first attacker unit 2400 is then passed to the fourth discharge passage 3184 of the rear front lower display unit 3160 in the rear front display unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, and discharged from the fourth discharge passage 3184 onto the lower circuit board holder 1200.

Thus, according to the first attacker unit 2400 of this embodiment, the game balls B received in the large prize opening 2005 are divided into two by the partition 2435, and each is detected by a different large prize opening sensor 2402 before being released to the rear. This prevents the game balls B from becoming stuck between the large prize opening 2005 and the large prize opening sensor 2402, and allows for the reception of a large number of game balls B in a short time.

[5-8e. Center piece]
Next, the center component 2500 in the front unit 2000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 140 and 141. Figure 141(a) is an exploded perspective view of the lower right guide passage portion of the center component, viewed from the front, and (b) is a side cross-sectional view of the front member on the front side of the lower right guide passage of the center component, cut in half horizontally and viewed from the right. The center component 2500 of the front unit 2000 is located within the game area 5a, above the start entrance unit 2100, slightly above the center in a front view, and is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. The center component 2500 is formed in a transparent frame shape, allowing the performance display device 1600 located behind the game panel 1100 and various performance units provided in the back unit 3000 to be viewed from the front.

The frame-shaped center component 2500 has a portion that protrudes forward from the front of the game panel 1100 along its entire circumference, preventing game balls B that have been played into the game area 5a from entering the frame.

The center component 2500 has a frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501 (also referred to as the center frame) extending in the front-rear direction, a flat flange portion 2502 protruding from the outer circumference of the peripheral wall portion 2501 and contacting the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, and a flat support portion 2503 protruding from the inner circumference of the peripheral wall portion 2501. When assembled on the game board 5, the peripheral wall portion 2501 extends rearward to a position where its rear end coincides with the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. Furthermore, the peripheral wall portion 2501 is shaped to follow the inner circumference of the opening 1112 in the panel plate 1110 into which the center component 2500 is inserted. When assembled on the game board 5, this peripheral wall portion 2501 prevents game balls B from entering the inside of the frame from the outside of the center component 2500.

The flange portion 2502 and the support portion 2503 are thinner than the thickness of the panel plate 1110 (1/4 to 1/5 the thickness of the panel plate 1110). The flange portion 2502 and the support portion 2503 protrude from the peripheral wall portion 2501 at the same position in the front-rear direction. Therefore, the distance from the rear surface of the support portion 2503 (flange portion 2502) to the rear end of the peripheral wall portion 2501 is the same as the thickness of the panel plate 1110.

The support sections 2503 are partially and in multiple locations on the inner circumference of the peripheral wall section 2501. Furthermore, the support sections 2503 are provided on the non-protruding parts of the flange section 2502 on the peripheral wall section 2501, reinforcing the peripheral wall section 2501. The protruding edges of the support sections 2503 are formed to conform to the front shape of the peripheral wall section 2501, or to be straight, making the support sections 2503 inconspicuous. The amount of protrusion from the peripheral wall section 2501 of the support sections 2503 is kept within the range of the thickness of the support section 2503 to the thickness of the panel plate 1110 (1 mm to 10 mm), thus providing reinforcement while remaining inconspicuous to the player.

Furthermore, the center mechanism 2500 is equipped with a transparent, flat closing plate 2505 that closes the rear end of the frame-shaped peripheral wall portion 2501. This closing plate 2505 prevents the game ball B from passing through the frame of the center mechanism 2500 and entering the rear (rear unit 3000).

The center mechanism 2500 includes a warp entrance 2511 located on the left side of the peripheral wall 2501 in a front view, in front of the front of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), which is open to allow game balls B from within the game area 5a to enter; a warp exit 2512 that is open within the frame behind the front of the game panel 1100, allowing game balls B that have entered the warp entrance 2511 to be released; a stage 2513 that allows game balls B released from the warp exit 2512 to roll left and right before being released into the game area 5a; and a stage cover 2515 that covers the top of the stage 2513 (see Figure 138, etc.). The stage cover 2515 is intended to prevent game balls B from entering the center mechanism 2500 from outside the frame by bouncing the game balls B that have bounced on the stage 2513 back towards the stage 2513.

The stage 2513 of the center mechanism 2500 is curved with a recessed central section in the left-right direction. It is formed in a wave-like (W-shape) manner, such that the position directly above the first start port 2002 of the start port unit 2100, that is, when the center mechanism 2500 is attached to the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, is slightly higher than the left and right sides. The stage 2513 has a section that is slightly higher than the left and right sides of the center (central release section 2513a) and the lowest sections on both sides (side release sections 2513b), both of which slope downwards towards the front. This allows game balls B to be released into the game area 5a from these sections.

When the center mechanism 2500 is assembled on the game board 5, the raised central part (central release section 2513a) of the stage 2513 is positioned directly above the first start opening 2002 of the start opening unit 2100. As a result, when game balls B are released from the central release section 2513a of the stage 2513, they are received by the first start opening 2002 with a very high probability.

Furthermore, the center component 2500 is located in the upper right corner and is equipped with a guide passage group 2520 consisting of two passages through which game balls B can pass. When assembled on the game board 5, the right end of the guide passage group 2520 (the upper right corner end of the center component 2500) is approximately in contact with the inner periphery of the game area 5a (the right rail 1005 near the stopper portion 1006 of the front component 1000). This ensures that game balls B played into the upper right side of the center component 2500 always pass through the guide passage group 2520.

The guide passage group 2520 has a vertical length that is approximately 1/7 of the total height of the game area 5a. Each of these guide passages 2520 is formed in a groove shape that opens forward, allowing the game balls B circulating inside to be clearly visible from the front.

The guide passage group 2520 is located outside the peripheral wall 2501 of the center component 2500 and consists of a first guide passage 2521, which is separated from the peripheral wall 2501, and a second guide passage 2522, which extends to the right of the first guide passage 2521 along the peripheral wall 2501. The entrances to the first guide passage 2521 and the second guide passage 2522 are separated to the left and right. The exits to the first guide passage 2521 and the second guide passage 2522 are adjacent to each other to the left and right, and open diagonally downward to the right, following the arc of the upper part of the right rail 1005.

The guide passage group 2520 is located above the gate 2003 with the center component 2500 assembled on the game board 5. Furthermore, the right end of the entrance to the first guide passage 2521 is located directly below the lower end of the stopper portion 1006 of the previous component 1000, and is designed so that most of the game balls B that come into contact with the stopper portion 1006 enter the first guide passage 2521.

Furthermore, the center mechanism 2500 protrudes to the right from the lower right corner of the peripheral wall 2501 and is equipped with a lower right guide passage 2530 that guides the game ball B from above to the right and then releases it downwards. This lower right guide passage 2530 has an entrance that opens upwards across the width of the front in the left-right direction, and an exit that opens diagonally downwards to the left, with a width equivalent to one game ball B.

This lower right guide passage 2530, when assembled on the game board 5, has its right end nearly touching the right rail 1005 and is located between the first attacker unit 2400 and the second attacker unit 2600. Therefore, the second attacker unit 2600, the right-center side unit 2700, and the gate member 2800 are positioned between the guide passage group 2520 and the lower right guide passage 2530.

To further describe the center component 2500, it comprises a frame-shaped transparent center base plate 2540 having a peripheral wall portion 2501, a flange portion 2502, a support portion 2503, etc.; a transparent, flat front member 2531 attached to the center base plate 2540 to close the front side of the lower right guide passage 2530; and a lower right guide passage decorative sticker 2532 attached to the front surface of the front member 2531, with a predetermined decoration printed on it (see Figure 141).

The center base plate 2540 has a guide passage flange portion 2540a that forms part of the flange portion 2502 at the lower right corner in a front view and extends flat to the right; a guide passage wall 2540b that extends shorter than the guide passage flange portion 2540a along the lower edge of the guide passage flange portion 2540a, from the part of the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall portion 2501 that is in front of the flange portion 2502, so that the right end is lower; a flat vertical wall portion 2540c that extends vertically along the right edge near the right end of the guide passage flange portion 2540a and extends forward to the same position as the front of the guide passage wall 2540b; and a left-side guide portion 2540d that is continuous with the lower end edge of the vertical wall portion 2540c, extends diagonally to the lower left, and then extends diagonally to the lower right and bends. A gap is formed between the guide passage wall 2540b and the vertical wall portion 2540c, allowing one game ball B to pass through.

The center base plate 2540 guides the game ball B, which has flowed down from above onto the guide passage wall 2540b, to the right via the guide passage wall 2540b, then allows it to flow downwards between the guide passage wall 2540b and the vertical wall section 2540c, and finally releases it diagonally to the lower left via the leftward guide section 2540d. The center base plate 2540, along with the guide passage flange section 2540a, guide passage wall 2540b, vertical wall section 2540c, and leftward guide section 2540d, constitutes almost the entire lower right guide passage 2530.

The front member 2531 extends horizontally from the same position as the inner circumferential surface of the peripheral wall portion 2501 to the same position as the right end edge of the guide passage flange portion 2540a. Its upper end edge is located above the upper end edge of the guide passage flange portion 2540a, while its lower end edge is located below the guide passage wall 2540b.

The front member 2531 has an adhesive recess 2531a that is recessed from the front to the rear, following the outer circumference; a separation hole 2531b that penetrates from front to back in the adhesive recess 2531a at a point that coincides with the guide passage wall 2540b in a front view; and a plurality of mounting bosses 2531c that protrude cylindrically from the rear surface and are used for attachment to the center base plate 2540.

The adhesive recess 2531a is recessed to the rearward side, deeper than the thickness of the lower right guide passage decorative sticker 2532 (0.4 mm to 1.0 mm) (see Figure 141(b)). In the adhesive recess 2531a, the left edge portion and the portion near the left edge on the upper edge are set as contact surfaces for attaching the lower right guide passage decorative sticker 2532.

The separation hole 2531b is a circular hole with a circular inner shape. When assembled with the center component 2500, the front of this separation hole 2531b is closed by the right-lower guide passage decorative sticker 2532 attached to the adhesive recess 2531a, and the rear is closed by the front surface of the guide passage wall 2540b of the center base plate 2540, thus creating a closed space within the separation hole 2531b.

In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the separation hole 2531b is within the range of 2 mm to 6 mm. If the separation hole 2531b is smaller than this, the diameter of the rod-shaped member (tool) inserted into the separation hole 2531b becomes smaller, making it more prone to bending and potentially preventing sufficient pressure on the lower right guide passage decorative seal 2532. If the separation hole 2531b is larger than this, bending may occur at the separation hole 2531b portion of the lower right guide passage decorative seal 2532, potentially detracting from its appearance.

According to the center component 2500 of this embodiment, if the right-lower guide passage decorative seal 2532 cannot be properly attached to the attachment recess 2531a of the front member 2531 during the manufacturing of the pachinko machine 1, a rod-shaped member can be passed through the separation hole 2531b from the rear of the front member 2531, and the tip of the rod-shaped member can be used to press the right-lower guide passage decorative seal 2532 from rear to front. This allows the edge of the right-lower guide passage decorative seal 2532 to peel forward, and the peeled portion can be easily removed by the worker from the attachment recess 2531a, allowing the right-lower guide passage decorative seal 2532 to be reattached.

Furthermore, by separating the front member 2531 and the center base plate 2540, and passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole 2531b from the rear of the front member 2531, and pressing the right-lower guide passage decorative seal 2532 from the rear with its tip, the right-lower guide passage decorative seal 2532 can be easily removed from the adhesive recess 2531a. This makes the replacement of the right-lower guide passage decorative seal 2532 when changing models much easier.

Furthermore, as described above, when the front member 2531 and the center base plate 2540 are separated, the decorative seal 2532 for the lower right guide passage can be easily removed from the attachment recess 2531a using the separation hole 2531b. This makes it easier to separate the components of the pachinko machine 1 by material, thereby reducing the cost of disposing of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by attaching the lower right guide passage decorative sticker 2532 to the adhesive recess 2531a, the separation hole 2531b can be concealed from the front. This suppresses the deterioration of appearance caused by the separation hole 2531b, makes it difficult for players to notice its presence, and thus makes it harder for them to plan fraudulent activities using the separation hole 2531b.

Furthermore, when assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the guide passage wall 2540b of the center base plate 2540, which is assembled to the rear of the front member 2531 to which the lower right guide passage decorative sticker 2532 is attached, closes the separation hole 2531b from the rear. Because it does not have a hole that penetrates to the rear like conventional pachinko machines, it prevents wire-like fraudulent tools, such as piano wire, from being inserted through this hole into the game board 5 or the area where the game balls B flow, thus preventing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, since the guide passage wall 2540b of the center base plate 2540 closes the separation hole 2531b from the rear, even if an illegal tool is inserted into the separation hole 2531b from the front, penetrating the lower right guide passage decorative seal 2532, the guide passage wall 2540b prevents further insertion (intrusion) to the rear. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the illegal tool from entering the game board 5 or the area where the game balls B flow from the front through the separation hole 2531b, thus preventing fraudulent activity. Additionally, since the illegal tool penetrating the lower right guide passage decorative seal 2532 leaves a mark on it, it can deter fraudulent activity, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against illegal activity.

Furthermore, in the center component 2500 of this embodiment, since a support portion 2503 is provided that protrudes inward from the peripheral wall portion 2501, the peripheral wall portion 2501 becomes the outer edge of the center component 2500 in the area where the support portion 2503 is provided. This allows the area inside the peripheral wall portion 2501 (within the frame of the center component 2500) to be relatively wider, making the display images on the rear display device 1600 and the decorations on the back unit 3000 more visible through the frame of the center component 2500.

Furthermore, since a support portion 2503 is provided inwardly protruding from the peripheral wall portion 2501 in the area where the flange portion 2502 is not provided, the strength of the peripheral wall portion 2501 can be reinforced. This prevents deformation or damage to the peripheral wall portion 2501 even if the game ball B comes into contact with the outside of the area where the support portion 2503 is provided. Additionally, since the strength of the center component 2500 can be increased by the support portion 2503, the center component 2500 can be demolded from the injection mold without deformation.

Furthermore, because the transparent support portion 2503 protrudes briefly from the inner circumference of the peripheral wall portion 2501 and is partially provided around the entire circumference of the peripheral wall portion 2501, it is possible to reduce the obstruction of visibility of the decorative elements of the rear unit 3000 and the display images of the display device 1600, which are located at the rear of the support portion 2503.

Furthermore, by providing the support portion 2503, there is a portion where the flange portion 2502 protruding outward from the peripheral wall portion 2501 is not provided. Therefore, in the area of the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110) near the support portion 2503, the obstacle nails N can be planted as close as possible to the peripheral wall portion 2501. This allows the game area within the game area 5a to be widened as much as possible by the multiple obstacle nails N, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 that allows players to enjoy the game as intended.

Furthermore, by making the peripheral wall portion 2501 similar in shape to the inner circumference of the opening 1112 of the panel plate 1110, and by making the rear end of the peripheral wall portion 2501 flush with the rear surface of the panel plate 1110, while providing the support portion 2503 on approximately the same plane as the front surface of the panel plate 1110, the support portion 2503 can be made less conspicuous to the player, and the center mechanism 2500 can be made to appear as if it is integrated with the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, because the support section 2503 is provided on a portion of the entire circumference of the center component 2500, the area within the frame of the center component 2500 can be made wider compared to the case where the support section 2503 is provided around the entire circumference, making the display screen of the performance display device 1600 located at the rear more visible. In other words, if you want to make the non-circulating area (inside the frame) partitioned by the peripheral wall section 2501 (center frame) of the center component 2500 appear larger, the support section 2503 may be provided on a portion of the entire circumference of the peripheral wall section 2501. Alternatively, it is preferable that the support section 2503 extends to an extent that does not overlap with the display screen of the performance display device 1600 located at the rear when viewed from the front.

In the above embodiment, a single separation hole 2531b is shown in the front member 2531. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration, and multiple separation holes 2531b may be provided in locations that coincide with the guide passage wall 2540b in a front view.

Alternatively, the separation hole 2531b may be provided in a location on the center base plate 2540 that is inside the curved leftward guide portion 2540d (the rightward side in a front view). If the separation hole 2531b is provided in this location, the rear side of the separation hole 2531b will not be directly closed by the center base plate 2540, but since the guide passage flange portion 2540a and the game panel 1100 are located behind the separation hole 2531b, the hole continuous with the separation hole 2531b will not penetrate to the rear of the game board 5, thus achieving the same effects as described above. In this case, even if an illegal tool is inserted into the separation hole 2531b from the front, penetrating the right lower guide passage decorative seal 2532, the leftward guide portion 2540d can prevent the tip of the illegal tool from entering the area where the game balls B flow, such as the right lower guide passage 2530. Furthermore, in this case, since the right side of the left guide section 2540d is open, a J-shaped linear tool can be used to insert the tool into the separation hole 2531b from the rear, even while the front member 2531 is still assembled, allowing the right lower guide passage decorative seal 2532 to be removed.

[5-8f. Second Attacker Unit]
Next, the second attacker unit 2600 of the front unit 2000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 140 to 145. The second attacker unit 2600 of the front unit 2000 is located to the right of the right edge of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500, between the lower right guide passage 2530 and the vertical center of the game area 5a, and is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. The second attacker unit 2600 is equipped with a mechanism entry opening 2006 that can be opened and closed toward the left.

The second attacker unit 2600 includes a prize entry sensor 2601 for detecting game balls B received into the prize entry opening 2006, and a magnetic sensor 1050 (see Figure 146) for detecting irrational magnetic fields acting near the prize entry opening 2006. The second attacker unit 2600 also includes a prize entry door 2611 for opening and closing the prize entry opening 2006, a prize entry solenoid 2612 for moving the prize entry door 2611 to open and close the prize entry opening 2006, a transmission member (not shown) for transmitting the forward and backward movement of the plunger of the prize entry solenoid 2612 to move the prize entry door 2611, and a guide passage 2613 for guiding the game balls B received into the prize entry opening 2006 and releasing them to the rear.

The second attacker unit 2600 has a prize entry opening 2006 that is positioned slightly to the right of the center in the left-right direction and opens towards the left. A prize entry door 2611 is provided to close the prize entry opening 2006 from the left.

The prize entry door 2611 is formed in a so-called wing shape, consisting of a semicircular lower edge that bulges downward, a right edge that extends linearly upward from the right end of the lower edge, and an arc-shaped left edge that bulges to the left from the upper end of the right edge and is attached to the left side of the lower edge. The prize entry door 2611 has a cylindrical rotation axis 2611a extending in the front-rear direction with the center of the semicircular lower edge as its axis, and a link pin (not shown in the illustration) that protrudes cylindrically backward from a position away from the rotation axis. The lower rotation axis of the prize entry door 2611 is rotatably mounted so that the upper end moves to the left.

The prize entry solenoid 2612, although not shown in detail, is mounted with its plunger protruding downwards. The transmission member (not shown) has a base attached to the tip of the plunger of the prize entry solenoid 2612, and a slit that penetrates in the front-to-back direction and extends in the left-to-right direction, into which the link pin of the prize entry door 2611 is slidably inserted. It is mounted to be slidable in the vertical direction.

When assembled on the game board 5, the second attacker unit 2600 is positioned so that its right edge is approximately in contact with the right rail 1005 of the front component 1000, forming a space through which the game balls B can flow between the prize entry opening 2006 and the right edge of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center prize component 2500. Furthermore, when assembled on the game board 5, the rear surface of the second attacker unit 2600, including the rear end of the guide passage 2613, protrudes further rearward than the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100.

In the normal state, the solenoid 2612 for the prize entry opening of the second attacker unit 2600 is de-energized (OFF), and the plunger protrudes downward due to its own weight and the weight of the transmission member. In this state, the prize entry opening door 2611 is upright, and the prize entry opening 2006 is closed by the prize entry opening door 2611. In other words, in the normal state, the game ball B cannot be received by the prize entry opening 2006.

In this normal state, when a game ball B is received into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004, and the result of the special lottery (first special lottery result or second special lottery result) is determined, the prize entry port solenoid 2612 is energized (ON). This causes the transmission member to move upward together with the plunger, and the link pin of the prize entry port door 2611, which is inserted into the slit of the transmission member, is pulled upward and slides within the slit, causing the prize entry port door 2611 to rotate counterclockwise around the rotation axis 2611a.

As a result, the upper end of the prize entry door 2611 moves to the left, opening the prize entry opening 2006 to the left, and the right end of the prize entry door 2611 becomes tilted downwards. In other words, the prize entry opening 2006 becomes open. In this state, when a game ball B that has flowed down comes into contact with the prize entry door 2611, it rolls to the right due to the tilt and is received into the prize entry opening 2006. After the game ball B received into the prize entry opening 2006 is detected by the prize entry sensor 2601, it is guided by the guide passage 2613 and released to the rear. The game balls B released from the guide passage 2613 towards the rear are passed to the distribution passage 3158 of the front-front decorative unit 3140 in the front-rear display unit 3100 of the back unit 3000. After being distributed to either the V-prize entry point 2007 or the losing entry point 2008, they are discharged onto the lower circuit board holder 1200 via the lower-rear display unit 3160.

[5-8g. Right-center side unit]
Next, the right-center side unit 2700 of the front unit 2000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 140 and 144. The right-center side unit 2700 of the front unit 2000 is positioned directly above the second attacker unit 2600 within the game area 5a and is attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100. This right-center side unit 2700 is equipped with one general prize entry opening 2001 and a second sub-out opening 2022.

The right-center side unit 2700 has a general prize entry opening 2001 that is always open upwards with a width equivalent to one game ball B in the left-right direction, and a second sub-out opening 2022 that is always open upwards with a width equivalent to two game balls B in the left-right direction, adjacent to the right side of the general prize entry opening 2001.

Furthermore, the right-center side unit 2700 has a first guide passage 2701 that guides the game ball B received in the general prize opening 2001 to the rear, and a second guide passage 2702 that guides the game ball B received in the second sub-out opening 2022 to the rear. The first guide passage 2701 extends rearward from the general prize opening 2001, then bends to the right and then bends further rearward, forming a crank shape. The second guide passage 2702 extends downward from the second sub-out opening 2022 than the first guide passage 2701, and then bends rearward. The exits of the first guide passage 2701 and the second guide passage 2702 are aligned vertically.

In this side-right-center unit 2700, when assembled to the game board 5, the rear ends of the first guide passage 2701 and the second guide passage 2702 each protrude further rearward than the rear surface of the panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100.

Furthermore, when assembled to the game board 5, the right-center side unit 2700 has its right end substantially in contact with the right rail 1005 of the front component 1000, and its lower end substantially in contact with the upper end of the second attacker unit 2600. A space for the game balls B to flow is formed between its left end and the right edge of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500. In this right-center side unit 2700, the general prize entry opening 2001 opens upward slightly to the left of the mechanism prize entry opening 2006, and the second sub-out opening 2022 opens upward over substantially the entire area between the general prize entry opening 2001 and the right rail 1005 (see Figure 144).

The side right-center unit 2700 guides the game ball B received in the general prize entry opening 2001 to the rear of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 via the first guidance passage 2701, and then passes it to the first rear guidance passage 3156 of the rear front right decorative unit 3140 in the rear front performance unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 located at the rear. The game ball B that has been passed to the first rear guidance passage 3156 is detected by the general prize entry opening sensor 3001 and then discharged onto the lower circuit board holder 1200 via the rear front lower performance unit 3160. Furthermore, the side right-center unit 2700 guides the game balls B received in the second sub-outlet 2022 to the rear of the panel board 1110 via the second guidance passage 2702, and then passes them to the second rear guidance passage 3157 of the rear-front right decorative unit 3140 in the rear-front display unit 3100 of the rear-front unit 3000 located at the rear. The game balls B passed to the second rear guidance passage 3157 are then discharged onto the lower circuit board holder 1200 via the rear-front lower display unit 3160.

[5-8h. Gate Members]
Next, the gate member 2800 in the front unit 2000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 142 and 143. Figure 142(a) is a perspective view of the gate member from the front, (b) is an exploded perspective view of the gate member from the front, and (c) is an exploded perspective view of the gate member from the rear. Figure 143(a) is a front view of the gate member, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line C-C in (a).

The gate member 2800 of the front unit 2000 is positioned within the game area 5a, between the guide passage group 2520 of the center mechanism 2500 and the side right-center unit 2700, and is attached to the front surface of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. The gate member 2800 includes a gate 2003 where a normal lottery result is conducted, opening and closing the second start opening 2004 upon passage of a game ball B, and a gate sensor 2801 for detecting when a game ball B has passed through gate 2003. The detection hole in the gate sensor 2801 for detecting the game ball B is designated as gate 2003.

The gate member 2800 has a guide piece 2802 that protrudes diagonally downward to the left from near the right end of its lower surface. The guide piece 2802 is for guiding the game ball B, which has passed through the gate 2003, downward to the left. When assembled on the game board 5, the guide piece 2802 is inclined such that its extension passes near the left end of the general prize entry opening 2001 in the side right-center unit 2700.

The gate member 2800, when assembled to the game board 5, is positioned approximately in the center between the right rail 1005 of the front component 1000 and the right edge of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500, forming gaps on both the left and right outer sides through which game balls B can pass. This gate member 2800 is positioned slightly to the left of the first guide passage 2521 in the guide passage group 2520 of the center mechanism 2500, and slightly to the right of the general prize entry opening 2001 of the side right-center unit 2700.

To further describe the gate member 2800, it comprises a gate body 2810 attached to the front surface of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110) and holding the gate sensor 2801, and a gate seal 2811 attached to the front surface of the gate body 2810 and printed with a predetermined decoration. The gate body 2810 is made of transparent material.

The gate body 2810 comprises a long, flat front plate portion 2810a, a horizontally elongated, roughly rectangular adhesive recess 2810b on the front surface of the front plate portion 2810a that is recessed towards the rear, an anti-misapplication portion 2810c provided in the upper left corner of the adhesive recess 2810b, a separation hole 2810d that penetrates the front plate portion 2810a from front to back near the right end of the adhesive recess 2810b, a pair of arm portions 2810e extending rearward from both the left and right edges of the front plate portion 2810a, and flat flange portions 2810f extending outward in the left-right direction from the rear ends of the pair of arm portions 2810e and connected to each other at a portion below the front plate portion 2810a.

The pair of arm portions 2810e have their opposing surfaces separated by a distance greater than the diameter of the detection hole of the gate sensor 2801. The flange portion 2810f is attached to the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 with its rear surface in contact with the front surface of the panel plate 1110.

Furthermore, the gate body 2810 includes a recessed groove 2810g for housing the gate sensor 2801, which is recessed at a certain height in the vertical direction on the rear surface of the front plate portion 2810a and on the opposing surfaces of the pair of arm portions 2810e; a rear extension portion 2810h extending rearward from the rear end of the left arm portion 2810e so as to extend the arm portion 2810e and the housing groove 2810g; and a locking portion 2810i extending rearward from the rear end of the right arm portion 2810e, further rearward than the rear extension portion 2810h, with its rear end bent to the left, for locking the gate sensor 2801 housed in the housing groove 2810g.

Furthermore, the gate body 2810 is provided with a projection 2810j that protrudes into the housing groove 2810g at the point where the front plate portion 2810a and the left arm portion 2810e intersect. The projection 2810j is formed in a shape corresponding to the notch 2801a of the gate sensor 2801. The gate body 2810 also includes a guide piece 2802 that extends downward from the lower surface of the right arm portion 2810e.

The adhesive recess 2810b of the gate body 2810 is recessed to the rearward side, deeper than the thickness of the gate seal 2811 (0.4 mm to 1.0 mm) (see Figure 143(b)). The misapplication prevention portion 2810c is formed in a C-shaped chamfer that is larger than the chamfers of the other corners of the adhesive recess 2810b. In this gate member 2800, since the gate seal 2811 (adhesion recess 2810b) is a long rectangle, it is difficult to determine the top and bottom orientation of the gate seal 2811, and there is a risk that it will be applied upside down. However, the misapplication prevention portion 2810c makes it possible to specify the application orientation of the gate seal 2811, and the gate seal 2811 can be applied in the correct orientation (the orientation in which the notch portion 2811a of the gate seal 2811 aligns with the misapplication prevention portion 2810c). Furthermore, if the gate seal 2811 is attempted to be applied to the application recess 2810b upside down, the misapplication prevention unit 2810c will cause a portion of the gate seal 2811 to protrude from the application recess 2810b, thereby alerting the worker to the misapplication of the gate seal 2811.

In this adhesive recess 2810b, the left edge portion and the diagonal portion of the misapplication prevention portion 2810c are set as contact surfaces for attaching the gate seal 2811. This ensures clearance for attaching the gate seal 2811 not only in the vertical and horizontal directions, but also vertically in the direction of the diagonally extending portion of the misapplication prevention portion 2810c. In other words, the effective clearance directions for attaching the gate seal 2811 are provided in three directions: vertical, horizontal, and diagonal, making the application process easier (see Figure 211(a)).

The separation hole 2810d is a rectangular corner hole extending vertically. When assembled to the gate member 2800, the front of this separation hole 2810d is closed by the gate seal 2811 attached to the adhesive recess 2810b, and the rear is closed by the front surface of the gate sensor 2801 housed in the housing groove 2810g, thus creating a closed space within the separation hole 2810d.

In this embodiment, the separation hole 2810d has a long side and short side length within the range of 2 mm to 6 mm. If the separation hole 2810d is smaller than this, the diameter of the separation rod-shaped member (tool) inserted into the separation hole 2810d becomes smaller, making it more prone to bending and potentially preventing sufficient pressure on the gate seal 2811. If the separation hole 2810d is larger than this, bending may occur at the separation hole 2531b portion of the gate seal 2811, potentially detracting from the appearance of the gate seal 2811.

The inner circumferential surface on the right side of the separation hole 2810d is flush with the bottom surface (the left-facing surface) of the receiving groove 2810g formed in the right arm portion 2810e. Furthermore, the vertical dimension of the locking portion 2810i is smaller than the vertical dimension of the separation hole 2810d, and the rear end (claw portion) of the locking portion 2810i protrudes slightly to the left relative to the horizontal dimension of the separation hole 2810d.

In addition to its function of removing the gate seal 2811 (described later), this separation hole 2810d can also function as a through-hole through which a core is inserted to form the rear end of the locking portion 2810i, which becomes the under-molding portion of the gate body 2810, thereby facilitating the injection molding of the gate body 2810.

The gate seal 2811 is formed with a shape that is offset inward at a certain distance from the outer shape of the adhesive recess 2810b, and is slightly longer in the left-right direction. A chamfered notch 2811a, corresponding to the misapplication prevention portion 2810c, is formed in the upper left corner of the gate seal 2811, allowing identification of the correct application orientation (in this case, up and down) relative to the adhesive recess 2810b. The entire back surface of this gate seal 2811 is an adhesive surface with adhesive properties.

According to the gate member 2800 of this embodiment, if the gate seal 2811 cannot be properly attached to the adhesive recess 2810b of the gate body 2810 during the manufacturing of the pachinko machine 1, a rod-shaped member can be passed through the separation hole 2810d from the rear of the gate body 2810 (front plate portion 2810a), and the gate seal 2811 can be pressed from rear to front with its tip. This allows the edge of the gate seal 2811 to peel forward, and the peeled portion can be easily removed by the worker, allowing the gate seal 2811 to be reattached.

Furthermore, by separating the gate body 2810 and the gate sensor 2801, and passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole 2810d from the rear of the gate body 2810, and pressing the gate seal 2811 from the rear with its tip, the gate seal 2811 can be easily removed from the attachment recess 2810b. This makes the replacement of the gate seal 2811 when changing models much easier.

Furthermore, as described above, when the gate body 2810 and the gate sensor 2801 are separated, the gate seal 2811 can be easily removed from the attachment recess 2810b using the separation hole 2810d. This makes it easier to separate the components of the pachinko machine 1 by material, thereby reducing the cost of disposing of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by attaching the gate seal 2811 to the adhesive recess 2810b, the separation hole 2810d can be concealed from the front. This suppresses the deterioration of appearance caused by the separation hole 2810d, and makes it difficult for players to notice its presence, thus making it harder for them to plan fraudulent activities using the separation hole 2810d.

Furthermore, when assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the front surface of the gate sensor 2801, which is housed in the housing groove 2810g of the gate body 2810 to which the gate seal 2811 is attached, closes the separation hole 2810d from the rear. Since there is no hole that penetrates to the rear, as in conventional pachinko machines, it is possible to prevent wire-like fraudulent tools, such as piano wire, from being inserted into the game board 5 or the detection hole of the gate sensor 2801 through this hole, thereby preventing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, since the front of the gate sensor 2801 closes the separation hole 2810d from the rear, even if an unauthorized tool is inserted through the gate seal 2811 from the front and into the separation hole 2810d, the front of the gate sensor 2801 prevents further insertion (intrusion) to the rear. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unauthorized tools from entering the game board 5 or the detection hole of the gate sensor 2801 from the front through the separation hole 2810d, thus preventing fraudulent activity. Additionally, since the unauthorized tool leaving a trace on the gate seal 2811 after penetrating it can deter fraudulent activity, providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, since the adhesive recess 2810b to which the gate seal 2811 is attached is provided with a mis-attachment prevention section 2810c, attempting to attach the gate seal 2811 upside down will prevent it from being attached correctly. This allows the worker to notice the mis-attachment of the gate seal 2811 and ensures that the gate seal 2811 is attached in the correct orientation, thus preventing the gate seal 2811 from being shipped upside down.

Furthermore, since the gate body 2810 has a projection 2810j in the housing groove 2810g, if the gate sensor 2801 is inserted into the housing groove 2810g from the rear in an orientation where the projection 2810j and the notch 2801a of the gate sensor 2801 do not align, the front surface of the gate sensor 2801 will come into contact with the projection 2810j before it comes into contact with the rear surface of the front plate portion 2810a, thus preventing the locking portion 2810i from being locked to the rear surface of the gate sensor 2801. In other words, the locking portion 2810i engages with the rear end of the gate sensor 2801 and holds it in place only when the gate sensor 2801 is inserted into the housing groove 2810g with the projection 2810j and the notch 2801a of the gate sensor 2801 aligned. This prevents the gate sensor 2801 from being assembled in the wrong orientation and suppresses the occurrence of malfunctions related to the gate sensor 2801.

Furthermore, by housing the gate sensor 2801 in the housing groove 2810g of the gate body 2810 from the rear and engaging the locking portion 2810i with the gate sensor 2801, the movement of the gate sensor 2801 in the vertical, horizontal, and front-to-back directions can be restricted and positioned by the housing groove 2810g, the locking portion 2810i, and the rear side of the adhesive recess 2810b, thereby simplifying the assembly of the pachinko machine 1 (gate member 2800) and reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1. In this case, since the separation hole 2810d is located at the front part of the housing groove 2810g of the gate body 2810, when the gate sensor 2801 is housing in the housing groove 2810g, the front end of the gate sensor 2801 closes the separation hole 2810d from the rear. Therefore, when assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the gate sensor 2801, which is mounted on the rear side of the gate body 2810 to which the gate seal 2811 is attached, closes the separation hole 2810d from the rear. Since there is no hole that penetrates to the rear, as in conventional pachinko machines, it is possible to prevent wire-like illegal tools, such as piano wire, from being inserted into the pachinko machine 1 through this hole, thereby preventing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, as described above, by locking the gate sensor 2801 to the locking portion 2810i of the gate body 2810, its movement in the forward and backward directions can be restricted. Therefore, even if an unauthorized tool penetrates the gate seal 2811 and the separation hole 2810d from the front and pushes the gate sensor 2801 backward, the locking portion 2810i prevents the gate sensor 2801 from moving backward. This maintains the rearward closure of the separation hole 2810d by the gate sensor 2801, preventing unauthorized activity.

Furthermore, since the locking portion 2810i of the gate body 2810 protrudes within the front projection range of the separation hole 2810d, the separation hole 2810d can also be used as a through-hole for inserting the core that forms the locking portion 2810i, allowing the gate body 2810 to be formed by injection molding.

From the above, we can understand the following technical concepts A to C.

[Technical philosophy A]
In gaming machines,
"A decorative object that has been given a specific decoration,
A front member having a part to be decorated, to which the decorative body is attached from the front, and a separation hole that penetrates the part to be decorated from front to back and allows the attached decorative body to be separated by pressing from the rear,
The device comprises a passage member provided on the rear side of the front member so as to close the separation hole of the front member from the rear, and having a passage portion through which a game medium can flow,
The aforementioned front member is
The present invention further comprises a housing portion that extends rearward from the rear side of the decorated portion, is recessed forward from the rear end, and has the separation hole located on the front end side, and is capable of housing at least a part of the passage member from the rear.

Here, the gate seal 2811 corresponds to the decorative element, the gate body 2810 to the front member, the adhesive recess 2810b to the part to be decorated, the gate 2003 (detection hole for gate sensor 2801) to the passage section, the gate sensor 2801 to the passage member, and the housing groove 2810g to the housing section.

As a result, since the separation hole is located in the front portion of the housing section of the front member, when at least a portion of the passage member is housed in the housing section, the front end of the passage member can close the separation hole from the rear, thereby providing a gaming machine that achieves the same effects as described above.

Furthermore, because the front member has a housing section, at least a portion of the passage member can be housed in the housing section from the rear. This allows the housing section to restrict the movement of the passage member in the vertical, horizontal, and forward directions, thereby facilitating the assembly of the gaming machine and reducing its overall cost.

[Technical philosophy B]
In gaming machines,
"A decorative object that has been given a specific decoration,
A front member having a part to be decorated, to which the decorative body is attached from the front, and a separation hole that penetrates the part to be decorated from front to back and allows the attached decorative body to be separated by pressing from the rear,
The device comprises a passage member provided on the rear side of the front member so as to close the separation hole of the front member from the rear, and having a passage portion through which a game medium can flow,
The aforementioned front member is
It is characterized by having a locking portion that protrudes from behind the decorated portion and within the front projection range of the separation hole, for locking the passage member.

Here, the gate seal 2811 corresponds to the decorative element, the gate body 2810 to the front member, the adhesive recess 2810b to the part to be decorated, the gate 2003 (the detection hole for the gate sensor 2801) to the passage section, the gate sensor 2801 to the passage member, and the locking part 2810i to the locking part.

As a result, the locking portion that engages with the passage member protrudes within the front projection range of the separation hole. Therefore, when the passage member is engaged with the locking portion, the passage member is sandwiched between the rear of the covering decorative portion and the locking portion, effectively closing the separation hole from the rear. This allows the passage member to close the separation hole and restricts the passage member's movement in the front-to-back direction.

Furthermore, as described above, by locking the passage member into the locking mechanism, its movement in the forward and backward directions can be restricted. Therefore, even if an unauthorized tool is used to push the passage member backward from the front through the decorative element and the separation hole, the locking mechanism prevents the passage member from moving backward, thus maintaining the rearward closure of the separation hole by the passage member and preventing unauthorized activity.

Furthermore, since the locking portion of the front member protrudes within the front projection range of the separation hole, the separation hole can also be used as a through-hole for inserting the core that forms the locking portion, and the front member can be formed by injection molding.

[Technical philosophy C]
In gaming machines,
"A decorative object that has been given a specific decoration,
A front member having: a part to be decorated which is recessed to the rear of the depth of the decorative body in the front-to-back direction and to which the decorative body is attached from the front; a separation hole which penetrates the part to be decorated front to back and allows the attached decorative body to be separated by pressing from the rear; a housing part which extends rearward from the rear side of the part to be decorated and is recessed forward from the rear end, with the separation hole located at the front end; and a locking part which is rearward from the part to be decorated and protrudes within the front projection range of the separation hole;
The front member is characterized by comprising a passage member which is housed in the housing portion from the rear so as to close the separation hole of the front member from the rear, and which is locked to the locking portion and has a passage portion through which a game medium can flow.

Here, the gate seal 2811 corresponds to the decorative element, the gate body 2810 to the front member, the adhesive recess 2810b to the part to be decorated, the gate 2003 (detection hole for gate sensor 2801) to the passage section, the gate sensor 2801 to the passage member, the housing groove 2810g to the housing section, and the locking part 2810i to the locking part.

As a result, a decorative body with a predetermined decoration is attached to the decorative portion on the front of the front member, which is located on the front side of the passage member that has a passage through which the game media flows. Therefore, the appearance of the passage member can be improved by the decoration of the decorative body. Furthermore, because the decorative portion to which the decorative body is attached is recessed to the rearward side compared to the depth of the decorative body in the front-to-back direction, when the decorative body is attached to the decorative portion, the area surrounding the decorative portion on the front member protrudes forward more than the front of the decorative body. This protruding portion of the front member frames the decorative body, making it stand out and enhancing the decorative effect of the decorative body, thus improving the overall appearance of the game machine.

Furthermore, because the part to which the decorative element is attached is recessed towards the rear, the decorative element can be attached using the protruding area around the decorative element on the front member as a guide. This makes it easier to attach the decorative element in the correct position, reducing the chances of failure in attaching the decorative element and suppressing the increase in costs associated with the gaming machine.

In this gaming machine, the decorative portion of the front member is recessed towards the rear. Therefore, when the decorative element is attached to the decorative element, the contact surface between the decorative element and the decorative element is recessed. This makes it difficult to remove the decorative element from the front, requiring considerable effort. However, since a separation hole is provided in the decorative element, a rod-shaped member can be passed through the separation hole from the rear of the front member and the decorative element pressed forward, easily releasing the attachment to the decorative element and allowing for easy removal. Consequently, if the decorative element is not properly attached to the decorative element of the front member during manufacturing, the attachment can be easily released by passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole from the rear of the front member and pressing the decorative element from the rear with its tip. This allows for easy removal of the decorative element and subsequent reattachment. Furthermore, by separating the front member and the passage member, and passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole from the rear of the front member, and pressing the decorative element from the rear with its tip, the attachment to the decorated part can be easily released. This allows for easy removal of the decorative element from the decorated part, simplifying the replacement of decorative elements when changing machine models. Moreover, as described above, since the decorative element can be easily removed from the decorated part using the separation hole when the front member and passage member are separated, it becomes easier to separate the components of the gaming machine by material, thereby reducing the cost of disposing of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, because a separation hole is provided in the decorative part, the separation hole can be made less visible or hidden from view by attaching a decorative element to the decorative part. This suppresses the deterioration of appearance caused by the separation hole, and also makes it difficult for players to notice the existence of the separation hole, thus making it difficult for them to plan fraudulent activities through the separation hole.

Furthermore, by housing at least a portion of the passage member from the rear within the housing portion of the front member, and engaging the locking portion with the passage member, the movement of the passage member in the vertical, horizontal, and front-to-back directions can be restricted and positioned by the housing portion, the locking portion, and the rear side of the decorated portion, thereby simplifying the assembly of the gaming machine and reducing its cost. In this case, since the separation hole is located at the front of the housing portion of the front member, housing at least a portion of the passage member within the housing portion closes the separation hole from the rear by the front end of the passage member. Therefore, when assembled in the gaming machine, the separation hole is closed from the rear by the passage member attached to the rear side of the front member to which the decorative body is attached. Because there is no hole penetrating to the rear as in conventional gaming machines, it is possible to prevent the insertion of wire-like illegal tools such as piano wire into the gaming machine through this hole, thus preventing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, because the passage member closes the separation hole from the rear, even if an unauthorized tool is inserted through the decorative element from the front and into the separation hole, the passage member prevents further insertion (intrusion) to the rear. Therefore, it is possible to prevent unauthorized tools from entering the passage section from the front through the separation hole, thus preventing fraudulent activity. Additionally, since the unauthorized tool leaving a mark on the decorative element after penetrating it can deter fraudulent activity, providing a gaming machine with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, as described above, by locking the passage member into the locking mechanism, its movement in the forward and backward directions can be restricted. Therefore, even if an unauthorized tool is used to push the passage member backward from the front through the decorative element and the separation hole, the locking mechanism prevents the passage member from moving backward, thus maintaining the rearward closure of the separation hole by the passage member and preventing unauthorized activity.

Furthermore, since the locking portion of the front member protrudes within the front projection range of the separation hole, the separation hole can also be used as a through-hole for inserting the core that forms the locking portion, and the front member can be formed by injection molding.

[5-8i. Flow of game balls within the game area]
Next, the flow of game balls B within the game area 5a will be explained in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 137, 144, and 145. When assembled on the game board 5, the center mechanism 2500 is located approximately in the center of the game area 5a. Within the game area 5a, multiple obstacle nails N are planted in a predetermined gauge arrangement on the left and right outer parts and the lower part of the center mechanism 2500. In addition, a windmill W that rotates upon contact with the game balls B is provided above the side upper left unit 2300 on the left side of the center mechanism 2500.

The multiple obstacle nails N planted to the left of the center mechanism 2500 are adjusted to primarily direct game balls B, driven into the left side of the center mechanism 2500, to the area to the right of the center of the windmill W, and, with a lower probability, to enter the area to the left of the center of the windmill W. This allows game balls B to enter the warp entrance 2511 of the center mechanism 2500 with a certain probability by being driven in so that they flow down the left side of the center mechanism 2500.

The multiple obstacle pins N planted between the guide passage group 2520 of the center mechanism 2500 and the gate member 2800 are adjusted so that game balls B that circulate through the second guide passage 2522 on the left side of the guide passage group 2520 have a higher probability of passing through gate 2003 than game balls B that circulate through the first guide passage 2521 on the right side of the guide passage group 2520. Furthermore, the multiple obstacle pins N planted between the guide passage group 2520 and the gate member 2800 are adjusted so that game balls B mainly circulate to the left of the gate member 2800 rather than to the right.

The multiple obstacle nails N planted between the gate member 2800 and the side right-center unit 2700 are primarily adjusted so that the game balls B flow to the left of the side right-center unit 2700.

Within the game area 5a, the game ball B is guided by the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 and driven from the left side along the periphery of the game area 5a towards the top. When the game ball B is driven into the game area 5a so as to circulate to the left of the center mechanism 2500, as shown in Figure 137, multiple obstacle nails N planted to the left of the center mechanism 2500 guide the ball to either the warp entrance 2511 of the center mechanism 2500 or a part to the right of the center of the windmill W. A lower probability guides the ball to the part to the left of the center of the windmill W.

Game balls B guided to the left of the center of the windmill W are guided to the right by the shelf section 2301 of the upper left side unit 2300 and flow down to the side unit 2200. There, they have the potential to be received into the three general prize pockets 2001 provided in the side unit 2200. Game balls B received into the general prize pockets 2001 are guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, then passed to the first discharge passage 3181 of the lower front back performance unit 3160 in the front back performance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, detected by the general prize pocket sensor 3001, and then discharged onto the circuit board holder 1200. When game balls B are detected by the general prize pocket sensor 3001, a bonus is awarded in which a predetermined number of game balls B are dispensed. Game balls B guided to the left of the center of the windmill W are almost never received into the first start pocket 2002. Then, any game balls B that are not accepted into the general prize slot 2001 are discharged from the out slot 1008 to outside the game area 5a.

Game balls B guided to the right of the center of the windmill W are guided towards the center (first starting opening 2002) in the left-right direction by multiple obstruction pins N arranged diagonally along the lower edge of the center mechanism 2500, and may be received by the first starting opening 2002. Alternatively, game balls B guided to the right of the center of the windmill W may flow down onto the side unit 2200 through the multiple obstruction pins N arranged diagonally, and may be received by the general prize opening 2001 of the side unit 2200.

The game ball B that enters (is received) the warp entrance 2511 of the center mechanism 2500 is supplied to the stage 2513 from the warp exit 2512. The game ball B supplied to the stage 2513 rolls back and forth across the stage 2513 and is released forward from the central part in the left-right direction. When the game ball B is released into the game area 5a from the central release section 2513a in the center of the stage 2513, it is received by the first start opening 2002 with a high probability, as the central release section 2513a is located directly above the first start opening 2002. When the game ball B is released from the side release sections 2513b on both the left and right sides of the central release section 2513a, it is received by the first start opening 2002 with a certain probability.

The game balls B received in the first start port 2002 are guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, then passed to the second discharge passage 3182 of the rear front lower display unit 3160 in the rear front display unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000, detected by the first start port sensor 3002, and discharged onto the circuit board holder 1200. When the game balls B are detected by the first start port sensor 3002, a lottery for the first special lottery result is held, and a predetermined number of game balls B are dispensed, among other benefits. Game balls B released from the stage 2513 and not received in the first start port 2002 are discharged outside the game area 5a through the out port 1008.

Furthermore, game balls B that circulate to the left of the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a cannot pass through gate 2003 or be received by the second starting opening 2004, the main prize opening 2005, or the mechanism prize opening 2006.

In the game board 5 of this embodiment, the probability of a game ball B being received by the first start opening 2002 when shot to the right of the center mechanism 2500 is set higher than the probability of a game ball B being received by the second start opening 2004 when shot to the right of the center mechanism 2500. This allows the player to be prompted to shoot game balls B to the left of the center mechanism 2500 ("left-handed shooting") when the large prize opening 2005 or the mechanism prize opening 2006 is not open.

In the game board 5 of this embodiment, when a game ball B is struck with enough force to enter the upper part of the peripheral wall 2501 of the center mechanism 2500, specifically the portion that slopes downward from the center in the left-right direction toward the right, the game ball B will flow through either the first guide passage 2521 or the second guide passage 2522 of the guide passage group 2520.

To be more specific, when a game ball B is struck with enough force to contact the impact point 1006, which protrudes inward from the outer rail 1001 that forms part of the periphery of the game area 5a (so-called "right-handed shot"), the game ball B that has contacted the impact point 1006 enters the first guide passage 2521. The game ball B that has entered this first guide passage 2521 is released downwards from a position slightly to the right of directly above the gate 2003.

The game balls B released downward from the exit of the first guide passage 2521 are guided by multiple obstacle nails N planted between the guide passage group 2520 and the gate member 2800, in a manner that decreases in probability in the order of left side of gate member 2800, gate 2003, and right side of gate member 2800, and then flow down toward the side right middle unit 2700.

Meanwhile, when a game ball B is driven into the upper right side of the center mechanism 2500, it enters the entrance of the second guide passage 2522 and, after flowing through the second guide passage 2522, is released downwards from the left side of the exit of the first guide passage 2521. The game ball B released downwards from the exit of the second guide passage 2522 is guided such that the left side of gate 2003 and gate member 2800 has approximately the same probability, while the right side of gate member 2800 has a lower probability, and then flows down towards the side right-center unit 2700.

The game ball B that passes to the right of the gate member 2800 is received into the second sub-outlet 2022. The game ball B received into the second sub-outlet 2022 is guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, and then passed to the second rear guidance passage 3157 of the rear front right decorative unit 3140 in the rear front display unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. After passing through the rear front lower display unit 3160, it is discharged outside the game area 5a. Furthermore, the game ball B that passes through gate 2003 is detected by the gate sensor 2801 and then released towards the side right middle unit 2700. The detection of the game ball B by the gate sensor 2801 triggers a normal lottery result, in which the second start opening 2004 opens and closes.

The game balls B that pass through the left side of gate 2003 and gate member 2800 are, with a high probability, directed down the left side of the side right-center unit 2700 by multiple obstacle nails N planted between gate member 2800 and the side right-center unit 2700. They are occasionally received into the general prize entry opening 2001 of the side right-center unit 2700, and rarely into the second sub-out opening 2022. Game balls B received into the general prize entry opening 2001 of the side right-center unit 2700 are guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, then passed to the first rear guidance passage 3156 of the rear front right decorative unit 3140 in the rear front display unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. After being detected by the general prize entry opening sensor 3001, they are discharged onto the circuit board holder 1200 via the rear front lower display unit 3160. At this time, a predetermined number of game balls B are dispensed as a bonus.

The game ball B, flowing down the left side of the right-center unit 2700, is guided by multiple obstacle nails N planted on the left side of the right-center unit 2700, and flows down to the left of the prize entry opening 2006 in the second attacker unit 2600.

In this case, if game ball B is received into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004, and the result of the first special lottery or the second special lottery is "prize win," the prize entry port 2006 will open and close in a predetermined pattern. Therefore, game ball B, which has flowed down the left side of the side right-center unit 2700, will be received into the prize entry port 2006 with a high probability.

The game ball B, received into the prize entry opening 2006, is detected by the prize entry opening sensor 2601 and then guided to the rear of the game panel 1100, which is outside the game area 5a. It is then passed to the distribution passage 3158 of the rear front right decorative unit 3140 in the rear front display unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000. The detection of the game ball B by the prize entry opening sensor 2601 triggers a bonus where a predetermined number of game balls B are dispensed.

The game balls B, which have been passed to the distribution passage 3158, are then distributed to either the V-prize opening 2007 or the losing opening 2008 by the drive of the V-distribution solenoid 3007. Game balls B distributed to the V-prize opening 2007 are detected by the V-prize opening sensor 3003 and then discharged onto the circuit board holder 1200. On the other hand, game balls B distributed to the losing opening 2008 are not detected by the V-prize opening sensor 3003, but are detected by the losing opening sensor 3004 and then discharged onto the circuit board holder 1200. When a game ball B is received into the V-prize opening 2007, the large prize opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, providing a special bonus.

Furthermore, game balls B that are not accepted into the prize entry opening 2006 and instead flow down to the left of the prize entry opening 2006 enter the lower right guide passage 2530 of the center prize mechanism 2500, and are released from the exit of the lower right guide passage 2530 toward the first attacker unit 2400.

The game balls B released downwards (diagonally to the lower left) from the lower right guide passage 2530 of the center mechanism 2500 flow down onto the first shelf section 2421 of the first attacker unit 2400. Since multiple obstacle pins N are installed between the lower right guide passage 2530 and the first attacker unit 2400, the game balls B do not flow directly from the lower right guide passage 2530 to the right side of the first vertical wall section 2425 of the first attacker unit 2400.

The game ball B, having flowed down to the first shelf 2421 of the first attacker unit 2400, rolls to the left due to its inclination, then rolls along the upper surface of the second start door 2411 and the second shelf 2422, before being released to the left from the left end of the second shelf 2422. The game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2422 then falls onto the third shelf 2423 or the large prize door 2413, and, due to their inclination, rolls to the left, rolling from the large prize door 2413 to the fourth shelf 2424, before being released to the left from the fourth shelf 2424, outside the first attacker unit 2400.

Incidentally, depending on the momentum of the game ball B released from the lower right guide passage 2530 of the center mechanism 2500, it may come into contact with multiple obstacle nails N and flow down to the upper shelf 2436 instead of the first shelf 2421. Then, the game ball B that flows down to the upper shelf 2436 rolls to the left due to its inclination and is released to the left from the left end of the upper shelf 2436, where it comes into contact with obstacle nails N planted on the left side, changes direction downwards, and flows down to the vicinity of the left end of the upper surface of the big prize opening door 2413, after which it rolls to the left along the big prize opening door 2413 and the fourth shelf 2424 and is released outside the first attacker unit 2400. Therefore, even if the game ball B rolls on the upper shelf 2436, depending on the timing of the release of the game ball B from the upper shelf 2436 and the timing of the opening of the large prize slot 2005, the game ball B may be received by the large prize slot 2005.

Furthermore, depending on the momentum of the game ball B released from the lower right guide passage 2530 of the center mechanism 2500, it may bounce back to the right due to contact with obstacle nails N or the right end of the upper shelf section 2436, and flow down onto the first shelf section 2421. This causes the first shelf section 2421 to roll to the right against its inclination, and the game ball B may be released to the right (downward) from the right end of the first shelf section 2421. The game ball B released to the right from the right end of the first shelf section 2421 flows down between the first vertical wall section 2425 and the right rail 1005 of the front component member 1000, near the right end of the second horizontal wall section 2433, and rolls to the left due to the inclination of the second horizontal wall section 2433 to be received by the first sub-out opening 2021. The game ball B received in the first sub-outlet 2021 is not returned to the game area 5a, but is instead passed to the fifth discharge passage 3185 of the lower front-rear performance unit 3160 in the front-rear performance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000, and discharged from the fifth discharge passage 3185 onto the lower circuit board holder 1200.

When a game ball B is released from the lower right guide passage 2530 of the center mechanism 2500, if the passing of game ball B at gate 2003 results in a "regular win" being drawn as the result of the regular lottery, the second start opening door 2411 moves, and the second start opening 2004 opens in a predetermined pattern. Therefore, there is a possibility that the game ball B, which is rolling to the left on the first shelf 2421, will be received by the second start opening 2004. Once the game ball B is received by the second start opening 2004, it is detected by the second start opening sensor 2401 and then discharged onto the circuit board holder 1200, which is outside the game area 5a. When the second start opening sensor 2401 detects the game ball B, a second special lottery result is drawn, and a predetermined number of game balls B are dispensed, among other benefits.

Furthermore, when a game ball B is released to the left from the second shelf section 2422, if the game ball B is received by the first start opening 2002 or the second start opening 2004 and a "jackpot" is drawn as the result of the first or second special lottery, the large prize opening door 2413 moves, causing the large prize opening 2005 to open and close in a predetermined pattern. Therefore, the game ball B released to the left from the second shelf section 2422 is received by the large prize opening 2005 with a high probability. The game ball B received by the large prize opening 2005 is detected by the large prize opening sensor 2402 and then discharged onto the circuit board holder 1200 outside the game area 5a. This detection of the game ball B by the large prize opening sensor 2402 grants a bonus of a predetermined number of game balls B being dispensed.

Furthermore, depending on the momentum of the game ball B released to the left from the second shelf 2422, it may strike the step on the lower surface of the upper shelf 2436, causing it to flow diagonally downwards to the right and enter the gap between the second shelf 2422 and the third shelf 2423. The game ball B that enters the gap between the second shelf 2422 and the third shelf 2423 passes between the third vertical wall 2427 and the fourth vertical wall 2428, falls near the left end of the second horizontal wall 2433, and, due to the inclination of the second horizontal wall 2433, rolls to the right and is received by the first sub-out opening 2021.

If the game ball B released from the lower right guide passage 2530 of the center mechanism 2500 toward the first attacker unit 2400 is not accepted by the second start opening 2004, the big prize opening 2005, or the first sub-out opening 2021, it is discharged from the out opening 1008 at the lower end of the game area 5a, towards the rear and below the game panel 1100, which is outside the game area 5a.

Therefore, in order to open and close the large prize slot 2005 and the special prize slot 2006, it is necessary to accept game ball B into the first start slot 2002 or the second start slot 2004 to conduct a lottery for the first special lottery result, such as a "special prize win" or a "jackpot," or the second special lottery result. While the first start slot 2002 is always open, the second start slot 2004 requires game ball B to pass through gate 2003 to conduct a lottery (draw) for a "regular win" as a regular lottery result. Therefore, the opportunity to accept game ball B into the second start slot 2004 is lower than that of the first start slot 2002.

Therefore, under normal conditions, the player can be instructed to insert the game ball B so that it flows down the left side of the center mechanism 2500, allowing the game ball B to be received into the first start opening 2002. This allows the player to enjoy the original gameplay of the pachinko machine 1 by observing the movement of the game ball B guided by multiple obstacle nails N, while also increasing their anticipation for the game ball B to be received into the first start opening 2002.

Then, when game ball B is received into the first starting opening 2002, if a "prize win" or "jackpot" is drawn as the first special lottery result, the large prize opening 2005 or prize opening 2006 will open and close. Therefore, by changing the operation of shooting game ball B to "right-hand shooting," the expectation of game ball B being received into the large prize opening 2005 or prize opening 2006 can be increased.

In this configuration, a group of guide passages 2520, consisting of a first guide passage 2521 and a second guide passage 2522, is provided in the upper right corner of the center mechanism 2500. By adjusting the guide passage through which the game balls circulate, it becomes easier to pass through the gate 2003 or to receive them into the second sub-outlet 2022. Therefore, the force with which the game balls B are driven can be adjusted to ensure they circulate through the desired guide passage, allowing the player to enjoy the game ball-driving operation.

Furthermore, by performing a "right-handed shot," the game ball B passes through gate 2003, potentially triggering a "regular win" where the second start opening 2004 opens. Accepting the game ball B into the open second start opening 2004 may trigger a "special feature win" or a "jackpot," thus increasing the sense of anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

[5-8j. Magnetic Sensors]
Next, the multiple magnetic sensors 1050 in the game board 5 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 146 to 148. Figure 146 is a front view of the game board showing the arrangement of the magnetic sensors. Figure 147(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor capable of detecting magnetic field lines from a magnet, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the orientation of a magnetic sensor that cannot detect magnetic field lines from a magnet, (c) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the detection range by the magnetic sensor in a perspective view, (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the magnetic sensor and the magnetic material in which magnetic field lines from a magnet cannot be detected, and (e) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the magnetic sensor and the magnetic material in which magnetic field lines from a magnet can be detected. Figure 148(a) is a perspective view showing the state in which the magnetic sensor is held by the holding member, (b) is an exploded perspective view showing the state in which the holding member and the magnetic sensor are separated, and (c) is an exploded view showing the holding member in cross-section.

Multiple magnetic sensors 1050 are provided on the game board 5 to detect unauthorized magnetism (magnetic field lines) acting within the game area 5a. As shown in Figure 148(c), the magnetic sensor 1050 comprises a sensor body 1051 for detecting magnetism, a sensor substrate 1052 with a white surface on which the sensor body 1051 is mounted, and a transparent sensor case 1053 covering the sensor substrate 1052 and the sensor body 1051. Although not shown in the figure, the sensor substrate 1052 also has ICs, transistors, resistors, diodes, connectors, etc. mounted on it, in addition to the sensor body 1051.

The magnetic sensor 1050 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, with a rectangular shape in plan view and a height lower than the length of the shorter side of the rectangle. One side in the height direction is chamfered. The internal sensor body 1051 and sensor substrate 1052 of this magnetic sensor 1050 can be viewed from the outside through the transparent sensor case 1053.

The magnetic sensor 1050 can detect the passage of magnetic field lines parallel to the longest side of a rectangular parallelepiped. Therefore, when the orientation of the magnetic sensor 1050 and the positional relationship with the magnet 1055 are as shown in Figure 147(a), the magnetic field lines of the magnet 1055 pass in a direction parallel to the longest side, allowing the magnetism (magnetic field lines) of the magnet 1055 to be detected.

On the other hand, when the orientation of the magnetic sensor 1050 and the positional relationship with the magnet 1055 are as shown in Figure 147(b), the magnetic field lines of the magnet 1055 pass perpendicular to the long side (perpendicular to the rectangular plane formed by the long and short sides), making it impossible to detect the magnetism (magnetic field lines) of the magnet 1055.

Therefore, as shown by the shading in Figure 147(c), the magnetic sensor 1050 has detection areas DA for the magnet 1055 on one side and the other side of the long side direction with respect to the center of the magnetic sensor 1050. In other words, the magnetic sensor 1050 has a gourd-shaped detection area DA formed by combining two spheres.

In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 146, the game board 5 has multiple magnetic sensors 1050, each positioned to face an appropriate direction. Each magnetic sensor 1050 is positioned to detect fraudulent magnetic fields acting near the general prize entry point 2001, the first start entry point 2002, the second start entry point 2004, the large prize entry point 2005, the special prize entry point 2006, and the warp entrance 2511 in the game area 5a. In other words, each magnetic sensor 1050 is positioned in an appropriate orientation so that areas within the game area 5a where fraudulent activity using magnets is expected to occur are included within the detection area DA of the magnetic sensor 1050 (the area shown by the dashed line in Figure 146).

Furthermore, in the game board 5, each magnetic sensor 1050 is designed so that its respective detection area DA does not overlap with the solenoids or drive motors, preventing it from detecting magnetism (magnetic field lines) from the start port solenoid 2412, attacker solenoid 2414, prize entry port solenoid 2612, V distribution solenoid, and the drive motor located in the back unit 3000.

Next, as shown in Figure 147(d), when a magnetic material 1056 is placed in parallel with a magnetic sensor 1050 capable of detecting magnetic field lines from a magnet 1055, the magnetic field lines are attracted to the magnetic material 1056. This reduces the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1050, potentially preventing the magnetic sensor 1050 from detecting magnetic field lines (magnetism) from the magnet 1055.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 147(e), when a magnetic material 1057 is placed in series with a magnetic sensor 1050 capable of detecting magnetic field lines from a magnet 1055, the magnetic field lines are attracted by the magnetic material 1057, increasing the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1050. This allows for the detection of magnetism from distant magnets 1055 or magnets with weak magnetic force.

Incidentally, in conventional pachinko machines, magnetic sensors are attached to the game board using screws made of magnetic material. Depending on the positional relationship between the magnetic sensor and the screw, magnetic field lines from a magnet used for fraudulent activities can be attracted to the highly permeable screw, reducing the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor and making it impossible to detect the approach of the magnet. In contrast, this embodiment attaches the magnetic sensor 1050 without using screws.

To be more specific, as shown in Figure 148, the magnetic sensor 1050 is attached to the game board 5 via a retaining member 1060 made of a non-magnetic material (in this case, synthetic resin). The retaining member 1060 has a housing portion 1061 that can accommodate the magnetic sensor 1050 from one side, and an elastic claw 1062 that engages with the magnetic sensor 1050 housed in the housing portion 1061. Furthermore, the retaining member 1060 has a projection 1063 that protrudes into the housing portion 1061 from the leg portion of the elastic claw 1062. This retaining member 1060 is made of transparent synthetic resin.

When the magnetic sensor 1050 is inserted into the housing portion 1061 from the outside, the elastic claws 1062 of the retaining member 1060 elastically deform away from the housing portion 1061. Once the magnetic sensor 1050 is housed in the housing portion 1061, the elastic claws 1062 return to their original position and lock onto the magnetic sensor 1050. At this time, the projections 1063 provided on the legs of the elastic claws 1062 abut against the magnetic sensor 1050, pressing the magnetic sensor 1050 against the opposite side of the inner surface of the housing portion 1061 from the elastic claws 1062.

The locking mechanism of the elastic claw 1062 prevents the magnetic sensor 1050 from moving out of the housing 1061, thereby preventing the magnetic sensor 1050 from falling out. Furthermore, the projection 1063 presses the magnetic sensor 1050 into the housing 1061, preventing rattling of the magnetic sensor 1050 within the housing 1061.

Thus, because the holding member 1060 is made of a non-magnetic material, when a magnet is brought close to the game area 5a, the holding member 1060 is prevented from attracting magnetic field lines from the magnet, thus preventing a reduction in the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1050. Therefore, it is possible to easily detect magnetism acting on the game area 5a, enabling early detection of fraudulent activity using magnets. Furthermore, by notifying the magnetic sensor 1050 of suspicious magnetic field detection, fraudulent activity can be deterred, providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, the non-magnetic holding member 1060 prevents the attraction of magnetic field lines from the magnet, thus preventing a reduction in the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1050. This allows for effective detection of the magnetism acting on the game area 5a with fewer magnetic sensors 1050 than in conventional pachinko machines, reducing the number of magnetic sensors 1050 and thus suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by elastically deforming the elastic claws 1062 of the retaining member 1060, the magnetic sensor 1050 can be easily attached to and removed from the retaining member 1060. Therefore, unlike conventional pachinko machines, the magnetic sensor 1050 can be attached using the elastic claws 1062 without the need for metal screws made of magnetic material. This also simplifies the assembly process of the pachinko machine 1, thereby suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the projection 1063 of the holding member 1060 biases (presses) the magnetic sensor 1050 toward the housing portion 1061, the biasing force by the projection 1063 suppresses fine vibrations of the magnetic sensor 1050. This reduces the likelihood of the connector connected to the magnetic sensor 1050 becoming detached or experiencing poor contact due to such vibrations, thus ensuring reliable operation of the magnetic sensor 1050.

Furthermore, since the magnetic sensor 1050 is held by a non-magnetic holding member 1060 and mounted on the game board 5, the portion of the holding member 1060 that attaches to the game board 5 can be positioned away from the magnetic sensor 1050, or outside the magnetic detection area DA in the game area 5a. This minimizes the influence of magnetic materials such as screws used to attach the holding member 1060 to the game board 5, allowing the magnetic sensor 1050 to reliably detect the magnetic field acting on the game area 5a, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent against fraudulent activities using magnets.

Furthermore, since the magnetic sensor 1050 is visibly held by a transparent holding member 1060, and the sensor case 1053 of the magnetic sensor 1050 is transparent, the sensor body 1051 mounted on the sensor board 1052 can be shown to the player through the transparent sensor case 1053. In this case, since the surface of the sensor board 1052 on which the sensor body 1051 is mounted is white, the sensor body 1051, which is a different color (for example, black), can be made to stand out. Therefore, it is possible to strongly make the player aware that the magnetic sensor 1050 is real and not a dummy, and the visibility of the magnetic sensor 1050 can deter those attempting to commit fraud using magnets, thereby increasing the deterrent effect against fraudulent activities and reducing the burden on the amusement hall that installs this pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in the magnetic sensor 1050, since the surface of the sensor substrate 1052 on which the sensor body 1051 is mounted is white, the sensor substrate 1052 can be made less conspicuous, and it can also be mistaken for a decorative substrate on which LEDs are mounted. Therefore, even if the sensor substrate 1052 of the magnetic sensor 1050 is visible, it will not bother a typical player, and the appearance of the game area 5a can be avoided.

Furthermore, since the sensor body 1051 of the magnetic sensor 1050 can be viewed from the outside, it is possible to check for damage to the sensor body 1051 from the outside. This simplifies the maintenance of the pachinko machine 1 and reduces the burden on the amusement hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

[5-9. Overall configuration of the hidden unit]
The overall configuration of the back unit 3000 in the game board 5 will be explained in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 149. Figure 149(a) is a perspective view of the back unit of the game board seen from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the back unit of the game board seen from the rear. The back unit 3000 in the game board 5 is attached to the rear surface of the game panel 1100, and the performance display device 1600 and the drive board unit 1700 are attached to the rear side.

The back unit 3000 is attached to the rear surface of the panel holder 1120 of the game panel 1100 and comprises a box-shaped back box 3010 with an open front and a square opening 3010a in its rear wall, and a locking mechanism (not shown) attached to the rear surface of the back box 3010 for detachably attaching the display device 1600.

Furthermore, the rear unit 3000 comprises a front rear performance unit 3100 located near the front end of the rear box 3010, a rear upper performance unit 3200 located at the rear of the front rear performance unit 3100 and at the top of the rear box 3010, and a rear lower performance unit 3300 located below the rear upper performance unit and at the bottom of the rear box 3010.

The back box 3010 of the back unit 3000 has a box shape with an open front and a rectangular opening 3010a penetrating the rear wall, a flat frame-shaped liquid crystal mounting portion 3010b projecting rearward from the periphery of the opening 3010a at a distance, two fixing grooves 3010c on the right side of the liquid crystal mounting portion 3010b that are recessed from the inside of the frame toward the right, into which the right fixing piece 1602 of the display device 1600 is inserted, and a notch 3010d on the left side of the liquid crystal mounting portion 3010b near the vertical center, cut out from the rear end to the rear wall of the back box 3010, into which a locking mechanism is attached.

The opening 3010a of the back box 3010 is formed to be approximately the same size as the display screen of the performance display device 1600. The LCD mounting section 3010b is also formed to be large enough to accommodate the performance display device 1600 within its frame. A locking mechanism is mounted on the left side of the notch 3010d on the rear of the back box 3010, allowing it to slide vertically.

Furthermore, the back box 3010 includes a flat, plate-shaped fixing piece 3010e extending outward from its front end. This fixing piece 3010e is attached to the game panel 1100 with its front surface in contact with the rear surface of the game panel 1100. The back box 3010 has bosses, mounting holes, etc., formed at appropriate positions for attaching the back front display unit 3100, etc.

Furthermore, the rear unit 3000 includes a general prize slot sensor 3001 that detects game balls B received into the general prize slot 2001 provided on the front unit 2000, a first start slot sensor 3002 that detects game balls B received into the first start slot 2002, a V prize slot sensor 3003 that detects game balls B received into the special prize slot 2006 and then distributed to the V prize slot 2007, and a losing slot sensor 3004 that detects game balls B received into the special prize slot 2006 and then distributed to the losing slot 2008 (see Figure 169, etc.).

Furthermore, the back unit 3000 includes a V-prize door 3006 that can move back and forth to open and close the V-prize opening 2007, and a V-distribution solenoid 3007 that moves the V-prize door 3006 back and forth to distribute the game balls B received in the prize opening 2006 to either the V-prize opening 2007 or the losing opening 2008. These components—the general prize opening sensor 3001, the first start opening sensor 3002, the V-prize opening sensor 3003, the losing opening sensor 3004, the V-prize opening door 3006, and the V-distribution solenoid 3007—are provided in the back front performance unit 3100.

[5-9a. Behind-the-scenes production unit]
Next, the front-rear performance unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 150 to 160. Figure 150 is a front view of the front-rear performance unit in the back unit. Figure 151(a) is a perspective view of the front-rear performance unit in the back unit from the front, and (b) is a perspective view of the front-rear performance unit in the back unit from the rear. Figure 152(a) is a cross-sectional view of the front-rear performance unit cut near the center in the vertical direction and viewed from above, (b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the left part in (a), and (c) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the right part in (a). Figure 153 is an exploded perspective view of the front-rear left decorative unit of the front-rear performance unit, disassembled and viewed from the front together with the light guide plate. Figure 154 is an exploded perspective view of the front-rear left decorative unit, disassembled and viewed from the rear, showing only the first front-rear left decorative body, the second front-rear left decorative body, the third front-rear left decorative body, and the base of the front-rear left decorative body. Figure 155(a) is a front view of the first decorative element on the front left of the reverse side, shown in a transparent state; (b) is a front view of the second decorative element on the front left of the reverse side, shown in a transparent state; (c) is a front view of the third decorative element on the front left of the reverse side, shown in a transparent state; and (c) is a front view of the base of the decorative element on the front left of the reverse side, shown in a transparent state.

Figure 156(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the light guide plate and the decorative substrate for illuminating the light guide plate and the left rear decorative unit in the front-rear performance unit, viewed from the front. Figure 156(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the light guide plate and the decorative substrate for illuminating the decorative body of the lower rear performance unit, viewed from the front. Figure 157 is a front view showing the left rear decorative unit illuminated. Figure 158(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the first pattern of the light guide plate illuminated, and Figure 158(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the second pattern of the light guide plate illuminated. Figure 159 is an explanatory diagram showing the illumination configuration of the second pattern of the light guide plate. Figure 160 is a front view of the front-rear performance unit showing the second pattern of the light guide plate illuminated.

The front-rear display unit 3100 in the back unit 3000 is attached to the front end inside the back box 3010. The front-rear display unit 3100 comprises a transparent, flat light guide plate 3110 located in the center of the front view, a left front-rear decorative unit 3120 located on the left end of the light guide plate 3110, a right front-rear decorative unit 3140 located on the right end of the light guide plate 3110, a lower front-rear display unit 3160 located on the lower end of the light guide plate 3110 and connecting the lower ends of the left front-rear decorative unit 3120 and the right front-rear decorative unit 3140, and an upper connecting base 3190 connecting the upper ends of the left front-rear decorative unit 3120 and the right front-rear decorative unit 3140.

The rear front right decorative unit 3140 includes a general prize entry sensor 3001 that detects game balls B received into the general prize entry 2001 of the side right middle unit 2700, a V prize entry sensor 3003 that detects game balls B that have been received into the special prize entry 2006 of the second attacker unit 2600 and then distributed to the V prize entry 2007, and a losing entry sensor 3004 that detects game balls B that have been received into the special prize entry 2006 of the second attacker unit 2600 and then distributed to the losing entry 2008. Furthermore, the rear front right decorative unit 3140 includes a V-prize door 3006 for distributing the game ball B received in the prize entry opening 2006 of the second attacker unit 2600 to either the V-prize opening 2007 or the losing opening 2008, and a V-distribution solenoid 3007 for moving the V-prize door 3006 forward and backward (opening and closing).

The rear front lower display unit 3160 includes a general prize entry sensor 3001 that detects game balls B received into the general prize entry point 2001 of the side unit 2200, and a first start entry sensor 3002 that detects game balls B received into the first start entry point 2002 of the start entry unit 2100.

[5-9a-1. Light guide plate]
The light guide plate 3110 in the back-front display unit 3100 includes a first pattern 3111 (see Figure 158(a)) which is illuminated by reflecting only light from the left and right forward, and a second pattern 3112 (see Figure 158(b)) which is illuminated by reflecting only light from a specific area below forward. In other words, the light guide plate 3110 can illuminate the first pattern 3111 by illuminating the multiple light guide plate LEDs 3128g on the back-front left decorative substrate 3128 in the back-front left decorative unit 3120 (described later), and the multiple light guide plate LEDs on the back-front right first decorative substrate 3148, the back-front right second decorative substrate 3149, and the back-front right light guide plate decorative substrate 3150 in the back-front right decorative unit 3140. Furthermore, by illuminating the multiple LEDs 3176 on the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the lower front display unit 3160, the second pattern 3112 can be illuminated.

The first pattern 3111 of the light guide plate 3110, as shown in the figure, consists of a pattern depicting the letter "A" in the center and patterns resembling outstretched "wings" on both the left and right sides. As shown in the figure, the first pattern 3111 is configured so that the intensity and brightness of the light emission differ depending on the part of the pattern, enhancing the design and decorative qualities of the pattern. More specifically, in Figure 158(a), the first pattern 3111 consists of multiple dots that emit light in the same color as the light from the LED in the areas with the darkest shade, multiple dots that emit light by spectrally separating the cocktail light from the LED in the areas with the lightest shade, and multiple lines that emit light in the same color as the light from the LED in the other areas with varying shades.

Here, "cocktail light" refers to light containing two or more of the three primary colors of light. For example, if yellow light (a mixture of red and green light) is shone onto a spectral emission unit as cocktail light, the yellow light component will be spectrally separated into red and green light, resulting in areas that appear red or green. Alternatively, if white light is shone onto the spectral emission unit as cocktail light, the white light component will be spectrally separated into red, green, and blue light, resulting in areas that appear red, green, or blue, or a mixture of these colors, creating a shimmering, rainbow-colored emission. Note that if only one of the three primary colors of light is shone onto the spectral emission unit, that light will not have any spectrally separated components, and will emit light of that single color. Therefore, the spectral emission unit can emit light in a single color or in multiple shimmering colors depending on the color of the light being shone, allowing for a wider variety of illumination effects.

The LEDs (such as the LED 3128g for the light guide plate) used to illuminate the first pattern 3111 are mounted on the front-left decorative substrate 3128 of the front-left decorative unit 3120, the front-right first decorative substrate 3148, the front-right second decorative substrate 3149, and the front-right decorative substrate 3150 for the light guide plate of the front-right decorative unit 3140.

The second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110 is composed of multiple lines 3113 (straight lines) extending radially upward from multiple points spaced apart horizontally near the lower end. Each line 3113 of the second pattern 3112 is composed of multiple points that emit light in the same color as the light from the LEDs 3176 on the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the light guide plate, which will be described later. The multiple lines 3113 constituting the second pattern 3112 are formed to reflect only the light from their respective LEDs 3176 forward, and each is formed to emit light independently.

The second pattern 3112 is divided into five line groups 3114 from left to right: the first line group 3114a, the second line group 3114b, the third line group 3114c, the fourth line group 3114d, and the fifth line group 3114e. Each line group 3114 consists of five lines 3113 from left to right: the first line 3113a, the second line 3113b, the third line 3113c, the fourth line 3113d, and the fifth line 3113e. In each line group 3114, the five lines 3113 (first line 3113a to fifth line 3113e) have their lower ends positioned at the same location, and they radiate upwards from this lower end.

The illumination of this second pattern 3112 creates a lighting effect for the player, similar to searchlights from below on a concert stage. This makes the game area 5a appear dazzling, entertains the player, and helps prevent a decline in interest in the game.

The LED 3176, which illuminates the second pattern 3112, is mounted on the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the lower front display unit 3160 in the front front display unit 3100.

[5-9a-2. Front left decorative unit]
The front left decorative unit 3120 in the front back performance unit 3100 has a predetermined logo in line with the concept of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), and includes a vertically elongated front left logo decorative section 3121 consisting of a string of letters, a front upper left logo decorative section 3122 located above the front left logo decorative section 3121 and featuring a stylized "A", and a front left sub-decorative section 3123 located to the left of the front left logo decorative section 3121.

The rear front left decorative unit 3120 comprises a transparent rear front left first decorative element 3124, which has a vertically elongated rectangular shape when viewed from the front; a transparent rear front left second decorative element 3125 located behind the rear front left first decorative element 3124; a transparent rear front left third decorative element 3126 located behind the rear front left second decorative element 3125; and a transparent rear front left decorative element base 3127 located behind the rear front left third decorative element 3126.

Furthermore, the front left decorative unit 3120 includes a front left decorative substrate 3128 for illuminating the first pattern 3111, the front left logo decorative section 3121, the front left upper logo decorative section 3122, and the front left sub-decorative section 3123 of the light guide plate 3110; a front left upper decorative substrate 3129 for illuminating the front left upper logo decorative section 3122; and a front left lower decorative substrate 3130 for illuminating the front left logo decorative section 3121 and the front left sub-decorative section 3123.

Furthermore, the rear front left decorative unit 3120 includes a rear front left reflector 3131 located to the right of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, a rear front upper left reflector 3132 located below the rear front upper left decorative substrate 3129, and a rear front lower left reflector 3133 located above the rear front lower left decorative substrate 3130.

Furthermore, the rear front left decorative unit 3120 includes a left diffusion lens 3134 located between the rear front left third decorative element 3126 and the rear front left decorative element base 3127.

The first decorative element on the front left of the rear front is attached to the front surface of the front left decorative element base 3127, sandwiching the second decorative element on the front left of the rear front, the third decorative element on the front left, the left diffusion lens 3134, and the left end of the light guide plate 3110. The first decorative element on the front left of the rear front is formed as a transparent, flat, vertically elongated rectangle. The first decorative element on the front left of the rear front is located at approximately 3/4 of its height from the bottom, and has a dividing decorative section 3124a that extends horizontally and penetrates horizontally.

Furthermore, the front left first decorative element 3124 has multiple through-decorative sections 3124b that penetrate from front to back. These multiple through-decorative sections 3124b are provided near the upper and lower ends, and near the upper right end of the dividing decorative section 3124a. The through-decorative sections 3124b are formed in a rhombus shape, as if the four sides of a square were replaced with inwardly bulging arcs.

Furthermore, the front left first decorative element 3124 on the reverse side has a first front left logo decorative element 3124c, which is located below the dividing decorative element 3124a on the front side and constitutes part of the front left logo decorative element 3121, and a relief-like first back left logo decorative element 3124d, which is located in the area corresponding to the first front left logo decorative element 3124c on the rear side. The right edge of the front left first decorative element 3124 is shaped to follow the lettering of the logos on the first front left logo decorative element 3124c and the first back left logo decorative element 3124d.

Furthermore, the first decorative element 3124 on the front left of the reverse side has a first upper left logo decorative element 3124e, which is provided in relief above the dividing decorative element 3124a on the reverse side and constitutes part of the upper left logo decorative element 3122 on the front left of the reverse side, and a plurality of first left sub-decorative elements 3124f, which are provided in relief to the left of the first back left logo decorative element 3124d on the reverse side and constitute part of the front left sub-decorative element 3123 on the reverse side. The first upper left logo decorative element 3124e constitutes the outermost part of the upper left logo decorative element 3122 on the front left of the reverse side. The first left sub-decorative elements 3124f are formed by overlapping circles of the same size by one-quarter and extracting a portion of one circle, and by removing the outer circle of the cloisonné pattern, and are arranged in rows vertically.

Although the front left first decorative element 3124 on the reverse side is shown as opaque in Figures 153 and 154, etc., it is actually transparent. Therefore, as shown in Figure 155(a), the first rear left logo decorative element 3124d, the first upper left logo decorative element 3124e, and the first left sub-decorative element 3124f, which are located on the rear surface, can be seen from the front.

The first front left decorative element 3124, when assembled with the front left decorative unit 3120, is positioned in front of the second front left decorative element 3125 and is mounted at an angle such that its right side is positioned behind its left side (see Figure 152). Furthermore, when assembled, the first front left decorative element 3124 is positioned so that its left side contacts the right side of the substrate holding portion 3125b of the second front left decorative element 3125, with the first lower LED 3128a and first upper LED 3128b of the front left decorative substrate 3128 located to its left. Also, when assembled, the first LED of the upper front left decorative substrate 3129 is located above the top surface of the first front left decorative element 3124, and the first LED 3130a of the lower front left decorative substrate 3130 is located below the bottom surface.

When the first decorative element on the front left of the reverse front left, the first lower LED 3128a on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the first LED 3130a on the lower front left decorative substrate 3130, are illuminated, the first front left logo decorative element 3124c, the first back left logo decorative element 3124d, and the first left sub-decorative element 3124f are illuminated by light entering the interior from below the left side dividing decorative element 3124a via the substrate holding portion 3125b of the second decorative element on the front left of the reverse front left, and by light entering the interior from the bottom surface. At this time, the inner surface of the dividing decorative element 3124a and the inner surface of the through-decorative element 3124b located near the lower end are also illuminated.

Furthermore, in the partition decorative section 3124a, when light incident inside from the first lower LED 3128a of the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the first LED 3130a of the front left lower decorative substrate 3130 reaches the lower inner surface, a portion of the light that reaches it is reflected by that inner surface to the lower interior side of the partition decorative section 3124a, while the remainder is radiated from the inner surface into the inside of the hole in the partition decorative section 3124a. Then, when the light radiated into the inside of the partition decorative section 3124a reaches the opposite inner surface, a portion of it is reflected back into the partition decorative section 3124a, while the remainder is incident from the inner surface into the upper interior side of the partition decorative section 3124a. Thus, the light from the first lower LED 3128a on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the first LED 3130a on the front lower left decorative substrate 3130 is significantly dimmed as it passes through the partition decorative section 3124a. Therefore, the first upper left logo decorative section 3124e above the partition decorative section 3124a is hardly illuminated (illuminated) by the light from the first lower LED 3128a on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the first LED 3130a on the front lower left decorative substrate 3130. This allows only the first front left logo decorative section 3124c, the first back left logo decorative section 3124d, and the first left sub-decorative section 3124f to be brightly illuminated.

Furthermore, when the first front left decorative element 3124 on the back front left decorative substrate 3128 and the first LED on the back front upper left decorative substrate 3129 are illuminated, the first upper left logo decorative element 3124e is illuminated by light incident from above the left side dividing decorative element 3124a via the substrate holding portion 3125b of the second front left decorative element 3125, and by light incident from above. At this time, the inner surface of the dividing decorative element 3124a and the through-type decorative element located above the dividing decorative element 3124a are also illuminated.

Furthermore, in the partition decorative section 3124a, when light incident inside from the first upper LED 3128b of the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the first LED of the front upper left decorative substrate 3129 reaches the upper inner surface, a portion of the light that reaches it is reflected by that inner surface to the upper interior side of the partition decorative section 3124a, while the remainder is radiated from the inner surface into the inside of the hole in the partition decorative section 3124a. Then, when the light radiated into the inside of the partition decorative section 3124a reaches the opposite inner surface, a portion of it is reflected back into the partition decorative section 3124a, while the remainder is incident from the inner surface into the lower interior side of the partition decorative section 3124a. Thus, the light from the first upper LED 3128b on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the first LED on the front upper left decorative substrate 3129 is significantly attenuated as it passes through the partition decorative section 3124a. Therefore, the light from the first upper LED 3128b on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the first LED on the front upper left decorative substrate 3129 barely illuminates the first front left logo decorative section 3124c, the first back left logo decorative section 3124d, and the first left sub-decorative section 3124f below the partition decorative section 3124a. Instead, only the first upper left logo decorative section 3124e and the upper through-decorative section 3124b are brightly illuminated.

Thus, the front left first decorative element 3124 is configured so that the upper and lower sections can be illuminated independently, separated by the dividing decorative section 3124a.

The second decorative body 3125 on the front left of the back is made entirely of transparent material and has a flat decorative plate portion 3125a parallel to the first decorative body 3124 on the front left of the back, and a substrate holding portion 3125b provided around the decorative plate portion 3125a, excluding the right edge (left edge, top edge, bottom edge). The substrate holding portion 3125b extends outward from the decorative plate portion 3125a and protrudes forward, and is recessed from the rear side toward the front. The substrate holding portion 3125b works in cooperation with the substrate holding portion 3127b of the front left decorative body base 3127 to clamp and hold the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, and the lower left decorative substrate 3130. The second decorative element 3125 on the front left of the back front has a substrate holding portion 3125b that is parallel to the front of the game panel 1100, while the decorative plate portion 3125a is inclined such that its right side is positioned further back than its left side.

Furthermore, the second decorative element 3125 on the front left of the back has a dividing decorative element 3125c that extends left and right and penetrates front and back, located approximately three-quarters of the way up from the bottom of the decorative plate portion 3125a. This dividing decorative element 3125c is the same size and height as the dividing decorative element 3124a of the first decorative element 3124 on the front left of the back.

Furthermore, the second decorative element 3125 on the front left of the reverse side is located below the dividing decorative element 3125c on the rear surface and has a relief-like second logo decorative element 3125d that forms part of the front left logo decorative element 3121. The right edge of the second decorative element 3125 on the front left of the reverse side is shaped to follow the lettering of the logo on the second logo decorative element 3125d.

Furthermore, the second decorative element 3125 on the front left of the reverse side has a second upper left logo decorative element 3125e, which is provided in relief above the dividing decorative element 3125c on the reverse side and constitutes part of the upper left logo decorative element 3122 on the front left of the reverse side, and a plurality of second left sub-decorative elements 3125f, which are provided in relief to the left of the second back left logo decorative element 3125d on the reverse side and constitute part of the front left sub-decorative element 3123 on the front left of the reverse side. The second upper left logo decorative element 3125e is formed to be slightly smaller than the first upper left logo decorative element 3124e of the first decorative element 3124 on the front left of the reverse side. The second left sub-decorative element 3125f is provided in a position corresponding to the first left sub-decorative element 3124f and is formed to be slightly smaller and in a similar shape.

Although the second decorative element 3125 on the front left of the reverse side is shown as opaque in Figures 153 and 154, etc., it is actually transparent. Therefore, as shown in Figure 155(b), the second reverse left logo decorative element 3125d, the second upper left logo decorative element 3125e, and the second left sub-decorative element 3125f, which are located on the rear surface, can be seen from the front.

When assembled to the front left decorative unit 3120, the front left first decorative element 3124 is positioned in front of the decorative plate portion 3125a, as shown in Figure 152, and the front left third decorative element 3126 is positioned behind it. In addition, when assembled, the front left second decorative element 3125 has its front end sides inserted into the recessed substrate holding portion 3125b, which is recessed forward. The front end sides of the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the front left reflector 3131, the front end sides of the upper left decorative substrate 3129 and the upper left reflector 3132, and the front end sides of the lower left decorative substrate 3130 and the lower left reflector 3133, respectively. On the left side of the decorative panel 3125a, the second lower LED 3128c and second upper LED 3128d of the front left decorative substrate 3128 are located to the left. On the upper surface, the second LED of the front left upper decorative substrate 3129 is located above, and on the lower surface, the second LED 3130b of the front left lower decorative substrate 3130 is located below, respectively.

When the second decorative element on the front left of the back front left, the decorative element 3125, illuminates, the second lower LED 3128c on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the second LED 3130b on the front lower decorative substrate 3130 illuminate. Light entering the interior from below the partition decorative element 3125c on the left side of the decorative plate 3125a, and light entering the interior from the underside of the decorative plate 3125a, illuminates the second back left logo decorative element 3125d and the second left sub-decorative element 3125f. At this time, the inner surface of the partition decorative element 3125c also illuminates.

Furthermore, in the partition decorative section 3125c, when light incident inside from the second lower LED 3128c of the back front left decorative substrate 3128 and the second LED 3130b of the back front left lower decorative substrate 3130 reaches the lower inner surface, a portion of the light that reaches it is reflected by that inner surface to the lower interior side of the partition decorative section 3125c, while the remainder is radiated from the inner surface into the inside of the hole in the partition decorative section 3125c. Then, when the light radiated into the inside of the partition decorative section 3125c reaches the opposite inner surface, a portion of it is reflected back into the partition decorative section 3125c, while the remainder is incident from the inner surface into the upper interior side of the partition decorative section 3125c. Thus, the light from the second lower LED 3128c on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the second LED 3130b on the front lower left decorative substrate 3130 is significantly dimmed as it passes through the partition decorative section 3125c. Therefore, the second upper left logo decorative section 3125e above the partition decorative section 3125c is hardly illuminated (illuminated) by the light from the second lower LED 3128c on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the second LED 3130b on the front lower left decorative substrate 3130. This allows only the second back left logo decorative section 3125d and the second left sub-decorative section 3125f to be brightly illuminated.

Furthermore, when the second upper LED 3128d on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the second LED on the front upper left decorative substrate 3129 are illuminated, the second upper left logo decorative section 3125e is illuminated by light entering the interior from above the partition decorative section 3125c on the left side of the decorative plate section 3125a, and by light entering the interior from the top surface of the decorative plate section 3125a. At this time, the inner surface of the partition decorative section 3125c is also illuminated.

Furthermore, in the partition decorative section 3125c, when light incident inside from the second upper LED 3128d of the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the second LED of the front left upper decorative substrate 3129 reaches the upper inner surface, a portion of the light that reaches it is reflected by that inner surface to the upper interior side of the partition decorative section 3125c, while the remainder is radiated from the inner surface into the inside of the hole in the partition decorative section 3125c. Then, when the light radiated into the inside of the partition decorative section 3125c reaches the inner surface on the opposite side, a portion of it is reflected back into the partition decorative section 3125c, while the remainder is incident from the inner surface into the lower interior side of the partition decorative section 3125c. Thus, the light from the second upper LED 3128d on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the second LED on the front upper left decorative substrate 3129 is significantly attenuated as it passes through the partition decorative section 3125c. Therefore, the light from the second upper LED 3128d on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the second LED on the front upper left decorative substrate 3129 barely illuminates the second back left logo decorative section 3125d and the second left sub-decorative section 3125f below the partition decorative section 3125c, allowing only the second upper left logo decorative section 3125e to be brightly illuminated.

Thus, the second decorative element 3125 on the front left of the reverse side is configured so that the upper and lower sections can be illuminated independently, separated by the dividing decorative section 3125c.

The third decorative element 3126 on the front left of the back is entirely transparent and has a flat decorative plate portion 3126a parallel to the decorative plate portion 3125a of the first decorative element 3124 and the second decorative element 3125 on the front left of the back, and a flange portion 3126b extending rearward from the periphery (left side, top side, bottom side) of the decorative plate portion 3126a, excluding the right side. The rear surface of the flange portion 3126b of the third decorative element 3126 is parallel to the front surface of the game panel 1100, while the decorative plate portion 3126a is inclined such that its right side is positioned further rearward than its left side.

Furthermore, the third decorative element 3126 on the front left of the back has a dividing decorative element 3126c that extends left and right and penetrates front and back, located approximately 3/4 of the way up from the bottom of the decorative plate portion 3126a. This dividing decorative element 3126c is the same size and height as the dividing decorative element 3124a of the first decorative element 3124 on the front left of the back.

Furthermore, the third decorative element 3126 on the front left of the reverse side is located below the dividing decorative element 3126c on the rear surface and has a relief-like third logo decorative element 3126d that forms part of the front left logo decorative element 3121. The right edge of the third decorative element 3126 on the front left of the reverse side is shaped to follow the lettering of the logo on the third logo decorative element 3126d.

Furthermore, the reverse front left third decorative element 3126 has a third upper left logo decorative element 3126e, which is provided in relief above the dividing decorative element 3126c on the reverse side and constitutes part of the reverse front left upper logo decorative element 3122, and a plurality of third left sub-decorative elements 3126f, which are provided in relief to the left of the third reverse left logo decorative element 3126d on the reverse side and constitute part of the reverse front left sub-decorative element 3123. The third upper left logo decorative element 3126e is formed to be slightly smaller than the second upper left logo decorative element 3125e of the reverse front left second decorative element 3125. The third left sub-decorative element 3126f is provided in a position corresponding to the first left sub-decorative element 3124f and is formed to be similar in shape to the first left sub-decorative element 3124f and the second left sub-decorative element 3125f.

Although the third decorative element 3126 on the front left of the reverse side is shown as opaque in Figures 153 and 154, etc., it is actually transparent. Therefore, as shown in Figure 155(c), the third rear left logo decorative element 3126d, the third upper left logo decorative element 3126e, and the third left sub-decorative element 3126f, which are located on the rear side, can be seen from the front.

When assembled to the rear front left third decorative element 3126 on the rear front left decorative unit 3120, as shown in Figure 152, the decorative plate portion 3125a of the rear front left first decorative element 3124 and the rear front left second decorative element 3125 are positioned in front of the decorative plate portion 3126a, while the light guide plate 3110 and the left diffusion lens 3134 are positioned behind it. Furthermore, in the assembled state, the rear front left third decorative element 3126 has the third lower LED 3128e and the third upper LED 3128f of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128 positioned to the left of the left side of the decorative plate portion 3126a, the third LED of the rear front left upper decorative substrate 3129 positioned above the upper surface, and the third LED 3130c of the rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130 positioned below the lower surface.

When the third decorative element 3126 on the front left of the back surface illuminates, the third lower LED 3128e on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the third LED 3130c on the lower front left decorative substrate 3130 illuminate. Light entering the interior from below the partition decorative element 3126c on the left side of the decorative plate 3126a, and light entering the interior from the underside of the decorative plate 3126a, illuminates the third back left logo decorative element 3126d and the third left sub-decorative element 3126f. At this time, the inner surface of the partition decorative element 3126c also illuminates.

Furthermore, in the partition decorative section 3126c, when light incident inside from the third lower LED 3128e of the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the third LED 3130c of the front left lower decorative substrate 3130 reaches the lower inner surface, a portion of the light that reaches it is reflected by that inner surface to the lower interior side of the partition decorative section 3126c, while the remainder is radiated from the inner surface into the inside of the hole in the partition decorative section 3126c. Then, when the light radiated into the inside of the partition decorative section 3126c reaches the opposite inner surface, a portion of it is reflected back into the partition decorative section 3126c, while the remainder is incident from the inner surface into the upper interior side of the partition decorative section 3126c. Thus, the light from the third lower LED 3128e on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the third LED 3130c on the front lower left decorative substrate 3130 is significantly dimmed as it passes through the partition decorative section 3126c. Therefore, the third upper left logo decorative section 3126e above the partition decorative section 3126c is hardly illuminated (illuminated) by the light from the third lower LED 3128e on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the third LED 3130c on the front lower left decorative substrate 3130. This allows only the third back left logo decorative section 3126d and the third left sub-decorative section 3126f to be brightly illuminated.

Furthermore, when the third decorative element on the front left of the back front left, the third upper LED 3128f on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the third LED on the front upper left decorative substrate 3129 are illuminated, the third upper left logo decorative element 3126e is illuminated by light entering the interior from above the partition decorative element 3126c on the left side of the decorative plate 3126a, and by light entering the interior from the top surface of the decorative plate 3126a. At this time, the inner surface of the partition decorative element 3126c is also illuminated.

Furthermore, in the partition decorative section 3126c, when light incident inside from the third upper LED 3128f of the front left decorative substrate 3128 or the third LED of the front left upper decorative substrate 3129 reaches the upper inner surface, a portion of the light that reaches it is reflected by that inner surface to the upper interior side of the partition decorative section 3126c, while the remainder is radiated from the inner surface into the inside of the hole in the partition decorative section 3126c. Then, when the light radiated into the inside of the partition decorative section 3126c reaches the opposite inner surface, a portion of it is reflected back into the partition decorative section 3126c, while the remainder is incident from the inner surface into the lower interior side of the partition decorative section 3126c. Thus, the light from the third upper LED 3128f on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the third LED on the front upper left decorative substrate 3129 is significantly attenuated as it passes through the partition decorative section 3126c. Therefore, the third back left logo decorative section 3126d and the third left sub-decorative section 3126f below the partition decorative section 3126c are hardly illuminated (illuminated) by the light from the third upper LED 3128f on the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the third LED on the front upper left decorative substrate 3129. This allows only the third upper left logo decorative section 3126e to be brightly illuminated.

Thus, the third decorative element 3126 on the front left of the reverse side is configured so that the upper and lower sections can be illuminated independently, separated by the dividing decorative section 3126c.

The front left decorative base 3127 is entirely transparent and has a flat decorative plate portion 3127a and a substrate holding portion 3127b provided around the decorative plate portion 3127a, excluding the right edge (left edge, top edge, bottom edge). The decorative plate portion 3127a is parallel to the front surface of the game panel 1100.

The substrate holding portion 3127b extends outward from the decorative plate portion 3127a, has its rear surface positioned towards the rear, and is recessed from the front side toward the rear. The substrate holding portion 3127b works in cooperation with the substrate holding portion 3125b of the rear front left second decorative body 3125 to clamp and hold the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front upper left decorative substrate 3129, and the rear front lower left decorative substrate 3130. Furthermore, the left end of the upper connecting base 3190 is attached to the upper part of the substrate holding portion 3127b, and the left end of the upper end of the unit base 3178 of the rear front lower display unit 3160 is attached to the lower part.

Furthermore, the rear front left decorative base 3127 has three rear front left band decorative sections 3127c that extend vertically at a constant height across the entire width near the center of the rear surface of the decorative plate section 3127a, spaced apart vertically, and a base upper left logo decorative section 3127d that is provided in a relief-like manner near the upper part of the rear surface of the decorative plate section 3127a and forms part of the rear front upper left logo decorative section 3122. The base upper left logo decorative section 3127d is formed to be slightly smaller than the third upper left logo decorative section 3126e of the rear front left third decorative section 3126.

Although the front left decorative base 3127 is shown as opaque in Figures 153 and 154, it is actually transparent. Therefore, as shown in Figure 155(d), the front left band decorative section 3127c and the upper left logo decorative section 3127d, which are located on the rear surface, can be seen from the front.

When assembled to the front left decorative unit 3120, the front left decorative base 3127 has the light guide plate 3110 and the left diffusion lens 3134 positioned in front of the decorative plate portion 3127a, as shown in Figure 152, etc. Furthermore, in the assembled state, the rear ends of the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the front left reflector 3131, the rear upper left decorative substrate 3129 and the rear upper left reflector 3132, and the rear lower left decorative substrate 3130 and the rear lower left reflector 3133 are inserted into the rearward-recessed substrate holding portion 3127b. The LEDs below the base 3128h and above the base 3128i of the front left decorative substrate 3128 are located to the left of the left side of the decorative plate portion 3127a.

The rear front left decorative base 3127 can illuminate the rear front left band decorative section 3127c of the decorative plate section 3127a when the LED 3128h under the base of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128 is illuminated. Each of the three rear front left band decorative sections 3127c can be illuminated independently. Furthermore, the rear front left decorative base 3127 can illuminate the upper left logo decorative section 3127d of the base when the LED 3128i on the base of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128 is illuminated.

The rear front left decorative substrate 3128 is a long, flat plate oriented vertically, with its surface facing left to right. The rear front left decorative substrate 3128 is positioned to the left of the rear front left first decorative body 3124, the decorative plate portion 3125a of the rear front left second decorative body 3125, the decorative plate portion 3126a of the rear front left third decorative body 3126, and the decorative plate portion 3127a of the rear front left decorative body base 3127. The rear front left decorative substrate 3128, together with the rear front left reflector 3131, is sandwiched between the substrate holding portion 3125b of the rear front left second decorative body 3125 and the substrate holding portion 3127b of the rear front left decorative body base 3127.

The front left decorative substrate 3128 is located to the left of the front left first decorative body 3124 and has multiple first lower LEDs 3128a located below the dividing decorative section 3124a, multiple first upper LEDs 3128b located to the left of the front left first decorative body 3124 and has multiple second lower LEDs 3128c located to the left of the decorative plate section 3125a of the front left second decorative body 3125 and has multiple second lower LEDs 3128c located below the dividing decorative section 3125c, and the front left second decorative It comprises a plurality of second upper LEDs 3128d located to the left of the decorative plate portion 3125a of the body 3125 and positioned above the dividing decorative portion 3125c; a plurality of third lower LEDs 3128e located to the left of the decorative plate portion 3126a of the rear front left third decorative body 3126 and positioned below the dividing decorative portion 3126c; and a plurality of third upper LEDs 3128f located to the left of the decorative plate portion 3126a of the rear front left third decorative body 3126 and positioned above the dividing decorative portion 3126c.

Furthermore, the front left decorative substrate 3128 includes multiple light guide plate LEDs 3128g located to the left of the left diffusion lens 3134 (light guide plate 3110), three base-under LEDs 3128h located to the left of the front left band decorative portion 3127c on the decorative plate portion 3127a of the front left decorative body base 3127, and multiple base-up LEDs 3128i located to the left of the base-upper left logo decorative portion 3127d on the decorative plate portion 3127a of the front left decorative body base 3127.

By illuminating the multiple first lower LEDs 3128a on the front left decorative substrate 3128, the first front left logo decoration section 3124c and the first back left logo decoration section 3124d of the front left first decorative body 3124 can be illuminated. By illuminating the multiple first upper LEDs 3128b on the front left decorative substrate 3128, the first upper left logo decoration section 3124e of the front left first decorative body 3124 can be illuminated. By illuminating the multiple second lower LEDs 3128c on the front left decorative substrate 3128, the second back left logo decoration section 3125d of the front left second decorative body 3125 can be illuminated. By illuminating the multiple second upper LEDs 3128d on the front left decorative substrate 3128, the second upper left logo decoration section 3125e of the front left second decorative body 3125 can be illuminated.

Furthermore, illuminating the multiple third lower LEDs 3128e on the front left decorative substrate 3128 allows the third back left logo decoration section 3126d, etc., of the front left third decorative body 3126 to be illuminated. Similarly, illuminating the multiple third upper LEDs 3128f on the front left decorative substrate 3128 allows the third upper left logo decoration section 3126e, etc., of the front left third decorative body 3126 to be illuminated.

When the multiple LEDs 3128g for the light guide plate on the front left decorative substrate 3128 are illuminated, the first pattern 3111 on the light guide plate 3110 can be illuminated via the left diffusion lens 3134. When the multiple (three) LEDs 3128h under the base of the front left decorative substrate 3128 are illuminated, the front left band decorative section 3127c of the front left decorative body base 3127 can be illuminated. When the multiple LEDs 3128i on the base of the front left decorative substrate 3128 are illuminated, the upper left logo decorative section 3127d of the front left decorative body base 3127 can be illuminated.

The first lower LED 3128a, first upper LED 3128b, second lower LED 3128c, second upper LED 3128d, third lower LED 3128e, third upper LED 3128f, light guide plate LED 3128g, base lower LED 3128h, and base upper LED 3128i, all mounted on the right side of the front left decorative substrate 3128, are full-color LEDs.

Furthermore, the front left decorative substrate 3128 has a white solder resist (protective material) coating on its surface. This white solder resist makes the front left decorative substrate 3128 less visible and reflects light from the mounted LEDs, allowing the first pattern 3111 on the light guide plate 3110, the front left logo decoration section 3121, the front left upper logo decoration section 3122, the front left sub-decoration section 3123, etc., to emit brighter light. Additionally, the front left decorative substrate 3128 has letters and symbols printed on it using high-brightness and high-saturation ink (e.g., yellow) to avoid confusion with mounted LEDs and other decorative substrates. This makes the letters and symbols less conspicuous. Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the front left decorative substrate 3128 also has connectors, resistors, LED drivers, etc. mounted on it, in addition to the LEDs.

The upper left decorative substrate 3129 is a long, flat plate with its surface oriented vertically. It is positioned above the first left decorative body 3124, the decorative plate portion 3125a of the second left decorative body 3125, the decorative plate portion 3126a of the third left decorative body 3126, and the decorative plate portion 3127a of the base 3127. The upper left decorative substrate 3129, together with the upper left reflector 3132, is sandwiched between the substrate holding portion 3125b of the second left decorative body 3125 and the substrate holding portion 3127b of the base 3127.

The front left upper decorative substrate 3129, although not shown in the illustration, comprises a plurality of first LEDs located above the front left first decorative element 3124, a plurality of second LEDs located above the decorative plate portion 3125a of the front left second decorative element 3125, and a plurality of third LEDs located above the decorative plate portion 3126a of the front left third decorative element 3126.

By illuminating the multiple first LEDs on the front left upper decorative substrate 3129, the first upper left logo decoration section 3124e of the front left first decorative body 3124 can be illuminated. By illuminating the multiple second LEDs on the front left upper decorative substrate 3129, the second upper left logo decoration section 3125e of the front left second decorative body 3125 can be illuminated. By illuminating the multiple third LEDs on the front left upper decorative substrate 3129, the third upper left logo decoration section 3126e of the front left third decorative body 3126 can be illuminated.

The multiple first, second, and third LEDs mounted on the underside of the decorative circuit board 3129 on the upper left of the back are full-color LEDs.

Furthermore, the front left upper decorative substrate 3129 on the back is coated with a white solder resist (protective material) on its surface. This white solder resist makes the front left upper decorative substrate 3129 less visible and reflects light from the mounted LEDs, allowing the front left upper logo decoration section 3122 and other elements to illuminate more brightly. Additionally, the front left upper decorative substrate 3129 has letters and symbols printed on it using high-brightness, high-saturation ink (e.g., yellow) to avoid confusion with mounted LEDs and other decorative substrates. This makes the letters and symbols less conspicuous. Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the front left upper decorative substrate 3129 also has connectors, resistors, LED drivers, etc. mounted on it, in addition to the LEDs.

The rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130 is a long, flat plate with its surface oriented vertically. The rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130 is positioned below the rear front left first decorative body 3124, the rear front left second decorative body 3125's decorative plate portion 3125a, the rear front left third decorative body 3126's decorative plate portion 3126a, and the rear front left decorative body base 3127's decorative plate portion 3127a. The rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130, together with the rear front left lower reflector 3133, is sandwiched between the substrate holding portion 3125b of the rear front left second decorative body 3125 and the substrate holding portion 3127b of the rear front left decorative body base 3127.

The rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130 comprises a plurality of first LEDs 3130a located below the rear front left first decorative body 3124, a plurality of second LEDs 3130b located below the decorative plate portion 3125a of the rear front left second decorative body 3125, and a plurality of third LEDs 3130c located below the decorative plate portion 3126a of the rear front left third decorative body 3126.

By illuminating the multiple first LEDs 3130a on the lower left front decorative substrate 3130, the first front left logo decorative section 3124c and the first back left logo decorative section 3124d of the first front left decorative body 3124 can be illuminated. By illuminating the multiple second LEDs 3130b on the lower left front decorative substrate 3130, the second back left logo decorative section 3125d of the second front left decorative body 3125 can be illuminated. By illuminating the multiple third LEDs 3130c on the lower left front decorative substrate 3130, the third back left logo decorative section 3126d of the third front left decorative body 3126 can be illuminated.

The multiple first LEDs 3130a, second LED 3130b, and third LED 3130c mounted on the underside of the decorative substrate 3130 on the lower left front of the back are full-color LEDs.

Furthermore, the decorative substrate 3130 on the lower left front of the back panel is coated with a white solder resist (protective material) on its surface. This white solder resist makes the decorative substrate 3130 less visible and reflects light from the mounted LEDs, allowing the logo decoration section 3121 and other elements on the lower left front panel to illuminate more brightly. Additionally, the decorative substrate 3130 has letters and symbols printed on it using high-brightness, high-saturation ink (e.g., yellow) to avoid confusion with other decorative substrates and the mounted LEDs. This makes the letters and symbols less conspicuous. Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the decorative substrate 3130 also has connectors, resistors, LED drivers, etc., mounted on it in addition to the LEDs.

The left diffusion lens 3134 is positioned between the light guide plate 3110 and the rear front left decorative substrate 3128 (rear front left reflector 3131), and is sandwiched between the rear front left third decorative element 3126 and the rear front left decorative element base 3127. The left diffusion lens 3134 diffuses the light from the multiple LEDs 3128g for the light guide plate on the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, illuminating the left side of the light guide plate 3110.

As shown in Figure 157, the reverse front left decorative unit 3120 is formed by the overlapping of the first front left logo decorative section 3124c and the first reverse left logo decorative section 3124d of the first reverse front left decorative body 3124, the second reverse left logo decorative section 3125d of the second reverse front left decorative body 3125, and the third reverse left logo decorative section 3126d of the third reverse front left decorative body 3126, thereby forming a single reverse front left logo decorative section 3121. Because the front-to-back positions of these sections differ, the degree of overlap changes as the player's eye position shifts, allowing a predetermined logo consisting of multiple letters to be displayed three-dimensionally.

Furthermore, the rear front left decorative unit 3120 can illuminate the first lower LED 3128a, second lower LED 3128c, and third lower LED 3128e of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, and the first LED 3130a, second LED 3130b, and third LED 3130c of the rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130 as appropriate. This allows the first front left logo decorative section 3124c, the first rear left logo decorative section 3124d, the second rear left logo decorative section 3125d, and the third rear left logo decorative section 3126d to be illuminated independently, enabling the rear front left logo decorative section 3121 to be illuminated in a variety of lighting patterns.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 157, the front-left decorative unit 3120 is formed by the overlapping of the first upper-left logo decorative section 3124e of the first front-left decorative body 3124, the second upper-left logo decorative section 3125e of the second front-left decorative body 3125, the third upper-left logo decorative section 3126e of the third front-left decorative body 3126, and the base upper-left logo decorative section 3127d of the front-left decorative body base 3127, thereby forming a single front-left upper-left logo decorative section 3122. Because the front-to-back positions of these sections—the first upper-left logo decorative section 3124e, the second upper-left logo decorative section 3125e, the third upper-left logo decorative section 3126e, and the base upper-left logo decorative section 3127d—change as the player's eye position shifts, allowing the stylized "A" logo to appear three-dimensional.

Furthermore, even with logos such as the first upper left logo decoration section 3124e, the second upper left logo decoration section 3125e, the third upper left logo decoration section 3126e, and the base upper left logo decoration section 3127d, which are located in approximately the same position when viewed from the front, the reverse front left first decoration section 3124, the reverse front left second decoration section 3125, the reverse front left third decoration section 3126, and the reverse front left decoration section base 3127 can be sequentially illuminated to present a dynamic, pseudo-animation to the player, strongly appealing to them. This animation-like illumination effect can be achieved by sequentially illuminating the first front left logo decoration section 3124c, the first reverse left logo decoration section 3124d, the second reverse left logo decoration section 3125d, and the third reverse left logo decoration section 3126d.

Furthermore, the front left decorative unit 3120 allows the first upper LED 3128b, second upper LED 3128d, third upper LED 3128f, base upper LED 3128i of the front left decorative substrate 3128, and the first, second, and third LEDs of the front upper left decorative substrate 3129 to be illuminated as appropriate, thereby independently illuminating the first upper left logo decoration section 3124e, the second upper left logo decoration section 3125e, the third upper left logo decoration section 3126e, and the base upper left logo decoration section 3127d. This enables the front upper left logo decoration section 3122 to be illuminated in a variety of lighting patterns.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 157, the back front left decorative unit 3120 is formed by the overlapping of the first left sub-decorative section 3124f of the back front left first decorative body 3124, the second left sub-decorative section 3125f of the back front left second decorative body 3125, and the third left sub-decorative section 3126f of the back front left third decorative body 3126, thereby forming a single back front left sub-decorative section 3123. Because the front-to-back positions of these three sections—the first left sub-decorative section 3124f, the second left sub-decorative section 3125f, and the third left sub-decorative section 3126f—change as the player's eye position shifts, creating a three-dimensional appearance for the back front left sub-decorative section 3123.

Furthermore, the rear front left decorative unit 3120 allows the first left sub-decorative section 3124f, the second left sub-decorative section 3125f, and the third left sub-decorative section 3126f to be illuminated independently by appropriately illuminating the first lower LED 3128a, second lower LED 3128c, and third lower LED 3128e of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, and the first LED 3130a, second LED 3130b, and third LED 3130c of the rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130. This enables the rear front left sub-decorative section 3123 to be illuminated in a variety of lighting patterns.

Furthermore, since the front left decorative unit 3120 includes a dividing decorative section 3124a of the first front left decorative body 3124, a dividing decorative section 3125c of the second front left decorative body 3125, and a dividing decorative section 3126c of the third front left decorative body 3126, the dividing decorative sections 3124a, 3125c, and 3126c clearly separate the luminous decoration on the lower side (front left logo decorative section 3121, front left sub-decorative section 3123) and the upper side (front left upper logo decorative section 3122), thereby enhancing the decorative effect of the luminous decoration of the front left logo decorative section 3121 and the front left sub-decorative section 3123, as well as the luminous decoration of the front left upper logo decorative section 3122. In this process, the partition decorative sections 3124a, 3125c, and 3126c are also illuminated, thereby improving their appearance and allowing for enjoyable illumination.

Furthermore, when the front left decorative unit 3120 illuminates the first lower LED 3128a of the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the first LED 3130a of the front lower left decorative substrate 3130, it can illuminate the through-type decorative section 3124b of the front left first decorative body 3124, which is below the dividing decorative section 3124a. Also, when the first upper LED 3128b of the front left decorative substrate 3128 and the first LED of the front upper left decorative substrate 3129 are illuminated, it can illuminate the through-type decorative section 3124b of the front left first decorative body 3124, which is above the dividing decorative section 3124a. This illumination of the through-type decorative section 3124b also improves the appearance.

Furthermore, the rear front left decorative unit 3120 can illuminate the first pattern 3111 on the light guide plate 3110 by illuminating the LED 3128g for the light guide plate on the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, in cooperation with the LEDs for the light guide plate on the rear front right first decorative substrate 3148, the rear front right second decorative substrate 3149, and the rear front right light guide plate decorative substrate 3150 in the rear front right decorative unit 3140.

Thus, the rear front left decorative unit 3120, with its transparent, three-dimensional decorations such as the rear front left logo decorative section 3121, the rear front upper left logo decorative section 3122, and the rear front left sub-decorative section 3123, can improve the appearance within the game area 5a, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players.

Furthermore, since the front left logo decoration section 3121, the upper left logo decoration section 3122, and the front left sub-decoration section 3123 can be illuminated in various lighting patterns, the diverse lighting effects can keep players from getting bored and prevent a decline in their interest.

In the above description, the partition decorative sections 3124a, 3125c, and 3126c, which block light from the LED, are shown as penetrating from front to back. However, the design is not limited to these, and grooves or protrusions may also be used. Furthermore, the second decorative body 3125 on the front left of the back may be provided with a projection that is inserted into the penetrating decorative section 3124b of the first decorative body 3124 on the front left of the back, allowing the first decorative body 3124 on the front left to be positioned by inserting the projection. In other words, the penetrating decorative section 3124b may also serve as a positioning hole.

[5-9a-3. Front right decorative unit]
The front right decorative unit 3140 in the front back performance unit 3100 has a predetermined logo in line with the concept of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5), and includes a vertically elongated front right logo decorative section 3141 consisting of a string of letters, a front right upper right logo decorative section 3142 (see Figure 151(b)) provided above the front right logo decorative section 3141 and featuring a stylized "A", and a front right sub-decorative section (not shown) provided near the front right logo decorative section 3141.

The rear front right decorative unit 3140 comprises a transparent rear front right first decorative body 3144, which is vertically elongated in front view; a transparent rear front right second decorative body 3145 located behind the rear front right first decorative body 3144; a transparent rear front right third decorative body 3146 located behind the rear front right second decorative body 3145; and a transparent rear front right decorative body base 3147 located behind the rear front right third decorative body 3146 (see Figure 152).

The rear front right decorative base 3147 has the right end of the upper connecting base 3190 attached to its upper part, and the right end of the upper end of the unit base 3178 of the rear front lower display unit 3160 attached to its lower part. Furthermore, the rear front right decorative base 3147 has three rear front right band decorative sections 3147a that extend vertically at a constant height across its entire width, spaced apart vertically, near the center in the vertical direction (see Figure 151(b)).

Furthermore, the front-right decorative unit 3140 includes a first front-right decorative substrate 3148 and a second front-right decorative substrate 3149 for illuminating the first pattern 3111, the front-right logo decorative section 3141, the upper right front logo decorative section 3142, and the sub-decorative section of the front-right of the light guide plate 3110; a front-right decorative substrate 3150 for illuminating the first pattern 3111 of the light guide plate 3110; an upper right front decorative substrate 3151 for illuminating the upper right front logo decorative section 3142; and a lower right front decorative substrate 3152 for illuminating the front-right logo decorative section 3141 (see Figure 156).

Furthermore, the rear front right decorative unit 3140 includes an upper right diffusion lens 3153 provided between the light guide plate 3110 and the rear front right first decorative substrate 3148, a right middle diffusion lens 3154 provided between the light guide plate 3110 and the rear front right second decorative substrate 3149, and a right lower diffusion lens 3155 provided between the light guide plate 3110 and the rear front right decorative substrate 3150 (see Figure 156). The upper right diffusion lens 3153, the right middle diffusion lens 3154, and the right lower diffusion lens 3155 are provided between the rear front right third decorative body 3146 and the rear front right decorative body base 3147.

Furthermore, the rear front right decorative unit 3140 includes a first rear guidance passage 3156 that receives the game ball B, which is received in the general prize entry opening 2001 of the side right middle unit 2700 and guided backward by the first guidance passage 2701, and guides it downward; and a second rear guidance passage 3157 that receives the game ball B, which is received in the second sub-out opening 2022 of the side right middle unit 2700 and guided backward by the second guidance passage, and guides it downward. A general prize entry opening sensor 3001 is provided within the first rear guidance passage 3156. The game ball B guided in the first rear guidance passage 3156 and the second rear guidance passage 3157 are discharged to the lower circuit board holder 1200 via the rear front lower display unit 3160.

Furthermore, the rear front right decorative unit 3140 includes a distribution passage through which game balls B, which have been received into the prize entry opening 2006 of the second attacker unit 2600 and guided to the rear by the guidance passage 2613, flow, and through which a V prize entry opening 2007 and a losing opening 2008 are provided; a V prize entry door 3006 that moves back and forth within the distribution passage and distributes the game balls B received into the prize entry opening 2006 to either the V prize entry opening 2007 or the losing opening 2008; a V distribution solenoid 3007 that moves the V prize entry door 3006 back and forth; a V prize entry sensor 3003 that detects the game balls B distributed to the V prize entry opening 2007; and a losing opening sensor 3004 that detects the game balls B distributed to the losing opening 2008. The game balls B detected by the V-prize sensor 3003 and the losing slot sensor 3004 are discharged to the lower circuit board holder 1200 via the lower front display unit 3160.

The configuration of the front right logo decoration section 3141, the front right logo decoration section 3142, and the front right sub-decoration section in the front right decoration unit 3140 is the same as that of the front left decoration unit 3120, and a detailed explanation is omitted.

Furthermore, the first front right decorative element 3144, the second front right decorative element 3145, and the third front right decorative element 3146 of the front right decorative unit 3140 have a dividing decorative element 3144a that extends left and right and penetrates front and back, between the front right logo decorative element 3141 and the front right upper right logo decorative element 3142. This dividing decorative element 3144a allows the front right logo decorative element 3141 and the front right upper right logo decorative element 3142 to be illuminated independently.

Furthermore, the front right first decorative element 3144 on the reverse side has multiple through-decorative sections 3144b that penetrate from front to back. These multiple through-decorative sections 3144b can achieve the same effects as the through-decorative section 3124b of the front left first decorative element 3124 on the reverse side.

Thus, the rear front right decorative unit 3140, similar to the rear front left decorative unit 3120, allows for the creation of transparent, three-dimensional decorations such as the rear front right logo decorative section 3141, the rear front upper right logo decorative section 3142, and the rear front right sub-decorative section, thereby improving the appearance within the game area 5a and providing a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players.

Furthermore, since the front right logo decoration section 3141, the front right logo decoration section 3142, and the front right sub-decoration section can be illuminated in various lighting patterns, the diverse lighting effects can keep players from getting bored and prevent a decline in their interest.

Furthermore, by sequentially illuminating the front right first decorative element 3144, the front right second decorative element 3145, the front right third decorative element 3146, and the front right decorative element base 3147 in the front right logo decorative element 3141 and the front right upper right logo decorative element 3142, which are located in approximately the same position when viewed from the front, it is possible to present a dynamic, pseudo-animation to the player, thereby strongly appealing to them.

[5-9a-4. Backstage Front Stage Production Unit]
The lower front display unit 3160 in the front front display unit 3100 comprises a disc-shaped lower front decorative body 3161 with the word "SPIN" inscribed on the upper part of the center in the left-right direction, a lower front rotation drive motor (not shown) that rotates the lower front decorative body 3161 around an axis in the front-rear direction, and a lower front lifting drive motor 3162 that raises and lowers the lower front decorative body 3161. The lower front decorative body 3161 is translucent.

Furthermore, the rear front lower display unit 3160 includes a disc-shaped rear front lower left inner decorative element 3163 of the same size, located to the left of the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161; a disc-shaped rear front lower left outer decorative element 3164 of the same size, located to the left of the rear front lower left inner decorative element 3163; a disc-shaped rear front lower right inner decorative element 3165 of the same size, located to the right of the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161; and a disc-shaped rear front lower right outer decorative element 3166 of the same size, located to the right of the rear front lower right inner decorative element 3165. The rear front lower left inner decorative element 3163, the rear front lower left outer decorative element 3164, the rear front lower right inner decorative element 3165, and the rear front lower right outer decorative element 3166 are translucent.

Furthermore, the lower front display unit 3160 is located to the left of the lower left outer decorative element 3164 and includes a lower front logo decorative element 3167 bearing the word "Queen." The lower front logo decorative element 3167 is translucent.

Furthermore, the lower front display unit 3160 includes a lower front central decorative board 3168 for illuminating the lower front central decorative element 3161, a lower front left inner decorative board 3169 for illuminating the lower front left inner decorative element 3163, a lower front left outer decorative board 3170 for illuminating the lower front left outer decorative element 3164, a lower front right inner decorative board 3171 for illuminating the lower front right inner decorative element 3165, a lower front right outer decorative board 3172 for illuminating the lower front right outer decorative element 3166, and a lower front logo decorative board 3173 for illuminating the lower front logo decorative element 3167 (see Figure 156(b)).

These rear front lower center decorative substrates 3168, rear front lower left inner decorative substrate 3169, rear front lower left outer decorative substrate 3170, rear front lower right inner decorative substrate 3171, rear front lower right outer decorative substrate 3172, and rear front lower logo decorative substrate 3173 are located behind the rear front lower center decorative body 3161, rear front lower left inner decorative body 3163, rear front lower left outer decorative body 3164, rear front lower right inner decorative body 3165, rear front lower right outer decorative body 3166, and rear front lower logo decorative body 3167.

Furthermore, the rear front lower center decorative substrate 3168, the rear front lower left inner decorative substrate 3169, the rear front lower left outer decorative substrate 3170, the rear front lower right inner decorative substrate 3171, the rear front lower right outer decorative substrate 3172, and the rear front lower logo decorative substrate 3173 all have multiple full-color LEDs mounted on their front surfaces and are coated with white solder resist (protective material). This white solder resist reflects light from the LEDs and other sources, allowing the decorative elements located in front of each substrate to emit bright light.

Furthermore, the rear front lower center decorative substrate 3168, the rear front lower left inner decorative substrate 3169, the rear front lower left outer decorative substrate 3170, the rear front lower right inner decorative substrate 3171, the rear front lower right outer decorative substrate 3172, and the rear front lower logo decorative substrate 3173 are screen-printed with letters and symbols using high-brightness and high-saturation ink (for example, yellow) to avoid confusion with the mounted electronic components such as LEDs and other decorative substrates. This makes the letters and symbols less conspicuous through the decorative elements located at the front, ensuring that the decorative effect of the decorative elements is reliably achieved.

The multiple LEDs mounted on the rear front lower center decorative board 3168 are top-view type LEDs. On the other hand, the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear front lower left inner decorative board 3169, rear front lower left outer decorative board 3170, rear front lower right inner decorative board 3171, rear front lower right outer decorative board 3172, and rear front lower logo decorative board 3173 are side-view type LEDs.

Furthermore, these decorative circuit boards have non-light-emitting components (e.g., connectors, resistors, LED drivers, etc.) on the rear (back) side to avoid interfering with the illumination.

The rear front lower center decorative element 3161, the rear front lower left inner decorative element 3163, the rear front lower left outer decorative element 3164, the rear front lower right inner decorative element 3165, the rear front lower right outer decorative element 3166, and the rear front lower logo decorative element 3167 are positioned above the lower end of the light guide plate 3110, as shown in Figure 156. As a result, the lower end of the light guide plate 3110 is not visible from the player's side (front). Furthermore, the upper ends of the rear front lower center decorative element 3161, the rear front lower left inner decorative element 3163, the rear front lower left outer decorative element 3164, the rear front lower right inner decorative element 3165, and the rear front lower right outer decorative element 3166 are positioned below the lower end of the second pattern 3112 on the light guide plate 3110, as shown in Figure 160, and are arranged in the left-right direction at intervals corresponding to each line group 3114 that constitutes the second pattern 3112.

More specifically, the front lower center decorative element 3161 is provided to correspond to the third line group 3114c, the front lower left inner decorative element 3163 to the second line group 3114b, the front lower left outer decorative element 3164 to the first line group 3114a, the front lower right inner decorative element 3165 to the fourth line group 3114d, and the front lower right outer decorative element 3166 to the fifth line group 3114e. Therefore, by illuminating the front lower center decorative element 3161, the front lower left inner decorative element 3163, the front lower left outer decorative element 3164, the front lower right inner decorative element 3165, and the front lower right outer decorative element 3166 (either illuminating only the upper end or the entire element), the line 3113 of the second pattern 3112 can be made to appear as if it is illuminated by light from the front lower center decorative element 3161, the front lower left inner decorative element 3163, the front lower left outer decorative element 3164, the front lower right inner decorative element 3165, and the front lower right outer decorative element 3166, thus creating an illumination effect that has not been seen in previous pachinko machines.

Furthermore, the rear front lower display unit 3160 is located behind the rear front lower middle decorative board 3168, the rear front lower left inner decorative board 3169, the rear front lower left outer decorative board 3170, the rear front lower right inner decorative board 3171, the rear front lower right outer decorative board 3172, and the rear front lower logo decorative board 3173. It includes the light guide plate lower left decorative board 3174 and the light guide plate lower right decorative board 3175 for illuminating (illuminating) the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110 (see Figure 156(a)).

The lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the light guide plate each have five LED groups 3177, each consisting of five LEDs 3176. The five LEDs 3176 in each LED group 3177 are arranged from right to left in the order of first LED 3176a, second LED 3176b, third LED 3176c, fourth LED 3176d, and fifth LED 3176e. Furthermore, each LED group 3177 corresponds to each line group 3114 in the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110, and is arranged from left to right in the order of first LED group 3177a, second LED group 3177b, third LED group 3177c, fourth LED group 3177d, and fifth LED group 3177e.

The decorative substrate 3174 below the light guide plate has LEDs 3176 from the first LED group 3177a and the second LED group 3177b mounted on it. The decorative substrate 3175 below the light guide plate has LEDs 3176 from the third LED group 3177c, the fourth LED group 3177d, and the fifth LED group 3177e mounted on it.

The multiple LEDs 3176 mounted on the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the light guide plate are side-view type full-color LEDs. The lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 are coated with a white solder resist (protective material) on their surfaces. This white solder resist makes the lower left and right decorative substrates 3174 and 3175 less conspicuous from the front. Furthermore, letters and symbols to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs 3176 and other decorative substrates are screen-printed on the lower left and right decorative substrates using high-brightness and high-saturation ink (e.g., yellow). This makes the letters and symbols less conspicuous through the decorative elements provided at the front, ensuring that the decorative effect of the decorative elements is effectively realized.

The lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the light guide plate can, when the first LED 3176a in each LED group 3177 is illuminated, illuminate the first line 3113a of the corresponding line group 3114 in the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110. Furthermore, when the second LED 3176b is illuminated, illuminate the second line 3113b in the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110. Furthermore, when the third LED 3176c is illuminated, illuminate the third line 3113c in the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110. In addition, when the fourth LED 3176d is illuminated, illuminate the fourth line 3113d in the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110. Furthermore, by illuminating the fifth LED 3176e, the fifth line 3113e in the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110 can be illuminated (illuminated decoration).

This allows each of the multiple lines 3113 constituting the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110 to be illuminated independently (illuminated decoration), enabling a variety of illumination effects to be shown to the player, keeping the player from getting bored, and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, the rear front lower display unit 3160 supports the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161, the rear front lower left inner decorative body 3163, the rear front lower left outer decorative body 3164, the rear front lower right inner decorative body 3165, the rear front lower right outer decorative body 3166, the rear front lower logo decorative body 3167, the rear front lower middle decorative board 3168, the rear front lower left inner decorative board 3169, the rear front lower left outer decorative board 3170, the rear front lower right inner decorative board 3171, the rear front lower right outer decorative board 3172, the rear front lower logo decorative board 3173, the light guide plate lower left decorative board 3174, and the light guide plate lower right decorative board 3175, etc., and is equipped with a long, flat unit base 3178. The lower ends of the rear front left decorative unit 3120 and the rear front right decorative unit 3140 are attached near the left and right ends of the upper end of the unit base 3178.

Furthermore, the rear front lower performance unit 3160 has a first discharge passage 3181 that receives the game balls B received in the three general prize entry openings 2001 of the side unit 2200 and discharges them to the lower circuit board holder 1200, a second discharge passage 3182 that receives the game balls B received in the first start opening 2002 of the start opening unit 2100 and discharges them to the lower circuit board holder 1200, and a second start opening 2004 of the first attacker unit 2400 It includes a third discharge passage 3183 that receives game balls B and discharges them to the lower circuit board holder 1200, a fourth discharge passage 3184 that receives game balls B received at the large prize opening 2005 of the first attacker unit 2400 and discharges them to the lower circuit board holder 1200, and a fifth discharge passage 3185 that receives game balls B received at the first sub-out opening 2021 of the first attacker unit 2400 and discharges them to the lower circuit board holder 1200.

The first discharge passage 3181 has three transfer ports corresponding to the three general prize entry ports 2001 of the side unit 2200, and three general prize entry port sensors 3001 are provided corresponding to each transfer port. Furthermore, the second discharge passage 3182 is equipped with a first start port sensor 3002.

This lower front display unit 3160, consisting of a lower front center decorative element 3161, a lower front left inner decorative element 3163, a lower front left outer decorative element 3164, a lower front right inner decorative element 3165, a lower front right outer decorative element 3166, and a lower front logo decorative element 3167, can decorate the lower part of the game area 5a, improving its appearance. Furthermore, by illuminating these elements, it can entertain players with luminous effects. Additionally, the lower front center decorative element 3161 can rotate via a lower front rotation drive motor and move up and down via a lower front lifting drive motor 3162, allowing for movable effects to entertain players.

Furthermore, the lower front display unit 3160 can illuminate the second pattern 3112 on the light guide plate 3110 using multiple LEDs 3176 on the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the light guide plate, allowing players to enjoy the illumination effect of the second pattern 3112.

[5-9b. Behind-the-scenes production unit]
Next, the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 will be explained, mainly with reference to Figures 129 and 149. The rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 is mounted on the upper rear of the front performance unit 3100 inside the rear box 3010. The rear upper decoration unit 3200 includes a rear upper movable decorative body 3210 that is rotatable around an axis extending to the left and right and is also movable up and down; a rear left side decorative body 3220 that has three rear left band decorative parts 3221 that extend in the front-rear direction so as to be continuous with the three rear front left band decorative parts 3127c on the rear front left decorative body base 3127 of the rear front left decorative body unit 3120; and a rear right side decorative body 3230 (see Figure 131) that has three rear right band decorative parts 3231 that extend in the front-rear direction so as to be continuous with the three rear front right band decorative parts 3147a on the rear front right decorative body base 3147 of the rear front right decorative body unit 3140.

The rear upper movable decorative body 3210 has a rear upper first decorative section 3211 (see Figure 129, etc.) in which five 7-segment display sections are arranged on the left and right, and a rear upper second decorative section 3212 (see Figure 162) located on the back side of the rear upper first decorative section 3211, in which predetermined characters (in this case, "JACKPOT") are arranged in a row.

The first decorative section 3211 on the back upper movable decorative body 3210 has five 7-segment display sections, each of which is capable of independently illuminating. By combining these segments, a variety of characters, numbers, and patterns can be displayed. This allows for the display of the expected probability of whether the first or second special lottery result, determined by the acceptance of game balls B into the first and second start slots 2002 and 2004, is a "jackpot." Furthermore, the second decorative section 3212 on the back upper also has characters that are capable of independently illuminating.

The rear upper movable decorative body 3210, in its normal state, is in the raised position with the rear upper first decorative part 3211 facing forward. Depending on the results of the first and second special lottery draws, which are determined by the acceptance of game balls B into the first and second start openings 2002 and 2004, or depending on the acceptance (distribution) of game balls B into the V-prize opening 2007, the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 rotates 180 degrees around its left and right axis to face the rear upper second decorative part 3212 forward, or moves from the raised position to the lowered position (see Figures 161 and 162).

This rear-upper movable decorative element 3210 can rotate and move up and down, suggesting the arrival of a chance to the player, thus entertaining the player and preventing a decline in their enjoyment.

The three rear left band decorative sections 3221 of the rear left side decorative body 3220 are provided so as to extend rearward from the right end of each of the three rear front left band decorative sections 3127c that extend left and right from the rear front left decorative body base 3127 of the rear front left decorative unit 3120. Each rear left band decorative section 3221 is capable of emitting light independently and is also capable of emitting light in a way that flows in the front-to-back direction.

The three rear right band decorative sections 3231 of the rear right side decorative body 3230 are provided so as to extend rearward from the right ends of each of the three rear front right band decorative sections 3147a that extend left and right from the rear front right decorative body base 3147 of the rear front right decorative unit 3140. Each rear right band decorative section 3231 is capable of emitting light independently and is also capable of emitting light in a way that flows in the front-to-back direction.

[5-9c. Rear-view lower-stage production unit]
Next, the rear lower performance unit 3300 in the rear unit 3000 will be explained, mainly with reference to Figure 135, etc. The rear lower performance unit 3300 of the rear unit 3000 is mounted in the rear lower part of the rear front performance unit 3100 inside the rear box 3010, and below the rear upper performance unit 3200.

The rear lower display unit 3300 has a rear left movable decorative body 3301 and a rear right movable decorative body 3302, whose base ends, adjacent to each other on the left and right, are each supported so as to be rotatable around an axis in the front-rear direction and so as to be vertically movable. The rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 are formed to rotate in opposite directions as their base ends are raised and lowered.

The rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302, in their normal state, rotate so that their respective ends are separated from each other, and are hidden behind the rear front display unit 3100, making them invisible from the front (player side) (see Figure 129, etc.).

The rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 rotate and rise around their base ends, with their respective tips moving upward, according to the results of the first and second special lottery draws, which are determined by the acceptance of game balls B into the first and second start openings 2002 and 2004. This causes the right side of the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the left side of the rear right movable decorative body 3302 to come into contact with each other. As a result, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 become one large decorative body, and are positioned to be visible from the front (see Figure 163).

As a result, the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 create a large decorative element in the center that depicts the letter "A," which can surprise the player and make them think that something good is about to happen, thus preventing a decline in their interest. The rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 have a light-emitting decorative part made of translucent resin, and a decorative substrate with multiple LEDs mounted on the back of the light-emitting decorative part is provided. By illuminating the light-emitting decorative part with multiple LEDs, the appearance can be improved and the player's attention can be attracted.

As shown in Figure 167, the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 are positioned to overlap the first pattern 3111 on the light guide plate 3110 when in their appearance position. This allows the large decorative element formed by the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 to be illuminated by the first pattern 3111. Therefore, the three-dimensional decoration created by the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302, combined with the planar illumination of the first pattern 3111, creates a deep and impactful decoration for the player, strongly attracting their attention and preventing a decline in their interest in the game.

[5-10. Presentation on the game board]
Next, the main effects on the game board 5 will be explained in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 161 to 168. Figure 161 is a front view of the game board showing the state in which the first rear upper decorative part of the rear upper movable decorative body in the rear upper effect unit of the rear unit is moved to the lowered position with the rear upper facing forward. Figure 162 is a front view of the game board showing the state in which the second rear upper decorative part of the rear upper movable decorative body in the rear upper effect unit of the rear unit is moved to the lowered position with the rear upper second decorative part facing forward. Figure 163 is a front view of the game board showing the state in which the rear left movable decorative body and the rear right movable decorative body in the rear lower effect unit of the rear unit are moved to the appearance position. Figure 164 is a front view of the game board showing the state in which the rear front lower middle decorative body in the rear front lower effect unit of the rear front effect unit of the rear unit is raised.

Figure 165 is a front view of the game board showing the front left logo decoration section, front upper left logo decoration section, front left sub-decoration section, and front left band decoration section of the front front decoration unit 3120 of the front front display unit of the back unit illuminated. Figure 166 is a front view of the game board showing the first image of the light guide plate in the front front display unit of the back unit illuminated. Figure 167 is a front view of the game board showing the first image of the light guide plate in the front front display unit of the back unit illuminated, and the rear left movable decoration body and rear right movable decoration body in the rear lower display unit moved to their appearance positions. Figure 168 is a front view of the game board showing the second image of the light guide plate in the front front display unit of the back unit illuminated.

In this embodiment, the game board 5 has a front component member 1000 that demarcates the outer periphery of the game area 5a, a game panel 1100 that demarcates the rear end of the game area 5a, a starter unit 2100, a side unit 2200, a side upper left unit 2300, a first attacker unit 2400, a center component 2500, a second attacker unit 2600, a side middle right unit 2700, and a gate member 2800, all of which are formed to be almost entirely transparent. Therefore, in the normal state, as shown in Figure 134, the back front performance unit of the back unit 3000 located behind the game panel 1100 can be seen through them. The rear front left decorative unit 3120, rear front right decorative unit 3140 of unit 3100, the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161, the rear front lower left inner decorative body 3163, the rear front lower left outer decorative body 3164, the rear front lower right inner decorative body 3165, the rear front lower right outer decorative body 3166, the rear front lower logo decorative body 3167, the rear rear upper movable decorative body 3210, the rear rear left side decorative body 3220, and the rear rear right side decorative body 3230 of unit 3200, etc., can be clearly seen, and the performance image displayed on the performance display device 1600 can be clearly seen through the frame of the center feature 2500.

To elaborate further, the front left first decorative element 3124 of the front left decorative unit 3120 is located near the left edge of the center mechanism 2500, with about half of it located within the frame of the center mechanism 2500. Similarly, the front right first decorative element 3144 of the front right decorative unit 3140 is located near the right edge of the center mechanism 2500, with a portion of it located within the frame of the center mechanism 2500. The front lower display unit 3160 extends left and right at the bottom of the game area 5a and can be seen through the transparent game panel 1100 and the center mechanism 2500, with a portion of it being clearly visible through the frame of the center mechanism 2500.

Furthermore, the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160 is located above the first start opening 2002 and behind the stage 2513 of the center mechanism 2500. The rear front lower left inner decorative element 3163 and the rear front lower left outer decorative element 3164 are located above the general prize opening 2001 of the side unit 2200 and near the bottom edge of the center mechanism 2500. The rear front lower right inner decorative element 3165 and the rear front lower right outer decorative element 3166 are located above the large prize opening 2005 of the first attacker unit 2400 and near the bottom edge of the center mechanism 2500. The upper parts of the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161, the rear front lower left inner decorative element 3163, the rear front lower left outer decorative element 3164, the rear front lower right inner decorative element 3165, and the rear front lower right outer decorative element 3166 are located within the frame of the center mechanism 2500. The rear front lower logo ornament 3167 is located outside the center feature 2500 and in the lower left corner of the play area 5a.

Furthermore, the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper display unit 3200 is positioned in the raised position and extends left and right above the game area 5a. The upper left portion, slightly above the center in the left-right direction, is visible through the transparent game panel 1100 and the center mechanism 2500, and a portion is clearly visible through the frame of the center mechanism 2500. The rear upper movable decorative body 3210 has a rear upper first decorative section 3211, which has multiple 7-segment sections, facing forward.

The rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 of the rear lower display unit 3300 are in a retracted position behind the rear front lower display unit 3160, making them invisible from the front (player side).

The game board 5, when game balls B are received into the first start slot 2002 and the second start slot 2004, determines the results of the first and second special lottery draws. Based on these results, the reverse front performance unit 3100, the reverse upper performance unit 3200, and the reverse lower performance unit 3300 of the reverse unit 3000 perform predetermined movable and illuminating effects.

Specifically, as an example of a movable display using the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper display unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000, as shown in Figure 161, the rear upper first decorative body 3211, which has five 7-segment sections, is moved from the raised position to the lowered position while remaining facing forward. This ensures that most of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 is positioned within the frame of the center mechanism 2500, allowing the rear upper first decorative body 3211 to be clearly visible. At this time, by displaying the five 7-segment sections of the rear upper first decorative body 3211 in a variable manner, the player's attention can be strongly attracted, and the player can experience suspense and excitement depending on whether or not the desired numbers or symbols are displayed in the five 7-segment sections.

Furthermore, as an example of using the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, after moving the rear upper first decorative part 3211 to the lowered position while keeping it facing forward, it is rotated 180 degrees around the left-right axis, as shown in Figure 162, so that the rear upper second decorative part 3212, which has multiple strings of characters, faces forward. This causes the "JACKPOT" text to face forward, allowing the player to recognize that it is a "jackpot," thereby increasing the player's anticipation of a favorable game state ("jackpot" game state) and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, as a performance using the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, for example, when rotating it around the left-right axis, the rear upper first decorative part 3211 and the rear upper second decorative part 3212 may be made to repeatedly rotate forward and backward at the intermediate point, so that either the rear upper first decorative part 3211 or the rear upper second decorative part 3212 faces forward and stops rotating. This allows the player to feel suspense and excitement depending on whether the "JACKPOT" on the rear upper second decorative part 3212 faces forward, thereby increasing the player's anticipation and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, as an effect using the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, for example, it may be rotated 180 degrees around the left-right axis while remaining in the raised position so that the rear upper second decorative body 3212 faces forward.

Furthermore, as an effect using the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower effect unit 3300, for example, as shown in Figure 163, from a retracted position where the respective tips are separated from each other and positioned downwards, the respective base ends are rotated in opposite directions around the axis extending front and back, and raised so that the respective tips rise and touch each other, moving to an appearance position where they are in contact with each other. As a result, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 form a single large decorative body stylized as the letter "A," which appears in the center of the game area 5a in front of the display screen of the effect display device 1600. This can greatly surprise the player, strongly attract their attention, and make them think that something good is about to happen, thereby increasing their anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, as an effect using the lower front decorative element 3161 in the lower front decorative element unit 3160 of the lower front decorative element unit 3100, for example, as shown in Figure 164, it can be raised or rotated around its front-to-back axis. This causes the lower front decorative element 3161 to rotate in the lower center of the game area 5a, making the player think something good is about to happen and increasing their anticipation for the game. Also, since the lower front decorative element 3161 is located directly above the first start opening 2002 and behind the stage 2513, its rotation and movement encourages the player to aim the game ball B at the first start opening 2002, allowing them to enjoy the original game ball B-shooting operation of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, as an example of a performance using the front-front left decoration unit 3120 of the front-back performance unit 3100, as shown in Figure 165, by appropriately illuminating the LEDs mounted on the front-front left decoration board 3128, the front-front upper left decoration board 3129, and the front-front lower left decoration board 3130, a lighting effect can be performed that illuminates the front-front left logo decoration section 3121, the front-front upper left logo decoration section 3122, the front-front left sub-decoration section 3123, the front-front left band decoration section 3127c, etc. For example, in the front-front left logo decoration section 3121, by sequentially illuminating the first front-left logo decoration section 3124c, the first back-left logo decoration section 3124d, the second back-left logo decoration section 3125d, and the third back-left logo decoration section 3126d, a lighting effect resembling a flowing neon sign can be displayed, entertaining the player.

Although not shown in the diagram, the front right decorative unit 3140 can also perform the same lighting effects as the front left decorative unit 3120, providing entertainment for the player.

Furthermore, as an effect using the light guide plate 3110 of the front-back effect unit 3100, for example, as shown in Figure 166, multiple LEDs 3128g for the light guide plate on the front-back left decorative substrate 3128 of the front-back left decorative unit 3120, and multiple LEDs for the light guide plate on the front-back right first decorative substrate 3148, the front-back right second decorative substrate 3149, and the front-back right light guide plate decorative substrate 3150 of the front-back right decorative unit 3140 are illuminated to illuminate the first pattern 3111 (illuminated decoration). As a result, a large first pattern 3111, which is a stylized "A", is illuminated in the center of the game area 5a in front of the display screen of the effect display device 1600, which can surprise the player and make them think that something good is about to happen, thus preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, as an effect using the light guide plate 3110, for example, as shown in Figure 167, the first symbol 3111 is illuminated, and the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 of the rear lower effect unit 3300 are moved from the retracted position to the appearance position. This results in the first symbol 3111 and the large decorative element formed by the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 overlapping front to back. This creates a strong impact on the player, entertaining them and making them believe that a favorable game state (for example, a "jackpot" game) is about to occur, thus increasing their anticipation for the game.

Furthermore, as an effect using the light guide plate 3110, for example, as shown in Figure 168, multiple LEDs 3176 on the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the lower front display unit 3160 are appropriately illuminated to illuminate (illuminate) the second pattern 3112. As a result, multiple lines 3113 extending upward from the upper parts of the five decorative elements in the lower front display unit 3160—the lower front middle decorative element 3161, the lower left inner decorative element 3163, the lower left outer decorative element 3164, the lower right inner decorative element 3165, and the lower right outer decorative element 3166—are illuminated. This creates an illumination effect similar to searchlights from below on a concert stage, making the game area 5a appear dazzling and entertaining for the player.

Furthermore, as an effect using the light guide plate 3110, for example, as shown in Figure 168, the upper ends or the entirety of the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161, rear front lower left inner decorative body 3163, rear front lower left outer decorative body 3164, rear front lower right inner decorative body 3165, and rear front lower right outer decorative body 3166 in the rear front lower effect unit 3160 may be illuminated while the second pattern 3112 is illuminated. Alternatively, the decorative body located below the illuminated line group 3114 in the second pattern 3112 may be illuminated. This creates the illusion for the player that the line 3113 constituting the second pattern 3112 is illuminated by light from decorative elements such as the reverse front lower center decorative element 3161, the reverse front lower left inner decorative element 3163, the reverse front lower left outer decorative element 3164, the reverse front lower right inner decorative element 3165, and the reverse front lower right outer decorative element 3166, providing the player with an unprecedented luminous effect for entertainment.

Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110 may be illuminated, and the rear upper movable decorative element 3210 may be moved to a lowered position. This allows the player to see the rear upper movable decorative element 3210 as if it were being illuminated from below by a searchlight, thus making the decorative element 3210 appear more luxurious and enjoyable.

Furthermore, in the game board 5 of this embodiment, the light-emitting and movable effects described above can be appropriately combined, and can also be combined with the effect images (display effects) displayed on the display screen of the effect display device 1600. This allows for a variety of effect patterns to be presented to the player by appropriately combining light-emitting effects, display effects, etc., making it less likely for the player to get bored. It also allows for entertaining the player with various effects, preventing a decline in the player's interest in the game.

[6. Control Configuration]
Next, the control configuration for various operations of the pachinko machine 1 will be explained with reference to Figure 169, etc. Figure 169 is a block diagram that schematically shows the control configuration of the pachinko machine. As shown in the figure, the main control configuration of the pachinko machine 1 consists of a main control board 1310 and a peripheral control board 1510 attached to the game board 5, and a payout control board 633 attached to the main frame 4, with each being responsible for a specific control. The main control board 1310 controls the game operation (progress of the game). The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control unit 1511 that controls various effects during gameplay based on commands from the main control board 1310, and an effect display control unit 1512 that controls the display of effect images on the effect display device 1600 based on commands from the peripheral control unit 1511. The payout control board 633 includes a payout control unit 633a that controls the payout of game balls B, etc., and a launch control unit 633b that controls the launch of game balls B by rotating the handle 195.

[6-1. Main Control Board]
The main control board 1310, which controls the progress of the game, is not shown in detail in the illustration, but it includes a main control MPU 1310a, which is a microprocessor that has a built-in ROM for storing various processing programs and commands, and RAM for temporarily storing data, a main control I/O port as an input/output device (I/O device), a main control input circuit to which detection signals from various detection switches are input, a main control solenoid drive circuit 1310d for driving various solenoids, a RAM clear switch for completely erasing information stored in the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a, a setting display 1310g for displaying setting values and error displays, and a base monitor 1310h for displaying the result of calculating the ratio of the number of payouts (the number of game balls B that are paid out (given) as prize balls when balls enter the prize holes) to the number of balls entered (the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry holes (prize holes, out holes) provided in the game area 5a partitioned in the game board 5). In addition to its built-in ROM and RAM, the main control MPU 1310a also incorporates a watchdog timer to monitor its operation (system) and functions to prevent fraud.

The main control MPU 1310a incorporates not only its built-in RAM (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in RAM") and ROM (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in ROM"), but also a watchdog timer (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in WDT") for monitoring its operation (system) and functions for preventing fraud.

Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a incorporates non-volatile RAM. This non-volatile RAM pre-stores a unique ID code (a code that exists only once in the world) assigned by the manufacturer of the main control MPU 1310a for individual identification. Because this ID code is stored in non-volatile RAM, it cannot be rewritten even with external devices. The main control MPU 1310a is designed to retrieve and reference the ID code from the non-volatile RAM.

Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a also incorporates a circuit that forcibly resets the hardware if it is affected by electrical noise (hereinafter referred to as the "built-in reset circuit"). The built-in reset circuit monitors the contents of a predetermined register of the main control MPU 1310a and, if the register changes to an inconsistent state, it forcibly resets the main control MPU 1310a, assuming it has been affected by electrical noise. This forced reset by the built-in reset circuit cannot be controlled or disabled by a user program. Therefore, when the main control MPU 1310a is forcibly reset by the built-in reset circuit, it resets without executing the main control side power-off processing described later, and then executes the main control side power-on processing described later again. In this case, since the main control side power-off processing is not executed, a checksum (sum value) error will inevitably occur in the main control's built-in RAM, as described later, and the contents of the main control's built-in RAM will be completely erased (cleared). Furthermore, even if the main control MPU 1310a is forcibly reset by its built-in reset circuit, the built-in reset circuit of the main control MPU 1310a does not output a reset signal to the payout control board 633. Therefore, only the main control board 1310 (main control MPU 1310a) restarts, while the payout control board 633 remains in an activated state.

Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a incorporates a hardware random number circuit (hereinafter referred to as the "main control built-in hardware random number circuit") that updates special random numbers used to determine whether or not to generate a jackpot or minor win state among various random numbers related to the game. This main control built-in hardware random number circuit generates random numbers within a predetermined numerical range (in this embodiment, a numerical range of 0 as the minimum value and 65535 as the maximum value is predetermined), and the circuit is configured so that a different value is set each time the main control MPU 1310a is reset, rather than the predetermined initial value being fixed (i.e., the initial value is not fixed). Specifically, when the main control MPU 1310a is reset, the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit first uses a value of 1 within a predetermined numerical range as its initial value. Based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU 1310a (a clock signal output from a crystal oscillator, not shown, that is separate from the main control MPU 1310a), it rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range without repetition. Once all values within the predetermined numerical range have been extracted, it again extracts a value of 1 within the predetermined numerical range and rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range without repetition based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU 1310a. This high-speed random number extraction is repeated by the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit, and the main control MPU 1310a sets the value extracted by the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit at the time of obtaining a value from it as a special random number.

The main control input circuit lacks a reset terminal to forcibly reset the information received from detection signals from various sensors at its various input terminals, and therefore does not have a reset function. For this reason, the main control input circuit is configured as a circuit that does not receive a system reset signal from the main control system reset (not shown). In other words, the main control input circuit is configured as a circuit where various signals based on the detection signals from various sensors input to its various input terminals are output from its various output terminals, because the information based on that information is not reset by the main control system reset.

The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 detects the game ball B received into the first start opening 2002, the second start opening sensor 2401 detects the game ball B received into the second start opening 2004, the general prize opening sensor 3001 detects the game ball B received into the general prize opening 2001, the gate sensor 2801 detects the game ball B that has passed through the gate 2003, the large prize opening sensor 2402 detects the game ball B received into the large prize opening 2005, and the special prize opening 2006. Detection signals from the following sensors, including the prize entry sensor 2601, the V-entry sensor 3003 which detects game balls B received into the V-entry slot 2007, the losing slot sensor 3004 which detects game balls B received into the losing slot 2008, the out sensor 664 which detects game balls B discharged from the game board 5, the magnetic sensor 1050 which detects unauthorized magnetism within the game area 5a, and the vibration sensor which detects vibrations acting on the game board 5, are input to the input terminals of predetermined input ports of the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit.

Furthermore, the detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a and the setting switching button 1311b on the setting change board 1311 are input to the input terminals of predetermined input ports on the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit.

Furthermore, the detection signals from the door frame release switch and the main frame release switch are input to the main control board 1310 via the dispensing control board 633 (that is, directly, without going through the dispensing control input circuit and dispensing control output circuit, which will be described later). From there, they are input to the input terminals of predetermined input ports on the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit.

Furthermore, the detection signals from the out sensor 664, the first start port sensor 3002, and the second start port sensor 2401 are input directly to the main control board 1310 without going through other boards, and are then input to the input terminals of predetermined input ports on the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit. In contrast, the detection signals from the general prize port sensor 3001, the gate sensor 2801, the large prize port sensor 2402, the special prize port sensor 2601, the V prize port sensor 3003, the losing port sensor 3004, the magnetic sensor 1050, and the vibration sensor are input indirectly to the main control board 1310 via the panel relay board 1710, and are then input to the input terminals of predetermined input ports on the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit.

Based on these detection signals, the main control MPU 1310a outputs a control signal from the output terminal of its predetermined output port to the main control solenoid drive circuit. This allows the main control solenoid drive circuit to output drive signals to the start solenoid 2412, attacker solenoid 2414, prize entry solenoid 2612, and V distribution solenoid 3007, indirectly via the panel relay board 1710. Alternatively, it can output drive signals to the status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special symbol indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special symbol indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator of the function display unit 1400 directly, without going through other boards. Furthermore, based on these detection signals, the main control MPU 1310a outputs a drive signal from the output terminal of its predetermined output port to the setting change permission lamp 1311c of the setting change board 1311.

Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a outputs various game-related information (game information) from the output terminals of its predetermined output ports to the payout control board 633, outputs a signal (power outage clear signal) from the output terminals of its predetermined output ports to the power outage monitoring circuit, and outputs a launch permission signal from the output terminals of its predetermined output ports to the payout control board 633 to indicate permission to launch game ball B. The logic of this launch permission signal, which indicates permission to launch, is set to launch permission logic when launching is permitted, and to launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic), which is the inverse of the launch permission logic, when launching is not permitted. Furthermore, the logic of the launch permission signal is configured, as an initial value (default), to be set to a launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic), which is the inverted launch permission logic, from the time the pachinko machine 1 is powered on (after power is restored) until the launch permission signal setting process in the main control timer interrupt processing described later begins. This is achieved through hardware including a main control output circuit with a reset function.

In this embodiment, the first start port sensor 3002, the second start port sensor 2401, the gate sensor 2801, the large prize port sensor 2402, the special prize port sensor 2601, the V prize port sensor 3003, the losing port sensor 3004, and the out sensor 664 use non-contact type electromagnetic proximity switches, while the general prize port sensor 3001 uses a contact type ON/OFF mechanical switch. This is because game balls B frequently enter or pass through the first start port 2002, the second start port 2004, and the gate 2003, resulting in frequent detection of game balls B by the first start port sensor 3002, the second start port sensor 2401, and the gate sensor 2801. Therefore, highly durable and long-lasting proximity switches are used for the first start port sensor 3002, the second start port sensor 2401, and the gate sensor 2801.

Furthermore, when a favorable game state occurs that is advantageous to the player (such as a "jackpot" game), the large prize slot 2005 opens and game balls B enter frequently, resulting in frequent detection of game balls B by the large prize slot sensor 2402. For this reason, the large prize slot sensor 2402 also uses a proximity switch with high durability and a long lifespan. In addition, game balls B launched into the game area 5a are collected in large quantities by the out slot 1008 provided in the game area 5a partitioned on the game board 5, resulting in frequent detection of game balls B by the out sensor 664. For this reason, the out sensor 664 also uses a proximity switch with high durability and a long lifespan. In contrast, the general prize slot 2001, into which game balls B do not enter frequently, does not experience frequent detection by the general prize slot sensor 3001. For this reason, the general prize slot sensor 3001 uses a mechanical switch with a shorter lifespan than a proximity switch. Furthermore, regardless of whether or not game ball B frequently enters the general prize slot 2001, a proximity switch with high durability and a long lifespan may be used.

Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a transmits various information related to the game (game information) and various commands related to payouts to the payout control board 633, and receives various commands related to the state of the pachinko machine 1 from the payout control board 633. In addition, the main control MPU 1310a transmits various commands related to the control of game effects and various commands related to the state of the pachinko machine 1 to the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 via the main control I/O port. Note that, although a detailed explanation will follow later, when the main control MPU 1310a receives various commands related to the state of the pachinko machine 1 from the payout control board 633, it formats these commands and transmits them to the peripheral control unit 1511.

The main control board 1310 receives various voltages from the power supply board 630 of the board unit 620, although a detailed explanation will follow later. This power supply board 630, which supplies various voltages to the main control board 1310, is equipped with an electric double-layer capacitor (hereinafter simply referred to as "capacitor") as a backup power supply to provide power to the main control board 1310 for a predetermined time even when the power supply is cut off. This capacitor allows the main control MPU 1310a to store various information in the RAM during power-off processing, even when the power supply is cut off. This stored information is completely erased (cleared) from the RAM when the RAM clear switch on the main control board 1310 is operated upon power-up. The operation signal (detection signal) for this RAM clear switch is also output to the payout control board 633.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 is equipped with a power outage monitoring circuit. This power outage monitoring circuit monitors the decrease in various voltages supplied from the power supply board 630, and when these voltages fall below the power outage warning voltage, it outputs a power outage warning signal. This power outage warning signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a via the main control I/O port, and is also output to the dispensing control board 633, etc.

[6-2. Dispensing Control Board]
The payout control board 633, which controls the dispensing of game balls B, has a mounting surface 633x on which various electronic components are mounted and a solder surface 633y on which no electronic components are mounted (single-sided mounting). The mounting surface 633x includes a payout control unit 633a that performs various controls related to dispensing, a launch control unit 633b that performs launch control by a launch solenoid 542 and ball feeding control by a ball feeding solenoid 145, an error LED indicator that displays the status of the pachinko machine 1, an error release switch having a pressable operation part for clearing errors displayed on the error LED indicator, and a ball removal switch for initiating a ball removal operation during maintenance by discharging the game balls B in the ball tank 552, tank rail 553, ball guidance unit 570, and payout device 580 to the outside of the pachinko machine 1 (upper tray 201). In this example, the dispensing control board 633 only mounts lead-type (through-hole mounting type, insertion-mount type) electronic components, which are soldered by inserting lead terminals into through-holes provided on the surface of the board. However, it is possible to mount both lead-type (through-hole mounting type, insertion-mount type) electronic components and surface-mount type electronic components (chip components, SMD (Surface Mount)) where electrodes (connection terminals) are soldered to pads provided on the surface of the board without using through-holes.
The substrate may be a mixed-distribution board on which both (devices) and (Surface Mount Devices) are mounted, or it may be a substrate on which only surface-mount type electronic components (chip components, SMD (Surface Mount Devices)) are mounted.

[6-2a. Dispensing Control Unit]
The dispensing control unit 633a, which performs various dispensing controls on the dispensing control board 633, is not shown in detail in the illustration, but it includes a dispensing control MPU, which is a microprocessor with built-in ROM for storing various processing programs and commands, and RAM for temporarily storing data; a dispensing control I/O port as an I/O device; an external WDT (external watchdog timer) for monitoring whether the dispensing control MPU is operating normally; a dispensing motor drive circuit for outputting a drive signal to the dispensing motor 584 of the dispensing device 580; and a dispensing control input circuit to which detection signals from various detection switches related to dispensing are input. In addition to its built-in ROM and RAM, the dispensing control MPU also has built-in functions to prevent fraud.

The payout control MPU of the payout control unit 633a receives various game-related information (game information) and various payout-related commands from the main control board 1310 via the payout control I/O port in a serial manner. In addition to receiving operation signals (detection signals) for the RAM clear switch from the main control board 1310 via the payout control I/O port, it also receives detection signals from the full tank detection sensor 154, as well as detection signals from the ball depletion detection sensor 574, the payout detection sensor 591, and the flipper rotation detection sensor 590.

Detection signals from the ball-out detection sensor 574 of the ball-guiding unit 570, the payout detection sensor 591 of the payout device 580, and the blade rotation detection sensor 590 are input to the payout control input circuit and then to the payout control MPU via the payout control I/O port.

Furthermore, detection signals from the door frame release switch, which detects the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4, and the main frame release switch, which detects the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, are input to the dispensing control input circuit and then to the dispensing control MPU via the dispensing control I/O port.

Furthermore, the detection signal from the full-tank detection sensor 154 of the foul cover unit 150, the detection signal from the blade rotation detection sensor 590 of the dispensing device 580, the detection signal from the dispensing detection sensor 591 of the dispensing device 580, the power outage warning signal from the power outage monitoring circuit of the main control board 1310, and the error release signal from the error release switch are input to predetermined input ports of the dispensing control MPU via the dispensing control input circuit.

The payout control MPU outputs a drive signal to the payout motor 584 via the payout control I/O, outputs a signal to the error LED indicator to display the status of the pachinko machine 1 via the payout control I/O port, transmits commands indicating the status of the pachinko machine 1 to the main control board 1310 serially via the payout control I/O port, and outputs the number of game balls B actually dispensed to the external terminal board 558 via the payout control I/O port. This external terminal board 558 is connected to a hall computer installed on the amusement hall side. This hall computer monitors the players' games by understanding the number of game balls B dispensed by the pachinko machine 1 and game information of the pachinko machine 1.

The error LED indicator (not shown in the diagram) is a segment display that shows the status of pachinko machine 1 by displaying alphanumeric characters, shapes, etc. The error LED indicator displays and notifies the following: For example, when the symbol "-" is displayed, it indicates that the system is "normal"; when the number "0" is displayed, it indicates a "connection error" (specifically, an electrical connection error between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633); when the number "1" is displayed, it indicates a "bulb out" (specifically, based on a detection signal from the bulb out detection sensor 574, there are no game balls B in the payout device 580); when the number "2" is displayed, it indicates a "bulb jam" (specifically, based on a detection signal from the blade rotation detection sensor 590, a game ball B has jammed between the payout passage 580a and the payout blade 589 of the payout device 580, making it difficult for the payout blade 589 to rotate); and when the number "3" is displayed, it indicates a "counting switch error" (specifically, the payout detection sensor 59 Based on the detection signal from 1, it notifies that there is a malfunction in the payout detection sensor 591. When the number "5" is displayed, it notifies that there is a "retry error" (specifically, that the number of retries for the payout operation has reached a preset upper limit). When the number "6" is displayed, it notifies that the unit is "full" (specifically, that the unit is full with game balls B stored in the foul cover unit 150 based on the detection signal from the full-tank detection sensor 154). When the number "7" is displayed, it notifies that the CR is "not connected" (that an electrical connection has been disconnected anywhere between the payout control board 633 and the CR unit). When the number "9" is displayed, it notifies that the unit is "in stock" (specifically, that the number of game balls B that have not yet been paid out has reached a preset number).

The ball dispensing request signal for game balls B from the ball dispensing button 224 and the prepaid card return request signal from the return button 225 are input to the CR unit. The CR unit transmits a signal specifying the number of game balls B to be dispensed according to the ball dispensing request signal to the payout control board 633 via serial communication. This signal is received by the payout control I/O port and input to the payout control MPU. The CR unit also updates the remaining balance of the inserted prepaid card according to the number of game balls B dispensed, and outputs a signal to display the remaining balance to the ball dispensing operation unit 220. This signal is input to the ball dispensing display unit 226 of the ball dispensing operation unit 220 and displayed.

[6-2b. Launch Control Unit]
The launch control unit 633b performs launch control using the launch solenoid 542 and ball feeding control using the ball feeding solenoid 145. The launch control unit 633b, although not shown in detail in the illustration, includes a launch control input circuit to which detection signals from various detection switches related to launch are input, an oscillator circuit that outputs a clock signal at regular intervals, a launch timing control circuit that outputs a launch reference pulse for launching game balls B toward the game area 5a based on this clock signal, a launch solenoid drive circuit that outputs a drive signal to the launch solenoid 542 based on this launch reference pulse, and a ball feeding solenoid drive circuit that outputs a drive signal to the ball feeding solenoid 145 based on the launch reference pulse. The launch timing control circuit generates a launch reference pulse based on the clock signal from the oscillator circuit so that 100 game balls B per minute are launched toward the game area 5a and outputs it to the launch solenoid drive circuit, and also generates a ball feeding reference pulse which is a predetermined number of times the launch reference pulse and outputs it to the ball feeding solenoid drive circuit.

In relation to the handle unit 180, detection signals from the handle touch sensor 192, which detects whether the palm or fingers are touching the handle 195, and the single-shot button operation sensor 194, which detects whether the launch of game ball B should be forcibly stopped by the player's will, are input to the launch control input circuit and then to the launch timing control circuit. Furthermore, when the CR unit and the CR unit connection terminal board are electrically connected, a CR connection signal is input to the launch control input circuit and then to the launch timing control circuit. The launch permission signal from the main control board 1310, which indicates permission to launch game ball B, is input to the launch control input circuit and then to the launch timing control circuit. The signal from the handle rotation detection sensor 189, which electrically adjusts the strength with which game ball B is launched toward the game area 5a according to the rotation position of the handle 195, is input to the launch solenoid drive circuit.

The launch timing control circuit does not output a launch reference pulse for launching game ball B toward the game area 5a unless launch condition 1 is met based on the detection signal from the handle touch sensor 192 (i.e., the palm or fingers are touching the handle 195), launch condition 2 is met based on the CR connection signal (i.e., the CR unit and the CR unit connection terminal board are electrically connected), and launch condition 3 is met based on the launch permission signal from the main control board 1310 (i.e., the launch permission pulse for launching game ball B toward the game area 5a). Therefore, for example, the launch solenoid drive circuit will not output a drive signal to the launch solenoid 542, and game ball B cannot be launched.

The launch solenoid drive circuit, based on a signal from the handle rotation detection sensor 189, outputs a drive current to the launch solenoid 542 to launch the game ball B toward the game area 5a with a launch strength corresponding to the rotation position of the handle 195, triggered by the input of a launch reference pulse. Meanwhile, the ball feeding solenoid drive circuit, triggered by the input of a ball feeding reference pulse, outputs a constant current to the ball feeding solenoid 145, thereby receiving one game ball B stored in the upper tray 201 of the tray unit 200 into the ball feeding unit 140. When the input of the ball feeding reference pulse ends, the output of the constant current is stopped, sending the received game ball B to the ball launching device 540. Thus, the drive current output from the launch solenoid drive circuit to the launch solenoid 542 is variably controlled, while the drive current output from the ball feeding solenoid drive circuit to the ball feeding solenoid 145 is controlled to be constant.

In this embodiment, the launch control unit 633b, which performs launch control using the launch solenoid 542 and ball feeding control using the ball feeding solenoid 145, is provided on the payout control board 633. However, it may be configured to be provided on the power supply board 630. In this case, the launch permission signal from the main control board 1310 may be directly input to the power supply board 630, or it may be input to the power supply board 630 via the payout control board 633, or it may be input to the power supply board 630 via an intermediate board (not shown).

[6-3. Peripheral Control Board]
As shown in Figure 169, the peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control unit 1511 that performs performance control based on commands from the main control board 1310, and a performance display control unit 1512 that performs drawing control of the performance display device 1600 based on control data from the peripheral control unit 1511.

[6-3a. Peripheral Control Unit]
The peripheral control unit 1511, which controls the performance on the peripheral control board 1510, is not shown in detail in the illustration, but it includes a peripheral control IC on which a CPU, RAM, and various I/O interfaces are integrated on a single semiconductor chip, a peripheral control ROM that stores various processing programs and commands, a sound source IC that performs high-quality performance, and a sound ROM that stores sound information such as music, voice, and sound effects referenced by the sound source IC.

The peripheral control IC integrates multiple parallel I/O ports, serial I/O ports, etc., on a single semiconductor chip. Upon receiving various commands from the main control board 1310, the CPU of the peripheral control IC transmits light emission data from the serial I/O port for the lamp drive board to each decorative board of the game board 5 to output lighting signals, blinking signals, or gradation lighting signals to the color LEDs, etc., provided on each decorative board of the game board 5. It also transmits drive data from the serial I/O port for the game board decoration drive board to the drive motors or drive solenoids of the game board 5 to output drive signals to the drive motors that operate the various performance units provided on the game board 5. Furthermore, the system transmits door-side drive data, consisting of drive signals to the vibration motor 356, operation button lifting drive motor 367, and sudden output adjustment drive motor 381, etc., provided on the door frame 3, and door-side light emission data, consisting of lighting signals, blinking signals, or gradation lighting signals to the color LEDs, etc., provided on each decorative substrate of the door frame 3, from the serial I/O port for the frame decorative drive substrate to the door frame 3. It also transmits control data (display commands) indicating the screen to be displayed on the performance display device 1600 from the serial I/O port for the display control unit to the performance display control unit 1512. In addition, it outputs control signals (sound commands) to the sound source IC for extracting sound information from the sound ROM.

The detection signals from the contact detection sensor body 358, pressure detection sensor 373, lifting/lowering detection sensor 374, and protruding force detection sensor 375 of the performance control unit 300 installed on the door frame 3 are input to the peripheral control IC.

Furthermore, the CPU of the peripheral control IC receives a signal (operation signal) from the performance display control unit 1512 indicating that the unit is functioning normally, and monitors the operation of the performance display control unit 1512 based on this operation signal.

The sound source IC extracts sound information from the sound ROM based on control data (sound commands) from the CPU of the peripheral control IC, and controls the playback of music and sound effects, etc., from the top center speaker, top side speakers, and the main frame speaker 622 of the main frame 4, which are located on the door frame 3 and main frame 4, respectively, to match various effects. The volume can be adjusted by rotating a volume adjustment switch that protrudes rearward from the peripheral control board box housing the peripheral control board 1510. In this embodiment, by sending acoustic signals (e.g., 2-channel stereo signals, 4-channel stereo signals, 2.1-channel surround signals, or 4.1-channel surround signals, etc.) as sound information to the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3 side, and the main frame speaker 622 for bass on the main frame 4, it is possible to present more realistic sound effects (sound effects) than before.

Furthermore, the peripheral control unit 1511 is equipped with an external WDT (watchdog timer), not just the internal WDT built into the peripheral control IC's CPU. The peripheral control IC's CPU uses both the internal and external WDTs to diagnose whether its system is malfunctioning.

The display commands output from the CPU of this peripheral control IC to the display control unit 1512 are performed via a serial input/output port. In this embodiment, the bitrate (the amount of data that can be transmitted per unit time) is set to 19.2 kilobits per second (bps). On the other hand, the initial data, door frame side illumination/flashing commands, game board side illumination/flashing commands, movable body drive commands, etc., output from the CPU of the peripheral control IC to the game board 5 are performed via multiple serial input/output ports different from those used for the display commands. In this embodiment, the bitrate is set to 250 kbps.

[6-3b. Performance display control section]
The performance display control unit 1512 controls the drawing of the performance display device 1600. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, the performance display control unit 1512 includes a display control MPU as a microprocessor, a display control ROM that stores various processing programs, various commands and various data, a VDP (abbreviation for Video Display Processor) that controls the display of the performance display device 1600, an image ROM that stores various data of the screen displayed on the performance display device 1600, and an image RAM to which the various data stored in this image ROM is transferred and copied.

This display control MPU incorporates parallel I/O ports, serial I/O ports, etc., and controls the VDP based on control data (display commands) from the peripheral control unit 1511 to control the drawing of the display device 1600. When the display control MPU is operating normally, it outputs an operation signal to the peripheral control unit 1511 to indicate this. Furthermore, the display control MPU receives an execution signal from the VDP, and triggers an interrupt process every 16ms when this execution signal stops.

The display control ROM stores various programs for generating the screen to be drawn on the performance display device 1600, as well as schedule data corresponding to control data (display commands) from the peripheral control unit 1511, and non-resident area transfer schedule data corresponding to that control data (display commands). The schedule data is composed of screen data that defines the screen configuration arranged in chronological order, and defines the order in which the screen to be drawn on the performance display device 1600 is determined. The non-resident area transfer schedule data is composed of non-resident area transfer data arranged in chronological order that defines the order in which various data stored in the image ROM are transferred to the non-resident area of the image RAM. This non-resident area transfer data pre-defines the order in which various data are transferred from the image ROM to the non-resident area of the image RAM in accordance with the progress of the schedule data, so that the screen data to be drawn on the performance display device 1600 is determined in advance.

The display control MPU extracts the first screen data from the display control ROM and outputs it to the VDP, based on the control data (display command) from the peripheral control unit 1511 and the corresponding schedule data. Then, it extracts the screen data following the first screen data from the display control ROM and outputs it to the VDP. In this way, the display control MPU extracts the screen data, which is arranged chronologically in the schedule data, one by one from the display control ROM, starting from the first screen data, and outputs it to the VDP.

The VDP, upon receiving screen data output from the display control MPU, extracts sprite data from the image RAM based on this input screen data to generate drawing data to be displayed on the performance display device 1600, and outputs this generated drawing data to the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, if the performance display device 1600 does not accept screen data from the display control MPU, the VDP outputs an execution signal to the display control MPU to indicate this. The VDP employs a line buffer system. This "line buffer system" is a method in which drawing data for one line representing the left-right direction of the performance display device 1600 is held in a line buffer, and this line of drawing data held in the line buffer is output to the performance display device 1600.

The image ROM stores a very large amount of sprite data, resulting in a large capacity. As the image ROM capacity increases—that is, as the number of sprites to be drawn on the display device 1600 increases—the access speed of the image ROM becomes significant, affecting the drawing speed on the display device 1600. Therefore, in this embodiment, the sprite data stored in the image ROM is transferred and copied to the image RAM, which has a faster access speed, and the sprite data is extracted from this image RAM. Note that the sprite data is the base data, which is the data before the sprites are expanded into bitmap format, and is stored in the image ROM in a compressed state.

To explain "sprites" here, a "sprite" is an image displayed as a unified unit on the visual display device 1600. For example, when displaying various people (characters) on the visual display device 1600, the data used to draw each person is called a "sprite." Therefore, when displaying multiple people on the visual display device 1600, multiple sprites are used. In addition to people, elements that make up the background, such as houses, mountains, and roads, are also sprites, and the entire background can be treated as a single sprite. These sprites are drawn on the visual display device 1600 after their positions on the screen and their overlapping order (hereinafter referred to as "sprite overlapping order") are set.

A sprite is composed of multiple rectangular areas, each 64 pixels wide and 64 pixels high. The data used to draw these rectangular areas is called a "sprite character." Small sprites can be represented using a single sprite character, while larger sprites, such as those of people, can be represented using a total of six sprite characters, for example, arranged in a 2x3 grid. Even larger sprites, like backgrounds, can be represented using even more sprite characters. Thus, the number and arrangement of sprite characters can be arbitrarily specified for each sprite.

The display device 1600 is driven by a main scan, which sets the display state of each pixel in one direction along the pixels, sequentially from left to right when viewed from the front, and a sub-scan, which repeats the main scan in a direction intersecting that direction. When the display device 1600 receives drawing data for one line output from the display control unit 1512, it performs a main scan, sequentially outputting to each pixel of that line, from left to right when viewed from the front. Once the output for one line is complete, the display device 1600 moves to the line directly below as a sub-scan. Similarly, when drawing data for the next line is received, it performs a main scan based on this next line's drawing data, sequentially outputting to each pixel of that line, from left to right when viewed from the front.

[7. Configuration of the Peripheral Control Unit]
Next, the overall configuration of the peripheral control unit 1500, which is located on the rear side of the game panel 1100 on the game board 5, will be described in detail with reference to Figures 170 to 172. Figure 170 is a front exploded perspective view of the peripheral control unit, Figure 171 is a rear exploded perspective view of the peripheral control unit, and Figure 172 is a front view of the peripheral control unit. Here, the rear side of the pachinko machine 1 will be described as the front side of the peripheral control unit 1500. Note that in Figure 171, the terminals of various connectors are inserted from the front surface (mounting surface) 1510x to the back surface (solder surface) 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510, and the terminals of various connectors protrude from the back surface (solder surface) 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510, but this has been omitted for the sake of clarity in the drawing.

As shown in Figures 170 and 171, the peripheral control unit 1500 comprises a cover body 1501 having a box shape with an opening at the rear and being longer in the left-right direction than in the up-down direction; a peripheral control board 1510 that can control the progress of the effects based on commands from the main control board 1310 of the main control unit 1300 which controls the progress of the game; a peripheral data ROM board 1520 electrically connected to the peripheral control board 1510; a liquid crystal output board 1530 electrically connected to the peripheral control board 1510; and a base body 1502 that closes the opening of the cover body 1501. Various boards such as the peripheral control board 1510, the peripheral data ROM board 1520, and the liquid crystal output board 1530 are each mounted in predetermined positions within the internal space of the cover body 1501, and the opening of the cover body 1501 is closed by the base body 1502, thereby forming a peripheral control board box 1505 (sealed board box) made up of the cover body 1501 and the base body 1502.

[7-1. Cover]
The various circuit boards installed in the internal space of the cover body 1501 include, in addition to the peripheral control board 1510, a peripheral data ROM board 1520 that can store various control information (peripheral data) controlled by the peripheral control board 1510, and a liquid crystal output board 1530 that can output drawing data for drawing images on the display device 1600. The peripheral control board 1510 has a horizontally elongated rectangular shape that occupies approximately two-thirds of the area when viewed from the back of the cover body 1501, and is positioned close to the left side of the cover body 1501. The peripheral data ROM board 1520 and the liquid crystal output board 1530 occupy approximately one-third of the remaining area when viewed from the back of the cover body 1501. The peripheral data ROM board 1520 has a square shape and is positioned on the upper right side of the cover body 1501, while the liquid crystal output board 1530 has a square shape that is two sizes larger than the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and is positioned on the lower right side of the cover body 1501.

The peripheral control board 1510 and the peripheral data ROM board 1520 are electrically connected via an inter-board connector, as described later. The peripheral control board 1510 and the LCD output board 1530 are also electrically connected via an inter-board connector, as described later. As a result, the ground (GND) lines of the peripheral control board 1510, the peripheral data ROM board 1520, and the LCD output board 1530 are electrically connected, sharing the same ground (GND). The ground (GND) lines of the peripheral control board 1510, the peripheral data ROM board 1520, and the LCD output board 1530 are electrically connected to the ground (GND) line of the power supply board 630 in the board unit 620 of the main frame 4.

The cover body 1501 is made of a conductive resin containing carbon in polycarbonate, molded in an opaque black color, and, when viewed from the front, is a horizontally elongated rectangular cover plate 1501a (plate thickness: 2 mm) with cover side walls 1501b to 1501e projecting toward the rear (towards the front of the pachinko machine 1), thereby forming a box shape with an opening.

The cover plate 1501a, when viewed from the front, has a square-shaped fan mounting recess 1501aa formed slightly to the upper right of its center, corresponding to the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 which is attached to the back side of the cover plate 1501a. This recess protrudes toward the opening side of the cover body 1501. On the bottom surface of the fan mounting recess 1501aa, multiple arc-shaped slit holes 1501aaa are formed along multiple concentric circles centered on the top, bottom, left, and right centers of the bottom surface. Furthermore, at the four corners of the bottom surface of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa, cylindrical guide protrusions 1501aab1 to 1501aab4 are formed, corresponding to the through holes th1 to th4 formed at the four corners of the square-shaped air-cooling fan. These guide protrusions have a predetermined height (shorter than the depth dimension of the air-cooling fan) and are inserted into these through holes th1 to th4, projecting toward the opposite side of the opening of the cover body 1501. By forming the slit holes 1501aaa as arc-shaped holes, it is possible to prevent unauthorized removal of various electronic components from the peripheral control board 1510.

Furthermore, a pair of mounting holes 1501aac1 and aac2 are formed diagonally in the vicinity of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa on the cover plate 1501aa. When the air-cooling fan is pushed into the FAN mounting recess 1501aa, the front surface of the air-cooling fan and the front surface of the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501 are positioned on the same plane. In this state, by screwing a pair of metal pan-head screws (screws with an integrated pan head and flat washer) into the pair of mounting holes 1501aac1 and aac2, from the front to the rear of the cover plate 1501a, the flat washer, which is the seat portion of the pan-head screw, comes into contact with the front of the cooling fan and the front of the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501. This prevents the cooling fan from popping out of the fan mounting recess 1501aa.

When the peripheral control board 1510 is fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, a gap of a predetermined distance (2.3 mm in this embodiment) is formed between the surface of the peripheral control IC 1510a (the side on which the part number and model number are printed) and the rear surface of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa.

Furthermore, the cover plate 1501a communicates with the fan mounting recess 1501aa, and a wiring exit recess 1501ab is formed projecting toward the opening of the cover body 1501 at a position higher than the bottom surface of the fan mounting recess 1501aa (a position with a shorter distance dimension than the distance dimension from the front surface of the cover plate 1501a to the bottom surface of the fan mounting recess 1501aa). Once the cooling fan is mounted and fixed in the fan mounting recess 1501aa, multiple wires from the cooling fan can be routed through the wiring exit recess 1501ab.

When viewed from the front, the cover plate 1501a has a connector recess 1501ac formed along its lower edge, protruding toward the opening side of the cover body 1501. This recess corresponds to the positions of the connectors CN1 to CN7 and the volume control switch 1510d on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, which is attached to the back side of the cover plate 1501a. More precisely, it is a convex region with the volume control switch 1510d and connector CN1 at the top and connectors CN2 to CN7 at the bottom. The connector recess 1501ac is formed at a lower position than the bottom surface of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa (a position with a longer distance dimension than the distance dimension from the front of the cover plate 1501a to the bottom surface of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa). On the bottom surface of the connector recess 1501ac, connector holes 1501ac1 to 1501ac7 and a volume control hole 1501ac8 are formed, corresponding to the connectors CN1 to CN7 and the volume control switch 1510d provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510. The bottom surface of the connector recess 1501ac generally occupies the lower right area when viewing the cover plate 1501a from the front. Therefore, to address the insufficient strength and warping of the cover body 1501 (cover plate 1501a) caused by the increased surface area of the bottom of the connector recess 1501ac, two elongated reinforcing ribs 1510aci1 and 1510aci2 are formed on the bottom of the connector recess 1501ac, protruding forward at a predetermined distance apart, in a position that does not interfere with the connector holes 1501ac1 to 1501ac7 and the volume adjustment hole 1501ac8.

When the peripheral control board 1510 is fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, the connectors CN1 to CN7 and the volume control switch 1510d on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 become exposed through the connector holes 1501ac1 to 1501ac7 and the volume control hole 1501ac8 formed on the bottom surface of the connector recess 1501ac.

When viewed from the front, the cover plate 1501a has a connector recess 1501ad formed along its lower edge, corresponding to the connectors CN8 and CN9 on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output substrate 1530 which is attached to the back side of the cover plate 1501a. This recess 1501ad is a closed, horizontally elongated rectangular area and is positioned lower than the bottom surface of the fan mounting recess 1501aa (a position with a longer distance dimension than the distance dimension from the front of the cover plate 1501a to the bottom surface of the fan mounting recess 1501aa), protruding toward the opening side of the cover body 1501. The bottom surface of the connector recess 1501ad and the bottom surface of the connector recess 1501ac are arranged on the same plane. On the bottom surface of the connector recess 1501ad, connector holes 1501ac9 and 1501ac10 are formed, corresponding to the positions of connectors CN8 and CN9 provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output substrate 1530.

When the liquid crystal output board 1530 is fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, the connectors CN8 and CN9 on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output board 1530 become exposed through the connector holes 1501ac9 and 1501ac10 formed on the bottom surface of the connector recess 1501ad.

Furthermore, when viewed from the front, the cover plate 1501a has a wiring exit opening 1501ae formed along its left edge at a position corresponding to the CN10 provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output substrate 1530. A mounting recess 1501af for attaching a horizontally elongated rectangular wiring cover body 1503, which communicates with and can close the wiring exit opening 1501ae, is formed at a higher position than the bottom surface of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa (a position having a shorter distance dimension than the distance dimension from the front of the cover plate 1501a to the bottom surface of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa), protruding toward the opening of the cover body 1501. The mounting recess 1501af is formed at a position corresponding to the through hole 1503a formed in the wiring cover body 1503. A cylindrical projection 1501afa, having a predetermined height (shorter than the depth dimension of the wiring cover body 1503), is inserted into this through hole 1503a and protrudes toward the opposite side of the opening of the cover body 1501. Additionally, mounting holes 1501afb1 and 1501afb2 are formed at positions corresponding to the through holes 1503b1 and 1503b2 formed in the wiring cover body 1503.

When the wiring cover body 1503 is fitted into the mounting recess 1501af, the front surface of the wiring cover body 1503 and the front surface of the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501 are positioned on the same plane. In this state, the wiring cover body 1503 can be fixed to the mounting recess 1501af by inserting metal pan head screws (not shown) into the through holes 1503b1 and 1503b2 formed in the wiring cover body 1503 and screwing them into the mounting holes 1501afb1 and 1501afb2, respectively, from the front to the rear of the wiring cover body 1503.

When the wiring cover body 1503 is fixed to the mounting recess 1501af, it closes the wiring outlet opening 1501ae and functions as a cover to protect the flexible flat cable (FFC (Flexible Flat Cable; a flexible flat cable consists of multiple flat conductors arranged in parallel for transmitting drawing data to the display device 1600, and these multiple flat conductors are covered with an insulator)) connected to the connector CN10 on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output board 1530 from being touched. The wiring cover body 1503 is made of a conductive resin containing carbon in polycarbonate and is molded in an opaque black color.

When viewing the cover body 1501 from the front, plate-shaped guide portions 1501ca and 1501c are formed on the left side wall 1501c of the cover body 1501, near the opening side of the cover body 1501, with a predetermined central distance between them, and protruding outwards from above and below. A hinge-hanging portion 1501cc is formed above the guide portion 1501ca and protruding outwards, and a hinge-hanging portion 1501cd is formed below the guide portion 1501cb and protruding outwards. The rear surface of the left end of the guide portions 1501ca and 1501cb is chamfered. In contrast, L-shaped hook portions 1501cca and 1501cd are formed on the front surface of the left end of the hinge-hanging portions 1501cc and 1501cd, protruding forward. Furthermore, a cover-side sealing portion 1501ea, which protrudes outward, is formed in the center of the cover body 1501 on the right-side cover wall 1501e.

To ensure that the peripheral control board 1510 is positioned close to the left side of the back surface of the cover body 1501, the cover plate 1501a has four mounting boss holes 1501ag1 to 1501ag4 that protrude from the back surface of the cover plate 1501a toward the opening side of the cover body 1501, corresponding to the four through holes 1510r1 to 1510r4 formed in the peripheral control board 1510 when viewed from its back surface. Around the four through holes 1510r1 to 1510r4 formed in the peripheral control board 1510, circular soldering copper foils (so-called "lands") 1510rf1 to 1510rf4 are formed on the surface (mounting side) 1510x side of the peripheral control board 1510, and circular soldering copper foils (so-called "lands") 1510rb1 to 1510rb4 are formed on the back (solder side) 1510y side of the peripheral control board 1510. Furthermore, wiring patterns are formed on the peripheral control board 1510 so that these lands 1510rf1 to 1510rf4 and 1510rb1 to 1510rb4 are electrically connected to the ground (GND) line of the peripheral control board 1510. Furthermore, these lands 1510rf1 to 1510rf4 and 1510rb1 to 1510rb4 are soldered in such a way that their copper foil surfaces are not exposed.

When attaching the peripheral control board 1510 to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1501 is oriented toward the back side of the cover plate 1501a, and the through holes 1510r1 to 1510r4 formed in the peripheral control board 1510 are positioned to align with the mounting boss holes 1501ag1 to 1501ag4 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a. By inserting metal pan head screws (not shown) into the through holes 1510r1 to 1510r4 and screwing them toward the mounting boss holes 1501ag1 to 1501ag4, the peripheral control board 1510 can be fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a. In this state, the lands 1510rf1 to 1510rf4 formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x side of the peripheral control board 1510 and the mounting surfaces (boss surfaces) of the mounting boss holes 1501ag1 to 1501ag4 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a are in contact with each other. Furthermore, the lands 1510rb1 to 1510rb4 formed on the back side (solder surface) 1510y side of the peripheral control board 1510 and the seating surface of the metal pan head screw are in contact with each other. Additionally, the shaft (threaded portion) of the metal pan head screw is screwed into the mounting boss holes 1501ag1 to 1501ag4 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a.

As described above, the cover body 1501 is made of a conductive resin containing carbon in polycarbonate. Therefore, the cover body 1501 (cover plate 1501a) is electrically connected to the lands 1510rf1 to 1510rf4 and 1510rb1 to 1510rb4 formed on the peripheral control board 1510 via metal pan head screws. As a result, the cover body 1501 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) of the peripheral control board 1510. As described above, the ground (GND) line of the peripheral control board 1510 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) line of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and the ground (GND) line of the LCD output board 1530, thus sharing the same ground (GND). Therefore, by electrically connecting the cover body 1501 to the ground (GND) of the peripheral control board 1510 via a metal pan head screw, the ground (GND) of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and the ground (GND) of the LCD output board 1530 are electrically connected, resulting in a shared ground (GND).

Furthermore, when the peripheral control board 1510 is fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, the heads of the metal pan head screws inserted into the through holes 1510r1 to 1510r4 and screwed in are positioned so that they do not protrude inward from the opening end faces of the cover side walls 1501b to 1501e of the cover body 1501 (that is, they do not protrude outward from the opening end faces of the cover side walls 1501b to 1501e).

To ensure that the peripheral data ROM board 1520 is positioned on the upper right side of the back surface of the cover body 1501, the cover plate 1501a is formed such that, when viewed from its back surface, a pair of mounting boss holes 1501ah1, 1501ah2 and a pair of mounting boss protrusions 1501ai1, 1501ai2 are diagonally projecting from the back surface of the cover plate 1501a toward the opening side of the cover body 1501, corresponding to the four through holes 1520r1 to 1520r4 formed in the peripheral data ROM board 1520. Around the four through holes 1520r1 to 1520r4 formed in the peripheral data ROM board 1520, circular soldering copper foils (so-called "lands") 1520rf1 to 1520rf4 are formed on the surface (mounting side) 1520x side of the peripheral data ROM board 1520, and circular soldering copper foils (so-called "lands") 1520rb1 to 1520rb4 are formed on the back (solder side) 1520y side of the peripheral data ROM board 1520. Furthermore, wiring patterns are formed on the peripheral data ROM board 1520 so that these lands 1520rf1 to 1520rf4 and 1520rb1 to 1520rb4 are electrically connected to the ground (GND) line of the peripheral data ROM board 1520. Furthermore, these lands 1520rf1 to 1520rf4 and 1520rb1 to 1520rb4 are soldered in such a way that the copper foil surface is not exposed.

When attaching the peripheral data ROM board 1520 to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, the surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 is oriented toward the back side of the cover plate 1501a. The through holes 1520r1 and 1520r3 formed in the peripheral data ROM board 1520 are inserted into the mounting boss protrusions 1501ai1 and 1501ai2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a. Metal pan head screws (not shown) are inserted into the through holes 1520r2 and 1520r4 formed in the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and screwed toward the mounting boss holes 1501ah1 and 1501ah2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a, thereby fixing the peripheral data ROM board 1520 to the back side of the cover plate 1501a. In this state, the lands 1520rf1 to 1520rf4 formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1520x side of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 are in contact with the mounting surfaces (boss surfaces) of the mounting boss protrusions 1501i1 and 1501i2 and the mounting surfaces (boss surfaces) of the mounting boss holes 1501ah1 and 1501ah2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a. Furthermore, the lands 1520rb1 to 1520rb4 formed on the back (solder surface) 1520y side of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 are in contact with the seating surface of the metal pan head screw. Additionally, the shaft (threaded portion) of the metal pan head screw is screwed into the mounting boss holes 1501ah1 and 1501ah2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a.

As described above, the cover body 1501 is made of a conductive resin containing carbon in polycarbonate. Therefore, the cover body 1501 (cover plate 1501a) is electrically connected to the lands 1520rf1 to 1520rf4 and 1520rb1 to 1520rb4 formed on the peripheral data ROM board 1520 via a metal pan head screw. As a result, the cover body 1501 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) of the peripheral data ROM board 1520. As described above, the ground (GND) line of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) line of the peripheral control board 1510 and the ground (GND) line of the LCD output board 1530, thus sharing the same ground (GND). Therefore, by electrically connecting the cover body 1501 to the ground (GND) of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 via a metal pan head screw, the ground (GND) of the peripheral control board 1510 and the ground (GND) of the LCD output board 1530 are electrically connected, resulting in a shared ground (GND).

Furthermore, when the peripheral data ROM board 1520 is fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, the heads of the metal pan head screws inserted into the through holes 1520r2 and 1520r4 and screwed in are positioned inward from the opening end faces of the cover side walls 1501b to 1501e of the cover body 1501 (i.e., not protruding outward from the opening end faces of the cover side walls 1501b to 1501e). Additionally, the back side (solder side) 1520y of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and the back side (solder side) 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510 fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a are positioned on the same plane.

To ensure that the liquid crystal output substrate 1530 is positioned on the lower right side of the back of the cover body 1501, the cover plate 1501a is formed such that, when viewed from its back, a pair of mounting boss holes 1501am1, 1501am2 and a pair of mounting boss protrusions 1501an1, 1501an2 are diagonally projecting from the back surface of the cover plate 1501a toward the opening side of the cover body 1501, corresponding to the four through holes 1530r1 to 1530r4 formed in the liquid crystal output substrate 1530. Around the four through holes 1530r1 to 1530r4 formed in the liquid crystal output substrate 1530, circular soldering copper foils (so-called "lands") 1530rf1 to 1530rf4 are formed on the surface (mounting side) 1530x side of the liquid crystal output substrate 1530, and circular soldering copper foils (so-called "lands") 1530rb1 to 1530rb4 are formed on the back (solder side) 1530y side of the liquid crystal output substrate 1530. Wiring patterns are formed on the liquid crystal output substrate 1530 so that these lands 1530rf1 to 1530rf4 and 1530rb1 to 1530rb4 are electrically connected to the ground (GND) line of the liquid crystal output substrate 1530. Furthermore, these lands 1530rf1 to 1530rf4 and 1530rb1 to 1530rb4 are soldered in such a way that their copper foil surfaces are not exposed.

When attaching the liquid crystal output board 1530 to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, the front surface (mounting surface) 1530 of the liquid crystal output board 1530 is oriented toward the back side of the cover plate 1501a. The through holes 1530r2 and 1530r4 formed in the liquid crystal output board 1530 are inserted into the mounting boss protrusions 1501an1 and 1501an2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a. Metal pan head screws (not shown) are inserted into the through holes 1530r1 and 1530r3 formed in the liquid crystal output board 1530 and screwed toward the mounting boss holes 1501am1 and 1501am2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a, thereby fixing the liquid crystal output board 1530 to the back side of the cover plate 1501a. In this state, the lands 1530rf1 to 1530rf4 formed on the surface (mounting side) 1530x of the liquid crystal output substrate 1530 are in contact with the mounting surfaces (boss surfaces) of the mounting boss protrusions 1501n1 and 1501n2 and the mounting surfaces (boss surfaces) of the mounting boss holes 1501am1 and 1501am2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a. Furthermore, the lands 1530rb1 to 1530rb4 formed on the back surface (solder side) 1530y of the liquid crystal output substrate 1530 are in contact with the seating surface of the metal pan head screw. Additionally, the shaft (threaded portion) of the metal pan head screw is screwed into the mounting boss holes 1501am1 and 1501am2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a.

As described above, the cover body 1501 is made of a conductive resin containing carbon in polycarbonate. Therefore, the cover body 1501 (cover plate 1501a) is electrically connected to the lands 1530rf1 to 1530rf4 and 1530rb1 to 1530rb4 formed on the liquid crystal output substrate 1530 via a metal pan head screw. As a result, the cover body 1501 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) of the liquid crystal output substrate 1530. As described above, the ground (GND) line of the LCD output board 1530 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) line of the peripheral control board 1510 and the ground (GND) line of the peripheral data ROM board 1520, thus sharing the same ground (GND). Therefore, by electrically connecting the cover body 1501 to the ground (GND) of the LCD output board 1530 via a metal pan head screw, the ground (GND) of the peripheral control board 1510 and the ground (GND) of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 are electrically connected, resulting in a shared ground (GND).

Furthermore, when the liquid crystal output board 1530 is fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, the heads of the metal pan head screws inserted into the through holes 1530r1 and 1530r3 and screwed in are positioned inward from the opening end faces of the cover side walls 1501b to 1501e of the cover body 1501 (i.e., not protruding outward from the opening end faces of the cover side walls 1501b to 1501e). Additionally, the back side (solder side) 1530y of the liquid crystal output board 1530, the back side (solder side) 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510 fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, and the back side (solder side) 1520y of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a are all positioned on the same plane.

In this configuration, when various substrates such as the peripheral control board 1510, peripheral data ROM board 1520, and liquid crystal output board 1530 are fixed to predetermined positions on the back side of the cover plate 1501a, a space with a predetermined height (14.8 mm in this embodiment) is formed between the surface of each substrate (the surface facing the back side of the cover plate 1501a) and the back side of the cover plate 1501a. In this state, a gap with the aforementioned predetermined distance (2.3 mm in this embodiment) is formed between the surface of the peripheral control IC 1510a (the surface on which the part number and model number are printed) and the rear surface of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa.

The cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501 has multiple circular ventilation holes 1501az formed on the right, lower right, lower left, and left sides of the fan mounting recess 1501aa. When the blades of the cooling fan mounted in the fan mounting recess 1501aa rotate, this rotation expels air from the inner space of the cover body 1501 toward the outside of the peripheral control unit 1500. Air is drawn in from outside the peripheral control unit 1500 through these ventilation holes 1501az, thereby air-cooling the inner space of the cover body 1501 (particularly the peripheral control IC 1510a). These ventilation holes 1501az have a diameter of 3 mm, a pitch width of 6.5 mm in the left-right direction, and a pitch width of 6.0 mm to 6.5 mm in the up-down direction.

When the peripheral control board 1510 is fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, gaps are formed between the seven connectors CN1 to CN7 on the peripheral control board 1510 and the seven connector holes 1501ac1 to 1501ac7 formed in the cover body 1501. Additionally, a gap is formed between the volume control switch 1510d on the peripheral control board 1510 and the volume control hole 1501ac8 formed in the cover body 1501. Furthermore, when the liquid crystal output board 1530 is fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, gaps are formed between the two connectors CN8 and CN9 on the liquid crystal output board 1530 and the two connector holes 1501ac9 and 1501ac10 formed in the cover body 1501. Therefore, when the blades of the cooling fan mounted in the FAN mounting recess 1501aa rotate, this rotation causes the air in the inner space of the cover body 1501 to be expelled from the peripheral control unit 1500 through the blades, thereby drawing in air from outside the peripheral control unit 1500 through the described ventilation holes 1501az, and also through the gap (the seven connectors CN1 to CN7 provided on the peripheral control board 1510 and the gap formed in the cover body 1501) The input is received through the gaps formed between the seven connector holes 1501ac1 to 1501ac7, the volume control switch 1510d on the peripheral control board 1510, the volume control hole 1501ac8 formed in the cover body 1501, and the gaps formed between the two connectors CN8 and CN9 on the liquid crystal output board 1530, and the two connector holes 1501ac9 and 1501ac10 formed in the cover body 1501.

The sum of the areas of each of the multiple arc-shaped slit holes 1501aaa formed on the bottom surface of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa (total area) is smaller than the sum of the area of the multiple ventilation holes 1501az formed in the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501 and the area of the gaps described above (the gaps formed between the seven connectors CN1 to CN7 on the peripheral control board 1510 and the seven connector holes 1501ac1 to 1501ac7 formed in the cover body 1501, the gaps formed between the volume control switch 1510d on the peripheral control board 1510 and the volume control hole 1501ac8 formed in the cover body 1501, and the gaps formed between the two connectors CN8 and CN9 on the liquid crystal output board 1530 and the two connector holes 1501ac9 and 1501ac10 formed in the cover body 1501). Therefore, when the blades of the cooling fan mounted in the fan mounting recess 1501aa rotate, this rotation expels air from the inner space of the cover body 1501 toward the outside of the peripheral control unit 1500. This allows for a reduction in the airflow velocity of the air entering each of the ventilation holes 1501az formed in the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501 when air is drawn in from outside the peripheral control unit 1500.

Furthermore, when the blades of the cooling fan mounted in the fan mounting recess 1501aa rotate, this rotation causes the air in the inner space of the cover body 1501 to be expelled from the peripheral control unit 1500 to the outside. This reduces the airflow velocity of the air flowing into each of the ventilation holes 1501az formed in the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501 when air is drawn in from outside the peripheral control unit 1500 through the ventilation holes 1501az formed in the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501. However, when the blades of the cooling fan mounted in the fan mounting recess 1501aa rotate, this rotation may cause air to be drawn in through the blades and sent out towards the peripheral control IC 1510a. In other words, the cooling fan may not primarily serve the purpose of exchanging air within the space between the cover body 1501 and the base body 1502, but rather simply to cool the peripheral control IC 1510a.

[7-2. Base Body]
The base body 1502 that closes the opening of the cover body 1501 is made of a conductive resin containing carbon in polycarbonate, molded in an opaque black color, and when viewed from the front, the base side walls 1502b to 1502e are provided protruding forward (towards the rear side of the pachinko machine 1) from the top, left, bottom, and right sides of the horizontally elongated rectangular base plate 1502a, respectively, forming a box shape with an opening. The size of the opening formed by the base side walls 1502b to 1502e of the base body 1502 is slightly larger than the size of the opening formed by the cover side walls 1501b to 1501e of the cover body 1501. As a result, when the base body 1502 is placed over the cover body 1501 to close the opening of the cover body 1501 with the base body 1502, the cover side walls 1501b to 1501e of the cover body 1501 fit inside the base side walls 1502b to 1502e of the base body 1502 and are in inscribed (surface contact) with each other.

The base plate 1502a, when viewed from the front, has elongated, vertically oriented anti-disconnection ribs 1502aa1 to 1502aa3 formed along its lower edge at predetermined intervals. These ribs prevent interference with the connectors CN2 to CN7 on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510. (That is, since the terminals of the connectors CN2 to CN7 on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 are inserted from the surface (mounting surface) 1510x to the back (solder surface) 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510 and protrude from the back (solder surface) 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510, these ribs prevent the peripheral control board 1510 from bending due to the force when inserting the connectors for connecting wiring to these connectors CN2 to CN7, thereby preventing the electrical wiring patterns formed on the peripheral control board 1510 from being disconnected.)

When viewing the base body 1502 from the front, an outwardly projecting engagement portion 1502ca is formed on the left base side wall 1502c near the opening side of the base body 1502. This engagement portion 1502ca has guide receiving portions 1502caa and 1502cab at positions corresponding to the plate-shaped guide portions 1501ca and 1501cb formed on the cover body 1501, and hinge receiving portions 1502cac and 1502cad at positions corresponding to the hinge mounting portions 1501cc and 1501cd formed on the cover body 1501. The hinge receiving portions 1502cac and 1502cad have U-shaped bag portions 1502cae and 1502caf formed on them.

The plate-shaped guide portions 1501ca and 1501cb formed on the cover body 1501 are inserted into the guide receiving portions 1502caa and 1502cab, and the L-shaped hook portions 1501cca and 1501cd of the hinge hook portions 1501cc and 1501cd formed on the cover body 1501 are inserted into the U-shaped groove-shaped bag portions 1502cae and 1502caf of the hinge receiving portions 1502cac and 1502cad. Then, by wrapping the L-shaped hook portions 1501cca and 1501cd of the hinge hook portions 1501cc and 1501cd formed on the cover body 1501 around the U-shaped groove-shaped bag portions 1502cae and 1502caf of the hinge receiving portions 1502cac and 1502cad, the L-shaped hook portions 1501cca and 1501cd of the hinge hook portions 1501cc and 1501cd formed on the cover body 1501 can be hooked and engaged with the U-shaped groove-shaped bag portions 1502cae and 1502caf of the hinge receiving portions 1502cac and 1502cad.

Furthermore, a base-side sealing portion 1502ea is formed in the center of the right-side base wall 1502e, protruding outward at a position corresponding to the cover-side sealing portion 1501ea formed on the cover body 1501. Through holes 1502eb1 and 1502eb2 are also formed on the upper and lower sides of the right-side base wall 1502e, respectively, for attaching the peripheral control unit 1500 to the game panel 1100 provided on the game board 5.

[7-3. Various Connectors]
The surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, which is mounted in the internal space of the cover body 1501, includes a peripheral control IC 1510a that integrates a CPU, RAM, VDP, sound source, serial ATA controller (Advanced Technology Attachment, hereinafter referred to as "SATA controller"), and various I/O interfaces on a single semiconductor chip; a control ROM 1510b that pre-stores various programs that can control the progress of game effects and demonstrations (demonstration effects performed while the player is waiting), and various schedule data (effect data) that defines the progress of effects; and an SDRAM (Synchronous DynamIC Random Access) that can receive and store various control information (peripheral data) stored in the peripheral data ROM 1520a provided on the peripheral data ROM board 1520. The system comprises an SDRAM 1510c consisting of Memory 1510c1 and 1510c2, a slide-type volume control switch 1510d for adjusting the volume, a backup power supply 1510e that can supply power to a real-time clock IC (not shown) even when the power supply is interrupted, a power supply generation circuit (not shown) for generating various power supply voltages, and various connectors CN1 to CN7. The backup power supply 1510e is housed in a holder (not shown).

As described above, the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 integrates the CPU, RAM, VDP, sound source, serial ATA controller, and various I/O interfaces onto a single semiconductor chip, and combines the functions of the peripheral control unit 1511 (excluding the functions of various ROMs) and the display control unit 1512 (excluding the functions of various ROMs).

The control ROM 1510b on the peripheral control board 1510 includes the functions of the peripheral control ROM of the peripheral control unit 1511 and the display control ROM of the display control unit 1512, and has a storage capacity of 256 Mbit (or 128 Mbit). The SDRAMs 1510c1 and 1510c2 on the peripheral control board 1510 each have a storage capacity of 2 Gbit. The peripheral data ROM 1520a on the peripheral data ROM board 1520 has a storage capacity of 62 Gbit.

The peripheral control board 1510 offers various I/O interfaces, including various serial I/O and parallel I/O. These serial I/O interfaces include SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) communication, UART (Universal Associative Receiver Transmitter) communication, and I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) communication.

In this embodiment, UART communication is employed as the communication method for receiving commands from the main control board 1310 (communication is performed via connector CN5). SPI communication and I2C communication are employed as communication methods for transmitting control data to various boards on the game board 5 side and various boards on the door frame side (communication is performed via the corresponding connectors among connectors CN3, CN6, and CN7).

In this embodiment, SPI communication and I2C communication are used to transmit drive data to drive control ICs that drive electrical drive sources (e.g., various motors and solenoids, communicating via connector CN6) on the game board 5 side and electrical drive sources (e.g., various motors and solenoids, communicating via connector CN3) on the door frame 3 side. Light emission data is also transmitted to LED control ICs for multiple LEDs (communicating via connector CN7) on the game board 5 side and multiple LEDs (communicating via connector CN3) on the door frame 3 side. Furthermore, signals from various sensors (communicating via connector CN6) on the game board 5 side and signals from various sensors (communicating via connector CN3) on the door frame 3 side are received as detection data. In this embodiment, the transfer speed for SPI communication is set to 250 kbps, and the transfer speed for I2C communication is set to 1 kbps.

Various types of parallel I/O include GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output). In this embodiment, signals from the cooling fan FAN, which is located in the peripheral control unit 1500 of the game board 5, are input to the GPIO (via connector CN1) to indicate the rotation status of the cooling fan FAN. Signals from various sensors (not shown) located on the game board 5 that confirm the operation and origin position of the controlled object are input to the GPIO (via connector CN6). Control signals for the controlled object (not shown) located on the game board 5 are output from the GPIO (via connector CN6). Signals are also output from the GPIO to the LEDML4 located on the peripheral control board 1510 to indicate that the peripheral control IC 1510a is operating.

In this embodiment, for example, GPIO is assigned to connector CN1, SPI communication and I2C communication are assigned to connector CN3 (i.e., connector CN3 is assigned as a connector where SPI communication and I2C communication coexist), UART communication is assigned to connector CN5, SPI communication and GPIO are assigned to connector CN6 (i.e., connector CN6 is assigned as a connector where SPI communication and GPIO coexist), and SPI communication is assigned to connector CN7.

The SATA controller of the peripheral control IC 1510a can establish communication compliant with the SATA standard with the peripheral data ROM 1520a located on the peripheral data ROM board 1520, achieving a high-speed transfer rate of 2 Gbps (supporting up to 3 Gbps). The SATA controller of the peripheral control IC 1510a, under the instructions of the CPU of the peripheral control IC 1510a, can rapidly transfer various control information (peripheral data) from the peripheral data ROM 1520a located on the peripheral data ROM board 1520 to the RAM of the peripheral control IC 1510a, or to the SDRAMs 1510c1 and 1510c2.

SDRAMs 1510c1 and 1510c2 are DDR3 SDRAMs (Double Data Rate 3 Synchronous Dynamic IC Random Access Memory), enabling high-speed data communication. Various control information (peripheral data) from the peripheral data ROM 1520a on the peripheral data ROM board 1520 is rapidly transferred to SDRAMs 1510c1 and 1510c2 by the SATA controller of the peripheral control IC 1510a.

The surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 further includes a special connector SCN1 for board-to-board connection with the peripheral data ROM board 1520, and a special connector SCN2 for board-to-board connection with the liquid crystal output board 1530. The surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 includes a special connector SCN3 for board-to-board connection with the peripheral control board 1510. The surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output board 1530 includes a special connector SCN4 for board-to-board connection with the peripheral control board 1510.

The peripheral control board 1510 outputs image rendering data for display devices such as performance display devices from the special connector SCN2 in multiple video signal formats. These multiple video signal formats include, for example, RGB, LVDS, MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface), eDP (Embedded DisplayPort), and clockless formats. In this embodiment, four formats (a total of four formats) are employed: one RGB format, two LVDS formats (first LVDS format, second LVDS format), and the MIPI format. Furthermore, in this embodiment, one of the two LVDS formats (for example, the first LVDS format) is used as the video signal format input to the performance display device 1600. Alternatively, instead of the MIPI method, for example, the eDP method can be adopted, and a peripheral control board 1510 can be created with one RGB system, two LVDS systems (first LVDS system and second LVDS system), and one eDP system.

Furthermore, the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 is provided with LEDML1 near the control ROM 1510b, LEDML2 near the SDRAM 1510c, LEDML3 near the special connector SCN1, and LEDML4 near the special connector SCN2. The peripheral control board 1510 is supplied with various voltages (+24V, +12V, and +5V) from the power supply board 630 of the board unit 620 via interface 635. LEDML1 is used to check (monitor) the state in which +5V is supplied, and remains lit when +5V is supplied. LEDML2 is used to check (monitor) the state in which +12V is supplied, and remains lit when +12V is supplied. LEDML3 monitors the presence of a +24V power supply and remains lit when +24V is available. LEDML4 monitors the operation of the peripheral control IC 1510a and remains lit when the peripheral control IC 1510a is operating.

When various substrates such as the peripheral control board 1510, peripheral data ROM board 1520, and liquid crystal output board 1530 are attached and fixed to predetermined positions on the back side of the cover plate 1501a, a space with a predetermined height (14.8 mm in this embodiment) is formed between the surface of the various substrates (the surface facing the back side of the cover plate 1501a) and the back side of the cover plate 1501a, as described above. This space can be brightly illuminated by the LEDML1 to LEDML4 on the surface of the peripheral control board 1510.

The special connectors SCN1 and SCN2 on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, the special connector SCN3 on the surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520, and the special connector SCN4 on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output board 1530 differ in structure from the connectors CN1 to CN7 on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 and the connectors CN8 to CN10 on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output board 1530, in that they are equipped with a floating mechanism. Each of these connectors CN1 to CN10 is a socket, and the socket and plug are mated by inserting and pushing in the plug of the corresponding connector perpendicular to the peripheral control board 1510 and the liquid crystal output board 1530. The sockets of connectors CN1 to CN10 are designed so that, when mating, there is absolutely no vertical movement of the peripheral control board 1510 and the LCD output board 1530 when viewed from the front.

The special connectors SCN1 and SCN2 on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 are plugs, while the special connector SCN3 on the surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and the special connector SCN4 on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the LCD output board 1530 are sockets.

The socket of the special connector SCN3, located on the surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520, is inserted into the plug of the special connector SCN1, located on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, and the socket and plug are mated together by pushing them in. The socket of the special connector SCN3 located on the surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 has a floating mechanism that allows the socket to move within a predetermined distance range in the front-to-back direction (the direction between the back and front of the pachinko machine 1) when viewed from the front of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 (peripheral control board 1510), thereby absorbing any front-to-back errors that occur when pushing it in. Furthermore, the socket of the special connector SCN3, which is provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520, is designed so that even when the peripheral data ROM board 1520 (peripheral control board 1510) is mounted and fixed in a predetermined position on the back side of the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501, and the peripheral data ROM board 1520 is viewed from the front, even if it moves to its maximum extent within the predetermined distance range described above, the front (top) surface of the socket of the special connector SCN3 will not come into contact with the back side of the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501. A gap is formed between the front (top) surface of the socket of the special connector SCN3 and the back side of the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501.

The socket of the special connector SCN4, located on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output board 1530, is inserted into the plug of the special connector SCN2, located on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, and the socket and plug are mated together by pushing them in. The socket of the special connector SCN4 located on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output board 1530 is equipped with a floating mechanism that allows the socket to move within a predetermined distance range in the front-to-back direction (the direction between the back and front of the pachinko machine 1) when viewed from the front of the liquid crystal output board 1530 (peripheral control board 1510), thereby absorbing any errors in the front-to-back direction that occur when pushing it in. Furthermore, when the LCD output board 1530 is mounted and fixed in a predetermined position on the back side of the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501, even if the LCD output board 1530 (peripheral control board 1510) moves to its maximum extent within the predetermined distance range as viewed from the front, a gap is formed between the front (top) surface of the socket of the special connector SCN4 and the back side of the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501.

Here, we will briefly explain the reasons for adopting the special connector SCN3 for the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and the special connector SCN4 for the LCD output board 1530. The peripheral data ROM board 1520 is equipped with a peripheral data ROM 1520a (including the functions of the image ROM of the aforementioned performance display control unit 1512) that can store various control information (peripheral data) controlled by the peripheral control board 1510. Examples of various control information (peripheral data) include image data such as background images, character images, and pattern images for drawing various performance images on the performance display device 1600; light emission data defining the light emission modes (on, gradation, blinking, off, etc.) of various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and game board 5; sound data such as music, voice, warning sounds, and notification sounds; and drive data for driving and controlling various movable performance elements on the door frame 3 and game board 5.

The peripheral data ROM 1520a is a NAND flash (non-volatile) memory, which is less expensive, has a large capacity, and can write various types of data at high speed compared to NOR flash (non-volatile) memory. The peripheral data ROM 1520a has a low operating voltage, allowing for reduced power consumption, and can achieve high transfer speeds through SATA-compliant communication.

As described above, by adopting NAND flash (non-volatile) memory as the peripheral data ROM 1520a, cost reduction is achieved, power consumption is suppressed, and stored data can be read at high transfer speeds. However, while the peripheral data ROM 1520a can suppress power consumption due to its low operating voltage, this low operating voltage makes it susceptible to noise. Furthermore, it is necessary to accurately and reliably transmit the various data stored in the peripheral data ROM 1520a from the peripheral data ROM board 1520 to the peripheral control board 1510. Therefore, in this embodiment, instead of electrically connecting the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and the peripheral control board 1510 via wiring (harness), a configuration is adopted in which the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and the peripheral control board 1510 are electrically connected by an inter-board connector, thereby reducing the impact of noise entering the inter-board transmission path.

The procedure for mounting various circuit boards within the internal space of the cover body 1501 will be described later. However, since the peripheral data ROM board 1520 requires the socket of the special connector SCN3 on its surface (mounting surface) 1520x to be inserted into the plug of the special connector SCN1 on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 and then pressed in, the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and the liquid crystal output board 1530 must be fixed together with the peripheral control board 1510 to the back side of the cover plate 1501a. Therefore, by employing the special connector SCN3 socket with the aforementioned floating mechanism, the forward-backward error that occurs when fixing the peripheral data ROM board 1520 together with the peripheral control board 1510 to the back side of the cover plate 1501a can be absorbed, preventing damage to the multiple connection terminals formed on the plug and socket, and ensuring the reliable formation of a transmission path between the peripheral control board 1510 and the peripheral data ROM board 1520.

Furthermore, as described above, since the cover body 1501 is made of a conductive resin containing carbon in polycarbonate, the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501 may warp after molding, even if it is within the design dimensional distance tolerance. Even in such cases, by employing the socket of the special connector SCN3 equipped with the floating mechanism described above, the forward-backward error that occurs when fixing the peripheral data ROM board 1520 together with the peripheral control board 1510 to the back side of the warped cover plate 1501a can be absorbed. This prevents damage to the multiple connection terminals formed on the plug and socket, and ensures reliable formation of the transmission path between the peripheral control board 1510 and the peripheral data ROM board 1520.

The LCD output board 1530 is an important board that outputs image rendering data for the performance display device 1600 transmitted from the peripheral control board 1510 via connector CN10. This data displays the progress of game performances (for example, an image informing the player that a jackpot game state, which is more advantageous than the normal state, is about to occur; an image informing that a jackpot game state will not occur; an image informing that a jackpot game state will not occur, but that the player is approaching a state where a jackpot game state will occur compared to the normal state) and demonstrations (demo performances performed while the player is waiting) as images to the performance display device 1600. For this reason, it is necessary to accurately and reliably transmit the image rendering data for the performance display device 1600 from the peripheral control board 1510 to the LCD output board 1530. Therefore, in this embodiment, instead of electrically connecting the liquid crystal output board 1530 and the peripheral control board 1510 via wiring (harness), a configuration is adopted in which the liquid crystal output board 1530 and the peripheral control board 1510 are electrically connected by an inter-board connector, thereby reducing the impact of noise entering the inter-board transmission path.

The procedure for mounting various circuit boards within the internal space of the cover body 1501 will be described later. However, since the LCD output board 1530 requires the insertion of the socket of the special connector SCN4 on its surface (mounting surface) 1530x into the plug of the special connector SCN2 on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, and then the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and the LCD output board 1530 to be fixed together with the peripheral control board 1510 to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, employing the special connector SCN4 socket with the aforementioned floating mechanism allows for the absorption of forward/backward errors that occur when fixing the LCD output board 1530 together with the peripheral control board 1510 to the back side of the cover plate 1501a. This prevents damage to the multiple connection terminals formed on the plug and socket, ensuring a reliable transmission path between the peripheral control board 1510 and the LCD output board 1530.

Furthermore, as described above, since the cover body 1501 is made of a conductive resin containing carbon in polycarbonate, the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501 may warp after molding, even if it is within the design dimensional distance tolerance. Even in such cases, by employing the socket of the special connector SCN4 equipped with the floating mechanism described above, the front-to-back error that occurs when fixing the LCD output board 1530 to the back side of the warped cover plate 1501a together with the peripheral control board 1510 can be absorbed. This prevents damage to the multiple connection terminals formed on the plug and socket, and ensures reliable formation of the transmission path between the peripheral control board 1510 and the LCD output board 1530.

Furthermore, when the peripheral control board 1510, peripheral data ROM board 1520, and LCD output board 1530 are fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, as described above, the back surfaces of the peripheral control board 1510, the peripheral data ROM board 1520, and the LCD output board 1530 are arranged on the same plane. Therefore, compared to a three-dimensional arrangement where the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and LCD output board 1530 are placed on the front surface of the peripheral control board 1510, the front-to-back (i.e., depth) distance dimension of the peripheral control unit 1500 can be reduced. This contributes to securing sufficient depth dimension for, for example, arranging a large movable performance unit (an electrical drive source and drive mechanism capable of operating a movable performance body, and various sensors for detecting the origin position and operating position) on the game board 5.

[7-4. Assembly Method for Peripheral Control Units]
Here, we will explain how to assemble the peripheral control unit 1500. First, insert the socket of the special connector SCN3, which is located on the surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520, into the plug of the special connector SCN1, which is located on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, and push it in. Next, insert the socket of the special connector SCN4, which is located on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the LCD output board 1530, into the plug of the special connector SCN2, which is located on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, and push it in.

Next, in order to attach the peripheral control board 1510, the peripheral data ROM board 1520, and the liquid crystal output board 1530 to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, the surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520, and the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output board 1530 are turned toward the back side of the cover plate 1501a, and the through holes 1520r1 and 1520r3 formed in the peripheral data ROM board 1520 are inserted into the mounting boss protrusions 1501ai1 and 1501ai2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a, and the through holes 1530r2 and 1530r4 formed in the liquid crystal output board 1530 are inserted into the mounting boss protrusions 1501an1 and 1501an2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a. As a result, the through holes 1510r1 to 1510r4 formed in the peripheral control board 1510 correspond to the mounting boss holes 1501ag1 to 1501ag4 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a, the through holes 1520r2 and 1520r4 formed in the peripheral data ROM board 1520 correspond to the mounting boss holes 1501ah1 and 1501ah2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a, and the through holes 1530r1 and 1530r3 formed in the liquid crystal output board 1530 correspond to the mounting boss holes 1501am1 and 1501am2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a.

Next, the peripheral data ROM board 1520 is fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a by inserting metal pan-head screws (not shown) into the through holes 1520r2 and 1520r4 formed in the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and screwing them towards the mounting boss holes 1501ah1 and 1501ah2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a. The liquid crystal output board 1530 is fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a by inserting metal pan-head screws (not shown) into the through holes 1530r1 and 1530r3 formed in the liquid crystal output board 1530 and screwing them towards the mounting boss holes 1501am1 and 1501am2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a.

Next, the through holes 1510r1 to 1510r4 formed in the peripheral control board 1510 are aligned with the mounting boss holes 1501ag1 to 1501ag4 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a. Metal pan head screws (not shown) are then inserted into the through holes 1510r1 to 1510r4 and screwed in toward the mounting boss holes 1501ag1 to 1501ag4, thereby fixing the peripheral control board 1510 to the back side of the cover plate 1501a. In this way, of the peripheral data ROM board 1520, the liquid crystal output board 1530, and the peripheral control board 1510, the peripheral control board 1510 is fixed last to the back side of the cover plate 1501a.

The peripheral data ROM board 1520 is inserted into mounting boss protrusions 1501ai1 and 1501ai2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a, thereby restricting its movement in the up, down, left, and right directions. Similarly, the liquid crystal output board 1530 is inserted into mounting boss protrusions 1501an1 and 1501an2 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a, thereby restricting its movement in the up, down, left, and right directions. In contrast, the peripheral control board 1510 does not have mounting boss protrusions formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a to restrict its movement in the up, down, left, and right directions. This is because the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and the liquid crystal output board 1530 are fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, thereby constraining their vertical, horizontal, and vertical directions. The dimensional errors resulting from this constraint can be absorbed by the dimensional margins provided in the through holes 1510r1 to 1510r4 formed in the peripheral control board 1510 when fixing it to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, and by the mounting boss holes 1501ag1 to 1501ag4 formed on the back side of the cover plate 1501a.

Next, with the peripheral data ROM board 1520, the liquid crystal output board 1530, and the peripheral control board 1510 fixed to the back side of the cover plate 1501a, the plate-shaped guide portions 1501ca and 1501cb formed on the cover body 1501 are inserted into the guide receiving portions 1502caa and 1502cab formed on the engaging portion 1502ca of the base body 1502. Simultaneously, the L-shaped hook portions 1501cca and 1501cd of the hinge hook portions 1501cc and 1501cd formed on the cover body 1501 are inserted into the U-shaped groove-shaped pocket portions 1502cae and 1502caf of the hinge receiving portions 1502cac and 1502cad formed on the engaging portion 1502ca of the base body 1502.

Next, with the L-shaped hook portions 1501cca and 1501cda of the hinge hook portions 1501cc and 1501cd formed on the cover body 1501 in contact with the U-shaped bag portions 1502cae and 1502caf of the hinge receiving portions 1502cac and 1502cad, the base body 1502 is wrapped around to cover the opening side of the cover body 1501, and with the base body 1502 in place over the cover body 1501, a metal one-way screw with a metal anchor rivet (not shown) inserted into the cover-side sealing portion 1501ea formed on the cover body 1501 is inserted and screwed toward the base-side sealing portion 1502ea formed on the base body 1502. When the metal one-way screw is screwed in, the tip surface of the metal anchor rivet expands outward at the base-side sealing portion 1502ea, thereby sealing the cover-side sealing portion 1501ea formed on the cover body 1501 and the base-side sealing portion 1502ea formed on the base body 1502.

In this sealed state, the cover side walls 1501b to 1501e of the cover body 1501 fit inside the base side walls 1502b to 1502e of the base body 1502, and are in in-situ (surface contact) with each other. At the same time, the front surfaces of the wire breakage prevention ribs 1502aa1 to 1502aa3 formed on the base body 1502 come into contact with the back surface (solder side) 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510. As a result, the cover body 1501 and the base body 1502 become electrically conductive, as they are made of a conductive resin containing carbon in polycarbonate, as described above. To release this sealed state, the cover side sealing portion 1501ea formed on the cover body 1501 must be destroyed with a tool. Therefore, by observing the traces of opening and closing, unauthorized opening and closing of the peripheral control board box 1505, which consists of the cover body 1501 and the base body 1502, can be detected, thereby enhancing the deterrent against unauthorized actions against the peripheral control board box 1505.

Next, the cooling fan is pushed into the fan mounting recess 1501aa formed in the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501. Multiple wires from the cooling fan are then routed through the wiring exit recesses 1501ab formed in the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501. Metal pan head screws (screws with an integrated pan head and flat washer) are then screwed into the mounting holes 1501aac1 and aac2, respectively, from the front to the rear of the cover plate 1501a.

Next, a connector for connecting multiple wires (harnesses) to the display device 1600 is inserted and attached to the connector CN10 of the liquid crystal output board 1530 through the wiring exit opening 1501ae formed in the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501. The wiring cover body 1503 is then fitted into the mounting recess 1501af formed in the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501. Metal pan head screws (not shown) are inserted into the through holes 1503b1 and 1503b2 formed in the wiring cover body 1503 and screwed in from the front to the rear of the wiring cover body 1503, respectively, thereby fixing the wiring cover body 1503 to the mounting recess 1501af. As a result, the multiple wires are covered by the wiring cover body 1503 and cannot be touched.

When attaching the peripheral control unit 1500 assembled in this manner to the game panel 1100 on the game board 5, the left side of the peripheral control unit 1500 (the side with the engaging portion 1502ca formed on the base body 1502 of the peripheral control unit 1500) is inserted into a mounting groove (not shown) provided on the game panel 1100. Metal pan head screws (not shown) are then inserted into the through holes 1502eb1 and 1502eb2 formed on the base body 1502 of the peripheral control unit 1500 and screwed into mounting holes (not shown) provided on the game panel 1100 to secure it.

Furthermore, in the assembly method described above, in the procedure for mounting various circuit boards within the internal space of the cover body 1501, for example, first the peripheral data ROM board 1520 is fixed to the predetermined position described above on the back side of the cover plate 1501a of the peripheral control board 1510 (the peripheral data ROM board 1520 is located on the upper right side of the cover body 1501 when viewed from the back), and then the liquid crystal output board 1530 is fixed to the predetermined position described above on the back side of the cover plate 1501a of the peripheral control board 1510 (the liquid crystal output board 1530 is located on the lower right side of the cover body 1501 when viewed from the back). The peripheral control board 1510 can also be fixed in the predetermined position described above (the peripheral control board 1510 is positioned tightly to the left of the cover body 1501 when viewed from the back of the cover body 1501) by inserting the socket of the special connector SCN3, which is provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520, into the plug of the special connector SCN1, which is provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 and pushing it in, and inserting the socket of the special connector SCN4, which is provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output board 1530, into the plug of the special connector SCN2, which is provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 and pushing it in. In the installation procedures for these various circuit boards, by employing the sockets of the special connectors SCN3 and SCN4 equipped with the aforementioned floating mechanism, the forward and backward errors that occur during the pushing process are absorbed, preventing damage to the multiple connection terminals formed on the plug and socket. This ensures reliable formation of transmission paths between the peripheral data ROM board 1520 and the peripheral control board 1510, as well as between the liquid crystal output board 1530 and the peripheral control board 1510.

Incidentally, there are multiple types of game boards installed in pachinko machines, each with different game specifications. In this embodiment, the cover body 1501 is configured so that various boards, such as the peripheral control board 1510, the peripheral data ROM board 1520, and the LCD output board 1530, can be mounted on the back side of the cover plate 1501a, which is divided into three sections. The peripheral control board 1510 is a board that can be used in common and is not dependent on the game specifications of the game board installed in the pachinko machine. The peripheral data ROM board 1520 is a board that depends on the game specifications of the game board, as peripheral data corresponding to each game specification of the game board is stored in the peripheral data ROM 1520a. The LCD output board 1530 is a board that depends on the format of the video signal input to the display device 1600.

As a result, the peripheral control board 1510 is a board that is independent of the game specifications of the game board and independent of the format of the video signal input to the display device 1600, and is a standardized board that can be reused. Furthermore, since the peripheral data ROM board 1520, which contains peripheral data corresponding to each game specification of the game board, and the peripheral control board 1510 are electrically connected by the aforementioned board-to-board connector, the peripheral data ROM board 1520 can be easily replaced to match the game specifications of the game board.

The video signals input to display devices such as performance display devices can take several forms, including, as mentioned above, RGB, LVDS, MIPI, eDP, and clockless formats. The liquid crystal output board 1530 and the peripheral control board 1510 corresponding to these formats are electrically connected via the aforementioned inter-board connector. In other words, the liquid crystal output board 1530 can be easily replaced to match the video signal format input to the performance display device 1600. In this embodiment, as described above, one of the two LVDS formats (for example, the first LVDS format) is used as the video signal format input to the performance display device 1600. Therefore, the liquid crystal output board 1530, matched to the video signal format (LVDS format) input to the performance display device 1600, is electrically connected to the peripheral control board 1510 via the aforementioned inter-board connector.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cover body 1501, base body 1502, and wiring cover body 1503 are all made of a conductive resin containing carbon in polycarbonate. When various circuit boards such as the peripheral control board 1510, peripheral data ROM board 1520, and LCD output board 1530 are fixed to the back side of the cover body 1501 (cover plate 1501a) using metal pan head screws, they are electrically connected to the ground (GND) of these boards, resulting in the same ground (GND). Therefore, noise entering from the cover body 1501, base body 1502, and wiring cover body 1503 is directed to the circuit board ground (the ground (GND) of the various circuit boards), allowing the noise to be removed (hereinafter, this may be referred to as "noise reduction effect by the conductive resin peripheral control board box 1505"). This eliminates the need to provide each circuit board with its own dedicated filter for removing such noise, contributing to cost reduction of the various circuit boards.

Here, the arrangement of the multiple circular ventilation holes 1501az formed in the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501 will be described. As described above, these multiple circular ventilation holes 1501az not only allow for air cooling of the inner space of the cover body 1501, but also serve the function of checking for any irregularities.

Specifically, when the peripheral control unit 1500 is assembled as described above, as shown in Figure 172, the multiple circular ventilation holes 1501az formed to the right of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa are distributed to cover an area larger than the shape of the control ROM 1510b, so that the part number and model (or management number) printed on the surface of the control ROM 1510b provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, and the state of the IC pins of the control ROM 1510b can be visually confirmed, that is, the surface of the control ROM 1510b and the state of the IC pins can be checked from multiple angles. This allows modifications to the control ROM 1510b to be confirmed through the multiple circular ventilation holes 1501az. Furthermore, the LEDML1, positioned near the control ROM 1510b, maintains its illuminated state when +5V from the power supply board 630 of the board unit 620 is supplied via the interface board 635. While its primary function is to monitor the supply of +5V, it also functions as a spotlight, brightly illuminating the control ROM 1510b. This contributes to improving the visibility of the control ROM 1510b's surface and the IC pins.

Furthermore, the multiple circular ventilation holes 1501az formed to the left of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa are distributed and arranged to provide a large area where the connection status of the inter-board connector between the peripheral control board 1510 and the peripheral data ROM board 1520 can be checked. This area is larger than the shape of the inter-board connector (composed of a special connector SCN1 on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 and a special connector SCN3 on the surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520), and furthermore, the part number and model number (or management number) printed on the surface of the peripheral data ROM 1520a on the surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520, as well as the state of the IC pins of the peripheral data ROM 1520a, can be visually confirmed. In other words, the area is large enough to allow for a nearly complete check of the surface of the peripheral data ROM 1520a and the state of the IC pins from multiple angles. This allows modification of the inter-board connector between the special connector SCN1 provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 and the special connector SCN3 provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520 to be confirmed through the multiple circular ventilation holes 1501az. Furthermore, the LEDML3, positioned near the special connector SCN1, maintains its illuminated state when +24V from the power supply board 630 of the board unit 620 is supplied via the interface board 635. While it primarily functions to confirm (monitor) the supply of +24V, it also functions as a spotlight, brightly illuminating the inter-board connector between the special connector SCN1 on the surface (mounting side) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 and the special connector SCN3 on the surface (mounting side) 1520x of the peripheral data ROM board 1520. This contributes to improving the visibility of the inter-board connector between the two boards.

Furthermore, the multiple circular ventilation holes 1501az formed on the lower left side of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa are distributed and arranged to cover an area larger than the shape of the inter-board connector (the shape composed of the special connector SCN2 provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 and the special connector SCN4 provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output board 1530), so that the connection status of the inter-board connector between the peripheral control board 1510 and the liquid crystal output board 1530 can be checked. This allows modification of the inter-board connector by the special connector SCN2 provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 and the special connector SCN4 provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1530x of the liquid crystal output board 1530 to be checked through the multiple circular ventilation holes 1501az. Furthermore, the LEDML4, positioned near the special connector SCN2, is designed to remain lit while the peripheral control IC 1510a is operating. While its primary function is to monitor the operation of the peripheral control IC 1510a, it also functions as a spotlight, brightly illuminating the inter-board connector between the special connector SCN2 on the surface (mounting side) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 and the special connector SCN4 on the surface (mounting side) 1530x of the liquid crystal output board 1530. This contributes to improving the visibility of the inter-board connector between the two.

Furthermore, the multiple circular ventilation holes 1501az formed on the lower right side of the FAN mounting recess 1501aa are distributed to cover an area larger than the shape of the SDRAMs 1510c1 and 1510c2, so that the part numbers and model numbers printed on the surface of the SDRAMs 1510c1 and 1510c2 on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, and the state of the IC pins of the SDRAMs 1510c1 and 1510c2 can be visually confirmed, that is, the surface of the SDRAMs 1510c1 and 1510c2 and the state of the IC pins can be checked from multiple angles. This allows modifications to the SDRAMs 1510c1 and 1510c2 to be confirmed through the multiple circular ventilation holes 1501az. Furthermore, the LEDML2, positioned near the SDRAM 1510c (composed of SDRAM 1510c1 and 1510c2), maintains its illuminated state when +12V from the power supply board 630 of the board unit 620 is supplied via the interface board 635. While its primary function is to monitor the supply of +12V, it also functions as a spotlight, brightly illuminating the SDRAM 1510c. This contributes to improving the visibility of the surface of the SDRAM 1510c (i.e., SDRAM 1510c1 and 1510c2) and the IC pins.

Furthermore, the part number of the peripheral control IC 1510a mounted on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 can be confirmed from the gaps between the multiple blades constituting the air-cooling fan's blades (specifically, by rotating the air-cooling fan's blades to check the gaps between the blades). This allows for confirmation, through the multiple circular ventilation holes 1501az, whether any counterfeit boards are placed around the peripheral control IC 1510a.

In this embodiment, the LEDML1 to LEDML4 provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 are surface-mount type LEDs with a wide angle of approximately 120 degrees and weak directionality, making them suitable for illumination. When the various boards, such as the peripheral control board 1510, peripheral data ROM board 1520, and liquid crystal output board 1530, are mounted and fixed to predetermined positions on the back side of the cover plate 1501a, a space with a predetermined height (14.8 mm in this embodiment) is formed between the surface of the various boards (the surface facing the back side of the cover plate 1501a) and the back side of the cover plate 1501a, as described above. By lighting up the LEDML1 to LEDML4 provided on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, which is also suitable for illumination, the space thus formed can be brightly illuminated.

Furthermore, on the back surface and surrounding area of the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501, which faces the light-emitting surfaces of LEDML1 to LEDML4 on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, reflective portions (not shown) are formed to reflect the light emitted by LEDML1 to LEDML4 back towards the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510. These reflective portions (not shown) may be made of a bright colored paint such as white, or a glossy colored paint, or a glossy metal sheet may be attached.

Furthermore, near the game board 5, a ball tank 552 and a tank rail 553 are positioned above the game board 5, and a payout unit 560 is positioned to the side of the game board 5. As a result, the game balls rub against each other in the ball path formed by these components, becoming charged and then discharged, which becomes a source of noise. Therefore, the area near the game board 5 where the ball path is formed is an environment that is affected by noise caused by electrostatic discharge from the game balls. In addition, since the pachinko machine 1 is lined up facing away from the island equipment in the gaming hall, other pachinko machines may also become sources of noise and affect the machine. Thus, the area around the game board 5 is an environment that is extremely susceptible to noise. Therefore, in this embodiment, the cover body 1501, the base body 1502, and the wiring cover body 1503 are made of a conductive resin containing carbon in polycarbonate, as described above, and are electrically connected to the same ground (GND) as the peripheral control board 1510, the peripheral data ROM board 1520, and the LCD output board 1530. This allows noise entering through the cover body 1501 and base body 1502 of the peripheral control unit 1500, which is attached to the rear side of the game panel 1100 of the game board 5, to be routed to the ground of the peripheral control board 1510, peripheral data ROM board 1520, and LCD output board 1530, etc. (the ground (GND) of the various boards), thereby removing the noise.

[7-5. Implementation of the control ROM]
Here, the method for mounting the control ROM 1510b onto the peripheral control board 1510 will be described with reference to Figures 173 to 176. Figure 173 is a perspective view (a) of a ROM socket having a conversion board, and a top view (b) of the state in which a control ROM having a leadless package is mounted on the ROM socket. Figure 174 is a view taken along arrow P in Figure 173(a). Figure 175 is a cross-sectional view of a through-hole showing an overview of the positional relationship between the through-holes formed on the peripheral control board and the through-holes formed on the conversion board. Figure 176 is a perspective view (a) of a control ROM having a leadless package and a ROM socket mounted on the conversion board, and a top view (b) of the state in which a control ROM having a leadless package is mounted on the ROM socket.

First, as shown in Figures 173 to 176, multiple rectangular pads 1510v are formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 on which the control ROM 1510b is placed. These pads are arranged in two rows spaced apart by a predetermined distance. Specifically, the pads 1510v are positioned to correspond to multiple lead terminals that protrude outward from both longitudinal sides of the lead-type ROM socket into which the control ROM 1510b, which has a lead-type package (SSOP (Shrink Small Outline Package), hereinafter sometimes referred to as "lead-type package"), is attached and detached. The lead terminals of the lead-type ROM socket are soldered to the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, thereby fixing the lead-type ROM socket to the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510. The pad 1510v is located near the peripheral control IC 1510a described above.

On the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, in addition to the control ROM 1510b, which is a surface-side mounted electronic component, the surface-side markings indicating the part number of the surface-side electronic component, the area indicating the position where the surface-side electronic component will be placed (and may also include the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the surface-side electronic component) are printed by silkscreen printing on a solid green resist using white paint that is easily visible against the green. (For example, in Figure 173(b), the part number 1510v1 of the control ROM 1510b, the position where the control ROM 1510b will be placed (inner area indicated by symbols (L-shaped symbols) indicating the four corners) 1510v2, and the mounting orientation of the control ROM 1510b (mounting direction, symbol (triangle symbol (△)) indicating the position of the first terminal) 1510v3).

Furthermore, on the back surface of the peripheral control board 1510 (the side on which the control ROM 1510b is not mounted, and which may be hereafter referred to as the "non-mounted side") 1510y, in addition to the back-side mounted electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, and various ICs, a back-side marking section indicating the attributes of the back-side electronic components (which may also include the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the back-side electronic components) is printed by silkscreen printing on a solid green resist using white paint that is easily visible against the green.

In this embodiment, the control ROM 1510b, which has a lead-type package, has a storage capacity of 256 M bits, and 35 lead terminals (70 lead terminals in total) protrude outward from each of the two longitudinal sides.

The control ROM 1510b has a leaded package, but if it becomes scarce or discontinued, it will be necessary to substitute it with one of a different package. However, if the package is changed, in the case of a leadless package (so-called LGA (Land Grid Array)) (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "leadless package"), the lead terminals do not protrude from the side of the leadless package, but the connection terminals are located on the bottom of the leadless package. Therefore, the shape and arrangement of pads 1510v and the routing of the wiring patterns to pads 1510v must be modified. This means that the peripheral control board 1510 needs to be manufactured simply because of the package change, even though there are no electrical problems with other circuits.

Therefore, the pads 1510v are formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 so as to be positioned at locations corresponding to multiple lead terminals that protrude outward from both longitudinal sides of the lead-type ROM socket into which the control ROM 1510b, which has a lead-type package, is attached and detached. This mechanism allows for package changes by changing the target to which the pads 1510v are soldered. In other words, even if the package of the control ROM 1510b is changed, there is no need to modify the shape and arrangement of the pads 1510v on the peripheral control board 1510, or the routing of the wiring patterns to the pads 1510v (the shape and arrangement of the pads 1510v and the routing of the wiring to the pads 1510v become identical), allowing for common use. Thirty-five pads 1510v per row are arranged in two rows on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, spaced apart by a predetermined distance.

As mentioned above, the lead terminals of the control ROM 1510b with a leaded package total 70, whereas the connection terminals of the control ROM 1510b with a leadless package are fewer, with 56 terminals (the number of connection terminals may be fewer than 56) arranged on the bottom of the leadless package. This is because the number of power terminals to which the external control power supply is electrically connected, ground terminals to which the ground (circuit ground) (GND) is electrically connected, and NC terminals that are unconnected (non-connected) are reduced.

When the package of the control ROM 1510b is changed from a leaded package to a leadless package, as shown in Figure 173(a), this can be accommodated using a detachable ROM socket 1510s and a conversion board 1510t that changes the number of terminals, which allows for the attachment and detachment of the control ROM 1510b having a leadless package. The ROM socket 1510s allows for the attachment and detachment of the control ROM 1510b having a leadless package using a special tool, and mainly consists of a mounting section 1510sa, a pair of rotating holding pieces 1510sb, 1510sb, and a plurality of lead terminals 1510sc. The mounting section 1510sa is on which the control ROM 1510b, which has a leadless package, is mounted. The pair of rotating holding pieces 1510sb, 1510sb are in an open state when the control ROM 1510b with a leadless package is mounted on the mounting section 1510sa. However, when the control ROM 1510b with a leadless package is mounted and held on the mounting section 1510sa, the pieces rotate to hold the control ROM 1510b with a leadless package, applying force towards the bottom surface.

When the pair of rotating retaining pieces 1510sb, 1510sb are closed, a force acting from the top surface of the leadless package control ROM 1510b toward the bottom surface is maintained, and one end of each of the 56 connection terminals on the bottom surface of the leadless package control ROM 1510b, which is placed on the mounting section 1510sa, is electrically connected to one end of each corresponding lead terminal 1510sc (56 terminals).

The 56 lead terminals 1510sc are fixed to the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t, which is formed to correspond to these lead terminals 1510sc, by soldering them to pads 1510ta (56 of them).

The shape of the pads 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion substrate 1510t is identical to the shape of the pads 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control substrate 1510 (for example, a rectangular shape of 2.5 mm x 0.5 mm). Their size is the same, and the distance between the pads (the so-called pitch) is also the same (for example, 0.8 mm). The distance between two rows of pads 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion substrate 1510t is smaller than the distance between two rows of pads 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control substrate 1510.

The external dimensions of the conversion board 1510t are rectangular and plate-like, larger than those of the IC package, and almost identical to those of the lead-type ROM socket into which the control ROM 1510b, which has a lead-type package, is inserted and removed.

The thickness of the conversion board 1510t is thinner (0.8 mm or 1.0 mm) than the thickness of the peripheral control board 1510 (1.6 mm). A green resist layer is formed on the surface (mounting side) 1510x and back side (solder side, non-mounting side) 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510 by applying a green resist liquid to a layer (copper plane) on which pads 1510ta, wiring patterns, and lands are formed. The conversion board 1510t has multiple through-holes (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "through-holes") formed on the surface (mounting side) 1510tx and back side (non-mounting side) 1510ty that have lands that are electrically connected to the wiring patterns. The inner circumferential walls of the through-holes are copper plated to provide conductivity. The through-holes, excluding the end-face through-hole 1510tb described later, are filled with insulating resin. One end and the other end of the insulating resin filling the through-holes are machined to be flush with the surface (mounting side) 1510tx and the back (non-mounting side) 1510ty, respectively. Along with the lands, one end and the other end of the insulating resin filling the through-holes are completely covered with a green coating (referred to as "resin filling").

As shown in Figure 174, semicircular end-face through-holes 1510tb are formed on both longitudinal sides of the conversion board 1510t, corresponding to the multiple lead terminals that protrude outward from both longitudinal sides of the lead-type ROM socket into which the control ROM 1510b, which has a lead-type package, is attached and detached. The inner circumferential walls 1510tba of the end-face through-holes 1510tb are copper-plated to provide conductivity. The end-face through-holes 1510tb are formed in a circular shape during manufacturing and then shaped into a semicircular shape by router processing. Lands are formed on the front (mounting side) 1510tx and back (non-mounting side) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t, respectively.

The end-face through-holes 1510tb formed on both longitudinal sides of the conversion board 1510t are located at the same positions as the lead terminals of the control ROM 1510b, which has a leaded package, and are the same (for example, 0.8 mm) as the distance between pads (so-called pitch) of the pads 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510.

The difference between the control ROM 1510b with a leaded package and the control ROM 1510b with a leadless package is, as mentioned above, the number of power terminals to which the external control power supply is electrically connected, the ground terminals to which the ground (circuit ground) (GND) is electrically connected, and the number of NC terminals that are not connected. Therefore, on the front (mounting side) 1510tx and back (non-mounting side) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t, the wiring patterns are routed so that the connection terminals of the control ROM 1510b with a leadless package are electrically connected to the end face through-holes 1510tb, matching the number of power terminals, ground terminals, and NC terminals of the control ROM 1510b with a leaded package.

Returning to Figure 173, the positional relationship between the 56 pads 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion substrate 1510t and the 70 end-face through-holes 1510tb formed on both longitudinal sides of the conversion substrate 1510t is as shown in Figure 173(b). The pads 1510ta and end-face through-holes 1510tb are positioned such that the point where the line connecting the centers of the upper and lower edges of the conversion substrate 1510tx intersects with the line connecting the centers of the left and right edges coincides (or nearly coincides) with the point where the line connecting the centers of the upper and lower edges of the ROM socket 1510s intersects with the line connecting the centers of the left and right edges. This arrangement ensures that the pads 1510ta and end-face through-holes 1510tb are spaced apart with a predetermined clearance dimension zd to prevent electrical contact.

The 70 end-face through-holes 1510tb formed on both longitudinal sides of the conversion board 1510t are soldered to the pads 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510. This ensures that the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t and the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 are in surface contact (i.e., the conversion board 1510t is surface-mounted to the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, without any gaps).

Furthermore, the exposed copper surfaces on the front (mounting side) 1510tx and back (non-mounting side) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t are coated with solder using a solder rivet, providing protection for the exposed copper surfaces and improving wettability during mounting. A water-soluble flux may also be used as the solder rivet for the conversion board 1510t.

The land of the end face through hole 1510tb formed on the back surface (non-mounted surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t will be in surface contact with the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounted surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 when the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the end face through hole 1510tb is soldered to the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounted surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, resulting in an electrically conductive state. This is because, when the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the end face through hole 1510tb and the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 are soldered together, the land of the end face through hole 1510tb formed on the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t is soldered together, the land of the end face through hole 1510tb formed on the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t is in surface contact with the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510. A water-soluble flux may be used as the solder rivet for the peripheral control board 1510.

Lands are formed on the front surface (mounting surface) 1510tx and back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion substrate 1510t in the end face through hole 1510tb, but it is not necessary to form lands. In this case, it is preferable that the pad 1510ta formed on the front surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the end face through hole 1510tb and the end face through hole 1510tb formed on both sides of the end face through hole 1510tb are spaced apart with a predetermined clearance dimension zd (for example, 0.5 mm or more). In this case, a lower pad that is electrically connected to the lower end of the end face through hole 1510tb may also be formed on the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion substrate 1510t. The shape of this lower pad is smaller than the shape of the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 (for example, a rectangular shape of 2.5 mm x 0.5 mm) (for example, a rectangular shape of 1.5 mm to 1.6 mm x 0.5 mm to 0.55 mm), and the distance dimension between pads (so-called pitch) is the same as that of the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 (for example, 0.8 mm). As described above, solder is applied to this lower pad by a solder rivet (coated with solder), and a treatment is applied to protect the surface of the exposed copper part and improve wettability during mounting. Even with this configuration, the lower pad, which is electrically connected to the lower end of the end face through hole 1510tb formed on the back surface (non-mounted surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t, becomes electrically conductive when the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the end face through hole 1510tb and the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounted surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 are soldered together, by making surface contact with the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounted surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510. Furthermore, this configuration enhances the peel strength that prevents the pad 1510v from separating from the substrate of the peripheral control board 1510 when the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 is soldered to the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the end face through hole 1510tb of the conversion board 1510t and the lower pad formed on the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t.

On the surface (mounting surface) 1510t of the conversion board 1510t, in addition to the ROM socket 1510s, which is a surface-side mounted electronic component, the attributes of the surface-side electronic component (including the part number of the surface-side electronic component, the area indicating the position where the surface-side electronic component will be placed, and possibly the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the surface-side electronic component) are printed by silkscreen printing on a solid green resist using white paint that is easily visible against the green. (For example, the part number of the ROM socket 1510s 1510s1, the position where the ROM socket 1510s will be placed (inner area indicated by symbols (L-shaped symbols) indicating the four corners) 1510s2, and the mounting orientation of the ROM socket 1510s (mounting direction, symbol indicating the position of the first terminal (triangle symbol (△))) 1510s3).

Furthermore, while there are a total of 56 pads 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t, there are a total of 70 pads 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, which is more than the number of pads 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t. In addition, as described above, the shape of the pads 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t is the same as the shape of the pads 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, and their size is also the same. Furthermore, the contact area (bonding area) between the lead terminals 1510sc of the ROM socket 1510s and the pad 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t is compared with the contact area (bonding area) between the inner peripheral walls 1510tba of the end face through holes 1510tb formed on both sides of the conversion board 1510t and the lands (or the lower pads mentioned above in place of the lands) formed on the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t and the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510. Because the size is reduced, the bonding strength between the inner peripheral walls 1510tba of the end face through holes 1510tb formed on both sides of the conversion substrate 1510t and the lands (or the aforementioned lower pads instead of lands) formed on the back surface (non-mounted surface) 1510ty of the conversion substrate 1510t and the surface (mounted surface) 1510x of the peripheral control substrate 1510 is higher than the bonding strength between the lead terminals 1510sc of the ROM socket 1510s and the pads 1510ta formed on the surface (mounted surface) 1510tx of the conversion substrate 1510t.

Therefore, when the lead terminals 1510sc of the ROM socket 1510s are soldered to the pad 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t, the peel strength at which the pad 1510ta peels off from the substrate of the conversion board 1510t is smaller than the peel strength at which the pad 1510v peels off from the substrate of the peripheral control board 1510 when the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the end face through hole 1510tb of the conversion board 1510t and the land formed on the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t are soldered to the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510.

In other words, when an external force is applied to the ROM socket 1510s, the peel strength at which the pad 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t peels off from the substrate of the conversion board 1510t is smaller than the peel strength at which the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 peels off from the substrate of the peripheral control board 1510. Therefore, when an external force is applied to the ROM socket 1510s, the pad formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t, which is soldered to the lead terminals 1510sc of the ROM socket 1510s, Since the pad 1510ta can be detached from the base material of the conversion board 1510t, the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, which is soldered to the land formed on the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the end face through hole 1510tb of the conversion board 1510t and the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t, can be prevented from detaching from the base material of the peripheral control board 1510. Therefore, damage to the peripheral control board 1510 can be prevented.

On the other hand, when force is applied to the lead terminals 1510sc of the ROM socket 1510s and the pads 1510ta formed on the conversion board 1510t, the soldered portion between the lead terminals 1510sc of the ROM socket 1510s is easily deformed because it is a thin metal wire. This increases the load on each of the lead terminals 1510sc, and applies a force that peels off the pads 1510ta and the wiring pattern formed on the conversion board 1510t. As a result, the soldering area on the ROM socket 1510s side, which has thin metal wires, is highly likely to experience pattern delamination. However, the soldering area on the peripheral control board 1510 side (the soldering area between the land (or the aforementioned lower pad instead of the land) formed on the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the through-hole 1510tb on the end face of the conversion board 1510t and the back surface (non-mounted side) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t, and the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounted side) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510) is less likely to experience pattern delamination.

In this way, by adopting a new configuration in which the ROM socket 1510s is not directly mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 but is mounted on the conversion board 1510t, damage to the peripheral control board 1510 due to external forces applied to the ROM socket 1510s can be reduced. Therefore, the method of mounting the control ROM 1510b, an electronic component, to the peripheral control board 1510 can be changed to a new configuration, making it more convenient.

Furthermore, as described above, the front surface (mounting side) 1510x and back surface (solder side, non-mounting side) 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510, and the front surface (mounting side) 1510tx and back surface (non-mounting side) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t, both have a green resist layer formed by a green coating, resulting in a unified color. By making the resist layers of the peripheral control board 1510 and the conversion board 1510t the same color (green), the presence of the conversion board 1510t can be made less noticeable to the peripheral control board 1510, making it less likely to be perceived as a target for fraud.

Furthermore, on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, the mounting orientation (mounting direction, symbol (triangle symbol (△))) 1510v3 indicating the placement position of the first terminal of the control ROM 1510b is printed by silk screen printing on a solid green resist using white paint that is easily visible against the green resist. This makes it easier to determine the orientation of the conversion board 1510t when the resists of the peripheral control board 1510 and the conversion board 1510t are the same color (green). By marking the location of one pin (placement of the first terminal) with white resist, which is easily recognizable against the green resist, the orientation of the conversion board 1510t can be easily determined. In other words, since the peripheral control board 1510 has one pin location (the position of the first terminal) and the conversion board 1510t also has one pin location (the position of the first terminal), even if the resist on the peripheral control board 1510 and the conversion board 1510t are the same color (green), the orientation of the conversion board 1510t can be easily determined.

Furthermore, the through-holes in the conversion substrate 1510t, excluding the end-face through-hole 1510tb, are filled with insulating resin. The insulating resin filling the through-holes is processed so that one end and the other end are flush with the surface (mounting side) 1510tx and the back (non-mounting side) 1510ty of the conversion substrate 1510t. Both ends of the insulating resin filling the through-holes, along with the through-hole lands, are completely covered by a green coating (resin filling). This eliminates exposed metal portions of the through-holes, thus avoiding contact with, for example, exposed metal portions of the through-holes formed on the peripheral control substrate 1510, and preventing electrical problems.

This will be briefly explained with reference to Figure 175. For example, as shown in Figure 175, the through-holes formed in the peripheral control board 1510 and the through-holes formed in the conversion board 1510t may or may not coincidentally overlap. In the case of coincidence overlap, the through-holes formed in the peripheral control board 1510 and the through-holes formed in the conversion board 1510t would be electrically connected, resulting in conductivity. To avoid this, the holes in the through-holes formed in the conversion board 1510t are filled with the aforementioned resin.

Furthermore, if we consider a board on which a connector for connecting to the peripheral control board 1510 is provided, and the board is electrically connected by connecting to the connector on the peripheral control board 1510, the mounted control ROM will be close to the cover plate 1501a (board case) of the cover body 1501 of the peripheral control board box 1505, making it more susceptible to external noise. In contrast, in this embodiment, the conversion board 1510t is connected by soldering, with the surface (mounting side) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 and the back surface (non-mounting side) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t in surface contact. Therefore, the mounted control ROM 1510b can be kept away from the cover plate 1501a (board case) of the cover body 1501 of the peripheral control board box 1505, making it less susceptible to external noise.

Furthermore, the pads 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 consist of 70 pads corresponding to the lead terminals of the control ROM 1510b having a leaded package, whereas the connection terminals of the control ROM 1510b having a leadless package consist of 56 (the number of connection terminals may be less than 56) on the bottom surface of the leadless package. Therefore, some pads 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 may, for example, have an excessive number of unconnected NC terminals pre-assigned to the lead terminals of the control ROM 1510b having a leaded package. The presence of these excess pads 1510v has the effect of reinforcing the soldering portion on the peripheral control board 1510 side (the soldering portion between the land formed on the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the through-hole 1510tb on the end face of the conversion board 1510t and the back surface (non-mounted side) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t and the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounted side) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510), and can contribute to the strength of the joint surface of the soldering portion on the peripheral control board 1510 side. In other words, the number of NC terminals has been deliberately increased to strengthen the soldering surface on the peripheral control board 1510 side (the soldering surface between the land formed on the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the through-hole 1510tb on the end face of the conversion board 1510t and the back surface (non-mounted side) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t, and the pad 1510v formed on the front surface (mounted side) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510).

Furthermore, since the inner circumferential walls 1510tba of the end face through holes 1510tb formed on both sides of the conversion substrate 1510t are connected by lands (or the aforementioned lower pads instead of lands) (copper foil) formed on the back surface (non-mounted side) 1510ty of the conversion substrate 1510t, the bonding strength can be increased compared to soldering using simple pads. The soldering portion on the conversion board 1510t side (the soldering portion between the lead terminal 1510sc of the ROM socket 1510s and the pad 1510ta formed on the conversion board 1510t) is a pad only on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t, while the soldering portion on the peripheral control board 1510 side (the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the end face through hole 1510tb of the conversion board 1510t and the land (or the lower pad described above in place of the land) formed on the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t) The soldering portion between the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 is connected by the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the through-hole 1510tb on the end face of the conversion board 1510t and the land (or the lower pad described above instead of the land) (copper foil) formed on the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t. Therefore, the soldering portion on the peripheral control board 1510 side can be configured to have stronger bonding strength compared to the soldering portion on the conversion board 1510t side.

Furthermore, the shape of the pads 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion substrate 1510t is the same as the shape of the pads 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control substrate 1510 (for example, a rectangular shape of 2.5 mm x 0.5 mm), their size is the same, and the distance between the pads (so-called pitch) is also the same (for example, 0.8 mm). The distance between two rows of pads 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion substrate 1510t is smaller than the distance between two rows of pads 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control substrate 1510, and is longer than the distance between the pads (pitch). The end face through holes 1510tb formed on both sides of the conversion substrate 1510t are the same (for example, 0.8 mm) as the distance between pads 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control substrate 1510 (the so-called pitch). The distance between the end face through holes 1510tb formed on both sides of the conversion substrate 1510t (i.e., the distance between the two sides of the conversion substrate 1510t) is larger than the inner distance between two rows of pads 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control substrate 1510, and smaller than the outer distance between two rows of pads 1510v. Furthermore, it is longer than the distance between two rows of pads 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion substrate 1510t. This increases the pitch of the joint between the land (or the aforementioned lower pad instead of the land) formed on the inner circumferential wall 1510tba of the through-hole 1510tb at the end face of the conversion substrate 1510t and on the back surface (non-mounted surface) 1510ty of the conversion substrate 1510t, and the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounted surface) 1510x of the peripheral control substrate 1510, thereby enhancing the deflection prevention effect of the peripheral control substrate 1510. Furthermore, to further enhance the deflection prevention effect of the peripheral control substrate 1510, for example, the substrate thickness of the conversion substrate 1510t can be increased.

Furthermore, the soldering portion on the conversion board 1510t side (the soldering portion between the lead terminal 1510sc of the ROM socket 1510s and the pad 1510ta formed on the conversion board 1510t) and the soldering portion on the peripheral control board 1510 side (the soldering portion between the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the end face through hole 1510tb of the conversion board 1510t and the land (or the lower pad described above in place of the land) formed on the back surface (mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t and the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510) are configured such that, as described above, the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t and the back surface 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510 are in surface contact and surface mounting is possible. This allows for a seamless electrical connection between the conversion board 1510t and the peripheral control board 1510. Therefore, the distance between the cover plate 1501a (board case) of the cover body 1501 of the peripheral control board box 1505 can be increased, resulting in a connection method that is more resistant to noise.

Furthermore, the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the through-hole 1510tb on the end face of the conversion board 1510t and the land (or the lower pad described above in place of the land) formed on the back surface (non-mounted side) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t are soldered to the pad 1510v formed on the surface surface (mounted side) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, thereby electrically connecting them via solder. This allows for a gap-free electrical connection between the conversion board 1510t and the peripheral control board 1510, thus increasing the distance between the cover plate 1501a (board case) of the cover body 1501 of the peripheral control board box 1505 and the conversion board 1510, resulting in a connection method that is resistant to noise.

Furthermore, the through-holes in the conversion board 1510t, excluding the through-hole 1510tb on the end face, are filled with insulating resin. The insulating resin filling the through-holes is processed so that one end and the other end are flush with the surface (mounting side) 1510tx and the back (non-mounting side) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t. Along with the through-hole lands, the insulating resin filling the through-holes is completely covered (resin-filled) with a green coating. This allows surface mounting of the conversion board 1510t's back (non-mounting side) 1510ty and the peripheral control board 1510's back (side) 1510y in surface contact, thus preventing short circuits between the seamlessly connected conversion board 1510t and peripheral control board 1510.

Furthermore, while the control ROM 1510b is attached to and detached from the ROM socket 1510s, this process involves human intervention, potentially leading to damage to the control ROM 1510b or its wiring patterns. Therefore, by mounting the ROM socket 1510s on the conversion board 1510t, if the control ROM 1510b or the wiring patterns formed on the conversion board 1510t are damaged, the peripheral control board 1510 can be reused (the same board) by removing the conversion board 1510t from the peripheral control board 1510 and replacing it with a new one.

Furthermore, the conversion board 1510t is equipped only with the ROM socket 1510s. This means that if the ROM socket 1510s or the conversion board 1510t becomes damaged and needs replacing, only the minimum unit—the ROM socket 1510s and the conversion board 1510t—is required.

Furthermore, the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, which is soldered to the land (or the aforementioned lower pad) formed on the land (or the lower pad instead of the land) formed on the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the end face through-hole 1510tb of the conversion board 1510t and on the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t, is located near the peripheral control IC 1510a. Since the peripheral control IC 1510a is an IC with a large package and is a surface-mount type electronic component, such surface-mount type electronic components are particularly susceptible to board deflection (the connection terminals and lead terminals of the electronic component may peel off from the surface of the board). Therefore, by mounting the conversion board 1510t near the peripheral control IC 1510a, the peripheral control board 1510 can be reinforced against deflection.

Furthermore, even if the control ROM 1510b has a leaded package, it can be changed to a control ROM 1510b with a leadless package. This can be handled by mounting a conversion board 1510t, equipped with a detachable ROM socket 1510s for the leadless package control ROM 1510b, on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510. Therefore, even if the control ROM 1510b package is changed, there is no need to modify the shape and arrangement of the pads 1510v on the peripheral control board 1510, or the routing of the wiring patterns to the pads 1510v (the shape and arrangement of the pads 1510v and the routing of the wiring to the pads 1510v remain the same), allowing for common use.

Furthermore, when the peripheral control board 1510 is reused, and when a sampling inspection (sample) is performed to check for defects in the manufacturing process, the control ROM 1510b may get caught on the ROM socket 1510s and external force may be applied to the ROM socket 1510s when it is removed using a special tool. However, the peel strength at which the pad 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t peels off from the base material of the conversion board 1510t is as described above, and the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 is peripheral Because the peel strength is smaller than that of the control board 1510, the pad 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t, which is soldered to the lead terminals 1510sc of the ROM socket 1510s, peels off from the base material of the conversion board 1510t. This prevents the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, which is soldered to the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the end face through hole 1510tb of the conversion board 1510t, from peeling off from the base material of the peripheral control board 1510, thus preventing damage to the peripheral control board 1510. This allows the damaged ROM socket 1510s to be mounted on a conversion board 1510t, which is attached to the peripheral control board 1510. The conversion board 1510t with the new ROM socket 1510s attached can then be mounted onto the peripheral control board 1510's surface (mounting surface) 1510x. This eliminates the need to replace the peripheral control board 1510 itself with a new one.

Furthermore, since the conversion board 1510t is surface-mounted onto the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 and fixed without any gaps, it becomes difficult to place improper electronic components in the gap between the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty of the conversion board 1510t and the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510.

Furthermore, when changing from a control ROM 1510b with a leaded package to a control ROM 1510b with a leadless package, as described above, it is necessary to use a conversion board 1510t. However, as described above, the thickness of the conversion board 1510t is thinner than the thickness of the peripheral control board 1510 (1.6 mm) (0.8 mm or 1.0 mm). Therefore, when the peripheral control board 1510 is housed and sealed in the peripheral control board box 1505 (sealed board box), the predetermined height distance dimension from the top surface of the control ROM 1510b mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 to the back surface of the cover plate 1501a of the cover body 1501 of the peripheral control board box 1505 is at most about the thickness of the conversion board 1510t. This allows for high noise immunity against noise entering from the cover body 1501.

Furthermore, as described above, when the peripheral control board 1510 is reused, the control ROM 1510b is removed from the ROM socket 1510s using a special tool when a sampling inspection (sample) is performed to check for defects during the manufacturing process. In other words, the conversion board 1510t on which the control ROM 1510b is mounted is removed from the ROM socket 1510s using a special tool when the peripheral control board 1510 is reused, when a sampling inspection (sample) is performed to check for defects during the manufacturing process. When changing from a control ROM 1510b with a leaded package to a control ROM 1510b with a leadless package, as described above, it is necessary to use a conversion board 1510t. However, since the lead terminals do not protrude outward from the conversion board 1510t, even if the conversion board 1510t on which the control ROM 1510b is mounted is accidentally dropped by someone using a special tool to remove it, the lead terminals will not bend as they would with a control ROM 1510b with a leaded package, thus preventing it from becoming unusable.

Furthermore, as described above, semicircular end-face through-holes 1510tb are formed on both longitudinal sides of the conversion substrate 1510t. The diameter of the holes in the end-face through-holes 1510tb is approximately the same as the width dimension (0.5 mm) of the pad 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion substrate 1510t (for example, a rectangular shape of 2.5 mm × 0.5 mm). Alternatively, the diameter of the holes in the end-face through-holes 1510tb may be larger than the width dimension (0.5 mm) of the pad 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion substrate 1510t (for example, a rectangular shape of 2.5 mm × 0.5 mm) (for example, 0.6 mm to 0.7 mm). In this case, the end-face through-holes 1510tb will have a shorter arc shape compared to a semicircle.

Furthermore, the pad 1510v is formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 so as to be positioned corresponding to the multiple lead terminals that protrude outward from both longitudinal sides of the lead-type ROM socket into which the control ROM 1510b having a lead-type package is attached and detached. This mechanism allows for changes in the package by changing the object to which the pad 1510v is soldered, but other mechanisms may also be employed. For example, as shown in Figure 176(a), the lead terminals 1510sc (70 in total) of a lead-type ROM socket 1510s' to which a control ROM 1510b having a lead-type package is attached and detached are soldered to the pad 1510v (that is, the conventional ROM socket 1510s' is reused as is), and the conversion board 1510t' to which a control ROM 1510b having a leadless package is soldered is placed on the mounting part 1510sa' of the ROM socket 1510s', and the pair of rotating retaining pieces 1510sb', 1510sb' are closed. Note that the mounting portion 1510sa', the pair of rotating retaining pieces 1510sb', 1510sb', and the multiple lead terminals 1510sc' have the same function as the mounting portion 1510sa, the pair of rotating retaining pieces 1510sb, 1510sb, and the multiple lead terminals 1510sc of the ROM socket 1510s shown in Figure 173(a), therefore their explanation here is omitted.

Furthermore, on the front surface (mounting surface) 1510tx' and the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty' of the conversion substrate 1510t', a green resist layer is formed by applying a green resist liquid to a layer (copper plane) on which pads, wiring patterns, and lands to which a control ROM 1510b having a leadless package is soldered. The conversion substrate 1510t' has multiple through-holes (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "through-holes") that have lands that are electrically connected to the wiring patterns formed on the front surface (mounting surface) 1510tx and the back surface (non-mounting surface) 1510ty, and the inner circumferential walls of the through-holes are copper-plated to provide conductivity. The through-holes are filled with insulating resin, and both ends of the insulating resin sealing the through-holes are machined to be flush with the surface (mounting side) 1510tx' and the back (non-mounting side) 1510ty' respectively. Both ends of the insulating resin sealing the through-holes, along with the lands, are completely covered with a green coating (resin filling).

Furthermore, protrusions projecting downwards are formed at both ends of the longitudinal direction of the back surface (non-mounted side) 1510ty' of the conversion board 1510t', and pads are formed on these protrusions. These pads are positioned corresponding to the lead terminals 1510sc' of the ROM socket 1510s', with 35 pads at one end and 35 at the other, for a total of 70 pads.

When the conversion board 1510t', to which the control ROM 1510b having a leadless package is soldered, is placed on the mounting portion 1510sa' of the ROM socket 1510s', and the pair of rotating retaining pieces 1510sb', 1510sb' are closed, the board is positioned such that, as shown in Figure 176(b), the point where the line connecting the centers of the upper and lower edges of the conversion board 1510t' intersects with the line connecting the centers of the left and right edges coincides (or nearly coincides) with the point where the line connecting the centers of the upper and lower edges of the ROM socket 1510s intersects with the line connecting the centers of the left and right edges.

When changing from a control ROM 1510b with a leaded package to a control ROM 1510b with a leadless package, it is necessary to modify the board management number of the peripheral control board 1510. Here, the modification of the board management number of the peripheral control board 1510 is briefly explained with reference to Figure 177. Figures 177(a) to (c) are schematic diagrams showing the board management numbers of the peripheral control board. Note that the board management number of the peripheral control board 1510 needs to be changed when the components mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 are changed.

As shown in Figure 177(a), a foil-removed area KBRGN (i.e., an area formed by removing copper foil from the copper foil surface where the wiring pattern is formed, excluding each terminal and the wiring pattern) is formed on a predetermined location (for example, one of the four corners of the peripheral control substrate 1510) on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control substrate 1510. Within this foil-removed area KBRGN, foil-removed characters KBNUM are formed using the wiring pattern, with the common part of the management number (in the figure, "XYZA") representing the substrate management number, left-aligned. Both the foil-removed area KBRGN and the foil-removed characters KBNUM are covered by a solid green resist liquid applied to the surface (mounting surface) 1510 of the peripheral control substrate 1510.

When changing from a control ROM 1510b with a leaded package to a control ROM 1510b with a leadless package, for example, as shown in Figure 177(b), a laser marker is used to print the symbol HKBNUM (the letter A in the figure) following the left-aligned foil-punched character KBNUM within the foil-punched area KBRGN (etched from the surface to a predetermined depth along the symbol HKBNUM). Using a laser marker, the board management number (XYZAA in the figure) can be created by printing the symbol HKBNUM following the foil-punched character KBNUM each time the conversion substrate 1510t is replaced (including repair). Alternatively, the board management number may be changed by erasing part of the foil-punched character with a laser marker, or by both erasing part of the foil-punched character and adding a character.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 177(c), for example, the common part of the management number (in this figure, "XYZ-") is used as the substrate management number, and foil-punched characters KBNUM are formed using a wiring pattern. Foil-punched areas RGN1, RGN2, and RGN3 are formed in a neighboring area (directly below foil-punched area KBRGN in this figure), separate from foil-punched area KBRGN. Foil-punched characters are also formed using a wiring pattern as symbols (in this figure, the letters A, B, and C) within foil-punched areas RGN1, RGN2, and RGN3. Foil-punched areas KBRGN and areas RGN1, RGN2, and RGN3 are covered by a solid green resist liquid applied to the surface (mounting surface) 1510 of the peripheral control substrate 1510. Regions RGN1, RGN2, and RGN3 are perforated with a router, allowing them to be removed from the peripheral control board 1510. When regions RGN1, RGN2, and RGN3 are not removed from the peripheral control board 1510, the board management number of the peripheral control board 1510 is "XYZA-ABC". If the control ROM 1510b with a leaded package is changed to a control ROM 1510b with a leadless package, the board management number can be changed by removing one, two, or all of regions RGN1, RGN2, and RGN3 from the peripheral control board 1510.

Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 is equipped with a power supply generation circuit (not shown) that generates various power supply voltages. This power supply generation circuit consists of a rectangular board on which various electronic components are mounted. The back side of this board is directly soldered to the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, in surface contact. The surface (mounting surface) of this board is covered by a metal cover that crimps and holds the edges of the board. Once mounted on the peripheral control board 1510, the power supply generation circuit board is not a detachable electronic component. Therefore, if the power supply generation circuit is damaged, it is not possible to replace the power supply generation circuit board and directly solder a new board to the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 in surface contact; rather, the peripheral control board 1510 itself must be replaced.

It should be noted that gaming machines equipped with a performance control board on which electronic components such as ROMs are mounted have been known for some time (for example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-217381 (paragraph [0061], Figure 5)). However, there was room for improvement in the method of mounting electronic components to the control board in conventional gaming machines.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, as described above, is equipped with a peripheral control unit 1500 (Figure 170), which is a performance control means that controls the performance related to the game. The peripheral control unit 1500 comprises a peripheral control board 1510 (Figure 173), which is a control board; a ROM socket 1510s (Figure 173), which is a ROM socket into which the control ROM 1510b (Figure 173), which stores performance data, is mounted; and a conversion board 1510t (Figure 173), which is a specific board on which the ROM socket 1510s is mounted. On the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, a position 1510v2 is formed for positioning the control ROM 1510b (Figure 173), which is a specific board mounting area on which the conversion board 1510t is mounted so as to overlap. Only the ROM socket 1510s is soldered and mounted on the conversion board 1510t.

In this way, by adopting a new configuration in which the ROM socket 1510s is not mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 but on the conversion board 1510t, damage to the peripheral control board 1510 due to external forces applied to the ROM socket 1510s can be reduced. Therefore, the method of mounting the control ROM 1510b, an electronic component, to the peripheral control board 1510 can be changed to a new configuration, making it more convenient.

Furthermore, the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment described above includes a peripheral control unit 1500, shown in Figure 170, which is a performance control means that controls the performance related to the game. The peripheral control unit 1500 includes a peripheral control board 1510, shown in Figure 173, which is a control board; a ROM socket 1510s, shown in Figure 173, on which a control ROM 1510b, shown in Figure 173, which stores performance data, is mounted; and a conversion board 1510t, shown in Figure 173, which is a specific board on which the ROM socket 1510s is mounted. On the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, a position 1510v2 is formed for arranging the control ROM 1510b, shown in Figure 173, which is a specific board mounting area on which the conversion board 1510t is mounted so as to overlap. The conversion board 1510t has a pad 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t shown in Figure 173, which is a first board surface portion that can be soldered, and an inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the side through-hole 1510tb formed on both sides of the conversion board 1510t shown in Figure 173, which is a second board surface portion. The ROM socket 1510s and the conversion board 1510t have a lead terminal 1510sc which is the lead terminal portion of the ROM socket 1510t and the first The pad 1510ta, which is the board surface portion, is connected by soldering (electrically connected by soldering). The peripheral control board 1510 and the conversion board 1510t are connected by soldering (electrically connected) between the pad 1510v formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 (Figure 173) and the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the side through-hole 1510tb, which is the second board surface portion of the conversion board 1510t.

In this way, by adopting a new configuration in which the ROM socket 1510s is not mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 but on the conversion board 1510t, damage to the peripheral control board 1510 due to external forces applied to the ROM socket 1510s can be reduced. Therefore, the method of mounting the control ROM 1510b, an electronic component, to the peripheral control board 1510 can be changed to a new configuration, making it more convenient.

Furthermore, the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment described above includes a peripheral control unit 1500, shown in Figure 170, which is a performance control means that controls the performance related to the game. The peripheral control unit 1500 includes a peripheral control board 1510, shown in Figure 173, which is a control board; a ROM socket 1510s, shown in Figure 173, on which a control ROM 1510b, shown in Figure 173, which stores performance data, is mounted; and a conversion board 1510t, shown in Figure 173, which is a specific board on which the ROM socket 1510s is mounted. The conversion board 1510t is provided with a first terminal portion, a pad 1510ta formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510tx of the conversion board 1510t as shown in Figure 174, for electrically connecting the ROM socket 1510s to the mounting surface where the ROM socket 1510s is mounted. The second terminal portion, the inner peripheral wall 1510tba of the side through-holes 1510tb formed on both sides of the conversion board 1510t, is for electrically connecting the peripheral control board 1510 to the back surface where the ROM socket 1510s is mounted. The first and second terminal portions are of different configurations, and the second terminal portion is electrically connected to the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 via solder.

In this way, by adopting a new configuration in which the ROM socket 1510s is not mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 but on the conversion board 1510t, damage to the peripheral control board 1510 due to external forces applied to the ROM socket 1510s can be reduced. Therefore, the method of mounting the control ROM 1510b, an electronic component, to the peripheral control board 1510 can be changed to a new configuration, making it more convenient.

[8. Power System]
Next, the power supply system of the pachinko machine 1 will be explained with reference to Figure 178. Figure 178 is a block diagram showing the power supply system of a pachinko game machine. First, the power supply board will be explained, followed by the power supply supplied to the backup power supply, each control board, etc. Note that the board grounds (GND) of the various boards and the board grounds (GND) of the various terminal boards are electrically connected to the ground (GND) of the power supply board 630 and are on the same ground (GND).

[8-1. Power Supply Board]
The power supply board 630 of the power supply unit 620c, which is attached to the circuit board unit 620 shown in Figures 94 and 95, is electrically connected to a power cord, and the plug of this power cord is plugged into a power outlet of the island equipment in the amusement hall. In the island equipment of an amusement hall, a system is usually employed in which, for example, four pachinko machines 1 are treated as one group and each is supplied with AC power (AC 24V) from one transformer. For example, in the island equipment of an amusement hall where 20 pachinko machines 1 are installed in a row, four pachinko machines 1 are managed as five groups, and one transformer is provided for each group (a total of five transformers), and AC power (AC 24V) is supplied to each group. Therefore, a transformer with a maximum allowable capacity of 1000VA is provided.

When the power switch 630a is turned ON, AC power (24V AC) supplied from the island equipment of the gaming hall is supplied to the power board 630, allowing the power to be turned on to the pachinko machine 1. Conversely, when the power switch 630a is turned OFF, AC power (24V AC) supplied from the island equipment of the gaming hall is no longer supplied to the power board 630, allowing the power to be shut off to the pachinko machine 1. Normally, the power switch 630a is kept in the ON state, and when the staff of the gaming hall start business, they turn ON (switch on) the circuit breaker installed in the gaming hall, thereby simultaneously turning on the power to the pachinko machines 1 installed in multiple rows on the island equipment of the gaming hall. Then, when the staff of the gaming hall end business, they turn OFF (switch off) the circuit breaker installed in the gaming hall, thereby simultaneously shutting off the power to the pachinko machines 1 installed in multiple rows on the island equipment of the gaming hall. Therefore, when individually powering on or off a pachinko machine 1 among multiple rows of pachinko machines 1 installed in a gaming hall's island equipment, examples include when a staff member of the gaming hall turns off the power switch 630a during maintenance and turns it back on after the maintenance is completed, or when a staff member of the gaming hall turns off the power switch 630a to resolve a problem with a pachinko machine 1 that has occurred and turns it back on after the problem is resolved.

As shown in Figure 178, the power supply board 630 includes, in addition to the power switch 630a, fuses FUSE1 and FUSE2, a noise suppression circuit 630b, a rectifier circuit 630c, a power supply destruction circuit 630g, a power factor correction circuit 630d, a smoothing circuit 630e, a power supply creation circuit 630f, and a backup power supply circuit 630h. The AC power (AC 24V (hereinafter referred to as "AC24V")) supplied from the island equipment of the amusement hall is supplied to the interface board 635 via the power supply board 630, regardless of whether the power switch 630a is ON or OFF. From this interface board 635, power is supplied to the ball dispensing machine (for example, the CR unit) located adjacent to the pachinko machine 1.

When the power switch 630a is turned ON, the AC24V supplied from the island equipment of the gaming hall is supplied to the noise suppression circuit 630b via fuses FUSE1 and FUSE2, and then the power switch 630a, where the noise is removed. The noise-free AC24V is supplied to the rectifier circuit 630c, where it is rectified (converted from AC to DC (AC-DC conversion)) to become a DC power supply. This rectified DC power supply is supplied to the power factor correction circuit 630d via the power supply destruction circuit 630g, where a DC +35V (hereinafter referred to as "+35V") with an improved power factor is created. This created +35V is supplied to the smoothing circuit 630e, where the ripple of the +35V is removed and the circuit is smoothed. This smoothed +35V is supplied to the power supply generation circuit 630f.

The power supply disruption circuit 630g electrically disconnects the AC24V supplied from the gaming hall's island equipment by causing a large current exceeding the allowable current limit (a predetermined cutting current for each) to flow through fuses FUSE1 and FUSE2 when the voltage supplied to it exceeds a predetermined voltage. When a large current (abnormal current) exceeding the allowable current limit (cutting current) flows through fuses FUSE1 and FUSE2, the element portions of fuses FUSE1 and FUSE2 melt, interrupting the AC24V supplied to subsequent devices via fuses FUSE1 and FUSE2.

The power supply generation circuit 630f, which is supplied with smoothed +35V, includes a +5V power supply generation circuit 630fa, a +12V power supply generation circuit 630fb, and a +24V power supply generation circuit 630fc. The +5V power supply generation circuit 630fa generates DC +5V (hereinafter referred to as "+5V") from the +35V supplied from the smoothing circuit 630e. The +12V power supply generation circuit 630fb generates DC +12V (hereinafter referred to as "+12V") from the +35V supplied from the smoothing circuit 630e. The +24V power supply generation circuit 630fc generates DC +24V (hereinafter referred to as "+24V") from the +35V supplied from the smoothing circuit 630e. +5V, +12V, and +24V are supplied to the payout control board 633 and the interface board 635, respectively. The power lines (power systems) supplied with +5V applied by the power supply board 630 are designated as +5V power lines, the power lines (power systems) supplied with +12V applied by the power supply board 630 are designated as +12V power lines, and the power lines (power systems) supplied with +24V applied by the power supply board 630 are designated as +24V power lines.

[8-2. Backup Power Supply]
The backup power supply circuit 630h includes capacitors BC0 and BC1. Capacitor BC0 supplies backup power to the RAM (hereinafter referred to as "main control built-in RAM") built into the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and capacitor BC1 supplies backup power to the RAM (hereinafter referred to as "dispensing control built-in RAM") built into the dispensing control MPU 633aa of the dispensing control unit 633a of the dispensing control board 633.

The +5V generated by the +5V power supply generation circuit 630fa of the power supply generation circuit 630f is supplied to the payout control board 633. The +5V supplied to the payout control board 633 becomes the +5V power line on the payout control board 633 via the payout control filter circuit 633h, and is applied to the power terminal of the payout control MPU 633aa, as well as to the power terminal of the payout control built-in RAM via diode PD0. The +12V generated by the +12V power supply generation circuit 630fb of the power supply generation circuit 630f is supplied to the +5V generation circuit 1310g of the main control board 1310 via the payout control board 633. This +5V generation circuit 1310g generates +5V from the +12V from the payout control board 633 as a local power supply that becomes the control power supply for the main control MPU 1310a. The +5V generated by the +5V generation circuit 1310g (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "main control board-side generated +5V") becomes the main control board-side generated +5V power line on the main control board 1310 via the main control filter circuit 1310h, and is supplied to the power terminal of the main control MPU 1310a, as well as to the power terminal of the main control's built-in RAM via diode MD0. Note that the +5V generated by the +5V power generation circuit 630fa of the power generation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630 and the +5V generated by the +5V generation circuit 1310g on the main control board 1310 (main control board-side generated +5V) are not electrically connected and are independent of each other.

The negative terminal of capacitor BC1 on the power supply board 630 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) of the power supply board 630, while the positive terminal of capacitor BC1 is electrically connected to the power supply terminal of the payout control built-in RAM on the payout control board 633, and also to the cathode terminal of diode PD0 on the payout control board 633. In other words, the +5V generated by the +5V power supply generation circuit 630fa of the power supply generation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630 flows towards the power supply terminal of the payout control MPU 633aa, and also flows towards the power supply terminal of the payout control built-in RAM (which is forward-facing due to diode PD0) and the positive terminal of capacitor BC1.

Thus, capacitor BC1 can be charged by a +5V supply via an electrical connection method where the +5V generated by the +5V power supply generation circuit 630fa of the power supply generation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630 is supplied to the payout control board 633, and then returns from the payout control board 633 to the power supply board 630. Therefore, if the +5V generated by the +5V power supply generation circuit 630fa of the power supply generation circuit 630f is no longer supplied to the payout control board 633, the charge stored in capacitor BC1 is supplied to the payout control board 633 as payout VBB. Although current is blocked by diode PD0 and does not flow to the power terminal of the payout control MPU 633aa, preventing the MPU 633aa from operating, payout VBB is supplied to the power terminal of the built-in payout control RAM, thus maintaining the memory contents of the built-in payout control RAM.

The negative terminal of capacitor BC0 on the power supply board 630 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) of the power supply board 630, while the positive terminal of capacitor BC0 is electrically connected to the power supply terminal of the main control built-in RAM on the main control board 1310 via the payout control board 633, and is also electrically connected to the cathode terminal of diode MD0 on the main control board 1310. In other words, the +5V created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g (the +5V created on the main control board side) flows towards the power supply terminal of the main control MPU 1310a, and also flows towards the power supply terminal of the main control built-in RAM (which is in the forward direction) and the positive terminal of capacitor BC0 via diode MD0.

Thus, capacitor BC0 can be charged by the supply of +5V (generated on the main control board side) generated by the +5V generation circuit 1310g, which is then supplied to the main control board 1310 and then to the power supply board 630 from the payout control board 633, through this electrical connection method. As a result, if the +12V generated by the +12V power generation circuit 630fb of the power generation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630 is no longer supplied to the +5V generation circuit 1310g of the main control board 1310 via the payout control board 633, and the +5V generation circuit 1310g is unable to generate +5V (the +5V generated on the main control board side), the charge stored in capacitor BC0 is supplied as main VBB to the main control board 1310 via the payout control board 633. Therefore, although the diode MD0 prevents current from flowing to the power terminal of the main control MPU 1310a and the main control MPU 1310a does not operate, main VBB is supplied to the power terminal of the main control's built-in RAM, thus maintaining the contents of the main control's built-in RAM.

[8-3. Power supply to each control board, etc.]
Next, we will provide an overview of the power supplies provided to each control board, followed by a description of the power supply primarily provided to the dispensing control board, and then to the main control board.

As shown in Figure 178, the three types of power supplies, +5V, +12V, and +24V, generated by the +5V power supply generation circuit 630fa, +12V power supply generation circuit 630f, and +24V power supply generation circuit 630fc on the power supply board 630, are supplied to the dispensing control board 633. Of these three types of power supplies, the +12V and +24V power supplies are supplied to the main control board 1310 via the dispensing control board 633. Furthermore, the three types of power supplies—+5V, +12V, and +24V—generated by the +5V power supply generation circuit 630fa, the +12V power supply generation circuit 630f, and the +24V power supply generation circuit 630fc, respectively, on the power supply board 630f are supplied to the interface board 635, and through this interface board 635, they are supplied to the peripheral control board 1510, the door frame main relay board 104, the door frame side relay board 105, and the like, respectively.

Furthermore, the three types of power supplies, +5V, +12V, and +24V, supplied to the interface board 635, door frame main relay board 104, door frame clothing relay board 105, etc., may be equipped with fuses (not shown) for +5V, +12V, and +24V, respectively, which can be blown out by overcurrent flowing through each of these power lines.

In particular, the +12V power line and the +24V power line are monitored for potential drops by the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310, as described later. When the potential of the +12V power line drops and a power outage warning signal is output to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 or the payout control MPU 633aa of the payout control board 633, the main control MPU 1310a performs the main control side power outage processing described later in the main control side power on processing to stop the game, and the payout control MPU 633aa performs the payout control unit power outage processing described later in the payout control unit power on processing to stop the payout process (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls).

Therefore, if a +12V fuse (not shown) and a +24V fuse (not shown) are provided on the interface board 635, the door frame main relay board 104, the door frame clothing relay board 105, etc., respectively, then when the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if leakage current or a short circuit occurs in the +12V power line or +24V power line of the interface board 635, the door frame main relay board 104, the door frame clothing relay board 105, etc., due to some electrical trouble with the interface board 635, the door frame main relay board 104, the door frame clothing relay board 105, etc., and an overcurrent flows through the interface board 635, the door frame main relay board 104, the door frame clothing relay board 105, etc., the +12V fuse and +24V fuse provided on the interface board 635, the door frame main relay board 104, the door frame clothing relay board 105, etc., can be configured to blow. This suppresses a drop in the potential of the +12V power line and the +24V power line supplied to the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. As a result, the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 does not output a power outage warning signal to the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control MPU 633aa. The main control MPU 1310a can continue the game without performing the main control side power-off processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and the payout control MPU 633aa can continue the payout process (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power-off processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

The three types of power supplies supplied to the peripheral control board 1510—+5V, +12V, and +24V—are supplied to subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510 via fuses (not shown) for +5V, +12V, and +24V, respectively.

The +5V fuse (not shown) has a preset capacity that takes into account the current used by the peripheral control board 1510 itself and the current used by subsequent boards via the peripheral control board 1510 in the +5V power supply line of the peripheral control board 1510. It can handle current up to the upper limit of the allowable current (breaking current) for the +5V power supply line peripheral control board. If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the +5V power supply line peripheral control board flows through the +5V fuse (not shown), the element of the fuse melts, interrupting the +5V power supply line to subsequent boards supplied via the fuse (not shown).

The +12V fuse (not shown) has a preset capacity that takes into account the current used by the peripheral control board 1510 itself, the current used by subsequent boards such as various decorative boards of the game board 5 via the peripheral control board 1510, and the current used by subsequent devices via the peripheral control board 1510. It can handle current up to the upper limit of the allowable current (breaking current) for the +12V power line peripheral control board. If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the +12V power line peripheral control board flows through the +12V fuse (not shown), the element of the fuse melts, interrupting the +12V power line supplied to subsequent devices via the fuse (not shown).

The +24V fuse (not shown) has a preset capacity that takes into account the current used by subsequent boards via the peripheral control board 1510 on the +24V power line of the peripheral control board 1510, allowing current to flow up to the upper limit of the peripheral control board's allowable current (breaking current) for the +24V power line. Furthermore, if the peripheral control board 1510 uses +24V to provide an electrical drive source (e.g., a drive solenoid) with a +24V driver circuit, the capacity of the +24V fuse (not shown) is preset, taking into account both the current used by the peripheral control board 1510 itself on the +24V power line and the current used by subsequent boards via the peripheral control board 1510. If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the peripheral control board's allowable current flows through the +24V fuse (not shown), the element of the fuse melts, interrupting the +24V power line supplied to subsequent boards via the fuse (not shown).

Note that the +5V, +12V, and +24V fuses (not shown) are the main fuses supplying the +5V, +12V, and +24V power lines from the peripheral control board 1510 to the subsequent boards. Because they carry a large current and can generate heat, it is preferable to position them away from the electronic components (e.g., microprocessor, VDP, etc.) of the peripheral control unit 1511 and the display control unit 1512 to prevent thermal shutdown failures in the ICs due to this heat. Specifically, they should be positioned near the connectors to which the +5V, +12V, and +24V power lines from the interface board 635 are supplied (particularly near the connectors of the terminals to which the power lines supplying the +5V, +12V, and +24V power from the interface board 635 are connected).

The peripheral control board 1510 includes a control power supply generation circuit (not shown) that generates 3.3V DC (hereinafter referred to as "+3.3V") as a local power supply for the peripheral control unit 1511 and the performance display control unit 1512 from +12V supplied via a +12V fuse (not shown). The +3.3V generated by the control power supply generation circuit (not shown) is supplied to the electronic components of the peripheral control unit 1511 and the performance display control unit 1512 via a control power supply fuse (not shown). The +3.3V generated by the control power supply generation circuit (not shown) becomes the +3.3V power line on the peripheral control board 1510 via a control power supply fuse (not shown). The control power supply generation circuit (not shown) can generate a local power supply of +3.3V from the +12V power line, which serves as the control power supply for the peripheral control unit 1511 and the performance display control unit 1512. This is possible even if an abnormal current flows through and blows the +5V power supply line (not shown) and/or the +24V power supply line (not shown) (excluding the +12V power supply line supplied via a +12V fuse not shown), thus preventing the peripheral control unit 1511 and the performance display control unit 1512 from stopping and allowing them to continue operating. Furthermore, if the +24V fuse (not shown) is blown, it becomes difficult to drive the +24V electrical drive source (drive solenoid), but the performance can continue.

Furthermore, the control power supply generation circuit (not shown) may generate multiple control power supplies in addition to +3.3V, corresponding to various devices such as the control ROM of the peripheral control board 1510 (for example, DC 1.5V (hereinafter referred to as "+1.5V"), DC 1.25V (hereinafter referred to as "+1.25V"), etc.) as local power supplies. In this case, fuses for the control power supplies (not shown) will be provided for each of the multiple control power supplies (for example, a fuse for +3.3V, a fuse for +1.5V, and a fuse for +1.25V, with the +3.3V fuse becoming the +3.3V power line, the +1.5V fuse becoming the +1.5V power line, and the +1.25V fuse becoming the +1.25V power line).

The control power supply fuse (not shown) has a preset capacity that takes into account the current used by the peripheral control board 1510 itself and the current used by subsequent boards via the peripheral control board 1510 in the +3.3V power supply line, and can handle current up to the upper limit of the allowable current (breaking current) for the peripheral control board in the +3.3V power supply line. If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the peripheral control board in the +3.3V power supply line flows through the control power supply fuse (not shown), the element of the control power supply fuse (not shown) melts, interrupting the +3.3V power supply line supplied to subsequent boards via the control power supply fuse (not shown). Furthermore, if control power supply fuses (not shown) are provided for each of the multiple control power supplies (for example, a +3.3V fuse for +3.3V, a +1.5V fuse for +1.5V, and a +1.25V fuse for +1.25V), the capacity of the fuse is predetermined by taking into account the current used by the peripheral control board 1510 itself and the current used by subsequent boards via the peripheral control board 1510. This allows current to flow up to the permissible current limit (breaking current) of each power line of the multiple control power supplies. If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the permissible current limit of each power line of the multiple control power supplies flows, the element of the control power supply fuse (not shown), provided for each of the multiple control power supplies, melts, and the power line of the subsequent control power supply supplied through this melted control power supply fuse (not shown) is interrupted.

Note that the control power supply fuse (not shown) is the main fuse for the +3.3V power supply line that provides the control power for the peripheral control unit 1511 and the performance display control unit 1512. Because it carries a large current and can generate heat, it is preferable to position it away from specific electronic components in the peripheral control unit 1511 and the performance display control unit 1512 to prevent thermal shutdown failures caused by this heat. It is preferable to position it near the control power supply creation circuit (particularly near the terminal that creates +3.3V and supplies it as the +3.3V power supply line).

In this embodiment, the fuses for +5V, +12V, +24V, and the control power supply on the peripheral control board 1510 (not shown) are surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) chip fuses. They blow when a current exceeding a predetermined allowable current limit (a predetermined breaking current for each) flows through them. Unlike resettable fuses, once a fuse blows, it cannot supply power to subsequent circuits even if the current decreases.

Furthermore, the fuses for +5V, +12V, +24V, and the control power supply on the peripheral control board 1510 (not shown) may be replaced with lead-type (insertion-hole mounting type) fuses instead of SMD-type chip fuses. Alternatively, resettable fuses such as SMD-type or lead-type thermistors may be used for the +5V, +12V, +24V, and control power supply fuses on the peripheral control board 1510 (not shown). In this case, when using resettable fuses, if a current exceeding a predetermined allowable current limit flows, power lines cannot be supplied to subsequent devices, but power lines can be supplied again to subsequent devices once the current decreases.

Of the three types of power supplies—+5V, +12V, and +24V—supplied to subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510, +5V is supplied to an input buffer circuit (not shown) via a +5V fuse (not shown), +24V is supplied to a +24V driver circuit (not shown) that drives and controls the +24V electrical drive source (drive solenoid) of the game board 5 via a +24V fuse (not shown), and +12V is supplied to a +12V driver circuit (not shown) that drives and controls the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 via a +12V fuse (not shown), and is also supplied to multiple decorative boards (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "each decorative board of the game board 5") provided on the game board 5.

The +5V fuse (not shown) has a preset capacity that takes into account the current used by the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 itself in the +5V power supply line of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510, and can allow current to flow up to the upper limit of the allowable current (breaking current) for the +5V power supply line of the subsequent board. If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the +5V power supply line of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 flows through the +5V fuse (not shown), the element of the fuse melts, interrupting the +5V power supply line to the subsequent board supplied through the fuse (not shown).

The +12V fuse (not shown) has a preset capacity that takes into account the current used by the subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510 (excluding the decorative boards of the game board 5) and the current used by the decorative boards of the game board 5, and can handle current up to the upper limit of the allowable current (breaking current) for the subsequent boards of the +12V power line. If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the subsequent boards of the +12V power line flows through the +12V fuse (not shown), the element of the fuse (not shown) melts, interrupting the +12V power line supplied to the subsequent boards via the fuse (not shown).

The +24V fuse (not shown) has a preset capacity that takes into account the current used by the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 itself in the +24V power supply line of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510, and can handle current up to the upper limit of the allowable current (breaking current) for the +24V power supply line of the subsequent board. If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the +24V power supply line of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 flows through the +24V fuse (not shown), the element of the fuse melts, interrupting the +24V power supply line to the subsequent board supplied through the fuse (not shown).

Note that the +5V, +12V, and +24V fuses (not shown) are fuses that supply power to the +5V, +12V, and +24V power lines. While the current flowing through them is smaller than that of the main +5V, +12V, and +24V fuses on the peripheral control board 1510, the current is still large, and they may generate heat. Therefore, to prevent failure due to shutdown caused by the thermal shutdown unit built into the +12V driver circuit (not shown) due to this heat, it is preferable to position them away from electronic components such as the +12V driver circuit (not shown). It is particularly preferable to position them near the connectors to which the +5V, +12V, and +24V power lines from the peripheral control board 1510 are supplied (especially near the connectors of the terminals to which the power lines supplied with +5V, +12V, and +24V from the peripheral control board 1510 are connected).

The input buffer circuit (not shown) receives control signals (which may be serial or parallel signals) transmitted from the peripheral control board 1510. It removes noise from these input control signals and outputs them to the +24V driver circuit (not shown) and the +12V driver circuit (not shown). Specifically, the input buffer circuit (not shown) is configured as a circuit where one end of a resistor to which +5V supplied via a +5V fuse (not shown) is applied, and the other end of a resistor grounded to ground (GND), are electrically connected to the multiple wiring harnesses that electrically connect the peripheral control board 1510 and the subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510. By removing noise that has entered the multiple wiring harnesses, noise immunity can be improved.

The +24V driver circuit (not shown) primarily consists of a driver IC that drives the +24V electrical drive source (drive solenoid) of the game board 5, and a fuse (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "fuse provided in the +24V driver circuit (not shown)") that interrupts overcurrent to this driver IC. The +24V supplied via the +24V fuse (not shown) is supplied to the driver IC through the fuse.

The fuse provided in the +24V driver circuit (not shown) has a preset capacity that takes into account the current used by the +24V electrical drive source (drive solenoid) of the game board 5 and the +24V driver circuit (not shown) on the +24V power supply line of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510, allowing current to flow up to the upper limit of the allowable current (breaking current) of the drive solenoid on the game board side. If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current of the drive solenoid on the game board side flows, the element of the fuse provided in the +24V driver circuit (not shown) melts, interrupting the +24V power supply line to the subsequent components supplied via the fuse provided in the +24V driver circuit (not shown).

The +12V driver circuit (not shown) primarily consists of a driver IC that drives the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5, and a fuse (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "fuse provided in the +12V driver circuit (not shown)") that interrupts overcurrent to this driver IC. The +12V supplied via the +12V fuse (not shown) is supplied to the driver IC through the fuse.

The fuse provided in the +12V driver circuit (not shown) has a preset capacity that takes into account the current used by the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 and the +12V driver circuit (not shown) on the +12V power line of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510, allowing current to flow up to the upper limit of the allowable current (breaking current) for the game board's drive motor. If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the game board's drive motor flows, the element of the fuse provided in the +12V driver circuit (not shown) melts, interrupting the +12V power line supplied to the subsequent components via the fuse provided in the +12V driver circuit (not shown).

In this embodiment, the fuses for +5V, +12V, +24V, the fuse in the +24V driver circuit, and the fuse in the +12V driver circuit, which are not shown on the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510, are surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) chip fuses. They melt when a current exceeding a predetermined allowable current limit (a predetermined breaking current for each) flows through them. Unlike resettable fuses, once they melt, they are electronic components that cannot supply power lines to subsequent circuits even if the current decreases. Note that instead of SMD type chip fuses, lead-type fuses (also called DIP fuses) may be used as the fuses for +5V, +12V, +24V, the fuse in the +24V driver circuit, and the fuse in the +12V driver circuit, which are not shown on the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510. Furthermore, resettable fuses such as SMD type or lead type thermistors may be used as the fuses for +5V, +12V, +24V, the fuse in the +24V driver circuit, and the fuse in the +12V driver circuit on the subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510 (not shown). In this case, when using resettable fuses, if a current exceeding a predetermined allowable current limit flows, the power line cannot be supplied to the subsequent boards. However, once the current decreases, the power line can be supplied to the subsequent boards again.

The +12V supplied to each decorative circuit board of the game board 5 is supplied via a +12V fuse (not shown) to an LED constant current drive circuit that controls various types of illumination, such as lighting, extinguishing, blinking, and gradation lighting, for multiple LEDs (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "various LEDs of the game board 5") provided in the game board 5, including full-color LEDs and monochrome LEDs. The LED constant current drive circuit mainly consists of a sink-type constant current drive circuit that can supply a constant current to the various LEDs of the game board 5, and a maximum current setting circuit that can set the maximum current supplied to the various LEDs of the game board 5. If an input buffer circuit is not provided in the LED constant current drive circuit, an input buffer circuit may be provided before the LED constant current drive circuit.

The +12V fuse (not shown) is located on the +12V power line of each decorative circuit board of the game board 5. Its capacity is pre-set, taking into account the current used by each decorative circuit board of the game board 5, and it can handle current up to the game board's decorative circuit board's allowable current limit (breaking current). If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the game board's decorative circuit board's allowable current limit flows through the +12V fuse (not shown), the element of the fuse melts, interrupting the subsequent +12V power line supplied through the fuse (not shown).

Note that the +12V fuse (not shown) is a fuse that supplies the +12V power line. While the current flowing through it is smaller than that of the main +12V fuse on the peripheral control board 1510, the current is still significant, and it may generate heat. Therefore, to prevent damage to the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board due to this heat, it is preferable to position it away from the various LEDs and the LED constant current drive circuit. It is particularly preferable to position it near the connector to which the +12V is supplied (especially near the connector of the terminal to which the power line supplying +12V is connected).

In this embodiment, the +12V fuses (not shown) on each decorative circuit board of the game board 5 are surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) chip fuses. They blow when a current exceeding a predetermined allowable current limit (a predetermined breaking current) flows through them. Unlike resettable fuses, once a fuse blows, it cannot supply power to subsequent circuits even if the current decreases. Note that instead of SMD type chip fuses, lead-type fuses may be used as the +12V fuses (not shown) on each decorative circuit board of the game board 5. Alternatively, resettable fuses such as SMD type or lead-type thermistors may be used as the +12V fuses (not shown) on each decorative circuit board of the game board 5. In this case, when using a resettable fuse, if a current exceeding a predetermined allowable current limit flows, power cannot be supplied to subsequent circuits, but power can be supplied again once the current decreases.

The three types of power supplies—+5V, +12V, and +24V—supplied to the door frame relay board 105 are provided to the door frame side drive boards (not shown, sometimes referred to as "each drive board of the door frame 3") and the multiple decorative boards (sometimes referred to as "each decorative board of the door frame 3") that are installed in the door frame 3, each supplying the power it requires. Each board is provided with a fuse (not shown) corresponding to its respective power supply.

Each drive board of the door frame 3 is provided with a fuse (not shown) corresponding to the power supply (e.g., a +5V fuse, a +24V fuse, a +12V fuse), as well as fuses in the +24V driver circuit that controls the +24V electrical drive source (e.g., a drive solenoid), and fuses in the +12V driver circuit that controls the +12V electrical drive source (e.g., a drive motor). The capacity of the fuse (not shown) corresponding to the power supply is set in advance, taking into account the current used by each drive board of the door frame 3 in the power line corresponding to the power supply of each drive board of the door frame 3, and can carry current up to the upper limit of the allowable current for each power line drive board on the door frame side (e.g., upper limit of allowable current (cutting current) for the door frame side +5V power line drive board, upper limit of allowable current (cutting current) for the door frame side +24V power line drive board, upper limit of allowable current (cutting current) for the door frame side +12V power line drive board). When an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the maximum allowable current limit for each power line drive board on the door frame side (for example, the maximum allowable current limit for the +5V power line drive board on the door frame side, the maximum allowable current limit for the +24V power line drive board on the door frame side, and the maximum allowable current limit for the +12V power line drive board on the door frame side) flows through the power supply and the corresponding fuse (not shown), the element of the fuse (not shown) corresponding to the power supply melts, interrupting the power supply line to the subsequent power lines supplied through the fuse (not shown) corresponding to the melted power supply.

The fuses provided in the +24V driver circuit have a capacity that is pre-set, taking into account the current used by the +24V electrical drive sources (drive solenoids) and the +24V driver circuit of the door frame 3 in the +24V power supply line of each drive board of the door frame 3, and can allow current to flow up to the upper limit of the allowable current (breaking current) of the door frame-side drive solenoid. If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current of the door frame-side drive solenoid flows, the element of the fuse provided in the +24V driver circuit melts, cutting off the subsequent +24V power supply line supplied via the fuse provided in the +24V driver circuit. The fuses in the +12V driver circuit have a pre-set capacity that takes into account the current used by the +12V electrical drive sources (drive motors) and the +12V driver circuit of each drive board in the door frame 3, allowing current to flow up to the upper limit of the door frame drive motor's allowable current (breaking current). If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the door frame drive motor's allowable current flows, the fuse element in the +12V driver circuit melts, interrupting the subsequent +12V power supply line supplied through the fuse in the +12V driver circuit.

The fuses (not shown) on each decorative board of the door frame 3 have a preset capacity that takes into account the current used by each decorative board in the +12V power line of the door frame 3, and can handle current up to the upper limit of the door frame side decorative board's allowable current (breaking current). If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the door frame side decorative board's allowable current flows, the element of the fuse (not shown) on each decorative board of the door frame 3 melts, interrupting the subsequent +12V power line supplied through the fuse (not shown) on each decorative board of the door frame 3.

For example, if one, multiple, or all of the drive boards in the door frame 3 require +12V, it is supplied via a +12V fuse (not shown) to a +12V driver circuit (not shown) that controls the drive of the drive motor, which is an electrical drive source provided in the door frame 3. The +12V driver circuit mainly consists of a driver IC (not shown) that drives the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the door frame 3, and a fuse (not shown) that interrupts overcurrent to this driver IC. The +12V supplied via the +12V fuse is supplied to the driver IC via the fuse. The fuse in the +12V driver circuit has a capacity that is preset, taking into account the current used by the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) and the +12V driver circuit of the door frame 3 in the +12V power supply line of the drive board, and can allow current to flow up to the upper limit of the allowable current (cutting current) of the door frame drive motor. The fuse in the +12V driver circuit will blow if an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame-side drive motor flows through it. This will cause the fuse element to blow, interrupting the subsequent +12V power supply line supplied via the fuse in the +12V driver circuit.

Furthermore, for each drive board in the door frame 3, the drive board equipped with a +12V driver circuit is provided with a +5V fuse (not shown) and an input buffer circuit (not shown). A control signal (which may be a serial or parallel signal) transmitted from the peripheral control board 1510 in the game board 5 is input to this buffer circuit, and noise is removed from the input control signal before it is output to the +12V driver circuit. Specifically, the input buffer circuit is configured as a circuit in which one end of a resistor to which +5V supplied via a +5V fuse is applied and the other end of a resistor grounded to ground (GND) are electrically connected to the multiple wiring harnesses that electrically connect the peripheral control board 1510 in the game board 5 and the drive boards of the door frame 3. By removing noise that has entered the multiple wiring harnesses, noise immunity can be improved. Replacing the +5V supplied to this resistor with +12V supplied via a +12V fuse can achieve the same effect (i.e., improved noise immunity).

Furthermore, for example, if one, multiple, or all of the drive boards in the door frame 3 require +24V, it is supplied via a +24V fuse (not shown) to a +24V driver circuit (not shown) that controls the driving of the electrical drive sources (e.g., drive solenoids) provided in the door frame 3. The +24V driver circuit mainly consists of a driver IC (not shown) that drives the +24V electrical drive sources (drive solenoids, drive motors) of the door frame 3, and a fuse (not shown) that interrupts overcurrent to this driver IC. The +24V supplied via the +24V fuse is supplied to the driver IC via the fuse. The fuse in the +24V driver circuit has a capacity that is preset, taking into account the current used by the +24V electrical drive sources (drive solenoids, drive motors) and the +24V driver circuit of the door frame 3 in the +24V power supply line of the drive board, and can allow current to flow up to the upper limit of the allowable current (cutting current) of the door frame side drive solenoid. The fuse in the +24V driver circuit will blow if an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame-side drive solenoid flows through it. This will cause the fuse element to blow, interrupting the subsequent +24V power supply line supplied via the fuse in the +24V driver circuit.

Furthermore, for each drive board in the door frame 3, the drive board equipped with a +24V driver circuit is provided with a +5V fuse (not shown) and an input buffer circuit (not shown). A control signal (which may be a serial or parallel signal) transmitted from the peripheral control board 1510 in the game board 5 is input to this buffer circuit, and noise is removed from this input control signal before it is output to the +24V driver circuit. Specifically, the input buffer circuit is configured as a circuit in which one end of a resistor to which +5V supplied via a +5V fuse is applied and the other end of a resistor grounded to ground (GND) are electrically connected to the multiple wiring harnesses that electrically connect the peripheral control board 1510 in the game board 5 and each drive board in the door frame 3. By removing noise that has entered the multiple wiring harnesses, noise immunity can be improved. Instead of supplying +5V to this resistor, if +24V or +12V supplied via a +24V fuse is also available, supplying +12V via a +12V fuse will achieve the same effect (i.e., improved noise immunity).

Furthermore, for example, if one, multiple, or all of the decorative boards of the door frame 3 require +12V, a +12V fuse (not shown) supplies power to an LED constant current drive circuit that controls various types of illumination, such as lighting, extinguishing, blinking, and gradation lighting, for multiple LEDs (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "various LEDs of the door frame 3"), such as full-color LEDs and mono-color LEDs, provided in the door frame 3, via a +12V fuse (not shown). The LED constant current drive circuit mainly consists of a sink-type constant current drive circuit that can supply a constant current to the various LEDs of the door frame 3, and a maximum current setting circuit that can set the maximum current to be supplied to the various LEDs of the door frame 3. The +12V fuse (not shown) has a capacity that is pre-set taking into account the respective currents used by each decorative board of the door frame 3 in the +12V power supply line of the decorative board, and can supply current up to the upper limit of the allowable current (breaking current) for the decorative board on the door frame side. If an overcurrent (abnormal current) exceeding the maximum allowable current limit for the decorative circuit board on the door frame side flows through the +12V fuse (not shown), the element of the +12V fuse (not shown) will melt, interrupting the subsequent +12V power supply line supplied through the fuse (not shown).

Furthermore, if, among the decorative boards of the door frame 3, one decorative board does not have an LED constant current drive circuit and the light emission of multiple LEDs mounted on that decorative board is controlled by an LED constant current drive circuit provided on another decorative board of the door frame 3, then a +12V fuse (not shown) may or may not be provided on that decorative board. Also, if the LED constant current drive circuit does not have an input buffer circuit provided (mounted, mounted) on the drive board of the door frame 3, an input buffer circuit may be provided before the LED constant current drive circuit.

In this embodiment, the fuses provided on the door frame 3 are surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) chip fuses. They blow when a current exceeding a predetermined allowable current limit (a predetermined breaking current) flows through them. Unlike resettable fuses, once a fuse blows, it cannot supply power to subsequent devices even if the current decreases. Note that instead of SMD type chip fuses, lead-type fuses may be used as the fuses provided on the door frame 3. Alternatively, resettable fuses such as SMD type or lead-type thermistors may be used as the fuses provided on the door frame 3. In this case, if a resettable fuse is used, a current exceeding a predetermined allowable current limit will prevent power from being supplied to subsequent devices, but power can be supplied again once the current decreases.

[8-3-1. Voltage supplied to the dispensing control board]
As shown in Figure 178, the dispensing control board 633 includes a dispensing control MPU 633aa and the like, as well as a dispensing control filter circuit 633h. This dispensing control filter circuit 633h is supplied with +5V from the power supply board 630, and removes noise from this +5V. This +5V is supplied to the capacitor BC1 of the power supply board 630 via diode PD0, and is also supplied to, for example, the dispensing control MPU 633aa and the dispensing control input circuit 633ab of the dispensing control unit 633a. The +12V from the power supply board 630 is supplied to, for example, the dispensing control input circuit 633ab of the dispensing control unit 633a, and is also supplied to the external communication circuit 558z of the external terminal board 558 via the dispensing control board 633. The external communication circuit 558z of this external terminal board 558 is a circuit that outputs signals to a hall computer installed in the amusement hall that convey the number of game balls dispensed by the pachinko machine 1 and game information of the pachinko machine 1. The hall computer monitors the players' games by understanding the number of game balls dispensed by the pachinko machine 1 and game information of the pachinko machine 1 from the signals output from the external communication circuit 558z. The +24 from the power supply board 630 is not used in any way by the payout control board 633, but is supplied to the main control board 1310 via the payout control board 633.

[8-3-2. Voltage supplied to the main control board]
As shown in Figure 178, the main control board 1310 includes, in addition to the main control MPU 1310a, a +5V generation circuit 1310g, a main control filter circuit 1310h, a power failure monitoring circuit 1310e, and the like. The +5V generation circuit 1310g receives +12V from the power supply board 630 via the payout control board 633 and generates +5V, which is the control power supply for the main control MPU 1310a, from this +12V. In this embodiment, the circuit is configured such that the +5V created by the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630 and the +5V created on the main control board side by the +5V creation circuit 1310g on the main control board 1310 are not electrically connected. Therefore, the +5V created by the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630 is not electrically connected to the various electronic components of the main control board 1310, and the +5V created on the main control board side by the +5V creation circuit 1310g on the main control board 1310 is not electrically connected to the various electronic components of other boards other than the main control board 1310.

The main control filter circuit 1310h is supplied with +5V (generated by the main control board) from the +5V generation circuit 1310g, and noise is removed from this +5V. This +5V is supplied to capacitor BC0 on the power supply board 630 via diode MD0, and also to, for example, the main control MPU 1310a and the main control input circuit 1310b. The +12V from the dispensing control board 633 is supplied to, for example, the main control input circuit 1310b, and the +24V from the dispensing control board 633 is supplied to, for example, the main control solenoid drive circuit 1310d.

The power outage monitoring circuit 1310e receives +12V and +24V from the power supply board 630 via the payout control board 633 and monitors for signs of power outages or momentary interruptions in these +12V and +24V power supplies. When the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e detects signs of a power outage or momentary interruption in the +12V and +24V power supplies, it outputs a power outage warning signal to the main control MPU 1310a as a power outage warning. The power outage warning signal is input to the main control board 1310 and then to the payout control MPU 633aa via the payout control input circuit 633ab of the payout control board 633. The power outage warning signal is also input to the peripheral control board 1510 via the main control board 1310.

In this embodiment, the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e monitors the voltages applied to both the +12V power line and the +24V power line. This allows for more accurate detection of signs of power outages or momentary power interruptions compared to monitoring only one of the power lines (either the +12V or +24V).

As described above, in the power supply system of the pachinko machine 1 in this embodiment, of the three types of power supplies, +5V, +12V, and +24V, created by the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa, +12V power supply creation circuit 630f, and +24V power supply creation circuit 630fc, respectively, in the power supply creation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630, the two types of power supplies, +12V and +24V, are supplied to various boards such as the payout control board 633, the main control board 1310, the peripheral control board 1510, and subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510. In other words, in the power supply system of the pachinko machine 1 in this embodiment, the +12V power supply is at the same potential on all the boards, and the +24V power supply is at the same potential on all the boards. Furthermore, although the +5V generated by the +5V power supply generation circuit 630fa of the power supply generation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630 and the +5V generated by the +5V generation circuit 1310g on the main control board 1310 are not electrically connected, they are at the same potential.

Furthermore, in the power supply system of the pachinko machine 1 in this embodiment, as described above, with the exception of the payout control board 633 and the main control board 1310, the peripheral control board 1510 is equipped with a +12V fuse and a +24V fuse (not shown) (mounted/installed), and the subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510 are also equipped with a +12V fuse and a +24V fuse (not shown) (mounted/installed).

Furthermore, in the power supply system of the pachinko machine 1 in this embodiment, as described above, both the +12V power supply and the +24V power supply are monitored by the power failure monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310.

In other words, in the power supply system of the pachinko machine 1 in this embodiment, the +12V power supply monitored by the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310, the +12V fuse (not shown) provided (mounted/installed) on the peripheral control board 1510, and the +12V fuse (not shown) provided (mounted/installed) on the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 are at the same potential. Similarly, the +24V power supply monitored by the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310, the +24V fuse (not shown) provided (mounted/installed) on the peripheral control board 1510, and the +24V fuse (not shown) provided (mounted/installed) on the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 are at the same potential.

Furthermore, in the power supply system of the pachinko machine 1 in this embodiment, if one, multiple, or all of the drive boards among the drive boards of the door frame 3 require +12V, as described above, it is supplied via a +12V fuse (not shown) to a +12V driver circuit (not shown) that controls the drive of the drive motor, which is an electrical drive source provided in the door frame 3. If one, multiple, or all of the drive boards among the drive boards of the door frame 3 require +24V, as described above, it is supplied via a +24V fuse (not shown) to a +24V driver circuit (not shown) that controls the drive of the electrical drive source (e.g., drive solenoid, drive motor) provided in the door frame 3. In this case, the power supply system of the pachinko machine 1 in this embodiment includes a +12V power supply monitored by the power failure monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 of the game board 5, a +12V fuse (not shown) provided (mounted, installed) on the peripheral control board 1510 of the game board 5, a +12V fuse (not shown) provided (mounted, installed) on the successor board of the peripheral control board 1510 of the game board 5, and a +12V fuse (not shown) provided (mounted, installed) on the drive board of the door frame 3. The fuses are at the same potential, and the +24V power supply monitored by the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 of the game board 5, the +24V fuse (not shown) provided (mounted, installed) on the peripheral control board 1510 of the game board 5, the +24V fuse (not shown) provided (mounted, installed) on the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 of the game board 5, and the +24V fuse (not shown) provided (mounted, installed) on the drive board of the door frame 3 are all at the same potential.

[9. Circuits of the main control board and the dispensing control board]
Next, the circuits of the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633 will be briefly explained with reference to Figures 179 to 182. Figure 179 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the circuit of the main control board, Figure 180 is a circuit diagram showing the main control input circuit with error detection function, Figure 181 is a circuit diagram showing the power outage monitoring circuit, and Figure 182 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the circuit of the dispensing control board. First, the circuit of the main control board 1310 will be explained, followed by the circuit of the dispensing control board 633. Here, we will explain an example in which the setting key switch 1311a, which is mounted on the setting change board 1311 mentioned above, is mounted on the main control board 1310, and only the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320. Wiring to the power supply and input signal boards in the circuits of the various boards will also be explained as appropriate.

[9-1. Circuitry of the main control board]
In the power supply circuit of the main control board 1310, the control power supply for the main control MPU 1310a, which is a microprocessor, is supplied via the payout control board 633 from the +12V power supply creation circuit 630f of the power supply creation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630, and +5V is created from this supplied +12V in the +5V creation circuit 1310g as a local power supply that becomes the control power supply for the main control board 1310. This local power supply, +5V, is at the same potential as the +5V created by the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630.

In the +5V generation circuit 1310g, the +5V, which serves as the local power supply for the control board 1310, is first input to the main control filter circuit 1310h, as shown in Figure 179. This main control filter circuit 1310h is primarily composed of the main control three-terminal filter MIC0. This main control three-terminal filter MIC0 is a T-type filter circuit with excellent attenuation characteristics due to magnetic shielding with ferrite. The +5V from the +5V generation circuit 1310g is applied to terminal 1 of the main control three-terminal filter MIC0, its terminal 2 is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground), and the +5V with noise components removed is output from terminal 3. The +5V applied to terminal 1 is first smoothed by removing ripple (the AC component superimposed on the voltage) by being electrically connected to the other end of capacitor MC0, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground).

The +5V output from terminal 3 is further smoothed and ripple removed by electrically connecting the other ends of capacitor MC1 and electrolytic capacitor MC2 (capacitance: 470 microfarads (μF) in this embodiment), each of which has one end electrically connected to ground (GND) (circuit board ground). This smoothed +5V is applied to the VDD terminal, which is the power supply terminal of the main control MPU 1310a. Furthermore, in the event of a momentary power outage and the power supply from the gaming hall is cut off, the charge stored in electrolytic capacitor MC2 is applied as +5V to the VDD terminal of the main control MPU 1310a for a period of approximately 7 milliseconds (ms) after the power outage occurs.

The VDD terminal of the main control MPU 1310a is electrically connected to the other end of capacitor MC3, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground), and also to the anode terminal of diode MD0. The +5V applied to the VDD terminal is further smoothed by capacitor MC3, which removes ripple. The VSS terminal, which is the ground terminal of the main control MPU 1310a, is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground).

The VBB terminal, which is the power supply terminal of the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU 1310a, is electrically connected to the cathode terminal of diode MD0. Furthermore, the VBB terminal, which is the power supply terminal of the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU 1310a, is electrically connected to the other end of capacitor MC4, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground). In addition, it is electrically connected via resistor MR0 to the positive terminal of capacitor BC0 of the backup power supply circuit 630h of the power supply board 630. As a result, the main VBB power supply from the backup power supply circuit 630h of the power supply board 630 is supplied to the VBB terminal of the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU 1310a via resistor MR0, while the main VBB power supply from the backup power supply circuit 630h of the power supply board 630 is prevented from being supplied to the VDD terminal of the main control MPU 1310a via resistor MR0 by diode MD0.

Among the input signals in the circuit of the main control board 1310, for example, the main RWM signal from the RWM switch 633d (which may be called the RAM clear switch 1310f) provided on the payout control board 633, the detection signal from the general prize slot sensor 3001, the detection signal from the gate sensor 2801, the detection signal from the first start slot sensor 3002, the detection signal from the second start slot sensor 2401, and the detection signal from the setting key switch 13100a are input to the main control input circuit 1310b without an error detection function or the main control input circuit 1310b2 with an error detection function.

Specifically, for example, the main RWM signal from the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 is input to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit 1310b (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "main control input circuit 1310b"), which does not have an error detection function. The detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit 1310b and the logic inversion circuit 1310iv. In contrast, detection signals from the general prize entry sensor 3001, the gate sensor 2801, the first start-up sensor 3002, and the second start-up sensor 2401 are input to the input terminals PA1 to PA4 of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, respectively, via the main control input circuit 1310b2 with error detection function.

The power outage warning signal from the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e is input to input terminal PB0 of input port PB of the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit 1310b, and is also output to the payout control board 633 and the display device 1600, etc., via the main control output circuit 1310c. Input ports PA and PB are configured with 8 bits. Furthermore, detection signals from other sensors are input to predetermined input terminals of input ports PA and PB via the main control input circuit 1310b or the main control input circuit 1310b2 with error detection function. Unused input terminals are electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground) as an unused terminal treatment.

The main control MPU 1310a outputs various signals from its predetermined output port terminals via the main control output circuit 1310c. For example, the main control MPU 1310a outputs a power outage clear signal to the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e via the main control output circuit 1310c, or outputs a drive signal to the main control solenoid drive circuit 1310d via the main control output circuit 1310c.

Furthermore, detection signals from other sensors may be input to designated input terminals of port PC in addition to port PB via the main control input circuit 1310b. Unused input terminals on port PC are electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground) as an unused terminal treatment. Port PC, like input ports PA and PB, is configured with 8 bits.

[9-1-1. Main Control Input Circuit]
Next, we will describe the main control input circuit 1310b. Since the main control input circuit 1310b is the same circuit, we will describe the main control input circuit 1310b to which the main RWM signal from the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 is input, and the main control input circuit 1310b to which the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input.

[9-1-1a. Main RWM signal from the RWM switch]
The main control input circuit 1310b, to which the main RWM signal from the RWM switch 633d on the payout control board 633 is input, is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR2, one end of which is electrically connected to the +12V power supply line (the power supply line created and supplied by the +12V power supply creation circuit 630fb of the power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +12V power supply line)), as shown in Figure 179. It is also electrically connected to the base terminal of transistor MTR0 via resistor MR3. In addition to resistor MR3, the base terminal of transistor MTR0 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR4, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310. The emitter terminal of transistor MTR0 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310. They are connected precisely. The collector terminal of transistor MTR0 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR5, one end of which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board side (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)). It is also electrically connected to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. The main RWM signal from the RWM switch 633d provided on the dispensing control board 633 is input as an RWM signal to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit 1310b.

Furthermore, the other end of resistor MR2 may be electrically connected to the other end of a capacitor, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310, in order to align it with the waveform of the main RWM signal from the RWM switch 633d provided on the dispensing control board 633.

Furthermore, if the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a is electrically connected to an internal pull-up resistor within the main control MPU 1310a via a +5V power supply line created on the main control board side (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V power supply circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply circuit 630fa of the power supply circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)), then the collector terminal of transistor MTR0 may be electrically connected to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a without mounting resistor MR5 on the main control board 1310.

[9-1-1b. Detection signal from the setting key switch]
The setting key switch 1311a has a COM1 terminal, a COM2 terminal, an A terminal, and a B terminal. The B terminal is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310, and the COM1 terminal, COM2 terminal, and A terminal are also electrically connected. When the setting key switch 1311a is turned OFF, the COM1 terminal and COM2 terminal and the A terminal are electrically connected in the internal circuit, and the internal circuit between the COM1 terminal and COM2 terminal and the A terminal is conductive. When the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON, the COM1 terminal and COM2 terminal and the B terminal are electrically connected in the internal circuit, and the internal circuit between the COM1 terminal and COM2 terminal and the B terminal is conductive, and is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310.

When the setting key switch 1311a is OFF, the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is electrically connected to terminal A in the internal circuitry, while when the setting key switch 1311a is ON, the COM1 terminal and COM2 terminal are electrically connected to terminal B in the internal circuitry, and are electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310.

The main control input circuit 1310b, to which the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input, is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR10, one end of which is electrically connected to the main control board side's +5V power supply line (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)), as shown in Figure 179. In addition, it is electrically connected to the other end of capacitor MC10, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310, and is also electrically connected to the base terminal of transistor MTR10 via resistor MR11. The base terminal of transistor MTR10 is electrically connected to resistor MR11, and also to the other end of resistor MR12, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310. The emitter terminal of transistor MTR10 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310. The collector terminal of transistor MTR10 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR13, one end of which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V power supply circuit 1310g on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply circuit 630fa of the power supply circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)). It is also electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a via the logic inversion circuit 1310iv.

The logic inversion circuit 1310iv is a circuit that inverts the logic of the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a, which is input via the main control input circuit 1310b. The logic inversion circuit 1310iv consists of resistors MR14, MR15, MR16, and a transistor MTR11. The collector terminal of the transistor MTR10, which constitutes the main control input circuit 1310b, is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR13, which is electrically connected at one end to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board side (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V power supply circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and is different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply circuit 630fa of the power supply circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)). It is also electrically connected to the base terminal of transistor MTR11 via resistor MR14. The base terminal of transistor MTR11 is electrically connected to resistor MR14, as well as the other end of resistor MR15, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) of the main control board 1310 (board ground). The emitter terminal of transistor MTR11 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) of the main control board 1310 (board ground). The collector terminal of transistor MTR11 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR16, one end of which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V power supply circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply circuit 630fa of the power supply circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)). It is also electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. The detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input as a setting key signal to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, via the main control input circuit 1310b and the logic inversion circuit 1310iv.

Furthermore, if the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a is electrically connected to an internal pull-up resistor that is electrically connected via a +5V power supply line created on the main control board side (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)), then the collector terminal of transistor MTR11 may be electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a without mounting resistor MR16 on the main control board 1310. Furthermore, even if the input terminals PA1-PA4 and PA6-PA7 of input port PA are electrically connected to an internal pull-up resistor within the main control MPU 1310a, which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V power supply circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply circuit 630fa of the power supply circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)), the collector terminal of the transistor may be electrically connected to the input terminals PA1-PA4 and PA6-PA7 of input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a without electrically connecting one end to the other end of the resistor electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board, that is, without mounting this resistor on the main control board 1310.

When the setting key switch 1311a is in the OFF position, the COM1 and COM2 terminals and terminal A are electrically connected in the internal circuit. As a result, the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a has its voltage boosted to the +5V side created on the main control board by the resistor MR10 of the main control input circuit 1310b, and its logic becomes HIG, turning on the transistor MTR10 of the main control input circuit 1310b. Consequently, the voltage applied to the collector terminal of transistor MTR10 is pulled down to the ground (GND) side of the main control board 1310 (board ground), turning off transistor MTR11 of the logic inversion circuit 1310iv. The voltage at the collector terminal of transistor MTR11 is then raised to the +5V side created by the main control board by resistor MR16 of the logic inversion circuit 1310iv. This results in a setting key signal with a logic of HIGH, which is then input to input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. In other words, when the setting key switch 1311a is in the OFF position, the logic of the setting key signal becomes HIGH (a logic indicating an unsettable state) and is input to input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a.

In contrast, when the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON, the COM1 and COM2 terminals and the B terminal are electrically connected in the internal circuit and electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310. Therefore, the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a has a LOW logic, and the transistor MTR10 of the main control input circuit 1310b turns OFF. Consequently, the voltage applied to the collector terminal of transistor MTR10 is raised to the +5V side created on the main control board by resistor MR13 of the main control input circuit 1310b, turning on transistor MTR11 of the logic inversion circuit 1310iv. The voltage at the collector terminal of transistor MTR11 is then lowered to the ground (GND) of the main control board 1310 (board ground), and the setting key signal, with a logic of LOW, is input to input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. In other words, when the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON, the logic of the setting key signal becomes LOW (a logic indicating a settable state) and is input to input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a.

When the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 is not operated, the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d is not electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the dispensing control board 633, as will be described later. Therefore, the resistor PR50 of the dispensing control input circuit 633ab on the dispensing control board 633, as described later, pulls the signal up to the power supply (+5V) side created and supplied by the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f. This turns on the transistor PTR60 of the dispensing control output circuit 633ac on the dispensing control board 633, as will be described later. The voltage at the collector terminal of this transistor PTR60 is then pulled down to the ground (GND) (board ground) side of the dispensing control board 633, and the logic of the main RWM signal from the RWM switch 633d becomes LOW, which is then input to the main control board 1310. When the main RWM signal from the RWM switch 633d, whose logic is LOW, is input to the main control input circuit 1310b, the transistor MTR0 of the main control input circuit 1310b turns OFF, and the voltage applied to the collector terminal of transistor MTR0 is raised to the +5V side created on the main control board by the resistor MR5 of the main control input circuit 1310b. This RWM signal, whose logic is now HI, is then input to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. In other words, when the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 is not operated, the logic of the RWM signal becomes HI (logic indicating a non-pressed state) and is input to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a.

In contrast, when the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 is operated, the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the dispensing control board 633, as will be described later. As a result, the transistor PTR 60 of the dispensing control output circuit 633ac on the dispensing control board 633 is turned OFF, and the voltage at the collector terminal of this transistor PTR 60 is raised to the +5V side created on the main control board by the resistor MR2 of the main control input circuit 1310b on the main control board 1310, and the logic of the main RWM signal from the RWM switch 633d becomes HI. Consequently, the transistor MTR0 of the main control input circuit 1310b turns ON, and the voltage applied to the collector terminal of transistor MTR0 is pulled down to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310. The RWM signal, with its logic set to LOW, is then input to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. In other words, when the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 is operated, the logic of the RWM signal becomes LOW (logic indicating the press operation state) and is input to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a.

Thus, when the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON, the logic of the setting key signal indicating this is set to HI by the logic inversion circuit 1310iv, and when the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d is operated, the logic of the RAWM signal indicating this is set to HI. Also, when the setting key switch 1311a is turned OFF, the logic of the setting key signal indicating this is set to LOW by the logic inversion circuit 1310iv, and when the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d is not operated, the logic of the RAWM signal indicating this is set to LOW. In other words, the logic indicating that the setting key switch 1311a is ON and the logic indicating that the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d is being operated are the same logic (HI), and the logic indicating that the setting key switch 1311a is OFF (not ON) and the logic indicating that the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d is not being operated are the same logic (LOW).

[9-1-2. Main control input circuit with error detection function]
Next, we will describe the main control input circuit 1310b2 with error detection function. Since the main control input circuit 1310b2 with error detection function is the same circuit, we will describe the main control input circuit 1310b with error detection function, which receives the detection signal from the gate sensor 2801.

The main control input circuit 1310b2 with error detection function, which receives the detection signal from the gate sensor 2801, is mainly composed of the processing circuit 1310b2a, as shown in Figure 180. The processing circuit 1310b2a receives a +5V power supply line created on the main control board side via the VCC terminal (this is a +5V power supply line created by the +5V power supply circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and is different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply circuit 630fa of the power supply circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)). This power supply is provided as an internal power source to various internal circuits, and the ground (GND) of each internal circuit is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310 via the GND terminal.

Furthermore, the processing circuit 1310b2a includes a power terminal circuit that monitors the power supply of the +12V power supply line (i.e., the +12V power supply line) supplied via the VS terminal (the power supply line created and supplied by the +12V power supply creation circuit 630fb of the power supply creation circuit 630f), a disconnection monitoring circuit that monitors for disconnections based on detection signals from the gate sensor 2801 input via the input terminal, a short-circuit monitoring circuit that monitors for short circuits based on detection signals from the gate sensor 2801 input via the input terminal, a comparison circuit that compares and determines whether a game ball has passed with a predetermined threshold value based on detection signals from the gate sensor 2801 input via the input terminal, an abnormality processing circuit that determines the presence or absence of an abnormality based on the monitoring results from each monitoring circuit such as the power supply monitoring circuit, disconnection monitoring circuit, and short-circuit monitoring circuit, and performs processing in case of an abnormality, an error output circuit that communicates the abnormality based on the inspection results from each monitoring circuit, and an output circuit that outputs the comparison results from the comparison circuit.

The abnormality handling circuit, upon determining an abnormality based on the monitoring results from each monitoring circuit (error detection), sets and controls the logic to output a message indicating the abnormality (that an abnormality has occurred) to the outside via the ER terminal from the error output circuit. It also sets and controls the logic to stop the comparison result from the comparison circuit output from the output circuit, outputting it to the outside via the output terminal.

The VS terminal of processing circuit 1310b2a is electrically connected to the +12V power supply line (the power supply line created and supplied by the +12V power supply creation circuit 630fb of power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +12V power supply line)), one end of resistor MR50, and the other end of capacitor MC50, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310.

The input terminal of the processing circuit 1310b2a is electrically connected to the detection signal from the gate sensor 2801, as well as to the other end of the resistor MR50. Furthermore, to align the waveform of the detection signal from the gate sensor 2801, the input terminal of the processing circuit 1310b2a may also be electrically connected to the other end of a capacitor, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310.

The VCC terminal of the processing circuit 1310b2a is electrically connected to the other end of capacitor MC51, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310.

The output terminal of the processing circuit 1310b2a is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR51, one end of which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V power supply circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply circuit 630fa of the power supply circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)). It is also electrically connected to the input terminal PA2 of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. The detection signal from the gate sensor 2801 is input as a gate signal to the input terminal PA2 of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit 1310b2a with error detection function.

The ER terminal of processing circuit 1310b2a is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR52, one end of which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board side (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)). It is also electrically connected to the input terminal PB7 of the input port PB of the main control MPU 1310a. Furthermore, the ER terminal of processing circuit 1310b2a is electrically connected to the ER terminal of another main control input circuit 1310b2 with error detection function. In other words, the signals from the ER terminals of multiple main control input circuits 1310b2 with error detection function are OR connected. The signal from the ER terminal of the main control input circuit 1310b2 with error detection function is input as a sensor error signal to input terminal PB7 of the input port PB of the main control MPU 1310a.

Here, we will explain the state of the input terminals of the processing circuit 1310b2a when the abnormal processing circuit of the processing circuit 1310b2a determines that an abnormal situation has occurred (error detection) based on the monitoring results from each monitoring circuit, such as the power supply monitoring circuit, the open circuit monitoring circuit, and the short circuit monitoring circuit of the processing circuit 1310b2a. When the abnormal processing circuit of the processing circuit 1310b2a determines that an abnormal situation has occurred (error detection) based on the monitoring results from the power supply monitoring circuit of the processing circuit 1310b2a, the logic of the input terminals of the processing circuit 1310b2a is undefined, indicating a power supply abnormality. When the abnormal processing circuit of the processing circuit 1310b2a determines that an abnormal situation has occurred (error detection) based on the monitoring results from the open circuit monitoring circuit of the processing circuit 1310b2a, the logic of the input terminals of the processing circuit 1310b2a is HI, indicating an open circuit. When the abnormality processing circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a determines that an abnormality has occurred (error detection) based on the monitoring results from the short-circuit monitoring circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a, the logic of the input terminal of processing circuit 1310b2a is set to LOW, indicating a short circuit.

Furthermore, the state of the output terminal and ER terminal of the processing circuit 1310b2a when an abnormality is detected (error detection) based on the monitoring results from each monitoring circuit such as the power supply monitoring circuit, open circuit monitoring circuit, and short circuit monitoring circuit of the processing circuit 1310b2a will be explained. When the abnormality processing circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a determines that an abnormality has occurred (error detection) based on the monitoring results from the power supply monitoring circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a, it determines that a power supply abnormality has occurred. The abnormality processing circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a sets the logic of the output terminal of processing circuit 1310b2a to LOW in order to stop the comparison result from the comparison circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a output from the output circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a. Furthermore, to indicate that an abnormality has occurred, the abnormality processing circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a sets the logic of the ER terminal of processing circuit 1310b2a to HI in order to communicate that an abnormality has occurred.

When the abnormality processing circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a determines that an abnormality has occurred (error detection) based on the monitoring results from the disconnection monitoring circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a, it determines that a disconnection has occurred. The abnormality processing circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a sets the logic of the output terminal of processing circuit 1310b2a to LOW in order to stop the comparison result output from the comparison circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a. Furthermore, to indicate that an abnormality has occurred, the abnormality processing circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a sets the logic of the ER terminal of processing circuit 1310b2a to HI in order to control the error output circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a.

When the abnormality processing circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a determines that an abnormality has occurred (error detection) based on the monitoring results from the short-circuit monitoring circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a, the abnormality processing circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a sets the logic of the output terminal of processing circuit 1310b2a to LOW in order to stop the comparison result from the comparison circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a that is output from the output circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a. Furthermore, to indicate that an abnormality has occurred, the abnormality processing circuit of processing circuit 1310b2a sets the logic of the ER terminal of processing circuit 1310b2a to HI.

[9-1-3. Power outage monitoring circuit]
As shown in Figure 178, the main control board 1310 receives two types of voltages via the payout control board 633: +12V from the +12V power supply creation circuit 630fb of the power supply creation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630, and +24V from the +24V power supply creation circuit 630fc of the power supply creation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630. Both +12V and +24V are input to the power failure monitoring circuit 1310e.

The power outage monitoring circuit 1310e monitors for signs of power outages or momentary power interruptions of +12V and +24V. When it detects signs of a power outage or momentary power interruption, it outputs a power outage warning signal as a power outage warning to the main control MPU 1310a, as well as to the payout control MPU 633aa on the payout control board 633, the peripheral control board 1510, the display device 1600, and the like. When a power outage warning signal is output from the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e, for example, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 performs the main control side power outage processing described later in the main control side power-on processing to stop the game. The payout control MPU 633aa of the payout control board 633 performs the payout control unit power outage processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing to stop the payout process (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls). The peripheral control board 1510 performs backup processing of the performance information. The performance display device 1600 turns off an inverter (not shown) that generates power for the backlight to cut power consumption, in order to ensure that the main control side power outage processing by the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control unit power outage processing by the payout control 633aa are completed reliably, and stops the performance.

This section will first explain the configuration of the power outage monitoring circuit, followed by explanations of monitoring for +24V power outages or momentary power interruptions, monitoring for +12V power outages or momentary power interruptions, and finally, the output of the power outage warning signal.

[9-1-3a. Configuration of the power outage monitoring circuit]
As shown in Figure 181, the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e mainly consists of a shunt-type stabilized power supply circuit MIC20, an open-collector output type comparator MIC21, a D-type flip-flop MIC22, and transistors MTR20 to MTR23.

The REF terminal, which is the reference voltage input terminal of the shunt-type stabilized power supply circuit MIC20, and the K terminal, which is the cathode terminal, are electrically connected to the other end of a resistor MR20, one end of which is electrically connected to a +5V power supply line created on the main control board side (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V power supply circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply circuit 630fa of the power supply circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)). A +5V power supply created on the main control board side is applied, and the current input to the REF terminal is limited by the resistor MR20. The K terminal outputs a reference voltage Vref (in this embodiment, 2.495V is set), which is the comparison reference voltage of the comparator MIC21. Terminal K is electrically connected to the other end of capacitor MC20, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground). The reference voltage Vref output from terminal K is smoothed by capacitor MC20, which removes ripple (the AC component superimposed on the voltage). Terminal A, the anode terminal of the shunt-type stabilized power supply circuit MIC20, is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground).

Comparator MIC21 has two voltage comparison circuits. One of them (MIC21A) is used to compare the monitoring voltage V1 (hereinafter referred to as "+24V monitoring voltage V1") of the +24V power supply line (the power supply line created and supplied by the +24V power supply creation circuit 630fc of power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +24V power supply line)) with the reference voltage Vref. The other one (MIC21B) is used for the +12V power supply line. This is used to compare the monitoring voltage V2 (hereinafter referred to as "+12V monitoring voltage V2") of the power supply line (i.e., the +12V power supply line) created and supplied by the +12V power supply creation circuit 630f, 630fb, with the reference voltage Vref. A +24V monitoring voltage V1 is applied to terminal 3, the positive terminal of MIC21A, and a reference voltage Vref is applied to terminal 2, the negative terminal of MIC21A. A monitoring voltage V2 of +12V is applied to terminal 5, the positive terminal of IC21B, and a reference voltage Vref is applied to terminal 6, the negative terminal of MIC21B. These comparison results are input to the D-type flip-flop MIC22. This D-type flip-flop MIC22 comprises two D-type flip-flop circuits, one of which (MIC22A) is used in this embodiment. The power supply terminal Vcc of comparator MIC21 is electrically connected to the other end of capacitor MC21, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground). The +5V created on the main control board side, applied to the Vcc terminal of comparator MIC21, is smoothed by capacitor MC21 to remove ripple, and the ground terminal GND of comparator MIC21 is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground).

[9-1-3b. Monitoring of +24V power outage or momentary power interruption]
As described above, monitoring of a +24V power outage or momentary interruption is performed by the comparator MIC21A comparing the +24V monitoring voltage V1 with the reference voltage Vref. Terminal 3, which is the positive terminal of MIC21A of the comparator MIC21 to which the +24V monitoring voltage V1 is applied, is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR21, which is electrically connected to the +24V power supply line (the power supply line created and supplied by the power supply creation circuit 630fc of the power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +24V power supply line) at one end, and to the other end of resistor MR22, which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground) at one end, as shown in Figure 181. The other end of resistors MR21 and MR22 is electrically connected to capacitor MC23, which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground) at one end. The terminals are electrically connected. The +24V monitoring voltage V1 applied to terminal 3, which is the positive terminal of MIC21A of comparator MIC21, is divided by the resistance ratio of resistors MR21 and MR22, and the ripple is removed and smoothed by capacitor MC23. The values of resistors MR21 and MR22 are set so that when the +24V power is interrupted or the voltage starts to drop from +24V and reaches a preset power outage detection voltage V1pf (set to 21.40V in this embodiment), the +24V monitoring voltage V1 becomes equal to the reference voltage Vref.

The output terminal 1 of comparator MIC21A, terminal MIC21A, is an open-collector output. One end is electrically connected to the other end of pull-up resistor MR23, which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board. The other end is electrically connected to the other end of capacitor MC24, which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground). This capacitor MC24 is then electrically connected to the PR terminal, the preset terminal of D-type flip-flop MIC22. Capacitor MC24 acts as a low-pass filter.

When the +24V voltage is greater than the power failure detection voltage V1pf, the +24V monitoring voltage V1 becomes greater than the reference voltage Vref. The voltage applied to terminal 1, the output terminal of comparator MIC21A, is then pulled up to the +5V side created on the main control board by the pull-up resistor MR23. The signal, now HIGH in logic, is input to terminal PR, the preset terminal of type D flip-flop MIC22.

On the other hand, when the +24V voltage is less than the power failure detection voltage V1pf, the +24V monitoring voltage V1 becomes less than the reference voltage Vref. The voltage applied to terminal 1, which is the output terminal of MIC21A of comparator MIC21, is pulled down to ground (GND) (board ground), and a signal with a LOW logic is input to terminal PR, which is the preset terminal of D-type flip-flop MIC22.

[9-1-3c. Monitoring of +12V power outage or momentary power interruption]
As described above, monitoring of a +12V power outage or momentary interruption is performed by the comparator MIC21B comparing the +12V monitoring voltage V2 with the reference voltage Vref. Terminal 5, which is the positive terminal of comparator MIC21B to which the +12V monitoring voltage V2 is applied, is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR24, which is electrically connected to the +12V power supply line (the power supply line created and supplied by the power supply creation circuit 630fb of the power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +12V power supply line) at one end, and to the other end of resistor MR25, which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground) at one end, as shown in Figure 181. The terminals are electrically connected. The +12V monitoring voltage V2 applied to terminal 5, which is the positive terminal of MIC21B of comparator MIC21, is divided by the resistance ratio of resistors MR24 and MR25, and the ripple is removed and smoothed by capacitor MC25. The values of resistors MR24 and MR25 are set so that when the +12V power is interrupted or the voltage starts to drop from +12V and reaches a preset power outage detection voltage V2pf (set to 10.47V in this embodiment), the +12V monitoring voltage V2 becomes equal to the reference voltage Vref.

The MIC21B output terminal, terminal 7, of comparator MIC21 is an open-collector output and is electrically connected to the MIC21A output terminal, terminal 1. Therefore, it is electrically connected to the other end of pull-up resistor MR23 (one end of which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line on the main control board), and electrically connected to the other end of capacitor MC24 (one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) - board ground), and thus electrically connected to the PR terminal, the preset terminal of D-type flip-flop MIC22. Capacitor MC24, as described above, acts as a low-pass filter.

When the +12V voltage is greater than the power failure detection voltage V2pf, the +12V monitoring voltage V2 becomes greater than the reference voltage Vref. The voltage applied to terminal 7, the output terminal of comparator MIC21B, is then pulled up to the +5V side created on the main control board by the pull-up resistor MR23. The signal, now HIGH in logic, is input to terminal PR, the preset terminal of type D flip-flop MIC22.

On the other hand, when the +12V voltage is less than the power failure detection voltage V2pf, the +12V monitoring voltage V2 becomes less than the reference voltage Vref. The voltage applied to terminal 7, the output terminal of comparator MIC21B, is pulled down to ground (GND) (board ground), and a signal with a LOW logic signal is input to terminal PR, the preset terminal of type D flip-flop MIC22.

[9-1-3d. Output of power outage warning signal]
The D-type flip-flop MIC22 stores the value (logic) of the signal input to the D-input terminal 1D terminal based on the change in the edge of the clock signal input to the clock input terminal 1CK terminal. This stored value (logic) is output from the output terminal 1Q terminal, and the inverted value of the stored value (logic) is output from the output terminal negative logic 1Q terminal. Furthermore, when a signal with a logic of LOW is input to the clear terminal CLR terminal, the D-type flip-flop MIC22 releases the latch state and outputs a signal with the logic of the signal input to the preset terminal PR terminal inverted from the output terminal 1Q terminal (at this time, the signal with the logic of the signal output from 1Q inverted, i.e., a signal with the same logic as the signal input to the preset terminal PR terminal, is output from the negative logic 1Q terminal). On the other hand, when a signal with a logic of HI is input to the clear terminal CLR terminal, the latch state is set. Furthermore, when the D-type flip-flop MIC22 is set to a latch state by inputting a signal with a logic of HIGH to the clear terminal CLR terminal, and a signal with a logic of LOW is input to the preset terminal PR terminal, it maintains a state in which it outputs a signal with a logic of HIGH from the output terminal 1Q (at this time, it maintains a state in which it outputs a signal with the logic of the signal output from 1Q inverted from the negative logic 1Q terminal).

In this embodiment, the D-type flip-flop MIC22 has its D input terminal, terminal 1D, and clock input terminal, terminal 1CK, both electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground). Therefore, there is no change in the edge of the clock signal input to the clock input terminal, terminal 1CK, and the circuit is configured so that the value (logic) of the signal input to the D input terminal, terminal 1D, is not stored and output from the output terminal, terminal 1Q. The D-type flip-flop MIC22 receives, as described above, a signal from terminal 1, which is the output terminal of comparator MIC21A that monitors for +24V power outages or momentary power interruptions, and a signal from terminal 7, which is the output terminal of comparator MIC21B that monitors for +12V power outages or momentary power interruptions, at the preset terminal PR terminal, and outputs a signal from the output terminal, terminal 1Q, based on these signals. Furthermore, the Vcc terminal, which is the power supply terminal, is electrically connected to the other end of capacitor MC22, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground). The +5V power supplied to the Vcc terminal (power supply terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22), generated on the main control board, is smoothed by capacitor MC22, with ripple removed. The GND terminal (ground terminal) is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground), while the negative logic 1Q terminal, which inverts the logic of the output terminal 1Q, is electrically unconnected to the outside.

In this embodiment, the D-type flip-flop MIC22 receives a power outage clear signal from the main control MPU 1310a via the main control output circuit 1310c to its clear terminal, CLR terminal. This power outage clear signal is output during the main control power-on processing performed by the main control MPU 1310a (described later), and is stopped after a predetermined time. Since the CLR terminal is a negative logic input, the power outage clear signal from the main control MPU 1310a is input to the CLR terminal via the main control output circuit 1310c with its logic set to LOW. When the power outage clear signal is input to the CLR terminal, the D-type flip-flop MIC22 releases its latch state. At this time, it inverts the logic input to the preset terminal, PR terminal, and outputs it from the output terminal, 1Q terminal.

On the other hand, when the output of the power failure clear signal from the main control MPU 1310a is stopped, its logic becomes HIGH via the main control output circuit 1310c and is input to the CLR terminal. The D-type flip-flop MIC 22 is configured to set a latch state when the power failure clear signal is not input to the CLR terminal, and latches the state when the logic is LOW input to the PR terminal.

The 1Q terminal, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, is electrically connected to the input terminal of the input port PB of the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit 1310b. The signal output from the 1Q terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22 is input to the input terminal of the input port PB of the main control MPU 1310a as a power outage warning signal. Furthermore, the 1Q terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22 is electrically connected to the main control output circuit 1310c. The signal output from the 1Q terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22 is output from the main control output circuit 1310c to the payout control board 633 as a payout power outage warning signal, and also to the peripheral control board 1510 as a peripheral power outage warning signal.

The main control input circuit 1310b, which electrically connects the 1Q terminal, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, to the input terminal PB of the input port of the main control MPU 1310a, is shown in Figure 181. The 1Q terminal, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR26, one end of which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board side, and is also electrically connected to the base terminal of transistor MTR20 via resistor MR27. In addition to being electrically connected to resistor MR27, the base terminal of transistor MTR20 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR28, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground). The emitter terminal of transistor MTR20 is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground), and the collector terminal of transistor MTR20 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR29, one end of which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board, and is also electrically connected to input terminal PB0 of input port PB of the main control MPU1310a.

Furthermore, if the input terminal PB0 of the input port PB of the main control MPU 1310a is electrically connected to an internal pull-up resistor within the main control MPU 1310a via a +5V power supply line created on the main control board side (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V power supply circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply circuit 630fa of the power supply circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)), then the collector terminal of transistor MTR20 may be electrically connected to the input terminal PB0 of the input port PB of the main control MPU 1310a without mounting resistor MR29 on the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, even if the transistor's collector terminal is electrically connected to the input terminals PB1 to PB7 of the main control MPU 1310a's input port PB, within the main control MPU 1310a, an internal pull-up resistor electrically connected to the main control board-side +5V power supply line (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V power supply circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply circuit 630fa of the power supply circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)) is electrically connected, the transistor's collector terminal may be electrically connected to the input terminals PB1 to PB7 of the main control MPU 1310a's input port PB without electrically connecting one end to the other end of the resistor electrically connected to the main control board-side +5V power supply line, that is, without mounting this resistor on the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, in addition to the input ports PA and PB of the main control MPU 1310a, if the input terminals PC0 to PC7 of the input port PC of the main control MPU 1310a are electrically connected to an internal pull-up resistor that is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board (a +5V power supply line created by the +5V power supply circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and different from the power supply line created and supplied by the +5V power supply circuit 630fa of the power supply circuit 630f (i.e., the +5V power supply line)), then the collector terminal of the transistor may be electrically connected to the input terminals PC0 to PC7 of the input port PC of the main control MPU 1310a without electrically connecting one end to the other end of the resistor electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board, that is, without mounting this resistor on the main control board 1310.

The circuit, consisting of resistors MR27 and MR28, and transistor MTR20, is a switch circuit that is turned ON/OFF by the signal output from terminal 1Q, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22.

When the logic of the signal output from terminal 1Q, the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, is LOW, the voltage applied to the base terminal of transistor MTR20 is pulled down to ground (GND) (board ground), turning transistor MTR20 OFF and the switch circuit OFF. Conversely, when the logic of the signal output from terminal 1Q, the output terminal of D-type flip-flop MIC22, is HI, the voltage applied to the base terminal of transistor MTR20 is raised to +5V (main control board side), turning transistor MTR20 ON and the switch circuit ON.

When both conditions are met—that the +24V voltage is greater than the power outage detection voltage V1pf, and that the +12V voltage is greater than the power outage detection voltage V2pf—a signal with a logic of HIGH is input to the PR terminal, which is the preset terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22. As a result, the signal output from the 1Q terminal, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, has a logic of LOW and is input to the base terminal of transistor MTR20, causing transistor MTR20 to turn OFF. Consequently, the voltage applied to the collector terminal of transistor MTR20 is raised to the +5V side created on the main control board by resistor MR29, and a power outage warning signal with a logic of HIGH is input to the input terminal PB of the input port of the main control MPU1310a.

On the other hand, when either of the following conditions is met—that the +24V voltage is less than the power outage detection voltage V1pf, or that the +12V voltage is less than the power outage detection voltage V2pf—a signal with a logic of LOW is input to the PR terminal, which is the preset terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22. As a result, the signal output from the 1Q terminal, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, has a logic of HI (high) and is input to the base terminal of the transistor MTR20, turning the transistor MTR20 ON. This pulls the voltage applied to the collector terminal of the transistor MTR20 down to ground (GND) (board ground), and a power outage warning signal with a logic of LOW is input to the input terminal PB of the main control MPU 1310a.

Furthermore, the main control output circuit 1310c, which outputs a signal from terminal 1Q, the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, to the payout control board 633 as a payout power outage warning signal, is configured as an open collector output type, as shown in Figure 181. Terminal 1Q, the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, is electrically connected to resistor MR26 of the main control input circuit 1310b described above, and is electrically connected to the base terminal of the preceding transistor MTR21 via resistor MR30. In addition to being electrically connected to resistor MR30, the base terminal of the preceding transistor MTR21 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR31, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground). The emitter terminal of the preceding transistor MTR21 is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground), and the collector terminal of the preceding transistor MTR21 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR32, one end of which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board, and is also electrically connected to the base terminal of the following transistor MTR22 via resistor MR33. The base terminal of the following transistor MTR22 is electrically connected to resistor MR33, and is also electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR34, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground). The emitter terminal of the following transistor MTR22 is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground), and the collector terminal of the following transistor MTR22 is electrically connected to the other end of capacitor MC26, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground), and is also electrically connected to the payout control board 633 via wiring (harness). Furthermore, the collector terminal of the subsequent transistor MTR22 is electrically connected to the dispensing control board 633 via wiring (harness). In the dispensing control input circuit 633ab of the dispensing control unit 633a on the dispensing control board 633, one end of a pull-up resistor (not shown) is electrically connected to the +12V power supply line (the power supply line created and supplied by the +12V power supply creation circuit 630fb of the power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +12V power supply line)). It is also electrically connected to the input terminal of a predetermined input port of the dispensing control MPU 633aa.

The circuit consisting of resistors MR30 and MR31 and the preceding transistor MTR21 is the preceding switch circuit, while the circuit consisting of resistors MR33 and MR34 and the succeeding transistor MTR22 is the succeeding switch circuit, which is switched ON/OFF by the signal output from terminal 1Q, the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22.

When the logic of the signal output from terminal 1Q, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, is LOW, the voltage applied to the base terminal of the preceding transistor MTR21 is pulled down to ground (GND) (board ground), turning off the preceding transistor MTR21 and thus turning off the preceding switch circuit. The voltage applied to the base terminal of the following transistor MTR22, which is the voltage applied to the collector terminal of the preceding transistor MTR21, is raised to the +5V side created on the main control board by resistor MR32, turning on the following transistor MTR22 and thus turning on the subsequent switch circuit. On the other hand, when the logic of the signal output from terminal 1Q, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, is HIGH, the voltage applied to the base terminal of transistor MTR21 is raised to the +5V side created by the main control board, turning transistor MTR21 ON and the preceding switch circuit also ON. The voltage applied to the base terminal of the subsequent transistor MTR22, which is the voltage applied to the collector terminal of the preceding transistor MTR21, is lowered to ground (GND) (board ground), turning transistor MTR22 OFF and the subsequent switch circuit OFF.

When both conditions are met—that the voltage of +24V is greater than the power outage detection voltage V1pf, and that the voltage of +12V is greater than the power outage detection voltage V2pf—a signal with a logic of HIGH is input to the PR terminal, which is the preset terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22. As a result, the signal output from the 1Q terminal, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, has a logic of LOW and is input to the base terminal of the preceding transistor MTR21, turning the preceding transistor MTR21 OFF. Consequently, the voltage applied to the collector terminal of the preceding transistor MTR21 is raised to the +5V side created on the main control board by the resistor MR32 and applied to the base terminal of the subsequent transistor MTR22, turning the subsequent transistor MTR22 ON. As a result, the voltage applied to the collector terminal of the subsequent transistor MTR22 is pulled down to ground (GND) (board ground) on the dispensing control board 633 via the wiring (harness), and a dispensing power outage warning signal with a LOW logic signal is input to the dispensing control board 633.

On the other hand, when either of the following conditions is met—that the +24V voltage is less than the power outage detection voltage V1pf, or that the +12V voltage is less than the power outage detection voltage V2pf—a signal with a logic of LOW is input to the PR terminal, which is the preset terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22. As a result, the signal output from the 1Q terminal, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, has a logic of HI and is input to the base terminal of the preceding transistor MTR21, turning the preceding transistor MTR21 ON. Consequently, the voltage applied to the collector terminal of the preceding transistor MTR21 is pulled down to ground (GND) (board ground) and applied to the base terminal of the subsequent transistor MTR22, turning the subsequent transistor MTR22 OFF. As a result, the voltage applied to the collector terminal of the subsequent transistor MTR22 is pulled up to +12V by a pull-up resistor in the payout control input circuit 633ab of the payout control control unit 633a on the payout control board 633 via the wiring (harness), and a payout power outage warning signal with a logic state of HI is input to the payout control board 633.

Furthermore, the main control output circuit 1310c, which outputs a signal from terminal 1Q, the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, to the peripheral control board 1510 as a peripheral power outage warning signal, is configured as an open collector output type, as shown in Figure 181. Terminal 1Q, the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, is electrically connected to resistor MR26 of the main control input circuit 1310b described above, and is electrically connected to the base terminal of transistor MTR23 via resistor MR35. In addition to being electrically connected to resistor MR35, the base terminal of transistor MTR23 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor MR36, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground). The emitter terminal of transistor MTR23 is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground), and the collector terminal of transistor MTR23 is electrically connected to the peripheral control board 1510 via wiring (harness). Furthermore, when the collector terminal of transistor MTR23 is electrically connected to the peripheral control board 1510 via wiring (harness), it is electrically connected to the other end of a pull-up resistor (not shown) in a peripheral control input circuit (not shown) on the peripheral control board 1510, one end of which is electrically connected to the +12V power supply line (the power supply line created and supplied by the +12V power supply creation circuit 630fb of the power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +12V power supply line)), and also electrically connected to the input terminal of a predetermined input port on the peripheral control unit 1511.

The circuit consisting of resistors MR35 and MR36, and transistor MTR23, is a switch circuit that is turned ON/OFF by the signal output from terminal 1Q, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22.

When the logic of the signal output from terminal 1Q, the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, is LOW, the voltage applied to the base terminal of transistor MTR23 is pulled down to ground (GND) (board ground), turning transistor MTR23 OFF and the switch circuit OFF. Conversely, when the logic of the signal output from terminal 1Q, the output terminal of D-type flip-flop MIC22, is HI, the voltage applied to the base terminal of transistor MTR23 is raised to +5V (main control board side), turning transistor MTR23 ON and the switch circuit ON.

When both conditions are met—that the +24V voltage is greater than the power outage detection voltage V1pf, and that the +12V voltage is greater than the power outage detection voltage V2pf—a signal with a logic of HIGH is input to the PR terminal, which is the preset terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22. As a result, the signal output from the 1Q terminal, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, has a logic of LOW and is input to the base terminal of transistor MTR23, causing transistor MTR23 to turn OFF. Consequently, the voltage applied to the collector terminal of transistor MTR23 is pulled up to +12V by a pull-up resistor in the payout control input circuit of the peripheral control unit 4150 on the peripheral control board 1510 via the wiring (harness), and a peripheral power outage warning signal with a logic of HIGH is input to the peripheral control board 1510.

On the other hand, when either of the following conditions is met—that the +24V voltage is less than the power outage detection voltage V1pf, or that the +12V voltage is less than the power outage detection voltage V2pf—a signal with a LOW logic signal is input to the PR terminal, which is the preset terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22. As a result, the signal output from the 1Q terminal, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, has a HI logic signal and is input to the base terminal of the transistor MTR23, turning the MTR23 ON. This causes the voltage applied to the collector terminal of the transistor MTR23 to be pulled down to ground (GND) (board ground) on the peripheral control board 1510 via the wiring (harness), resulting in a peripheral power outage warning signal with a LOW logic signal being input to the peripheral control board 1510.

Thus, the main control input circuit 1310b, which transmits the signal output from terminal 1Q, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, to the main control MPU 1310a as a power outage warning signal, and the main control output circuit 1310c, which outputs the signal output from terminal 1Q, which is the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22, to the peripheral control board 1510 as a peripheral power outage warning signal, each have one transistor, and the power outage warning signal input to the main control MPU 1310a and the peripheral power outage warning signal input to the peripheral control board 1510 are... While the logic of the other components is identical, the main control output circuit 1310c, which outputs the signal from terminal 1Q (the output terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22) to the payout control board 633 as a payout power outage warning signal, has two transistors, one in the pre-stage and one in the post-stage. The logic of the payout power outage warning signal is the inverse of the logic of the power outage warning signal input to the main control MPU 1310a and the logic of the peripheral power outage warning signal input to the peripheral control board 1510, and is therefore different from the logic of the power outage warning signal and the peripheral power outage warning signal.

Furthermore, the collector terminal of the transistor MTR20 in the main control input circuit 1310b is electrically connected to the other end of a resistor MR29, one end of which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board, and is also electrically connected to the input terminal of the input port PB of the main control MPU 1310a. In contrast, the collector terminal of the transistor MTR22 in the subsequent stage of the main control output circuit 1310c is electrically connected via wiring (harness) to the other end of a pull-up resistor, one end of which is electrically connected to the +12V power supply line, in the payout control input circuit 633ab of the payout control unit 633a on the payout control board 633. The collector terminal of the transistor MTR23 in the main control output circuit 1310c is electrically connected via wiring (harness) to a pull-up resistor, one end of which is electrically connected to the +12V power supply line, in the payout control input circuit of the peripheral control unit 4150 on the peripheral control board 1510. This is because, between the collector terminal of the transistor MTR20 of the main control input circuit 1310b and the input terminal of the input port PB of the main control MPU 1310a, the transistor MTR20 of the main control input circuit 1310b and the main control MPU 1310a are mounted on the main control board 1310. Therefore, power outage warnings are given using the logic (ON/OFF signal) of a power outage warning signal that uses the +5V power supply created on the main control board side, which is the control power supply for the main control MPU 1310a. However, between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, and between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510, power outage warnings are given using the logic (ON/OFF signal) of a power outage warning signal that uses a DC power supply that is higher than the control power supply of the main control MPU 1310a, the payout control MPU 633aa, and the peripheral control board 1511, for example, +12V, in order to suppress the influence of noise entering the wiring (harness) that electrically connects the boards.

Thus, the power lines (i.e., +12V power lines) created and supplied by the +12V power supply creation circuit 630f of the power supply creation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630 are supplied to, as described above, the main control input circuit 1310b and the power failure monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310, as well as the payout control input circuit 633ab of the payout control board 633, the control power supply creation circuit (not shown) of the peripheral control board 1510, the +12V driver circuits (not shown) of the subsequent boards of the peripheral control boards, the LED constant current drive circuits of each decorative board of the game board 5, the liquid crystal panel power supply creation circuit (not shown) of the performance display device 1600, and the liquid crystal panel, backlight, and drive circuits (not shown) of the performance display device 1600. In other words, the +12V power line is supplied not only to the main control board 1310, but also to the payout control board 633, peripheral control board 1510, subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510, each decorative board of the game board 5, the performance display device 1600, etc. Therefore, even if the main control board 1310 and payout control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, for example, an electrical problem for some reason in the control power generation circuit (not shown) of the peripheral control board 1510 may cause an overcurrent to flow into the control power generation circuit (not shown), causing the potential of the +12V power line to drop, or an electrical problem for some reason in the liquid crystal panel power generation circuit (not shown) of the performance display device 1600, the liquid crystal panel, backlight, and drive circuit (not shown) of the performance display device 1600 may cause the liquid crystal panel power generation circuit (not shown) of the performance display device 1600 to malfunction. An overcurrent may flow to any of the LCD panel, backlight, or drive circuit (not shown), causing the potential of the +12V power line to drop. Alternatively, when the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 is being driven by a +12V driver circuit (not shown) on a subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 (or when the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 is in standby mode), an overload or electrical trouble for any reason may cause an overcurrent to flow to the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 or a +12V driver circuit (not shown), causing the potential of the +12V power line to drop. Another possibility is that an electrical trouble for any reason in the LED constant current drive circuit of the decorative board of the game board 5 causes an overcurrent to flow to the LED constant current drive circuit of the decorative board of the game board 5, causing the potential of the +12V power line to drop. Furthermore, if any electrical trouble occurs in the wiring patterns formed on the peripheral control board 1510, the subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510, the display device 1600, or the decorative boards of the game board 5, or in the wiring (harnesses) that electrically connect the boards, leakage current or a short circuit may occur, causing an overcurrent and a drop in the potential of the +12V power line. In such a case, the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 outputs a power outage warning signal to the main control MPU 1310a. The main control MPU 1310a then performs the main control side power outage processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and stops the game from progressing.

Furthermore, the power line (i.e., the +24V power line) created and supplied by the +24V power supply creation circuit 630fc of the power supply creation circuit 630f is supplied, as described above, to the main control solenoid drive circuit 1310d and the power failure monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310, as well as to the payout control board 633 (the main control board 1310 is supplied with a +12V power line via the payout control board 633), the peripheral control board 1510, and the +24V driver circuit (not shown) of the board following the peripheral control board 1510. In other words, the +24V power line is supplied not only to the main control board 1310 but also to the payout control board 633, the peripheral control board 1510, and subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510. Therefore, even if the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, when the +24V system electric drive source (drive solenoid) of the game board 5 is being driven by the +24V system driver circuit (not shown) of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 (or when the +24V system electric drive source (drive solenoid) of the game board 5 is on standby for driving), an overload or electrical trouble for some reason may cause an overcurrent to flow to the +24V system electric drive source (drive solenoid) of the game board 5 or the +24V system driver circuit (not shown), causing the potential of the +24V power line to drop. Furthermore, if any electrical trouble occurs in the wiring patterns formed on the peripheral control board 1510 that supplies the +24V power line, or in the wiring (harness) that electrically connects the boards, the potential of the +24V power line will drop. In such cases, the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 will output a power outage warning signal to the main control MPU 1310a. The main control MPU 1310a will then perform the main control side power outage processing described later in the main control side power on processing, thereby stopping the game.

[9-1-4. Overcurrent protection for the +12V and +24V power lines]
[9-1-4a. Overcurrent protection for the +12V power line]
Therefore, in this embodiment, as overcurrent protection for the +12V power line, the +12V power line is provided with a fuse (not shown) on the peripheral control board 1510 that can allow current up to the upper limit of the allowable current of the +12V power line peripheral control board as an overcurrent countermeasure, a fuse (not shown) on the performance display device 1600 that can allow current up to the upper limit of the main allowable current of the performance display device 1600 as the main fuse of the performance display device 1600, a fuse (not shown) on the performance display device 1600 that can allow current up to the upper limit of the allowable current of the first branch system as the fuse of the first branch system that branches off from the +12V fuse (not shown), and a fuse (not shown) on the performance display device 1600 that allows current up to the upper limit of the allowable current of the second branch system as the fuse of the second branch system that branches off from the +12V fuse (not shown). A fuse for +12V (not shown) is provided, and a fuse for +12V (not shown) that can supply current up to the maximum allowable current limit for the +12V power line performance drive board is provided on the board following the peripheral control board 1510, and a fuse for +12V system driver circuit (not shown) on the board following the peripheral control board 1510 that can supply current up to the maximum allowable current limit for the game board side drive motor is provided, and a fuse for +12V (not shown) that can supply current up to the maximum allowable current limit for the game board side decoration board is provided on each decoration board of the game board 5 on which the LED constant current drive circuit is mounted (however, a fuse for +12V (not shown) that can supply current up to the maximum allowable current limit for the game board side decoration board may be provided for all decoration boards of the game board 5 to which the +12V power line is supplied, regardless of whether or not there is an LED constant current drive circuit). Furthermore, the +12V supplied via a +12V fuse (not shown) as the fuse for the first branch circuit is used to create the liquid crystal panel power supply in a liquid crystal panel power supply creation circuit (not shown). This liquid crystal panel power supply is then supplied to the liquid crystal panel, backlight, and drive circuit (not shown) of the display device 1600. Therefore, the liquid crystal panel, backlight, and drive circuit (not shown) of the display device 1600 are supplied with both the liquid crystal panel power supply created from the +12V supplied via a +12V fuse (not shown) as the fuse for the first branch circuit, and the +12V supplied via a +12V fuse (not shown) as the fuse for the second branch circuit.

In this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the +12V power line peripheral control board 1510 flows to the control power generation circuit (not shown) of the peripheral control board 1510 due to some electrical trouble in the +12V power line of the peripheral control board 1510, the +12V fuse (not shown) of the peripheral control board 1510 will blow. As described above, the peripheral control board 1510 is equipped with a +12V fuse (not shown) that blows if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the peripheral control board on the +12V power line blows. This suppresses a drop in the potential of the +12V power line supplied to the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. This prevents the power outage warning signal from being output by the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 to the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control MPU 633aa. The main control MPU 1310a can continue the game without performing the main control side power outage processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and the payout control MPU 633aa can continue the payout process (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power outage processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if an overcurrent exceeding the allowable current limit of the first branch line flows to the liquid crystal panel power supply circuit (not shown) of the display device 1600 due to some electrical trouble in the liquid crystal panel power supply circuit (not shown) of the display device 1600, the +12V fuse (not shown), which is the fuse for the first branch line of the display device 1600, will blow. Furthermore, in this embodiment, if an overcurrent exceeding the allowable current limit of the first branch flows to the liquid crystal panel power supply circuit (not shown), which creates a liquid crystal panel power supply from the +12V supplied via a +12V fuse (not shown) as the fuse for the second branch, due to an electrical trouble for any reason to the liquid crystal panel, backlight, or drive circuit (not shown) of the display device 1600, the +12V fuse (not shown), which is the fuse for the first branch of the display device 1600, will blow. Similarly, if an overcurrent exceeding the allowable current limit of the second branch flows to any of the liquid crystal panel, backlight, or drive circuit (not shown) of the display device 1600 due to an electrical trouble for any reason to the liquid crystal panel, backlight, or drive circuit (not shown), the +12V fuse (not shown), which is the fuse for the second branch of the display device 1600, will blow. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the main fuse for the display device 1600, a +12V fuse (not shown), is pre-selected to have a capacity greater than that of either the +12V fuse for the first branch system (not shown) or the +12V fuse for the second branch system (not shown), and less than the combined capacity of both. Therefore, in the +12V power line, even if an overcurrent flows and one of the fuses (not shown) blows, the main fuse (not shown) may still blow if an overcurrent flows through the system of the blown fuse and exceeds the main allowable current limit. Furthermore, if the capacity of the main fuse for the display device 1600, which is a +12V fuse (not shown), is the same as the sum of the capacity of the fuse for the first branch system, which is a +12V fuse (not shown), and the capacity of the fuse for the second branch system, which is a +12V fuse (not shown), then the main fuse, which is a +12V fuse (not shown), may blow if an overcurrent flows through the +12V power line and either of the fuses (the +12V fuse for the first branch system, or the +12V fuse for the second branch system, blows, and if an overcurrent continues to flow through the system of the blown fuse, exceeding the main allowable current limit, the main fuse, which is a +12V fuse (not shown), may also blow. Thus, the display device 1600 is equipped with a main fuse (not shown) for the display device 1600 (+12V fuse), a fuse for the first branch system (+12V fuse, not shown), and a fuse for the second branch system (+12V fuse, not shown), so that in the event of an overcurrent, the main fuse (+12V fuse, not shown), the fuse for the first branch system (+12V fuse, not shown), and the fuse for the second branch system (+12V fuse, not shown) will blow, supplying power to the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. By suppressing the potential drop in the +12V power line, the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 does not output a power outage warning signal to the main control MPU 1310a or the payout control MPU 633aa. This allows the main control MPU 1310a to continue gameplay without performing the main control side power-off processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and allows the payout control MPU 633aa to continue payouts (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power-off processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the drive motor on the game board side flows to the +12V power supply line of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510, when the +12V system driver circuit (not shown) of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board is driving the +12V system electric drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 (or when the +12V system electric drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 is waiting to be driven, due to an overload or electrical trouble for any reason, a fuse provided in the +12V system driver circuit (not shown) will blow. The +12V supplied via a +12V fuse (not shown) on the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 is supplied not only to the +12V driver circuit (not shown) but also to each decorative board of the game board 5. Therefore, the capacity of the +12V fuse (not shown) is pre-selected based on the upper limit of the allowable current of the game board-side drive motor of the +12V driver circuit (not shown) and the upper limit of the allowable current of each decorative board of the game board 5.

The +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 requires a considerable amount of current to operate. Therefore, between the effects provided by the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 and the various LED lighting effects provided by the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5, the lighting effects provided by the various LEDs on the decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 are prioritized and continued over the effects provided by the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5. Therefore, the capacities of the +12V fuses on each decorative board of the game board 5 and the fuses on the subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510 (not shown) are pre-selected so that the fuses on the subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510 (not shown) blow before the +12V fuses on each decorative board of the game board 5 blow. Furthermore, the capacity of the +12V fuse on the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 (not shown) is pre-set so that the various LED lighting effects on each decorative board of the game board 5 can be prioritized and continued over the effects provided by the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5.

In a case where the illumination effects of various LEDs on each decorative board of the game board 5 are prioritized over the effects provided by the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5, for example, the capacity of the +12V fuse (not shown) on the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 is larger than the capacity selected so that each decorative board of the game board 5 can use up to the maximum allowable current limit of the game board side decorative board, and smaller than the sum of this selected capacity and the capacity of the fuse provided in the +12V driver circuit (not shown). If selected in advance, the +12V fuse (not shown) may blow if, while each decorative board of the game board 5 is being used up to the maximum allowable current limit for the game board's decorative board, an overcurrent exceeding the maximum allowable current limit for the game board's drive motor flows to the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 or the +12V driver circuit (not shown), causing the fuse in the +12V driver circuit (not shown) to blow, but if the overcurrent continues to flow and exceeds the maximum allowable current limit for the +12V power line display drive board, the fuse may blow. Furthermore, for example, if the capacity of the +12V fuse (not shown) on the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 is pre-selected to be the same as the sum of the capacity selected for each decorative board of the game board 5 to be used up to the maximum allowable current limit of the game board side decorative board, and the capacity of the fuse provided in the +12V system driver circuit (not shown), then the +12V fuse (not shown) may blow even if the fuse in the +12V system driver circuit (not shown) blows due to an overcurrent exceeding the maximum allowable current limit of the game board side drive motor flowing to the +12V system electrical drive source (drive motor) or the +12V system driver circuit (not shown) of the game board 5, while each decorative board of the game board 5 is being used up to the maximum allowable current limit of the game board side decorative board, if the overcurrent continues to flow and exceeds the maximum allowable current limit of the +12V power supply line display drive board.

Furthermore, when the effects generated by the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 and the various LED lighting effects from the various decorative boards of the game board 5 are prioritized and continued, the opposite is true when the effects generated by the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 are prioritized and continued, in which case a fuse provided in the +12V driver circuit (not shown) of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 will blow. Rather than causing the +12V fuses (not shown) on each decorative circuit board of the game board 5 to blow first, the capacities of the +12V fuses (not shown) on each decorative circuit board of the game board 5, and the capacities of the fuses (not shown) provided in the +12V driver circuit of the subsequent circuit board of the peripheral control board 1510 are pre-selected. Furthermore, the capacity of the +12V fuse (not shown) on the subsequent circuit board of the peripheral control board 1510 is pre-set so that the effects provided by the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 can be prioritized and continued over the various LED lighting effects provided by each decorative circuit board of the game board 5.

Furthermore, if an overload or electrical trouble occurs in the 12V power line of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 for any reason, causing an overcurrent to flow through the 12V power line of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510, and stopping both the effects of the +12V system electrical drive source (drive motor) of the game board 5 and the lighting effects of the various LEDs on each decorative board of the game board 5, then the capacity of the +12V fuse on the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 (not shown) will be pre-set to be less than or equal to the smaller of the following two fuse capacities: the capacity of the fuse in the +12V system driver circuit (not shown) of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 and the capacity of the +12V fuses (not shown) on each decorative board of the game board 5.

In this way, by providing a +12V fuse (not shown) on the board following the peripheral control board 1510, and a fuse (not shown) in the +12V driver circuit (not shown), the fuses for the +12V and +12V driver circuits (not shown) will blow in the event of overcurrent. This suppresses a drop in the potential of the +12V power supply line supplied to the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. As a result, the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 does not output a power outage warning signal to the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control MPU 633aa. The main control MPU 1310a can continue the game without performing the main control side power outage processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and the payout control MPU 633aa can continue the payout process (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control power outage processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the game board's decorative board flows through the +12V power line of each decorative board of the game board 5, the +12V fuse (not shown) on the decorative board on which the LED constant current drive circuit is mounted will blow. Furthermore, if a +12V fuse (not shown) is provided for all decorative boards of the game board 5 to which a +12V power line is supplied regardless of whether or not there is an LED constant current drive circuit, and which can supply current up to the maximum allowable current limit for the decorative board on the game board side, then the +12V fuse (not shown) for all decorative boards of the game board 5 will blow if an overcurrent exceeding the maximum allowable current limit for the decorative board on the game board 5 flows through each LED or all decorative boards of the game board 5. Thus, a +12V fuse (not shown) is provided on each decorative board of the game board 5 on which the LED constant current drive circuit is mounted, so that the +12V fuse (not shown) will blow if an overcurrent exceeding the maximum allowable current limit for the decorative board on the game board side occurs. (Note that if a +12V fuse (not shown) that can allow current up to the maximum allowable current limit for the decorative board on the game board side is provided on all decorative boards of the game board 5 that are supplied with a +12V power line regardless of whether or not there is an LED constant current drive circuit, then a +12V fuse (not shown) will be provided on all decorative boards of the game board 5 so that an overcurrent exceeding the maximum allowable current limit for the decorative board on the game board side occurs.) (Because the fuse is designed to blow), the potential drop in the +12V power supply line supplied to the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is suppressed. This prevents the main control board 1310's power outage monitoring circuit 1310e from outputting a power outage warning signal to the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control MPU 633aa. The main control MPU 1310a can continue the game without performing the main control side power-off processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and the payout control MPU 633aa can continue the payout process (the operation of distributing game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power-off processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if an electrical problem occurs for any reason in the +12V power line of the peripheral control board 1510, the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510, the performance display device 1600, and the decorative boards of the game board 5, causing leakage current or a short circuit to occur and overcurrent to flow through the peripheral control board 1510, the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510, the performance display device 1600, and the decorative boards of the game board 5, an overcurrent will flow through the peripheral control board 1510, the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510, the performance display device 1600, and the decorative boards of the game board 5, etc., provided on each board (not shown) Because the 12V fuses are designed to blow, the potential drop in the +12V power supply line supplied to the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is suppressed, preventing the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control MPU 633aa from outputting a power outage warning signal by the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310. As a result, the main control MPU 1310a can continue the game without performing the main control side power outage processing in the main control side power-on processing described later, and the payout control MPU 633aa can continue the payout process (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power outage processing in the payout control unit power-on processing described later. Furthermore, if an electrical problem occurs in the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 for any reason, resulting in leakage current or a short circuit, an overcurrent will flow to the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510, as well as to the peripheral control board 1510 itself, which is the higher-level board of the subsequent board. This will cause the +12V fuse (not shown) on the peripheral control board 1510 to blow.

In this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame side drive motor flows to the +12V power supply line of each drive board of the door frame 3 due to an overload or electrical trouble for any reason, while the +12V system driver circuit of each drive board of the door frame 3 is driving the +12V system electrical drive source (drive motor) of the door frame 3 (or while the +12V system electrical drive source (drive motor) of the door frame 3 is waiting to be driven, a fuse provided in the +12V system driver circuit will blow. The capacity of the +12V fuse for each drive board of the door frame 3 is predetermined based on the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame side drive motor of the +12V system driver circuit of each drive board of the door frame 3. The +12V fuses on each drive board of the door frame 3 are designed to blow even if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame-side drive motor flows to the +12V electrical drive source (drive motor) or the +12V driver circuit of each drive board of the door frame 3, causing the fuse in the +12V driver circuit to blow, if the overcurrent continues to flow and exceeds the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame-side +12V power supply line drive board. In this way, by providing a +12V fuse on each drive board of the door frame 3, and also by providing a fuse in the +12V driver circuit, the +12V fuses and the fuse in the +12V driver circuit will blow in the event of overcurrent. This suppresses a drop in the potential of the +12V power supply line supplied to the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. As a result, the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 does not output a power outage warning signal to the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control MPU 633aa. The main control MPU 1310a can continue the game without performing the main control side power outage processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and the payout control MPU 633aa can continue the payout process (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power outage processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame side decoration board flows through the LEDs or decoration boards of the door frame 3 via the +12V power supply line of each decoration board of the door frame 3, the +12V fuse of the decoration board on which the LED constant current drive circuit is mounted will blow. Note that if a +12V fuse capable of supplying current up to the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame side decoration board is provided for all decoration boards of the door frame 3, regardless of whether or not an LED constant current drive circuit is present, then if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame side decoration board flows through the LEDs or all decoration boards of the door frame 3 via the +12V power supply line of all decoration boards of the door frame 3, the +12V fuse of all decoration boards of the door frame 3 will blow. In this way, a +12V fuse is provided on each decorative board of the door frame 3 on which the LED constant current drive circuit is mounted, so that the +12V fuse blows if an overcurrent exceeds the upper limit of the allowable current for the decorative board on the door frame side. (Note that if a +12V fuse capable of supplying current up to the upper limit of the allowable current for the decorative board on the game board side is provided on all decorative boards of the door frame 3 that are supplied with a +12V power line regardless of whether or not there is an LED constant current drive circuit, then a +12V fuse is provided on all decorative boards of the door frame 3 so that the +12V fuse blows if an overcurrent exceeds the upper limit of the allowable current for the decorative board on the door frame side.) Therefore, the potential drop in the +12V power supply line supplied to the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is suppressed, preventing the power outage warning signal from being output to the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control MPU 633aa by the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310. This allows the main control MPU 1310a to continue the game without performing the main control side power outage processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and allows the payout control MPU 633aa to continue the payout process (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power outage processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if leakage current or a short circuit occurs in the +12V power line of each drive board and each decorative board of the door frame 3 due to some electrical trouble with the drive board and each decorative board of the door frame 3, etc., and an overcurrent flows to the drive board and each decorative board of the door frame 3, etc., the +12V fuses provided on each board will blow. By suppressing the potential drop in the +12V power line supplied to 33, the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 does not output a power outage warning signal to the main control MPU 1310a or the payout control MPU 633aa. This allows the main control MPU 1310a to continue gameplay without performing the main control side power-off processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and allows the payout control MPU 633aa to continue payouts (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power-off processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

[9-1-4b. Overcurrent protection for the +24V power line]
Furthermore, in this embodiment, as overcurrent protection for the +24V power supply line, the +24V power supply line is provided with a +24V fuse (not shown) on the peripheral control board 1510 that can supply current up to the upper limit of the allowable current for the +24V power supply line peripheral control board as an overcurrent countermeasure, a +12V fuse (not shown) is provided on the performance display device 1600 as the main fuse for the performance display device 1600 that can supply current up to the upper limit of the main allowable current, a +24V fuse (not shown) is provided on the board following the peripheral control board 1510 that can supply current up to the upper limit of the allowable current for the +24V power supply line performance drive board, and a fuse (not shown) is provided in the +24V system driver circuit on the board following the peripheral control board 1510 that can supply current up to the upper limit of the allowable current for the game board side drive solenoid.

In this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the +24V power line peripheral control board flows through the +12V power line of the peripheral control board 1510 due to some electrical trouble in the peripheral control board 1510 itself and/or a subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510, a +24V fuse (not shown) of the peripheral control board 1510 will blow. As described above, the peripheral control board 1510 is equipped with a +24V fuse (not shown) that blows if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the peripheral control board on the +24V power line blows. This suppresses a drop in the potential of the +24V power line supplied to the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. This prevents the main control board 1310's power failure monitoring circuit 1310e from outputting a power failure warning signal to the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control MPU 633aa. The main control MPU 1310a can continue gameplay without performing the main control side power-off processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and the payout control MPU 633aa can continue payouts (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power-off processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the drive solenoid on the game board side flows to the +24V system drive source (drive solenoid) of the game board 5 or to the +24V system driver circuit (not shown) due to an overload or electrical trouble for any reason, while the +24V system electric drive source (drive solenoid) of the game board 5 is being driven by the +24V system driver circuit (not shown) of the subsequent board of the peripheral control board 1510 (or while the drive solenoid of the game board 5 is on standby), a fuse (not shown) provided in the +24V system driver circuit (not shown) will blow. The +24V fuse (not shown) is designed to blow if, even after the fuse in the +24V driver circuit (not shown) blows, an overcurrent still flows and exceeds the upper limit of the allowable current for the +24V power supply line driver board. As described above, by providing a +24V fuse (not shown) on the board following the peripheral control board 1510, and a fuse (not shown) in the +24V driver circuit, the fuses (not shown) and the +24V driver circuit fuse (not shown) will blow in the event of overcurrent. This suppresses a drop in the potential of the +24V power supply line supplied to the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. This prevents the main control board 1310's power failure monitoring circuit 1310e from outputting a power failure warning signal to the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control MPU 633aa. The main control MPU 1310a can continue gameplay without performing the main control side power-off processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and the payout control MPU 633aa can continue payouts (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power-off processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 constituting the main board are operating normally, if leakage current occurs or a short circuit occurs in the +24V power line of the peripheral control board 1510 and subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510 due to some electrical trouble to the peripheral control board 1510 and subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510, and if an overcurrent flows to the peripheral control board 1510 and subsequent boards of the peripheral control board 1510, a +24V fuse (not shown) provided on each board will blow, thus preventing the main control board from malfunctioning. By suppressing the potential drop in the +24V power supply line supplied to the board 1310 and the payout control board 633, the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 does not output a power outage warning signal to the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control MPU 633aa. This allows the main control MPU 1310a to continue the game without performing the main control side power-off processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and allows the payout control MPU 633aa to continue the payout process (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power-off processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

In this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame side drive solenoid flows to the +24V power supply line of each drive board of the door frame 3 due to an overload or electrical trouble for any reason, while the +24V system driver circuit of each drive board of the door frame 3 is driving the +24V system electrical drive source (drive solenoid) of the door frame 3 (or while the +24V system electrical drive source (drive solenoid) of the door frame 3 is on standby for driving, a fuse provided in the +24V system driver circuit will blow. The capacity of the +24V fuse for each drive board of the door frame 3 is predetermined based on the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame side drive solenoid of the +24V system driver circuit of each drive board of the door frame 3. The +24V fuses on each drive board of the door frame 3 are designed to blow even if an overcurrent exceeding the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame-side drive solenoid flows to the +24V electrical drive source (drive solenoid) or the +24V driver circuit of each drive board of the door frame 3, causing the fuse in the +24V driver circuit to blow, if the overcurrent continues to flow and exceeds the upper limit of the allowable current for the door frame-side +24V power supply line drive board. In this way, by providing a +24V fuse on each drive board of the door frame 3, and also by providing a fuse in the +24V driver circuit, the +24V fuses and the fuse in the +24V driver circuit will blow in the event of overcurrent. This suppresses a drop in the potential of the +24V power supply line supplied to the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. As a result, the power outage warning signal is not output by the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 to the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control MPU 633aa. The main control MPU 1310a can continue the game without performing the main control side power outage processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and the payout control MPU 633aa can continue the payout process (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power outage processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633, which constitute the main board, are operating normally, if leakage current occurs or a short circuit occurs in the +24V power supply line of each drive board of the door frame 3 due to some electrical trouble to each drive board of the door frame 3, and an overcurrent flows to each drive board of the door frame 3, the +24V fuse provided on each board will blow, thereby preventing the +24V power supply to the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633 from leaking current or short-circuiting. By suppressing the drop in the input potential, the power outage warning signal is not output by the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310 to the main control MPU 1310a and the payout control MPU 633aa. This allows the main control MPU 1310a to continue gameplay without performing the main control side power outage processing described later in the main control side power-on processing, and allows the payout control MPU 633aa to continue payouts (the operation of paying out game balls as prize balls) without performing the payout control unit power outage processing described later in the payout control unit power-on processing.

[9-2. Circuit of the dispensing control board]
In the power supply circuit of the dispensing control board 633, the control power supply for the dispensing control MPU 633aa, which is a microprocessor, is supplied with +5V from the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f of the power supply board 630, while the backup power supply supplied to the dispensing control built-in RAM of the dispensing control MPU 633aa is supplied as dispensing VBB from the backup power supply circuit 630h of the power supply board 630.

As shown in Figure 182, the +5V from the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630 is first input to the payout control filter circuit 633h. This payout control filter circuit 633h is mainly composed of a payout control three-terminal filter PIC0. This payout control three-terminal filter PIC0 is a T-type filter circuit with excellent attenuation characteristics due to magnetic shielding with ferrite. The +5V from the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f on the power supply board 630 is applied to the first terminal of the payout control three-terminal filter PIC0, its second terminal is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground), and the +5V with noise components removed is output from its third terminal. The +5V applied to terminal 1 is first smoothed by removing ripple (the AC component superimposed on the voltage) through its electrical connection to the other end of capacitor PC0, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (the circuit board ground).

The +5V output from terminal 3 is further smoothed and ripple removed by being electrically connected to the other ends of capacitor PC1 and electrolytic capacitor PC2 (in this embodiment, capacitance: 180 microfarads (μF)), one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground). This smoothed +5V is applied to the VDD terminal, which is the power terminal of the payout control MPU 633aa. Furthermore, in the event of a momentary power outage and the power supply from the gaming hall is cut off, the charge stored in electrolytic capacitor PC2 is applied as +5V to the VDD terminal of the payout control MPU 633aa for a period of approximately 7 milliseconds (ms) after the momentary power outage occurs. Furthermore, since the power consumption of the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310 is greater than that of the payout control MPU 633aa on the payout control unit 633a of the payout control board 633, the capacitance of the electrolytic capacitor MC2 on the main control board 1310 (capacitance: 470 microfarads (μF) in this embodiment) is selected to be larger than that of the electrolytic capacitor PC2 on the payout control board 633 (capacitance: 180 microfarads (μF) in this embodiment). As a result, when a momentary power outage occurs and the power supply from the gaming hall is cut off, the charge stored in the electrolytic capacitor MC2 on the main control board 1310 and the electrolytic capacitor PC2 on the payout control board 633, respectively, is applied as +5V for a period of approximately 7 milliseconds (ms) after the momentary power outage occurs.

The VDD terminal of the payout control MPU 633aa is electrically connected to the other end of capacitor PC3, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground), and also to the anode terminal of diode PD0. The +5V applied to the VDD terminal is further smoothed by capacitor PC3, which removes ripple. The VSS terminal, which is the ground terminal of the payout control MPU 633aa, is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground).

The VBB terminal, which is the power supply terminal of the payout control built-in RAM of the payout control MPU 633aa, is electrically connected to the cathode terminal of diode PD0. Furthermore, the VBB terminal of the payout control MPU 633aa is electrically connected to the other end of capacitor PC4, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground), and is also electrically connected to the positive terminal of capacitor BC1 of the backup power supply circuit 630h of the power supply board 630 via resistor PR0. As a result, while the VBB terminal of the payout control MPU 633aa is supplied with payout VBB from the backup power supply circuit 630h of the power supply board 630 via resistor PR0, the diode PD0 prevents the VDD terminal of the payout control MPU 633aa from receiving payout VBB from the backup power supply circuit 630h of the power supply board 630 via resistor PR0.

Among the input signals in the circuit of the payout control board 633, for example, the detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154, the detection signal from the bulb depletion detection sensor 574, the detection signal from the blade rotation detection sensor 590, the detection signal from the payout detection sensor 591, and the signal from the RWM switch 633d provided on the payout control board 633 are input to the payout control input circuit 633ab, respectively.

The detection signals from the full tank sensor 154, the bulb depletion sensor 574, the blade rotation sensor 590, the payout detection sensor 591, and the RWM switch 633d are each input to the input terminals PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) to PA4 of the input port PA of the payout control MPU 633aa, respectively, via the payout control input circuit 633ab. This input port PA is configured with 8 bits.

The payout power outage warning signal, which is a power outage warning signal from the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310, is input to input terminal PB0 of input port PB of the payout control MPU 633aa via the payout control input circuit 633ab. Input ports PA and PB are configured with 8 bits. Furthermore, detection signals from other sensors are input to predetermined input terminals of input ports PA and PB via the payout control input circuit 633ab, respectively. Unused input terminals are electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground) as an unused terminal treatment.

[9-2-1. Dispensing Control Input Circuit]
Next, we will describe the dispensing control input circuit 633ab. Since the dispensing control input circuits 633ab are the same circuit, we will describe the dispensing control input circuit 633ab to which the signal from the RWM switch 633d provided on the dispensing control board 633 is input, and the dispensing power outage warning signal, which is a power outage warning signal from the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310, is input.

First, the RWM switch 633d on the payout control board 633 has the following functions: a RAM clear switch (RAM clear button) that can clear (erase) various information (game information) stored in the payout control RAM of the payout control MPU 633aa on the payout control board 633 and the main control RAM of the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310 when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on; a setting switching button that can select and switch a setting value for a predetermined period after the pachinko machine 1 is powered on; and an error clearing button that can clear an error when an error is reported after the pachinko machine 1 is powered on.

[9-2-1a. Signal from RWM switch]
The RWM switch 633d provided on the dispensing control board 633 has terminals 1 to 4. Terminals 1 and 2 are electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the dispensing control board 633, and terminals 3 and 4 are also electrically connected. When the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d is not pressed, terminals 1 and 2 and terminals 3 and 4 are not electrically connected in the internal circuit. However, when the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d is pressed, terminals 1 and 2 and terminals 3 and 4 are electrically connected in the internal circuit, and the internal circuits of terminals 1 and 2 and terminals 3 and 4 conduct, resulting in an electrical connection to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the dispensing control board 633.

When the RWM switch 633d's press-button is not pressed, terminals 1 and 2 and terminals 3 and 4 are not electrically connected in the internal circuitry. However, when the RWM switch 633d's press-button is pressed, the internal circuits of terminals 1 and 2 and terminals 3 and 4 become conductive, electrically connecting them to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the dispensing control board 633.

As shown in Figure 182, the payout control input circuit 633ab, to which the signal from the RWM switch 633d is input, is electrically connected to the other end of resistor PR50, one end of which is electrically connected to the power supply line (i.e., the +5V power supply line) created and supplied by the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f, as well as the other end of capacitor PC50, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the payout control board 633. It is also electrically connected to the base terminal of transistor PTR50 via resistor PR51. The base terminal of transistor PTR50 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor PR52, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the payout control board 633, in addition to resistor PR51. The emitter terminal of transistor PTR50 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the payout control board 633. The collector terminal of transistor PTR50 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor PR53, which is electrically connected to the power supply line (i.e., the +5V power supply line) created and supplied by the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of power supply creation circuit 630f. It is also electrically connected to the input terminal PA4 of the input port PA of the dispensing control MPU 633aa. The signal from the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 is input as RWM signal 2 to the input terminal PA4 of the input port PA of the dispensing control MPU 633aa via the dispensing control input circuit 633ab.

Furthermore, the other end of resistor PR50 and the other end of capacitor PC50 are electrically connected to one end of resistor PR51 (the opposite end of resistor PR51 that is electrically connected to the base terminal of transistor PTR50), as well as electrically connected to the dispensing control output circuit 633ac. The dispensing control output circuit 633ac consists of resistors PR60, PR61, and transistor PTR60. The other end of resistor PR50 and the other end of capacitor PC50 are electrically connected to one end of resistor PR51 (the opposite end of resistor PR51 that is electrically connected to the base terminal of transistor PTR50), as well as electrically connected to the base terminal of transistor PTR60 via resistor PR60. The base terminal of transistor PTR60 is electrically connected to resistor PR60, as well as to the other end of resistor PR61, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the dispensing control board 633. The emitter terminal of transistor PTR60 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the dispensing control board 633. The collector terminal of transistor PTR60 is electrically connected to the main control board 1310 via wiring (harness), and is electrically connected to the main control input circuit 1310b shown in Figure 179 (one end of which is electrically connected to the +12V power supply line (the other end of resistor MR2, which is electrically connected to the power supply line created and supplied by the +12V power supply creation circuit 630fb of power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +12V power supply line)). The signal output from the collector terminal of transistor PTR60 in the dispensing control output circuit 633ac of the dispensing control board 633 is input to the main control board 1310 via wiring (harness) as the main RWM signal.

[9-2-1b. Power outage warning signal from the power outage monitoring circuit]
The payout control input circuit 633ab, which receives the payout power outage warning signal, a power outage warning signal from the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310, is electrically connected to the other end of resistor PR40, one end of which is electrically connected to the +12V power supply line (the power supply line created and supplied by the +12V power supply creation circuit 630fb of the power supply creation circuit 630f (i.e., the +12V power supply line)), as shown in Figure 182. It is also electrically connected to the base terminal of transistor PTR40 via resistor PR41. In addition to resistor PR41, the base terminal of transistor PTR40 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor PR42, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the payout control board 633. The emitter terminal of transistor PTR40 is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the payout control board 633. The terminal of resistor PR40 is electrically connected to the other end of resistor PR43, one end of which is electrically connected to the power line (i.e., the +5V power line) created and supplied by the +5V power supply creation circuit 630fa of the power supply creation circuit 630f, and is also electrically connected to the input terminal PB0 of the input port PB of the payout control MPU 633aa. The payout power outage warning signal, which is a power outage warning signal from the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310, is input as power outage warning signal 2 to the input terminal PB0 of the input port PB of the payout control MPU 633aa via the payout control input circuit 633ab. In addition, the other end of resistor PR40 may be electrically connected to the other end of a capacitor, one end of which is electrically connected to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310, in order to align it with the waveform of the payout power outage warning signal from the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e of the main control board 1310.

[10. Main control board box]
Next, the main control board box 1320, which houses the main control board 1310 that controls the progress of the game, will be described with reference to Figure 183. Here, we will describe an example in which the setting key switch 1311a, which is mounted on the setting change board 1311 mentioned above, is mounted on the main control board 1310, and only the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320. Figure 183 is a perspective view (a) of the main control board box showing the state before the main control board is attached to the cover body and the base body is slid to cover the opening side of the cover body, and a perspective view (b) of the main control board box with the cover body and base body sealed by a sealing mechanism.

In pachinko machine 1, the main control board 1310 is a crucial board that controls the progress of the game. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent unauthorized modifications to the main control board 1310 to obtain illegal game balls. To this end, the main control board 1310 is housed in a main control board box 1320, which consists of a transparent cover body 1301 and a transparent base body 1302. The cover body 1301 and the base body 1302 are crimped together by a sealing mechanism, such as a one-way screw, in a crimping section 1303.

This crimping section 1303 is a sealing mechanism, and there are multiple such sections. Using one sealing mechanism, the cover body 1301 and the base body 1302 are crimped together by the one-way screw or the like of the crimping section 1303, allowing the main control board box 1320 to be closed. To open the main control board box 1320, it is necessary to destroy that sealing mechanism. In other words, the cover body 1301 cannot be removed from the base body 1302 unless the sealing mechanism is destroyed.

As described above, the cover body 1301 and the base body 1302 are made of polycarbonate resin and are molded to be transparent. The internal space formed by the cover body 1301 and the base body can accommodate the main control board 1310. Because the cover body 1301 and the base body 1302 are made of polycarbonate resin and are molded to be transparent, the condition of the mounting side (front) and solder side (back) of the main control board 1310 (whether or not unauthorized modifications have been made, or whether or not an unauthorized IC has been mounted) can be checked from the outside of the main control board box 1320. In addition, the main control board box 1320 is equipped with multiple sealing mechanisms corresponding to the cover body 1301 and the base body 1302, respectively. When the main control board box 1320 is closed using one sealing mechanism, it is necessary to destroy that sealing mechanism in order to open the main control board box 1320 next, leaving a trace of the opening and closing of the main control board box 1320. Therefore, by observing the traces of opening and closing, unauthorized opening and closing of the main control board box 1320 can be detected, thereby increasing the deterrent against unauthorized actions against the main control board 1310.

To briefly explain the assembly method of the main control board box 1320, as shown in Figure 183(a), the mounting surface (front) of the main control board 1310 is positioned so that it faces the bottom surface of the cover body 1301, and various connectors MCN1 to MCN8 and a portion of the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the main control board 1310 are exposed through corresponding openings formed in the cover body 1301. Subsequently, fixing screws are inserted from the solder side (back side) of the main control board 1310 through through holes formed in the four corners of the main control board 1310 and screwed into mounting boss holes formed in the four inner corners of the cover body 1301, thereby fixing the main control board 1310 in the inner space of the cover body 1301. Next, the base body 1302 is positioned to substantially close the opening of the cover body 1301. The base body 1302 is then slid along the longitudinal direction of the cover body 1301 in a specific direction (indicated by the arrow in the figure) (movement distance sd) until the outer surface of the base body 1302 fits within the inner surface of the cover body 1301, completely closing the opening of the cover body 1301. The main control board 1310 is then housed within the space formed by the cover body 1301 and the base body 1302. Subsequently, the cover body 1301 and the base body 1302 are screwed together and crimped using the one-way screws of the crimping portion 1303, as shown in Figure 183(b). This fixes the cover body 1301 and the base body 1302, sealing the main control board box 1320 (i.e., the main control board box 1320 can be closed).

Furthermore, multiple cover-side rib portions 1301rb are formed on the inner wall of the cover body 1301 at predetermined distances apart, allowing them to contact the outer circumference of the mounting surface (front surface) of the main control board 1310 when the main control board 1310 is attached to the bottom surface of the cover body 1301. Similarly, multiple base-side rib portions 1302rb are formed on the base body 1302 at predetermined distances apart, allowing them to contact the outer circumference of the solder surface (back surface) of the main control board 1310. When the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320, the main control board 1310 is positioned (clamped) in the narrow space (space) formed by the multiple cover-side rib portions 1301rb formed on the cover body 1301 and the multiple base-side rib portions 1302rb formed on the base body 1302.

Furthermore, the base body 1302 has a projection 1302p that can contact the solder side (back side) of the main control board 1310, corresponding to the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front side) of the main control board 1310. When a setting key is inserted into the setting key switch 1311a, the force of this insertion causes the main control board 1310 to bend and flex. The projection 1302p contacts the solder side (back side) of the main control board 1310, preventing further bending and flexing of the main control board 1310, thereby preventing disconnection of the wiring pattern and delamination of the solder on the main control board 1310.

[11. Setting Key Switches]
Next, the setting key switch 1311a will be described with reference to Figure 184. Figure 184 is a perspective view (a) of the setting key switch seen from the front right, a perspective view (b) of the setting key switch seen from the front left, and a top view (c) of the setting key switch. Here, we will describe an example in which the setting key switch 1311a, which is mounted on the setting change board 1311 described above, is mounted on the main control board 1310.

The setting key switch 1311a comes in two types: one in which a resin setting key cylinder, into which a setting key is inserted and rotated, is housed inside a resin outer casing (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "resin type setting key switch 1311a"), and another in which a metal setting key cylinder, into which a setting key is inserted and rotated, is housed inside a metal cylindrical outer casing (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "metal type setting key switch 1311a"). The structure of the resin type setting key switch 1311a and the metal type setting key switch 1311a are identical, differing only in their materials.

[11-1. Resin-type setting key switch]
As shown in Figures 184(a) and (b), the resin-type setting key switch 1311a consists of a cylindrical outer cylinder 1311aa made of non-conductive resin, a setting key cylinder 1311ab made of non-conductive resin into which a setting key is inserted and rotated inside the outer cylinder 1311aa, a rectangular parallelepiped base body 1311ac made of non-conductive resin connected to the outer cylinder 1311aa and forming a circuit that turns the contacts ON or OFF by the rotation of the setting key cylinder 1311ab, and a metal frame plate 1311ad with a hole formed in the outer cylinder 1311aa at a position corresponding to the outer cylinder 1311aa and bent to cover the surface and sides of the base body 1311ac, with a pair of protruding pieces 1311ada, 1311ada formed on both sides (front side and rear side in the figure) that protrude to the rear of the base body 1311ac.

The front surface of the outer cylinder 1311aa is positioned almost flush with the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab. The front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab is provided with an insertion slot 1311aba for inserting a metal setting key. As shown in Figure 184(c), the metal setting key can be inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba and removed from the insertion slot 1311aba when the rotational position of the setting key cylinder 1311ab is at the insertion/removal reference position 1311aaa formed on the outer cylinder 1311aa (that is, when the setting key is ready to be inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba formed on the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a (a position where the longitudinal direction of the rectangular insertion slot 1311aba is aligned with the vertical direction)). The base body 1311ac has a pair of protruding pieces 1311ada, 1311ada formed on the frame plate 1311ad, and two brass lead terminals are formed on each side (right side and left side in the figure) rotated 90 degrees from the frame plate, spaced at a predetermined distance apart.

In the figure, the COM1 terminal, which is the upper lead terminal on the left side, and the COM2 terminal, which is the lower lead terminal on the left side, are common terminals, and either one of the terminals or both ends can be used. The A terminal, which is the upper lead terminal on the right side, and the B terminal, which is the lower lead terminal on the right side, are connected electrically to the COM1 and COM2 terminals and the A terminal by a circuit formed in the base body 1311ac when the rotation position of the setting key cylinder 1311ab is at the insertion/removal reference position 1311aaa formed in the outer cylinder 1311aa, and the COM1 and COM2 terminals and the B terminal are disconnected electrically (therefore, the setting key of the setting key switch 1311a (An OFF signal is transmitted.) On the other hand, when the rotational position of the setting key cylinder 1311ab is rotated 60 degrees from the insertion/removal reference position 1311aaa formed on the outer cylinder 1311aa, the circuit formed on the base body 1311ac electrically disconnects the COM1 and COM2 terminals from terminal A, interrupting the circuit, while electrically connecting the COM1 and COM2 terminals from terminal B, creating conductivity (thus transmitting the ON signal for the setting key switch 1311a). Note that the distance between the COM1 and COM2 terminals and the distance between the A and B terminals are the same.

A pair of protruding pieces 1311ada, 1311ada extending from the metal frame plate 1311ad to the rear of the base body 1311ac are soldered to the main control board 1310 on the solder side (back side), thereby fixing the setting key switch 1311a to the main control board 1310. Terminals A, B, COM1, and COM2 of the base body 1311ac are soldered to the main control board 1310 on the solder side (back side). On the back side of the base body 1311ac, a cylindrical protrusion (not shown) is formed, which specifies the orientation of the setting key switch 1311a so that when the setting key switch 1311a is mounted on the mounting side (front side) of the main control board 1310, the insertion/removal reference position 1311aaa faces upward as shown in the figure. This cylindrical protrusion prevents the manufacturer's workers from, for example, incorrectly soldering the setting key switch 1311a upside down when mounting it to the mounting surface (front) of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, even if electromagnetic noise enters through the metal setting key when inserting it into the insertion slot 1311aba formed on the front of the setting key cylinder 1311ab, the resin-type setting key switch 1311a, as described above, has no effect on terminals A, B, COM1, and COM2 because its outer cylinder 1311aa, setting key cylinder 1311ab, and base body 1311ac are all molded from non-conductive resin.

[11-2. Metal-type setting key switches]
Next, the metal type setting key switch 1311a has the same configuration as the resin type setting key switch 1311a described above, but differs in material, in that it has the same configuration as the resin type setting key switch 1311a described above, with a metal cylindrical outer cylinder 1311aa and a metal setting key cylinder 1311ab into which a setting key is inserted and rotated. Furthermore, the outer cylinder 1311aa and the setting key cylinder 1311ab are molded from metal, and the outer cylinder 1311aa and the setting key cylinder 1311ab are electrically connected. The outer cylinder 1311aa is connected to a non-conductive resin base body 1311ac, but the metal frame plate 1311ad has a hole formed in the outer cylinder 1311aa at a position corresponding to the outer cylinder 1311aa that penetrates the outer cylinder 1311aa and covers the surface and sides of the base body 1311ac. In other words, when a metal setting key is inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba formed on the front of the setting key cylinder 1311ab, if electromagnetic noise enters through this metal setting key, as described above, the outer cylinder 1311aa and the setting key cylinder 1311ab are electrically connected, so there is a risk that electromagnetic noise may enter the metal frame plate 1311ad.

[11-3. Relationship between the setting key switch and the cover of the main control board box]
Here, the relationship between the setting key switch 1311a and the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320 will be explained with reference to Figure 185. Figure 185 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the setting key switch and the cover body of the main control board box.

As described above, the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a is provided with an insertion slot 1311aba for inserting a metal setting key. When the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320, the front surface of the setting key switch 1311a (i.e., the front surface of the outer cylinder 1311aa and the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab) is exposed from the cover body 1301 of the main control board box. As shown in Figure 185, the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320 has a tubular rib portion 1301za (the thickness of the tubular rib portion 1301za is the same as the thickness of the cover body 1301) that extends a predetermined distance toward the main control board 1310 along the inner circumference of a through hole 1301z having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the setting key cylinder 1311ab (for example, a diameter 2 mm larger than the outer diameter of the setting key cylinder 1311ab) at a position corresponding to the setting key switch 1311a and the setting key cylinder 1311ab. The inner circumference of the through-hole 1301z and the inner circumference of the tubular rib portion 1301za are connected without any step, forming a single inner surface. This ensures that the front surface of the setting key switch 1311a (i.e., the front surface of the outer cylinder 1311aa and the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab) and the surface (front) of the cover body 1301 of the main control board box are aligned on the same plane (flush surface).

The through-hole 1301z is also the area where the fingers or fists of someone accessing the setting key switch 1311a might come into contact. Therefore, the rib portion 1301za is designed to increase the strength around the through-hole 1301z. This prevents the area around the through-hole 1301z from being pushed in by human force, causing it to flex and increasing the gap between the through-hole 1301z and the setting key cylinder 1311ab, or from being damaged and increasing the outer diameter of the through-hole 1301z, thereby increasing the gap between the through-hole 1301z and the setting key cylinder 1311ab. For example, even if someone intentionally pushes their fingers or fist around the through-hole 1301z to gain unauthorized access to the setting key switch 1311a, this helps prevent them from inserting a long, thin tool such as a wire into the gap between the through-hole 1301z and the setting key cylinder 1311ab.

Furthermore, the diameter of the through-hole 1301z is designed to fit within the rectangular surface shape of the base body 1311ac, which has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, of the setting key switch 1311a. The end of the rib portion 1301za is spaced apart from the surface of the metal frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a by a distance dimension d1 (approximately 2 mm in this embodiment), so that the metal frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a cannot be directly touched by anyone accessing the setting key switch 1311a.

As a result, even if a long, thin unauthorized tool such as a wire is inserted into the "gap" between the through-hole 1301z and rib portion 1310za of the cover body 1301 and the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a (in this embodiment, the diameter of the through-hole 1301z is formed to be 2 mm larger than the outer diameter of the setting key cylinder 1311ab, resulting in a gap of 1 mm), the diameter of the through-hole 1301z is formed to fit within the rectangular surface shape of the base body 1311ac, which has a rectangular parallelepiped shape, thus preventing the tip of the long, thin unauthorized tool from hitting the surface of the base body 1311ac, bending, and penetrating toward the main control board 1310. In other words, it is possible to prevent modification of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, in the resin-type setting key switch 1311a, as described above, since the outer cylinder 1311aa and the setting key cylinder 1311ab are molded from non-conductive resin, even if a person with static electricity approaches or touches the front surface of the setting key switch 1311a (i.e., the front surface of the outer cylinder 1311aa and the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab), it is possible to prevent electromagnetic noise caused by electrostatic discharge from entering the main control board 1310 via the setting key switch 1311a. Furthermore, because the end of the rib portion 1301za, formed along the outer circumference of the through-hole 1301z in the non-conductive resin cover body 1301, and the surface of the metal frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a are separated by a distance dimension d1 (approximately 2 mm in this embodiment), even if a person with static electricity approaches or touches the through-hole 1301z or its surroundings in the non-conductive resin cover body 1301, it becomes difficult for electromagnetic noise due to electrostatic discharge to enter the metal frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a through the through-hole 1301z and the rib portion 1301za, thereby preventing it from entering the main control board 1310 via the setting key switch 1311a.

In the metal type setting key switch 1311a, as described above, the outer cylinder 1311aa and the setting key cylinder 1311ab are molded from metal, and the outer cylinder 1311aa and the setting key cylinder 1311ab are electrically connected. Although the outer cylinder 1311aa is connected to a non-conductive resin base body 1311ac, the metal frame plate 1311ad has holes formed in it at positions corresponding to the outer cylinder 1311aa that penetrate the outer cylinder 1311aa, and covers the surface and sides of the base body 1311ac. In other words, if a person with static electricity were to bring their finger close to or touch the through-hole 1301z or its surroundings in the non-conductive resin cover 1301, electromagnetic noise due to electrostatic discharge could enter the metal frame plate 1311ad because the outer cylinder 1311aa and the setting key cylinder 1311ab are electrically connected. Therefore, if a person with static electricity were to bring their finger close to or touch the through-hole 1301z or its surroundings in the non-conductive resin cover 1301, electromagnetic noise due to electrostatic discharge could enter the metal frame plate 1311ad and potentially enter the main control board 1310 via the setting key switch 1311a.

Furthermore, since the front surface of the setting key switch 1311a (i.e., the front surface of the outer cylinder 1311aa and the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab) and the surface (front) of the cover body 1301 of the main control board box are arranged on the same plane (flush surface), when an operator is installing the game board 5 onto the main frame 4 of the pachinko machine 1 which is installed in the island equipment of a gaming hall, they first temporarily place it on the front surface or around the pachinko machine 1. In this case, if the operator accidentally hits the temporarily placed game board 5 with their foot during the work and causes it to fall, it is possible to prevent the setting key switch 1311a from colliding with the floor and being damaged. Furthermore, since the front surface of the setting key switch 1311a (i.e., the front surface of the outer cylinder 1311aa and the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab) and the surface (front) of the cover body 1301 of the main control board box are aligned on the same plane (flush surface), even when removing the game board 5 from the main frame 4 of the pachinko machine 1, the removed game board 5 is temporarily placed on the front surface or around the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, if the worker accidentally knocks over the temporarily placed game board 5 with their foot during the work, it is possible to prevent the setting key switch 1311a from colliding with the floor and being damaged.

Furthermore, since the front surface of the setting key switch 1311a (i.e., the front surface of the outer cylinder 1311aa and the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab) and the surface (front) of the cover body 1301 of the main control board box are arranged on the same plane (flush surface), a protective cover (the protective cover is made of polycarbonate resin and is molded to be transparent) may be provided on the cover body 1301 to protect the front surface of the setting key switch 1311a (i.e., the front surface of the outer cylinder 1311aa and the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab).

[11-4. Relationship between the setting key switch and the base of the main control board box]
Here, the relationship between the setting key switch 1311a and the base body 1302 of the main control board box 1320 will be explained with reference to Figures 185 to 187. Figure 186 is a diagram (a) showing the mounting surface (front) of the main control board on which the setting key switch is mounted, a diagram (1) (b) showing the solder side (back) of the main control board corresponding to the mounting surface (front) of the main control board on which the setting key switch is mounted, and a diagram (2) (c) showing the solder side (back) of the main control board corresponding to the mounting surface (front) of the main control board on which the setting key switch is mounted. Figure 187 is a continuation of Figure 186, and is a diagram (3) (d) showing the solder side (back) of the main control board corresponding to the mounting surface (front) of the main control board on which the setting key switch is mounted, and a diagram (4) (e) showing the solder side (back) of the main control board corresponding to the mounting surface (front) of the main control board on which the setting key switch is mounted.

When the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320, as described above, the main control board 1310 is positioned (clamped) in the narrow space (space) formed by the cover body side ribs 1301rb formed on the cover body 1301 and the base body side ribs 1302rb formed on the base body 1302. Furthermore, as described above, the base body 1302 has a protrusion 1302p that can contact the solder side (back side) of the main control board 1310, which corresponds to the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front side) of the main control board 1310. The protruding portion 1302p is designed to prevent further bending and flexing of the main control board 1310 when a metal setting key is inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba formed on the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab. When the main control board 1310 bends and flexes due to the force of this insertion, the protruding portion 1302p contacts the solder side (back surface) of the main control board 1310, thereby preventing further bending and flexing of the main control board 1310 and preventing disconnection of the wiring pattern and delamination of the solder on the main control board 1310.

When the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320, and the metal setting key is not inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba formed on the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab (or when the setting key cylinder 1311ab is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to the ON position and the hand is released from the setting key, releasing the pressure from the setting key), as shown in Figure 185, the solder side (back surface) of the main control board 1310 and the front surface of the protrusion 1302p are separated by a clearance dimension d2 (approximately 1 mm in this embodiment). Therefore, when the setting key cylinder 1311ab is not pressed, the solder side (back surface) of the main control board 1310 and the front surface of the protrusion 1302p do not come into contact.

The protruding portion 1302p can be cylindrical or have a constant width along the longitudinal direction of the base body 1302 (in this embodiment, the constant width is the same dimension as the outer diameter of the cylindrical protruding portion 1302p). Here, we will first explain the routing of the wiring pattern to the setting key switch 1311a, followed by an explanation of the cylindrical protruding portion 1302p and the protruding portion 1302p having a constant width along the longitudinal direction of the base body 1302.

[11-4-1. Wiring to the setting key switch 1311a]
As shown in Figure 186(a), the setting key switch 1311a is mounted on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x such that the side surface of the rectangular parallelepiped base body 1311ac of the setting key switch 1311a (the side surface opposite to the lower side surface of the insertion/removal reference position 1311aaa formed on the outer cylinder 1311aa) is near the lower edge of the main control board 1310 and is parallel to the lower edge of the main control board 1310. In other words, the setting key switch 1311a is mounted on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x such that the insertion/removal reference position 1311aaa formed on the outer cylinder 1311aa faces the upper edge of the main control board 1310.

Specifically, a pair of long through-holes SLH1 and SLH2 (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "long through-holes SLH1 and SLH2") are formed in the vertical direction of the main control board 1310, having a long, elongated hole shape along the left-right direction (longitudinal direction) of the main control board 1310, through which a pair of protruding pieces 1311ada, 1311ada formed on the metal frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a can be inserted. In addition, two lead terminals, terminal A and terminal B, formed on the right side of the base body 1311ac of the setting key switch 1311a can be inserted. The main control board 1310 is formed with a pair of opposing long through-holes SLH1 and SLH2, each having a pair of lands (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "through-holes SLTH1 and SLTH2"), and a pair of through-holes SLH3 and SLH4, each having a pair of lands through which two lead terminals, COM1 and COM2, formed on the left side of the base body 1311ac of the setting key switch 1311a, can be inserted. These two through-holes are formed at a 90-degree rotation angle to the pair of opposing long through-holes SLH1 and SLH2.

Furthermore, a through-hole SSTD, through which a cylindrical projection (not shown) that specifies the orientation of the setting key switch 1311a, provided on the back side of the base body 1311ac of the setting key switch 1311a, can be inserted, is formed on the center line in the left-right direction of the setting key switch 1311a when the setting key switch 1311a is mounted on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, within the area surrounded by through-holes SLTH1, SLTH2, SLTH3, SLTH4 and long through-holes SLH1, SLH2.

On the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, as shown in Figure 186(b), a vertical linear wiring pattern SPTN1 is formed, running linearly along the vertical direction of the main control board 1310. This pattern electrically connects through-hole SLTH4, through which the COM2 terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered, and through-hole SLTH3, through which the COM1 terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered. In other words, because the vertical linear wiring pattern SPTN1 is routed linearly from through-hole SLTH4 to through-hole SLTH4, its length is minimized.

Furthermore, on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, a linear wiring pattern SPTN2 is formed in a straight line along the left-right direction (longitudinal direction) of the main control board. This pattern electrically connects through-hole SLTH3, through which the COM1 terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered, and through-hole SLTH1, through which the A terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered. In other words, the linear wiring pattern SPTN2 runs parallel to the bottom edge of the main control board 1310, in a straight line from through-hole SLTH3 to through-hole SLTH1, thus minimizing its length.

Furthermore, on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, a through-hole SLTH1 through which the A terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered, and a bent wiring pattern SPTN3 is formed by bending multiple times in the up, down, left, and right directions of the main control board 1310 to electrically connect the SPTN3 to the main control input circuit 1310b shown in Figure 179 (the other end of a resistor MR10, one end of which is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board side, or the other end of a capacitor MC10, one end of which is electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground)).

Furthermore, the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 does not have any wiring patterns that are electrically connected to the through-hole SLTH2 through which the B terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered. Instead, it is electrically connected to the solid ground (GND) (board ground) of the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the solid ground (GND) (board ground) of the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, various wiring patterns forming the setting signal transmission path from the through-hole SLTH1 through which the A terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered, to the predetermined input terminal (input terminal PA5 of input port PA) of the main control MPU 1310a, are formed on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310. In other words, the setting signal transmission path does not involve through-holes that electrically connect the various wiring patterns on the mounting side (front side) 1310x and the solder side (back side) 1310y. Even when the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is visible, it is not possible to see how the various wiring patterns electrically connected to the terminals of the setting key switch 1311a are routed.

Furthermore, as described above, the main control board 1310 is attached to the bottom surface of the cover body 1301 and fixed in the inner space of the cover body 1301. The base body 1302 is positioned in a predetermined location so as to substantially close the opening side of the cover body 1301, and the base body 1302 is slid along the longitudinal direction of the cover body 1301 in a specific direction (movement distance dimension sd) to completely close the opening side of the cover body 1301. Therefore, when the base body 1302 is slid along the longitudinal direction of the cover body 1301 in a specific direction, the protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 also slides along the base body 1302 in the specific direction. During this sliding movement, the front surface of the protrusion 1302p may come into contact with the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 and rub against it, potentially damaging the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310. Therefore, the wiring patterns are routed so that they do not overlap with the area in which the protruding portion 1302p slides. In other words, the wiring patterns are routed in such a way that the protruding portion 1302p does not cross over them when it slides. This prevents damage to the wiring patterns from the sliding protruding portion 1302p during assembly of the main control board box 1320.

On the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, copper foil is removed around the through-hole SLTH4 through which the COM2 terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered, the through-hole SLTH3 through which the COM1 terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered, and the through-hole SLTH1 through which the A terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered. Copper foil is also removed around various wiring patterns that form the setting signal transmission path (e.g., vertical straight wiring pattern SPTN1, horizontal straight wiring pattern SPTN2, bent wiring pattern SPTN3, etc.). Furthermore, copper foil is removed around the through-hole SSTD through which a cylindrical projection (not shown) that specifies the orientation of the setting key switch 1311a can be inserted.

In contrast, on the mounting surface (front) 1310x and solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310, the copper foil is removed from approximately the periphery of the long through-holes SLH1 and SLH2, respectively. Furthermore, thermal lands (patterns having a cross shape (which may be partially missing) or an X shape (which may be partially missing)) are formed in regions at both ends in the longitudinal direction of each long hole, electrically and physically connecting the solid pattern (also called a solid ground) and the lands. The thermal lands electrically connect the long through-holes SLH1 and SLH2 to the solid ground (substrate ground) on the mounting surface (front) 1310x and the solid ground (substrate ground) on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310. Furthermore, on the mounting surface (front) 1310x and soldering surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310, the copper foil around the through-hole SLTH2 through which the B terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered is removed, and thermal lands are formed on both sides. The thermal lands electrically connect the through-hole SLTH2 to the solid ground (board ground) on the mounting surface (front) 1310x and the solid ground (board ground) on the soldering surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310.

The entire surface of the mounting surface (front) 1310x and the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 is provided with various through-holes, as shown in Figures 186(a) and (b), for example, through holes through which lead terminals of electronic components are inserted and soldered to the solder surface (back) 1310y, through holes through which wiring patterns between the mounting surface (front) 1310x and the solder surface (back) 1310y are electrically connected, and through holes connecting the ground plane (GND) (board ground) of the mounting surface (front) 1310x and the ground plane (GND) of the solder surface (back) 1310y. Except for certain through-holes (for example, through-holes that electrically connect the wiring patterns between the mounting surface (front) 1310x and the solder surface (back) 1310y) among the various wiring patterns and through-holes (that electrically connect to the substrate ground and that fix electronic components), a resist liquid of a predetermined color (green in this embodiment) that has insulating properties is applied to cover the copper thin layer (copper plane) on which various wiring patterns and various through-holes are formed, thereby forming an insulating coating film 1310xr on the mounting surface side and an insulating coating film 1310yr on the solder surface side. Furthermore, on the insulating coating film 1310xr on the mounting surface side, an area SSLSW1 indicating the position where the setting key switch 1311a is placed is printed as a solid line using a paint that has insulating properties and is a different color from the predetermined color of the resist liquid (white in this embodiment). Furthermore, the color of the resist solution can be red, yellow, orange, blue, white, or black instead of green. The color of the silkscreen ink can also be any of the following colors, as long as it is different from the color of the resist solution: green, red, yellow, orange, blue, white, or black.

The size of region SSLKSW1 is larger than the outer shape of the setting key switch 1311a. When the setting key switch 1311a is positioned and mounted (soldered on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310) within region SSLKSW1, the outline (solid rectangle) of region SSLKSW1 is positioned outside the outline of the setting key switch 1311a. In other words, even when the setting key switch 1311a is mounted, the outline (solid rectangle) of region SSLKSW1 does not overlap with the setting key switch 1311a.

[11-4-2. Cylindrical projection]
If the projection 1302p formed on the base body 1302 has a cylindrical shape, the front surface of the projection 1302p will be circular. As described above, the distance between the COM1 terminal and the COM2 terminal of the setting key switch 1311a and the distance between the A terminal and the B terminal of the setting key switch 1311a are the same. The outer diameter of the cylindrical projection 1302p is smaller than half the distance between terminals A and B of the setting key switch 1311a. This ensures that even if the front surface of the sliding projection 1302p temporarily contacts the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 while assembling the main control board box 1320, the front surface of the sliding projection 1302p does not come into contact with the land of through-hole SLTH1 through which terminal A of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered, nor with the land of through-hole SLTH2 through which terminal B of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered.

When a metal setting key is inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba formed on the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab, the force of this insertion causes the main control board 1310 to bend and flex, bringing the front surface of the circular projection 1302p into contact with the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310. When the front surface of the circular projection 1302p comes into contact with the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, the solder side insulating coating 1310yr, formed by applying an insulating resist liquid of a predetermined color (green in this embodiment) to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, may be rubbed by the front surface of the projection 1302p, causing the solder side insulating coating 1310yr to be scraped away and potentially damaging the solid ground (substrate ground) on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310.

Therefore, as shown in Figure 186(b), a circular foil-removed area SINSy is formed in the area of the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 where the front surface of the protrusion 1302p abuts, and around it. This prevents damage to the solid ground (substrate ground) on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310, even if the solder side insulating coating 1310yr is scraped by the protrusion 1302p. The circular foil-removed area SINSy, with its copper foil removed, safely and effectively utilizes the limited substrate area.

Furthermore, when assembling the main control board box 1320, as described above, it is necessary to slide the base body 1302 along the longitudinal direction of the cover body 1301 in a specific direction (movement distance dimension sd). At this time, the protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 also slides along the base body 1302 in the specific direction (movement distance dimension sd).

Therefore, as shown in Figure 186(c), a foil-punched area SINSy, having an elongated hole shape with copper foil removed, may be formed in the region where the protrusion 1302p slides and around it. This prevents damage to the solid ground (substrate ground) on the solder side of the main control board box 1310, even if the solder-side insulating coating 1310yr is scraped by the sliding protrusion 1302p during assembly of the main control board box 1320. The foil-punched area SINSy, with its elongated hole shape with copper foil removed, safely and effectively utilizes the limited substrate area.

[11-4-3. Protrusions having a constant width along the longitudinal direction of the base body]
If the projection 1302p formed on the base body 1302 has a constant width along the longitudinal direction of the base body 1302 (in this embodiment, the constant width is the same dimension as the outer diameter of the cylindrical projection 1302p), then the front surface of the projection 1302p will be a long rectangle along the longitudinal direction of the base body 1302. Note that both ends of the front surface of the projection 1302p, which has a long rectangle along the longitudinal direction of the base body 1302, are given rounded edges and have a circular shape. As described above, the distance between the COM1 terminal and the COM2 terminal of the setting key switch 1311a and the distance between the A terminal and the B terminal of the setting key switch 1311a are the same distance. The outer diameter of the cylindrical projection 1302p is smaller than half the distance between terminals A and B of the setting key switch 1311a. This ensures that even if the front surface of the sliding projection 1302p temporarily contacts the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 while assembling the main control board box 1320, the front surface of the sliding projection 1302p does not come into contact with the land of through-hole SLTH1 through which terminal A of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered, nor with the land of through-hole SLTH2 through which terminal B of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted and soldered.

When a metal setting key is inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba formed on the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab, the force of this insertion causes the main control board 1310 to bend and flex, resulting in contact between the front surface of the rectangular projection 1302p, which is long along the longitudinal direction of the base body 1302, and the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310. When the front surface of the long rectangular projection 1302p, which extends along the longitudinal direction of the base body 1302, comes into contact with the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, the solder side insulating coating 1310yr, formed by applying an insulating resist liquid of a predetermined color (green in this embodiment) to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, is rubbed by the front surface of the projection 1302p. This can cause the solder side insulating coating 1310yr to be scraped away, potentially damaging the solid ground (substrate ground) on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310.

Therefore, as shown in Figure 187(d), a foil-removed area SINSy is formed in the area of the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 that the front surface of the protrusion 1302p abuts, and around it, having a long rectangular shape along the longitudinal direction of the base body 1302, where the copper foil has been removed. Both ends of the foil-removed area SINSy are rounded, giving it a circular shape. This prevents damage to the solid ground (substrate ground) on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310, even if the insulating coating 1310yr on the solder side is scraped by the protrusion 1302p. The foil-removed area SINSy, having a long rectangular shape along the longitudinal direction of the base body 1302 where the copper foil has been removed, safely and effectively utilizes the limited substrate area.

Furthermore, when assembling the main control board box 1320, as described above, it is necessary to slide the base body 1302 in a specific direction along the longitudinal direction of the cover body 1301. At this time, the protruding portion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 also slides together with the base body 1302 in the specific direction.

Therefore, as shown in Figure 187(e), a foil-punched area SINSy, having an elongated hole shape with copper foil removed, may be formed in the region where the protrusion 1302p slides and around it. This prevents damage to the solid ground (substrate ground) on the solder side of the main control board 1310, even if the solder-side insulating coating 1310yr is scraped by the sliding protrusion 1302p during assembly of the main control board box 1320. The foil-punched area SINSy, with its elongated hole shape with copper foil removed, safely and effectively utilizes the limited substrate area.

[11-5. Notification of the location of the RWM switch used for configuration changes]
The main control board 1310 on which the setting key switch 1311a is mounted is housed in a main control board box 1320, and this main control board box 1320 is attached to the rear side of the board holder 1200 of the game board 5. In contrast, the payout control board 633 on which the RWM switch 633d (which may be a RAM clear switch 1310f) is mounted is housed in a payout control board box 632, and this payout control board box 632 is attached to the rear side of the power supply board cover 631 of the board unit 620 of the main frame 4. In this way, the setting key switch 1311a and the RWM switch 633d are placed on separate boards, and the boards are mounted on different objects, thereby separating the setting key switch 1311a and the RWM switch 633d. If the setting key switch 1311a and the RWM switch 633d were to be placed together on a single board, unauthorized modifications would only need to be made to one board, which is undesirable from a security standpoint. Therefore, in this embodiment, the setting key switch 1311a and the RWM switch 633d are arranged on separate circuit boards, and the boards are mounted on different objects, thereby enhancing security for the setting key switch 1311a and the RWM switch 633d.

The main control board 1310 (main control MPU 1310a) performs both game preparation control and game control (game preparation control is followed by game control). Game preparation control consists of a first step (the determination in step S14 and the processing in step S16A in the main control side power-on processing described later) in which the setting value can be changed based on a signal from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the main control board 1310; and a second step (the determination in step S216 and the processing in step S218 in the setting change processing described later) in which the setting value can be selected and switched based on a signal from the RWM switch 633d of the payout control board 633 (which functions here as a setting switching button for selecting and switching setting values). Following game preparation control, game control consists of the main control side processing in the main control side power-on processing described later and the main control side timer interrupt processing described later.

While this enhances security, the configuration employs separate circuit boards for the setting key switch 1311a and the RWM switch 633d, and the boards are mounted on different surfaces. Because the setting key switch 1311a is housed in the main control board box 1320, there is no need to specifically indicate its location. However, the location of the RWM switch 633d, which also functions as a setting switching button, can be difficult for staff, such as the manager or employees of a gaming hall, to determine, especially if they are unfamiliar with the system.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the main control board box 1320 is marked with location information that indicates the location of the RWM switch 633d. Specifically, a sticker (not shown) that indicates the location of the RWM switch 633d is affixed to the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320. This sticker is a transparent rectangular sheet, and on this rectangular sheet, for example, the words "The RWM switch (setting switch button) is located on the payout control board" are printed in red, semi-transparent letters (height: 7 mm). This allows the location of the RWM switch 633d (setting switch button) to be communicated to staff such as the manager and staff of the amusement hall, so that they can easily find the RWM switch 633d when operating it, without getting confused. Therefore, the location of the RWM switch 633d can be easily known.

Furthermore, even if this sticker is affixed to the cover 1301 of the main control board box 1320, it will not obstruct the visibility of the main control board 1310. Also, instead of the text printed on the rectangular sheet of this sticker, symbols such as arrows may be used.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a sticker was affixed to the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320 as a notation indicating the location of the RWM switch 633d. Alternatively, when molding the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320, recessed or raised characters may be molded together (i.e., the cover body 1301 and the characters may be molded as a single unit). Even with this configuration, the location of the RWM switch 633d can be easily determined.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a sticker was affixed to the cover 1301 of the main control board box 1320 as location information indicating the location of the RWM switch 633d. Alternatively, the text (height: 7 mm) "The RWM switch (setting switch button) is located on the dispensing control board" may be silk-screen printed in white on the mounting surface (front) of the main control board 1310, or the text (height: 7 mm) "The RWM switch (setting switch button)" may be silk-screen printed in white on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633. The silk-screen printing color may be the same or different. Also, symbols such as arrows may be used instead of the silk-screened text. Even with this configuration, the location of the RWM switch 633d can be easily determined.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a sticker was affixed to the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320 as location information indicating the location of the RWM switch 633d. Alternatively, the text portion may be masked and cut out (height: 7 mm) "The RWM switch (setting switch button) is located on the dispensing control board" may be formed using resist on the mounting surface (front) of the main control board 1310, or the text portion may be masked and cut out (height: 7 mm) "The RWM switch (setting switch button)" may be formed using resist on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633. The resist colors may be the same, but using different colors is preferable to distinguish the boards. Also, instead of cut-out text, cut-out symbols such as arrows may be used. Even with this configuration, the location of the RWM switch 633d can be easily determined.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a sticker was affixed to the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320 as location information indicating the location of the RWM switch 633d. Alternatively, a similar sticker (this sticker is a transparent rectangular sheet, printed with, for example, red translucent letters (height: 7 mm) that read "The RWM switch (setting switch button) is located on the dispensing control board") may be affixed to the mounting surface (front) of the main control board 1310. Alternatively, a transparent rectangular sheet with the words "RWM switch (setting switch button)" (red translucent letters (height: 7 mm)) may be affixed to the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633. Even with this configuration, the location of the RWM switch 633d can be easily determined.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a sticker was affixed to the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320 as a notation that conveys the location information that can communicate the location of the RWM switch 633d. Instead, the location of the RWM switch 633d may be indicated by broadcasting an announcement voice from various speakers, or by displaying an announcement image on the performance display device 1600. Specifically, for example, with the pachinko machine 1 powered on, an employee of the amusement hall, such as the manager or staff member of the amusement hall, operates the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 to display various setting screens on the performance display device 1600 and select an item regarding the location of the RWM switch 633d (setting switch button). As a result, an announcement voice stating, "The RWM switch is located on the payout control board. The RWM switch also functions as a setting change button," is broadcast from various speakers, and an announcement image (which may be a photograph) showing the location of the RWM switch 633d is displayed on the display device 1600. After understanding the location of the RWM switch 633d through this announcement voice and image, staff members of the amusement hall can smoothly change the settings by shutting off the power to the pachinko machine 1. Even with this configuration, the location of the RWM switch 633d can be easily determined.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a sticker was affixed to the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320 as a notation that could convey the location information of the RWM switch 633d. However, instead, when changing the setting value, an announcement voice may be played from various speakers to indicate where the RWM switch 633d, which also functions as a setting change button, is located. Specifically, for example, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and the main control MPU 1310a performs a setting change process that can change the setting value, a predetermined command is sent to the peripheral control board 1510. As a result, the peripheral control board 1510 controls the system and repeatedly plays an announcement voice from various speakers indicating where the RWM switch 633d is located: "The RWM switch is on the payout control board. The RWM switch also functions as a setting change button. Please operate the RWM switch to change the setting value." Upon completing the setting change process, the main control MPU 1310a sends a predetermined command to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 then stops the announcement audio and proceeds with various processes based on the received command (such as advancing the performance or the customer waiting state performance (demo performance)). Even with this configuration, the location of the RWM switch 633d can be easily determined. Furthermore, following this announcement audio, an announcement audio explaining how to operate the setting keys after the setting value has been determined may be played from various speakers. Additionally, while the announcement audio is playing, the performance display device 1600 may display an image indicating "Setting in Progress."

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, a sticker was affixed to the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320 as location information that could convey the location of the RWM switch 633d. In addition to this, when changing the setting value, an announcement voice may be played from various speakers to indicate where the RWM switch 633d, which also functions as a setting change button, is located. Specifically, for example, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and the main control MPU 1310a performs a setting change process that can change the setting value, a predetermined command is sent to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 controls the system, and an announcement voice saying, "The RWM switch is on the payout control board. The RWM switch also functions as a setting change button. Please operate the RWM switch to change the setting value," is repeatedly played from various speakers to indicate where the RWM switch 633d is located. This eliminates the need to search for the sticker affixed to the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320. Although this announcement voice is repeatedly played from various speakers, anticipating that the content of the announcement voice may be missed, the location of the RWM switch 633d can be determined by visually checking the sticker attached to the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320 before the next announcement voice begins to play. In addition to "The RWM switch is on the dispensing control board. The RWM switch also functions as a setting change button. Please change the setting value by operating the RWM switch," the announcement voice may also include information on where the sticker indicating the location of the RWM switch is attached. When the RWM switch is operated, the main control MPU 1310a sends a predetermined command to the peripheral control board 1510, which then stops the announcement voice. If the person changing the setting values becomes accustomed to the process and finds the announcement annoying, they can quickly stop the announcement by operating the RWM switch immediately after starting the process. Similarly, if the process must be performed after the gaming hall has opened, the announcement can be quickly stopped by operating the RWM switch immediately after starting the process, thus avoiding inconveniencing players. Furthermore, following this announcement, an announcement explaining how to operate the setting keys after the setting values have been determined may be played from various speakers. Additionally, while the announcement is playing, the display device 1600 may display an image indicating "Setting in Progress."

[11-6. Procedure for changing setting values, procedure for displaying setting values]
Next, we will briefly explain the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the main control board 1310, the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633, and the base monitor 1310h, which also functions as a setting display, mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the main control board 1310. Here, we will first briefly explain how to change the setting value, and then briefly explain how to check the current setting value. Note that the setting key is an important key that can be used not only to change the setting value but also to check the current setting value, so only a limited number of people, including the manager of the amusement hall, are permitted to possess it, and this is limited to 2 to 3 people.

When changing the setting value, the following "predetermined conditions for permission to change the setting value" must be met: when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage, the main frame 4 is opened from the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the main control board 1310, the setting key cylinder 1311ab is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON, and the pressing operation part of the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633 is operated. In other words, the person actually changing the settings must first confirm that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then open the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2, and then insert the metal setting key into the slot 1311aba of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a and rotate it 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON. Then, while operating the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d, operate the power switch 630a to power on the pachinko machine 1.

The person performing the setting change must first confirm that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then open the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2, and then insert the metal setting key into the slot 1311aba of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a, and rotate the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby setting the setting key switch 1311a to the setting key ON position. Next, while operating the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d, operate the power switch 630a to power on the pachinko machine 1. This sends the setting key ON signal to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. The main control MPU 1310a displays the current setting value (one of the setting values 1 to 6 set when the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON) stored in a specific area of its built-in RAM on the base monitor 1310h, which also functions as a setting display.

As described above, the base monitor 1310h consists of six 7-segment LED displays with decimal points (so-called dots) arranged in a row, and can display numbers up to six digits. When the base monitor 1310h functions as a setting indicator, the setting value may be displayed on the rightmost 7-segment LED display of the six-segment LED displays (i.e., the ones digit of the six digits). (In this case, the dot may be lit or unlit. If the dot also functions as a setting change permission lamp, it should light up while a setting change is being made and turn off when the setting change is complete.) Alternatively, the setting value may be displayed on one, multiple, or all of the six 7-segment LED displays. (In this case, the dot may be lit or unlit. If the dot also functions as a setting change permission lamp, it should light up while a setting change is being made and turn off when the setting change is complete.)

When a user changes the setting value, they press the press-button on the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633. A detection signal from the RWM switch 633d is then input from the dispensing control board 633 to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Each time the user presses the press-button on the RWM switch 633d, the main control MPU 1310a, based on the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d, increases the current setting value by 1. When it reaches the maximum value of 6, it returns to the initial value of 1, and then increases the value again by 1. The setting value is then displayed on the base monitor 1310h, which also functions as a setting indicator.

When a person changes a setting value, they operate the setting key switch 1311a to OFF by rotating it 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is ON to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is OFF). This setting key OFF signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. As a result, the main control MPU 1310a stores the setting value determined by the setting change in a specific area of the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a, switches the base monitor 1310h, which also functions as a setting display, from a state where the setting value is displayed to a state where it is not displayed, and then, either immediately thereafter (after hiding the display of the setting value, before displaying the calculation result as the base monitor 1310h, it may display something other than the setting value or calculation result (for example, "-" may be displayed, and then the calculation result as the base monitor 1310h may be displayed)), it performs control to display the calculation result of the ratio of the number of payouts (the number of game balls B that are paid out (given) as prize balls when balls enter the prize pockets) to the number of balls entered (the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry pockets (prize pockets, out pockets) provided in the game area 5a partitioned in the game board 5). In other words, the "predetermined condition for ending setting value changes" is met when the setting key cylinder rotates 60 degrees clockwise, returning the setting key switch 1311a from its rotational position when the confirmation key is ON to its original position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a OFF. This fulfills the "predetermined condition for ending setting value changes," and thus ends the period during which the setting value can be changed.

The person performing the setting change removes the metal setting key from the insertion slot 1311aba of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a, closes the main frame 4 against the outer frame 2, and completes the setting change procedure.

In order to display the currently set value, the following "predetermined conditions for permission to display the set value" must be met: when the power is turned on to the pachinko machine 1 or when power is restored after a power outage, the main frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key cylinder 1311ab is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON, and the pressing operation part of the RWM switch 633d is not operated. In other words, the person actually checking the currently set values must first confirm that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then open the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2, and then insert the metal setting key into the slot 1311aba of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a and rotate it 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON. After that, without operating the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d, they will operate the power switch 630a to power on the pachinko machine 1.

The person performing the verification of the currently set settings first confirms that the pachinko machine 1 is not powered on (the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off), then opens the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, and then inserts the metal setting key into the slot 1311aba of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a, and rotates the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby setting the setting key switch 1311a to the setting key ON position. Next, without operating the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d, the power switch 630a is operated to power on the pachinko machine 1. As a result, the setting key ON signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. The main control MPU 1310a displays the current setting value (the value set from setting value 1 to setting value 6 at the time the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON) stored in a specific area of its built-in RAM on the base monitor 1310h, which also functions as a setting display. At this time, even if the person checking the currently set setting value presses the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d, the setting value will not change at all in response to this press operation, nor will the content displayed on the setting display 1310g change.

As described above, the base monitor 1310h consists of six 7-segment LED displays with decimal points (so-called dots) arranged in a row, and can display numbers up to six digits. When the base monitor 1310h functions as a setting indicator, the setting value may be displayed on the rightmost of the six 7-segment LED displays arranged in a row (i.e., the ones digit of the six-digit value). (In this case, the dot may be lit or extinguished. If the dot also functions as a setting change permission lamp, it should light up while the currently set setting value is being checked and extinguished when the check is complete.) Alternatively, the setting value may be displayed on one, multiple, or all of the six 7-segment LED displays arranged in a row. (In this case, the dot may be lit or extinguished. If the dot also functions as a setting change permission lamp, it should light up while the currently set setting value is being checked and extinguished when the check is complete.)

The person performing the confirmation display of the currently set setting value, after confirming the currently set setting value, rotates the setting key switch 1311a 60 degrees counterclockwise from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key was ON back to its original initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is OFF) to perform the OFF operation. This setting key OFF signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. As a result, the main control MPU 1310a switches the base monitor 1310h, which also functions as a setting display, from displaying the set value to hiding it. Then, either immediately afterward, it performs control to display the calculation result of the ratio of the number of payouts (the number of game balls B paid out as prize balls upon entry into the prize slots) to the number of balls entered (the number of game balls B entered into the ball entry slots (prize slots, payout slots) provided in the game area 5a partitioned on the game board 5), from a specific area of the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a.

The person performing the verification and display of the currently set setting value removes the metal setting key from the insertion slot 1311aba of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a, closes the main body frame 4 against the outer frame 2, and completes the verification and display of the currently set setting value.

Furthermore, the predetermined conditions for permitting a change in the setting value are as follows: when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage, the main body frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key cylinder 1311ab is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby turning the setting key ON, and the pressing operation part of the RWM switch 633d is operated. In contrast, the predetermined conditions for permitting the display of the set value are as described above: when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage, the main frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key cylinder 1311ab is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to turn it ON, thereby turning the setting key ON, and the pressing operation part of the RWM switch 633d is not operated. Thus, the predetermined conditions for permitting setting value changes and the predetermined conditions for permitting setting value display share a common requirement: when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage, the main frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2, and the setting key is inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba of the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a, and the setting key cylinder 1311ab is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to activate the setting key. However, the predetermined conditions for permitting setting value changes require that "the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d is operated when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage," whereas the predetermined conditions for permitting setting value display require that "the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d is not operated when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage."

[12. Wiring patterns for setting key switches and RWM switches on the main control board]
Next, the wiring pattern for transmitting detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the wiring pattern for transmitting detection signals from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633 will be explained with reference to Figures 188 and 189. Figure 188 is a schematic diagram illustrating the general arrangement of various electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the main control board, and Figure 189 is a schematic diagram of the solder side (back) of the main control board illustrating the general arrangement of various wiring patterns to the main control MPU. Here, we will explain an example in which the setting key switch 1311a, which is mounted on the setting change board 1311 as described above, is mounted on the main control board 1310, and only the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320.

On the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, DIP-type electronic components such as connectors MCN1 to MCN8, crystal oscillators, and various ICs, as well as lead-type electronic components (lead components, through-hole electronic components, DIP components) such as setting key switches 1311a, resistors, resistor arrays, diodes, capacitors, electrolytic capacitors, and transistors are mounted. Each lead terminal of the DIP-type electronic component is inserted through a through-hole formed in the main control board 1310 from the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 toward the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310, and then soldered and fixed on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310. Each lead terminal of a lead-type electronic component (lead component, through-hole component, DIP component) is inserted through a through-hole formed in the main control board 1310, from the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 to the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310, and then soldered and fixed on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310.

The various detection signals from various sensors input to the main control board 1310 are either input to the main control input circuit 1310b2 with an error detection function via connectors MCN1 to MCN5, or to the main control input circuit 1310b without an error detection function. Connectors MCN1 to MCN5 are located near the top edge of the main control board 1310, arranged sequentially from the center of the top edge toward the left edge, with connector MCN5 located near the left edge of the main control board 1310.

The various detection signals input via connectors MCN1 to MCN3 are input to the main control input circuit 1310b2 with error detection function. The various detection signals input via connector MCN5 are either input to the main control input circuit 1310b2 with error detection function or to the main control input circuit 1310b (the circuit composed of resistors and transistors as described above) which does not have an error detection function. Connector MCN4 is for outputting commands to the peripheral control board 1510.

Multiple DIP-type ICs (two in this embodiment) integrating multiple main control input circuits 1310b2 with error detection (eight main control input circuits 1310b2 with error detection function in this embodiment) are mounted on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Alternatively, instead of integrating multiple main control input circuits 1310b2 with error detection into an IC, multiple individual main control input circuits 1310b2 may be mounted on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310.

Connectors MCN6 to MCN8 are located near the bottom edge of the main control board 1310, arranged in the order of connector MCN6, connector MCN7, setting key switch 1311a, and then connector MCN8, from the left edge towards the center of the bottom edge. Connector MCN8 is located near the bottom edge of the main control board 1310, slightly to the left of the center of the bottom edge. Connector MCN6 outputs a signal to drive the electrical drive source (solenoid) provided in the game board 5. Connector MCN7 handles the input and output of signals related to command exchange with the payout control board 633, and also receives detection signals (main RWM signals) from the RWM switch 633d (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "RWM switch 633d provided in the payout control board 633") mounted on the mounting surface (surface) of the payout control board 633. Connector MCN8 is used for exchanging various signals during inspection and verification.

The main control MPU 1310a is positioned slightly above the center line connecting the left and right edges of the main control board 1310, and slightly to the right of the center of the main control board 1310, so as to be parallel to the bottom (top) edge of the main control board 1310 (i.e., along the longitudinal direction of the main control board 1310). The IC package of this main control MPU 1310a is a ZIP (Zigzag In-line Package), and the lead terminals protruding vertically from the bottom surface of the main control MPU 1310a are alternately bent to form two rows along the longitudinal direction of the bottom surface of the main control MPU 1310a. For the sake of explanation, the two rows of lead terminals will be described here as the lead terminals arranged in the upper row and the lead terminals arranged in the lower row.

Above the setting key switch 1311a, located near the bottom edge of the main control board 1310, are multiple lead-type resistors, diodes, capacitors, etc. Above these, two lead-type resistor arrays are arranged in a single row, parallel to the bottom edge of the main control board 1310. Above this left-hand lead-type resistor array (i.e., away from the main control MPU 1310a), resistors MR2 and MR5, which constitute the main control input circuit 1310b, are arranged to receive the detection signal (main RWM signal) from the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 via connector MCN7. Below this left-hand lead-type resistor array (i.e., with the left-hand lead-type resistor array acting as a boundary (protective wall)), resistors MR3 and MR4 and transistor MTR0, which constitute the main control input circuit 1310b, are arranged to receive the detection signal (main RWM signal) from the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 via connector MCN7.

In other words, the main control input circuit 1310b, to which the detection signal (main RWM signal) from the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 is input via connector MCN7, is configured with a leaded left-side resistor array as a boundary (protective wall). Below the leaded left-side resistor array are the resistors MR3, MR4, and transistor MTR0 that constitute the main control input circuit 1310b, while above the leaded left-side resistor array are the resistors MR2 and MR5 that constitute the main control input circuit 1310b. This design, using the leaded left-side resistor array as a protective wall, prevents unauthorized modification of resistors MR2 and MR5 located above the leaded left-side resistor array, thereby contributing to improved security. Furthermore, since transistor MTR0 incorporates resistors MR3 and MR4 as bias resistors, unauthorized modification of resistors MR3 and MR4 is also prevented, further contributing to improved security.

To the right of the setting key switch 1311a, located near the bottom edge of the main control board 1310, and above the connector MCN8, are the resistors MR10 to MR13, capacitor MC10, and transistor MTR10, which constitute the main control input circuit 1310b, to which the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input. Note that transistor MTR10 has resistors MR11 and MR12 built in as bias resistors. This prevents unauthorized modification of resistors MR11 and MR12, contributing to improved security.

To the right of the main control input circuit 1310b, which receives the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a, are resistors MR14 to MR16 and transistor MTR11, which constitute the logic inversion circuit 1310iv that inverts the logic of the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a received via the main control input circuit 1310b. Note that transistor MTR11 has resistors MR14 and MR15 built in as bias resistors. This prevents unauthorized modification of resistors MR14 and MR15, contributing to improved security.

Connectors MCN1-5, arranged in a row parallel to the top edge near the top edge of the main control board 1310, connectors MCN6-MC8, arranged in a row parallel to the bottom edge near the bottom edge of the main control board 1310, and the setting key switch 1311a are partially exposed from the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320 when the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320, as described above. This allows an unauthorized tool (for example, a thin wire) to enter through the gap formed by the cover body 1301, connectors MCN1-MCN8, and the setting key switch 13111a, thereby damaging the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Even if one attempts to modify the circuit, the vicinity of connectors MCN1 to MCN8 and the setting key switch 13111a contains electronic components such as electrolytic capacitors, resistors, diodes, capacitors, resistor arrays, various ICs, and transistors. Furthermore, the vicinity of the main control MPU 1310a contains electronic components such as resistors, diodes, capacitors, a crystal oscillator (located near the bottom of the main control MPU 1310a), resistor arrays, and various ICs. These electronic components act as obstacles or protective barriers, requiring multiple bends of an unauthorized tool (e.g., a thin wire), which realistically prevents the unauthorized tool from reaching the main control MPU 1310a.

The main control board 1310 has multiple through-holes through which the lead terminals of the ZIP-type main control MPU 1310a are inserted. The lead terminals of the main control MPU 1310a are inserted through these through-holes from the mounting side (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 to the solder side (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310, and then soldered and fixed to the solder side (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310.

As shown in Figure 189, on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, the lead terminals of the main control MPU 1310a that are electrically connected to ground (GND) (board ground) are electrically connected to the solid ground (GND) (board ground) of the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310. In addition, on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, a wiring pattern for supplying +5V power is formed that is electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created on the main control board side (the +5V power supply line created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310) and the main VBB power supply line supplied from the capacitor BC0 of the backup power supply circuit 630h of the power supply board 630. Furthermore, on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, output signal wiring patterns for outputting various signals from the lead terminals of the main control MPU 1310a, and input signal wiring patterns for inputting various signals to the lead terminals are formed.

The input signal wiring pattern includes an RWM signal wiring pattern (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "various wiring patterns") that forms an RWM signal transmission path from connector MCN7, to which the detection signal (main RWM signal) from the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 is input, to input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, and input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) from terminal A of the setting key switch 1311a to input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. This includes a setting key signal wiring pattern (which may be referred to as "various wiring patterns" below) that forms a setting signal transmission path extending to the child (and a detection signal from the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e) (a power outage warning signal wiring pattern (which may be referred to as "various wiring patterns" below) that forms a power outage warning signal transmission path extending from the 1Q terminal of the D-type flip-flop MIC22 (MIC22A) constituting the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e to the input terminal PB0 of the input port PB of the main control MPU 1310a).

On the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, areas are formed where the copper foil has been removed from the through-holes through which each lead terminal of the ZIP-type main control MPU 1310a is inserted, excluding those electrically connected to the ground plane (GND) (board ground), around the +5V power supply wiring pattern, around the signal output wiring pattern, around the input signal wiring pattern, and around specific through-holes (for example, through-holes that electrically connect the output signal wiring patterns between the mounting side (front side) 1310x and the solder side (back side) 1310y).

The areas of the main control substrate 1310's solder side (back surface) 1310y, excluding the areas where various wiring patterns are formed, various through-holes are formed, and foil punching is formed, are formed as a solid ground (GND) (substrate ground) on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310. A resist liquid of a predetermined color (green in this embodiment) with insulating properties is applied to cover the substrate and copper thin layers (copper plane, copper foil surface) of the main control substrate 1310, thereby forming a solder side insulating coating film 1310yr over the entire area of the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310.

Furthermore, on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, the copper foil is punched out around the through-holes through which each of the lead terminals of the ZIP-type main control MPU 1310a is inserted, excluding those electrically connected to the ground plane (GND) (board ground), around the wiring pattern for the +5V power supply, around the output signal wiring pattern, and around specific through-holes (for example, through-holes that electrically connect the output signal wiring patterns between the mounting surface (front) 1310x and the solder surface (back) 1310y). Although a die-cut area is formed, in the ZIP-type main control MPU 1310a, between the lead terminals arranged in the upper row and the lead terminals arranged in the lower row, a die-cut area is not formed along the longitudinal direction of the ZIP-type main control MPU 1310a (along the left-right direction of the main control board 1310, along the longitudinal direction of the main control board 1310, along the upper edge of the main control board 1310 (parallel to the lower edge or the center line connecting the center of the left and right edges of the main control board 1310) and a solid ground (GND) (substrate ground) is formed.

The areas of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, excluding the areas where the output signal wiring pattern is formed, the areas where various through-holes are formed, and the areas where foil punching is formed, are formed as a solid ground (GND) (substrate ground) of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310. A resist liquid of a predetermined color (green in this embodiment) with insulating properties is applied to cover the substrate and copper thin layers (copper plane, copper foil surface) of the main control substrate 1310, thereby forming an insulating coating film 1310xr on the mounting surface side of the main control substrate 1310.

Furthermore, on the copper foil layer (copper plane, copper foil surface) of the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, a small copper foil area may be formed surrounded by various wiring patterns and the numerous lead terminals of the main control MPU 1310a, due to the wiring patterns routed to the lead terminals of the main control MPU 1310a. Therefore, to stabilize the ground in this small copper foil area, through-holes for a solid ground plane are formed to electrically connect the solid ground plane (GND) (substrate ground) of the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310 to the solid ground plane (GND) (substrate ground) of the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, the size of the lands in the through-holes for the ground plane comes in several sizes. These include lands that are the same size as the through-holes for wiring patterns that electrically connect the wiring patterns between the mounting surface (front) 1310x and the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310, lands that are the same size as the through-holes for lead terminals through which the lead terminals of electronic components are inserted and soldered on the solder surface (back) 1310y, lands that are larger than the through-holes for wiring patterns and smaller than the through-holes for lead terminals, and lands that are larger than the through-holes for lead terminals. Multiple through-holes for ground planes are scattered across almost the entire surface of the main control board 1310. This stabilizes the ground plane (GND) on the mounting side (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the ground plane (GND) on the solder side (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 so that they become the same ground plane (GND).

Furthermore, while the main control board 1310 has no through-holes for electrically connecting the wiring patterns of the mounting side (front) 1310x and the solder side (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 for the wiring patterns into which various signals are input, multiple through-holes for electrically connecting the wiring patterns of the mounting side (front) 1310x and the solder side (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 may be formed for the wiring patterns of the output wiring patterns to prevent interference between the wiring patterns during routing.

Furthermore, while it is preferable that the main control board 1310 does not have any through-holes for wiring patterns that electrically connect the wiring patterns of the mounting side (front) 1310x and the solder side (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 for the wiring patterns into which various signals are input, in order to avoid interference with other wiring patterns due to the routing of the wiring patterns, it may be unavoidable to form through-holes for wiring patterns that electrically connect the wiring patterns of the mounting side (front) 1310x and the solder side (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 for the wiring patterns into which various signals are input.

However, if the through-holes for the wiring patterns (hereinafter referred to as "through-holes for input signal wiring patterns") formed in the wiring patterns into which various signals are input are illegally modified by, for example, electrically switching them with a solid ground (GND) (board ground) or a +5V power supply line created on the main control board side, there is a risk that the cheater may acquire illegal game balls, as the main control MPU 1310a is a critical electronic component that controls the progress of the game.

Therefore, security measures must be implemented for through-holes used in input signal wiring patterns.

[12-1. Security measures for through-holes used for input signal wiring patterns]
As a security measure for through-holes for input signal wiring patterns, a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of the through-holes for input signal wiring patterns (hereinafter referred to as "the configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns according to the first to fourth embodiments") will be described with reference to Figures 190 to 193. Figure 190 is a schematic diagram (a) illustrating a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns according to the first embodiment, formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, a schematic diagram (b) of the cross-section along the X-X line in (a), and a schematic diagram (c) of a modified example of (b). Figure 191 is a schematic diagram (a) illustrating a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns according to the second embodiment, formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, a schematic diagram (b) of the cross-section along the X-X line in (a), and a schematic diagram (c) of a modified example of (b). Figure 192 is a schematic diagram (a) illustrating a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns according to the third embodiment, formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, a schematic diagram (b) of the cross-section along the X-X line in (a), and a schematic diagram (c) of a modified example of (b). Figure 193 is a schematic diagram (a) illustrating a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns according to the fourth embodiment, formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, a schematic diagram (b) of the cross-section along the X-X line in (a), and a schematic diagram (c) of a modified example of (b). Note that in Figures 190 to 193, components that perform the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Various through-holes have copper plating on the inner circumferential wall of the through-hole to provide conductivity. The main control board 1310 also has non-through-holes in addition to through-holes. Non-through-holes differ significantly from through-holes in that they have copper plating on the inner circumferential wall of the through-hole and do not have lands on the mounting surface (front) 1310x and solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310. Non-through-holes are formed to attach the board to a component or to fix electronic components (such as connectors where wiring is attached and detached) to the board. It is acceptable to apply an insulating coating to the lands of through-holes to through-holes used for mounting electronic components (i.e., through which the lead terminals of electronic components are inserted). Furthermore, there is no objection to adopting the configuration of covering the through-hole lands with an insulating coating for the lands of through-holes for wiring patterns formed for wiring patterns from which various signals are output (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "through-holes for output signal wiring patterns"). Also, there is no objection to adopting the configuration of covering the through-hole lands with an insulating coating for through-holes for ground planes that electrically connect the ground plane (GND) (board ground) on the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310 to the ground plane (GND) (board ground) on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310.

[12-1-1. Configuration for covering the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns according to the first embodiment with an insulating coating]
In the configuration according to the first embodiment, where an insulating coating is applied to the lands of the through-holes for the input signal wiring pattern, as shown in Figures 190(a) and (b), a narrow through-hole is formed in the thickness direction of the base material K1310o of the main control substrate 1310 (the direction perpendicular to the surface (or back surface) of the base material K1310o of the main control substrate 1310), and by removing the copper foil from the copper foil surface of the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x and the copper foil surface of the solder surface (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, mounting surface (front surface) lands KRDx1 and solder surface (back surface) lands KRDy1, each having an outer diameter KTHHD1, are formed, and mounting surface (front surface) wiring patterns SPTN and solder surface (back surface) wiring patterns are formed. The through-hole KTH1 is formed by applying a conductive plating process to the entire inner circumferential surface of the through-hole. The outer diameter of the mounting surface (front) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the outer diameter of the solder surface (back) side land KRDy1 formed on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 are the same size, with an outer diameter KTHHD1.

A mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is electrically connected to one end of a mounting surface (surface) side wiring pattern SPTN formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the other end of the mounting surface (surface) side wiring pattern SPTN is electrically connected to another mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, or to a land (pad) to which a specific terminal of an electronic component is soldered.

A solder-side (backside) land KRDy1 formed on the solder-side (backside) 1310y of the main control board 1310 is electrically connected to one end of a solder-side (backside) wiring pattern formed on the solder-side (backside) 1310y of the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the other end of the solder-side (backside) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the solder-side (backside) land KRDy1 formed on the solder-side (backside) 1310y of the main control board 1310, or to a land (pad) to which a specific terminal of an electronic component is soldered.

The mounting surface (front) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the solder surface (back) side land KRDy1 formed on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 are electrically connected via the through-hole KTH1. The mounting surface (front) side wiring pattern SPTN formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the solder surface (back) side wiring pattern formed on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 are electrically connected via the mounting surface (front) side land KRDx1, the through-hole KTH1, and the solder surface (back) side land KRDy1 formed on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310.

On the copper foil surface of the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, a green resist liquid is applied as an insulating coating to form a mounting surface-side insulating coating 1310xr. However, in the region of the mounting surface-side insulating coating 1310xr corresponding to the mounting surface-side land KRDx1, a mounting surface-side resist opening KBxra is formed, having an opening diameter KBxrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the mounting surface-side land KRDx1.

Furthermore, although a green resist liquid is applied as an insulating coating to the copper foil surface of the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, forming a solder side insulating coating 1310yr, a solder side resist opening KByra is formed in the region of the solder side insulating coating 1310yr corresponding to the solder side (back side) land KRDy1, having an opening diameter KByrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1.

The aperture diameter KBxrD1 of the resist opening KBxra on the mounting side (front side) and the aperture diameter KByrD1 of the resist opening KByra on the solder side (back side) are the same size.

The main control board 1310 is actually manufactured by arranging multiple boards from a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) and then cutting them out. The process involves fixing the single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) to the manufacturing equipment, followed by painting, drying, drilling, and other processes, before finally cutting out each individual board.

Thus, on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, a mounting surface (front) resist opening KBxra is formed in the region of the mounting surface-side insulating coating 1310xr corresponding to the mounting surface (front)-side land KRDx1, having an opening diameter KBxrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the mounting surface (front)-side land KRDx1. As a result, the outer periphery of the mounting surface (front)-side land KRDx1 is covered with a green resist as an insulating coating, extending from the outer periphery of the outer diameter KTHD1 towards the center of the mounting surface (front)-side land KRDx1. This allows the entire outer periphery of the mounting surface (front)-side land KRDx1 on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310 to be covered with a green resist as an insulating coating, thereby reducing the area of exposed copper foil on the mounting surface (front)-side land KRDx1. This makes it difficult to tamper with input signal wiring patterns by electrically switching the through-holes to, for example, a solid ground (GND) (board ground) or a +5V power supply line created on the main control board, thereby providing security measures for input signal wiring patterns. Therefore, it contributes to improving security for input signal wiring patterns.

Furthermore, since the copper foil is exposed on both the mounting side (front) land KRDx1 and the solder side (back) land KRDy1, electrical testing of the main control board 1310 (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by contacting the tip of a contact probe to the mounting side (front) land KRDx1 from the mounting side (front) of the main control board 1310, and electrical testing of the main control board 1310 (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by contacting the tip of a contact probe to the solder side (back) land KRDy1 from the solder side (back) of the main control board 1310. In other words, the mounting side (front) land KRDx1 and the solder side (back) land KRDy1 can be used as check terminals when performing electrical testing of the main control board 1310. Note that a dedicated probe or a test lead used for continuity checks on a so-called "tester" can be used as the contact probe.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of the through-holes for the input signal wiring pattern according to the first embodiment, on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, a solder side (back side) resist opening KByra is formed in the region of the solder side insulating coating 1310yr that corresponds to the solder side (back side) land KRDy1, having an opening diameter KByrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHHD1 of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1. As a result, from the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHHD1 of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1 In the solder side (back side) land KRDy1, the outer periphery of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1 was covered with a green resist as an insulating film toward the center. However, as shown in Figure 190(c), a solder side (back side) resist opening KByra may be formed in the region of the solder side insulating coating 1310yr that corresponds to the solder side (back side) land KRDy1, having an opening diameter KByrD2 (> opening diameter KByrD1) that is larger than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1. This is because, in the pachinko machine 1, the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320 and is located on the back side of the game board 5. Therefore, if unauthorized modifications are made to the main control board 1310 in this state, only the mounting surface (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310 can be visually inspected. Furthermore, when an inspector performing an inspection of the main control board 1310 determines which of the multiple through-holes formed on the main control board 1310 are for input signal wiring patterns, they can compare the size of the land on the mounting side (front) 1310x with the land on the solder side (back) 1310y to determine whether or not it is a through-hole for input signal wiring patterns.

[12-1-2. Configuration for covering the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns with an insulating coating according to the second embodiment]
In the configuration according to the second embodiment, where an insulating coating is applied to the lands of the through-holes for the input signal wiring pattern, as shown in Figures 191(a) and (b), a narrow through-hole is formed in the thickness direction of the base material K1310o of the main control substrate 1310 (the direction perpendicular to the surface (or back surface) of the base material K1310o of the main control substrate 1310), and by removing the copper foil from the copper foil surface of the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x and the copper foil surface of the solder surface (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, mounting surface (front surface) lands KRDx1 and solder surface (back surface) lands KRDy1, each having an outer diameter KTHHD1, are formed, and mounting surface (front surface) wiring patterns SPTN and solder surface (back surface) wiring patterns are formed. The through-hole KTH1 is formed by applying a conductive plating process to the entire inner circumferential surface of the through-hole. The outer diameter of the mounting surface (front) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the outer diameter of the solder surface (back) side land KRDy1 formed on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 are the same size, with outer diameter KTHHD1. This is the same size as the outer diameter of the mounting surface (front) side land KRDx1 and the solder surface (back) side land KRDy1 in the configuration in which an insulating film is placed over the land of the input signal wiring pattern through hole according to the first embodiment described above.

A mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is electrically connected to one end of a mounting surface (surface) side wiring pattern SPTN formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the other end of the mounting surface (surface) side wiring pattern SPTN is electrically connected to another mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, or to a land (pad) to which a specific terminal of an electronic component is soldered.

A solder-side (backside) land KRDy1 formed on the solder-side (backside) 1310y of the main control board 1310 is electrically connected to one end of a solder-side (backside) wiring pattern formed on the solder-side (backside) 1310y of the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the other end of the solder-side (backside) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the solder-side (backside) land KRDy1 formed on the solder-side (backside) 1310y of the main control board 1310, or to a land (pad) to which a specific terminal of an electronic component is soldered.

On the copper foil surface of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, a green resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to form a mounting surface-side insulating coating 1310xr. However, in the region of the mounting surface-side insulating coating 1310xr corresponding to the mounting surface-side land KRDx1, a mounting surface-side resist opening KBxra is formed, having an opening diameter KBxrD1 that is smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the mounting surface-side land KRDx1, even smaller than the outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1 in the configuration for covering the land of the input signal wiring pattern through-hole according to the first embodiment described above, and larger than the inner diameter of the hole of the through-hole KTH1. The inner diameter of this opening diameter KBxrD2 takes into account the resist liquid intrusion prevention region that extends concentrically outward from the inner peripheral edge on the mounting surface side of the through-hole KTH1. It is sized to be a distance of at least 0.5 mm from the inner peripheral edge on the mounting surface side of the through-hole KTH1 (the resist liquid intrusion prevention distance is at least 0.5 mm to prevent the green resist liquid from entering the through-hole KTH1 of the main control substrate 1310; in the configuration where an insulating coating is applied to the land of the through-hole for the input signal wiring pattern according to the second embodiment, 0.5 mm is used). Therefore, the inner diameter of the opening diameter KBxrD2 is the inner diameter of the through-hole KTH1 plus twice the resist liquid intrusion prevention distance (0.5 mm), resulting in a diameter 1.0 mm larger than the inner diameter of the through-hole KTH1.

In contrast, a green resist liquid is applied as an insulating coating to the copper foil surface of the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, forming a solder side insulating coating 1310yr. However, in the region of the solder side insulating coating 1310yr corresponding to the solder side (back side) land KRDy1, a solder side (back side) resist opening KByra is formed, having an opening diameter KByrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1. The outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1 is the same as the outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1 in the configuration described above for covering the land of the input signal wiring pattern through-hole with an insulating coating.

The main control board 1310 is actually manufactured by arranging multiple boards from a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) and then cutting them out. The process involves fixing the single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) to the manufacturing equipment, followed by painting, drying, drilling, and other processes, before finally cutting out each individual board.

Thus, on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, the region of the mounting surface-side insulating coating 1310xr corresponding to the mounting surface-side land KRDx1 has an opening diameter KBxrD1 that is smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the mounting surface-side land KRDx1, and even smaller than the outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1 in the configuration in which the insulating coating is applied to the land of the input signal wiring pattern through hole according to the first embodiment described above, and larger than the inner diameter of the hole of the through hole KTH1. Because a surface-side resist opening KBxra is formed, the outer circumference of the mounting surface-side land KRDx1 is covered with a green resist as an insulating film, excluding the resist liquid intrusion prevention area (i.e., the area extending from the mounting surface-side inner edge of the through-hole KTH1 to a position separated by a resist liquid intrusion prevention distance dimension (0.5 mm)) toward the center of the mounting surface-side land KRDx1. As a result, a green resist can be applied as an insulating film to the entire outer circumference of the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, from almost the inside (i.e., over the area of the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 excluding the resist liquid intrusion prevention area). Therefore, the area of the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 where the copper foil is exposed becomes the resist liquid intrusion prevention area, and the area of the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 where the copper foil is exposed can be kept extremely small compared to the configuration in the first embodiment where an insulating film is applied to the land of the input signal wiring pattern through-hole. As a result, it becomes difficult to make unauthorized modifications to the input signal wiring pattern through-hole, such as electrically switching it with a solid ground (GND) (substrate ground) or a +5V power supply line created on the main control board side, and security measures can be taken for the input signal wiring pattern through-hole. Therefore, this can contribute to improving security for through-holes used in input signal wiring patterns.

Furthermore, since a resist liquid intrusion prevention area is provided for the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310, when the green resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to the copper foil surface of the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, even if the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is fixed to the manufacturing equipment so that it faces vertically upward (because the main control board 1310 is actually manufactured by arranging multiple boards from a single standard-size copper-clad laminate (base material) and finally cutting it out, so that the front surface of the single standard-size copper-clad laminate (base material) faces vertically upward), the green resist liquid will not penetrate into the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 and will dry without blocking these holes.

Furthermore, since the copper foil is exposed on both the mounting side (front) land KRDx1 and the solder side (back) land KRDy1, electrical testing of the main control board 1310 (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by contacting the tip of a contact probe to the mounting side (front) land KRDx1 from the mounting side (front) of the main control board 1310, and electrical testing of the main control board 1310 (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by contacting the tip of a contact probe to the solder side (back) land KRDy1 from the solder side (back) of the main control board 1310. In other words, the mounting side (front) land KRDx1 and the solder side (back) land KRDy1 can be used as check terminals when performing electrical testing of the main control board 1310. Note that a dedicated probe or a test lead used for continuity checks on a so-called "tester" can be used as the contact probe.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of the through-holes for the input signal wiring pattern according to the second embodiment, on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, a solder side (back side) resist opening KByra is formed in the region of the solder side insulating coating 1310yr corresponding to the solder side (back side) land KRDy1, having an opening diameter KByrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1. As a result, from the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHD1 of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1 In the solder side (back side) land KRDy1, the outer periphery of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1 was covered with a green resist as an insulating film toward the center. However, as shown in Figure 191(c), a solder side (back side) resist opening KByra may be formed in the region of the solder side insulating coating 1310yr that corresponds to the solder side (back side) land KRDy1, having an opening diameter KByrD2 (> opening diameter KByrD1) that is larger than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1. This is because, in the pachinko machine 1, the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320 and is located on the back side of the game board 5. Therefore, if the main control board 1310 is to be illegally modified in this state, only the mounting surface (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310 can be visually inspected. Furthermore, when an inspector performing an inspection of the main control board 1310 determines which of the multiple through-holes formed on the main control board 1310 are for input signal wiring patterns, they can compare the size of the land on the mounting side (front) 1310x with the land on the solder side (back) 1310y to determine whether or not it is a through-hole for input signal wiring patterns.

[12-1-3. Configuration for covering the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns with an insulating coating according to the third embodiment]
In the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of the through-holes for the input signal wiring pattern according to the third embodiment, as shown in Figures 192(a) and (b), a narrow through-hole is formed in the thickness direction of the base material K1310o of the main control substrate 1310 (the direction perpendicular to the surface (or back surface) of the base material K1310o of the main control substrate 1310), and by removing the copper foil from the copper foil surface of the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x and the copper foil surface of the solder surface (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, a mounting surface (front surface) side land KRDx1 and a solder surface (back surface) side land KRDy1 are formed, each having an outer diameter KTHHD1, and a mounting surface (front surface) side wiring pattern SPTN and a solder surface (back surface) side wiring pattern are formed. The through-hole KTH1 is formed by applying a conductive plating process to the entire inner circumferential surface of the through-hole. The outer diameter of the mounting surface (front) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the outer diameter of the solder surface (back) side land KRDy1 formed on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 are the same size, with outer diameter KTHHD1. This is the same size as the outer diameter of the mounting surface (front) side land KRDx1 and the solder surface (back) side land KRDy1 in the configuration in which an insulating film is placed over the land of the input signal wiring pattern through hole according to the first embodiment described above.

A mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is electrically connected to one end of a mounting surface (surface) side wiring pattern SPTN formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the other end of the mounting surface (surface) side wiring pattern SPTN is electrically connected to another mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, or to a land (pad) to which a specific terminal of an electronic component is soldered.

On the copper foil surface of the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, a green resist solution is applied as an insulating coating to form the mounting surface-side insulating coating 1310xr. Therefore, the area of the mounting surface-side insulating coating 1310xr corresponding to the mounting surface-side land KRDx1 is also coated with the green resist solution as an insulating coating, forming the mounting surface-side insulating coating 1310xr.

The main control board 1310 is actually manufactured by arranging multiple boards from a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) and finally cutting them out. The process involves fixing a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) to a manufacturing apparatus, followed by painting, drying, drilling, and other processes, before finally cutting out each individual board. Therefore, when a green resist liquid is applied as an insulating coating to the copper foil surface of the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is fixed to the manufacturing equipment so that it faces vertically upward (since the main control board 1310 is actually manufactured by arranging multiple boards from a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) and finally cutting it out, the front surface of the single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) faces vertically upward). The green resist liquid then penetrates the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 from the inner edge on the mounting surface (front) side, sealing the hole. The green resist liquid that has penetrated the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 dries in a recessed state due to its own weight, moving from the inner edge on the mounting surface (front) side towards the center of the hole.

In contrast, a green resist liquid is applied as an insulating coating to the copper foil surface of the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, forming a solder side insulating coating 1310yr. However, in the region of the solder side insulating coating 1310yr corresponding to the solder side (back side) land KRDy1, a solder side (back side) resist opening KByra is formed, having an opening diameter KByrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1. The outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1 is the same as the outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1 in the configuration described above for covering the land of the input signal wiring pattern through-hole with an insulating coating.

In this way, on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, the area of the mounting surface-side insulating coating 1310xr corresponding to the mounting surface-side land KRDx1 is also covered with a green resist as an insulating coating, and the green resist liquid penetrates from the inner peripheral edge on the mounting surface (front) side of the through-hole KTH1 of the main control substrate 1310, sealing the hole. As a result, the entire mounting surface-side land KRDx1 and the hole of the through-hole KTH1 on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310 are covered with a green resist as an insulating coating, so that the copper foil on the mounting surface-side land KRDx1 is not exposed, and the conductive plated portion applied to the entire inner peripheral surface of the through-hole KTH1 is not exposed from the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310. Furthermore, the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 can be sealed. This makes it difficult to tamper with the input signal wiring pattern through-holes, for example, by electrically switching them to a solid ground (GND) (board ground) or a +5V power line created on the main control board side. This provides security for the input signal wiring pattern through-holes. Therefore, it contributes to improving security for the input signal wiring pattern through-holes.

Furthermore, while the green resist liquid has entered the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 from the inner periphery on the mounting surface (front side) and blocked the hole, the solder side (back side) of the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 remains open. In other words, the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 is blocked on the mounting surface (front side) by the green resist liquid, while the solder side (back side) remains open. This is because, if the green resist liquid enters the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 from the inner peripheral edge on the mounting surface (front side), and air remains inside the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 while the solder side (back side) of the through-hole KTH1 is sealed, there is a risk that liquid such as resist removal liquid may remain inside the through-hole KTH1. This liquid could cause corrosion of the conductive plating inside the through-hole KTH1, leading to poor contact. Furthermore, during processes such as soldering (reflow soldering), where heat is applied, the liquid inside the through-hole KTH1 could instantaneously vaporize and expand (a so-called "steam explosion"), damaging the conductive plating inside the through-hole KTH1 and potentially causing an electrical disconnection of the through-hole KTH1.

Furthermore, although the mounting surface (front) side lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes exist, their presence can be concealed by the green resist. Therefore, the mounting surface (front) side lands KRDx1 and the through-hole KTH1 holes can be made less noticeable against the solid green resist applied to the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310. This makes it difficult for malicious actors attempting to illegally modify the board by electrically switching the input signal wiring pattern through-holes to, for example, a solid ground (GND) (board ground) or a +5V power supply line created on the main control board side, to detect the input signal wiring pattern through-holes (the mounting surface (front) side lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes).

Furthermore, since the copper foil is exposed on both the solder side (back side) lands KRDy1, the electrical inspection of the main control board 1310 (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by touching the tip of a contact probe to the solder side (back side) lands KRDy1 from the solder side (back side) of the main control board 1310. In other words, the solder side (back side) lands KRDy1 can be used as check terminals when performing electrical inspection of the main control board 1310. The contact probe can be a dedicated probe or a test lead used for continuity checks on a so-called "tester".

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of the through-holes for the input signal wiring pattern according to the third embodiment, on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, a solder side (back side) resist opening KByra is formed in the region of the solder side insulating coating 1310yr that corresponds to the solder side (back side) land KRDy1, having an opening diameter KByrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHHD1 of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1. As a result, from the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHHD1 of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1 In the solder side (back side) land KRDy1, the outer periphery of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1 was covered with a green resist as an insulating film toward the center. However, as shown in Figure 192(c), a solder side (back side) resist opening KByra may be formed in the region of the solder side insulating coating 1310yr that corresponds to the solder side (back side) land KRDy1, having an opening diameter KByrD2 (> opening diameter KByrD1) that is larger than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the solder side (back side) land KRDy1. This is because, in the pachinko machine 1, the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320 and is located on the back side of the game board 5. Therefore, if the main control board 1310 is to be illegally modified in this state, only the mounting surface (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310 can be visually inspected. Furthermore, when an inspector performing an inspection of the main control board 1310 determines which of the multiple through-holes formed on the main control board 1310 are for input signal wiring patterns, they can compare the size of the land on the mounting side (front) 1310x with the land on the solder side (back) 1310y to determine whether or not it is a through-hole for input signal wiring patterns.

[12-1-4. Configuration for covering the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns with an insulating coating according to the fourth embodiment]
In the configuration according to the fourth embodiment, where an insulating coating is applied to the lands of the through-holes for the input signal wiring pattern, as shown in Figures 193(a) and (b), a narrow through-hole is formed in the thickness direction of the base material K1310o of the main control substrate 1310 (the direction perpendicular to the surface (or back surface) of the base material K1310o of the main control substrate 1310), and by removing the copper foil from the copper foil surface of the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x and the copper foil surface of the solder surface (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, a mounting surface (front surface) side land KRDx1 and a solder surface (back surface) side land KRDy1 are formed, each having an outer diameter KTHHD1, and a mounting surface (front surface) side wiring pattern SPTN and a solder surface (back surface) side wiring pattern are formed. The through-hole KTH1 is formed by applying a conductive plating process to the entire inner circumferential surface of the through-hole. The outer diameter of the mounting surface (front) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the outer diameter of the solder surface (back) side land KRDy1 formed on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 are the same size, with outer diameter KTHHD1. This is the same size as the outer diameter of the mounting surface (front) side land KRDx1 and the solder surface (back) side land KRDy1 in the configuration in which an insulating film is placed over the land of the input signal wiring pattern through hole according to the first embodiment described above.

A mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is electrically connected to one end of a mounting surface (surface) side wiring pattern SPTN formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the other end of the mounting surface (surface) side wiring pattern SPTN is electrically connected to another mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, or to a land (pad) to which a specific terminal of an electronic component is soldered.

On the copper foil surface of the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, a green resist liquid is applied as an insulating coating to form a mounting surface-side insulating coating 1310xr. However, in the region of the mounting surface-side insulating coating 1310xr corresponding to the mounting surface-side land KRDx1, a mounting surface-side resist opening KBxra is formed, having an opening diameter KBxrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the mounting surface-side land KRDx1. The outer diameter of the opening diameter KBxrD1 is the same as the outer diameter of the opening diameter KBxrD1 in the configuration described above for covering the land of the input signal wiring pattern through-hole with an insulating coating.

In contrast, a green resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to the copper foil surface of the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, forming a solder side insulating coating 1310yr. Therefore, the area of the solder side insulating coating 1310yr corresponding to the solder side (back side) land KRDy1 is also coated with the green resist liquid as an insulating film, forming the solder side insulating coating 1310yr.

The main control board 1310 is actually manufactured by arranging multiple boards from a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) and finally cutting them out. The process involves fixing a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) to a manufacturing apparatus, followed by painting, drying, drilling, and other processes, before finally cutting out each individual board. Therefore, when a green resist liquid is applied as an insulating coating to the copper foil surface of the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, the main control board 1310 is fixed to the manufacturing equipment so that its solder side (back side) 1310y is oriented vertically upward (since the main control board 1310 is actually manufactured by arranging multiple boards from a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) and finally cutting it out, the back surface of the single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) is oriented vertically upward). This allows the green resist liquid to penetrate the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 from the inner edge on the solder side (back side) and seal the hole. The green resist liquid that has penetrated the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 will dry in a recessed state due to its own weight, moving from the inner edge on the solder side (back side) toward the center of the hole.

Thus, on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, a mounting surface (front) resist opening KBxra is formed in the region of the mounting surface (front) land KRDx1 in the mounting surface side insulating coating 1310xr, having an opening diameter KBxrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the mounting surface (front) land KRDx1. As a result, the outer periphery of the mounting surface (front) land KRDx1 is covered with a green resist as an insulating coating, extending from the outer periphery of the outer diameter KTHD1 towards the center of the mounting surface (front) land KRDx1. Furthermore, on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, the area of the solder side insulating coating 1310yr corresponding to the solder side (back side) land KRDy1 is also covered with a green resist as an insulating film. In addition, the green resist liquid penetrates from the inner periphery on the solder side (back side) of the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310, sealing the hole. As a result, the entire outer periphery of the mounting side (front side) land KRDx1 on the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is covered with a green resist as an insulating film. This reduces the area of the mounting side (front side) land KRDx1 where the copper foil is exposed, and also seals the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310. This makes it difficult to tamper with input signal wiring patterns by electrically switching the through-holes to, for example, a solid ground (GND) (board ground) or a +5V power supply line created on the main control board, thereby providing security measures for input signal wiring patterns. Therefore, it contributes to improving security for input signal wiring patterns.

Furthermore, since the copper foil is exposed on the mounting surface (front) side land KRDx1, the tip of a contact probe can be brought into contact with the mounting surface (front) side land KRDx1 from the mounting surface (front) side of the main control board 1310 to perform electrical testing of the main control board 1310 (operational check and abnormal potential check). In other words, the mounting surface (front) side land KRDx1 can be used as a check terminal when performing electrical testing of the main control board 1310. The contact probe can be a dedicated probe or a test lead used for continuity checks on a so-called "tester".

Furthermore, while the green resist liquid has entered the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 from the inner edge on the solder side (back side) and blocked the hole, the mounting side (front side) of the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 remains open. In other words, the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 is blocked on the solder side (back side) by the green resist liquid, while the mounting side (front side) remains open. This is because, if the green resist liquid enters the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 from the inner edge on the solder side (back side), and air remains inside the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 while the mounting side (front side) of the through-hole KTH1 is sealed, there is a risk that liquid such as resist removal liquid may remain inside the through-hole KTH1. This liquid could cause corrosion of the conductive plating inside the through-hole KTH1, leading to poor contact. Furthermore, during soldering processes (such as reflow soldering) where heat is applied, the liquid inside the through-hole KTH1 could instantaneously vaporize and expand (a so-called "steam explosion"), damaging the conductive plating inside the through-hole KTH1 and potentially causing an electrical disconnection of the through-hole KTH1.

Furthermore, although the mounting surface (front) side lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes exist, the mounting surface (front) side lands KRDx1 can be hidden by the green resist on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, and the through-hole KTH1 holes can be hidden by the green resist on the solder side (back) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310. Therefore, the mounting surface (front) side lands KRDx1 and the through-hole KTH1 holes can be made less noticeable against the white resist that is applied to the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310. This makes it difficult for malicious actors attempting to illegally modify the system by electrically switching the input signal wiring pattern through-holes to, for example, a solid ground (GND) (board ground) or a +5V power supply line created on the main control board, to detect the input signal wiring pattern through-holes (the holes in the mounting surface (front) side lands KRDx1 and through-holes KTH1).

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of the through-holes for the input signal wiring pattern according to the fourth embodiment, on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, a mounting surface (surface) side resist opening KBxra is formed in the region of the mounting surface side insulating coating 1310xr corresponding to the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1, having an opening diameter KBxrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1. As a result, the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHD1 of the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 extends to the middle of the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1. In the case where the outer periphery of the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 was covered with a white resist as an insulating film toward the center, however, as shown in Figure 193(b), a mounting surface (surface) side resist opening KBxra may be formed in the region of the mounting surface side insulating coating 1310xr corresponding to the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1, having an opening diameter KBxrD2 that is smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1, even smaller than the outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1, and larger than the inner diameter of the through-hole KTH1. The inner diameter of this opening diameter KBxrD2 takes into account the resist liquid intrusion prevention region that extends concentrically outward from the inner peripheral edge on the mounting surface side of the through-hole KTH1. It is sized to be a distance of at least 0.5 mm from the inner peripheral edge on the mounting surface side of the through-hole KTH1 (the resist liquid intrusion prevention distance is at least 0.5 mm to prevent the white resist liquid from entering the through-hole KTH1 of the main control substrate 1310; in the configuration where an insulating coating is applied to the land of the input signal wiring pattern through-hole according to the fourth embodiment, 0.5 mm is used). Therefore, the inner diameter of the opening diameter KBxrD2 is the inner diameter of the through-hole KTH1 plus twice the resist liquid intrusion prevention distance (0.5 mm), resulting in a diameter 1.0 mm larger than the inner diameter of the through-hole KTH1.

This allows a green resist to be applied as an insulating film to the entire outer periphery of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, from almost the inside (i.e., over the area of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control substrate 1310 excluding the resist liquid intrusion prevention area). Therefore, the area of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x where the copper foil is exposed becomes the resist liquid intrusion prevention area, thus significantly reducing the area of the exposed copper foil on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x.

Furthermore, since a resist liquid intrusion prevention area is provided for the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310, when the green resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to the copper foil surface of the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, even if the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is fixed to the manufacturing equipment so that it faces vertically upward (because the main control board 1310 is actually manufactured by arranging multiple boards from a single standard-size copper-clad laminate (base material) and finally cutting it out, so that the front surface of the single standard-size copper-clad laminate (base material) faces vertically upward), the green resist liquid will not penetrate into the through-hole KTH1 of the main control board 1310 and will dry without blocking these holes.

Furthermore, by covering the entire outer circumference of the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, from almost the inside (i.e., over the area of the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 excluding the resist liquid intrusion prevention area) with a green resist coating as an insulating film, the area where the copper foil is exposed is reduced to the resist liquid intrusion prevention area. However, since it is possible to perform electrical testing of the main control board 1310 (operational confirmation and abnormal potential confirmation) by contacting the tip of a contact probe to the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 from the mounting surface (surface) side of the main control board 1310, the mounting surface (surface) side land KRDx1 can be used as a check terminal when performing electrical testing of the main control board 1310. Note that the contact probe can be a dedicated probe or a test lead used for continuity checks with a so-called "tester".

[12-2. Wiring Pattern to Input Terminals]

The detection signal from the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e on the main control board 1310 is input as a power outage warning signal to input terminal PB0 of input port PB, which is the third input from the left in the diagram among the lead terminals located in the upper row of the main control MPU 1310a, via various wiring patterns (power outage warning signal wiring patterns) that transmit this detection signal. The detection signal (main RWM signal) from the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 is input as an RWM signal to input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of input port PA, which is the eighth input from the left in the diagram among the lead terminals located in the lower row of the main control MPU 1310a, via various wiring patterns (RWM signal wiring patterns) that transmit this detection signal. The detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 is input to input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of input port PA, which is located at the 20th position from the left (13th position from the right) in the diagram among the lead terminals located in the lower row of the main control MPU 1310a, via various wiring patterns (setting key signal wiring patterns) that transmit this detection signal.

The various wiring patterns (power outage warning signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals from the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e on the main control board 1310, the various wiring patterns (RWM signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals (main RWM signals) from the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633, and the various wiring patterns (setting key signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 are routed on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 so that they are located close to each other but do not run parallel to each other.

Furthermore, the various wiring patterns (power outage warning signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals from the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e on the main control board 1310, the various wiring patterns (RWM signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals (main RWM signals) from the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633, and the various wiring patterns (setting key signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 are routed only to the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, without using through-holes that electrically connect the wiring patterns between the mounting side (front side) 1310x and the solder side (back side) 1310y.

In this way, various wiring patterns (setting key signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a, which allows the probability of granting benefits to the player to be changed, are formed on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310. This makes it difficult to visually see how the various wiring patterns (setting key signal wiring patterns) are routed from the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310, thus contributing to making it difficult to tamper with the various wiring patterns (setting key signal wiring patterns). Therefore, it can contribute to improved security. Furthermore, since various wiring patterns (RWM signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals (main RWM signals) from the RWM switch 633d provided on the dispensing control board 633 used for changing settings are formed on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, it becomes difficult to visually see how the various wiring patterns (RWM signal wiring patterns) are routed from the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310, thereby contributing to making it difficult to tamper with the various wiring patterns (RWM signal wiring patterns). Therefore, it can contribute to improved security. Furthermore, by forming various wiring patterns (power outage warning signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals from the power outage monitoring circuit 1310e on the main control board 1310 on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, it becomes difficult to visually see how the various wiring patterns (power outage warning signal wiring patterns) are routed from the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310. This contributes to making it difficult to tamper with the various wiring patterns (power outage warning signal wiring patterns). Therefore, it contributes to improved security.

As described above, changing the setting values requires operating the setting key switch 1311a and the RWM switch 633d. The detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a and the RWM switch 633d are important signals that allow for changing the probability of generating a game state favorable to the player. Therefore, in a pachinko parlor where the machine 1 is installed, it is necessary to prevent the settings from being fraudulently changed to a probability unintended by the parlor staff.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the various wiring patterns (setting key signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a, which can change the probability of granting a profit to the player, and the various wiring patterns (RWM signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals from the RWM switch 633d, are not placed close together and are routed on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 so as not to run parallel to each other. As a result, the various wiring patterns that transmit detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a (setting key signal wiring patterns) and the various wiring patterns that transmit detection signals from the RWM switch 633d (RWM signal wiring patterns) are separated from each other and input to predetermined input terminals (PA5 (setting key signal input terminal), PA0 (RWM signal input terminal)) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. This makes it difficult to tamper with both the various wiring patterns that transmit detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a and the various wiring patterns that transmit detection signals from the RWM switch 633d simultaneously. Therefore, this contributes to improving the security of setting changes.

Furthermore, the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input as a setting key signal to a predetermined input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a via various wiring patterns (setting key signal wiring patterns), and the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d is input as an RWM signal to a predetermined input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a via various wiring patterns (RWM signal wiring patterns). The input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of input port PA is located as the 8th terminal from the left in the diagram among the lead terminals arranged in the lower row of the main control MPU 1310a, while the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of input port PA is located as the 20th terminal from the left (13th terminal from the right) in the diagram among the lead terminals arranged in the lower row of the main control MPU 1310a. Thus, the predetermined input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, to which the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input as a setting key signal, and the predetermined input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, to which the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d is input as an RWM signal, are not arranged adjacent to each other. The input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the 1310a and the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, to which the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d is input as an RWM signal, are interposed by other lead terminals (specifically, the 9th to 19th lead terminals from the left in the diagram, a total of 11 lead terminals arranged in the lower row of the main control MPU 1310a).

On the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, as described above, areas are formed where the copper foil has been removed from the through-holes through which each lead terminal of the ZIP-type main control MPU 1310a is inserted, excluding those electrically connected to the ground plane (GND) (board ground), around the wiring pattern for +5V power supply, around the wiring pattern for signal output, around the wiring pattern for input signal, and around specific through-holes (for example, through-holes that electrically connect the output signal wiring patterns between the mounting side (front side) 1310x and the solder side (back side) 1310y). Furthermore, when the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON, as described above, the logic of the setting key signal becomes LOW (logic indicating a settable state) and is input to input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. Similarly, when the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d on the dispensing control board 633 is operated, as described above, the logic of the RWM signal becomes LOW (logic indicating a pressed state) and is input to input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. This makes it difficult to tamper with the system by electrically switching the input terminals PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) and PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) with ground (GND) (board ground) by removing foil around them, thereby contributing to improved security.

Furthermore, in addition to the connection between the setting key signal input terminal of the main control MPU 1310a, which is electrically connected to various wiring patterns (setting key signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and the RWM signal input terminal of the main control MPU 1310a, which is electrically connected to various wiring patterns (RWM signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633, The peripheral terminals (adjacent terminals) of the setting key signal input terminal and the peripheral terminals (adjacent terminals) of the RWM signal input terminal may be electrically connected to wiring patterns that receive other signals or output other signals, such that the logic of the RWM signal indicating that the RWM switch 633d is not pressed is HI (logic indicating a non-pressed state), and the logic of the setting key signal indicating that the setting key switch 1311a is OFF is HI (logic indicating a setting impossible state). This makes it more difficult to tamper with the RWM signal input terminal and the setting key signal input terminal, contributing to improved security.

Furthermore, the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input as a setting key signal to a predetermined input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a via various wiring patterns (setting key signal wiring patterns), and the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d is input as an RWM signal to a predetermined input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a via various wiring patterns (RWM signal wiring patterns). Thus, the detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a and the detection signals from the RWM switch 633d were input to the lead terminals located in the lower row of the main control MPU 1310a. However, for example, the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a may be input from the lead terminals located in the lower row of the main control MPU 1310a to the lead terminals located in the upper row. When the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input as a setting key signal to a predetermined input terminal PB7 of the input port PB of the main control MPU 1310a via various wiring patterns (setting key signal wiring patterns), the input terminal PB7 of input port PB is located as the 22nd terminal from the left (11th from the right) in the diagram among the lead terminals arranged in the upper row of the main control MPU 1310a. Thus, even with a configuration where the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input from the lead terminals in the lower row of the main control MPU 1310a to the lead terminals in the upper row, and the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d is input to the lead terminals in the lower row of the main control MPU 1310a, the security of setting changes can be improved.

The logical states of input ports PA and PB of the main control MPU 1310a are treated as memory information in the address space using a memory-mapped I/O method. For example, the main control MPU 1310a can simultaneously acquire the logical state of each input terminal at the same address for input port PA. Similarly, for input port PB, the main control MPU 1310a can simultaneously acquire the logical state of each input terminal at the same address (a different address from that of input port PA). Input ports PA and PB of the main control MPU 1310a are 8-bit input ports, and each input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) to PA7 and PB0 to PB7 of input ports PA and PB are pre-assigned to one of the bits from bit 0 to bit 7.

[Summary A]
A1. As described above, the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input to the input terminal PA5 of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit 1310b. However, the wiring patterns that electrically connect the lead terminals of the setting key switch 1311a (COM1 terminal, COM2 terminal, A terminal, B terminal), the lead terminals of the electronic components constituting the main control input circuit 1310b (resistors MR10 to MR13, capacitor MC10, transistor MTR10), and the lead terminal of the main control MPU 1310a (input terminal PA5 of the input port PA) are all formed on the solder side (back side) 1310y, which is the side opposite to the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310.

A2. Because the wiring pattern in the signal transmission path between the lead terminals (COM1 terminal, COM2 terminal, A terminal, B terminal) of the setting key switch 1311a and the lead terminal (input terminal PA5 of input port PA) of the main control MPU 1310a is formed by routing it to the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, as described above, through-holes for electrically connecting the wiring pattern between the mounting side (front side) 1310x and the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 are not formed on the main control board 1310.

A3. In the signal transmission path between the lead terminals of the setting key switch 1311a (COM1 terminal, COM2 terminal, A terminal, B terminal) and the lead terminal of the main control MPU 1310a (input terminal PA5 of input port PA), it is difficult to route the wiring pattern using only the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310. Therefore, the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310 must also be used. When forming through-holes to electrically connect the wiring patterns between the mounting side (front side) 1310x and the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, as shown in Figures 190 to 193, the outer perimeter and the entirety of the through-hole lands on the mounting side (front side) 1310x and/or the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 are covered with a green resist, which is an insulating coating.

A4. As described above, the main control board 1310 is housed and sealed in a main control board box 1320, which is openable and closable by a longitudinal sliding mechanism and consists of a cover body 1301 and a base body 1302. The main control board box 1320 is attached to the back side of the cover body 1301 such that the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 faces the inside of the cover body 1301. In this state, when the base body 1302 is moved longitudinally to a predetermined position on the cover body 1301, the outer surface of the base body 1302 fits within the inner surface of the cover body 1301, and the main control board 1310 is housed in the space formed by the cover body 1301 and the base body 1302. Subsequently, by screwing in the one-way screws of the crimping portion 1303, which is the sealing portion, the cover body 1301 and the base body 1302 are fixed and the main control board box is sealed.

A5. As described above, the setting key switch 1311a, which is mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, is operated by inserting the setting key into the insertion slot 1311aba formed on the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab and rotating it. When the setting key is inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key switch 1311a is pressed, causing the main control board 1310 to bend and flex, which may cause the wiring pattern formed on the main control board 1310 to break. Therefore, in order to prevent the main control board 1310 from bending, a protrusion 1302p, as shown in Figure 185, is formed on the base body 1302 in the area of the solder side (back) of the main control board 1310 that corresponds to the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, when the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320, and the setting key switch 1311a is not pressed (i.e., when the setting key is inserted into the slot 1311aba of the setting key switch 1311a and rotated to release the pressure from the setting key, or when the setting key is not inserted into the slot 1311aba of the setting key switch 1311a in the first place), as described above, a predetermined clearance of distance dimension d2 (for example, about 1 mm) is provided between the front surface of the protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 and the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310. When the setting key switch 1311a is pressed, the front surface of the protrusion 1302p comes into contact with the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310, preventing the main control board 1310 from bending.

A6. A predetermined clearance, as described above, is provided between the front surface of the protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 and the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310, with a distance dimension d2 (for example, about 1 mm). When the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320, and the setting key switch 1311a is not pressed (when the setting key is inserted into the socket 1311aba of the setting key switch 1311a and rotated to release the pressure from the setting key, or when the setting key is not inserted into the socket 1311aba of the setting key switch 1311a in the first place), the front surface of the protrusion 1302p and the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 do not come into contact. Furthermore, when assembling the main control board box 1320 and sliding the cover body 1301 and base body 1302, or when removing the main control board 1310 and releasing the seal on the main control board box to slide the cover body 1301 and base body 1302, the front surface of the protrusion 1302p contacts the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310, preventing damage to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310.

The front surface of the protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 may come into contact with the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310. Therefore, as shown in Figure 186(b), the copper foil portion (copper foil layer, copper plane) is removed from the area of the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310 that the front surface of the protrusion 1302p may come into contact with, and the surrounding area is covered with a green resist, which is an insulating coating. Even if the green resist, which is an insulating coating formed on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310, is rubbed off by the front surface of the protrusion 1302p when the setting key switch 1311a is repeatedly pressed, the front surface of the protrusion 1302p will not come into contact with the copper foil portion (copper foil layer, copper plane). This prevents the front surface of the protrusion 1302p from contacting the wiring pattern or the ground plane (GND) of the main control board 1310. This prevents damage to the wiring pattern or disconnection caused by the front surface of the protrusion 1302p, and also prevents damage to the ground plane (GND) of the main control board 1310.

A7. As described above, the main control board 1310 is housed and sealed in a main control board box 1320, which is openable and closable by a longitudinal sliding mechanism and consists of a cover body 1301 and a base body 1302. The main control board box 1320 is attached to the back side of the cover body 1301 such that the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 faces the inside of the cover body 1301. In this state, when the base body 1302 is moved longitudinally to a predetermined position on the cover body 1301, the outer surface of the base body 1302 fits within the inner surface of the cover body 1301, and the main control board 1310 is housed in the space formed by the cover body 1301 and the base body 1302. When the base body 1302 is moved longitudinally to a predetermined position on the cover body 1301, the front surface of the protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 also moves longitudinally. The front surface of the protrusion 1302p is positioned such that no wiring patterns are routed along the corresponding solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310. This is because, although a predetermined clearance of distance d2 (for example, approximately 1 mm) is provided between the front surface of the protrusion 1302p and the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310, when the base body 1302 is moved longitudinally to align with a predetermined position on the cover body 1301, the front surface of the protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 may rub against the green resist, which is an insulating coating formed on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent damage to the wiring patterns or disconnections.

Furthermore, it is possible to avoid forming a solid ground (GND) (substrate ground) on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310, in addition to the wiring pattern, in the area where the front surface of the protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 moves. This is because, although a predetermined clearance of distance dimension d2 (for example, about 1 mm) is provided between the front surface of the protrusion 1302p and the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310, when the base body 1302 is moved longitudinally to align with a predetermined position on the cover body 1301, the front surface of the protrusion 1302p may rub against the green resist, which is an insulating coating formed on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent damage to the solid ground (GND) (substrate ground).

A8. The projection 1302p formed on the base body 1302 has a cylindrical shape. This allows the front surface of the projection 1302p to move, specifically the front surface (circular shape) of the cylinder. As the projection 1302p slides parallel to the lower edge of the main control board 1310 (along the longitudinal direction of the main control board 1310), the distance in the left-right direction becomes the length of the projection 1302p's slide, and the distance in the up-down direction becomes the diameter of the cylinder. This reduces the area over which the front surface of the projection 1302p moves. This contributes to increasing the freedom of routing the wiring pattern when avoiding the area over which the front surface of the projection 1302p moves.

Furthermore, as the protrusion 1302p slides parallel to the lower edge of the main control board 1310 (along the longitudinal direction of the main control board 1310), the vertical distance dimension in the region where the front surface of the protrusion 1302p moves becomes constant, equal to the diameter of the cylinder. This prevents (suppresses) interference between the side surface of the protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 and the lead terminals of electronic components soldered to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 (the lead terminals of the setting key switch 1311a (COM1 terminal, COM2 terminal, A terminal, B terminal)).

A9. The projection 1302p formed on the base body 1302 may be formed in a shape having a constant width along the longitudinal direction of the base body 1302 (a shape in which the constant width is the same dimension as the outer diameter of the cylindrical projection 1302p). In this case, the region in which the front surface of the projection 1302p moves can be such that, as the projection 1302p slides parallel to the lower edge of the main control board 1310 (along the longitudinal direction of the main control board 1310), the distance dimension in the left-right direction becomes the length of the sliding movement of the projection 1302p, and the distance dimension in the up-down direction becomes the constant width of the projection 1302p. This allows the wiring pattern to be routed along the longitudinal shape of the protrusion 1302p to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 when routing the wiring pattern to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 in the vicinity of the area where the protrusion 1302p moves. This ensures that the wiring pattern and the longitudinal shape of the protrusion 1302p are in a parallel positional relationship. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the front surface of the protrusion 1302p from rubbing against the green resist, which is an insulating coating formed on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310, thereby preventing damage to the wiring pattern or causing disconnection.

Furthermore, as the protrusion 1302p slides parallel to the lower edge of the main control board 1310 (along the longitudinal direction of the main control board 1310), the vertical distance dimension in the area where the front surface of the protrusion 1302p moves becomes constant, and this constant width prevents (suppresses) interference between the side surface of the protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 and the lead terminals of electronic components soldered to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 (the lead terminals of the setting key switch 1311a (COM1 terminal, COM2 terminal, A terminal, B terminal)).

A10. The protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 is not formed with a shape that is long in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. If the protrusion 1302p were formed with a shape that is long in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, when the base body 1302 is moved in the longitudinal direction to align with a predetermined position on the cover body 1301, the side surface of the protrusion 1302p would interfere with the lead terminals (COM1 terminal, COM2 terminal, A terminal, B terminal) of the electronic components soldered to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310. For this reason, the protrusion 1302p is not formed with a shape that is long in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. This prevents (suppresses) interference between the side surface of the protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 and the lead terminals of the electronic components soldered to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 (the lead terminals of the setting key switch 1311a (COM1 terminal, COM2 terminal, A terminal, B terminal)).

A11. As shown in Figure 184, the setting key switch 1311a consists of a setting key cylinder 1311ab into which a setting key is inserted and rotated, a rectangular parallelepiped base body 1311ac connected to the outer cylinder 1311aa and forming a circuit that turns the contacts ON or OFF by the rotation of the setting key cylinder 1311ab, and a frame plate 1311ad formed on both sides of the base body 1311ac, with a hole formed at a position corresponding to the outer cylinder 1311aa that penetrates the outer cylinder 1311aa and is bent to cover the surface and sides of the base body 1311ac, projecting to the rear of the base body 1311ac. The setting key cylinder 1311ab is molded from a non-conductive resin, and the frame plate 1311ad is molded from a conductive metal. The setting key cylinder 1311ab and the frame plate 1311ad are not electrically connected and are in a non-conductive state, thus being electrically insulated.

A12. The lead terminals (COM1 terminal, COM2 terminal, A terminal, B terminal) of the setting key switch 1311a are inserted through holes from the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and protrude from the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, where they are soldered. The internal circuitry of the setting key switch 1311a electrically connects to the wiring pattern that forms the signal transmission path from the main control board 1310 to the main control MPU 1310a. The frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a has a pair of protruding pieces 1311ada, 1311ada formed on it. As shown in Figure 186, the pair of protruding pieces 1311ada, 1311ada are inserted from the mounting surface (front surface) 1310 of the main control board 1310 into long through-holes SLH1, SLH2, and protrude from the solder surface (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310, where they are soldered. This electrically connects them to the ground plane (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310, resulting in an electrically connected state between the frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a and the ground plane (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, although the pair of protruding pieces 1311ada, 1311ada of the frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a are inserted through the long through-holes SLH1 and SLH2 from the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and protrude from the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 and are soldered, they are not electrically connected to the main control board 1310's ground plane (GND) (board ground), and the frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a may be electrically floating.

A13. The locking unit 650, which locks the outer frame 2 and the main frame 4, and the door frame 3 and the main frame 4, is made of conductive metal. Unlike the solid ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310, the locking unit 650 is grounded to the island equipment of the gaming hall via an earth wire (not shown).

A14. To operate the setting key switch 1311a, the operator must first release the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2. Therefore, they must insert a key (a conductive metal key; hereinafter sometimes referred to as "metal key") into the keyhole 132 formed on the front end surface of the cylinder body 131 of the locking unit 650 and rotate it. Even if the operator is charged with an electric potential, by inserting the metal key into the keyhole 132 formed on the front end surface of the cylinder body 131 of the locking unit 650, the electric potential from the operator is grounded to the locking unit 650 and then to the island equipment of the gaming hall via an earth wire (not shown), thus eliminating the electric potential from the operator.

Even if an operator inserts a setting key into the socket 1311aba of the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, the potential charged on the operator has already been grounded and removed to the island equipment of the gaming hall. Therefore, damage to the setting key switch 1311a due to electromagnetic noise caused by electrostatic discharge of the potential charged on the operator can be prevented. Furthermore, even if an operator inserts a setting key into the socket 1311aba of the setting key switch 1311a while charged, the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a and the frame plate 1311ad are electrically insulated as described above. Therefore, the potential charged on the operator cannot penetrate the conductive metal frame plate 1311ad, which is connected to the ground plane (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310 via the setting key cylinder 1311ab, thus preventing damage to the main control board 1310. (Naturally, the signal terminals (COM1 terminal, COM2 terminal, A terminal, B terminal), which are the lead terminals of the setting key switch 1311a, are insulated from the frame plate 1311ad and the setting key cylinder 1311ab.)

Furthermore, since the frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a is electrically connected to the ground plane (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310, the frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a will not remain charged.

Furthermore, if the frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a is not connected to the ground plane (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310, then the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a will not be electrically connected to the ground plane (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310 together with the frame plate 1311ad. Even if a worker inserts the setting key into the slot 1311aba formed on the front of the setting key cylinder 1311ab while charged, the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a is not electrically connected (insulated) from the main control board 1310's ground (GND) via the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a and the frame plate 1311ad. Therefore, the potential from the worker's charge does not penetrate the main control board 1310's ground (GND) via the setting key cylinder 1311ab of the setting key switch 1311a, thus preventing damage to the main control board 1310. However, because the frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a is not electrically connected to the main control board 1310's ground (GND), the setting key switch 1311a will not be able to discharge if it becomes charged.

The long through-holes SLH1' and SLH2' to which the pair of protruding pieces 1311ada, 1311ada of the frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a are soldered are not electrically connected to the solid ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310, and are electrically floating. Through-holes SLTH4 through which the COM2 terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted, SLTH3 through which the COM1 terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted, and SLTH1 through which the A terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted are electrically connected to wiring patterns SPTN1 and SPTN2. Through-hole SLTH1 is electrically connected to wiring pattern SPTN3, and through-hole SLTH2 through which the B terminal of the setting key switch 1311a is inserted is electrically connected to the ground plane (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310.

Thus, since wiring patterns SPTN1 to SPTN3 and through-holes SLTH1 to SLTH4 exist around the long through-holes SLH1' and SLH2', a solid ground (GND) (substrate ground) of the main control board 1310 is formed between the long through-holes SLH1' and SLH2' and the wiring patterns SPTN1 to SPTN3, and a solid ground (GND) (substrate ground) of the main control board 1310 is formed between the long through-holes SLH1' and SLH2' and the through-holes SLTH1 to SLTH4. By forming lands, if the frame plate 1311ad of the setting key switch 1311a is not electrically connected to the ground plane (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310, and the setting key switch 1311a becomes charged, it is necessary to ensure that the long through-holes SLH1', SLH2' and wiring patterns SPTN1 to SPTN3 are not adjacent to each other without the ground plane (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310 intervening. Furthermore, it is necessary to ensure that the long through-holes SLH1', SLH2' and through-holes SLTH1 to SLTH4 are not adjacent to each other without the ground plane (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310 intervening.

[Summary B]
B1. The setting key signal wiring pattern that transmits the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. The RWM signal wiring pattern that transmits the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633 is electrically connected to an input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, which is a different lead terminal from the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA.

Furthermore, the logical states of input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) and input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a are treated as memory information in the address space using the memory-mapped I/O method, and can be simultaneously acquired by the main control MPU 1310a at the same address. In other words, as described above, input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) and input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a are pre-assigned to one of the bits from bit 0 to bit 7 of a predetermined 8-bit port.

As described above, the IC package of the main control MPU 1310a is a ZIP (Zigzag In-line Package), and is formed by alternately bending lead terminals that protrude vertically from the bottom surface of the main control MPU 1310a body, arranging them in two rows along the longitudinal direction. The input terminals PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) and PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA are not arranged adjacent to each other in one of the two rows.

For example, when arranging input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) and input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of input port PA in one of two rows, the terminals should not be placed adjacent to each other. Instead, other lead terminals should be positioned between input terminal PA5 and input terminal PA0.

B2. The setting key signal wiring pattern that transmits the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, and the RWM signal wiring pattern that transmits the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633 is connected to a different lead terminal from the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, and is connected to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA. Although the input terminals PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) and PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of input port PA were arranged in one of the two rows due to their electrical connection, the setting key signal wiring pattern that transmits the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and the RWM signal wiring pattern that transmits the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633, may be electrically connected so that they are arranged in separate rows of the two.

B3. The setting key signal wiring pattern that transmits the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, and the RWM signal wiring pattern that transmits the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633 is a different lead terminal from the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, and is an input terminal Although the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the PA was electrically connected, the logical states of the setting key signal input terminal, to which the setting key signal wiring pattern transmitting the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is electrically connected, and the RWM signal input terminal, to which the RWM signal wiring pattern transmitting the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633 is electrically connected, may be acquired at different addresses. In other words, the setting key signal input terminal and the RWM signal input terminal may be pre-assigned to different input ports so that their states can be acquired separately. If the input terminals (read terminals) are grouped together for each input port of the main control MPU 1310a, the setting key signal input terminal and the RWM signal input terminal can be separated from each other by using different addresses.

B4. The logic state of the operation signal, which is a detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, transmitted via the setting key signal wiring pattern electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, has two logic states: a logic (HI) indicating a setting impossible state and a logic (LOW) indicating a setting possible state. In the logic indicating a setting impossible state (HI), the voltage of the setting key signal wiring pattern electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) is raised to the +5V power line side created by the +5V generation circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310. In contrast, in the logic indicating a setting possible state (LOW), the voltage of the setting key signal wiring pattern electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) is lowered to the ground (GND) (board ground) side of the main control board 1310.

Therefore, the circuit is configured such that input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) and other adjacent input terminals (or other input terminals in the vicinity of input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal)) are electrically connected to the +5V power line created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310. This ensures that even if an unauthorized modification is made to short-circuit input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) and other adjacent input terminals, the voltage of the setting key signal wiring pattern electrically connected to input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) will be raised to the +5V power line side created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310. As a result, the logic state of the operation signal, which is the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a transmitted via the setting key signal wiring pattern electrically connected to input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal), will ultimately become a logic (HI) indicating a setting impossible state, thus preventing setting changes.

The logic state of the operation signal, which is a detection signal from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633, transmitted via the RWM signal wiring pattern electrically connected to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, has two logic states: a logic (HI) indicating a pressed/unoperated state and a logic (LOW) indicating a pressed/operated state. In the logic indicating a pressed/unoperated state (HI), the voltage of the RWM signal wiring pattern electrically connected to input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) is raised to the +5V power line side created by the +5V generation circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310. In contrast, in the logic indicating a pressed/operated state (LOW), the voltage of the RWM signal wiring pattern electrically connected to input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) is lowered to the ground (GND) (board ground) side of the main control board 1310.

Therefore, the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) is also configured in the same way as the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) so that the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) and other adjacent input terminals (or other input terminals in the vicinity of input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal)) are electrically connected to the +5V power supply line created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310. As a result, even if an unauthorized modification is made to short-circuit input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) and other adjacent input terminals, the voltage of the RWM signal wiring pattern electrically connected to input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) will be raised to the +5V power line side created by the +5V generation circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310. This will result in the logic state of the operation signal, which is the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d transmitted via the RWM signal wiring pattern electrically connected to input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal), becoming a logic (HI) indicating a non-pressed/non-operated state, thus preventing setting changes.

Furthermore, in addition to the connection between the setting key signal input terminal of the main control MPU 1310a, which is electrically connected to various wiring patterns (setting key signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and the RWM signal input terminal of the main control MPU 1310a, which is electrically connected to various wiring patterns (RWM signal wiring patterns) that transmit detection signals from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633, The peripheral terminals (adjacent terminals) of the setting key signal input terminal and the peripheral terminals (adjacent terminals) of the RWM signal input terminal may be electrically connected to wiring patterns that receive other signals or output other signals, such that the logic of the RWM signal indicating that the RWM switch 633d is not pressed is HI (logic indicating a non-pressed state), and the logic of the setting key signal indicating that the setting key switch 1311a is OFF is HI (logic indicating a setting impossible state). This makes it more difficult to tamper with the RWM signal input terminal and the setting key signal input terminal, contributing to improved security.

B5. When the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON, as described above, the logic of the setting key signal becomes LOW (logic indicating a settable state) and is input to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. Therefore, the area around the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) and the area around the setting key signal wiring pattern electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) is a foil-cut area where ground (GND) (board ground) is not formed to prevent the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) and the setting key signal wiring pattern from being improperly short-circuited to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310. In other words, a ground (GND) (board ground) where the logic of the setting key signal indicating that the setting key switch 1311a is ON is LOW (logic indicating a settable state) is not formed (not placed) around the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) and the setting key signal wiring pattern electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal). This prevents the voltage applied to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) and the setting key signal wiring pattern from being improperly pulled down to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, when the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d provided on the dispensing control board 633 is operated, as described above, the logic of the RWM signal becomes LOW (logic that conveys the press operation state) and is input to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. Therefore, the area around the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) and the area around the RWM signal wiring pattern electrically connected to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) is a foil-punched area where no ground (GND) (board ground) is formed to prevent the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) and the RWM signal wiring pattern from being improperly short-circuited to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310. In other words, a ground (GND) (board ground) where the logic of the RWM signal indicating that the RWM switch 633d is pressed is LOW (logic indicating the pressed state) is not formed (not placed) around the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) and around the RWM signal wiring pattern electrically connected to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal). This prevents the voltage applied to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) and the RWM signal wiring pattern from being improperly pulled down to the ground (GND) (board ground) of the main control board 1310.

B6. The logic state of the operation signal, which is a detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, transmitted via the setting key signal wiring pattern electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, is either a logic (HI) indicating an unsettable state or a logic (LOW) indicating a settable state. In addition, the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633, transmitted via the RWM signal wiring pattern electrically connected to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, is... The logic state of a certain operation signal consists of a logic (HI) that indicates a non-pressed state and a logic (LOW) that indicates a pressed state. The logic (HI) that indicates a non-pressed state and the logic (HI) that indicates a non-pressed state are the same logic (HI), and the logic (LOW) that indicates a settable state and the logic (LOW) that indicates a pressed state are the same logic (LOW). However, instead, the logic state of the logic that indicates a non-settable state and the logic that indicates a pressed state may be the same logic (HI or LOW), and the logic state of the logic that indicates a settable state and the logic that indicates a non-pressed state may be the same logic (LOW or HI). By using the same logic for both the logic indicating the configurable state and the logic indicating the pressed state, it becomes more difficult for anyone attempting to tamper with input terminal PA5 (configurable key signal input terminal), the configuration key signal wiring pattern, input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal), and the RWM signal wiring pattern to understand the logic of this combination. This would result in a short circuit between ground (GND) (board ground) and power supply, requiring considerable effort and time. Therefore, tampering with the RWM signal input terminal, configuration key signal wiring pattern, and configuration key signal wiring pattern becomes more difficult, contributing to improved security.

Furthermore, when the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320, as described above, the main control board 1310 is positioned (clamped) in the narrow space (space) formed by the cover body side ribs 1301rb formed on the cover body 1301 and the base body side ribs 1302rb formed on the base body 1302. Also, as described above, the base body 1302 has a protrusion 1302p that can contact the solder side (back side) of the main control board 1310, which corresponds to the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front side) of the main control board 1310. The protrusion 1302p is designed to prevent further bending and bending of the main control board 1310 when a metal setting key is inserted into the insertion slot 1311aba formed on the front surface of the setting key cylinder 1311ab. When the main control board 1310 bends and flexes due to the force of insertion, the protrusion 1302p comes into contact with the solder side (back surface) of the main control board 1310, thereby preventing further bending and flexing of the main control board 1310 and preventing disconnection of the wiring pattern and peeling of the solder formed on the main control board 1310. As shown in Figure 186(b), a circular foil-removed area SINSy is formed in the area of the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 that the front surface of the protrusion 1302p formed on the base body 1302 comes into contact with, and around that area, where copper foil has been removed. This prevents damage to the solid ground (substrate ground) on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310, even if the insulating coating 1310yr on the solder side is scraped by the protrusion 1302p. The circular foil-removed area SINSy, where the copper foil is removed, safely and effectively utilizes the limited substrate area.

B7. The setting key switch 1311a is mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and the RWM switch 633d is mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633. As a result, the setting key switch 1311a and the RWM switch 633d are mounted on separate control boards. This ensures that the setting key switch 1311a, mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 in the game board 5, and the RWM switch 633d, mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633 in the main frame 4, are spaced apart. Therefore, even if someone attempts to cheat, they would need to illegally modify both the setting key switch 1311a and the RWM switch 633d, a process that would take an extremely long time. Seeing the arrangement of the setting key switch 1311a and the RWM switch 633d would discourage any cheater from attempting to illegally modify them, making cheating difficult.

To actually change the settings, it is necessary to operate the setting key switch 1311a, then the RWM switch 633d, and then the power switch 630a for turning on the power to the pachinko machine 1. Since the power switch 630a is mounted on the power supply board 630 of the power supply unit 620c, which is attached to the circuit board unit 620 of the main frame 4, the setting key switch 1311a, the RWM switch 633d, and the power switch 630a, which are necessary for changing the settings, are each mounted on separate circuit boards.

B8. The detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and the detection signals from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633 were input to predetermined input terminals (PA5, PA0) of the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit 1310b without error detection function (an input circuit mainly composed of resistors and transistors, with a common circuit configuration) mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, as shown in Figure 179. However, it is also possible to input them to predetermined input terminals (PA5, PA0) of the main control MPU 1310a via dedicated ICs equipped with input circuits (i.e., the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input via a dedicated setting key input IC, and the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d is input via a dedicated RWM input IC). This makes it more difficult to tamper with the logic state of the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a and the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d, thereby contributing to improved anti-tampering measures.

Furthermore, the main control input circuit 1310b, which is mounted on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and lacks an error detection function, is primarily composed of resistors and transistors. Since the circuit configuration is common to all of these circuits, they may be configured as a DIP-type transistor array, where the transistors of multiple main control input circuits 1310b are combined into a single IC.

B9. The detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and the detection signals from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633 were input to predetermined input terminals (PA5, PA0) of the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit 1310b without error detection function (an input circuit mainly composed of resistors and transistors, with a common circuit configuration) mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, as shown in Figure 179. However, it is also possible to input them to predetermined input terminals (PA5, PA0) of the main control MPU 1310a via dedicated ICs equipped with input circuits (that is, the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input via a dedicated setting key input IC, and the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d is input via a dedicated RWM input IC). In this case, resistors and transistors that constitute the main control input circuit 1310b, which lacks other error detection functions, are interposed between the separate dedicated ICs. This makes it difficult for the circuit to distinguish between the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a and the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d, thus contributing to improved anti-tampering measures.

B10. The detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and the detection signals from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633 are input to predetermined input terminals (PA5, PA0) of the main control MPU 1310a via the main control input circuit 1310b, which does not have an error detection function, as shown in Figure 179. When using a DIP-type transistor array that integrates the transistors of multiple main control input circuits 1310b into a single IC, the input terminals of the DIP-type transistor array receiving the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a and the input terminals of the DIP-type transistor array receiving the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d should not be adjacent to each other. Alternatively, the wiring pattern should be formed so that the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a is input to one of the input terminals protruding from one side of the DIP-type transistor array, and the wiring pattern should be formed so that the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d is input to one of the input terminals protruding from the other side. This can contribute to improving anti-tampering measures.

B11. The detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633, are respectively pulled up to the power line side by resistors MR16 and MR5, as shown in Figure 179. These resistors MR16 and MR5 are pull-up resistors and are positioned away from the setting key switch 1311a. Specifically, resistor MR16, which constitutes the logic inversion circuit 1310iv, has one end electrically connected to the +5V power line created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g provided on the main control board 1310, and the other end electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a, and is positioned to the right of the connector MCN8 located to the right of the setting key switch 1311a. The resistor MR2, which constitutes the main control input circuit 1310b without an error detection function, has one end electrically connected to the +5V power line created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g on the main control board 1310, and the other end electrically connected to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. It is located above the lead-type resistor array which is located above the setting key switch 1311a. Since the RWM switch 633d is mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the dispensing control board 633, resistors MR16 and MR5 are located away from the RWM switch 633d. If resistors MR16 and MR5 are tampered with, there is a risk that the logical state of the operation signal detected from the setting key switch 1311a and the logical state of the operation signal detected from the RWM switch 633d may be manipulated. Therefore, by separating resistors MR16 and MR5 from the setting key switch 1311a (and RWM switch 633d), the presence of these important resistors can be concealed by blending them in with other electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, by separating resistors MR16 and MR5 from the setting key switch 1311a (RWM switch 633d), even if unauthorized access is achieved by inserting a thin, slender tool such as a wire through the gap between the setting key switch 1311a and the cover body 1301 of the main control board box 1320, it becomes more difficult to tamper with resistors MR16 and MR5, thereby contributing to improved security.

B12. The resistor MR16, which constitutes the logic inversion circuit 1310iv, has one end electrically connected to the +5V power line created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g on the main control board 1310, and the other end electrically connected to the input terminal PA5 (setting key signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. It is located to the right of the connector MCN8, which is located to the right of the setting key switch 1311a. The resistor MR2, which constitutes the main control input circuit 1310b without error detection function, has one end electrically connected to the +5V power line created by the +5V creation circuit 1310g on the main control board 1310, and the other end electrically connected to the input terminal PA0 (RWM signal input terminal) of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a. It is located above the lead-type resistor array, which is located above the setting key switch 1311a. Thus, the resistors MR16 and MR5 are spaced apart. This makes it difficult to notice that resistors MR16 and MR5 are important electronic components that are involved in the logic state of the operation signal detected from the setting key switch 1311a and the operation signal detected from the RWM switch 633d, by allowing them to blend in with other electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, by separating resistors MR16 and MR5, it becomes more difficult to simultaneously tamper with resistors MR16 and MR5, thereby contributing to improved security.

B13. Between the main control input circuit 1310b, which does not have an error detection function and receives detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633, and the main control MPU 1310a, other circuits are arranged as shown in Figure 187, including various DIP type ICs, lead type resistors, lead type diodes, lead type capacitors, lead type electrolytic capacitors, and a DIP type crystal oscillator. In this way, even if someone tries to insert a long, thin illegal tool such as a wire into the main control board box 1320 and short-circuit the lead terminals of the main control MPU 1310a, the other circuits can prevent the illegal tool from entering, and can also induce a short circuit to the other circuits, thereby preventing the operation of the main control board 1310 and making it impossible to play the game. Even if the main control input circuit 1310b, which lacks an error detection function and receives detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the RWM switch 633d mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633, is replaced with a dedicated IC equipped with an input circuit, other circuits will still be interposed between it and the dedicated IC. Even with this configuration, if someone attempts to insert a long, thin, unauthorized tool such as a wire into the main control board box 1320 and short-circuit the lead terminals of the main control MPU 1310a, the other circuits will prevent the unauthorized tool from entering. Furthermore, this will induce a short circuit in the other circuits, preventing the operation of the main control board 1310 and thus preventing the game from being played.

B14. The detection signal from the RWM switch 633d, mounted on the mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633, may be configured to be transmitted by coupling the game board side drawer connector and the main frame side drawer connector. In this case, the wiring pattern for transmitting the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d from the board on which the game board side drawer connector is mounted is formed on the opposite side where the game board side drawer connector is mounted (or, even if formed on the mounting surface where the game board side drawer connector is mounted, it is covered by the drawer connector), making it difficult to see. Similarly, the wiring pattern for transmitting the detection signal from the RWM switch 633d from the board on which the main frame side drawer connector is mounted is formed on the opposite side where the main frame side drawer connector is mounted (or, even if formed on the mounting surface where the main frame side drawer connector is mounted, it is covered by the drawer connector), making it difficult to see.

Here, we will explain the drawer connector. The drawer connector is a connector that automatically establishes an electrical connection between the game board 5 and the main frame 4 simply by attaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4. A game board-side drawer connector (convex type) is provided on the game board-side relay board located at a predetermined position on the rear of the game board 5, and a main frame-side drawer connector (concave type) is provided on the main frame-side relay board located at a predetermined position on the front of the main frame 4.

When the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4, the game board-side drawer connector (convex type) of the game board 5 is guided to the main frame-side drawer connector (concave type) of the main frame 4, thereby electrically connecting each terminal of the game board-side drawer connector (convex type) of the game board 5 to each terminal of the main frame-side drawer connector (concave type) of the main frame 4.

For example, regarding the drawer connector (recessed type) on the main frame 4, it is made of a non-conductive resin, has a rectangular opening on the front side, and a box-shaped body that is long in the left-right direction. A plate-shaped base body that is long in the left-right direction is integrally formed on the rear side of the box-shaped body, resulting in an overall shape resembling the letter T.

Around the opening of the box-shaped body, inclined sections are formed to guide the game board side drawer connector (convex type) of the game board 5 toward the bottom surface of the box-shaped body, extending from the front of the opening toward the bottom surface of the box-shaped body for a predetermined distance. On the inner upper surface of the opening of the box-shaped body, grooves are formed from near the front of the opening towards the bottom of the box-shaped body. These grooves are located in the central part (one location) and on the left and right parts of the inner upper surface (one location on the left and one location on the right) to prevent the game board side drawer connector (convex type) of the game board 5 from being inserted upside down in a non-standard orientation into the main body frame side drawer connector (concave type), and to prevent lateral misalignment between the game board side drawer connector (convex type) and the main body frame side drawer connector (concave type) when the game board side drawer connector (convex type) of the game board 5 is inserted in the standard orientation, thereby improving the fit between the two connectors.

On the bottom surface of the box-shaped body, pin-type terminals are arranged in two rows perpendicular to the bottom surface (six pin-type terminals in one row horizontally), and these terminals penetrate the box-shaped body and the base.

Mounting through-holes are formed on the left and right sides of the base body. When mounting the main frame-side drawer connector (recessed type) to the main frame-side relay board, rivets are first inserted from the front of the main frame-side drawer connector (recessed type) into these mounting through-holes. The ends are then crimped and plastically deformed on the back surface (solder side) of the main frame-side relay board. This secures the main frame-side drawer connector (recessed type) to the main frame-side relay board.

Furthermore, a cylindrical projection is formed on the back of the base unit to ensure that the main frame-side drawer connector (recessed type) is mounted to the main frame-side relay board in the correct orientation.

The main frame-side relay board has a main frame-side drawer connector (recessed type), as well as a DIP (Dual Inline Package) type miniature connector that is electrically connected to this main frame-side drawer connector (recessed type). This connector is electrically connected to the payout control board 633 via wiring (harness). When the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, the game board-side drawer connector (convex type) of the game board 5 is guided to the main frame-side drawer connector (recessed type) of the main frame 4. This electrical connection between the terminals of the game board-side drawer connector (convex type) and the terminals of the main frame-side drawer connector (recessed type) forms a control signal line that transmits various control signals from the main control board 1310 on the game board 5 and the payout control board 633 on the main frame 4 via the DIP type miniature connector and wiring (harness).

Furthermore, the drawer connector (recessed type) on the main frame side electrically connects the main control board 1310 on the game board 5 and the payout control board 633 on the main frame 4, and also electrically connects to various power supply lines (including ground (GND)) that supply various power from the power supply board 630 to various boards on the game board 5. In addition to the drawer connector (recessed type) on the main frame side, there is another drawer connector (recessed type) on a different main frame side relay board. This other main frame side relay board has a DIP (Dual Inline Package) type miniature connector mounted on it that is electrically connected to the other drawer connector (recessed type), and is electrically connected to various decorative boards and various sensors on the door frame 3 via wiring (harness). When the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, a different game board side drawer connector (convex type) on the game board 5, which is electrically connected to the main frame side drawer connector (concave type), is guided to another main frame side drawer connector (concave type) on the main frame 4. As a result, each terminal of the other game board side drawer connector (convex type) is electrically connected to each terminal of the other main frame side drawer connector (concave type), thereby forming a control signal line that transmits various control signals and detection signals from the peripheral control board 1510 on the game board 5 and the various decorative boards, various sensors, and various speakers on the door frame 3 via a DIP type miniature connector and wiring (harness). The structure of the other main frame-side drawer connectors (recessed type) is identical to that of the main frame-side drawer connectors (recessed type), and the method of fixing these other main frame-side drawer connectors (recessed type) to the main frame-side relay board is the same as the method of fixing the main frame-side drawer connectors (recessed type) to the main frame-side relay board (using rivets).

Furthermore, the method of fixing the game board-side drawer connector (convex type) of the game board 5, which is guided by the main frame-side drawer connector (concave type) of the main frame 4, to the game board-side relay board, and the method of fixing the other game board-side drawer connector (convex type) of the game board 5, which is guided by another main frame-side drawer connector (concave type) of the main frame 4, to another game board-side relay board (this other game board-side relay board is different from the game board-side relay board on which the game board-side drawer connector (convex type) of the game board 5, which is guided by the main frame-side drawer connector (concave type) of the main frame 4, is the same as the method of fixing the main frame-side drawer connector (concave type) to the main frame-side relay board (a fixing method using rivets).

The reason rivets are used to secure the main frame-side drawer connector (recessed type) to the main frame-side relay board is that while using the drawer connector allows for automatic electrical connection between the main frame 4 and the game board 5 simply by attaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4, a significant force may be applied to the box-shaped body of the main frame-side drawer connector (recessed type) from the game board-side drawer connector (convex type) of the game board 5 when attaching it to the main frame 4. The rivets are used to prevent the soldered surfaces of the pin-type terminals on the main frame-side drawer connector (recessed type) from peeling off on the back surface (solder side) of the main frame-side relay board due to this significant force. Furthermore, when using bolts and nuts to secure the main frame-side drawer connector (recessed type) to the main frame-side relay board, or when securing the game board-side drawer connector (convex type) to the game board-side relay board, there is a drawback that the nuts may loosen when attaching or removing the game board 5 from the main frame 4.

In this embodiment, pin-type connectors are used for each terminal of the drawer connector (recessed type) on the main frame side. However, using a bellows type connector with terminals and contacts presents the following problems. For example, if the terminals of the drawer connector (convex type) on the game board 5 are terminals and the terminals of the drawer connector (recessed type) on the main frame 4 are contacts, when the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4 while the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, the contacts between the terminals and contacts (specifically, contacts for various power supply lines where a large current (inrush current) flows) will weld together. If the game board 5 is forcibly pushed into the main frame 4 while in this welded state, the contacts of the drawer connector (recessed type) on the main frame side may bend and break, or when the game board 5 is removed from the main frame 4, the contacts may detach from the drawer connector (recessed type) and break, rendering the drawer connector (recessed type) unusable.

Furthermore, if the terminals and contacts fuse together, there is a risk that the connector may be damaged, leading to malfunctions in various control boards or damage to electronic components mounted on those boards. Therefore, a dedicated circuit is needed to prevent this fusion.

In this embodiment, by using pin-type terminals for each terminal of the drawer connector (recessed type) on the main frame side, the aforementioned problem does not occur at all. In other words, even if a worker mistakenly attaches the game board 5 to the main frame 4 while the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, the terminals of the drawer connector (convex type) on the game board 5 and the terminals of the drawer connector (recessed type) on the main frame 4 will not weld together, eliminating the need for a dedicated circuit to prevent welding.

B15. Instead of using ON and OFF signals as detection signals from the setting key switch 1311a mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, a pulse signal or serial signal (command transmission) may be used.

The pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, as described above, includes a game board 5 as shown in Figure 11, where a game area 5a is defined and formed through which the launched game balls flow. It also includes a main control board 1310 as shown in Figure 188, which has a mounting surface (front surface) 1310x through which the lead terminals of electronic components are inserted and electronic components are mounted, and a soldering surface (back surface) 1310y through which the lead terminals of the electronic components are soldered.

On the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, a ZIP-type main control MPU 1310a (as shown in Figure 188) is mounted as a game control microprocessor that controls the progress of the game. Also mounted is a setting key switch 1311a (as shown in Figure 188), an electronic component that allows the player to change the probability of receiving a benefit, which is electrically connected to the main control MPU 1310a.

On the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, the lead terminals of the main control MPU 1310a are soldered, as are the lead terminals of the setting key switch 1311a. The wiring pattern that electrically connects the lead terminals of the main control MPU 1310a and the lead terminals of the setting key switch 1311a is formed only on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310.

Thus, by forming the wiring pattern that transmits the detection signal from the setting key switch 1311a, which is an operation unit that allows the probability of granting benefits to the player to be changed, on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, it becomes difficult to visually see how the wiring pattern is routed from the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310, thereby contributing to making it difficult to tamper with the wiring pattern. Therefore, it can contribute to improved security.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment described above, it includes a game board 5 as shown in Figure 11, where a game area 5a is demarcated and formed where the launched game balls flow down; a setting key switch 1311a provided on the main control board 1310 as shown in Figure 188, which serves as a first operation unit that allows the probability of granting profits to the player to be changed; a main control board 1310 as shown in Figure 188, which is equipped with a main control built-in RAM of the ZIP-type main control MPU 1310a as a storage unit that can store and hold game information, and on which the ZIP-type main control MPU 1310a as shown in Figure 188 is mounted as a game control microprocessor that controls the progress of the game; and an RWM switch 633d provided on the payout control board as shown in Figure 182, which serves as a second operation unit that can clear (erase) the game information stored (held) in the main control built-in RAM.

The main control MPU 1310a can change the probability of granting a benefit to the player based on the operation signal detected from the setting key switch 1311a and the operation signal detected from the RWM switch 633d.

The main control board 1310 is configured such that the setting key signal wiring pattern, which serves as the first transmission path for the operation signal detected from the setting key switch 1311a and input to the main control MPU 1310a, and the RWM signal wiring pattern, which serves as the second transmission path for the operation signal detected from the RWM switch 633d and input to the main control MPU 1310a, do not run parallel to each other.

Thus, the main control board 1310 is configured such that the first transmission path, the setting key signal wiring pattern, which receives an operation signal (detection signal) from the setting key switch 1311a (a first operation unit that can change the probability of granting benefits to the player) to the main control MPU 1310a, and the second transmission path, the RWM signal wiring pattern, which receives an operation signal (detection signal) from the RWM switch 633d (a second operation unit that can clear (erase) game information held in the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU 1310a) to the main control MPU 1310a, do not run parallel to each other. As a result, the setting key signal wiring pattern (first transmission path) and the RWM signal wiring pattern (second transmission path) are input to the main control MPU 1310a at a distance from each other, making it difficult to tamper with both the setting key signal wiring pattern and the RWM signal wiring pattern simultaneously. Therefore, this contributes to improved security.

[13. Game Details]
The gameplay of the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figures 137, 144, and 145, etc. In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the player rotates the handle 195 of the handle unit 180 located in the lower right corner of the front of the door frame 3, causing the game balls B stored in the upper tray 201 of the tray unit 200 to pass between the outer rail 1001 and the inner rail 1002 of the game board 5 and be driven into the upper part of the game area 5a, thereby starting the game with the game balls B. The game balls B driven into the upper part of the game area 5a flow down either to the left or right of the center mechanism 2500 depending on the force with which they are driven. The force with which the game balls B are driven can be adjusted by the amount of rotation of the handle 195, and the more it is rotated clockwise, the stronger the balls are driven, and it is possible to continuously drive up to 100 game balls B per minute, that is, at intervals of 0.6 seconds.

Furthermore, within the game area 5a, multiple obstacle nails N are planted on the front of the game panel 1100 at appropriate positions in a predetermined gauge arrangement. When the game ball B strikes the obstacle nails N, its flow velocity is suppressed, and various movements are imparted to the game ball B, allowing players to enjoy these movements. In addition to the obstacle nails N, within the game area 5a, a windmill W that rotates upon contact with the game ball B is located above the upper left side unit 2300 and to the left of the center mechanism 2500.

When a game ball B is driven into the upper part of the center mechanism 2500, it enters the area to the left of the highest point on the outer surface of the center mechanism 2500 when viewed from the front. It then flows down the area to the left of the center mechanism 2500, contacting multiple obstacle nails N along the way. As the game ball B flows down the area to the left of the center mechanism 2500, it enters the warp entrance 2511, which is opening in the peripheral wall 2501 of the center mechanism 2500, and is supplied to the stage 2513 from the warp exit 2512.

The game ball B supplied to the stage 2513 rolls back and forth on the stage 2513 and is released forward from the central part in the left-right direction. When the game ball B is released into the game area 5a from the central release section 2513a in the center of the stage 2513, it is received by the first start opening 2002 with a high probability because the central release section 2513a is located directly above the first start opening 2002. When a game ball B is received into the first starting port 2002, a predetermined number (for example, 3 balls) of game balls B are dispensed from the payout device 580 to the upper tray 201 via the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. Simultaneously, the main control board 1310 conducts a lottery to determine a special lottery result (first special lottery result) that generates a favorable game state for the player (for example, "Big Win," "Medium Win," "Small Win," "Special Feature Win," "Probability Fluctuation (Probability Change) Win," or "Time Reduction (Time Reduction) Win).

The game balls B released from the stage 2513 of the center mechanism 2500 into the game area 5a may be received by the first start port 2002 of the start port unit 2100.

Incidentally, if the game ball B that flows down to the left side of the center mechanism 2500 does not enter the warp entrance 2511, it will be pushed towards the center in the left-right direction by the shelf 2301 of the upper left side unit 2300 and the obstructing nails N, and may be received by the general prize entry opening 2001 of the side unit 2200, or the first start opening 2002 of the start opening unit 2100, etc. When the game ball B is received by the general prize entry opening 2001, a predetermined number (for example, 10) of game balls B will be dispensed from the payout device 580 to the upper tray 201 via the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633.

On the other hand, when a game ball B, which has been driven into the upper part of the center mechanism 2500 within the game area 5a, enters to the right of the highest point of the peripheral wall portion 2501 of the center mechanism 2500, it is released above the gate 2003 through either the first guide passage 2521 or the second guide passage 2522 of the guide passage group 2520 of the center mechanism 2500, strikes one of the multiple obstacle nails N planted between the guide passage group 2520 and the gate 2003, and then passes through the gate 2003 with a certain probability.

The guide passage group 2520 of the center mechanism 2500 consists of a first guide passage 2521 whose entrance opens near the impact section 1006, and a second guide passage 2522 whose entrance opens to the left of the entrance of the first guide passage 2521. Therefore, when a game ball B is struck with enough force to hit the impact section 1006 (so-called "right-handed shot"), it enters the first guide passage 2521. When a game ball B is struck with enough force to not hit the impact section 1006 (somewhat weaker than a right-handed shot), it enters the second guide passage 2522 with a high probability. In other words, a game ball B struck to the upper right side of the center mechanism 2500 will circulate through either the first guide passage 2521 or the second guide passage 2522, depending on the force with which it was struck.

In this embodiment, the configuration is such that the game ball B passes through gate 2003 with a higher probability when routed through the second guide passage 2522 rather than the first guide passage 2521. Furthermore, the configuration is such that the game ball passes through gate 2003 and the area to the left of gate 2003 with a higher probability when routed through the second guide passage 2522 rather than the first guide passage 2521.

When the game ball B passes through gate 2003 and is detected by gate sensor 2801, a normal lottery is performed on the main control board 1310. If the result of the normal lottery is a "normal win," the closed second start port 2004 in the first attacker unit 2400 opens for a predetermined time (for example, 0.3 to 10 seconds), allowing the game ball B to be received into the second start port 2004.

In this embodiment, in the normal lottery conducted when the game ball B passes through gate 2003, a certain amount of time is set between the start of the normal lottery and the indication of the normal lottery result (for example, 0.01 to 60 seconds, also referred to as the normal variation time). This indication of the normal lottery result is displayed on the function display unit 1400 of the game board 5. The second start gate 2004 opens after the normal variation time has elapsed.

Furthermore, if game ball B passes through gate 2003 between the time it passes through gate 2003 and the time the normal lottery result is indicated, the indication of the normal lottery result cannot be started. Therefore, the indication of the normal lottery result is suspended until the previous indication of the normal lottery result has finished. Also, the number of reserved normal lottery results is capped at four; any results beyond that are discarded without being reserved, even if game ball B passes through gate 2003. This prevents an increase in the burden on the gaming hall due to an accumulation of reserved results.

The game balls B that pass through gate 2003 and the left side of gate 2003 are, with a high probability, directed down the left side of the side right-center unit 2700 by multiple obstacle nails N planted between gate 2003 and the side right-center unit 2700. Occasionally, they are received into the general prize entry opening 2001 of the side right-center unit 2700, and rarely, into the second sub-out opening 2022. When game balls B are received into the general prize entry opening 2001 of the side right-center unit 2700, a predetermined number of game balls B are dispensed, similar to the general prize entry opening 2001 of the side unit 2200. On the other hand, when game balls B are received into the second sub-out opening 2022, they are discharged outside the game area 5a without having the opportunity to be received into the prize entry opening 2006, the second start opening 2004, or the large prize entry opening 2005.

Furthermore, game ball B, which passes to the right of gate 2003, is received by the second sub-out port 2022 of the side right-center unit 2700. It is not received by the general prize port 2001, the special prize port 2006, the second start port 2004, or the large prize port 2005 of the side right-center unit 2700, and is discharged outside the game area 5a.

Thus, when a game ball B is received into the second sub-outlet 2022 downstream of the guide passage group 2520, the game ball B is discharged outside the game area 5a. Therefore, the player can be encouraged to perform a shooting operation that prevents the game ball B from being received into the second sub-outlet 2022. In this embodiment, in the guide passage group 2520 of the center mechanism 2500, the probability of game ball B being received into the second sub-outlet 2022 is lower in the second guide passage 2522 than in the first guide passage 2521. Therefore, the player can be encouraged to shoot the game ball B aiming for the second guide passage 2522. In other words, it is possible to encourage shooting operations that require subtle adjustments to the rotation of the handle 182, rather than "right-handed shooting" where the game ball B hits the impact point 1006, allowing the player to enjoy the original gameplay of the pachinko machine 1, which focuses on shooting the game ball B.

The game ball B, passing to the left of the side right-center unit 2700, is guided by multiple obstacle pins N planted to the left of the side right-center unit 2700, passes to the left of the prize entry opening 2006 in the second attacker unit 2600, and is then released towards the first attacker unit 2400 via the lower right guide passage 2530 of the center prize mechanism 2500.

At this time, if game balls B are received into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004 and the result of the first special lottery is "prize win", the prize entry port 2006 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, so that game balls B flowing down the left side of the side right-center unit 2700 are received into the prize entry port 2006 with a high probability. When the prize entry port 2006 is open and game balls B are received into the prize entry port 2006, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 dispense a predetermined number (for example, 10 or 13) of game balls B from the payout device 580 into the upper tray 201.

The game ball B, received into the prize entry opening 2006 and detected by the prize entry opening sensor 2601, flows through the distribution passage 3158 and is distributed to either the V-entry opening 2007 or the losing opening 2008 by the V-entry opening door 3006, which moves back and forth. If game ball B is distributed to the V-entry opening 2007, the large prize opening 2005 opens and closes in a predetermined pattern, creating a favorable game state for the player. On the other hand, if game ball B is distributed to the losing opening 2008, no favorable game state is created for the player.

The game ball B, released towards the first attacker unit 2400 after passing to the left of the prize entry opening 2006, rolls to the left over the first shelf 2421, the second start opening door 2411, and the second shelf 2422, before being released to the left. Furthermore, it rolls to the left over the third shelf 2423, the large prize entry opening door 2413, and the fourth shelf 2424 before being released into the game area 5a.

Then, when the game ball B is rolling on the second start door 2411, if the result of the ordinary lottery drawn by the passage of game ball B through gate 2003 is "ordinary win," and the second start door 2411 is retracted, the game ball B is received into the second start opening 2004. Upon receiving the game ball B into the second start opening 2004, a predetermined number (for example, 4) of game balls B are dispensed from the payout device 580 to the upper tray 201 via the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. Simultaneously, the main control board 1310 conducts a lottery to determine a special lottery result (first special lottery result) that generates a favorable game state for the player (for example, "big win," "medium win," "small win," "prize win," "probability variation (probability change) win," or "time reduction (time reduction) win."

Furthermore, when the game ball B is rolling on the large prize opening door 2413, if the special lottery result (first special lottery result and second special lottery result) drawn by the acceptance of the game ball B into the first start opening 2002 and the second start opening 2004 is a special lottery result that generates a favorable game state (for example, "jackpot"), then after the special variation time has elapsed, the large prize opening 2005 will be in a state where it can accept the game ball B in a predetermined opening and closing pattern. When the large prize opening 2005 is in the open state and the game ball B is accepted into the large prize opening 2005, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 will dispense a predetermined number (for example, 10 or 13) of game balls B from the payout device 580 into the upper tray 201. Therefore, when the large prize slot 2005 is capable of accepting game ball B, allowing game ball B to be accepted into the large prize slot 2005 allows for the payout of a large number of game ball B, thus providing enjoyment to the players.

In this embodiment of the pachinko machine 1, when game balls B are received into the first start port 2002 and the second start port 2004, the main control board 1310 performs a lottery to determine a special lottery result that will generate a favorable game state for the player (for example, "Big Win," "Medium Win," "Small Win," "Feature Win," "Probability Fluctuation (Probability Change) Win," "Time Reduction (Time Reduction) Win." Then, the special lottery result is set to a predetermined time (for example, 0 The game provides hints to the player over a period of 1 to 360 seconds (also referred to as the special variation time). The special lottery results, which are determined when game ball B is received into the first start port 2002 and the second start port 2004, include: "Miss," "Small Win," "2R Big Win," "5R Big Win," "15R Big Win," "Probability Change Win," "Time Reduction Win," "Probability Change Time Reduction Win," "Probability Change No Time Reduction Win," "Second Big Win," etc.

If the special lottery result is "prize win," the prize entry opening 2006 opens to accept game balls B for a predetermined short time (for example, between 0.2 and 0.6 seconds) and then closes, repeating this opening and closing pattern multiple times (for example, twice). On the other hand, if the special lottery result is "jackpot," the large prize entry opening 2005 opens to accept game balls B, and then, after a predetermined time (for example, about 30 seconds) has elapsed, or a predetermined number of game balls B (for example, 10) have been accepted into the large prize entry opening 2005, it closes to a state where it cannot accept game balls B (one opening and closing pattern is referred to as one round), repeating this opening and closing pattern a predetermined number of times (a predetermined number of rounds). For example, a "2R jackpot" would result in 2 rounds, a "5R jackpot" in 5 rounds, and a "15R jackpot" in 15 rounds, each repeating to create a favorable game state for the player.

Furthermore, in the case of a "jackpot," there are types of wins that, after the jackpot game ends, change the probability of drawing a special lottery result such as a "jackpot" ("probability-changing win"), or change the display time of the visual effect that suggests the special lottery result ("time-saving win").

If the special lottery result (for example, the second special lottery result) is "Second Jackpot," the large prize slot 2005 will become capable of accepting game balls B in a predetermined pattern, and then a special time (ST) will be triggered as a favorable game state. This ST maintains a state of probability variation or time reduction for a predetermined number of spins.

In this embodiment, if game balls B are received into the first and second starting ports 2002 and 2004, between the start of the special lottery and the indication of the drawn special lottery results, the indication of the special lottery results cannot be started. Therefore, the indication of the special lottery results is withheld until the indication of the previously drawn special lottery results is completed. The number of withheld special lottery results is limited to four for both the first and second starting ports 2002 and 2004. Any results exceeding this limit are discarded without being withheld, even if game balls B are received into the first and second starting ports 2002 and 2004. This suppresses the increase in the burden on the gaming hall due to the accumulation of withheld results.

The indication of the special lottery result is provided by the function display unit 1400 and the performance display device 1600. The function display unit 1400 is directly controlled by the main control board 1310 to indicate the special lottery result. The function display unit 1400 indicates the special lottery result by repeatedly switching multiple LEDs on and off for a predetermined time, and then indicating the special lottery result based on the combination of the lit LEDs.

Meanwhile, the display device 1600, based on control signals from the main control board 1310, is indirectly controlled by the peripheral control board 1510, and displays an image indicating the special lottery result. The image indicating the special lottery result on the display device 1600 displays three rows of symbols arranged horizontally. Each row of symbols is then manipulated, and the manipulated rows are sequentially stopped. The three stopped rows of symbols are then displayed so that their combinations correspond to the special lottery result. If the special lottery result is anything other than "miss," after the three rows of symbols stop and each symbol is displayed, a confirmation image indicating the special lottery result is displayed on the display device 1600, and a favorable game state (e.g., "minor win" game, "big win" game, etc.) corresponding to the special lottery result is generated.

Furthermore, the time indicated by the function display unit 1400 (LED blinking time (variation time)) and the time indicated by the performance display device 1600 (the time from when the pattern row changes until the confirmed image is displayed) are different, with the function display unit 1400 having a longer time setting.

Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510, in addition to displaying performance images to indicate the special lottery results from the performance display device 1600, can also perform player-participation performances in which the player operates the contact operation section 302 and the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 301 in the door frame 3, depending on the special lottery results. In the player-participation performance, the press operation section 303 can be raised and made more prominent by the operation button lifting drive motor 367, allowing the player to enjoy the player-participation performance by operating the performance operation section 301.

Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 can appropriately utilize the decorative boards provided on the door frame 3, the decorative boards provided on the game board 5, the performance display device 1600, and the rear front performance unit 3100, rear upper performance unit 3200, and rear lower performance unit 3300 of the rear unit 3000 to perform illumination and display effects, etc. This allows for various effects to entertain the player and helps prevent a decline in the player's interest in the game.

Furthermore, in player-participation events involving the operation of the contact operation section 302 and the press operation section 303, the peripheral control board 1510 notifies the player if they make a mistake or fail to perform the required operation, prompting them to perform the correct operation.

[Improved reflectivity by applying an insulating coating to the lands of each decorative circuit board installed on the game board]
Next, the configuration for covering the through-hole lands formed on each decorative substrate of the game board 5 with an insulating coating will be described with reference to Figures 194 to 197. Figure 194 is a schematic diagram (a) illustrating the configuration for covering the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate of the game board 5 according to the first embodiment, a schematic diagram (b) of the cross-section along the X-X line in (a), and a schematic diagram (c) of a modified example of (b). Figure 195 is a schematic diagram (a) illustrating the configuration for covering the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate of the game board 5 according to the second embodiment, a schematic diagram (b) of the cross-section along the X-X line in (a), and a schematic diagram (c) of a modified example of (b). Figure 196 is a schematic diagram (a) illustrating a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment, a schematic diagram (b) of the cross-section along the line X-X in (a), and a schematic diagram (c) of a modified example of (b). Figure 197 is a schematic diagram (a) illustrating a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment, a schematic diagram (b) of the cross-section along the line X-X in (a), and a schematic diagram (c) of a modified example of (b). In addition, in Figures 194 to 197, components that perform the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals, and each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 is represented as decorative substrate KB. In the following description, the decorative substrate KB is shown as a decorative substrate provided on the game board 5. However, any decorative substrate that mounts LEDs is not limited to one provided on the game board 5; a similar configuration to decorative substrate KB can also be applied to one provided on the door frame 3 (the decorative substrate provided on the game board 5 or the decorative substrate provided on the door frame 3 may have a different configuration from decorative substrate KB).

As described above, through-holes are holes through which electronic components are mounted, and the inner circumferential wall of the through-hole is copper-plated to provide conductivity. There are through-holes for mounting electronic components and through-holes without electronic components. The configuration of covering the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the first to fourth embodiments is adopted for through-holes without electronic components. In addition to through-holes, the decorative substrate KB in the game board 5 is also provided with non-through-holes. Non-through-holes differ significantly from through-holes in that the inner circumferential wall of the through-hole is not copper-plated, and there are no lands on the front surface (front mounting surface) and rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB. Non-through-holes are formed to attach the substrate to a component or to fix electronic components to which external forces are applied (such as connectors to which wiring is attached and detached) to the substrate. Furthermore, there is no problem in applying an insulating coating to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5, as well as to using this configuration for through-holes used to mount electronic components.

Here, we will first briefly describe each decorative circuit board provided on the game board 5, then explain the configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board provided on the game board 5 according to the first to fourth embodiments, and finally, explain the connectors mounted on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board.

Furthermore, the configuration of covering the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the first to fourth embodiments applies to decorative substrates provided in the game board 5 that do not have heat sources such as LED driver ICs (constant current drive circuits) mounted on them, but does not apply to decorative substrates that do have heat sources such as LED driver ICs (constant current drive circuits) mounted on them. Furthermore, the configuration of covering the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5 according to the first to fourth embodiments with an insulating coating does not apply to the main control board 1310 on which heat sources such as the drive solenoid drive IC (described later) that drive the drive solenoids, such as the start port solenoid 2412, attacker solenoid 2414, prize entry port solenoid 2612, and V distribution solenoid 3007, which are electrical drive sources, are mounted. It also does not apply to the payout control board 633 on which heat sources such as the payout motor drive IC (described later) that drive the payout motor 584, which is an electrical drive source, are mounted. It also does not apply to the peripheral control board 1510 on which heat sources such as the peripheral control IC 1510a (see Figures 170 and 171), which is air-cooled by an air-cooling fan (see Figures 170 and 171), are mounted.

While the configuration of covering the through-hole lands formed on the wiring patterns that are electrically connected to the pad portions to which the terminals of each IC (i.e., LED driver IC (constant current drive circuit), drive solenoid drive IC, and payout motor drive IC) are soldered is not applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5 according to the first to fourth embodiments, the configuration of covering the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5 according to the first or second embodiment may be applied to the pad portions to which the terminals of each IC (i.e., LED driver IC (constant current drive circuit), drive solenoid drive IC, and payout motor drive IC) are soldered.

Furthermore, the configuration of covering the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board according to the first to fourth embodiments does not apply to the power supply board 630, which will be described later and on which heat dissipation fins are mounted. Among the decorative substrates in the game board 5, the decorative substrates may be configured so that heat dissipation fins are mounted. In this case, the configuration of covering the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the first to fourth embodiments does not apply to the decorative substrates on which heat dissipation fins are mounted, but it does apply to the decorative substrates on which heat dissipation fins are not mounted. Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 or the liquid crystal output board 1530 (see Figures 170 and 171) may be configured to have heat dissipation fins mounted on it. In this case, the configuration of covering the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative board provided in the game board 5 according to the first to fourth embodiments does not apply to the peripheral control board 1510 or the liquid crystal output board 1530 on which the heat dissipation fins are mounted.

Furthermore, amplifier boards, which have circuits for amplifying various sounds, consume a large amount of power and generate heat, as will be described later. Therefore, they are housed in a metal circuit board box consisting of a metal cover and a metal base, or mounted in a metal sub-case. For this reason, the configuration of covering the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5 according to the first to fourth embodiments does not apply to amplifier boards.

[Each decorative circuit board installed in the game board]
Each decorative board provided in the game board 5 (in this example, the front front upper left decorative board 3129 for illuminating the front front upper left logo decorative section 3122, the front front left decorative board 3128 for illuminating the front front left logo decorative section 3121, the front front upper left logo decorative section 3122, and the front front left sub-decorative section 3123, the front front lower logo decorative board 3173 for illuminating the front front lower logo decorative body 3167, the front front lower middle decorative board 3168 for illuminating the front front lower middle decorative body 3161, the front front lower left inner decorative board 3169 for illuminating the front front lower left inner decorative body 3163, and the front front lower left outer decorative board 3170 for illuminating the front front lower left outer decorative body 3164) On the front (front mounting surface) and rear (back mounting surface) of the components (including the back front lower right inner decorative substrate 3171 for illuminating the back front lower right inner decorative body 3165, the back front lower right outer decorative substrate 3172 for illuminating the back front lower right outer decorative body 3166, the back front lower right decorative substrate 3152 for illuminating the back front right logo decorative part 3141, the back front upper right decorative substrate 3151 for illuminating the back front upper right logo decorative part 3142, etc.), a white resist layer is formed by a white insulating film (insulating film, hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "solid white resist") which is formed by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface. Furthermore, on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board provided in the game board 5, a marking area indicating the attributes of the electronic components (multi-color LEDs) is printed in yellow paint using silk screen printing on a solid white resist, making it possible to identify multiple LEDs (multi-color emitting full-color LEDs), which are electronic components. This includes the part number of the full-color LED, an area indicating the position where the full-color LED should be placed, and other attributes of the electronic components (which may also include the shape of the electronic component, the size of the electronic component, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the electronic component, and the model number of the electronic component). The attributes of the electronic components are indicated by solid lines, dashed lines, or letters in the case of model numbers. In addition, on the decorative circuit boards provided in the game board 5 and the door frame 3, an insulating film (resist) is also formed on the parts where electronic components are mounted (the parts of the surface of the decorative circuit board (front mounting surface, back mounting surface) that are covered by electronic components). For example, in a decorative substrate where a white resist layer (white insulating film) is formed on the surface where LEDs are mounted, the white resist layer (white insulating film) is also formed on the surface portion where the LEDs are mounted (the portion of the surface covered by the LEDs). Similarly, in a decorative substrate where a black or green resist layer (black or green insulating film) is formed on the surface where LEDs are mounted, the black or green resist layer (black or green insulating film) is also formed on the surface portion where the LEDs are mounted (the portion of the surface covered by the LEDs). In decorative substrates where a white resist layer (white insulating film) is formed on the surface where the LEDs are mounted, forming a white resist layer (white insulating film) on the lower part of the LEDs that are covered and not exposed by the LEDs can increase the reflectivity of the part closest to the LEDs. Conversely, in decorative substrates where a black or green resist layer (black or green insulating film) is formed on the surface where the LEDs are mounted, forming a black or green resist layer (black or green insulating film) on the lower part of the LEDs that are covered and not exposed by the LEDs can reduce the reflectivity of the part closest to the LEDs and suppress light interference.

The white color of resist solution can vary, sometimes appearing as a light white, sometimes a dark white, and sometimes a bright white, due to variability in the shade. Furthermore, ink companies supplying resist solution also have variations in their white shades (for example, some leaning towards a lighter yellow, others towards a darker yellow). Therefore, even when specifying white as the resist solution for the same substrate manufacturer or multiple substrate manufacturers, it's difficult to achieve perfectly identical white shades; the resulting color will have a range of shades.

Here, we will explain the reason for using white as the resist solution and yellow as the silkscreen ink. First, reflectivity increases as the color approaches white, while decreasing as it approaches black. The reflectivity of yellow is very close to that of white compared to red, and the reflectivity of red is very far from that of white compared to yellow. Although the reflectivity of yellow is lower than that of the white insulating film, it still has a high reflectivity. Therefore, in a combination of white and red, the red stands out against a white background, and if the markings are red, the red markings stand out against the white resist. In contrast, with a combination of white and yellow (the configuration of this embodiment), the yellow does not stand out against a white background, and if the markings are yellow, the yellow markings are less noticeable against the white resist.

Even if a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1 moves their head (face), changing their line of sight depending on the direction of their head (face), and potentially being able to see the front (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5, the yellow markings indicating the attributes of electronic components, such as the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position where the full-color LED should be placed, are printed in yellow paint using silk screen printing on the white resist that is solidly applied to the front (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5. Therefore, the yellow markings are less conspicuous against the white resist, and it is possible to prevent the player from seeing the part numbers corresponding to the full-color LEDs and the area indicating the position where the full-color LEDs should be placed, which are completely unrelated to the game.

Furthermore, to enable the identification of multiple LEDs (multi-color emitting full-color LEDs), the notation indicating the attributes of the electronic components, such as the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position where the full-color LED should be placed, may be printed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5 using silk screen printing with a light color (especially a light color such as yellow-green or light blue) different from yellow. In this case, since the notation indicating the attributes of the electronic components, such as the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position where the full-color LED should be placed, is printed on the solid white resist on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5 using silk screen printing with a light color, the light color notation is less conspicuous against the white resist, thus preventing the player from seeing the part number corresponding to the full-color LED and the area indicating the position where the full-color LED should be placed, which are completely unrelated to the game. Additionally, by using a light color with a high reflectivity, albeit inferior to yellow, the decrease in the reflective efficiency of the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, the notation section indicating the attributes of the electronic components, such as the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position where the full-color LED should be placed, which allows for the identification of multiple LEDs (multi-color emitting full-color LEDs), was previously printed on the front (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5 using yellow paint by silk screen printing. However, instead, this may be changed to print on the rear (back mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5 using yellow paint by silk screen printing, or it may be printed using a different color paint (for example, a non-bright color such as black, or a color such as blue, green, or red) using silk screen printing. In this case, there will be no silk screen printing on the front (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5, and silk screen printing will only exist on the rear (back mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5. This method contributes to increasing the reflectivity of the light emitted by the multiple LEDs towards the front (i.e., the front side of the pachinko machine 1) through the solid white resist coating applied to the front (surface mounting side) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5. Furthermore, it prevents players from seeing the part numbers and attributes of electronic components that are completely unrelated to the game itself.

Furthermore, the notation section indicating the attributes of electronic components, such as the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position where the full-color LED is placed, which makes it possible to identify multiple LEDs (multi-color emitting full-color LEDs) that are electronic components, was previously printed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided on the game board 5 using yellow paint silk screen printing. However, instead, the part number of the full-color LED may be formed as foil-cut letters (that is, letters formed by creating the wiring pattern, which is copper foil, on the copper foil surface where the wiring pattern is formed, and then cutting out the surrounding copper foil), and the attributes of the full-color LED may be formed as foil-cut areas excluding each terminal and wiring pattern not shown (that is, areas formed by cutting out the copper foil excluding each terminal and wiring pattern on the copper foil surface where the wiring pattern is formed), and these foil-cut areas and foil-cut letters may be covered with a solid coat of white resist applied to the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided on the game board 5. Specifically, for example, a region indicating the position for placing full-color LEDs is formed as a foil-cutting area on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate on the game board 5. Furthermore, the part number corresponding to the full-color LED is formed as cut-out letters near this foil-cutting area on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate on the game board 5. The foil-cutting area and the cut-out letters are covered by a solid white resist coating the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate on the game board 5. The wiring pattern forming the cut-out letters is formed electrically insulated from the electronic components. This design allows the solid white resist coating the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate on the game board 5 to increase the reflectivity of the light emitted by the multiple LEDs towards the front (i.e., the front side of the pachinko machine 1). Additionally, it prevents players from seeing the part numbers and attributes of electronic components that are completely unrelated to the game.

Furthermore, the notation section indicating the attributes of electronic components, such as the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position where the full-color LED is placed, which makes it possible to identify multiple LEDs (multicolor-emitting full-color LEDs) that are electronic components, was previously printed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board provided on the game board 5 using yellow paint silk screen printing. However, instead, the part number of the full-color LED may be formed as white resist-cut characters using two coats of white resist, and the attributes of the full-color LED may be formed as white resist-cut areas using two coats of white resist. Specifically, for example, the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board provided on the game board 5 is covered with white resist as the first of two coats of white resist (that is, a white resist liquid is applied to the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board provided on the game board 5 as the first of two coats of white resist). Then, on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5, as the second of two coats of white resist, the area indicating the position to be placed for the full-color LED (including the area indicating the placement of predetermined pin numbers (notches)) is masked as a white resist-free area, and the part numbers corresponding to the full-color LED are masked as white resist-free characters near these white resist-free areas, so that the entire front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5 is covered with white resist. As a result, although two layers of white resist are formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5, the entire surface is covered by the first layer of white resist, and the entire surface is covered by the second layer of white resist except for the masked areas. The masked areas are recessed, the area indicating the position to be placed for the full-color LED is formed as a white resist-free area, and the part numbers corresponding to the full-color LED are formed as white resist-free characters. By using the same transmittance for the first layer of white resist as for the second layer of white resist, a difference in shade occurs between the first and second layers of white resist. When viewing the substrate (the area excluding the copper foil surface (copper foil portion) and the copper foil surface (copper foil portion), hereinafter the same) on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate on the game board 5 through the second layer of white resist, the second layer of white resist appears darker in areas where the second and first layers of white resist overlap, while in areas where the second and first layers of white resist do not overlap due to masking, the first layer of white resist appears lighter because it is not covered by the second layer of white resist and is exposed. In other words, by viewing the substrate on the front (surface mounting) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5 through the second layer of white resist, it becomes possible to identify the areas where the white resist is removed and the characters where the white resist is removed in the first layer of white resist. This contributes to increasing the reflectivity of the light emitted by multiple LEDs towards the front (i.e., the front side of the pachinko machine 1) due to the solid white resist coating on the front (surface mounting) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5. Furthermore, it prevents players from seeing the part numbers and attributes of electronic components that are completely unrelated to the game itself.

Furthermore, the part numbers of the full-color LEDs and the areas indicating the placement of the full-color LEDs, which are electronic components that make it possible to identify multiple LEDs (full-color LEDs capable of emitting multiple colors), were previously printed on the front (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5 using yellow paint via silk screen printing. However, instead, the front (front mounting surface) and rear (back mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5 may be designed so that there are no areas printed by silk screen printing at all. This would contribute to increasing the reflectivity of the light emitted by the multiple LEDs towards the front (i.e., the front side of the pachinko machine 1) due to the solid white resist coating on the front (front mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board in the game board 5. Additionally, the part numbers and attributes of electronic components, which are completely unrelated to the game, would not be visible to the player. Furthermore, since the silk screen printing process can be eliminated, the cost of the printing plates and the number of manufacturing steps for the circuit board can be reduced, thereby lowering the circuit board manufacturing cost.

Multiple LEDs are mounted on the front (front mounting side) of the decorative circuit board KB, and on the rear (back mounting side) of the decorative circuit board KB, in addition to a connector for connecting electrical wiring to the decorative circuit board KB, one or more electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, and circuits for controlling the light emission of multiple LEDs (e.g., constant current drive circuits) may be mounted. LEDs are electronic components whose package color is white or close to white (e.g., ivory, beige, cream), connectors are electronic components whose housing color is white or close to white (e.g., ivory, beige, cream), constant current drive circuits are electronic components that are surface-mount type (SMD type) LED driver ICs housed in an IC package that may have a black color as an integrated circuit, resistors are surface-mount type (SMD type) electronic components that have a color such as black, blue, or white, and capacitors are surface-mount type (SMD type) electronic components that have a color such as black, brown, gray, or white. Furthermore, on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, markings such as part numbers and attributes of electronic components (connectors, resistors, capacitors, circuits controlling the illumination of multiple LEDs, etc.) may be printed using yellow paint via silk screen printing on a solid white resist. Alternatively, these markings may be printed using a different color (for example, a non-bright color such as black, or a color such as blue, green, or red) via silk screen printing. The LED package color is not limited to white or a color close to white (for example, ivory, beige, or cream); it may also be yellow, light blue, or yellow-green, which slightly reduces the reflectivity compared to white. Even in this case, the reduction in reflectivity on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB due to the LED package can be suppressed.

Surface-mount (SMD) resistors should be placed only on the back (back mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB where no LEDs are mounted, and not on the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB where multiple LEDs are mounted. This allows for an increase in the area of the solid white resist coating on the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB. This is because surface-mount (SMD) resistors generally have a black top surface (sometimes called a protective film) except for the terminals. If a resistor with a black top surface is placed on the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB, the reflectivity will differ from that of the white resist. The presence of dark black within the light white resist reduces the reflectivity of the solid white resist coating on the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB, compromising the uniformity of the reflectivity. Furthermore, resistors with a black (dark) top surface, when combined with the white (light) resist, are a conspicuous color (easily visible), potentially reducing the visual effect by causing players to see the unnecessary black color. Also, while surface-mount (SMD) resistors may have resistance values indicated on their top surface (protective film), and the numbers or symbols indicating the resistance value are often white when the top surface (protective film) is black, the area of the underlying black is overwhelmingly larger than the numbers or symbols indicating the resistance value, so even when the resistance value is indicated, the top surface (protective film) is perceived as black. Additionally, due to mounting density, heat dissipation measures, and the placement of the decorative circuit board KB, resistors may also be placed on the front (surface mounting side) of the decorative circuit board KB where multiple LEDs are mounted.

Surface-mount (SMD) type capacitors (ceramic capacitors) should be placed only on the rear (back mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB where no LEDs are mounted, and not on the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB where multiple LEDs are mounted. This allows for an increase in the area of the solid white resist applied to the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB. This is because surface-mount (SMD) type capacitors (ceramic capacitors) generally have a brown top surface (often manufactured using the green sheet method, and the top surface is composed of ceramic, which is a dielectric) except for the terminal area. If a capacitor (ceramic capacitor) with a brown top surface is placed on the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB, the reflectivity will differ from that of the white resist. The presence of dark brown within the light white resist will reduce the reflectivity of the solid white resist applied to the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB, impairing the uniformity of the reflectivity. Furthermore, when a capacitor (ceramic capacitor) with a brown (dark) top surface is combined with a white (light) resist... Because it is a conspicuous color (easily visible color), there is a risk that the visual effect will be diminished if players see the brown color unnecessarily. Furthermore, due to the mounting density of the decorative circuit board KB, heat dissipation measures, and the placement of the decorative circuit board KB, capacitors (ceramic capacitors) may be placed on the front (surface mounting side) of the decorative circuit board KB where multiple LEDs are mounted.

When mounting the connector on the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB, it is desirable to use a connector with a housing that is the same color as the solid white resist applied to the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB, i.e., a white housing. When mounting the connector on the rear (back mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB, colors such as white, black, or blue may be used, except in special cases.

In the example above, only electronic components with exteriors of a different color (excluding printing such as model numbers) (even if they have a partially white exterior, as long as the majority are composed of colors other than white) are shown to be placed on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB. However, it is also possible to place electronic components with white exteriors (even if they have a partially dark exterior, as long as the majority are composed of white, or even if they are mostly composed of light colors (especially light colors such as yellow, light blue, and yellow-green)) on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB. In this case, the electronic components with white exteriors may be arranged so as to block the through-holes on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, so that the white exteriors of the electronic components placed on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB (for example, the white housing or bosses of connectors) can be seen from the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB through the through-holes (they may also be placed in the area where the through-holes are formed). On the other hand, electronic components with dark-colored exteriors, such as black (even if they have some light-colored exteriors, as long as the majority are dark-colored), may be arranged so as not to block the through-holes (they may be arranged in areas where no through-holes are formed). By configuring in this way, the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB is covered with electronic components with white exteriors to block the through-holes, while electronic components with dark-colored exteriors, such as black, are arranged so as not to block the through-holes. As a result, when viewed from the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, the inside of the through-holes can be made the same color as the white resist that is solidly applied to the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, thereby achieving uniform reflection efficiency on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, and suppressing the reduction in reflection efficiency on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB due to electronic components with dark exteriors. Furthermore, while an example of an electronic component with a white casing was given for blocking the through-holes on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, the example is not limited to this. An electronic component with a light-colored casing (white, a color close to white (e.g., ivory, beige, cream), etc., or a pale color (yellow, light blue, yellow-green, etc.)) may also be used to block the through-holes on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB. In this case, when viewed from the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, the inside of the through-holes can be made a light color with a reflection efficiency close to that of the white resist solidly applied to the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, thereby achieving uniform reflection efficiency on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, and suppressing the reduction in reflection efficiency on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB caused by an electronic component with a dark-colored casing. Furthermore, it is not limited to blocking all through-holes formed on the decorative substrate KB with electronic components having a white casing (from the rear (back mounting surface) or front (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB). Some of the through-holes formed on the decorative substrate KB may not be blocked by electronic components, and some may be blocked by electronic components with casings of a color other than white. Even in this case, blocking with electronic components having a light color (yellow, light blue, yellow-green, etc.) with a similar reflectivity to white can suppress the reduction in reflectivity on the front (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB.

Furthermore, when yellow is used as the ink for silk screen printing, variations in the printed yellow due to differences in printing presses can result in variations in lighter or darker yellow, or even appear orange. Also, ink suppliers for silk screen printing have variations in their yellow shades (leaning towards lighter or darker yellow). Therefore, even when specifying yellow as the silk screen printing ink for the same or multiple circuit board manufacturers, it is not possible to achieve perfectly identical yellow (it is difficult to achieve perfectly identical yellow), resulting in a range of shades of yellow. For this reason, even if the markings are printed using yellow ink via silk screen printing, if other colors close to white in brightness (e.g., light green, light blue, etc.) are used, the result will be similar to that of yellow ink, where it is difficult to achieve perfectly identical shades of white, resulting in a range of shades close to white. Similarly, if a color other than yellow is used as the silk screen printing ink for the markings, the result will also be similar to that of yellow ink, resulting in a range of shades.

Furthermore, while the LED is a full-color LED capable of emitting multiple colors, it may also be a single-color LED such as white, red, green, yellow, orange, blue, or green. Surface-mount top-view type LEDs or surface-mount side-view type LEDs may also be used. In addition to surface-mount LEDs, bullet-type LEDs may also be used.

Furthermore, while connectors for connecting electrical wiring to the decorative substrate KB were mounted on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, if the connector housing is white or a color close to white (for example, ivory, beige, or cream), it may be mounted on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB. This is because mounting a white connector (or a connector close to white) that has the same color as the white insulating film that forms the insulating coating on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB can suppress the reduction in reflection efficiency on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB caused by this connector. Furthermore, the connector may be mounted on the front surface (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB if the connector housing is not a dark color (black, green, blue, purple, etc.) that significantly reduces reflective efficiency, but rather a light color (yellow, light blue, yellow-green, etc.) that slightly reduces reflective efficiency compared to white (it may have a dark exterior part if it is mostly composed of light colors). In this case as well, the reduction in reflective efficiency on the front surface (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB due to the connector can be suppressed. In addition, the connector may be mounted on the front surface (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB if it has a light color (white, a color close to white (e.g., ivory, beige, cream), etc.) or a pale color (yellow, light blue, yellow-green, etc.)) exterior (it may have a dark exterior part if it is mostly composed of light colors). In this case as well, the reduction in reflective efficiency on the front surface (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB due to this electronic component can be suppressed. Thus, the front surface (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB may be configured to mount only LEDs with light-colored packages, or it may be configured to mount electronic components with light-colored casings in addition to LEDs with light-colored packages. In this case as well, the reduction in reflective efficiency on the front surface (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB can be suppressed.

Furthermore, a substrate ground (also called a solid ground or substrate GND) is formed beneath the white insulating coating formed on the front surface (front mounting surface, LED mounting surface) and the rear surface (back mounting surface, non-LED mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB. Specifically, the substrate ground is formed in the area of the front surface (front mounting surface, LED mounting surface) and the rear surface (back mounting surface, non-LED mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, excluding the area where the wiring pattern is formed, the area where foil-punched characters are formed (for example, the area where the substrate management number is formed), the area where the check terminals (test points) are formed, etc. (partially (may be less than half of the area) or entirely (may be more than half of the area, or almost all of the area)), and almost all areas except the check terminals are covered with a white insulating coating. This prevents light emitted from LEDs mounted on the front surface (front mounting surface, LED mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB from being transmitted to the rear surface (back mounting surface, non-LED mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB via the substrate ground. This improves the reflectivity on the front surface (front mounting surface, LED mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, enabling efficient illumination decoration with reduced light intensity.

In the example described above, a substrate ground is formed on both the front surface (front mounting surface, LED mounting surface) and the rear surface (back mounting surface, non-LED mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB. However, the above effects can be achieved by forming a substrate ground (also called a solid ground or substrate GND) on at least one of the two surfaces of the decorative substrate KB. Furthermore, check terminals (test points) that cannot be covered by the insulating coating may be formed only on the rear surface (back mounting surface, non-LED mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, rather than on the front surface (front mounting surface, LED mounting surface). This increases the proportion of the area covered by the white insulating coating on the front surface (front mounting surface, LED mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, thereby achieving uniform reflectivity on the front surface (front mounting surface, LED mounting surface).

[A configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board provided in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment.]
In the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment, as shown in Figures 194(a) and (b), a narrow through-hole is formed in the thickness direction of the base material KBo of the decorative substrate KB (the direction perpendicular to the front surface (perpendicular to the back surface) of the base material KBo of the decorative substrate KB), and by removing the copper foil on the copper foil surface of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the copper foil surface of the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, front (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 and rear (back mounting surface) side lands KRDy1, each having an outer diameter KTHHD1, are formed, and a wiring pattern is formed on the front (front mounting surface) side and a wiring pattern is formed on the rear (back mounting surface) side. The through-hole KTH1 is formed by applying a conductive plating process to the entire inner circumferential surface of the through-hole. The outer diameter of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the outer diameter of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1 formed on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are the same size, with an outer diameter of KTHHD1.

A front-side land KRDx1 formed on the front (front-mount) side KBx of the decorative substrate KB is electrically connected to one end of a front (front-mount) side wiring pattern formed on the front (front-mount) side KBx of the decorative substrate KB. The other end of the front (front-mount) side wiring pattern is electrically connected to a pad to which a specific terminal of one or more multi-color LEDs is soldered.

Furthermore, some decorative substrates (KB) have a front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate (KB) that is electrically connected to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate (KB). This wiring pattern may consist of a first front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern and a second front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern. In this case, one end of the first front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, and one end of the second front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, resulting in two front (front mounting surface) wiring patterns (i.e., the first front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern and the second front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern) emerging from the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1. Furthermore, some decorative substrates have a rear-side wiring pattern formed on the rear-side (back-mount surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB that is electrically connected to the rear-side (back-mount surface) land KRDy1 formed on the rear-side (back-mount surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, which includes a first rear-side (back-mount surface) wiring pattern and a second rear-side (back-mount surface) wiring pattern. In this case, one end of the first rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the rear-side (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear-side (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, and one end of the second rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the rear-side (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear-side (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Thus, two rear-side (back mounting side) wiring patterns (i.e., the first rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern and the second rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern) emerge from the rear-side (back mounting side) land KRDy1.

A rear-side (back-mount side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear surface (back-mount side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB is electrically connected to one end of a rear-side (back-mount side) wiring pattern formed on the rear surface (back-mount side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Furthermore, the other end of the rear-side (back-mount side) wiring pattern is electrically connected to one of the following pads: a pad to which a specific terminal of the IC controlling the light emission of the full-color LED is soldered, a pad to which a specific terminal of the resistor is soldered, or a pad to which a specific terminal of the connector is soldered.

The front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are electrically connected via the through-hole KTH1. The front (front mounting side) wiring pattern formed on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the rear (back mounting side) wiring pattern formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are electrically connected via the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1, the through-hole KTH1, and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB.

On the copper foil surface of the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, a white resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to form the front (front mounting surface) side resist layer KBxr. However, in the region of the front (front mounting surface) side resist layer KBxr corresponding to the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1, a front (front mounting surface) side resist opening KBxra is formed, having an opening diameter KBxrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1. Furthermore, although a white resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to the copper foil surface of the rear (back mounting) side KByy of the decorative substrate KB, forming the rear (back mounting) side resist layer KByr, a rear (back mounting) side resist opening KByra is formed in the region of the rear (back mounting) side resist layer KByr corresponding to the rear (back mounting) side land KRDy1, having an opening diameter KByrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the rear (back mounting) side land KRDy1.

The aperture diameter KBxrD1 of the resist opening KBxra on the front (front mounting side) and the aperture diameter KByrD1 of the resist opening KByra on the rear (back mounting side) are the same size. Furthermore, the substrate ground (GND) (i.e., solid ground) formed on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the substrate ground (GND) (i.e., solid ground) formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are electrically connected by through-holes (not shown) and share the same ground (GND).

Decorative circuit boards (KB) are actually manufactured by arranging multiple boards from a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) and then cutting them out. The process involves fixing the single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) to the manufacturing equipment, followed by painting, drying, drilling, and other processes, before finally cutting out each individual board.

Thus, on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, a front (front mounting surface) resist opening KBxra is formed in the region of the front (front mounting surface) resist layer KBxr corresponding to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1. This opening has an opening diameter KBxrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1. As a result, the outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 is covered with a white resist as an insulating film, extending from the outer periphery of the outer diameter KTHD1 towards the center of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1. This allows a white resist to be applied as an insulating film to the entire outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, thereby reducing the area of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 where the copper foil is exposed. Furthermore, by covering the outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 with a white resist as an insulating film, from the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHHD1 towards the center of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1, the proportion of the rear (back mounting surface) land KRDy1 covered by the white resist (insulating film) can be increased compared to the case where the inner periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 is covered with the white resist (insulating film) from the center towards the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHHD1. Therefore, uniformity of the rear (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB can be achieved.

Furthermore, since the copper foil is exposed on both the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1, electrical testing of the decorative substrate KB (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by touching the tip of a contact probe to the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 from the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB, and electrical testing of the decorative substrate KB (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by touching the tip of a contact probe to the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 from the rear (back mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB. In other words, the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 can be used as check terminals when performing electrical testing of the decorative substrate KB. Note that a dedicated probe or a test lead used for continuity checks on a so-called "tester" can be used as the contact probe.

Furthermore, since the tip of the contact probe can be brought into contact with the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 from the front (front mounting surface) side of the decorative circuit board KB, for example, even when the pachinko machine 1 is installed in a gaming hall, if the front (front mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board KB faces forward, and the tip of the contact probe can be brought into contact with the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 from the front (front mounting surface) side of the decorative circuit board KB, then electrical testing (operational check and abnormal potential check) of the decorative circuit board KB can be performed as a defect inspection of the decorative circuit board KB without having to remove the decorative circuit board KB.

Incidentally, if the multiple LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board KB are of the type with a narrow beam angle, they may appear as point light sources, creating a cluster of point light sources that could be perceived by the player as unnatural. Therefore, the multiple LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board KB are of the type with a wide beam angle to prevent them from being perceived as point light sources by the player.

However, as the LED's illumination angle increases (the LED's illumination angle widens), the area illuminated by the LED widens, resulting in more light emitted from the LED's light-emitting surface reflecting off multiple other components and returning to the decorative substrate KB. Therefore, if the light returning to the decorative substrate KB can be reflected so that it is emitted forward from the substrate KB, then by utilizing the front surface (surface mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, where multiple LEDs are mounted, as a reflective surface in addition to the LED's light-emitting surface, the light emitted from the LED's light-emitting surface can be efficiently used for lighting effects.

As described above, the decorative substrate KB has through-holes KTH1 that electrically connect the front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB with the rear (back mounting surface) wiring pattern formed on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB has a solid white resist coating as an insulating film, as described above, and front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 is formed thereon. The front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 has exposed copper foil. Therefore, the reflectivity of the white resist (white insulating film) applied as an insulating coating differs from the reflectivity of the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1. This makes it difficult to achieve uniform reflectivity on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB where multiple LEDs are mounted.

Therefore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment, by covering the entire outer periphery of the front surface (front mounting surface) lands KRDx1 on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB with a white resist as an insulating film, the area of the front surface (front mounting surface) lands KRDx1 where the copper foil is exposed can be kept small, thereby contributing to making the reflectivity of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB on which multiple LEDs are mounted uniform.

Furthermore, by applying a white resist as an insulating coating to the entire outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, the proportion of exposed copper foil on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, which is visible to the player, can be reduced. This makes the reflectivity of the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB less noticeable, contributing to an improved light-emitting effect from the decorative substrate KB.

Furthermore, a translucent inner lens KA is positioned on the front surface (surface mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. This inner lens KA has lens cuts on its surface or back surface (formed in a polyhedron or uneven shape (including those with multiple fine irregularities)) that allow it to diffusely refract light, and also distort objects viewed through the inner lens KA, making them blurred. An example of an inner lens is shown in Figure 262. Figure 262(A) is a front view of the inner lens KA, Figure 262(B) is a front perspective view of the inner lens KA, and Figure 262(C) is a rear perspective view of the inner lens KA. As shown in Figures 262(A) to (C), the inner lens KA has multiple fine lenses (or prisms) formed on its surface, allowing it to widely diffuse light from the decorative substrate KB. In this way, by covering almost the entire front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB with the inner lens KA (at least the area where the LEDs are mounted), the presence of the front surface-side lands KRDx1 and through-holes KTH1 on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB can be made less noticeable to the player.

Furthermore, the inner lens KA can achieve the above-described effects if it has a fine lens (or prism) or other lens cut on at least one of its front and back surfaces. Also, it is sufficient that the inner lens KA covers at least the area on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB where the front (front mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and through-holes KTH1 are formed; however, a portion of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB may not be covered by the inner lens KA. Furthermore, by adopting a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment, the presence of the front surface (surface mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB can be made less noticeable to the player. In addition, by adopting a configuration in which the inner lens KA covers substantially the entire area of the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB (at least the area where the LEDs are mounted), the presence of the front surface (surface mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx can be made even less noticeable to the player. Moreover, if there is a difference in reflection efficiency due to the thickness or color intensity of the solid white resist applied as the insulating coating on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, this difference can be suppressed by the inner lens KA, thereby enhancing the visual effect.

Furthermore, when the inner lens KA is placed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, it may be positioned so that the boundaries between faces of the polyhedron formed on the surface, or the boundaries between recesses and protrusions, overlap with one or both of the through-hole KTH1 and a part of the labeling area (which may be only the part number or only the area indicating the placement position) (on a straight line perpendicular to the LED mounting surface). In this case, the boundaries between faces on the surface of the inner lens KA, where distortion is particularly large, can obscure the through-hole KTH1 and the labeling area, making it difficult for the player to discern their presence. Furthermore, the inner lens KA covering the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB may be composed of multiple lenses with different degrees of lens cuts (lenses with different polyhedra, number of bumps and recesses, and surface sizes, etc.) stacked on top of each other (for example, a double structure). This makes the refraction of light more irregular, and also makes objects viewed through the inner lens KA more strongly distorted and blurred, making it difficult for the player to notice the presence of the front surface (surface mounting surface) side land KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. Alternatively, the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB may be covered with a decorative lens without lens cuts, and an inner lens KA with lens cuts may be placed between this decorative lens and the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KG (inside the decorative lens), so that this inner lens KA covers part or all of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. Alternatively, the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB may be covered with an inner lens KA with lens cuts, and a decorative lens without lens cuts may be placed between this inner lens KA and the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KG (inside the decorative lens), so that this decorative lens covers part or all of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB.

Furthermore, decorative lenses without lens cuts may be formed to be opaque (including translucent) and light-transmitting. By placing them together with the inner lens KA with lens cuts on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, the presence of the front surface (front mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and through-holes KTH1 on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB is made less noticeable to the player by the opaque decorative lenses, while uniform illumination decoration by LEDs mounted on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB can be achieved. Alternatively, instead of placing the inner lens KA with lens cuts on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, only the decorative lens formed to be opaque (including translucent) and light-transmitting, and without lens cuts, may be placed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. In this case as well, the presence of the front surface (surface mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and through-holes KTH1 on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB can be made less noticeable to the player by the opaque decorative lens, while still allowing the LED illumination decoration mounted on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB to be performed.

Furthermore, since the liquid crystal display screen of the performance display device 1600 provided on the game board 5 is the player's primary point of view, the decorative substrates surrounding the performance display device 1600 (liquid crystal display screen), the decorative substrates positioned to overlap the performance display device 1600 (liquid crystal display screen), and the decorative substrates movably positioned to overlap the top of the performance display device 1600 (liquid crystal display screen) are configured in a way that covers the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided on the game board 5 according to the first embodiment. By minimizing the areas where the through-hole lands are not covered by the insulating film, the effects of making the reflectivity of the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs are mounted uniformly, making the copper foil less noticeable, and making the presence of the through-holes less noticeable to the player are enhanced. Furthermore, even in other locations, for example, where the decorative circuit board is placed in a location where the player can see it through the inner lens KA which has lens cuts (formed in a polyhedral or uneven shape) that allow light to be diffusely refracted, the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of the through-holes formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board provided in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment has the effect of making the reflectivity of the front surface (surface mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board on which multiple LEDs are mounted uniform, the effect of making the copper foil portion less noticeable, and the effect of making the presence of the through-holes less noticeable to the player. Furthermore, the decorative circuit boards on the game board 5 are positioned closer to the display device 1600 than those on the door frame 3. Therefore, in the configuration where an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5 according to the first embodiment, the effects of making the reflectivity of the front surface (surface mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board on which multiple LEDs are mounted are uniform, the effect of making the copper foil portion less noticeable, and the effect of making the presence of the through-holes less noticeable to the player are all significant.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment, on the rear surface (back mounting surface) KByy of the decorative substrate KB, in the region of the rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist layer KByr corresponding to the rear surface (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1, a rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist opening KByra is formed, having an opening diameter KByrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the rear surface (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1. In the case where the outer periphery of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1 was covered with a white resist as an insulating film from the outer periphery of 1 toward the center of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1, however, as shown in Figure 194(c), a rear (back mounting surface) side resist opening KByra may be formed in the region of the rear (back mounting surface) side resist layer KByr corresponding to the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1, having an opening diameter KByrD2 (> opening diameter KByrD1) that is larger than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1. This is because no LEDs are mounted on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, and the light emitted by the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB cannot be utilized as a reflective surface by the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Therefore, there is no need for the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB to contribute to the aforementioned uniformity (uniformity), and thus the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB cannot efficiently utilize the light emitted from the LED light-emitting surface for lighting effects.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment, a white resist layer is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface, thereby achieving uniformity of reflectivity on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB by indicating the attributes of electronic components such as the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position where the full-color LED is placed (for example, by forming the indicated area in a light color such as yellow on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, or by forming the indicated area with foil-cut letters, or by forming the indicated area with paint of a predetermined color on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB). Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment, covering the front surface (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB with a white insulating film contributes to suppressing a decrease in reflectivity. In addition, by adopting a configuration that aims to equalize the reflectivity on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB using the above-mentioned marking section, the effect of suppressing a decrease in reflectivity is further enhanced. Furthermore, in a configuration where the reflectivity of the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB is made uniform through the marking area, it is possible to make the marking area itself difficult to see. This makes it difficult for players to see marking areas indicating the attributes of electronic components, such as the part number of the full-color LED or the area indicating the position where the full-color LED will be placed, which are unrelated to the game. In addition, by adopting a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment, the through-holes can also be made difficult to see. This enhances the effect of preventing the viewing of information unrelated to the game or through-holes, which could diminish the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, as a security measure, the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position of the full-color LED, as well as other attributes of the electronic components, may be omitted, and instead, a single-pin mark may be indicated by leaving foil residue. In this case, in addition to these configurations, by adopting a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment, the effect of suppressing the reduction in reflectivity can be further enhanced, and the effect of preventing the viewing of information unrelated to the game (single-pin marks) or through-holes, which could diminish the enjoyment of the game, can be increased.

In the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment, a white resist layer was formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface. However, while a white resist layer is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of a decorative substrate KB on which multiple LEDs are mounted by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface by applying a white resist film to almost the entire surface by applying a resist liquid of a different color (for example, green, black, yellow, red, blue, etc.) as an insulating, a resist layer of a different color may be formed on the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of a decorative substrate KB on which no LEDs are mounted by applying a resist liquid of a different color (for example, green, black, yellow, red, blue, etc.) to almost the entire surface by applying a resist liquid of a different color (for example, green, black, yellow, red, blue, etc.) as an insulating film. This is because no LEDs are mounted on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, and the light emitted by the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB cannot be utilized as a reflective surface by the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Therefore, there is no need for the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB to contribute to the aforementioned uniformity (uniformity), and thus the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB cannot efficiently utilize the light emitted from the LED light-emitting surface for lighting effects.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment, a white resist layer was formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface. However, on one or both of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, a white silk-screen printed layer may be formed by printing a white insulating film with white paint as an insulating film to almost the entire surface. In this case, on the white silk-screen printed layer formed on one or both surfaces, a notation indicating the part number and attributes of the electronic component, which makes the electronic component identifiable, is printed with yellow paint using silk-screen printing. In addition to yellow, the notation may be printed with paint having a lightness close to white, such as pastel colors (for example, light green, light blue, etc.), using silk-screen printing. When forming the aforementioned white silkscreen printing layer on one or both surfaces, a resist layer may be formed to cover the substrate KBo or the copper foil surface (the copper foil surface excluding a predetermined area other than the pads to which electronic components are soldered). Alternatively, a resist layer may not be formed. If a resist layer is formed, the white silkscreen printing layer will be formed by covering this resist layer with a white insulating film, which is printed using silkscreen printing with a white paint as an insulating coating. The resist layer may be a white resist solution, or a resist solution of a different color (green, black, yellow, red, blue, etc.).

Furthermore, the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment can be applied to the through-hole lands of the function display substrate 1400c in the function display unit 1400 of the game board 5. As described above, a black resist layer is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) 1400cx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) 1400cy of the function display substrate 1400c by a black insulating film formed by applying a black resist liquid. As described above, using a black resist liquid helps to prevent reflection from the light emitted by the multiple LEDs 1400ca mounted on the front surface (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the function display substrate 1400c, thereby preventing mixing with the light emitted by nearby LEDs 1400ca. Therefore, by covering the entire outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) side lands on the front (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the functional display board 1400c with a black resist as an insulating film, the area of the front (front mounting surface) side lands where the copper foil is exposed is reduced, thereby lowering the reflectivity and contributing to making the reflectivity of the front (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the functional display board 1400c, on which multiple LEDs 1400ca are mounted, uniform.

Furthermore, as described above, through-holes have copper plating on the inner circumferential wall of the through-hole to provide conductivity. There are through-holes for mounting electronic components and through-holes without electronic components. In both cases, an insulating coating was applied to the land of the through-hole formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment. However, for through-holes without electronic components that are located directly below where electronic components are mounted, the insulating coating does not need to be applied to the land of the through-hole formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the first embodiment. In other words, the entire copper foil on the land of a through-hole located directly below where electronic components are mounted may be left exposed. In this case, the entire copper foil on the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative circuit board KB, and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative circuit board KB, are left exposed. Since the electronic components are positioned to cover the entire land of the through-hole where the copper foil is exposed, there is no need to make the copper foil portion less conspicuous, nor is there any need to make the existence of the through-hole holes difficult for the player to notice. Furthermore, the existence of the through-hole land and the through-hole holes can be visually confirmed during electrical testing of the decorative circuit board KB from the side where no electronic components are mounted, and electrical testing of the decorative circuit board KB (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by touching the tip of a contact probe to the through-hole land.

[Configuration for covering the through-hole lands according to the second embodiment with an insulating coating]
In the configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands according to the second embodiment, as shown in Figures 195(a) and (b), a narrow through-hole is formed in the thickness direction of the base material KBo of the decorative substrate KB (the direction perpendicular to the surface (or back surface) of the base material KBo of the decorative substrate KB), and by removing the copper foil from the copper foil surface of the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the copper foil surface of the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, front (front mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and rear (back mounting surface) lands KRDy1, each having an outer diameter KTHHD1, are formed, and wiring patterns are formed on the front (front mounting surface) and rear (back mounting surface) sides. Through-holes KTH1 are formed by applying a conductive plating process to the through-holes. The outer diameter of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the outer diameter of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1 formed on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are the same size, with outer diameter KTHD1. This is the same size as the outer diameter of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 and the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1 in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole land according to the first embodiment described above.

A front-side land KRDx1 formed on the front (front-mount) side KBx of the decorative substrate KB is electrically connected to one end of a front (front-mount) side wiring pattern formed on the front (front-mount) side KBx of the decorative substrate KB. The other end of the front (front-mount) side wiring pattern is electrically connected to a pad to which a specific terminal of one or more multi-color LEDs is soldered.

A rear-side (back-mount side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear surface (back-mount side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB is electrically connected to one end of a rear-side (back-mount side) wiring pattern formed on the rear surface (back-mount side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Furthermore, the other end of the rear-side (back-mount side) wiring pattern is electrically connected to one of the following pads: a pad to which a specific terminal of the IC controlling the light emission of the full-color LED is soldered, a pad to which a specific terminal of the resistor is soldered, or a pad to which a specific terminal of the connector is soldered.

Furthermore, some decorative substrates (KB) have a front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate (KB) that is electrically connected to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate (KB). This wiring pattern may consist of a first front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern and a second front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern. In this case, one end of the first front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, and one end of the second front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, resulting in two front (front mounting surface) wiring patterns (i.e., the first front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern and the second front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern) emerging from the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1. Furthermore, some decorative substrates have a rear-side wiring pattern formed on the rear-side (back-mount surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB that is electrically connected to the rear-side (back-mount surface) land KRDy1 formed on the rear-side (back-mount surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, which includes a first rear-side (back-mount surface) wiring pattern and a second rear-side (back-mount surface) wiring pattern. In this case, one end of the first rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the rear-side (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear-side (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, and one end of the second rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the rear-side (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear-side (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Thus, two rear-side (back mounting side) wiring patterns (i.e., the first rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern and the second rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern) emerge from the rear-side (back mounting side) land KRDy1.

The front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are electrically connected via the through-hole KTH1. The front (front mounting side) wiring pattern formed on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the rear (back mounting side) wiring pattern formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are electrically connected via the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1, the through-hole KTH1, and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB.

On the copper foil surface of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, a white resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to form the front surface (front mounting surface) side resist layer KBxr. However, in the region of the front surface (front mounting surface) side resist layer KBxr corresponding to the front surface (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1, a front surface (front mounting surface) side resist opening KBxra is formed, having an opening diameter KBxrD1 that is smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the front surface (front mounting surface) side land KRDxx1, even smaller than the outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1 in the configuration for covering the through-hole land with an insulating film according to the first embodiment described above, and larger than the inner diameter of the hole of the through-hole KTH1. The inner diameter of the opening KBxrD2 takes into account the resist liquid intrusion prevention region that extends concentrically outward from the inner edge of the front (front mounting surface) side of the through-hole KTH1. It is sized to be a distance of at least 0.5 mm from the inner edge of the front (front mounting surface) side of the through-hole KTH1 (this distance is necessary to prevent the white resist liquid from entering the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB; in the configuration where an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole land according to the second embodiment, 0.5 mm is used). Therefore, the inner diameter of the opening KBxrD2 is the inner diameter of the through-hole KTH1 plus twice the resist liquid intrusion prevention region (0.5 mm), resulting in a size 1.0 mm larger than the inner diameter of the through-hole KTH1.

In contrast, on the copper foil surface of the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, a white resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to form the rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist layer KByr. However, in the region of the rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist layer KByr corresponding to the rear surface (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1, a rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist opening KByra is formed, having an opening diameter KByrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the rear surface (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1. The outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1 is the same size as the outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1 in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the land of the through-hole according to the first embodiment described above.

Furthermore, the substrate ground (GND) formed on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB (i.e., a solid ground plane) and the substrate ground (GND) formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB (i.e., a solid ground plane) are electrically connected via through-holes (not shown) and share the same ground (GND).

Decorative circuit boards (KB) are actually manufactured by arranging multiple boards from a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) and then cutting them out. The process involves fixing the single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) to the manufacturing equipment, followed by painting, drying, drilling, and other processes, before finally cutting out each individual board.

Thus, on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, the region of the front surface (front mounting surface) side resist layer KBxr corresponding to the front surface (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 has an opening diameter KBxrD1 that is smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the front surface (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1, and even smaller than the outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1 in the configuration for covering the through-hole land of the first embodiment described above, and larger than the inner diameter of the hole of the through-hole KTH1. Because a resist opening KBxra is formed, the outer circumference of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 is covered with a white resist as an insulating film, excluding the resist liquid intrusion prevention area (i.e., the area extending from the inner edge of the through-hole KTH1 on the front (front mounting surface) side to a position separated by the resist liquid intrusion prevention distance dimension (0.5 mm)). As a result, a white resist can be applied as an insulating film to the entire outer circumference of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, from almost the inside outwards (that is, over the area of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, excluding the resist liquid intrusion prevention area). Therefore, the area of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 where the copper foil is exposed becomes the resist liquid intrusion prevention area, and the area of the exposed copper foil can be kept extremely small compared to the configuration in the first embodiment where an insulating film is applied to the through-hole land. Furthermore, by covering the outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 with a white resist as an insulating film, from the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHHD1 towards the center of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1, the proportion of the rear (back mounting surface) land KRDy1 covered by the white resist (insulating film) can be increased compared to the case where the inner periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 is covered with the white resist (insulating film) from the center towards the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHHD1. Therefore, uniformity of the rear (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB can be achieved.

Furthermore, since a resist liquid intrusion prevention area is provided for the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB, when a white resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to the copper foil surface of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, even if the decorative substrate KB is fixed to the manufacturing equipment so that the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx is facing vertically upward (because the decorative substrate KB is actually manufactured by arranging multiple substrates from a single standard-size copper-clad laminate (substrate) and finally cutting it out, so that the front surface of the single standard-size copper-clad laminate (substrate) is facing vertically upward), the white resist liquid will not penetrate into the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB and will dry without blocking these holes.

Furthermore, since the copper foil is exposed on both the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1, electrical testing of the decorative substrate KB (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by touching the tip of a contact probe to the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 from the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB, and electrical testing of the decorative substrate KB (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by touching the tip of a contact probe to the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 from the rear (back mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB. In other words, the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 can be used as check terminals when performing electrical testing of the decorative substrate KB. Note that a dedicated probe or a test lead used for continuity checks on a so-called "tester" can be used as the contact probe.

Furthermore, since the tip of the contact probe can be brought into contact with the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 from the front (front mounting surface) side of the decorative circuit board KB, for example, even when the pachinko machine 1 is installed in a gaming hall, if the front (front mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board KB faces forward, and the tip of the contact probe can be brought into contact with the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 from the front (front mounting surface) side of the decorative circuit board KB, then electrical testing (operational check and abnormal potential check) of the decorative circuit board KB can be performed as a defect inspection of the decorative circuit board KB without having to remove the decorative circuit board KB.

Incidentally, if the multiple LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board KB are of the type with a narrow beam angle, they may appear as point light sources, creating a cluster of point light sources that could be perceived by the player as unnatural. Therefore, the multiple LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board KB are of the type with a wide beam angle to prevent them from being perceived as point light sources by the player.

However, as the LED's illumination angle increases (the LED's illumination angle widens), the area illuminated by the LED widens, resulting in more light emitted from the LED's light-emitting surface reflecting off multiple other components and returning to the decorative substrate KB. Therefore, if the light returning to the decorative substrate KB can be reflected so that it is emitted forward from the substrate KB, then by utilizing the front surface (surface mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, where multiple LEDs are mounted, as a reflective surface in addition to the LED's light-emitting surface, the light emitted from the LED's light-emitting surface can be efficiently used for lighting effects.

As described above, the decorative substrate KB has through-holes KTH1 that electrically connect the front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB with the rear (back mounting surface) wiring pattern formed on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB has a solid white resist coating as an insulating film, as described above, and front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 is formed thereon. The front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 has exposed copper foil. Therefore, the reflectivity of the white resist (white insulating film) applied as an insulating coating differs from the reflectivity of the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1. This makes it difficult to achieve uniform reflectivity on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB where multiple LEDs are mounted.

Therefore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment, a white resist can be applied as an insulating film from almost the inside to the entire outer circumference of the front surface (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB (that is, over the area of the front surface (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB excluding the resist liquid intrusion prevention area), so that the copper foil does not peel off. The exposed portion acts as a resist liquid intrusion prevention area, thereby significantly reducing the area of the exposed copper foil on the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 compared to the configuration in the first embodiment where an insulating film is applied to the through-hole land. This contributes more to achieving uniform reflectivity on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB on which multiple LEDs are mounted, compared to the configuration in the first embodiment where an insulating film is applied to the through-hole land.

Furthermore, by applying a white resist as an insulating coating to the entire outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB (i.e., the area of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB excluding the resist liquid intrusion prevention area), the proportion of exposed copper foil on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB that is visible to the player can be reduced. This makes the reflectivity of the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB less conspicuous, contributing to an improved light-emitting effect from the decorative substrate KB.

Furthermore, a translucent inner lens KA is positioned on the front (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative circuit board KB. This inner lens KA is cut (formed into a polyhedron) to allow for diffuse refraction of light, and can also distort objects viewed through the inner lens KA. In this way, by covering almost the entire area of the front (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative circuit board KB (at least the area where the LEDs are mounted) with the inner lens KA, the holes of the front (surface mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 and through-holes KTH1 on the front (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative circuit board KB become indistinct, making it difficult for players to perceive their presence. Furthermore, by adopting a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment, the presence of the front surface (surface mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB can be made less noticeable to the player. In addition, by adopting a configuration in which the inner lens KA covers substantially the entire area of the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB (at least the area where the LEDs are mounted), the presence of the front surface (surface mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB can be made even less noticeable to the player. Moreover, if there is a difference in reflection efficiency due to the thickness or color intensity of the solid white resist applied as the insulating coating on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, this difference can be suppressed by the inner lens KA, thereby enhancing the visual effect.

Furthermore, when the inner lens KA is placed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, it may be positioned so that the boundaries between faces of the polyhedron formed on the surface, or the boundaries between recesses and protrusions, overlap with one or both of the through-hole KTH1 and a part of the labeling area (which may be only the part number or only the area indicating the placement position) (on a straight line perpendicular to the LED mounting surface). In this case, the boundaries between faces on the surface of the inner lens KA, where distortion is particularly large, can obscure the through-hole KTH1 and the labeling area, making it difficult for the player to discern their presence. Furthermore, the inner lens KA covering the front (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB may be constructed by stacking multiple lenses with different degrees of lens cuts (lenses with different polyhedra, number of bumps, or surface sizes, etc.) (for example, a double structure). This not only makes the refraction of light more irregular, but also distorts and blurs objects viewed through the inner lens KA more strongly, making it difficult for the player to perceive the presence of the front (surface mounting surface) side land KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 on the front (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB.

Furthermore, since the liquid crystal display screen of the performance display device 1600 provided on the game board 5 is the player's primary point of view, the decorative substrates surrounding the performance display device 1600 (liquid crystal display screen), the decorative substrates positioned to overlap the performance display device 1600 (liquid crystal display screen), and the decorative substrates movably positioned to overlap the top of the performance display device 1600 (liquid crystal display screen) are configured in a way that covers the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided on the game board 5 according to the second embodiment. Compared to the configuration in the first embodiment where an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands, this configuration minimizes the area where the insulating coating does not cover the through-hole lands, thereby enhancing the effects of making the reflectivity of the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs are mounted uniform, making the copper foil less conspicuous, and making the presence of the through-holes less noticeable to the player. Furthermore, even in other locations, for example, where the decorative circuit board is placed in a location where the player can see it through the inner lens KA which has lens cuts (formed in a polyhedral or uneven shape) that allow light to be diffusely refracted, the configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board provided in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment has the effect of making the reflectivity of the front surface (surface mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board on which multiple LEDs are mounted uniform, the effect of making the copper foil portion less noticeable, and the effect of making the presence of the through-holes less noticeable to the player. Furthermore, the decorative circuit boards on the game board 5 are positioned closer to the display device 1600 than those on the door frame 3. Therefore, in the configuration where an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5 according to the second embodiment, the effects of making the reflectivity of the front surface (surface mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board on which multiple LEDs are mounted are uniform, making the copper foil portion less conspicuous, and making the presence of the through-holes less noticeable to the player are significantly improved.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment, on the rear surface (back mounting surface) KByy of the decorative substrate KB, in the region of the rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist layer KByr corresponding to the rear surface (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1, a rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist opening KByra is formed, having an opening diameter KByrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the rear surface (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1. In the case where the outer periphery of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1 was covered with a white resist as an insulating film from the outer periphery of 1 toward the center of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1, however, as shown in Figure 195(c), a rear (back mounting surface) side resist opening KByra may be formed in the region of the rear (back mounting surface) side resist layer KByr corresponding to the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1, having an opening diameter KByrD2 (> opening diameter KByrD1) that is larger than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1. This is because no LEDs are mounted on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, and the light emitted by the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB cannot be utilized as a reflective surface by the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Therefore, there is no need for the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB to contribute to the aforementioned uniformity (uniformity), and thus the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB cannot efficiently utilize the light emitted from the LED light-emitting surface for lighting effects.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment, a white resist layer is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface, thereby achieving uniformity of reflectivity on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB by indicating the attributes of electronic components such as the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position where the full-color LED is placed (for example, by forming the indicated area in a light color such as yellow on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, or by forming the indicated area with foil-cut letters, or by forming the indicated area with paint of a predetermined color on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB). Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment, covering the front surface (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB with a white insulating film contributes to suppressing a decrease in reflectivity. In addition, by adopting a configuration that aims to equalize the reflectivity on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB using the above-mentioned marking section, the effect of suppressing a decrease in reflectivity is further enhanced. Furthermore, in a configuration where the reflectivity of the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB is made uniform through the marking section, it is possible to make the marking section itself difficult to see. This makes it difficult for players to see markings indicating attributes of electronic components, such as the part number of the full-color LED or the area indicating the position where the full-color LED will be placed, which are unrelated to the game. In addition, by adopting a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment, the through-holes can also be made difficult to see. This enhances the effect of preventing the viewing of information unrelated to the game or through-holes, which could diminish the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, as a security measure, the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position of the full-color LED, as well as other attributes of the electronic components, may be omitted, and instead, a single-pin mark may be indicated by leaving foil residue. In this case, in addition to these configurations, by adopting a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment, the effect of suppressing the reduction in reflectivity can be further enhanced, and the effect of preventing the viewing of information unrelated to the game (single-pin marks) or through-holes, which could diminish the enjoyment of the game, can be increased.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment, a white resist layer was formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface, forming a white resist layer. However, while a white resist layer is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of a decorative substrate KB on which multiple LEDs are mounted by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface, a resist layer of a different color (for example, green, black, yellow, red, blue, etc.) resist liquid is applied to almost the entire surface of the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of a decorative substrate KB on which no LEDs are mounted, forming a resist layer of a different color (for example, green, black, yellow, red, blue, etc.) by applying a resist liquid of a different color than white to almost the entire surface, forming a resist layer of a different color. This is because no LEDs are mounted on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, and the light emitted by the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB cannot be utilized as a reflective surface by the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Therefore, there is no need for the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB to contribute to the aforementioned uniformity (uniformity), and thus the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB cannot efficiently utilize the light emitted from the LED light-emitting surface for lighting effects.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment, a white resist layer was formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface. However, on one or both of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, a white silk-screen printed layer may be formed by printing a white insulating film with white paint as an insulating film to almost the entire surface. In this case, on the white silk-screen printed layer formed on one or both surfaces, a notation indicating the part number and attributes of the electronic component, which makes the electronic component identifiable, is printed with yellow paint using silk-screen printing. In addition to yellow, the notation may be printed with paint having a lightness close to white, such as pastel colors (for example, light green, light blue, etc.), using silk-screen printing. When forming the aforementioned white silkscreen printing layer on one or both surfaces, a resist layer may be formed to cover the substrate KBo or the copper foil surface (the copper foil surface excluding a predetermined area other than the pads to which electronic components are soldered). Alternatively, a resist layer may not be formed. If a resist layer is formed, the white silkscreen printing layer will be formed by covering this resist layer with a white insulating film, which is printed using silkscreen printing with a white paint as an insulating coating. The resist layer may be a white resist solution, or a resist solution of a different color (green, black, yellow, red, blue, etc.).

Furthermore, the configuration of covering the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment with an insulating film can be applied to the through-hole lands of the function display substrate 1400c in the function display unit 1400 of the game board 5. As described above, a black resist layer is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) 1400cx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) 1400cy of the function display substrate 1400c by a black insulating film formed by applying a black resist liquid. As described above, using a black resist liquid helps to prevent reflection from the light emitted by the multiple LEDs 1400ca mounted on the front surface (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the function display substrate 1400c, thereby preventing mixing with the light emitted by nearby LEDs 1400ca. Therefore, a black resist can be applied as an insulating film to the entire outer circumference of the front (front mounting surface) side lands on the front (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the functional display board 1400c (that is, to the area of the front (front mounting surface) side lands on the front (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the functional display board 1400c excluding the resist liquid intrusion prevention area). As a result, the area where the copper foil is exposed becomes the resist liquid intrusion prevention area, thus preventing the copper foil from being exposed. Compared to the functional display board 1400c in the first embodiment, which employs a configuration where an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands, the area of the surface (front mounting surface) lands can be kept extremely small, reducing reflectivity. This contributes more significantly to making the reflectivity of the front surface (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the functional display board 1400c, on which multiple LEDs 1400ca are mounted, compared to the functional display board 1400c in the first embodiment.

Furthermore, as described above, through-holes have copper plating on the inner circumferential wall of the through-hole to provide conductivity. There are through-holes for mounting electronic components and through-holes without electronic components. In both cases, an insulating coating was applied to the land of the through-hole formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment. However, for through-holes without electronic components that are located directly below where electronic components are mounted, the insulating coating does not need to be applied to the land of the through-hole formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the second embodiment. In other words, the entire copper foil on the land of a through-hole located directly below where electronic components are mounted may be left exposed. In this case, the entire copper foil on the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative circuit board KB, and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative circuit board KB, are left exposed. Since the electronic components are positioned to cover the entire land of the through-hole where the copper foil is exposed, there is no need to make the copper foil portion less conspicuous, nor is there any need to make the existence of the through-hole holes difficult for the player to notice. Furthermore, the existence of the through-hole land and the through-hole holes can be visually confirmed during electrical testing of the decorative circuit board KB from the side where no electronic components are mounted, and electrical testing of the decorative circuit board KB (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by touching the tip of a contact probe to the through-hole land.

[Configuration for covering the through-hole lands with an insulating coating according to the third embodiment]
In the configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands according to the third embodiment, as shown in Figures 196(a) and (b), a narrow through-hole is formed in the thickness direction of the base material KBo of the decorative substrate KB (the direction perpendicular to the front surface (or back surface) of the base material KBo of the decorative substrate KB), and by removing the copper foil from the copper foil surface of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the copper foil surface of the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, front (front mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and rear (back mounting surface) lands KRDy1, each having an outer diameter KTHHD1, are formed, and wiring patterns are formed on the front (front mounting surface) and rear (back mounting surface) sides. Through-holes KTH1 are formed by applying a conductive plating process to the through-holes. The outer diameter of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the outer diameter of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1 formed on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are the same size, with outer diameter KTHD1. This is the same size as the outer diameter of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 and the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1 in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole land according to the first embodiment described above.

A front-side land KRDx1 formed on the front (front-mount) side KBx of the decorative substrate KB is electrically connected to one end of a front (front-mount) side wiring pattern formed on the front (front-mount) side KBx of the decorative substrate KB. The other end of the front (front-mount) side wiring pattern is electrically connected to a pad to which a specific terminal of one or more multi-color LEDs is soldered.

Furthermore, some decorative substrates (KB) have a front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate (KB) that is electrically connected to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate (KB). This wiring pattern may consist of a first front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern and a second front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern. In this case, one end of the first front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, and one end of the second front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, resulting in two front (front mounting surface) wiring patterns (i.e., the first front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern and the second front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern) emerging from the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1. Furthermore, some decorative substrates have a rear-side wiring pattern formed on the rear-side (back-mount surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB that is electrically connected to the rear-side (back-mount surface) land KRDy1 formed on the rear-side (back-mount surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, which includes a first rear-side (back-mount surface) wiring pattern and a second rear-side (back-mount surface) wiring pattern. In this case, one end of the first rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the rear-side (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear-side (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, and one end of the second rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the rear-side (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear-side (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Thus, two rear-side (back mounting side) wiring patterns (i.e., the first rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern and the second rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern) emerge from the rear-side (back mounting side) land KRDy1.

A rear-side (back-mount side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear surface (back-mount side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB is electrically connected to one end of a rear-side (back-mount side) wiring pattern formed on the rear surface (back-mount side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Furthermore, the other end of the rear-side (back-mount side) wiring pattern is electrically connected to one of the following pads: a pad to which a specific terminal of the IC controlling the light emission of the full-color LED is soldered, a pad to which a specific terminal of the resistor is soldered, or a pad to which a specific terminal of the connector is soldered.

The front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are electrically connected via the through-hole KTH1. The front (front mounting side) wiring pattern formed on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the rear (back mounting side) wiring pattern formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are electrically connected via the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1, the through-hole KTH1, and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB.

On the copper foil surface of the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, a white resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to form the front (front mounting side) resist layer KBxr. Therefore, within the front (front mounting side) resist layer KBxr, the area corresponding to the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 is also coated with the white resist liquid as an insulating film, forming the front (front mounting side) resist layer KBxr.

The decorative substrate KB is actually manufactured by arranging multiple substrates from a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) and finally cutting them out. The process involves fixing the single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) to the manufacturing equipment and then applying paint, drying, drilling holes, and other processes, before finally cutting out each substrate. Therefore, when a white resist liquid is applied as an insulating coating to the copper foil surface of the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, it is fixed to the manufacturing equipment so that the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB faces vertically upward (because the decorative substrate KB is actually manufactured by arranging multiple substrates from a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) and finally cutting them out, the front of the single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) faces vertically upward). This allows the white resist liquid to penetrate from the inner edge of the front (front mounting surface) side of the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB, sealing the hole. The white resist liquid that penetrates the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB will dry in a depression due to its own weight, moving from the inner edge on the front (front mounting side) side of the through-hole KTH1 towards the center of the hole.

In contrast, on the copper foil surface of the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, a white resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to form the rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist layer KByr. However, in the region of the rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist layer KByr corresponding to the rear surface (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1, a rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist opening KByra is formed, having an opening diameter KByrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the rear surface (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1. The outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1 is the same size as the outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1 in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the land of the through-hole according to the first embodiment described above.

Furthermore, the substrate ground (GND) formed on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB (i.e., a solid ground plane) and the substrate ground (GND) formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB (i.e., a solid ground plane) are electrically connected via through-holes (not shown) and share the same ground (GND).

Thus, on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, the area of the front (front mounting surface) resist layer KBxr corresponding to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 is covered with a white resist as an insulating film. In addition, the white resist liquid penetrates from the inner edge of the through-hole KTH1 on the decorative substrate KB on the front (front mounting surface) side, sealing the hole. As a result, the entire front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 and the hole of the through-hole KTH1 on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB are covered with a white resist as an insulating film. Therefore, the copper foil on the front (front mounting surface) land KNDx1 is not exposed, and the conductive plated portion applied to the entire inner surface of the through-hole KTH1 is not exposed from the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. Furthermore, because the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB is blocked, it is possible to prevent light from the rear of the decorative substrate KB from passing through the through-hole KTH1 towards the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB.

Incidentally, if the multiple LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board KB are of the type with a narrow beam angle, they may appear as point light sources, creating a cluster of point light sources that could be perceived by the player as unnatural. Therefore, the multiple LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board KB are of the type with a wide beam angle to prevent them from being perceived as point light sources by the player.

However, as the LED's illumination angle increases (the LED's illumination angle widens), the area illuminated by the LED widens, resulting in more light emitted from the LED's light-emitting surface reflecting off multiple other components and returning to the decorative substrate KB. Therefore, if the light returning to the decorative substrate KB can be reflected so that it is emitted forward from the substrate KB, then by utilizing the front surface (surface mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, where multiple LEDs are mounted, as a reflective surface in addition to the LED's light-emitting surface, the light emitted from the LED's light-emitting surface can be efficiently used for lighting effects.

As described above, the decorative substrate KB has through-holes KTH1 that electrically connect the front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB with the rear (back mounting surface) wiring pattern formed on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB has a solid white resist coating as an insulating film, as described above, and front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 is formed thereon. The front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 has exposed copper foil. Therefore, the reflectivity of the white resist (white insulating film) applied as an insulating coating differs from the reflectivity of the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1. This makes it difficult to achieve uniform reflectivity on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB where multiple LEDs are mounted.

Furthermore, if the holes for the front-side lands KRDx1 and through-holes KTH1 formed on the front (front-mount) side of the decorative circuit board KB are visible to the player, the presence of these holes may be visually distracting to the player.

Therefore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment, on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, the region of the front surface (front mounting surface) resist layer KBxr corresponding to the front surface (front mounting surface) lands KRDx1 is also covered with a white resist as an insulating film. Furthermore, the white resist liquid penetrates from the inner periphery on the front surface (front mounting surface) side of the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB, sealing the hole. This contributes to making the reflectivity of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, on which multiple LEDs are mounted, uniform.

Furthermore, on the front (surface mounting) side KBx of the decorative substrate KB, the area of the front (surface mounting) side resist layer KBxr corresponding to the front (surface mounting) side land KRDx1 is also covered with a white resist as an insulating film. Additionally, the white resist liquid penetrates from the inner periphery of the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB on the front (surface mounting) side, sealing these holes. This reduces the amount of exposed copper foil on the front (surface mounting) side KBx of the decorative substrate KB that is visible to the player (at least, the copper foil of the front (surface mounting) side land KRDx1 is not exposed at all). By making the reflectivity of the front (surface mounting) side KBx of the decorative substrate KB uniform, the copper foil portion becomes less noticeable, contributing to an improved light-emitting effect from the decorative substrate KB.

Furthermore, a translucent inner lens KA is positioned on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. This inner lens KA is cut to allow light to be scattered and refracted (including polyhedrons and uneven surfaces (including those with multiple fine irregularities)), and can also distort and blur objects viewed through the inner lens KA. In this way, by covering almost the entire area of the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB (at least the area where the LEDs are mounted) with the inner lens KA, the presence of the front (surface mounting surface) side land KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB can be made difficult for the player to perceive. Furthermore, by adopting a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment, the presence of the front surface (surface mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB can be made less noticeable to the player. In addition, by adopting a configuration in which the inner lens KA covers substantially the entire area of the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB (at least the area where the LEDs are mounted), the presence of the front surface (surface mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx can be made even less noticeable to the player. Moreover, if there is a difference in reflection efficiency due to the thickness or color intensity of the solid white resist applied as the insulating coating on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, this difference can be suppressed by the inner lens KA, thereby enhancing the visual effect.

Furthermore, when the inner lens KA is placed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, it may be positioned so that the boundaries between faces of the polyhedron formed on the surface, or the boundaries between recesses and protrusions, overlap with one or both of the through-hole KTH1 and a part of the labeling area (which may be only the part number or only the area indicating the placement position) (on a straight line perpendicular to the LED mounting surface). In this case, the boundaries between faces on the surface of the inner lens KA, where distortion is particularly large, can obscure the through-hole KTH1 and the labeling area, making it difficult for the player to discern their presence. Furthermore, the inner lens KA covering the front (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB may be constructed by stacking multiple lenses with different degrees of lens cuts (lenses with different polyhedra, number of bumps, or surface sizes, etc.) (for example, a double structure). This not only makes the refraction of light more irregular, but also distorts and blurs objects viewed through the inner lens KA more strongly, making it difficult for the player to perceive the presence of the front (surface mounting surface) side land KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 on the front (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB.

Furthermore, while the white resist liquid has entered the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB from the inner edge on the front (front mounting side) side, blocking the hole, the rear (back mounting side) side of the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB remains open. In other words, the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB is blocked on the front (front mounting side) side by the white resist liquid, while the rear (back mounting side) side remains open. This is because if white resist liquid enters the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB from the inner edge on the front (front mounting side) side, and air remains inside the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB while the rear (back mounting side) side of the through-hole KTH1 is sealed, there is a risk that liquid such as resist removal liquid may remain inside the through-hole KTH1. This liquid could cause corrosion of the conductive plating inside the through-hole KTH1, leading to poor contact. Furthermore, during processes such as soldering (reflow soldering), where heat is applied, the liquid inside the through-hole KTH1 could instantaneously vaporize and expand (a so-called "steam explosion"), damaging the conductive plating inside the through-hole KTH1 and potentially causing an electrical disconnection of the through-hole KTH1.

Furthermore, although the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes exist, their presence can be concealed by the white resist. Therefore, the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes can be made less noticeable against the solid white resist applied to the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. This ensures that the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes are not visually distracting to the player. Additionally, it helps prevent the reduction in the effectiveness of the visual presentation caused by the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes being visible to the player as part of the pattern or design.

Furthermore, since the decorative circuit boards on the game board 5 may be arranged in the front-to-back direction, even if multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of another decorative circuit board KB positioned behind one decorative circuit board KB emit light, the through-hole KTH1 of the first decorative circuit board KB is blocked with white resist, preventing the light from passing through the through-hole KTH1. Therefore, the light emitted from the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the other decorative circuit board KB passes through the through-hole KTH1 of the first decorative circuit board KB, preventing the colors of the light emitted from the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the other decorative circuit board KB from mixing with the colors of the light emitted from the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the other decorative circuit board KB. Furthermore, if no other decorative substrate KB is placed behind one decorative substrate KB, and the through-hole KTH1 of the first decorative substrate KB is not covered with white resist, the through-hole KTH1 will appear as a black dot. Therefore, the black dots, i.e., black, from the through-hole KTH1 of the first decorative substrate KB will be mixed with the color of light emitted by the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting side) of the first decorative substrate KB. However, if the through-hole KTH1 of the first decorative substrate KB is covered with white resist... In this state, the area corresponding to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 is also covered with a white resist as an insulating film. Therefore, the holes of the through-holes KTH1 blend in with (assimilate with) the white resist applied to the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. This prevents color mixing caused by the through-holes KTH1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) of a single decorative substrate KB, in relation to the colors emitted by multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of that substrate KB.

Furthermore, since the liquid crystal display screen of the performance display device 1600 provided on the game board 5 is the player's primary point of view, the decorative substrates surrounding the performance display device 1600 (liquid crystal display screen), the decorative substrates positioned to overlap the performance display device 1600 (liquid crystal display screen), and the decorative substrates movably positioned to overlap the top of the performance display device 1600 (liquid crystal display screen) are configured in the third embodiment to cover the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided on the game board 5. By eliminating any areas on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate where the insulating coating does not cover the through-hole lands, and by blocking the through-holes on the front surface (front mounting surface) side of the decorative substrate, the effects of making the reflectivity of the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs are mounted are made uniform, making the copper foil portion less conspicuous, and making the presence of the through-holes less noticeable to the player are enhanced. Furthermore, even in other locations, for example, when the decorative circuit board is placed in a location where the player can see it through the inner lens KA, which has lens cuts (formed in a polyhedral or uneven shape) that allow light to be diffusely refracted, there are effects such as making the reflectivity of the front surface (surface mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board on which multiple LEDs are mounted uniform, making the copper foil part less noticeable, and making the presence of through-holes less noticeable to the player. Furthermore, the decorative circuit boards on the game board 5 are positioned closer to the display device 1600 than those on the door frame 3. Therefore, in the configuration where an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5 according to the third embodiment, the effects of making the reflectivity of the front surface (surface mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board on which multiple LEDs are mounted are uniform, the effect of making the copper foil portion less noticeable, and the effect of making the presence of the through-holes less noticeable to the player are all significant.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment, on the rear surface (back mounting surface) KByy of the decorative substrate KB, in the region of the rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist layer KByr corresponding to the rear surface (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1, a rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist opening KByra is formed, having an opening diameter KByrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the rear surface (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1. In the case where the outer periphery of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1 was covered with a white resist as an insulating film from the outer periphery of 1 toward the center of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1, however, as shown in Figure 196(c), a rear (back mounting surface) side resist opening KByra may be formed in the region of the rear (back mounting surface) side resist layer KByr corresponding to the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1, having an opening diameter KByrD2 (> opening diameter KByrD1) that is larger than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1. This is because no LEDs are mounted on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, and the light emitted by the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB cannot be utilized as a reflective surface by the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Therefore, there is no need for the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB to contribute to the aforementioned uniformity (uniformity), and thus the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB cannot efficiently utilize the light emitted from the LED light-emitting surface for lighting effects.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment, a white resist layer is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface, thereby achieving uniformity of reflectivity on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB by indicating the attributes of electronic components such as the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position where the full-color LED is placed (for example, by forming the indicated area in a light color such as yellow on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, or by forming the indicated area with foil-cut letters, or by forming the indicated area with paint of a predetermined color on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB). Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment, covering the front surface (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB with a white insulating film contributes to suppressing a decrease in reflectivity. In addition, by adopting a configuration that aims to equalize the reflectivity on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB using the above-mentioned marking section, the effect of suppressing a decrease in reflectivity is further enhanced. Furthermore, in a configuration where the reflectivity of the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB is made uniform through the marking area, it is possible to make the marking area itself difficult to see. This makes it difficult for players to see markings indicating the attributes of electronic components, such as the part number of the full-color LED or the area indicating the position where the full-color LED will be placed, which are unrelated to the game. In addition, by adopting a configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment, the through-holes can also be made difficult to see. This enhances the effect of preventing the viewing of information unrelated to the game or through-holes, which could diminish the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, as a security measure, the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position of the full-color LED, as well as other attributes of the electronic components, may be omitted, and instead, a single-pin mark may be indicated by leaving foil residue. In this case, in addition to these configurations, by adopting a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment, the effect of suppressing the reduction in reflectivity can be further enhanced, and the effect of preventing the viewing of information unrelated to the game (single-pin marks) or through-holes, which could diminish the enjoyment of the game, can be increased.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment, a white resist layer was formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface, forming a white resist layer. However, while a white resist layer is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of a decorative substrate KB on which multiple LEDs are mounted by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface, a resist layer of a different color (for example, green, black, yellow, red, blue, etc.) resist liquid is applied to almost the entire surface of the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of a decorative substrate KB on which no LEDs are mounted, forming a resist layer of a different color (for example, green, black, yellow, red, blue, etc.) by applying a resist liquid of a different color than white to almost the entire surface, forming a resist layer of a different color. This is because no LEDs are mounted on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, and the light emitted by the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB cannot be utilized as a reflective surface by the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Therefore, there is no need for the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB to contribute to the aforementioned uniformity (uniformity), and thus the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB cannot efficiently utilize the light emitted from the LED light-emitting surface for lighting effects.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment, a white resist layer was formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface. However, on one or both of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, a white silk-screen printed layer may be formed by printing a white insulating film with white paint as an insulating film to almost the entire surface. In this case, on the white silk-screen printed layer formed on one or both surfaces, a notation indicating the part number and attributes of the electronic component, which makes the electronic component identifiable, is printed with yellow paint using silk-screen printing. In addition to yellow, the notation may be printed with paint having a lightness close to white, such as pastel colors (for example, light green, light blue, etc.), using silk-screen printing. When forming the aforementioned white silkscreen printing layer on one or both surfaces, a resist layer may be formed to cover the substrate KBo or the copper foil surface (the copper foil surface excluding a predetermined area other than the pads to which electronic components are soldered). Alternatively, a resist layer may not be formed. If a resist layer is formed, the white silkscreen printing layer will be formed by covering this resist layer with a white insulating film, which is printed using silkscreen printing with a white paint as an insulating coating. The resist layer may be a white resist solution, or a resist solution of a different color (green, black, yellow, red, blue, etc.).

Furthermore, the configuration of covering the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment with an insulating film can be applied to the through-hole lands of the function display substrate 1400c in the function display unit 1400 of the game board 5. As described above, a black resist layer is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) 1400cx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) 1400cy of the function display substrate 1400c by a black insulating film formed by applying a black resist liquid. As described above, using a black resist liquid helps to prevent reflection from the light emitted by the multiple LEDs 1400ca mounted on the front surface (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the function display substrate 1400c, thereby preventing mixing with the light emitted by nearby LEDs 1400ca. Therefore, on the front surface (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the functional display substrate 1400c, the area of the front surface (front mounting surface) side resist layer corresponding to the front surface (front mounting surface) side lands is also covered with a black resist as an insulating film. Furthermore, the black resist liquid penetrates from the inner periphery of the through-holes 1400cc of the functional display substrate 1400c on the front surface (front mounting surface) side, sealing these holes. This reduces reflectivity, contributing to uniform reflectivity on the front surface (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the functional display substrate 1400c on which multiple LEDs 1400ca are mounted.

Furthermore, as described above, through-holes have copper plating on the inner circumferential wall of the through-hole to provide conductivity. There are through-holes for mounting electronic components and through-holes without electronic components. In both cases, an insulating coating was applied to the land of the through-hole formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment. However, for through-holes without electronic components that are located directly below where electronic components are mounted, the insulating coating does not need to be applied to the land of the through-hole formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the third embodiment. In other words, the entire copper foil on the land of a through-hole located directly below where electronic components are mounted may be left exposed. In this case, the entire copper foil on the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative circuit board KB, and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative circuit board KB, are left exposed. Since the electronic components are positioned to cover the entire land of the through-hole where the copper foil is exposed, there is no need to make the copper foil portion less conspicuous, nor is there any need to make the existence of the through-hole holes difficult for the player to notice. Furthermore, the existence of the through-hole land and the through-hole holes can be visually confirmed during electrical testing of the decorative circuit board KB from the side where no electronic components are mounted, and electrical testing of the decorative circuit board KB (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by touching the tip of a contact probe to the through-hole land.

[Configuration for covering the through-hole lands according to the fourth embodiment with an insulating coating]
In the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands according to the fourth embodiment, as shown in Figures 197(a) and (b), a narrow through-hole is formed in the thickness direction of the base material KBo of the decorative substrate KB (the direction perpendicular to the front surface (or back surface) of the base material KBo of the decorative substrate KB), and by removing the copper foil from the copper foil surface of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the copper foil surface of the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, front (front mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and rear (back mounting surface) lands KRDy1, each having an outer diameter KTHHD1, are formed, and wiring patterns are formed on the front (front mounting surface) and rear (back mounting surface) sides. Through-holes KTH1 are formed by applying a conductive plating process to the through-holes. The outer diameter of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the outer diameter of the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1 formed on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are the same size, with outer diameter KTHD1. This is the same size as the outer diameter of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 and the rear (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1 in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole land according to the first embodiment described above.

A front-side land KRDx1 formed on the front (front-mount) side KBx of the decorative substrate KB is electrically connected to one end of a front (front-mount) side wiring pattern formed on the front (front-mount) side KBx of the decorative substrate KB. The other end of the front (front-mount) side wiring pattern is electrically connected to a pad to which a specific terminal of one or more multi-color LEDs is soldered.

Furthermore, some decorative substrates (KB) have a front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate (KB) that is electrically connected to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate (KB). This wiring pattern may consist of a first front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern and a second front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern. In this case, one end of the first front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, and one end of the second front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, resulting in two front (front mounting surface) wiring patterns (i.e., the first front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern and the second front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern) emerging from the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1. Furthermore, some decorative substrates have a rear-side wiring pattern formed on the rear-side (back-mount surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB that is electrically connected to the rear-side (back-mount surface) land KRDy1 formed on the rear-side (back-mount surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, which includes a first rear-side (back-mount surface) wiring pattern and a second rear-side (back-mount surface) wiring pattern. In this case, one end of the first rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the rear-side (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear-side (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, and one end of the second rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern is electrically connected to the rear-side (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear-side (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Thus, two rear-side (back mounting side) wiring patterns (i.e., the first rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern and the second rear-side (back mounting side) wiring pattern) emerge from the rear-side (back mounting side) land KRDy1.

A rear-side (back-mount side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear surface (back-mount side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB is electrically connected to one end of a rear-side (back-mount side) wiring pattern formed on the rear surface (back-mount side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Furthermore, the other end of the rear-side (back-mount side) wiring pattern is electrically connected to one of the following pads: a pad to which a specific terminal of the IC controlling the light emission of the full-color LED is soldered, a pad to which a specific terminal of the resistor is soldered, or a pad to which a specific terminal of the connector is soldered.

The front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 formed on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are electrically connected via the through-hole KTH1. The front (front mounting side) wiring pattern formed on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB and the rear (back mounting side) wiring pattern formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB are electrically connected via the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1, the through-hole KTH1, and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB.

On the copper foil surface of the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, a white resist liquid is applied as an insulating coating to form the front (front mounting surface) side resist layer KBxr. Within the region of the front (front mounting surface) side resist layer KBxr corresponding to the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1, a front (front mounting surface) side resist opening KBxra is formed, having an opening diameter KBxrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1. The outer diameter of the opening diameter KBxrD1 is the same size as the outer diameter of the opening diameter KBxrD1 in the configuration where an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole land according to the first embodiment described above.

In contrast, a white resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to the copper foil surface of the rear (back mounting) side KBy of the decorative substrate KB, forming the rear (back mounting) side resist layer KByr. Therefore, the region of the rear (back mounting) side resist layer KByr corresponding to the rear (back mounting) side land KRDy1 is also coated with the white resist liquid as an insulating film, forming the rear (back mounting) side resist layer KByr.

The decorative substrate KB is actually manufactured by arranging multiple substrates from a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) and then cutting them out. The process involves fixing the single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) to the manufacturing equipment and then applying paint, drying, drilling holes, and other processes, before finally cutting out each substrate. Therefore, when a white resist liquid is applied as an insulating coating to the copper foil surface of the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB is fixed to the manufacturing equipment so that it faces vertically upward (because the decorative substrate KB is actually manufactured by arranging multiple substrates from a single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) and then cutting them out, the rear surface of the single standard-sized copper-clad laminate (base material) faces vertically upward). This allows the white resist liquid to penetrate from the inner periphery of the through-hole KTH1 on the rear surface (back mounting surface) side of the decorative substrate KB, blocking the hole. The white resist liquid that penetrates the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB will dry in a depression due to its own weight, moving from the inner edge on the rear (back mounting) side of the through-hole KTH1 towards the center of the hole.

Furthermore, the substrate ground (GND) formed on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB (i.e., a solid ground plane) and the substrate ground (GND) formed on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB (i.e., a solid ground plane) are electrically connected via through-holes (not shown) and share the same ground (GND).

Thus, on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, a front (front mounting surface) resist opening KBxra is formed in the region of the front (front mounting surface) resist layer KBxr corresponding to the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1. This opening has an opening diameter KBxrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1. As a result, the outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 is covered with a white resist as an insulating film, extending from the outer periphery of the outer diameter KTHD1 towards the center of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1. Furthermore, on the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, the area of the rear surface (back mounting surface) side resist layer KByr corresponding to the rear surface (back mounting surface) side land KRDy1 is also covered with a white resist as an insulating film. In addition, the white resist liquid penetrates from the inner peripheral edge on the rear surface (back mounting surface) side of the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB, sealing the hole. As a result, the entire outer peripheral portion of the front surface (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB is covered with a white resist as an insulating film. This reduces the area of the front surface (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 where the copper foil is exposed, and prevents light from the rear of the decorative substrate KB from passing through the through-hole KTH1 towards the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. Furthermore, by covering the outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 with a white resist as an insulating film, from the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHHD1 towards the center of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1, the proportion of the rear (back mounting surface) land KRDy1 covered by the white resist (insulating film) can be increased compared to the case where the inner periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 is covered with the white resist (insulating film) from the center towards the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHHD1. Therefore, uniformity of the rear (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB can be achieved.

Furthermore, since the copper foil is exposed on both the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1, electrical testing of the decorative substrate KB (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by touching the tip of a contact probe to the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 from the front (front mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB, and electrical testing of the decorative substrate KB (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by touching the tip of a contact probe to the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 from the rear (back mounting side) of the decorative substrate KB. In other words, the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 can be used as check terminals when performing electrical testing of the decorative substrate KB. Note that a dedicated probe or a test lead used for continuity checks on a so-called "tester" can be used as the contact probe.

Furthermore, since the tip of the contact probe can be brought into contact with the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 from the front (front mounting surface) side of the decorative circuit board KB, for example, even when the pachinko machine 1 is installed in a gaming hall, if the front (front mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board KB faces forward, and the tip of the contact probe can be brought into contact with the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 from the front (front mounting surface) side of the decorative circuit board KB, then electrical testing (operational check and abnormal potential check) of the decorative circuit board KB can be performed as a defect inspection of the decorative circuit board KB without having to remove the decorative circuit board KB.

Incidentally, if the multiple LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board KB are of the type with a narrow beam angle, they may appear as point light sources, creating a cluster of point light sources that could be perceived by the player as unnatural. Therefore, the multiple LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board KB are of the type with a wide beam angle to prevent them from being perceived as point light sources by the player.

However, as the LED's illumination angle increases (the LED's illumination angle widens), the area illuminated by the LED widens, resulting in more light emitted from the LED's light-emitting surface reflecting off multiple other components and returning to the decorative substrate KB. Therefore, if the light returning to the decorative substrate KB can be reflected so that it is emitted forward from the substrate KB, then by utilizing the front surface (surface mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, where multiple LEDs are mounted, as a reflective surface in addition to the LED's light-emitting surface, the light emitted from the LED's light-emitting surface can be efficiently used for lighting effects.

As described above, the decorative substrate KB has through-holes KTH1 that electrically connect the front (front mounting surface) wiring pattern formed on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB with the rear (back mounting surface) wiring pattern formed on the rear (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB. Front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB has a solid white resist coating as an insulating film, as described above, and front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 is formed thereon. The front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 has exposed copper foil. Therefore, the reflectivity of the white resist (white insulating film) applied as an insulating coating differs from the reflectivity of the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1. This makes it difficult to achieve uniform reflectivity on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB where multiple LEDs are mounted.

Furthermore, if the holes for the front-side lands KRDx1 and through-holes KTH1 formed on the front (front-mount) side of the decorative circuit board KB are visible to the player, the presence of these holes may be visually distracting to the player.

Therefore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment, a white resist is applied as an insulating film to the entire outer periphery of the front surface (front mounting surface) lands KRDx1 on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. Furthermore, the white resist liquid penetrates from the inner periphery on the rear surface (back mounting surface) side of the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB, sealing these holes. This contributes to making the reflectivity of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, on which multiple LEDs are mounted, uniform.

Furthermore, a white resist coating is applied as an insulating film to the entire outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. Additionally, the white resist liquid penetrates from the inner periphery of the through-hole KTH1 on the rear (back mounting surface) side of the decorative substrate KB, sealing these holes. This reduces the amount of exposed copper foil visible on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, thereby making the reflectivity of the front (front mounting surface) KBx uniform and less conspicuous, contributing to an improved light-emitting effect from the decorative substrate KB.

Furthermore, a translucent inner lens KA is positioned on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. This inner lens KA is cut to allow light to be scattered and refracted (including polyhedrons and uneven surfaces (including those with multiple fine irregularities)), and can also distort and blur objects viewed through the inner lens KA. In this way, by covering almost the entire area of the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB (at least the area where the LEDs are mounted) with the inner lens KA, the presence of the front (surface mounting surface) side land KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB can be made difficult for the player to perceive. Furthermore, by adopting a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment, the presence of the front surface (surface mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB can be made less noticeable to the player. In addition, by adopting a configuration in which the inner lens KA covers substantially the entire area of the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB (at least the area where the LEDs are mounted), the presence of the front surface (surface mounting surface) lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx can be made even less noticeable to the player. Moreover, if there is a difference in reflection efficiency due to the thickness or color intensity of the solid white resist applied as the insulating coating on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, this difference can be suppressed by the inner lens KA, thereby enhancing the visual effect.

Furthermore, when the inner lens KA is placed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, it may be positioned so that the boundaries between faces of the polyhedron formed on the surface, or the boundaries between recesses and protrusions, overlap with one or both of the through-hole KTH1 and a part of the labeling area (which may be only the part number or only the area indicating the placement position) (on a straight line perpendicular to the LED mounting surface). In this case, the boundaries between faces on the surface of the inner lens KA, where distortion is particularly large, can obscure the through-hole KTH1 and the labeling area, making it difficult for the player to discern their presence. Furthermore, the inner lens KA covering the front (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB may be constructed by stacking multiple lenses with different degrees of lens cuts (lenses with different polyhedra, number of bumps, or surface sizes, etc.) (for example, a double structure). This not only makes the refraction of light more irregular, but also distorts and blurs objects viewed through the inner lens KA more strongly, making it difficult for the player to perceive the presence of the front (surface mounting surface) side land KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 on the front (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB.

Furthermore, while the white resist liquid has entered the inner periphery of the through-hole KTH1 on the decorative substrate KB from the rear (back mounting side) and blocked the hole, the front (front mounting side) of the through-hole KTH1 on the decorative substrate KB remains open. In other words, the through-hole KTH1 on the decorative substrate KB is blocked on the rear (back mounting side) side by the white resist liquid, while the front (front mounting side) side is open. This is because if white resist liquid enters the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB from the inner edge on the rear (back mounting side) side, and air remains inside the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB while the front (front mounting side) side of the through-hole KTH1 is sealed, there is a risk that liquid such as resist removal liquid may remain inside the through-hole KTH1. This liquid could cause corrosion of the conductive plating inside the through-hole KTH1, leading to poor contact. Furthermore, during processes such as soldering (reflow soldering), where heat is applied, the liquid inside the through-hole KTH1 could instantaneously vaporize and expand (a so-called "steam explosion"), damaging the conductive plating inside the through-hole KTH1 and potentially causing an electrical disconnection of the through-hole KTH1.

Furthermore, although the front (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes exist, the front (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 can be hidden by the white resist on the front (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB, and the through-hole KTH1 holes can be hidden by the white resist on the rear (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB. Therefore, the front (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes can be made less noticeable against the solid white resist applied to the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. This ensures that the front (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes are not visually distracting to the player. Additionally, it prevents the reduction in the effectiveness of the visual presentation caused by the front (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 and through-hole KTH1 holes being visible to the player as part of the pattern or design.

Furthermore, since the decorative circuit boards on the game board 5 may be arranged in the front-to-back direction, even if multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of another decorative circuit board KB positioned behind one decorative circuit board KB emit light, the through-hole KTH1 of the first decorative circuit board KB is blocked with white resist, preventing the light from passing through the through-hole KTH1. Therefore, the light emitted from the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the other decorative circuit board KB passes through the through-hole KTH1 of the first decorative circuit board KB, preventing the colors of the light emitted from the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the other decorative circuit board KB from mixing with the colors of the light emitted from the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the other decorative circuit board KB. Furthermore, if no other decorative substrate KB is placed behind one decorative substrate KB, and the through-hole KTH1 of the first decorative substrate KB is not covered with white resist, the through-hole KTH1 will appear as a black dot. Therefore, the black dots, i.e., black, from the through-hole KTH1 of the first decorative substrate KB will be mixed with the color of light emitted by the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting side) of the first decorative substrate KB. However, if the through-hole KTH1 of the first decorative substrate KB is covered with white resist, the front (front mounting side) land KRDx on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB will appear as a black dot. Since the entire outer perimeter of 1 is covered with a white resist as an insulating film, the white resist that covers the through-hole KTH1 and the white resist covering the entire outer perimeter of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 are in close proximity. This causes the through-hole KTH1 to blend in with (assimilate with) the white resist that is solidly applied to the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB. Therefore, color mixing caused by the through-hole KTH1 formed on the front (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB is prevented from occurring with the colors emitted by the multiple LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB.

Furthermore, since the liquid crystal display screen of the performance display device 1600 provided on the game board 5 is the player's primary point of view, the decorative substrates surrounding the performance display device 1600 (liquid crystal display screen), the decorative substrates positioned to overlap the performance display device 1600 (liquid crystal display screen), and the decorative substrates movably positioned to overlap the top of the performance display device 1600 (liquid crystal display screen) are configured in the fourth embodiment to cover the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided on the game board 5, thereby minimizing the portion of the through-hole lands that is not covered by the insulating coating, and closing the through-holes on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate, the effects of making the reflectivity of the front surface (front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs are mounted uniform, making the copper foil portion less conspicuous, and making the presence of the through-holes less noticeable to the player are enhanced. Furthermore, even in other locations, for example, when the decorative circuit board is placed in a location where the player can see it through the inner lens KA, which has lens cuts (formed in a polyhedral or uneven shape) that allow light to be diffusely refracted, there are effects such as making the reflectivity of the front surface (surface mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board on which multiple LEDs are mounted uniform, making the copper foil part less noticeable, and making the presence of through-holes less noticeable to the player. Furthermore, the decorative circuit boards on the game board 5 are positioned closer to the display device 1600 than those on the door frame 3. Therefore, in the configuration where an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative circuit board on the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment, the effects of making the reflectivity of the front surface (surface mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board on which multiple LEDs are mounted uniform, making the copper foil portion less noticeable, and making the presence of the through-holes less noticeable to the player are all significant.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment, on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, in the region of the front surface (front mounting surface) side resist layer KBxr corresponding to the front surface (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1, a front surface (front mounting surface) side resist opening KBxra is formed, having an opening diameter KBxrD1 smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the front surface (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1. As a result, the front surface (front mounting surface) side land is formed from the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHD1 of the front surface (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1. In the case where the outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 was covered with a white resist as an insulating film toward the center of KRDx1, however, as shown in Figure 197(b), a front (front mounting surface) side resist opening KBxra may be formed in the region of the front (front mounting surface) side resist layer KBxr corresponding to the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1, having an opening diameter KBxrD2 that is smaller than the outer diameter KTHD1 of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1, even smaller than the outer diameter of the opening diameter KByrD1, and larger than the inner diameter of the through-hole KTH1. The inner diameter of the opening KBxrD2 takes into account the resist liquid intrusion prevention region that extends concentrically outward from the inner edge of the front (front mounting surface) side of the through-hole KTH1. It is sized to be a distance of at least 0.5 mm from the inner edge of the front (front mounting surface) side of the through-hole KTH1 (this distance is necessary to prevent the white resist liquid from entering the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB; in the configuration where an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole land according to the fourth embodiment, 0.5 mm is used). Therefore, the inner diameter of the opening KBxrD2 is the inner diameter of the through-hole KTH1 plus twice the resist liquid intrusion prevention region (0.5 mm), resulting in a size 1.0 mm larger than the inner diameter of the through-hole KTH1.

This allows a white resist to be applied as an insulating film to the entire outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB (i.e., over the area of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB excluding the resist liquid intrusion prevention area). Therefore, the area of the exposed copper foil becomes the resist liquid intrusion prevention area, thus significantly reducing the area of the exposed copper foil on the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1.

Furthermore, since a resist liquid intrusion prevention area is provided for the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB, when a white resist liquid is applied as an insulating film to the copper foil surface of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, even if the decorative substrate KB is fixed to the manufacturing equipment so that the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx is facing vertically upward (because the decorative substrate KB is actually manufactured by arranging multiple substrates from a single standard-size copper-clad laminate (substrate) and finally cutting it out, so that the front surface of the single standard-size copper-clad laminate (substrate) is facing vertically upward), the white resist liquid will not penetrate into the through-hole KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB and will dry without blocking these holes.

Furthermore, by covering the entire outer circumference of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, from almost the inside (i.e., the area of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDxx1 on the front (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB excluding the resist liquid intrusion prevention area), a white resist is applied as an insulating coating. Although the area where the copper foil is exposed is reduced to the resist liquid intrusion prevention area, the tip of the contact probe is brought into contact with the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 of the decorative substrate KB to perform electrical testing of the decorative substrate KB (operational confirmation and abnormal potential confirmation). Because it is possible to perform this check, the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 can be used as a check terminal when performing electrical testing of the decorative circuit board KB. For example, even when the pachinko machine 1 is installed in a gaming hall, since the front (front mounting side) of the decorative circuit board KB faces forward, if the tip of the contact probe can be brought into contact with the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 from the front (front mounting side) of the decorative circuit board KB, electrical testing (operational confirmation and abnormal potential confirmation) of the decorative circuit board KB can be performed as a defect inspection of the decorative circuit board KB without having to remove the decorative circuit board KB. The contact probe can be a dedicated probe or a test lead used for continuity checks on a so-called "tester".

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment, a white resist layer is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface, thereby achieving uniformity of reflectivity on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB by indicating the attributes of electronic components such as the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position where the full-color LED is placed (for example, by forming the indicated area in a light color such as yellow on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, or by forming the indicated area with foil-cut letters, or by forming the indicated area with paint of a predetermined color on the rear surface (back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate KB). Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment, covering the front surface (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB with a white insulating film contributes to suppressing a decrease in reflectivity. In addition, by adopting a configuration that aims to equalize the reflectivity on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB using the above-mentioned marking section, the effect of suppressing a decrease in reflectivity is further enhanced. Furthermore, in a configuration where the reflectivity of the front surface (surface mounting surface) KBx of the decorative substrate KB is made uniform through the marking area, it is possible to make the marking area itself difficult to see. This makes it difficult for players to see marking areas indicating the attributes of electronic components, such as the part number of the full-color LED or the area indicating the position where the full-color LED will be placed, which are unrelated to the game. In addition, by adopting a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment, the through-holes can also be made difficult to see. This enhances the effect of preventing the viewing of information unrelated to the game or through-holes, which could diminish the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, as a security measure, the part number of the full-color LED and the area indicating the position of the full-color LED, as well as other attributes of the electronic components, may be omitted, and instead, a single-pin mark may be indicated by leaving foil residue. In this case, in addition to these configurations, by adopting a configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment, the effect of suppressing the reduction in reflectivity can be further enhanced, and the effect of preventing the viewing of information unrelated to the game (single-pin marks) or through-holes, which could diminish the enjoyment of the game, can be increased.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment, a white resist layer was formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface, forming a white resist layer with a white insulating film. However, the color of the resist that covers the entire outer periphery of the lands of the decorative substrate KB and the color of the resist that fills the holes of the through-holes KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB may be different colors. For example, on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB, a white resist layer is formed by applying a white resist solution as an insulating film to almost the entire surface. This results in the entire outer periphery of the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative substrate KB being covered with a white resist. In contrast, on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, a black resist layer is formed by applying a black resist solution as an insulating film to almost the entire surface. This allows the holes in the through-holes KTH1 of the decorative substrate KB to be sealed with black resist.

Furthermore, in the configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment, a white resist layer was formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB by applying a white resist liquid as an insulating film to almost the entire surface. However, on one or both of the front surface (front mounting surface) KBx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) KBy of the decorative substrate KB, a white silk-screen printed layer may be formed by printing a white insulating film with white paint as an insulating film to almost the entire surface. In this case, on the white silk-screen printed layer formed on one or both surfaces, a notation indicating the part number and attributes of the electronic component, which makes the electronic component identifiable, is printed with yellow paint using silk-screen printing. In addition to yellow, the notation may be printed with paint having a lightness close to white, such as pastel colors (for example, light green, light blue, etc.), using silk-screen printing. When forming the aforementioned white silkscreen printing layer on one or both surfaces, a resist layer may be formed to cover the substrate KBo or the copper foil surface (the copper foil surface excluding a predetermined area other than the pads to which electronic components are soldered). Alternatively, a resist layer may not be formed. If a resist layer is formed, the white silkscreen printing layer will be formed by covering this resist layer with a white insulating film, which is printed using silkscreen printing with a white paint as an insulating coating. The resist layer may be a white resist solution, or a resist solution of a different color (green, black, yellow, red, blue, etc.).

Furthermore, the configuration of covering the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment with an insulating film can be applied to the through-hole lands of the function display substrate 1400c in the function display unit 1400 of the game board 5. As described above, a black resist layer is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) 1400cx and the rear surface (back mounting surface) 1400cy of the function display substrate 1400c by a black insulating film formed by applying a black resist liquid. As described above, using a black resist liquid helps to prevent reflection from the light emitted by the multiple LEDs 1400ca mounted on the front surface (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the function display substrate 1400c, thereby preventing mixing with the light emitted by nearby LEDs 1400ca. Therefore, a black resist coating is applied as an insulating film to the entire outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) side lands on the front (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the functional display substrate 1400c. Furthermore, the black resist liquid penetrates from the inner periphery on the rear (back mounting surface) side of the through-holes 1400cc of the functional display substrate 1400c, sealing these holes. This reduces reflectivity, contributing to uniform reflectivity across the front (front mounting surface) 1400cx of the functional display substrate 1400c on which multiple LEDs 1400ca are mounted.

Furthermore, as described above, the through-holes have copper plating on the inner circumferential wall of the through-hole to provide conductivity. There are through-holes for mounting electronic components and through-holes for which electronic components are not mounted. In both cases, an insulating coating was applied to the land of the through-hole formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment. However, for through-holes for which electronic components are not mounted, those located directly below where electronic components are mounted do not need to have an insulating coating applied to the land of the through-hole formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate in the game board 5 according to the fourth embodiment. In other words, the entire copper foil on the land of a through-hole located directly below where electronic components are mounted may be left exposed. In this case, the entire copper foil on the front (front mounting side) land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting side) KBx of the decorative circuit board KB, and the rear (back mounting side) land KRDy1 on the rear (back mounting side) KBy of the decorative circuit board KB, are left exposed. Since the electronic components are positioned to cover the entire land of the through-hole where the copper foil is exposed, there is no need to make the copper foil portion less conspicuous, nor is there any need to make the existence of the through-hole holes difficult for the player to notice. Furthermore, the existence of the through-hole land and the through-hole holes can be visually confirmed during electrical testing of the decorative circuit board KB from the side where no electronic components are mounted, and electrical testing of the decorative circuit board KB (operational check and abnormal potential check) can be performed by touching the tip of a contact probe to the through-hole land.

[14. Second Embodiment of the Game Board]
Next, the game board 5A of the second embodiment in the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 198 to 200. Figure 198(a) is an enlarged front view showing a part of the game board of the first embodiment, and (b) is an enlarged front view showing a part of the game board of the second embodiment at the same location as (a). Figure 199(a) is an enlarged front view showing a part of the game board of the second embodiment, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the front left decorative unit of the front back performance unit in (a) with illumination decoration. Figure 200 is an explanatory diagram showing the panel plate of the game panel in Figure 199(a) with illumination decoration.

The game board 5A of the second embodiment has the same configuration as the game board 5 of the first embodiment, except that the front component 1000A and the panel plate 1110A of the game panel 1100 are made of a translucent, milky white synthetic resin. Detailed explanations of the parts with the same configuration are omitted.

In the first embodiment, the game board 5 has a front component 1000 and a game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110 and panel holder 1120) made of transparent synthetic resin. Therefore, as shown in Figure 198(a), the rear unit 3000, located behind the front component 1000 and the game panel 1100, can be seen from the front (player side).

In contrast, in this embodiment, the game board 5A has front components 1000A and panel board 1110A made of milky white synthetic resin. Therefore, as shown in Figure 198(b), etc., the parts of the panel board 1110A, excluding the inside of the opening 1112, cannot be seen from the front (player side) of the front components 1000 and the rear unit 3000 located behind the game panel 1100.

The front component 1000A and the panel plate 1110A are formed from a translucent, milky-white, opaque synthetic resin. The panel plate 1110A may be formed by cutting a milky-white synthetic resin plate, or it may be formed by injection molding using a milky-white synthetic resin.

In this embodiment, the game board 5A has a milky white panel plate 1110A of the game panel 1100. Therefore, a portion of the rear unit 3000 (the part outside the opening 1112 in a front view) can be made invisible through the panel plate 1110A. Because the panel plate 1110A is translucent, when decorative elements at the rear are illuminated, light from the decorative elements passes through the panel plate 1110A, allowing the illuminated decorations to be visible to the player.

More specifically, as shown in Figure 199(a), in the rear-front display unit 3100 of the rear-front unit 3000, which is located behind the panel board 1110A, the rear-front left decorative unit 3120, including the rear-front upper left logo decorative section 3122 and the rear-front left sub-decorative section 3123, which are located outside the opening 1112 of the panel board 1110A, are not visible from the front when viewed from the front. However, when the rear-front left logo decorative section 3121, the rear-front upper left logo decorative section 3122, and the rear-front left sub-decorative section 3123 are illuminated, as shown in Figure 199(b), the light from the rear-front upper left logo decorative section 3122 and the rear-front left sub-decorative section 3123, which are located behind the translucent panel board 1110A, is transmitted, making the illuminated rear-front upper left logo decorative section 3122 and the rear-front left sub-decorative section 3123 visible.

Because this panel 1110A, etc., is milky white, the illuminated colors of the front left logo decoration section 3122 and the front left sub-decoration section 3123 can be transmitted through in their original colors, allowing players to see a richly colored illumination display.

Furthermore, for the translucent opaque material of the panel board 1110A, it is desirable that the light transmittance is 2% to 80% and the haze value is 80% to 100%. This is because a lower transmittance makes it difficult to achieve sufficient brightness for illumination decoration, and a higher transmittance makes it difficult to obtain an opaque material. Additionally, a lower haze value may make the shape and decoration of components located behind the panel easily recognizable, potentially reducing the effectiveness of the concealment effect.

Furthermore, while panel boards 1110A etc. are listed as milky white (Munsell value (10YR 9.2/0.5)), other colors are also available: "White Munsell value (N 9.5)", "White Munsell value (2.5Y 9.2/0.5)", "Deutzia Green Munsell value (10Y 9/1)", "Natural White Munsell value (10YR 9/1)", "Lead White Munsell value (N 9)", "Oyster White Munsell value (5GY 8.5/0.3)", "Grayish White Munsell value (10YR 9/0.5)", "White Blue Munsell value (9.7BG 8.2/1.3)", "Secs Green Munsell value (2B 8.5/2)", "Ivory Munsell value (2.5Y 8.5/1.5)", "Cream Yellow Munsell value (5Y 8.5/3.5)", and "Cherry Blossom Pink". It can also be used as a white-based color, such as a Munsell value (10RP 9/2.5).

Furthermore, since the panel 1110A is made of translucent milky white material, if a colored decorative element such as black, red, or blue is placed behind the panel 1110A, it may be visible through the panel 1110A even when the decorative element is not illuminated, depending on its color. This visibility of the decorative element through the panel 1110A could cause the player to notice its presence, potentially reducing the impact (surprise) on the player when the decorative element is illuminated, thus preventing the desired visual effect from being achieved.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the front left first decorative body 3124, front left second decorative body 3125, front left third decorative body 3126, and front left decorative body base 3127, which constitute the front left upper left logo decorative body 3122 and the front left sub-decorative body 3123 of the front left decorative unit 3120 located behind the panel board 1110A, are formed from a colorless, transparent material. Therefore, the front left upper left logo decorative body 3122 and the front left sub-decorative body 3123 are not visible through the translucent, milky white panel board 1110A. Consequently, when the front left upper left logo decorative body 3122 and the front left sub-decorative body 3123 are not illuminated, they are not visible to the player, making it difficult for the player to notice their presence. Furthermore, by illuminating the logo decoration section 3122 on the upper left of the back front and the sub-decoration section 3123 on the left of the back front, these become visible through the translucent, milky white panel 1110A, surprising the player and allowing them to enjoy the illuminating effect. Additionally, the light from the illuminating decorations visible through the panel 1110A makes the game area 5a appear brighter and more beautiful, strongly attracting the player's attention.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the game board 5A is provided with a panel decoration substrate 1130 mounted on the outside of a translucent, milky white panel board 1110A. The LEDs 1130a are full-color LEDs. When the LEDs 1130a on the panel decoration substrate 1130 are illuminated, the panel board 1110A can be illuminated, as shown by the shading in Figure 200. This causes the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110A), through which the game balls B flow, to self-illuminate, brightening the game area 5a, making the game balls B flowing within the game area 5a more visible, improving the appearance of the game area 5a, and strongly attracting the player's attention.

Furthermore, because the game panel 1100 illuminates itself, the game balls B circulating within the game area 5a become visible as silhouettes, making them easier to see and allowing for easier adjustment of the launch intensity. Additionally, by providing the panel decoration board 1130 on both the left and right sides of the panel board 1110A, players can intuitively understand when receiving advice on "shooting to the right" or "shooting to the left." More specifically, by illuminating the LED 1130a on either the left or right panel decoration board 1130 depending on the game situation, the left or right side of the panel board 1110A can be illuminated, allowing players to intuitively understand that they are receiving advice on "shooting to the left" or "shooting to the right." This enhances the enjoyment of shooting the game balls B and provides a new kind of lighting effect not seen in previous pachinko machines.

To elaborate, in conventional pachinko machines, where the game board uses opaque plywood as the game panel, the game area is decorated by attaching a decorative film with predetermined patterns to the front of the plywood. However, when plywood is used for the game panel, decoration with decorative film does not differentiate it from other game machines, making it difficult to increase its appeal to players. On the other hand, as in the game board 5 of the first embodiment, if the panel board 1110 through which the game balls B flow is made transparent, the decoration of the rear unit 3000 and the display images of the display device 1600 located at the rear are easily visible, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 with a sense of openness. However, the game balls B flowing in front of the transparent panel board 1110 may appear to be floating in mid-air, which may make it difficult for some players to understand the movement of the game balls B.

In contrast, the game board 5A of this embodiment can illuminate the translucent panel board 1110A using multiple LEDs 1130a on the panel decoration substrate 1130. By appropriately combining the light-emitting color and light-emitting pattern of the LEDs 1130a, the decoration of the panel board 1110A can be varied in many ways. This allows players to see a self-illuminating game board 5A, unlike any conventional pachinko machine, and strongly attracts their attention, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players. Furthermore, because the panel board 1110A is self-illuminating due to the multiple LEDs 1130a on the panel decoration substrate 1130, the game balls B flowing in front of the panel board 1110A can be made more visible, allowing players to enjoy the movement of the game balls B and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

In addition to the effects described above, the game board 5A of this embodiment uses a milky white synthetic resin for the panel board 1110A, and since a lower-grade resin than transparent resin is sufficient, the cost of the panel board 1110A can be reduced compared to the case where transparent resin is used.

In the above embodiment, the panel decoration substrate 1130 is shown on the outer periphery of the panel board 1110A. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration, and the panel decoration substrate 1130 may also be provided behind the panel board 1110A. This will achieve the same effects as described above. Furthermore, compared to the case where the panel board is transparent, the point-like light from the LEDs 1130a etc. located at the rear can be diffused by the opaque, milky-white panel board 1110A. This allows the panel board 1110A to be softly illuminated, suppressing glare and resulting in a game board 5A that is easy on the eyes.

Furthermore, in the game board 5A of this embodiment, although not shown in the illustration, a decorative film (also called a cell) with a predetermined pattern may be attached to the front surface of the panel board 1110A. This suppresses wear on the panel board 1110A due to the flow of game balls B, and also improves the appearance of the game area 5a by preventing a decrease in appearance when the rear decorative elements are not illuminated by the cell's pattern. Additionally, the light from the LED located behind the panel board 1110A can illuminate the cell's pattern together with the panel board 1110A, making the panel board 1110A's decoration appear even more beautiful.

Furthermore, as described above, when cells are provided on the front surface of the panel 1110A, the patterns on the cells can be used as outlines to clearly define the LED illumination (lighting) provided on the rear of the panel 1110A, thereby enhancing the decorative effect of the illumination.

Furthermore, cells may be provided on the rear surface of the panel board 1110A. This allows light from LEDs or other sources located behind the panel board 1110A (cells) to cast shadows of the cells (or the patterns on the cells) onto the panel board 1110A. Therefore, the LED illumination can change the decoration of the panel board 1110A, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in enjoyment. These shadows projected onto the panel board 1110A could be, for example, words such as "Right-Handed," "Left-Handed," or "Chance," suggesting changes in the game situation and thus entertaining the player.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows a fixed decorative element (rear front left decorative unit 3120) located behind the milky white panel 1110A, the invention is not limited to this configuration. A movable decorative element may also be provided behind the panel 1110A, which can move between a retracted position behind the panel 1110A and an exposed position inside the opening 1112 of the panel 1110A in a front view.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows a panel board 1110A, etc., that is entirely milky white, including its interior, it is not limited to this. It may also be partially milky white, or transparent with at least one side milky white. Specifically, examples include a panel board molded in two colors using a transparent resin and a milky white resin, a panel board formed by laminating a transparent resin board and a milky white resin board, a panel board with a milky white film (cell) attached to at least one side of a transparent resin board, a panel board with a shrinkage process using UV-curing ink applied to the rear surface of a transparent resin board, a panel board with a sandblasted finish applied to the rear surface of a transparent resin board, and so on.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows the panel board 1110A, etc., as being milky white, it is not limited to this, and panel boards of appropriate colors such as red, blue, yellow, etc., may also be used.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows the front component 1000A as translucent and milky white, it is not limited to this. It may also be a transparent front component 1000, similar to the game board 5 in the first embodiment, or it may be a front component of a different color from the panel board 1110A.

[15. Third Embodiment of the Game Board]
Next, the game board 5B of the third embodiment in the pachinko machine 1 will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 201. Figure 201 is an exploded perspective view of the game board of the third embodiment, with the panel and cell separated and viewed from the front. The game board 5B of the third embodiment has the same configuration as the game board 5 of the first embodiment, except that a cell 1140 is provided behind the panel 1110. Detailed explanations of the parts with the same configuration will be omitted.

In the second embodiment, the game board 5B has a film-like cell 1140 with a predetermined pattern applied to it, which is detachably provided on the rear side of the panel plate 1110 of the transparent game panel 1100. The cell 1140 is a synthetic resin film with a thickness of 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm, and the predetermined pattern is applied by printing. Examples of materials for the cell 1140 include polyethylene terephthalate resin, polycarbonate resin, ABS resin, AES resin, PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) resin, polypropylene resin, polyethylene resin, polystyrene resin, impact-resistant polystyrene resin, and polyvinyl chloride.

This cell 1140 is sized to cover only a portion of the entire panel board 1110 (in this case, the area from the left side to the bottom of the center component 2500). Although not shown in the illustration, the cell 1140 is attached to the rear surface of the panel board 1110 using screws, with a predetermined amount of play. This simplifies the installation process compared to attaching the cell 1140 to the entire panel board 1110, reduces the amount of cell 1140 used, and thus suppresses the increase in costs for the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the cells 1140 are provided on a portion of the panel board 1110, the number of cells 1140 that can be obtained from the resin sheet can be increased compared to conventional cells that are attached to the panel board, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the cell 1140 is attached to the panel board 1110 with some degree of looseness, even if the cell 1140 expands or contracts due to changes in temperature, humidity, etc., the difference in expansion and contraction between the cell 1140 and the panel board 1110 can be absorbed by the looseness. This prevents wrinkles or cracks from forming in the cell 1140 even if it contracts relative to the panel board 1110, thus maintaining the decorative effect of the pattern on the cell 1140.

Furthermore, since the cell 1140 is attached to the panel board 1110 with screws, the cell 1140 can be easily attached to and detached from the panel board 1110. Therefore, by replacing the cell 1140 with one featuring a different pattern, it is possible to easily accommodate changes in the specifications, model, or design of the pachinko machine 1. This helps to suppress increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1, and by replacing the cell 1140 with one featuring a more decorative pattern, it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that is more appealing to players.

Furthermore, since the cell 1140 is located on the rear side of the transparent panel 1110, the distance from the player to the cell 1140 is greater compared to when it is located on the front side of the panel 1110, thereby reducing the feeling of pressure on the player.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the cell 1140 be translucent. Light from the LED located behind the panel board 1110 (cell 1140) can illuminate the pattern on the cell 1140, improving the appearance within the game area 5a. The illumination of the cell 1140 can also strongly attract the player's attention, thereby enhancing the appeal of the pachinko machine 1.

In the above embodiment, the cell 1140 is shown attached to the panel board 1110 using screws. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, the cell 1140 may be attached by sandwiching it between the panel board 1110 and the panel holder 1120.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the opening 1112 in which the center fitting 2500 of the panel plate 1110 is provided is shown to be positioned off-center to the upper right (eccentric to the upper right) relative to the panel plate 1110. However, the embodiment is not limited to this; it may also be positioned off-center upwards (eccentric upwards) or off-center to the left or right (eccentric to the left or right). By providing the cell 1140 behind the widened portion caused by the off-center positioning (eccentricity) of the opening 1112, the same effects and advantages as described above can be achieved.

Furthermore, the opening 1112 where the center feature 2500 is provided may be off-center or off-edge with respect to the center or outer edge of the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110), or it may be off-center or off-edge with respect to the center or outer edge of the game area 5a. Therefore, for example, if the centers of the panel board 1110 and the game area 5a do not coincide, the center of the opening 1112 off-center with respect to the center of the panel board 1110 may coincide with the center of the game area 5a, or the center of the opening 1112 off-center with respect to the center of the game area 5a may coincide with the center of the panel board 1110.

[16. Another Embodiment of the Function Display Unit]
Next, another embodiment of the function display unit 1400 provided on the game board 5, etc., will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figures 202 to 207. Figure 202(a) is a front view of the function display unit of the second embodiment, (b) is a cross-sectional view of (a) along the line S-S, (c) is a perspective view of the function display unit of (a) from the front, and (d) is a perspective view of the function display unit of (a) from the rear. Figure 203 is an exploded perspective view of the function display unit of Figure 202, taken from the front, and Figure 204 is an exploded perspective view of the function display unit of Figure 202, taken from the rear. Figure 205 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the relationship between the function display unit of Figure 202 and the player. Figure 206 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the relationship between the function display unit of the third embodiment and the player. Figure 207 is a cross-sectional view of the function display unit of the fourth embodiment.

The function display unit 1400A of the second embodiment, similar to the function display unit 1400 of the first embodiment described above, displays the game status (game situation), normal lottery results, special lottery results (first special lottery results, second special lottery results), the number of reserved normal lottery results, the number of reserved special lottery results, the number of rounds in the case of a "jackpot," etc., by blinking multiple LEDs 1401 based on control signals from the main control board 1310, and then turning each LED on or off in a predetermined combination.

To elaborate, in the game board 5 of the first embodiment, when a game ball B is received into, for example, the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004, the main control board 1310 performs an internal process to draw a special lottery result. The main control board 1310 then transmits a control signal to the function display unit 1400 to display the drawn special lottery result, and the function display unit 1400 displays the drawn special lottery result using the corresponding LED 1401.

Furthermore, the control signal for the special lottery result drawn by the main control board 1310 is also transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510, and the peripheral control board 1510 displays a predetermined animation image on the animation display device 1600 as an indication of the special lottery result. Because the animation image displayed on the animation display device 1600 focuses on entertaining the player, while the special lottery result drawn by the main control board 1310 can be roughly recognized, the details are difficult to discern. On the other hand, the function display unit 1400 accurately displays the drawn special lottery result, but because it uses the illumination of multiple small LEDs 1401, the displayed content is difficult to understand at a glance.

Therefore, it is conceivable to analyze the LED illumination state of the function display unit 1400 by photographing it with a digital camera or a camera attached to a mobile phone, in order to quickly determine the content displayed on the function display unit 1400.

However, if the special lottery result can be easily determined by the illumination of the LED in the function display unit 1400, then if the special lottery result displayed on the function display unit 1400 is a "loser," even if the performance display device 1600 displays a performance image suggesting that special lottery result, knowing the result beforehand will prevent players from enjoying the performance image and may lead them to wish for the performance image to end quickly. This could cause frustration for some players and reduce their enjoyment of the game.

In contrast, the function display unit 1400A of the second embodiment allows the player to clearly see the illumination status of the multiple LEDs 1401, but when photographed with a digital camera or the like, the illumination status of the multiple LEDs 1401 becomes unclear, making it impossible to discern the displayed content.

Specifically, the function display unit 1400A comprises a function display board 1402 on which multiple LEDs 1401 are mounted on the front; a rear reflector 1403 provided in front of the function display board 1402, which transmits light from each LED 1401 independently forward; a translucent light-transmitting sheet 1404 provided in front of the rear reflector 1403; and a front reflector 1405 provided in front of the translucent sheet 1404, which radiates light from the LEDs 1401 that have passed through the rear reflector 1403 in different directions.

As shown in Figure 203, the functional display board 1402 has multiple LEDs 1401 randomly mounted on it. The reflector 1403 has multiple through-holes 1403a corresponding to each LED 1401 on the functional display board 1402. These multiple through-holes 1403a are positioned perpendicular to the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402 (see Figure 202(b), etc.).

The front reflector 1405 has multiple display holes 1405a that penetrate in the front-to-back direction, corresponding to each through-hole 1403a of the rear reflector 1403. The rear ends of the multiple display holes 1405a are located directly in front of the corresponding through-holes 1403a of the rear reflector 1403, while their front ends are located at varying distances from the line perpendicular to the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402, passing through the center of the rear end. In other words, the axial directions of the multiple display holes 1405a are oriented in varying directions relative to the line perpendicular to the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402.

Furthermore, the front of the reflector 1405 has a distinguishing recess 1405b that extends from the front to the rear, connecting the multiple display holes 1405a. The distinguishing recess 1405b divides the multiple display holes 1405a into two: a display hole 1405a (LED 1401) related to the first special lottery result and a display hole 1405a (LED 1401) related to the second special lottery result.

As shown in Figure 205, the multiple display holes 1405a in front of the reflector 1405 direct the light from the LED 1401 in three directions when viewed by a player seated 50 cm to 70 cm away from the front function display unit 1400A of the pachinko machine 1. These directions include light visible only to the left eye, light visible only to the right eye, and light visible to both the left and right eyes. In other words, the multiple display holes 1405a are divided into three sections: for the left eye, for the right eye, and for both eyes.

According to the function display unit 1400A of this embodiment, since the player can see the light from all LEDs 1401 by looking with both eyes, when displaying special lottery results, etc., the illumination status of the multiple LEDs 1401 can be clearly seen, and it can perform the same functions as the function display unit 1400 of the first embodiment without any inferiority.

Furthermore, with the function display unit 1400A of this embodiment, when a photograph is taken with a digital camera or the like, since the digital camera or the like is monocular, either the left eye and both eyes, or the right eye and both eyes, will be photographed, making it difficult to photograph the illumination status (illumination state) of all LEDs 1401. In other words, when a photograph is taken with a digital camera or the like, the illumination status of multiple LEDs 1401 can be obscured, making it difficult to discern the display content on the function display unit 1400A. Therefore, based on the captured photograph, the display content on the function display unit 1400A becomes clear, and the result of the special lottery, such as "miss," "simple jackpot," "probability change jackpot," "time-saving jackpot," or "second jackpot (ST jackpot)," can be determined. This prevents players from losing enjoyment of the effects that suggest the result of the special lottery or from enjoying the advantageous game state that is currently occurring (for example, a "jackpot" game), thus keeping players entertained and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the function display unit 1400A has a different orientation for the display hole 1405a in front of the reflector 1405, and the display content is made clearly visible to the player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, the display content of the function display unit 1400A can be made unclear from behind the seated player. Consequently, it is difficult for other players to grasp the game situation, reducing the likelihood of other players peeking at the player's screen, and allowing the player to enjoy the game without feeling self-conscious.

Furthermore, as described above, since the display content is positioned to be clearly visible to the player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1, it becomes more difficult to photograph the display content of the function display unit 1400A with a digital camera or similar device from a position behind the player, thereby reliably achieving the aforementioned effects.

Furthermore, in the function display unit 1400A, the display hole 1405a in front of the reflector 1405 is oriented differently not only horizontally but also vertically, so that the display content is clearly visible when viewed from the eye level of a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1. This makes it more difficult to photograph the display content of the function display unit 1400A with a digital camera or similar device, as the height must also be adjusted.

Furthermore, by differentiating the orientation of the display holes 1405a in front of the reflector 1405 to accommodate left-eye and right-eye displays, it is possible to suppress the large horizontal distance between the multiple LEDs 1401 on the function display board 1402, thereby reducing the horizontal width of the function display unit 1400A.

In the above embodiment, the multiple display holes 1405a in front of the reflector 1405 are shown facing in different directions for the left eye, right eye, etc. However, the invention is not limited to this configuration, and a functional display unit 1400B with a configuration like that shown in Figure 206 may also be used.

The function display unit 1400B comprises a function display board 1411 on which multiple left-facing LEDs 1411a and multiple right-facing LEDs 1411b are mounted on the front surface, spaced a predetermined distance apart in the left-right direction (the distance between the player's left and right pupils); a rear reflector 1412 provided in front of the function display board 1411, which independently transmits light from the left-facing LEDs 1411a and right-facing LEDs 1411b forward; a light-transmitting sheet 1413 provided in front of the rear reflector 1412; and a front reflector 1414 provided in front of the light-transmitting sheet 1413, which radiates light from the left-facing LEDs 1411a and right-facing LEDs 1411b that have passed through the rear reflector 1412 forward.

The left LED 1411a and the right LED 1411b of the function display board 1411 are spaced 40 mm to 80 mm apart in the left-right direction. The rear of the reflector 1412 is provided with multiple through-holes 1412a corresponding to the left LED 1411a and the right LED 1411b of the function display board 1411. These multiple through-holes 1412a are positioned perpendicular to the front surface of the function display board 1411. The front of the reflector 1414 is provided with multiple display holes 1414a corresponding to the multiple through-holes 1412a of the rear of the reflector 1412. These multiple display holes 1414a are positioned perpendicular to the front surface of the function display board 1411.

This function display unit 1400B is configured such that, when viewed by a player seated in front of the pachinko machine 1, the light from the left LED 1411a is visible only to the left eye, and the light from the right LED 1411b is visible only to the right eye. Therefore, when the player looks with both eyes, the light from both the left LED 1411a and the right LED 1411b is visible, allowing the unit to perform the same functions as the function display unit 1400 of the first embodiment without any inferiority.

Furthermore, in the function display unit 1400B, since the left LED 1411a and the right LED 1411b are separated and spaced apart in the left-right direction, a monocular digital camera or the like can only capture one of them, thus achieving the same effect as the function display unit 1400A of the second embodiment.

Furthermore, in the functional display unit 1400B, since the multiple display holes 1414a in front of the reflector 1414 are oriented perpendicular to the front surface of the functional display board 1411, the display content is not clearly visible from any position other than the front of the functional display unit 1400B, making it difficult to photograph the display content with a digital camera or similar device.

Furthermore, according to the function display unit 1400B, the multiple display holes 1414a of the reflector front 1414 are oriented perpendicular to the front surface of the function display board 1411, and since they all face the same direction, the reflector front 1414 can be easily molded, thereby suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

In the above embodiment, function display units 1400A and 1400B were shown, which have configurations that are difficult to photograph with a monocular digital camera, etc. However, the embodiment is not limited to these, and a function display unit 1400C with a configuration as shown in Figure 207 may also be used.

This functional display unit 1400C makes the displayed content difficult to discern by emitting invisible light (infrared, ultraviolet, etc.) that can be captured by digital cameras, etc. Specifically, it comprises a functional display board 1421 with multiple LEDs 1421a mounted on its front, a rear reflector 1422 located in front of the functional display board 1421, a flat light guide plate 1423 located in front of the rear reflector 1422, an auxiliary board 1424 on which invisible light LEDs 1424a that emit invisible light are mounted on the side of the light guide plate 1423, and a front reflector 1425 located in front of the light guide plate 1423.

The rear part 1422 of the reflector has multiple through holes 1422a, each corresponding to one of the multiple LEDs 1421a of the functional display board 1421. When light from the invisible light LEDs 1424a of the auxiliary board 1424 is incident on the light guide plate 1423 from the side, at least the portion of the display hole 1425a in the front part 1425 of the reflector illuminates.

The invisible light LED 1424a on the auxiliary substrate 1424 emits either infrared or ultraviolet light as invisible light. This invisible light LED 1424a is illuminated when multiple LEDs 1421a are displaying special lottery results, etc., and emits invisible light from the light guide plate 1423. The front of the reflector 1425 has multiple display holes 1425a corresponding to the through holes 1422a of the rear of the reflector 1422. The multiple through holes 1422a of the rear of the reflector 1422 and the multiple display holes 1425a of the front of the reflector 1425 are provided perpendicular to the front surface of the functional display substrate 1421.

According to this function display unit 1400C, even though the light guide plate 1423 emits invisible light via the invisible light LED 1424a, the player cannot see this invisible light. Therefore, the light from the LED 1421a located behind the light guide plate 1423 is visible, allowing the display content to be viewed clearly.

On the other hand, if this function display unit 1400C is photographed with a digital camera or similar device, and the camera is capable of capturing invisible light, then the light guide plate, which emits light due to the invisible light, will appear to illuminate all of the display holes 1425a. This obscures the display content, achieving the same effect as described above.

In the above embodiment, a configuration with a reflector rear 1403 (reflector rear 1412) and a light-transmitting sheet 1404 (light-transmitting sheet 1413) was shown. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and a reflector front 1405 (reflector front 1414) may be directly provided on the front surface of the function display board 1402 (function display board 1411).

Furthermore, to make it difficult to photograph the display content of the function display unit with a digital camera, for example, the LEDs may be distributed over a wider area than the shooting range of the digital camera, or the LEDs may be blinked at a speed that makes them appear lit to the player but off when photographed with a digital camera, or multiple dummy LEDs unrelated to the display may be used in combination, appearing off to the player but appearing lit or off when photographed with a digital camera, or high-brightness LEDs may be placed near the function display unit to cause halation when photographed with a digital camera, preventing the display content from being captured.

[17. Second Embodiment of Magnetic Sensor Mounting]
Next, a second embodiment of the mounting of the magnetic sensor 1050, which is different from the game board 5 etc. described above, will be described in detail, mainly with reference to Figure 208. Figure 208(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the second embodiment of the mounting of the magnetic sensor, (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the mounting of the magnetic sensor in (a) in a perspective view, (c) is an exploded perspective view showing the mounting of the magnetic sensor in (b) in an exploded state, and (d) is an exploded perspective view showing the mounting of the magnetic sensor with a different holding member than in (c).

A second embodiment of the mounting of the magnetic sensor 1050 comprises a retaining member 1071 mounted at a predetermined position on the game board 5 and having a pair of locking portions 1071a consisting of through holes, and a retaining container 1072 that houses the magnetic sensor 1050 and has elastic claws 1072a that lock onto the locking portions 1071a of the retaining member 1071. The retaining member 1071 is made of synthetic resin. The retaining container 1072 is made of transparent synthetic resin, allowing the magnetic sensor 1050 to be seen from the outside. Furthermore, the retaining member 1071 and the retaining container 1072 are made of non-magnetic material.

Furthermore, the retaining container 1072 has a hole on the side opposite to the elastic claw 1072a. Through this hole in the retaining container 1072, the wires from the magnetic sensor 1050 housed within the retaining container 1072 can be pulled out to the outside.

With this holding member 1071 and holding container 1072, since the holding member 1071 and holding container 1072 are made of non-magnetic material, when a magnet is brought close to the game area 5a, the holding member 1071 etc. can be prevented from attracting magnetic field lines from the magnet, thereby preventing a reduction in the magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1050. Therefore, it is possible to easily detect magnetism acting on the game area 5a, enabling early detection of fraudulent activity using magnets. Furthermore, by notifying the magnetic sensor 1050 of the detection of suspicious magnetism, fraudulent activity can be deterred, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, by elastically deforming the elastic claws 1072a of the retaining container 1072, the magnetic sensor 1050 can be easily attached to and removed from the retaining member 1071. Therefore, unlike conventional pachinko machines, the magnetic sensor 1050 can be attached using the elastic claws 1072a of the retaining container 1072 without the need for metal screws made of magnetic material. This also simplifies the assembly of the pachinko machine 1 and helps to suppress increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since a locking portion 1071a is provided that penetrates the holding member 1071, and the magnetic sensor 1050 is attached by locking the elastic claw 1072a of the holding container 1072 to this locking portion 1071a, the structure of the holding member 1071 to which the magnetic sensor 1050 is attached can be simplified, thereby reducing the cost associated with the holding member 1071.

Furthermore, since the elastic claws 1072a of the holding container 1072 are locked to the locking portion 1071a of the holding member 1071, as shown in Figure 208(d), multiple sets of locking portions 1071a are provided on the holding member 1071 in advance, and the position where the magnetic sensor 1050 is attached can be arbitrarily set by locking the elastic claws 1072a to any locking portion 1071a. Alternatively, another locking portion 1071a may be provided on the holding member 1071 at a different position from the locking portion 1071a to which the elastic claws 1072a are locked. This allows for changes in the position of the magnetic sensor 1050 or the addition of more magnetic sensors 1050 without replacing the holding member 1071 with a new one, thereby reducing costs and increasing the versatility of the holding member 1071.

Furthermore, since the magnetic sensor 1050 is housed in the holding container 1072 and secured to the locking portion 1071a of the holding member 1071 by the elastic claw 1072a, the mounting structure of the magnetic sensor 1050 can be easily standardized, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by providing multiple locking portions 1071a on the holding member 1071 in advance, and locking the elastic claws 1072a of the holding container 1072 containing the magnetic sensor 1050 to the appropriate locking portions 1071a, the magnetic sensor 1050 can be positioned at any location or its position can be easily changed. Therefore, since the position and addition of magnetic sensors 1050 can be easily performed, it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can easily accommodate design changes and model changes while suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, a biasing portion, such as a projection, that presses against the housed magnetic sensor 1050 may be provided inside the holding container 1072. This suppresses fine vibrations of the magnetic sensor 1050, thereby reducing the risk of the connector connected to the magnetic sensor 1050 becoming detached or experiencing poor contact due to such vibrations, and ensuring reliable operation of the magnetic sensor 1050.

In the above embodiment, the locking portion 1071a of the retaining member 1071 is shown as a through-hole, but it is not limited to this. Any shape that allows the elastic claw 1072a to lock into is acceptable, and it may be a groove, slit, etc.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows a holding container 1072 that accommodates the magnetic sensor 1050 vertically, it is not limited to this configuration, and a holding container that accommodates the magnetic sensor 1050 horizontally may also be used.

Furthermore, while the above embodiment shows the magnetic sensor 1050 housed in a holding container 1072 having elastic claws 1072a and attached to a holding member 1071, the invention is not limited to this configuration. Alternatively, elastic claws may be formed on the sensor case 1053 of the magnetic sensor 1050 to engage with the locking portion 1071a of the holding member 1071.

Furthermore, while the above describes the mounting of the magnetic sensor 1050, this mounting structure may also be used to mount a vibration sensor. Specifically, the vibration sensor may be housed in a retaining container with elastic claws, and the vibration sensor may be mounted by engaging these elastic claws with the locking portion of the retaining member. Although the vibration sensor is not affected by surrounding magnetic materials, using a mounting structure similar to that of the magnetic sensor 1050 is effective in changing or moving the mounting location and reducing mounting costs.

[18. Another Embodiment Regarding the Attachment of Decorative Objects such as Seals]
Next, another embodiment relating to the attachment of decorative elements such as seals, which differs from the above embodiment, will be described in detail with reference to Figures 209 to 212, etc. In this chapter, a member to which a predetermined decoration is applied will be referred to as a decorative element, a member to which a decorative element is attached on one side will be referred to as a first member, and a member attached to the other side of the first member will be referred to as a second member. The decorative element, the first member, and the second member may be arranged in a front-to-back arrangement, a top-to-bottom arrangement, or a left-to-right arrangement.

Figure 209(a) is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating an example where the separation hole of the first member for removing the decorative element is also used as a positioning hole for the second member; (b) is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating an example where a closed space is formed behind the separation hole of the first member for removing the decorative element by the second member; (c) is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating the state in (b) where decorative elements of different thicknesses are attached; and (d) is a cross-sectional diagram illustrating an example where the separation hole of the first member for removing the decorative element is also used as a mounting hole for the decorative element. Figure 210(a) is a front view diagram showing the first member with the decorative element attached; (b) is a cross-sectional view of (a); and (c) is a front view diagram showing the first member with a different decorative element attached than in (a).

Figure 211(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between a horizontally elongated rectangular decorative element and the first member; (b) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between a circular decorative element and the first member; (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between a symmetrically arranged decorative element and the first member; and (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between a symmetrically arranged decorative element with a different shape from (c) and the first member. Figure 212(a) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the decorative element and the movable first member from the front; (b) is a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting along the tartare line in (a); (c) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between the decorative element and the first member in (a) and (c); (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between a decorative element of a different form from (a) and the movable first member from the front; and (e) is a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting along the chichre line in (d).

First, the embodiment shown in Figure 209(a) comprises a decorative body 1801, which is a sheet-like sticker with predetermined decorations or characters printed on it; a first member 1821 to which the decorative body 1801 is attached; and a second member 1841 attached to the other side of the first member 1821.

The first member 1821 comprises a flat plate portion 1821a, a mounting recess 1821b recessed from one side of the flat plate portion 1821a to which the decorative body 1801 is attached, a boss portion 1821c protruding from the other side of the flat plate portion 1821a opposite to the mounting recess 1821b, a separation hole 1821d penetrating the boss portion 1821c and the flat plate portion 1821a, and a rib 1821e protruding from the other side of the flat plate portion 1821a to the same position as the tip of the boss portion 1821c. The mounting recess 1821b is recessed deeper than the thickness of the decorative body 1801.

The second member 1841 comprises a base portion 1841a on one side, with the boss portion 1821c and the tip of the rib 1821e of the first member 1821 in contact with it, and a positioning projection 1841b protruding from one side of the base portion 1841a and inserted into the separation hole 1821d of the first member 1821. The insertion of the positioning projection 1841b of the second member 1841 into the separation hole 1821d of the first member 1821 positions the first member 1821 and the second member 1841 relative to each other.

The separation hole 1821d of the first member 1821 is closed on one side by the decorative member 1801 attached to the mounting recess 1821b when assembled, and closed on the other side by the positioning projection 1841b of the second member 1841, creating a closed space inside. The separation hole 1821d is located near the edge of the mounting recess 1821b that is hidden by the decorative member 1801. This separation hole 1821d also serves as a positioning hole for positioning the first member 1821 onto the second member 1841.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, if the decorative body 1801 cannot be properly attached to the mounting recess 1821b of the first member 1821 during the manufacturing of the pachinko machine 1, a rod-shaped member can be passed through the separation hole 1821d from the other side of the first member 1821, and the tip of the rod-shaped member can be used to press the decorative body 1801 from one side to the other. This allows the edge of the decorative body 1801 to peel off to one side, and the worker can then easily remove the decorative body 1801 from the mounting recess 1821b by pulling the peeled-off portion, allowing the decorative body 1801 to be reattached.

Furthermore, by separating the first member 1821 and the second member 1841, passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole 1821d from the other side of the first member 1821, and pressing the decorative body 1801 from the other side with its tip, the decorative body 1801 can be easily removed from the mounting recess 1821b. This makes the replacement of the decorative body 1801 when changing models much easier.

Furthermore, as described above, when the first member 1821 and the second member 1841 are separated, the decorative body 1801 can be easily removed from the mounting recess 1821b using the separation hole 1821d. This makes it easier to separate the components of the pachinko machine 1 by material, thereby reducing the cost of disposing of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by attaching the decorative element 1801 to the mounting recess 1821b, the separation hole 1821d can be concealed from one side. This suppresses the deterioration of appearance caused by the separation hole 1821d, and makes it difficult for players to notice its presence, thus making it harder for them to plot fraudulent activities using the separation hole 1821d.

Furthermore, when assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the positioning projection 1841b of the second member 1841, which is inserted into the separation hole 1821d of the first member 1821 to which the decorative body 1801 is attached, closes the separation hole 1821d from the other side. Since there is no through-hole that runs throughout the entire machine, as in conventional pachinko machines, it is possible to prevent a wire-like fraudulent tool, such as piano wire, from being inserted into the game board 5 from the other side of the second member 1841 through the hole, thereby preventing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, since the positioning projection 1841b of the second member 1841 closes the separation hole 1821d from the other side, even if an illegal tool is inserted through the decorative body 1801 and into the separation hole 1821d from one side, the positioning projection 1841b of the second member 1841 prevents further insertion (intrusion) to the other side. Therefore, the intrusion of an illegal tool into the game board 5 from one side through the separation hole 1821d is prevented, thus preventing fraudulent activity. Additionally, since the illegal tool leaves a mark on the decorative body 1801 when it penetrates it, it can deter fraudulent activity, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

In this embodiment, for example, the first member 1821 may be the front component 1000 or the front unit 2000 (starting port unit 2100, side unit 2200, upper left side unit 2300, first attacker unit 2400, center component 2500, second attacker unit 2600, middle right side unit 2700, gate member 2800, etc.), while the second member 1841 may be the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110, panel holder 1120).

Furthermore, examples of decorative elements 1801 include PET seals, Flex Metal Seals (trade name), Metatic Seals (trade name), Potting Seals, Aluminum Seals, etc.

Next, the embodiment shown in Figure 209(b) comprises a decorative body 1801, which is a sheet-like sticker with predetermined decorations or characters printed on it; a first member 1822 to which the decorative body 1801 is attached; and a second member 1842 attached to the other side of the first member 1822. The second member 1842 is attached to the first member 1822 by a configuration not shown.

The first member 1822 comprises a flat plate portion 1822a, a mounting recess 1822b recessed from one side of the flat plate portion 1822a to which the decorative body 1801 is attached, a separation hole 1822c penetrating the flat plate portion 1822a at the location of the mounting recess 1822b, and a plurality of ribs 1822d protruding from the other side of the flat plate portion 1822a. The mounting recess 1821b is recessed deeper than the thickness of the decorative body 1801. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, at least some of the plurality of ribs 1822d are provided so as to surround the separation hole 1822c.

The separation hole 1822c of the first member 1822 is closed on one side by the decorative member 1801 attached to the mounting recess 1822b when assembled, while the other side is open within a closed space surrounded by multiple ribs 1822d and one side surface of the second member 1842, thus forming a closed space overall. The separation hole 1822c is located near the edge of the mounting recess 1822b, where it is hidden by the decorative member 1801.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, if the decorative body 1801 cannot be properly attached to the mounting recess 1822b of the first member 1822 during the manufacturing of the pachinko machine 1, a rod-shaped member can be passed through the separation hole 1822c from the other side of the first member 1822, and the tip of the rod-shaped member can be used to press the decorative body 1801 from one side to the other. This allows the edge of the decorative body 1801 to peel off to one side, and the worker can then easily remove the decorative body 1801 from the mounting recess 1822b by pulling the peeled-off portion, allowing the decorative body 1801 to be reattached.

Furthermore, with the first member 1822 and the second member 1842 separated, a rod-shaped member can be passed through the separation hole 1822c from the other side of the first member 1822, and the decorative body 1801 can be easily removed from the mounting recess 1822b by pressing the decorative body 1801 from the other side with the tip of the rod-shaped member. This makes the replacement of the decorative body 1801 when changing models much easier.

Furthermore, as described above, when the first member 1822 and the second member 1842 are separated, the decorative body 1801 can be easily removed from the mounting recess 1822b using the separation hole 1822c. This makes it easier to separate the components of the pachinko machine 1 by material, thereby reducing the cost of disposing of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by attaching the decorative element 1801 to the mounting recess 1822b, the separation hole 1822c can be concealed from one side. This suppresses the deterioration of appearance caused by the separation hole 1822c, and makes it difficult for players to notice its presence, thus making it harder for them to plot fraudulent activities using the separation hole 1822c.

Furthermore, when assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the second member 1842, attached to the other side of the first member 1822 to which the decorative body 1801 is attached, closes the separation hole 1822c from the other side. Since there is no through-hole that extends throughout the entire machine, as is the case with conventional pachinko machines, it is possible to prevent a wire-like fraudulent tool, such as piano wire, from being inserted into the game board 5 from the other side of the second member 1842, thereby preventing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, since the second member 1842 closes the separation hole 1822c from the other side, even if an illegal tool is inserted through the decorative body 1801 and into the separation hole 1822c from one side, the second member 1842 prevents further insertion (intrusion) to the other side. Therefore, the intrusion of an illegal tool into the game board 5 from one side through the separation hole 1822c is prevented, thus preventing fraudulent activity. Additionally, since the illegal tool leaves a mark on the decorative body 1801 when it penetrates it, it can deter fraudulent activity, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

In this embodiment, for example, the first member 1822 may be the front component 1000 or the front unit 2000 (starting port unit 2100, side unit 2200, upper left side unit 2300, first attacker unit 2400, center component 2500, second attacker unit 2600, middle right side unit 2700, gate member 2800, etc.), while the second member 1842 may be the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110, panel holder 1120).

Furthermore, examples of decorative elements 1801 include PET seals, Flex Metal Seals (trade name), Metatic Seals (trade name), Potting Seals, Aluminum Seals, etc.

Next, the embodiment shown in Figure 209(c) comprises a decorative body 1802 made of a seal with a predetermined decoration and a certain thickness (for example, 0.4 mm to 5 mm), a first member 1822 to which the decorative body 1802 is attached on one side, and a second member 1842 attached to the other side of the first member 1822. The second member 1842 is attached to the first member 1822 by a configuration not shown.

The first member 1822 comprises a flat plate portion 1822a, a mounting recess 1822b recessed from one side of the flat plate portion 1822a to which the decorative body 1802 is attached, a separation hole 1822c penetrating the flat plate portion 1822a at the location of the mounting recess 1822b, and a plurality of ribs 1822d protruding from the other side of the flat plate portion 1822a. The mounting recess 1821b is recessed to a depth shallower than the thickness of the decorative body 1802. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, at least some of the plurality of ribs 1822d are provided so as to surround the separation hole 1822c.

The separation hole 1822c of the first member 1822 is closed on one side by the decorative member 1802 attached to the mounting recess 1822b when assembled, while the other side is open within a closed space surrounded by multiple ribs 1822d and one side surface of the second member 1842, thus forming a closed space overall. The separation hole 1822c is located near the edge of the mounting recess 1822b that is hidden by the decorative member 1802.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, if the decorative body 1802 cannot be properly attached to the mounting recess 1822b of the first member 1822 during the manufacturing of the pachinko machine 1, a rod-shaped member can be passed through the separation hole 1822c from the other side of the first member 1822, and the tip of the rod-shaped member can be used to press the decorative body 1802 from one side to the other. This allows the edge of the decorative body 1802 to peel off to one side, and the worker can then easily remove the decorative body 1802 from the mounting recess 1822b by pulling the peeled-off portion, allowing the decorative body 1802 to be reattached.

Furthermore, with the first member 1822 and the second member 1842 separated, a rod-shaped member can be passed through the separation hole 1822c from the other side of the first member 1822, and the decorative body 1802 can be pressed from the other side with the tip of the rod-shaped member. This allows the decorative body 1802 to be easily removed from the mounting recess 1822b, thus simplifying the replacement of the decorative body 1802 when changing models.

Furthermore, as described above, when the first member 1822 and the second member 1842 are separated, the decorative body 1802 can be easily removed from the mounting recess 1822b using the separation hole 1822c. This makes it easier to separate the components of the pachinko machine 1 by material, thereby reducing the cost of disposing of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by attaching the decorative element 1802 to the mounting recess 1822b, the separation hole 1822c can be concealed from one side. This suppresses the deterioration of appearance caused by the separation hole 1822c, and makes it difficult for players to notice its presence, thus making it harder for them to plot fraudulent activities using the separation hole 1822c.

Furthermore, when assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the second member 1842, attached to the other side of the first member 1822 to which the decorative body 1802 is attached, closes the separation hole 1822c from the other side. Since there is no through-hole that extends throughout the entire machine, as is the case with conventional pachinko machines, it is possible to prevent a wire-like fraudulent tool, such as piano wire, from being inserted into the game board 5 from the other side of the second member 1842, thereby preventing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, since the second member 1842 closes the separation hole 1822c from the other side, even if an illegal tool is inserted through the decorative body 1802 and into the separation hole 1822c from one side, the second member 1842 prevents further insertion (intrusion) to the other side. Therefore, the intrusion of an illegal tool into the game board 5 from one side through the separation hole 1822c is prevented, thus preventing fraudulent activity. Additionally, since the illegal tool leaves a mark on the decorative body 1802 when it penetrates it, it can deter fraudulent activity, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

In this embodiment, for example, the first member 1822 may be a front component 1000 or a front unit 2000 (starting port unit 2100, side unit 2200, upper left side unit 2300, first attacker unit 2400, center component 2500, second attacker unit 2600, middle right side unit 2700, gate member 2800, etc.), while the second member 1842 may be a game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110, panel holder 1120). Alternatively, the first member 1822 may be a decorative holding member, and the second member 1842 may be a base member or decorative substrate, etc.

Furthermore, examples of decorative elements 1802 include PET seals, Flex Metal Seals (trade name), Metatic Seals (trade name), potting seals, aluminum seals, etc. Examples of decorative elements 1802 include those formed by injection molding, vacuum forming, compressed air forming, high-frequency molding, etc.

Next, the embodiment shown in Figure 209(d) comprises a decorative body 1803 that is thick (for example, 2 mm to 20 mm) and rigid, with a predetermined decoration; a first member 1822 to which the decorative body 1803 is attached; and a second member 1842 attached to the other side of the first member 1822.

The decorative element 1803 has a mounting pin 1803a that protrudes to the other side. By press-fitting this mounting pin 1803a into the separation hole 1822c of the first member 1822 (described later), the decorative element 1803 can be attached to the first member 1822.

The first member 1822 comprises a flat plate portion 1822a, a mounting recess 1822b recessed from one side of the flat plate portion 1822a where the decorative body 1803 abuts, a separation hole 1822c that penetrates the flat plate portion 1822a at the location of the mounting recess 1822b and into which the mounting dowel 1803a is press-fitted, and a plurality of ribs 1822d protruding from the other side of the flat plate portion 1822a. The mounting recess 1821b is recessed to a depth shallower than the thickness of the decorative body 1803. Although detailed illustrations are omitted, at least some of the plurality of ribs 1822d are provided so as to surround the separation hole 1822c.

The separation hole 1822c of the first member 1822 is closed on one side by a mounting dowel 1803a protruding from the decorative body 1803 when assembled, while the other side is open within a closed space surrounded by multiple ribs 1822d and one side surface of the second member 1842, thus forming a closed space overall. The separation hole 1822c is located near the edge of the mounting recess 1822b, where it is hidden by the decorative body 1803.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, if the decorative body 1803 cannot be properly attached to the mounting recess 1822b of the first member 1822 during the manufacturing of the pachinko machine 1, a rod-shaped member can be passed through the separation hole 1822c from the other side of the first member 1822, and the tip of the rod-shaped member can be used to press the mounting dowel 1803a of the decorative body 1803 from the other side to the one side. This separates the other side of the decorative body 1803 from the surface of the mounting recess 1822b, allowing the decorative body 1803 to be easily removed from the first member 1822 and reattached.

Furthermore, with the first member 1822 and the second member 1842 separated, a rod-shaped member can be passed through the separation hole 1822c from the other side of the first member 1822, and the tip of this member can be used to press the mounting dowel 1803a of the decorative body 1803 from the other side. This allows the decorative body 1803 to be easily removed from the first member 1822, thus simplifying the replacement of the decorative body 1803 when changing models.

Furthermore, as described above, when the first member 1822 and the second member 1842 are separated, the decorative body 1803 can be easily removed from the first member 1822 using the separation hole 1822c. This makes it easier to separate the components of the pachinko machine 1 by material, thereby reducing the cost of disposing of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by press-fitting the mounting pin 1803a into the separation hole 1822c and attaching the decorative body 1803 to the first member 1822, the separation hole 1822c can be concealed from one side. This suppresses the deterioration of appearance caused by the separation hole 1822c, makes it difficult for players to notice its presence, and thus makes it difficult for them to plot fraudulent activities using the separation hole 1822c.

Furthermore, when assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the second member 1842, attached to the other side of the first member 1822, closes the separation hole 1822c from the other side. Since there is no through-hole that extends throughout the entire machine, unlike conventional pachinko machines, it is possible to prevent a wire-like fraudulent tool, such as piano wire, from being inserted into the game board 5 from the other side of the second member 1842, thereby preventing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, since the mounting dowel 1803a is press-fitted into the separation hole 1822c from one side, and the decorative body 1803 has rigidity, even if an unauthorized tool is attempted to penetrate the decorative body 1803 and insert it into the separation hole 1822c from one side, the rigidity of the decorative body 1803 and the mounting dowel 1803a will prevent penetration. Even if the decorative body 1803 is penetrated from one side and inserted into the separation hole 1822c, the second member 1842 will prevent further insertion (intrusion) to the other side. Therefore, the intrusion of an unauthorized tool into the game board 5 from one side through the separation hole 1822c is prevented, thus preventing fraudulent activity. Additionally, since the unauthorized tool penetrating the decorative body 1803 leaves a mark on it, it can deter fraudulent activity, providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

In this embodiment, for example, the first member 1822 may be a front component 1000 or a front unit 2000 (starting port unit 2100, side unit 2200, upper left side unit 2300, first attacker unit 2400, center component 2500, second attacker unit 2600, middle right side unit 2700, gate member 2800, etc.), while the second member 1842 may be a game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110, panel holder 1120). Alternatively, the first member 1822 may be a decorative holding member, and the second member 1842 may be a base member or decorative substrate, etc.

Furthermore, the decorative element 1803 may be one that features relief-like decoration and is formed by injection molding. The mounting pin 1803a for the decorative element 1803 may be integrally molded with the decorative element 1803, insert-molded, or separately assembled.

Next, the embodiment shown in Figures 210(a) and (b) comprises a decorative body 1804, which is a sheet-like sticker with predetermined decorations or characters printed on it, and a first member 1823 to which the decorative body 1804 is attached. The configuration of the other side of the first member 1823 (including the second member) may be any of the configurations described above.

The decorative element 1804 is a sticker with a predetermined pattern or text printed on its surface, and is translucent. The decorative element 1804 has a roughly square shape, and chamfered portions 1804a of a predetermined radius are provided at three corners. Because the overall shape of the decorative element 1804 makes it difficult to determine its orientation, the shape of one corner is made different from the shapes of the other corners to allow for orientation identification. Note that here, the chamfered portion 1804a is shown as an R-chamfer, but a C-chamfer may also be used.

Furthermore, the decorative element 1804 has an adhesive surface 1804b on its back surface, which is provided along the outer edge with a substantially constant width (a width within the range of 3 mm to 6 mm) (the area shown in shaded areas in Figure 210(a)). The width of the adhesive surface 1804b is set to an appropriate width according to the size of the decorative element 1804. Limiting the adhesive surface 1804b to only the outer edge in this way is often used, especially with transparent stickers (decorative elements 1804), when it is desired to show the LED lighting or design surface behind it.

The first member 1823 has a flat plate portion 1823a, a mounting recess 1823b that is slightly larger than the decorative body 1804 and deeper than the thickness of the decorative body 1804 (0.4 mm to 1.0 mm) on one side of the flat plate portion 1823a to which the decorative body 1804 is attached, and a separation hole 1823c that penetrates the flat plate portion 1823a at the location of the mounting recess 1823b. This first member 1823 is made of transparent material.

The separation hole 1823c is located close to the corner of the mounting recess 1823b, in a position where the adhesive surface 1804b does not come into contact with the decorative element 1804 when it is attached (a position inside the adhesive surface 1804b). This prevents the adhesive surface 1804b from coming into contact with the separation hole 1823c, thus avoiding a reduction in the adhesive strength of the decorative element 1804.

The separation hole 1823c is a round hole. In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the separation hole 1823c is within the range of 2 mm to 6 mm. If the separation hole 1823c is smaller than this, the diameter of the separation rod-shaped member (tool) inserted into the separation hole 1823c becomes smaller, making it more prone to bending and potentially preventing it from adequately pressing the decorative body 1804. If the separation hole 1823c is larger than this, bending may occur at the location of the separation hole 1823c in the decorative body 1804, potentially detracting from the appearance of the decorative body 1804.

Furthermore, the first member 1823 is formed at three corners of the mounting recess 1823b, and is provided with chamfered portions 1823d that are larger (in radius) than the chamfered portions 1804a of the decorative body 1804. The remaining corner is designated as a mis-attachment prevention portion 1823e. As a result, the mounting recess 1823b has a shape similar to that of the decorative body 1804. The two edges that constitute the corners of the mounting recess 1823b where the chamfered portions 1823d are not provided are set as reference surfaces for attaching the decorative body 1804. This ensures clearance in at least two directions for attaching the decorative body 1804, making the attachment process easier.

Furthermore, the first component 1823 is provided with an identification portion 1823f in the mounting recess 1823b that indicates the location of the contact surface. The identification portion 1823f is recessed relative to the surface of the mounting recess 1823b. By viewing this identification portion 1823f, the worker can immediately recognize the position of the contact surface for attaching the decorative element 1804, preventing errors in the placement of the contact surface and facilitating the attachment process.

Furthermore, in the first member 1823, it is desirable that the distance from the outer edge of the flat plate portion 1823a to the outer edge of the mounting recess 1823b be 0.5 mm or more. If the distance is smaller than this, the outer portion of the mounting recess 1823b is more likely to chip when the game ball B collides with another member.

When attaching the decorative element 1804 to the mounting recess 1823b, first, the corner of the decorative element 1804 without the chamfered portion 1804a is brought into contact with the contact surface (misapplication prevention portion 1823e) of the mounting recess 1823b, indicated by the identification portion 1823f. Then, the adhesive surface 1804b is gradually brought into contact with the surface of the mounting recess 1823b and attached. Note that if the corner of the decorative element 1804 with the chamfered portion 1804a is attempted to contact the contact surface (misapplication prevention portion 1823e), the shape of the misapplication prevention portion 1823e differs from that of the chamfered portion 1804a. This allows the user to realize that the decorative element 1804 is being attached in the wrong orientation, enabling them to attach the decorative element 1804 in the correct orientation.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, by passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole 1823c from the other side of the first member 1823 and pressing the decorative body 1804 from one side to the other with its tip, the edge of the decorative body 1804 can be peeled off to one side. The peeled-off portion can then be easily removed from the mounting recess 1823b (first member 1823) by the worker, achieving the same effects as the other configurations described above.

Furthermore, since the separation hole 1823c of the first member 1823 is positioned so that it does not come into contact with the adhesive surface 1804b when the decorative body 1804 is attached to the mounting recess 1823b, it is possible to avoid a decrease in the adhesive strength of the decorative body 1804 due to the adhesive surface 1804b coming into contact with the separation hole 1823c, and thus make it difficult for the decorative body 1804 to come off.

Furthermore, since a mis-attachment prevention portion 1823e is provided in the mounting recess 1823b of the first member 1823 to which the decorative element 1804 is attached, if someone attempts to attach the decorative element 1804 in a direction other than the correct orientation, the difference in shape between the chamfered portion 1804a of the decorative element 1804 and the mis-attachment prevention portion 1823e will alert the user to the incorrect orientation of the decorative element 1804. This allows the decorative element 1804 to be attached to the first member 1823 in the correct orientation, and prevents the decorative element 1804 from being shipped in an incorrectly attached state.

Furthermore, since the mounting recess 1823b of the first member 1823 is provided with an identification section 1823f indicating the contact surface, the worker can immediately recognize the position of the contact surface that serves as the reference point for attaching the decorative body 1804, thereby preventing errors in the positioning of the contact surface and facilitating the attachment process.

In this embodiment, for example, the first member 1823 may be a front component 1000 or a front unit 2000 (starting port unit 2100, side unit 2200, upper left side unit 2300, first attacker unit 2400, center component 2500, second attacker unit 2600, middle right side unit 2700, gate member 2800, etc.), or it may be a member (decorative holding member) provided on the front unit 2000 or back unit 3000.

Furthermore, examples of decorative materials 1804 include PET seals, Flex Metal Seals (trade name), Metatic Seals (trade name), Potting Seals, Aluminum Seals, etc.

Next, the embodiment shown in Figure 210(c) is a modification of the embodiments in Figures 210(a) and (b), in which the adhesive surface 1804b of the decorative element 1804 is provided not only along the outer edge but also on one diagonal. The other configurations are the same as those in the embodiments of Figures 210(a) and (b), and their explanation is omitted.

According to this embodiment, in addition to achieving the same effects as described above, since adhesive surfaces 1804b are also provided diagonally on the back surface of the decorative body 1804, the adhesive strength can be increased, making the decorative body 1804 less likely to come off. Furthermore, even if the decorative body 1804 shrinks at a different rate than the first member 1823 due to changes in the environment such as temperature and humidity, the central part is attached by the diagonal adhesive surfaces 1804b, which suppresses swelling or warping of the decorative body 1804, thus preventing the decorative body 1804 from becoming unsightly.

Furthermore, because the adhesive surface 1804b is provided diagonally, the amount of adhesive surface can be reduced compared to the case where the entire surface of the decorative body 1804 is covered with adhesive, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1. Also, compared to the case where the entire surface is covered with adhesive, the adhesive strength of the decorative body 1804 is lower, making it easier to remove the decorative body 1804 using the separation hole 1823c.

Next, the embodiment shown in Figure 211(a) comprises a horizontally elongated rectangular decorative element 1805 (shaded portion) made of a sheet-like sticker with predetermined decorations or characters printed on it, and a first member 1824 to which the decorative element 1805 is attached. The configuration of the other side of the first member 1824 (including the second member) may be any of the configurations described above. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the separation hole and the identification portion indicating the contact surface on the first member 1824 are omitted.

The decorative element 1805 is a sticker with a predetermined pattern or text printed on its surface. This decorative element 1805 has a horizontally elongated rectangular shape, and one corner (the lower left corner in the figure) is provided with a diagonally cut C-shaped chamfered portion 1805a. Because the orientation of the decorative element 1805 is difficult to determine, the shape of one corner is made different from the shapes of the other corners to allow for orientation identification. The adhesive surface of the decorative element 1805 may be provided along the outer edge at a constant width, as shown in Figure 210(a), or it may be provided across the entire surface.

The first member 1824 has a flat plate portion 1824a and a mounting recess 1824b that is slightly larger than the decorative body 1805 and deeper than the thickness of the decorative body 1805 (0.4 mm to 1.0 mm) on one side of the flat plate portion 1824a, to which the decorative body 1805 is attached.

Furthermore, the first member 1824 has a C-shaped mis-adhesion prevention portion 1824c protruding into the mounting recess 1824b at one corner of the mounting recess 1824b (the lower left corner in the figure). This gives the mounting recess 1824b a shape similar to that of the decorative body 1805. In this first member 1824, the diagonally extending end portion of the mis-adhesion prevention portion 1824c and the short side portion connected to the mis-adhesion prevention portion 1824c are set as reference surfaces for attaching the decorative body 1805. This ensures clearance for attaching the decorative body 1805 in three directions: the short side direction of the mounting recess 1824b, the long side direction, and the direction perpendicular to the diagonal edge of the mis-adhesion prevention portion 1824c, making the attachment process easier.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the distance from the outer circumference of the flat plate portion 1824a to the mounting recess 1824b of the first member 1824 be 1 mm or more. If the distance is smaller than this, the outer portion of the mounting recess 1824b is more likely to chip when the game ball B collides with another member.

When attaching the decorative element 1805 to the mounting recess 1824b, first, the slanted edge of the chamfered portion 1805a of the decorative element 1805 and the short edge connected to the chamfered portion 1805a are brought into contact with the contact surface of the mounting recess 1824b (the slanted edge portion of the mis-attachment prevention portion 1824c and the short edge portion connected to the mis-attachment prevention portion 1824c). Then, the adhesive side on the back is gradually brought into contact with the surface of the mounting recess 1824b and attached.

Furthermore, if the corner of the decorative element 1805, which does not have a chamfered portion 1805a, is to be brought into contact with the contact surface (misapplication prevention portion 1824c), the shape of the misapplication prevention portion 1824c is different from that of the chamfered portion 1805a. This allows the user to realize that the decorative element 1805 has been attached in the wrong direction, and to attach the decorative element 1805 in the correct orientation. Also, if the decorative element 1805 is attached to the mounting recess 1824b in the wrong orientation, the right-angle corner of the decorative element 1805 will protrude from the mounting recess 1824b at the location of the misapplication prevention portion 1824c, allowing the user to realize that the decorative element 1805 has been attached incorrectly.

According to this embodiment, since the mounting recess 1824b of the first member 1824 to which the decorative element 1805 is attached is provided with a mis-attachment prevention portion 1824c, if an attempt is made to attach the decorative element 1805 in a direction other than the correct orientation, the shape of the corner portion of the decorative element 1805 where the chamfered portion 1805a is not provided will differ from the shape of the mis-attachment prevention portion 1824c. This will alert the user to the incorrect orientation of the decorative element 1805, allowing the decorative element 1805 to be attached to the first member 1824 in the correct orientation, and preventing the decorative element 1805 from being shipped in an incorrectly attached state.

In this embodiment, for example, the first member 1824 may be a front component 1000 or a front unit 2000 (starting port unit 2100, side unit 2200, upper left side unit 2300, first attacker unit 2400, center component 2500, second attacker unit 2600, middle right side unit 2700, gate member 2800, etc.), or it may be a member (decorative holding member) provided on the front unit 2000 or back unit 3000.

Furthermore, examples of decorative materials 1805 include PET seals, Flex Metal Seals (trade name), Metatic Seals (trade name), Potting Seals, Aluminum Seals, etc.

Next, the embodiment shown in Figure 211(b) comprises a circular decorative element 1806 (shaded portion) made of a sheet-like sticker with predetermined decorations or characters printed on it, and a first member 1825 to which the decorative element 1806 is attached. The configuration of the other side of the first member 1825 (including the second member) may be any of the configurations described above. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the separation hole and the identification portion indicating the contact surface on the first member 1825 are omitted.

The decorative element 1806 is a sticker with a predetermined pattern or text printed on its surface. This decorative element 1806 has a circular shape, and a notch 1806a is provided, cut out in an arc shape from the outside (bottom in the figure). Because the orientation of this decorative element 1806 is difficult to determine, the notch 1806a is provided to allow for orientation identification. The adhesive surface of the decorative element 1806 may be provided along the outer edge at a constant width, as shown in Figure 210(a), or it may be provided across the entire surface.

The first member 1825 has a flat plate portion 1825a and a mounting recess 1825b that is slightly larger than the decorative body 1806 and deeper than the thickness of the decorative body 1806 (0.4 mm to 1.0 mm) on one side of the flat plate portion 1825a, to which the decorative body 1806 is attached.

Furthermore, the first member 1825 has an anti-misapplication portion 1825c that protrudes in an arc shape at the periphery of the mounting recess 1825b (the lower end of the periphery in the figure) with a radius matching the notch 1806a of the decorative body 1806. This gives the mounting recess 1825b a shape similar to the decorative body 1806. In this first member 1825, the arc-shaped end of the anti-misapplication portion 1825c is set as a reference surface for attaching the decorative body 1806. This ensures at least two clearance directions for attaching the decorative body 1806: one along the arc of the anti-misapplication portion 1825c and another away from the anti-misapplication portion 1825c (the up and down direction in the figure), making the attachment process easier.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the distance from the outer circumference of the flat plate portion 1825a to the mounting recess 1825b of the first member 1825 be 1 mm or more. If the distance is smaller than this, the outer portion of the mounting recess 1825b is more likely to chip when the game ball B collides with another member.

When attaching the decorative element 1806 to the mounting recess 1825b, first, the notched portion 1806a of the decorative element 1806 is brought into contact with the contact surface (misapplication prevention portion 1825c) of the mounting recess 1825b. Then, the adhesive side on the back of the decorative element is gradually brought into contact with the surface of the mounting recess 1825b and attached.

Furthermore, if the decorative element 1806 is attached to a surface other than the contact surface (misapplication prevention portion 1825c) of the mounting recess 1825b, the decorative element 1806 will protrude from the mounting recess 1825b at the misapplication prevention portion 1825c, allowing the worker to notice the misapplication of the decorative element 1806.

According to this embodiment, since the mounting recess 1825b of the first member 1825 to which the decorative element 1806 is attached is provided with a mis-attachment prevention portion 1825c, if an attempt is made to attach the decorative element 1806 in a direction other than the correct orientation, the decorative element 1806 will protrude at the portion of the mis-attachment prevention portion 1825c. This allows the user to notice the incorrect orientation of the decorative element 1806, enabling them to attach the decorative element 1806 to the first member 1825 in the correct orientation, and preventing the decorative element 1806 from being shipped in an incorrectly attached state.

In this embodiment, for example, the first member 1825 may be a front component 1000 or a front unit 2000 (starting port unit 2100, side unit 2200, upper left side unit 2300, first attacker unit 2400, center component 2500, second attacker unit 2600, middle right side unit 2700, gate member 2800, etc.), or it may be a member (decorative holding member) provided on the front unit 2000 or back unit 3000.

Furthermore, examples of decorative materials 1806 include PET seals, Flexmetal seals (trade name), Metatic seals (trade name), potting seals, aluminum seals, etc.

Next, the embodiment shown in Figures 211(c) and (d) comprises a pair of decorative elements, left 1807L and right 1807R (shaded portion), which are symmetrically arranged and made of sheet-like stickers with predetermined decorations or characters printed on them, and a pair of first members, left 1826L and right 1826R, to which the left 1807L and right 1807R are attached. The configuration of the other side of the left 1807L and right 1807R (including the second member) may be any of the configurations described above. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the separation holes and identification parts indicating the contact surface of the left 1807L and right 1807R are omitted.

The decorative elements 1807L (left) and 1807R (right) are stickers with predetermined patterns or characters printed on their surfaces. These decorative elements are symmetrical to each other. They are formed in a vertically elongated, approximately semicircular shape, with their close edges extending linearly vertically, and the upper and lower ends of these edges connected by arc-shaped edges that bulge outwards from each other.

In Figure 211(c), the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R have different radii for the R-chamfers at both ends in the longitudinal direction, i.e., the upper and lower ends of the semicircle. On the other hand, in Figure 211(d), the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R have an R-chamfer on the upper end (one end in the longitudinal direction) of the semicircle, and a straight cutout on the lower end (the other end in the longitudinal direction). Since both the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R have shapes that make it difficult to distinguish between left and right-hand use when reversed, the shapes of the upper and lower ends are different to allow identification of left-hand or right-hand use.

The adhesive surfaces of the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R may be provided along the outer edge at a constant width, as shown in Figure 210(a), etc., or they may be provided over the entire surface.

The left first member 1826L and the right first member 1826R are formed symmetrically to each other. The left first member 1826L and the right first member 1826R each have a flat plate portion 1826a, a mounting recess 1826b that is slightly larger than the decorative body 1806 and deeper (0.4 mm to 1.0 mm) than the thickness of the left decorative body 1807L and the right decorative body 1807R, and to which the left decorative body 1807L and the right decorative body 1807R are attached, and a mis-attachment prevention portion 1826c at the lower end of the mounting recess 1826b.

In Figure 211(c), the mis-adhesion prevention portions 1826c of the left first member 1826L and the right first member 1826R are provided in the shape of a chamfer with a radius larger than the radius of the R-chamfer on the lower end side of the left decorative body 1807L and the right decorative body 1807R. On the other hand, in Figure 211(d), the mis-adhesion prevention portions 1826c of the left first member 1826L and the right first member 1826R are provided in the shape of a horizontally extending, linear notch. In both the left first member 1826L and the right first member 1826R, the mounting recess 1826b has the end edge of the mis-adhesion prevention portion 1826c set as a reference surface for attaching the left decorative body 1807L and the right decorative body 1807R.

As a result, in the embodiment shown in Figure 211(c), at least two clearance directions are ensured for attaching the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R: an arc direction in which they roll along the arc of the mis-attachment prevention part 1826c, and a direction away from the mis-attachment prevention part 1826c (up and down in the figure). On the other hand, in the embodiment shown in Figure 211(d), at least two clearance directions are ensured for attaching the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R: a direction along the straight line of the mis-attachment prevention part 1826c (left and right in the figure), and a direction away from the mis-attachment prevention part 1826c (up and down in the figure). Thus, in both embodiments, at least two clearance directions are ensured, making the attachment process easier.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the distance from the outer circumference of the flat plate portion 1826a to the mounting recess 1826b in the left first member 1826L and the right first member 1826R be 1 mm or more. If the distance is smaller than this, the outer portion of the mounting recess 1826b is more likely to chip when the game ball B collides with another member.

When attaching the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R to the corresponding mounting recesses 1826b of the left first member 1826L and the right first member 1826R, the decorative element left 1807L and the decorative element right 1807R should be positioned so that the end with the larger radius of the R-chamfer or the linearly notched end of the long side is facing downwards. They should then be brought into contact with the contact surface (the edge of the mis-attachment prevention portion 1826c) of the corresponding mounting recess 1826b, and the adhesive side on the back should be gradually brought into contact with the surface of the mounting recess 1826b to attach them.

Furthermore, if the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R are inverted vertically and then reversed horizontally before being attached, the shape of the contact surface (mis-attachment prevention part 1826c) differs from the shape of the lower end. This allows the user to realize that the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R have been attached in the wrong orientation, enabling them to attach the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R in the correct orientation.

According to this embodiment, since the mounting recesses 1826b of the left first member 1826L and the right first member 1826R to which the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R are attached are provided with an incorrect attachment prevention portion 1826c, if an attempt is made to attach the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R in a orientation other than the correct one, the difference in shape between the longitudinal ends of the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R and the shape of the incorrect attachment prevention portion 1826c will alert the user to the incorrect orientation of the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R. This allows the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R to be attached to the left first member 1826L and the right first member 1826R in the correct orientation, and prevents the product from being shipped with the left decorative element 1807L and the right decorative element 1807R attached in the wrong orientation.

In this embodiment, for example, the left first member 1826L and the right first member 1826R may be made into members (decorative holding members) provided on the front unit 2000 and the back unit 3000.

Furthermore, examples of decorative elements 1807L (left) and 1807R (right) include PET seals, Flex Metal Seals (product name), Metatic Seals (product name), potting seals, aluminum seals, etc.

Next, the embodiment shown in Figures 212(a) to (c) comprises a decorative body 1808 made of a sheet-like sticker on which a predetermined pattern or characters are printed, and a movable first member 1827 to which the decorative body 1808 is attached. The configuration of the other side of the first member 1827 (including the second member) may be any of the configurations described above. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the description of the identification portion indicating the contact surface on the first member 1827 is omitted.

The decorative element 1808 is a sticker with a predetermined pattern or text printed on its surface. This decorative element 1808 has a horizontally elongated rectangular shape, with the two upper corners beveled with a rounded edge (R-chamfer) and the two lower corners beveled with a rounded edge (C-chamfer). The difference in the chamfer shapes of the upper and lower corners allows for the identification of the orientation of the decorative element 1808. The adhesive surface of the decorative element 1808 may be provided along the outer edge at a constant width, as shown in Figure 210(a), or it may be provided across the entire surface.

The first member 1827 comprises a horizontally elongated rectangular, flat plate portion 1827a, a mounting recess 1827b extending from one side of the flat plate portion 1827a, slightly larger than the decorative body 1808 and deeper than the thickness of the decorative body 1808 (0.4 mm to 1.0 mm), to which the decorative body 1808 is attached, a separation hole 1827c penetrating the flat plate portion 1827a at the location of the mounting recess 1827b, and mis-attachment prevention portions 1827d provided at the two lower corners of the mounting recess 1827b.

Furthermore, the first member 1827 has a pair of cylindrical shaft portions 1827e that protrude in the left-right direction from near the lower ends of both the left and right sides of the flat plate portion 1827a. As shown in Figure 212(b), the shaft portions 1827e are located on the side opposite to the surface of the mounting recess 1827b. The first member 1827 is rotatably supported by a member (not shown) that allows the pair of shaft portions 1827e to rotate. In other words, the first member 1827 is movable and can rotate (rotate) around the axis of the pair of shaft portions 1827e. The shaft portions 1827e of the first member 1827 may be integrally molded with the flat plate portion 1827a, insert-molded, or separately assembled.

The separation holes 1827c are circular holes located near the upper corners within the mounting recess 1827b. Because the two separation holes 1827c are positioned far from the axis of the shaft portion 1827e, the weight of the first member 1827 at positions far from the axis of the shaft portion 1827e can be reduced. This reduces the rotational moment acting when the first member 1827 is rotated (went around), thereby reducing the load on the rotational drive of the first member 1827 and allowing the first member 1827 to move smoothly. Furthermore, because the two separation holes 1827c are located near the upper left and right corners, the forces acting on the left and right sides of the shaft portion 1827e can be made equal, balancing the first member 1827 and reducing uneven wear.

In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the separation hole 1827c is set to be within the range of 2 mm to 6 mm. If the separation hole 1827c is smaller than this, the diameter of the rod-shaped member (tool) inserted into the separation hole 1827c becomes smaller, making it more prone to bending and potentially preventing it from adequately pressing the decorative body 1808. If the separation hole 1827c is larger than this, bending may occur at the location of the separation hole 1827c in the decorative body 1808, potentially detracting from its appearance.

The mis-adhesion prevention portion 1827d protrudes into the mounting recess 1827b with a shape corresponding to the C-chamfer at the lower corner of the decorative body 1808. In this embodiment, the slanted edge of the mis-adhesion prevention portion 1827d and the lower edge of the mounting recess 1827b are set as reference surfaces for attaching the decorative body 1808.

The mis-adhesion prevention portion 1827d protrudes from the mounting recess 1827b, increasing the weight of the first member 1827. However, because the mis-adhesion prevention portion 1827d is positioned close to the axis of the shaft portion 1827e, the effect of the increased rotational moment due to the mis-adhesion prevention portion 1827d can be minimized, thereby suppressing the increase in load on the rotational drive of the first member 1827. Furthermore, because the mis-adhesion prevention portions 1827d are provided at the two lower corners of the mounting recess 1827b, the first member 1827 can be balanced, reducing uneven wear of the shaft portion 1827e, and allowing the first member 1827 to rotate (rotate) in a stable state.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the distance from the outer circumference of the flat plate portion 1827a to the mounting recess 1827b of the first member 1827 be 1 mm or more. If the distance is smaller than this, the outer portion of the mounting recess 1827b is more likely to chip when the game ball B collides with another member.

When attaching the decorative element 1808 to the mounting recess 1827b of the first member 1827, first, the chamfered corner of the decorative element 1808 is brought into contact with the contact surface (misapplication prevention portion 1827d) of the mounting recess 1827b, and the adhesive surface is gradually brought into contact with the surface of the mounting recess 1827b from that portion to attach it. If an attempt is made to attach the decorative element 1808 upside down, the shape of the misapplication prevention portion 1827d will differ from the shape of the R-chamfer of the corner of the decorative element 1808, so the user will realize that the decorative element 1808 is being attached in the wrong direction and will be able to attach the decorative element 1808 in the correct orientation. Furthermore, if the decorative element 1808 is attached to the mounting recess 1827b in the wrong orientation, the corner of the decorative element 1808 will protrude from the mounting recess 1827b at the location of the mis-attachment prevention section 1827d, allowing the worker to notice the incorrect attachment of the decorative element 1808.

Furthermore, the first member 1827 has a recessed separation groove 1827f extending in the left-right direction, located near the edge within the mounting recess 1827b (see Figure 212(b)). When the decorative body 1808 is attached to the mounting recess 1827b, the decorative body 1808 straddles this separation groove 1827f, forming a space between the decorative body 1808 and the separation groove 1827f. When the decorative body 1808 is attached to the mounting recess 1827b, pressing the portion of the decorative body 1808 at the separation groove 1827f from the outside causes a portion of the decorative body 1808 to sink into the separation groove 1827f, and the edge of the decorative body 1808 to lift away from the mounting recess 1827b. By pulling the lifted portion, the decorative body 1808 can be removed from the mounting recess 1827b.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, by passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole 1827c from the other side of the first member 1827 and pressing the decorative body 1808 from one side to the other with its tip, the edge of the decorative body 1808 can be peeled off to one side. The peeled portion can then be easily removed by the worker from the mounting recess 1827b (first member 1827), achieving the same effects as the other configurations described above.

Furthermore, since the mounting recess 1827b of the first member 1827 to which the decorative element 1808 is attached is provided with a mis-attachment prevention section 1827d, if someone attempts to attach the decorative element 1808 in a direction other than the correct orientation, the difference in shape between the corner of the decorative element 1808 and the mis-attachment prevention section 1827d will alert the user to the incorrect orientation of the decorative element 1808. This allows the decorative element 1808 to be attached to the first member 1827 in the correct orientation, and prevents the decorative element 1808 from being shipped in an incorrectly attached state.

Furthermore, since the separation hole 1827c is located far from the axis of rotation, and the mis-adhesion prevention part 1827d is located close to the axis of rotation, the rotational moment acting when the first member 1827 is rotated can be reduced. This reduces the load on the rotational drive of the first member 1827, allowing it to move (rotate) smoothly.

Furthermore, since the first member 1827 is provided with two separation holes 1827c and two mis-adhesion prevention sections 1827d, the forces acting on the left and right shaft sections 1827e can be balanced, reducing uneven wear of the shaft sections 1827e and allowing the first member 1827 to rotate (rotate) in a stable state.

In this embodiment, for example, the first member 1827 may be used as a door member for a variable prize entry point, such as a large prize entry point or a prize entry point for special items, or it may be used as a movable member for display purposes provided on the front unit 2000 or the back unit 3000.

Furthermore, examples of decorative materials 1808 include PET seals, Flex Metal Seals (trade name), Metatic Seals (trade name), Potting Seals, Aluminum Seals, etc.

By the way, if the first member 1827 is used as a door member for opening and closing the main prize opening 2005 and the prize opening 2006, the game ball B will come into contact with the decorative body 1808. Therefore, it is desirable to have the decorative body 1808 and the first member 1827 in the following relationship.

To elaborate, as shown in Figure 212(c), if the distance from the front surface of the flat plate portion 1827a of the first member 1827 to the front surface of the decorative body 1808 is d, and the distance from the upper end of the mounting recess 1827b of the first member 1827 to the upper end of the decorative body 1808 is c, and the radius of the game ball B is r, then it is desirable to set the distance d within the range [0 < d < r] and the distance c within the range [0 ≤ c < (2rd^2 - d^2)^0.5]. Note that the expressions in the brackets above are formulas.

This prevents the game ball B from coming into contact with the upper edge of the decorative body 1808, thereby preventing the decorative body 1808 from detaching due to contact with the game ball B and suppressing the occurrence of malfunctions.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the distance d be within the range of 0.1 mm to 1 mm. If the distance d is smaller than this, depending on the tolerance of the decorative element 1808, the decorative element 1808 may protrude forward beyond the flat plate portion 1827a, potentially allowing the game ball B to come into contact with its upper edge. If the distance d is larger than this, the shadow cast by the upper edge of the mounting recess 1827b is more likely to fall on the decorative element 1808, potentially reducing the decorative effect of the decorative element 1808.

Furthermore, the contact surface in the mounting recess 1827b may be set to the upper edge. This ensures that the upper edge of the decorative body 1808 is in contact with the upper edge of the mounting recess 1827b, preventing the game ball B from contacting the upper edge of the decorative body 1808, thus achieving the same effect as described above.

Next, the embodiment shown in Figures 212(d) and (e) comprises a decorative body 1809 made of a sheet-like sticker on which a predetermined pattern or characters are printed, and a movable first member 1828 to which the decorative body 1809 is attached. The configuration of the other side of the first member 1828 (including the second member) may be any of the configurations described above. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the description of the identification portion indicating the contact surface on the first member 1828 is omitted.

The decorative element 1809 is a sticker with a predetermined pattern or text printed on its surface. This decorative element 1809 has a horizontally elongated rectangular shape, with rounded corners at the two upper corners and square-shaped notches 1809a at the two lower corners. These notches 1809a are shaped to correspond to the mis-application prevention portion 1828d of the first member 1828, which will be described later. The difference in shape between the upper and lower corners allows for the identification of the orientation of the decorative element 1809. The adhesive surface of the decorative element 1809 may be provided along the outer edge at a constant width, as shown in Figure 210(a), or it may be provided across the entire surface.

The first member 1828 comprises a horizontally elongated rectangular, flat plate portion 1828a, a mounting recess 1828b extending from one side of the flat plate portion 1828a, slightly larger than the decorative body 1809 and deeper than the thickness of the decorative body 1809 (0.4 mm to 1.0 mm), to which the decorative body 1809 is attached, a separation hole 1828c penetrating the flat plate portion 1828a at the location of the mounting recess 1828b, and mis-attachment prevention portions 1828d provided at the two lower corners of the mounting recess 1828b.

Furthermore, the first member 1828 comprises semi-cylindrical shaft support portions 1828e bulging outwards to one side in the left-right direction relative to the axis at the left and right corners of the lower side of the flat plate portion 1827a, shaft holes 1828f provided on the left and right outer end faces of the shaft support portions 1828e, and a cylindrical shaft portion 1828g inserted into the shaft holes 1828f. The first member 1828 is rotatably supported by a member (not shown) for the pair of shaft portions 1828g. In other words, the first member 1828 is movable and rotatable (whips) around the axis of the pair of shaft portions 1828g. The shaft portions 1828g of the first member 1828 may be inserted during the molding of the flat plate portion 1827a, etc., or they may be assembled separately.

The shaft support portion 1828e extends to the mounting recess 1828b, and a portion of the shaft support portion 1828e constitutes the mis-attachment prevention portion 1828d. This shaft support portion 1828e (mis-attachment prevention portion 1828d) creates a shape where the lower left and right corners of the mounting recess 1828b appear as if they have been cut out in a square shape.

The separation holes 1828c are circular holes located near the upper corners within the mounting recess 1828b. Because the two separation holes 1828c are positioned far from the axis of the shaft portion 1828g, the weight of the first member 1828 at positions far from the axis of the shaft portion 1828g can be reduced. This reduces the rotational moment acting when the first member 1828 is rotated (went around), thereby reducing the load on the rotational drive of the first member 1828 and allowing the first member 1828 to move smoothly. Furthermore, because the two separation holes 1828c are located near the upper left and right corners, the forces acting on the left and right sides of the shaft portion 1828g can be made equal, balancing the first member 1828 and reducing uneven wear.

In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the separation hole 1828c is set to be within the range of 2 mm to 6 mm. If the separation hole 1828c is smaller than this, the diameter of the rod-shaped member (tool) inserted into the separation hole 1828c becomes smaller, making it more prone to bending and potentially preventing it from adequately pressing the decorative body 1809. If the separation hole 1828c is larger than this, bending may occur at the location of the separation hole 1828c in the decorative body 1809, potentially detracting from its appearance.

The mis-adhesion prevention portion 1828d is formed by a shaft support portion 1828e, protruding in a rectangular shape at the lower corner of the mounting recess 1828b, and its shape corresponds to the notch portion 1809a at the lower corner of the decorative body 1809. In this embodiment, the upper edge of the mis-adhesion prevention portion 1828d is set as a reference surface for attaching the decorative body 1809.

The mis-adhesion prevention portion 1828d protrudes from the mounting recess 1828b, increasing the weight of the first member 1828. However, because the mis-adhesion prevention portion 1828d is positioned close to the axis of the shaft portion 1828g, the effect of the increased rotational moment due to the mis-adhesion prevention portion 1828d can be minimized, thereby suppressing the increase in the load on the rotational drive of the first member 1828. Furthermore, because the mis-adhesion prevention portions 1828d are provided at the two lower corners of the mounting recess 1828b, the first member 1828 can be balanced, reducing uneven wear of the shaft portion 1828g, and allowing the first member 1828 to rotate (rotate) in a stable state.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the distance from the outer circumference of the flat plate portion 1828a to the mounting recess 1828b of the first member 1828 be 1 mm or more. If the distance is smaller than this, the outer portion of the mounting recess 1828b is more likely to chip when the game ball B collides with another member.

When attaching the decorative element 1809 to the mounting recess 1828b of the first member 1828, first, the notched portion 1809a of the decorative element 1809 is brought into contact with the contact surface (misapplication prevention portion 1828d) of the mounting recess 1828b, and then the adhesive surface is gradually brought into contact with the surface of the mounting recess 1828b from that portion and attached. Note that if one attempts to attach the decorative element 1809 upside down, the shape of the misapplication prevention portion 1828d differs from the shape of the R-chamfer at the corner of the decorative element 1809, which will alert the user to the incorrect orientation of the decorative element 1809, allowing them to attach the decorative element 1809 in the correct orientation. Furthermore, if the decorative element 1809 is attached to the mounting recess 1828b in the wrong orientation, the corner of the decorative element 1809 will protrude from the mounting recess 1828b at the location of the mis-attachment prevention section 1828d, allowing the worker to notice the incorrect attachment of the decorative element 1809.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, by passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole 1828c from the other side of the first member 1828 and pressing the decorative body 1809 from one side to the other with its tip, the edge of the decorative body 1809 can be peeled off to one side. The peeled-off portion can then be easily removed from the mounting recess 1828b (first member 1828) by the worker, achieving the same effects and advantages as the other configurations described above.

Furthermore, since the mounting recess 1828b of the first member 1828 to which the decorative element 1809 is attached is provided with a mis-attachment prevention portion 1828d, if someone attempts to attach the decorative element 1809 in a direction other than the correct orientation, the difference in shape between the corner of the decorative element 1809 and the mis-attachment prevention portion 1828d will alert the user to the incorrect orientation of the decorative element 1809. This allows the decorative element 1809 to be attached to the first member 1828 in the correct orientation, and prevents the decorative element 1809 from being shipped in an incorrectly attached state.

Furthermore, since the separation hole 1828c is located far from the axis of rotation, and the mis-adhesion prevention part 1828d is located close to the axis of rotation, the rotational moment acting when the first member 1828 is rotated can be reduced. This reduces the load on the rotational drive of the first member 1828, allowing it to move (rotate) smoothly.

Furthermore, since the first member 1828 is provided with two separation holes 1828c and two mis-adhesion prevention sections 1828d, the forces acting on the left and right shaft sections 1828g can be balanced, reducing uneven wear of the shaft sections 1828g, and allowing the first member 1828 to rotate (rotate) in a stable state.

In this embodiment, for example, the first member 1828 may be used as a door member for a variable prize entry point, such as a large prize entry point or a prize entry point for special items, or it may be used as a movable member for display purposes provided on the front unit 2000 or the back unit 3000.

Furthermore, examples of decorative materials 1809 include PET seals, Flexmetal seals (trade name), Metatic seals (trade name), potting seals, aluminum seals, etc.

[19. Relationship between the present invention and its embodiments]
In this embodiment, decorative elements 1804, 1805, 1806, 1807L and 1807R, decorative elements 1808, 1809, and gate seal 2811 correspond to the decorative elements of the present invention, the adhesive surface 1804b corresponds to the adhesive surface of the present invention, the first members 1823, 1824, 1825, left first member 1826L and right first member 1826R, 1827, 1828, and gate body 2810 correspond to the base members of the present invention, and the flat plate portions 1823a, 1824a, 1825a, 1826a, 1827a, 1828a, and front plate portion 2810a correspond to the flat plate portions of the present invention.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, mounting recesses 1823b, 1824b, 1825b, 1826b, 1827b, 1828b, and adhesive recess 2810b correspond to the mounting recesses of the present invention; separation holes 1823c, 1827c, 1828c, and 2810d correspond to the separation holes of the present invention; and mis-adhesion prevention parts 1823e, 1824c, 1825c, 1826c, 1827d, 1828d, and 2810c correspond to the mis-adhesion prevention parts of the present invention.

Furthermore, the contact surfaces of the first member 1823, the first member 1824, the first member 1825, the left decorative body 1807L and the right decorative body 1807R, the first member 1827, the first member 1828, and the gate body 2810 in this embodiment correspond to the positioning parts of the present invention.

[20. Characteristic effects of this embodiment]
Next, the characteristic effects of this embodiment will be described. From here to paragraph [1835], the decorative body will be described as the decorative body 1804, the base member as the first member 1823, the flat plate portion as the flat plate portion 1823a, the mounting recess as the mounting recess 1823b, the separation hole as the separation hole 1823c, the mis-adhesion prevention portion as the mis-adhesion prevention portion 1823e, and the positioning portion as the contact surface of the first member 1823 (mis-adhesion prevention portion 1823e). The descriptions of other components (members) corresponding to the present invention will be omitted here, as they will have similar effects.

According to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the first member 1823 has a portion of the peripheral wall of the mounting recess 1823b to which the decorative body 1804 is attached, which serves as the contact surface (misapplication prevention portion 1823e) of the first member 1823. Therefore, when attaching the decorative body 1804 to the mounting recess 1823b of the flat plate portion 1823a of the first member 1823, the decorative body 1804 can be positioned relative to the first member 1823 by bringing two adjacent sides of the decorative body 1804 into contact with the portion of the peripheral wall of the mounting recess 1823b that serves as the contact surface (misapplication prevention portion 1823e) of the first member 1823 and attaching it. This makes the positioning work of the decorative body 1804 easier and allows the decorative body 1804 to be accurately attached to the correct position. Therefore, the contact surface (misapplication prevention portion 1823e) of the first member 1823 reduces the likelihood of the decorative body 1804 being attached to the first member 1823 at an angle or misalignment. This prevents the decorative body 1804 and the first member 1823 from looking unattractive, thus ensuring the decorative effect of the decorative body 1804 is reliably achieved, improving the appearance of the pachinko machine 1 and preventing a decline in the player's enjoyment.

Furthermore, the contact surface (misapplication prevention portion 1823e) of the first component 1823 allows the decorative element 1804 to be accurately attached to the correct position. This makes it easier to attach the decorative element 1804 in the correct position, reducing the likelihood of failure in attaching the decorative element 1804 and thus suppressing the increase in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the decorative element 1804 has an asymmetrical shape, it is difficult to align the decorative element 1804 incorrectly. This allows the decorative element 1804 to be attached to the flat plate portion 1823a of the first member 1823 in the correct orientation, ensuring that the decorative effect of the decorative element 1804 is reliably achieved.

Furthermore, since the first member 1823 is provided with a mis-attachment prevention portion 1823e protruding from the peripheral wall of the mounting recess 1823b, if the decorative body 1804 is attached in the wrong orientation, the decorative body 1804 will curl up at the portion of the mis-attachment prevention portion 1823e. This allows the user to recognize that the decorative body 1804 has been attached in the wrong orientation, prompting them to reattach the decorative body 1804 in the correct orientation and ensuring that the decorative effect of the decorative body 1804 is reliably achieved.

Furthermore, since the mounting recess 1823b of the first member 1823 to which the decorative body 1804 is attached is provided with a separation hole 1823c that penetrates the flat plate portion 1823a, inserting a rod-shaped member into the separation hole 1823c from the back side of the first member 1823 and pressing the back surface of the decorative body 1804 with its tip will cause a portion of the decorative body 1804 to lift to the front side against the adhesive force of the adhesive surface 1804b, allowing the decorative body 1804 to be easily removed by pulling on that portion of the decorative body 1804 and detaching it from the flat plate portion 1823a.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, a decorative body 1804, which has a predetermined decoration, is attached to the mounting recess 1823b of the flat plate portion 1823a of the first member 1823. This improves the appearance of the first member 1823, and the first member 1823 can support the decorative body 1804. Also, because the mounting recess 1823b to which the decorative body 1804 is attached is recessed from the surface of the flat plate portion 1823a, when the decorative body 1804 is attached to the mounting recess 1823b, the surrounding portion of the mounting recess 1823b on the flat plate portion 1823a of the first member 1823 surrounds the decorative body 1804. This edging enhances the decorative body 1804, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative body 1804 and improving the overall appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the adhesive surface 1804b of the decorative element 1804, which is attached to the mounting recess 1823b of the flat plate portion 1823a, is provided only on specific areas consisting of a band-shaped portion at the periphery of the decorative element 1804 and a band-shaped portion diagonally crossing the band-shaped portion, and is not provided on the entire back surface. Therefore, the adhesive strength is weaker compared to conventional designs. However, by inserting a rod-shaped member into the separation hole 1823c from the back side of the first member 1823 and pressing the back surface of the decorative element 1804 with its tip, the decorative element 1804 can be removed from the flat plate portion 1823a of the first member 1823 with relatively weak force, resisting the adhesive force of the adhesive surface 1804b. Moreover, even if the decorative element 1804 itself is weak, it can be removed without tearing midway, improving the workability of the decorative element 1804 removal process.

Furthermore, for the reasons described above, if the decorative body 1804 cannot be properly attached to the flat plate portion 1823a of the first member 1823 during the manufacturing of the pachinko machine 1, the decorative body 1804 can be easily removed from the flat plate portion 1823a by passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole 1823c from the back side of the first member 1823 and pressing the decorative body 1804 from the back side with its tip, thus allowing the decorative body 1804 to be easily reattached. In addition, with the first member 1823 removed from the pachinko machine 1, the decorative body 1804 can be easily removed from the flat plate portion 1823a of the first member 1823 by passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole 1823c from the back side of the first member 1823 and pressing the decorative body 1804 from the back side with its tip, thus making the replacement of the decorative body 1804 when changing models easier. Furthermore, as described above, since the decorative body 1804 can be easily removed from the flat plate portion 1823a using the separation hole 1823c, it becomes easier to separate the components of the pachinko machine 1 by material, thereby reducing the cost of disposing of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the separation hole 1823c of the first member 1823 is positioned so as not to come into contact with the adhesive surface 1804b of the decorative body 1804, the entire surface of the adhesive surface 1804b can be attached to the flat plate portion 1823a of the first member 1823. Therefore, while providing the adhesive surface 1804b only to a portion (specific area) of the decorative body 1804 would reduce the adhesive strength compared to conventional methods, the entire adhesive surface 1804b is attached to the flat plate portion 1823a. This prevents the adhesive strength from being excessively reduced by the separation hole 1823c overlapping the adhesive surface 1804b, thus maintaining sufficient adhesive strength and allowing the decorative body 1804 to be attached to the flat plate portion 1823a in good condition.

Furthermore, since the adhesive surface 1804b of the decorative body 1804 is provided on the peripheral band-shaped portion and the diagonally crossing band-shaped portion (diagonal portion), the peripheral edge of the decorative body 1804 can be attached to the flat plate portion 1823a by the band-shaped portion of the adhesive surface 1804b, thereby preventing the peripheral edge of the decorative body 1804 from lifting away from the flat plate portion 1823a, and making it difficult to peel off the decorative body 1804 starting from the peripheral edge. In addition, the diagonally crossing band-shaped portion of the adhesive surface 1804b allows the portion of the decorative body 1804 closer to the center to be attached to the flat plate portion 1823a, so even if the difference in shrinkage between the first member 1823 and the decorative body 1804 becomes large due to changes in the environment such as temperature and humidity, it is possible to reduce swelling and wrinkling of the decorative body 1804, and prevent deterioration of the appearance of the decorative body 1804. Therefore, the decorative effect of the decorative element 1804 can be reliably achieved, and a larger decorative element 1804 can be attached to the flat plate portion 1823a in good condition, resulting in a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can strongly attract the attention of players.

Furthermore, since the adhesive surface 1804b is provided on the periphery of the decorative body 1804, if the decorative body 1804 and the first member 1823 are made translucent, and a light source such as an LED that shines light towards the decorative body 1804 is provided on the back side of the first member 1823, the band-shaped adhesive surface 1804b will be located in a place that does not obstruct the light from the light source. This reduces the deterioration of the appearance of the decorative body 1804's luminous decoration due to light diffusion and attenuation by the adhesive surface 1804b. Therefore, it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 with high performance and display effects, allowing the decorative body 1804 to be illuminated in a good state and the light source to be clearly visible through the decorative body 1804 and the first member 1823.

Furthermore, since a separation hole 1823c is provided in the mounting recess 1823b of the flat plate portion 1823a of the first member 1823, the separation hole 1823c can be made less visible or hidden from the front by attaching the decorative body 1804 to the mounting recess 1823b. This suppresses the deterioration of appearance caused by the separation hole 1823c, and makes it difficult for players to notice the existence of the separation hole 1823c, thus making it difficult for them to plan fraudulent activities using the separation hole 1823c.

Furthermore, since the separation hole 1823c is provided in a location close to the periphery of the decorative body 1804, when a rod-shaped member is inserted into the separation hole 1823c from the back side of the first member 1823 and the back surface of the decorative body 1804 is pressed, the portion of the decorative body 1804 pressed by the rod-shaped member is close to the periphery of the decorative body 1804. Therefore, the edge side of the decorative body 1804 is more likely to lift from the portion in contact with the rod-shaped member, making it easier to remove the attached decorative body 1804.

Furthermore, since the separation hole 1823c is provided in a portion close to the periphery of the decorative body 1804, when the decorative body 1804 is pressed from the back side of the first member 1823 through the separation hole 1823c with the rod-shaped member, as described above, the edge side of the decorative body 1804 from the portion in contact with the rod-shaped member will lift up from the flat plate portion 1823a. Therefore, by grasping and pulling the lifted portion of the decorative body 1804, the decorative body 1804 can be easily removed by peeling it off the flat plate portion 1823a.

Furthermore, since the separation holes 1823c are provided to a size that allows a circle with a diameter of 2 mm to 6 mm to touch them, in addition to the same effects as described above, an upper limit is set on the size of the separation holes 1823c. This prevents the size of the adhesive surface on the decorative body 1804 from becoming smaller than necessary due to the presence of the separation holes 1823c, and thus maintains the desired adhesive strength to the flat plate portion 1823a.

Furthermore, as described above, since the mounting recess 1823b to which the decorative element 1804 is attached is recessed from the flat plate portion 1823a, by using the boundary between the flat plate portion 1823a and the mounting recess 1823b as a guide to attach the decorative element 1804, it becomes easier to attach the decorative element 1804 in the correct position, thereby reducing the chances of failure in attaching the decorative element 1804 and suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the decorative element 1804 is attached to the recessed mounting recess 1823b in the flat plate portion, even if one attempts to insert a tool such as a flathead screwdriver between the decorative element 1804 and the bottom surface of the mounting recess 1823b in order to remove the decorative element 1804 from the front side, the insertion of the tool will be blocked by the peripheral wall of the recessed mounting recess 1823b. However, since the separation hole 1823c of the first member 1823 is provided in the portion covered by the decorative element 1804, the separation hole 1823c is provided in the mounting recess 1823b to which the decorative element 1804 is attached. Therefore, as described above, by inserting a rod-shaped member from the back side into the separation hole 1823c and pressing the decorative element 1804 toward the front side, the decorative element 1804 can be easily removed from the recessed mounting recess 1823b, achieving the same effect as described above.

Furthermore, in conventional pachinko machines, the hole for removing the sticker penetrates all the way through to the back of the pachinko machine (game board). This makes it possible to insert a wire-like tool, such as piano wire, through the hole to reach the pathways for the game balls B or signal lines, thus posing a risk of fraudulent activity. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a second member (see second member 1841, second member 1842, etc. in Figure 209) on the back of the first member 1823 that can close the separation hole 1823c. This ensures that, when assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the second member closes the back of the separation hole 1823c from the outside. As a result, unlike conventional pachinko machines, the hole does not penetrate to the opposite side of the game board, preventing wire-like fraudulent tools from being inserted into the game board 5 through the hole, thus preventing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, if a second member (see second member 1841, second member 1842, etc. in Figure 209) is provided on the back side of the first member 1823 to close the separation hole 1823c, even if an illegal tool is inserted through the decorative body 1804 from the front side and into the separation hole 1823c, the tip of the illegal tool will come into contact with the second member, blocking its insertion (intrusion) into the outside (inside the game board 5). Therefore, the intrusion of an illegal tool into the game board 5 from the front side through the separation hole 1823c can be prevented, thus preventing fraudulent activity. Additionally, since the illegal tool will leave a mark on the decorative body 1804 when it penetrates it, it can deter fraudulent activity, providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against illegal activities.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, if game balls B released from the game board 5 become jammed in the first ball path 701 and second ball path 702 of the base unit 710 provided on the circuit board unit 700 located below the game board 5 in the main frame 4, the security cover 714 that closes the release opening 711b of the front base 711 can be opened, and a rod-shaped tool such as a flathead screwdriver can be inserted through the notch 713q above the release opening 711b among the multiple notches 713q to poke the jammed game balls B, thereby breaking them up and easily resolving the jam. After that, by closing the release opening 711b with the security cover 714, the security cover 714 can prevent wire-like illegal tools such as piano wire from being inserted into the first ball path 701 and second ball path 702 through the release opening 711b and the notches 713q. If an illegal tool is inserted into the first ball path 701 or second ball path 702 from the notch 713q or the exit of the first ball path 701 or second ball path 702, even if the user attempts to move the tip of the illegal tool while bringing it into contact with the inner surface of the first ball path 701 or second ball path 702 in order to extend it from the entrance (ball receiving opening 711a of the front base 711) to the game board 5, the tool will come into contact with one of the multiple obstructing ribs 713o extending downward from the ceiling of the first ball path 701 or second ball path 702. In this way, the anti-theft cover 714 and the multiple obstructing ribs 713o can prevent illegal activity on the game board 5 via the first ball path 701 or second ball path 702, providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent against illegal activity.

Furthermore, because the base unit 710 is made transparent, when a jam occurs in the first ball path 701 or the second ball path 702, the location of the jam can be easily identified from the outside, making the clearing process easier and reducing the maintenance burden on the gaming hall.

Furthermore, since the base unit 710 has discharge passages for discharging game balls B consisting of independent first ball path 701 and second ball path 702, when a large number of game balls B are released from the game board 5 in a short period of time, these game balls B can be distributed and discharged to each of the first ball path 701 and second ball path 702. This reduces the concentration of many game balls B in one first ball path 701 or second ball path 702, thus avoiding the likelihood of ball jams caused by the concentration of game balls B. It also allows for the rapid discharge of the large number of game balls B released from the game board 5 to the island equipment side of the game hall (out receiving section, bucket, etc.).

Furthermore, since the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 can detect game balls B circulating in the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702, the number of game balls B discharged from the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 can be counted. By comparing this number with the number of game balls B counted in the upstream game board 5, it is possible to determine whether or not there has been any fraudulent activity against the game board 5 or the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, since the discharge passage is configured by a first ball path 701 and a second ball path 702 that are independent in the front-to-back direction, in the game board 5, game balls B (safe balls) that are received into the prize-winning slots and game balls B (out balls) that are not received into the prize-winning slots are discharged to positions in different front-to-back directions. This allows game balls B received into the prize-winning slots and game balls B that are not received into the prize-winning slots to be discharged by circulating through the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702, which are different from each other. Furthermore, since the game board 5 is equipped with a first ball sensor 703 and a second ball sensor 704 capable of detecting each game ball B circulating in the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702, it is possible to count the number of game balls B (safe balls) received into the prize pockets and the number of game balls B (out balls) not received into the prize pockets outside the game board 5. By comparing this with the number of game balls B (safe balls) counted on the game board 5, it is possible to determine whether or not there has been any fraudulent activity at the prize pockets of the game board 5, thereby providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity that reduces the burden on the pachinko hall.

Furthermore, since the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 provided on the base unit 710 (ball path member 713) can count the number of game balls B released from the game board 5, there is no need to provide sensors or electronic circuits for counting the number of game balls B released (discharged) to the outside of the game board 5, thereby reducing the cost of the game board 5.

Furthermore, since the security cover 714, which opens and closes the relief opening 711b, is attached to the front base 711 so as to be hinge-rotatable, even when the relief opening 711b is opened by the security cover 714, the security cover 714 remains attached to the front base 711 by the hinge axis of the hinge rotation. Therefore, even when the security cover 714 is opened to resolve jams of game balls B in the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702, the security cover 714 remains attached to the front base 711, making it difficult to lose the security cover 714.

Furthermore, since the security cover 714 is provided on the underside of the base unit 710, and the security cover 714 is attached to the front base 711 so as to be hinge-rotatable, and the hinge axis of the security cover 714 is provided to extend horizontally to the right at the front end of the security cover 714, when clearing jams of game balls B in the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702, the main frame 4 is opened forward relative to the outer frame 2 attached to the island equipment of the game hall, the security cover 714 is opened, and a predetermined tool is inserted into the clearing opening 711b to clear the ball jam. Subsequently, after closing the security cover 714, the main frame 4 is closed against the outer frame 2. At this point, if the security cover 714 is open, its tip will contact the outer frame 2 (the object of potential contact), preventing the main frame 4 from closing. This alerts the user to the possibility of forgetting to close the security cover 714, ensuring that the security cover 714 is closed and the closure opening 711b is securely closed. Furthermore, even if the security cover 714 opens for some reason while the main frame 4 is being closed against the outer frame 2, when opening the main frame 4, the security cover 714 will contact the outer frame 2, causing it to rotate in the closing direction. Therefore, the main frame 4 will not become stuck, allowing it to open smoothly and preventing damage to the security cover 714, etc.

Furthermore, because the ball path member 713 forming the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702 is provided with multiple notches 713q, debris that enters the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702, as well as debris attached to the game balls B, can be discharged downwards through the notches 713q to the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702. By reducing the amount of debris in the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702, the occurrence of ball jams caused by debris can be reduced, thereby reducing the maintenance burden on the gaming hall where this pachinko machine 1 is installed.

Furthermore, since some of the multiple notches 713q are also used as tool insertion ports for inserting tools to clear ball jams, there is no need to provide separate tool insertion ports. This simplifies the structure of the pachinko machine 1, reduces cost increases, and achieves the same effects as described above.

Furthermore, in the base unit 710, debris falling through the notch 713q is prevented from coming into contact with the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704. This prevents malfunctions in the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704 due to debris accumulation, ensuring reliable detection of game balls B circulating through the first ball path 701 and the second ball path 702.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the first member (front component 1000, front component 2531, gate body 2810, first component 1821, first component 1822, etc.) and the second member (game panel 1100, center base plate 2540, gate sensor 2801, second component 1841, second component 1842, etc.) that form the passage portion (game area 5a, lower right guide passage 2530, gate 2003, etc.) through which the game balls B in the game board 5 flow, and the flat plate portion of the first member (front surface of front component 1000, flat plate portion 18 Since decorative bodies (spec seal 1020, lower right guide passage decorative seal 2532, gate seal 2811, decorative body 1801, decorative body 1802, decorative body 1803, etc.) that have predetermined decorations are attached to the attachment parts (spec seal attachment part 1021, attachment recess 2531a, attachment recess 2810b, mounting recess 1821b, mounting recess 1822b, etc.) of the first member (21a, flat plate portion 1822a, front surface of the front member 2531, front plate portion 2810a, etc.), the appearance of the first member can be improved by the decoration of the decorative bodies. Furthermore, since the attachment point to which the decorative element is attached is recessed from one side of the flat plate portion, when the decorative element is attached to the attachment point, the surrounding portion of the flat plate portion of the first member surrounds the decorative element. This edging enhances the decorative element, making it easier to achieve the decorative effect of the decorative element and improving the overall appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the attachment points (spec seal attachment point 1021, attachment recess 2531a, attachment recess 2810b, mounting recess 1821b, mounting recess 1822b, etc.) to which the decorative elements (spec seal 1020, lower right guide passage decorative seal 2532, gate seal 2811, decorative element 1801, decorative element 1802, decorative element 1803, etc.) are attached are recessed from the flat plate portion (front surface of front component 1000, flat plate portion 1821a, flat plate portion 1822a, front surface of front component 2531, front plate portion 2810a, etc.), the boundary between the flat plate portion and the attachment point can be used as a guide to attach the decorative elements, making it easier to attach the decorative elements in the correct position. This reduces the failure of decorative element attachment and suppresses the increase in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

In this pachinko machine 1, the flat plate portion (front surface of the front component 1000, flat plate portion 1821a, flat plate portion 1822a, front surface of the front component 2531, front plate portion 2810a, etc.) of the first component (front component 1000, front component 2531, gate body 2810, first component 1821, first component 1822, etc.) is recessed into the contact portion (spec seal attachment portion 1021, attachment recess 2531a, attachment recess 2810b, mounting recess 1821b, mounting) Since decorative elements (spec seal 1020, lower right guide passage decorative seal 2532, gate seal 2811, decorative element 1801, decorative element 1802, decorative element 1803, etc.) are attached to recesses (1822b, etc.), even if one attempts to insert a tool such as a flathead screwdriver between the decorative element and the attachment point to remove the decorative element from one side, the insertion of the tool is prevented by the wall portion of the periphery of the recessed attachment point. In contrast, since the separation holes (separation holes 1023, 1821d, 1822c, 2531b, 2810d, etc.) of the first member are provided in the area where one side is closed by the decorative element, separation holes are provided in the attachment point to which the decorative element is attached. Therefore, by inserting a rod-shaped member into the separation hole from the other side and pressing the decorative element to one side, the attachment to the attachment point can be easily released, and the decorative element can be easily removed from the recessed attachment point. Therefore, if the first component fails to properly attach to the flat plate portion during the manufacturing of the pachinko machine 1, the attachment can be easily released by passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole from the other side of the first component and pressing the decorative element from the other side with its tip. This allows the decorative element to be easily removed from the flat plate portion of the first component and reattached. Furthermore, with the first and second components separated, the attachment can be easily released by passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole from the other side of the first component and pressing the decorative element from the other side with its tip. This allows the decorative element to be easily removed from the flat plate portion, simplifying the replacement of decorative elements during model changes. Moreover, as described above, with the first and second components separated, the decorative element can be easily removed from the flat plate portion using the separation hole, making it easier to separate the components of the pachinko machine 1 by material and reducing the cost of disposing of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since separation holes (separation holes 1023, separation holes 1821d, separation holes 1822c, separation holes 2531b, separation holes 2810d, etc.) are provided in the flat plate portions (front surface of front component 1000, flat plate portion 1821a, flat plate portion 1822a, front surface of front component 2531, front plate portion 2810a, etc.) of the first members (front component 1000, front component 2531, etc.), decorative elements (spare) are provided in the flat plate portions. By attaching the lock seal 1020, the lower right guide passage decorative seal 2532, the gate seal 2811, decorative elements 1801, 1802, 1803, etc., the separation hole can be made less visible or hidden from one side, thereby suppressing the deterioration of appearance caused by the separation hole, and making it difficult for players to notice the existence of the separation hole, thus making it difficult for them to plan fraudulent activities through the separation hole.

Furthermore, in the assembled state of the pachinko machine 1, the decorative elements (spec seal 1020, decorative element 1801, decorative element 1802, decorative element 1803, etc.) are attached to the first member (front component 1000, first member 1821, first member 1822, etc.) to which the extension parts (insertion pin 1022, boss part 1821c, rib 1822d, etc.) surround the separation holes (separation holes 1023, separation holes 1821d, separation holes 1822c, etc.) from the other side of the flat plate portion (front surface of the front component 1000, flat plate portion 1821a, flat plate portion 1822a, etc.) of the second member (game panel 1100, second member 184) 1. The second member (1842, etc.) extends to the other side of the first member, and the second member is attached to the other side of the first member. Because the other side of the separation hole is enclosed by the extension and one side of the second member, a closed space is formed, preventing unauthorized tools from being inserted into the separation hole from the outside of the extension or the other side of the second member. Furthermore, unlike conventional pachinko machines, there is no through-hole that penetrates to the other side, thus preventing linear unauthorized tools such as piano wire from being inserted into the pachinko machine 1 through the hole, and thus preventing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, since the second component (game panel 1100, second component 1841, second component 1842, etc.) creates a closed space on the other side of the separation hole (separation hole 1023, separation hole 1821d, separation hole 1822c, etc.), even if an illegal tool is inserted through the decorative body (spec seal 1020, decorative body 1801, decorative body 1802, decorative body 1803, etc.) from one side and into the separation hole, the tip of the illegal tool will be inserted into a closed space that is isolated from the outside, and the extension portion (insertion) of the first component (previous component 1000, first component 1821, first component 1822, etc.) will not be affected. The through-pin 1022, boss portion 1821c, rib 1822d, etc., and the second member can block insertion (intrusion) into the passage area (game area 5a, etc.) and the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the entry of illegal tools into the pachinko machine 1 from one side through the separation hole, thus preventing fraudulent activity through the separation hole and passage. Furthermore, since the illegal tool will leave a mark on the decorative element when it penetrates it, it can deter fraudulent activity, providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against illegal activities.

Furthermore, by inserting the positioning projection 1841b of the second member 1841 into the separation hole 1821d from the other side of the first member 1821, the first member 1821 and the second member 1841 can be positioned relative to each other. This simplifies the assembly process and reduces the cost increase of the pachinko machine 1. Additionally, by inserting the positioning projection 1841b into the separation hole 1821d and positioning the first member 1821 and the second member 1841 relative to each other, the other side of the separation hole 1821d can be closed by the positioning projection 1841b. Therefore, the separation hole 1821d itself can be made into the aforementioned closed space, providing a pachinko machine 1 that exhibits the same effects as described above.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, a decorative body (spec seal 1020, lower right guide passage decorative seal 2532, gate seal 2811, etc.) with predetermined decorations is attached to the front part (spec seal attachment part 1021, attachment recess 2531a, attachment recess 2810b, etc.) of the front member (front component member 1000, front member 2531 of the center mechanism 2500, gate body 2810 of the gate member 2800, etc.) which is provided on the front side of the passage member (game panel 1100, center base plate 2540, gate sensor 2801, etc.) that has a passage section through which the game balls B flow (game area 5a, lower right guide passage 2530, and detection hole of the gate sensor 2801, etc.), so the appearance of the passage member can be improved by the decoration of the decorative body. Furthermore, because the part to which the decorative element is attached is recessed to the rearward side than the depth of the decorative element in the front-to-back direction, when the decorative element is attached to the part to which it is attached, the portion of the front member surrounding the part to which it is attached protrudes forward of the front of the decorative element. This protruding portion of the front member frames the decorative element, making it stand out and enhancing its decorative effect, thereby improving the overall appearance of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the decorative parts to which the decorative elements (spec seal 1020, lower right guide passage decorative seal 2532, gate seal 2811, etc.) are attached (spec seal attachment area 1021, attachment recess 2531a, attachment recess 2810b, etc.) are recessed towards the rear, attaching the decorative elements to the front members (front component 1000, front member 2531 of the center component 2500, gate body 2810 of the gate member 2800, etc.) can be used as a guide, making it easier to attach the decorative elements in the correct position. This reduces the likelihood of failure in attaching the decorative elements and suppresses the increase in costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

In this pachinko machine 1, the decorative parts (spec sticker attachment area 1021, attachment recess 2531a, attachment recess 2810b, etc.) of the front components (front component 1000, front component 2531 of the center component 2500, gate body 2810 of the gate component 2800, etc.) are recessed towards the rear. Therefore, when decorative bodies (spec sticker 1020, lower right guide passage decorative sticker 2532, gate sticker 2811, etc.) are attached to the decorative parts, the contact surface between the decorative body and the decorative part is in a recessed position. As a result, even when trying to remove a decorative body attached to the decorative part, it is difficult to hook the decorative body from the front, making removal time-consuming. In contrast, since the decorative portion is provided with separation holes (separation holes 1023, 2531b, 2810d, etc.), the attachment to the decorative portion can be easily released by passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole from the rear of the front member and pressing the decorative portion forward, allowing the decorative portion to be easily removed from the decorative portion. Therefore, if the decorative portion is not properly attached to the decorative portion of the front member during manufacturing, the attachment can be easily released by passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole from the rear of the front member and pressing the decorative portion from the rear with its tip, allowing the decorative portion to be easily removed from the decorative portion and reattached.

Furthermore, by separating the front members (front component member 1000, front member 2531 of the center component 2500, gate body 2810 of the gate member 2800, etc.) and the passage members (game panel 1100, center base plate 2540, gate sensor 2801, etc.), and passing a rod-shaped member through the separation hole (separation hole 1023, separation hole 2531b, separation hole 2810d, etc.) from the rear of the front member, and pressing the decorative body (spec seal 1020, lower right guide passage decorative seal 2532, gate seal 2811, etc.) from the rear with its tip, the attachment to the decorated part (spec seal attachment part 1021, attachment recess 2531a, attachment recess 2810b, etc.) can be easily released, allowing the decorative body to be easily removed from the decorated part, and simplifying the replacement of decorative bodies when changing models. Furthermore, as described above, when the front member and the passage member are separated, the decorative element can be easily removed from the decorated part using the separation hole. This makes it easier to separate the components of the pachinko machine 1 by material, thereby reducing the cost of disposing of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since separation holes (separation holes 1023, 2531b, 2810d, etc.) are provided in the decorated parts (spec sticker attachment area 1021, attachment recess 2531a, attachment recess 2810b, etc.), by attaching decorative elements (spec sticker 1020, lower right guide passage decorative sticker 2532, gate sticker 2811, etc.) to the decorated parts, the separation holes can be made less visible or hidden from the front. This suppresses the deterioration of appearance caused by the separation holes, makes it difficult for players to notice the existence of the separation holes, and makes it difficult for them to plan fraudulent activities through the separation holes.

Furthermore, when assembled into the pachinko machine 1, the passage members (game panel 1100, center base plate 2540, gate sensor 2801, etc.) attached to the rear of the front members (front component 1000, front member 2531 of the center component 2500, gate body 2810 of the gate member 2800, etc.) to which decorative elements (spec sticker 1020, lower right guide passage decorative sticker 2532, gate sticker 2811, etc.) are attached, close the separation holes (separation holes 1023, separation holes 2531b, separation holes 2810d, etc.) from the rear. Because there are no holes that penetrate to the rear like in conventional pachinko machines, it is possible to prevent wire-like fraudulent tools such as piano wire from being inserted into the pachinko machine 1 through these holes, thus preventing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, since the separation holes (separation holes 1023, 2531b, 2810d, etc.) are closed from the rear by the passage members (game panel 1100, center base plate 2540, gate sensor 2801, etc.), even if an illegal tool is inserted into the separation hole from the front, penetrating the decorative elements (spec seal 1020, lower right guide passage decorative seal 2532, gate seal 2811, etc.), the passage members prevent further insertion (intrusion) to the rear. Therefore, the intrusion of an illegal tool into the passage section (game area 5a, lower right guide passage 2530, and detection hole (gate 2003) of the gate sensor 2801, etc.) from the front through the separation hole is prevented, thus preventing fraudulent activity. Additionally, since the illegal tool leaving a trace on the decorative elements deters fraudulent activity, a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity can be provided.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the back front display unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 in the game board 5, the light guide plate 3110 and the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the light guide plate, on which LEDs 3176 for illuminating the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110 are mounted, and in front of these, the back front lower middle decorative substrate 3168, back front lower left inner decorative substrate 3169, back front lower left outer decorative substrate 3170, back front lower right inner decorative substrate 3171, back front lower right outer decorative substrate 3172, etc. of the back front lower display unit 3160 are mounted to irradiate light forward. The back front lower center decorative body 3161, back front lower left inner decorative body 3163, back front lower left outer decorative body 3164, back front lower right inner decorative body 3165, back front lower right outer decorative body 3166, etc., which are equipped with LEDs that can be illuminated and decorated. By providing LEDs 3176 (light guide plate lower left decorative substrate 3174 and light guide plate lower right decorative substrate 3175) behind the back front lower center decorative body 3161, etc., the LEDs 3176 can be hidden from the player by the back front lower center decorative body 3161, etc., making it difficult for the player to notice the presence of the LEDs 3176, that is, the light guide plate 3110. In this state, when the LED 3176 illuminates the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110, and the LEDs mounted on the back front lower middle decorative board 3168 illuminate the back front lower middle decorative element 3161, the light from the LED 3176 is reflected forward by the light guide plate 3110, while the light from the LEDs on the back front lower middle decorative board 3168 is directly shone forward. Therefore, the illuminated back front lower middle decorative element 3161 shines brighter than the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110, strongly attracting the player's attention to the back front lower middle decorative element 3161. Furthermore, because the illuminated second pattern 3112 on the light guide plate 3110 extends upward from a predetermined position (slightly above) close to the illuminated back front lower middle decorative element 3161, etc., it is possible to strongly mislead the player into believing that the second pattern 3112 on the light guide plate 3110 is illuminated using the light from the illuminated back front lower middle decorative element 3161, etc. as the light source. This allows for a lighting effect using the light guide plate 3110 that has never been seen in previous pachinko machines, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in their interest.

Furthermore, since the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and lower right decorative substrate 3175, and the lower front center decorative body 3161 are provided in front of the light guide plate 3110, the light from the LEDs mounted on the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and lower right decorative substrate 3175 illuminates the light guide plate 3110, preventing the transparent light guide plate 3110 from being visible to the player. This allows the luminous display effect of the second pattern 3112 on the light guide plate 3110 to be fully realized, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that reliably achieves the aforementioned effects.

Furthermore, since the light-transmitting back front lower middle decorative element 3161, etc., is provided in front of the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the light guide plate, when the LEDs mounted on the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the light guide plate are illuminated, the back front lower middle decorative element 3161, etc., can be illuminated and decorated. Therefore, in addition to the illumination display of the second pattern 3112, etc., on the light guide plate 3110, the illumination decoration of the back front lower middle decorative element 3161, etc., can also be shown to the player, allowing for a variety of effects that keep the player engaged and prevent a decline in interest.

Furthermore, when the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110 is illuminated, and the LEDs mounted on the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the light guide plate are illuminated, as described above, the LEDs mounted on the lower left decorative substrate 3174 and the lower right decorative substrate 3175 of the light guide plate cause the back front lower middle decorative element 3161 etc. to shine brightly, thereby attracting the player's attention to the illuminated back front lower middle decorative element 3161 etc. At the same time, the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110, which extends upward from a predetermined position above the back front lower middle decorative element 3161, etc., can direct the player's attention from the back front lower middle decorative element 3161 etc. to the upper end of the second pattern 3112 that extends from the light guide plate 3110. Therefore, since the upper end of the second pattern 3112 extends to a portion of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, the movable decorative element 3210 of the upper rear performance unit 3200 that moves up and down, etc., the player can be excited and thrilled depending on whether or not further performances (performances using performance images, movable performances, etc.) are executed at the end of the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110, thus entertaining the player and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110 is composed of multiple line groups 3114, each consisting of five lines 3113 extending upward from a predetermined position. Each line 3113 is capable of independently emitting light, and LEDs 3176 (first LED 3176a to fifth LED 3176e) are provided to correspond to each line 3113. By sequentially illuminating the first LED 3176a to fifth LED 3176e of the LED group 3177, the illuminated lines 3113 change, creating a pseudo-animation. Furthermore, because the lower front center decorative element 3161, etc., is positioned below the lower end of multiple lines 3113 (a predetermined position), the second pattern 3112 of the light guide plate 3110 can appear to be moving using the light from the illuminated lower front center decorative element 3161, etc. as the light source. This creates a strong impact on the player, making them think that something good might happen, thus increasing their anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the starting conditions are met by receiving game balls B into the first starting port 2002 or the second starting port 2004, and a special lottery result (special lottery result) is drawn, the special symbols are displayed in the function display unit 1400A and the function display unit 1400B by lighting up and flashing multiple LEDs 1401 on the function display board 1402 and the left LED 1411a and right LED 1411b on the function display board 1411. After that, a special symbol indicating the special lottery result is displayed by a combination of lighting up and extinguishing of multiple LEDs 1401 and the left LED 1411a and right LED 1411b. In this configuration, the light from multiple LEDs 1401, left LED 1411a, and right LED 1411b is directed forward independently by multiple display holes 1405a in front of the reflector 1405 and multiple display holes 1414a in front of the reflector 1414, so that a portion of the light is directed only to one eye of the player, while at least a portion of the remaining light is directed only to the other eye of the player. Therefore, by viewing with both eyes simultaneously, all LEDs 1401 and left LED 1411a are directed forward. Because the light from LED 1411a and the right-side LED 1411b can be seen, the illumination and extinguishing of multiple LEDs 1401, the left-side LED 1411a, and the right-side LED 1411b can be clearly observed. This allows for clear visibility of special patterns created by multiple LEDs 1401, the left-side LED 1411a, and the right-side LED 1411b, enabling the display functions of multiple LEDs 1401, the left-side LED 1411a, and the right-side LED 1411b to be fully utilized.

Furthermore, when multiple LEDs 1401, left LED 1411a, and right LED 1411b (function display units 1400A and 1400B) are photographed with a digital camera or mobile phone camera, as described above, the light from all LEDs 1401, left LED 1411a, and right LED 1411b is visible to the player's eyes. Therefore, a monocular camera can only photograph one eye, making it difficult to accurately capture the illumination status of all LEDs 1401, left LED 1411a, and right LED 1411b. Consequently, because the illumination status of multiple LEDs 1401, left LED 1411a, and right LED 1411b cannot be accurately captured, it becomes difficult for the player to easily determine whether or not a special symbol indicating an advantageous game state (e.g., a "jackpot" game) is displayed. This allows the player to enjoy the spectacle hinting at the results of the special lottery until the very end, preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, in the function display unit 1400A, some of the multiple display holes 1405a in front of the reflector 1405 are tilted in the front-to-back direction toward the position of one of the player's eyes, while the remaining holes are tilted in the front-to-back direction toward the position of the other player's eye, and are also positioned straight in the front-to-back direction. As a result, in addition to the same effects as described above, the tilting of the display holes 1405a makes it difficult for players other than those seated in front of the pachinko machine 1 to clearly see the light from all the LEDs 1401. This makes it difficult for other players to understand the game situation, reduces the risk of other players peeking at the player's screen, and allows players to enjoy the game without worrying about other players.

Furthermore, in the function display unit 1400B, multiple left LEDs 1411a and multiple right LEDs 1411b mounted on the function display board 1411 are spaced a predetermined distance (40 mm to 80 mm) apart in the left-right direction, and a reflector front 1414 with multiple display holes 1414a is provided in front of them. This allows for the same effects as described above, and because each display hole 1414a is oriented straight in the front-back direction, the mold-molding process for the multiple display holes 1414a becomes easier, thus suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in the function display unit 1400C, the light from the multiple LEDs 1421a mounted on the function display board 1421 is visible to the player through the transparent light guide plate 1423, allowing the special symbols created by the multiple LEDs 1421a to be clearly displayed to the player. When invisible light is emitted from the invisible light LED 1424a onto the side of the light guide plate 1423, the invisible light incident from the side is radiated from the light guide plate 1423 towards the player. However, since the player cannot see the invisible light radiated from the light guide plate 1423, the special symbols created by the multiple LEDs 1421a can be clearly seen through the light guide plate 1423, allowing the display function of the multiple LEDs 1421a to be fully utilized. Furthermore, when the invisible light LED 1424a is illuminated, if a photograph is taken from the front using a digital camera or similar device, depending on the model of the digital camera, the invisible light radiating forward from the light guide plate 1423 will be captured in the photograph. This causes the light guide plate 1423 to appear brightly illuminated, making it difficult to capture the light from the multiple LEDs 1421a located at the rear. This makes it difficult to distinguish the illumination status of the multiple LEDs 1421a, thus reliably realizing the aforementioned effects of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in the function display unit 1400, the main control board 1310 may be configured to flash multiple LEDs at a speed that allows the player to recognize that a special symbol is lit. This allows the display of the special symbol using multiple LEDs to be clearly visible to the player, even when the main control board 1310 flashes the multiple LEDs of the function display unit 1400 at a predetermined speed, thus fully utilizing the display function of the multiple LEDs. Additionally, when photographing the LEDs flashing at a predetermined speed by the main control board 1310 with a digital camera, depending on the shutter speed, the LEDs may appear to be off even when they are lit. Therefore, even when photographing multiple LEDs that appear to be in the same state, the LEDs may appear lit or off depending on the timing of the shutter release, making it difficult to distinguish the illumination status of multiple LEDs. This ensures the realization of the pachinko machine 1 that achieves the aforementioned effects. Furthermore, the predetermined blinking speed for the LEDs controlled by the main control board 1310 is preferably within the range of 30Hz to 100Hz. If the blinking speed is slower than this, the LEDs may not appear to be lit, and the special pattern may appear to be fluctuating. If the blinking speed is faster than this, the LEDs will appear lit in the photograph.

Furthermore, a high-brightness LED capable of emitting light brighter than the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 may be provided close to the function display unit 1400, etc., and projecting it forward. This allows the high-brightness LED, when illuminated close to the function display unit 1400, to be perceived as dazzling due to its high brightness. However, because the dynamic range of brightness perception for players (humans) is wide, they can still see the light from the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 despite the brightness, thus enabling them to recognize the special symbols displayed on the function display unit 1400, etc., and allowing the display function of the function display unit 1400, etc., to function without compromise. Additionally, when the function display unit 1400, etc. is photographed with a digital camera while the high-brightness LED is illuminated, the digital camera's dynamic range for brightness is narrower than that of humans. Therefore, the light from the high-brightness LED causes halation, resulting in overexposure around the LED, which can obscure parts of the function display unit 1400, etc. Therefore, the illumination status of multiple LEDs in the function display unit 1400, etc., can be obscured, and a pachinko machine 1 that achieves the same effects as described above can be realized.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the game board 5A, each of the decorative parts (front left logo decorative part 3121, front left upper logo decorative part 3122, and front left sub-decorative part 3123) of the multiple decorative parts (front left first decorative part 3124, front left second decorative part 3125, front left third decorative part 3126, and front left decorative part base 3127) of the front front display unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 is illuminated by a light-emitting means (LEDs mounted on the front left decorative substrate 3128, etc.). In its normal, undecorated state, the translucent, opaque, white panel 1110A located in front of the front left decorative unit 3120 obscures the front left upper logo decoration section 3122 of the front left decorative unit 3120, making it difficult to recognize. This makes it difficult for players to notice the presence of the front left upper logo decoration section 3122, while the white color brightens the panel 1110A of the game panel 1100, making the pachinko machine 1 more noticeable.

Furthermore, as the game progresses, the multiple LEDs of the front left decorative unit 3120 appropriately illuminate the respective front left upper logo decorative parts 3122, etc. The light from the illuminated front left upper logo decorative parts 3122, etc. is projected forward through the translucent panel board 1110A, causing the illuminated decorations of the front left upper logo decorative parts 3122, etc. to be projected onto the white panel board 1110A. As a result, the illuminated decorations of the front left upper logo decorative parts 3122, etc. can be shown to the player through the panel board 1110A, allowing the player to enjoy the illuminated decorations of the front left upper logo decorative parts 3122, etc. and preventing a decline in enjoyment. Furthermore, by illuminating the upper left logo decoration section 3122 of the front left decorative unit 3120, the presence of the upper left logo decoration section 3122, which the player could not have foreseen, can be made to notice. This greatly surprises the player, making them strongly believe that a chance has arrived, and also allows the player to see a highly effective illuminating effect, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in their enjoyment.

Furthermore, because the translucent opaque panel board 1110A is white in color, the decorative parts (first front left logo decorative part 3124c, first back left logo decorative part 3124d, first upper left logo decorative part 3124e, first left sub-decorative part 3124f, second back left logo decorative part 3125d, second upper left logo decorative part 3127) of the rear front left decorative unit 3120 located at the rear are also white. The illuminated colors of the decorative section 3125e, the second left sub-decorative section 3125f, the third back left logo decorative section 3126d, the third upper left logo decorative section 3126e, the third left sub-decorative section 3126f, and the base upper left logo decorative section 3127d can be displayed to the player through the panel board 1110A in their original colors. This allows the player to see various illuminated effects in different colors, and the diverse illuminated effects can keep the player from getting bored, thus preventing a decline in the player's interest.

Furthermore, multiple decorative bodies (back front left first decorative body 3124, back front left second decorative body 3124) are provided, each having a related shape ("first front left logo decorative body 3124c, first back left logo decorative body 3124d, second back left logo decorative body 3125d, third back left logo decorative body 3126d", "first upper left logo decorative body 3124e, second upper left logo decorative body 3125e, third upper left logo decorative body 3126e, base upper left logo decorative body 3127d", "first left sub-decorative body 3124f, second left sub-decorative body 3125f, third left sub-decorative body 3126f"). The main body (3125), the third decorative body on the front left (3126), and the base of the front left decorative body (3127) are stacked in the front-to-back direction, and each decorative part can be illuminated independently by the light-emitting means (LEDs on the front left decorative substrate (3128), the upper left decorative substrate (3129), and the lower left decorative substrate (3130)). Because the front-to-back positions of each decorative part are different, illuminating each part creates a sense of depth in the light-emitting effect, entertaining the player and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, each of the multiple decorative elements (the first decorative element on the front left of the reverse side 3124, the second decorative element on the front left of the reverse side 3125, the third decorative element on the front left of the reverse side 3126, and the base of the front left decorative element on the reverse side 3127) has related decorative parts ("first front left logo decorative part 3124c, first back left logo decorative part 3124d, second back left logo decorative part 3125d, third back left logo decorative part 3126d", "first upper left logo decorative part 3124e, second upper left logo decorative part 3125e, third upper left logo decorative part 3126e, base upper left logo decorative part 3127d", "first left sub-decorative part 3124f, second Because the left sub-decorative section 3125f and the third left sub-decorative section 3126f are provided, the decorative sections can be illuminated in an appropriate order by the light-emitting means (LEDs on the front left decorative board 3128, the upper left decorative board 3129, and the lower left decorative board 3130). This allows the player to see a dynamic light-emitting effect, strongly attracting their attention and making them think that something good might happen, thereby increasing their anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, the decorative parts provided on each of the multiple decorative elements (the first decorative element on the front left of the reverse side 3124, the second decorative element on the front left of the reverse side 3125, the third decorative element on the front left of the reverse side 3126, and the base of the front left decorative element 3127) are: "the first front left logo decorative part 3124c, the first back left logo decorative part 3124d, the second back left logo decorative part 3125d, the third back left logo decorative part 3126d," "the first upper left logo decorative part 3124e, the second upper left logo decorative part 3125e, the third upper left logo decorative part 3126e, and the upper left logo decorative part 3127 of the base. The "d" (first left sub-decorative section 3124f, second left sub-decorative section 3125f, third left sub-decorative section 3126f) can each be independently illuminated by light-emitting means (LEDs on the front left decorative board 3128, front upper left decorative board 3129, and front lower left decorative board 3130). Therefore, by appropriately combining the illuminated decorative sections, a variety of light-emitting effects can be presented to the player, preventing boredom and maintaining a high level of interest. Furthermore, because each decorative section can be independently illuminated, the combination of illuminated decorative sections according to the progress of the game can suggest to the player the likelihood of an advantageous game state occurring (for example, a "jackpot" game state).

Furthermore, in each of the decorative elements of the front left decorative unit 3120 (front left first decorative element 3124, front left second decorative element 3125, front left third decorative element 3126, and front left decorative element base 3127), light-shielding elements (dividing decorative elements 3124a, 3125c, and 3126c) are provided between the decorative elements (front left logo decorative element 3121, front left upper logo decorative element 3122, and front left sub-decorative element 3123) which are located at different positions. As a result, the light used to illuminate one decorative element is blocked from shining onto the other decorative element by the light-shielding elements, preventing the other decorative element from emitting light, and allowing only one (desired) decorative element to emit light. Therefore, since multiple decorative parts on a single decorative object can be illuminated independently, the appropriate decorative parts can be illuminated according to the progress of the game, allowing players to see a variety of lighting effects, thus preventing them from getting bored and suppressing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, in each of the decorative elements of the front left decorative unit 3120 (front left first decorative element 3124, front left second decorative element 3125, front left third decorative element 3126, and front left decorative element base 3127), multiple decorative parts (front left logo decorative element 3121, front left upper logo decorative element 3122, and front left sub-decorative element 3123) are provided at different positions, and light-shielding parts (dividing decorative elements 3124a, 3125c, and 3126c) are provided between them, allowing each to be illuminated independently. Therefore, by making each decorative element of the decorative unit completely different in appearance, different types of illuminated decorations can be shown to the player as the game progresses, strongly attracting the player's attention and entertaining them with the illumination effects, thus preventing a decline in interest in the game.

Furthermore, in each of the decorative elements of the front left decorative unit 3120 (front left first decorative element 3124, front left second decorative element 3125, front left third decorative element 3126, and front left decorative element base 3127), perforated light-blocking sections (dividing decorative elements 3124a, 3125c, and 3126c) are provided between multiple decorative elements (front left logo decorative element 3121, front left upper logo decorative element 3122, and front left sub-decorative element 3123). Therefore, light for illuminating one of the decorative elements is emitted outward from a portion of the light-blocking section, allowing a portion of the light-blocking section to also be illuminated. Consequently, by forming the light-blocking section into a predetermined shape, the player can see both the illuminating decoration of the decorative elements and the illuminating decoration of the light-blocking section, enabling a more diverse range of illumination effects.

Furthermore, since the front-left first decorative body 3124 of the front-left decorative unit 3120 has a through-decorative section 3124b that penetrates from front to back in a predetermined shape, when the decorative sections (first front-left logo decorative section 3124c, first back-left logo decorative section 3124d, first upper-left logo decorative section 3124e, first left sub-decorative section 3124f) are illuminated as the game progresses, the circumferential surface of the through-decorative section 3124b will also illuminate. Therefore, in addition to the illumination of the decorative sections, the illumination of the through-decorative section 3124b can also be shown to the player, thus entertaining the player and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the game board 5B, even if the cell 1140 provided behind the transparent panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 expands or contracts due to changes in the environment such as temperature and humidity, the cell 1140 is provided in a state that allows it to expand or contract relative to the panel plate 1110. Therefore, the cell 1140 can expand or contract freely, and wrinkles or cracks will not occur in the cell 1140 even if the environment such as temperature and humidity changes, and the decorative effect of the cell 1140 can be maintained. In this case, since the cell 1140 is positioned behind the portion of the panel board 1110 opposite to the predetermined direction in which the opening 1112 to which the center feature 2500 is attached is off-center, that is, behind the wider portion of the panel board 1110, the pattern of the cell 1140 visible through the transparent panel board 1110 can be easily seen by the player, allowing the decorative effect of the cell 1140 to be fully realized. Furthermore, the pattern of the cell 1140 visible through the transparent panel board 1110 improves the appearance of the game area 5a, thus entertaining the player and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, since the cells 1140 are provided on the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 in an expandable and retractable state, and are not attached to the game panel (panel plate) as in conventional methods, the effort required for decorating the transparent panel plate 1110 can be simplified, thereby suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1. More specifically, in the case of a panel plate 1110 that is machined, the cells 1140 can be provided after machining, so the cells 1140 are not damaged during the machining process of the panel plate 1110. Also, due to differences in materials between the panel plate 1110 and the cells 1140, the machined surface does not become rough, eliminating the need for a finishing process after machining. On the other hand, in the case of a game panel (panel plate) formed with an opening by machining or injection molding, the cells 1140 are not attached, thus eliminating the effort required for attachment. Therefore, the cells 1140 can be provided behind the transparent panel plate 1110 more easily than with conventional technology, thereby suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the cell 1140 is provided behind a portion of the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100, the amount of cell 1140 used can be reduced compared to the case where the cell 1140 is provided across the entire surface of the panel board 1110, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the cells 1140 can be attached to and detached from the panel board 1110 of the game panel 1100, it is possible to easily respond to changes in the specifications or models of the pachinko machine 1 (game board 5B) by attaching or replacing cells 1140 with different patterns to the panel board 1110, thereby suppressing increases in the costs associated with the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the various LEDs provided in the back-front display unit 3100 of the back unit 3000 illuminate the cell 1140. This illuminates the pattern of the cell 1140 visible through the panel 1110 of the transparent game panel 1100, improving the appearance within the game area 5a. This strongly attracts the player's attention to the game area 5a, and also brightens the game area 5a, making the game balls B circulating within the game area 5a easier to see.

Furthermore, the various LEDs provided in the rear-front display unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 can illuminate and decorate the cell 1140 located behind the transparent panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100. This illumination of the cell 1140 illuminates the game ball B circulating within the game area 5a from behind, making it appear as a silhouette. This makes the game ball B easier to see, allowing players to enjoy its movement and preventing a decline in enjoyment. Additionally, by making the game ball B appear as a silhouette, it becomes easier to make subtle adjustments to the force with which the game ball B is struck, allowing players to enjoy the original gameplay of the pachinko machine 1, which involves devising ways to strike the game ball B.

Furthermore, since a cell 1140 is provided behind a portion of the transparent panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, when the player looks into the game area 5a, their focus is easily drawn to the pattern on the cell 1140. Therefore, simply by looking at the game panel 1100 (panel plate 1110), the player's focus naturally shifts to the game balls B circulating within the game area 5a. This makes it easier to see the game balls B circulating within the game area 5a, allowing the player to enjoy the movement of the game balls B and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, since a cell 1140 with a predetermined pattern is provided behind a portion of the transparent panel 1110, the pattern on cell 1140 can conceal the decorative elements of the rear-front display unit 3100 of the rear unit 3000 from the player's perspective. Therefore, when the decorative elements behind cell 1140 are not illuminated, the pattern on cell 1140 prevents the player from noticing their presence. Then, when the decorative elements are illuminated as the game progresses, cell 1140 is illuminated by the light from the decorative elements, making the player aware of the previously unforeseen decorative elements. This greatly surprises the player, strongly suggesting that a chance has arrived, and allows for a more effective illumination display, thus entertaining the player and preventing a decline in their enjoyment.

Furthermore, as described above, the rear-left movable decorative element 3301 of the rear-lower display unit 3300, which is a movable decorative element located at the rear, can be hidden from view by the cell 1140. Therefore, by moving the rear-left movable decorative element 3301 from a state where it is invisible due to the cell 1140 to a state where it becomes visible through the opening 1112 that penetrates the front and back of the panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100, as the game progresses, a movable effect can be shown in which the rear-left movable decorative element 3301 appears as the game progresses. Consequently, the appearance of the rear-left movable decorative element 3301 suggests to the player that a chance is approaching, strongly suggesting that a favorable game state (for example, a "jackpot" game state) may occur, thereby increasing the player's anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, in the game board 5A, the panel plate 1110A of the game panel 1100, which is provided with a game area 5a in which game balls B flow in front, is made of a translucent, opaque milky white material. This makes the inside of the game area 5a appear brighter, making the game balls B flowing within the game area 5a easier to see. In addition, when light from LEDs and display devices 1600 provided in the pachinko machine 1, light from lighting in the game hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, light from other pachinko machines, slot machines, and other game machines shines on the game panel 1100, the light diffuses on the panel plate 1110A of the game panel 1100, making the panel plate 1110A appear to be dimly lit and self-illuminating. Furthermore, when the multiple LEDs 1130a of the panel decoration substrate 1130, which can irradiate light onto the periphery of the panel board 1110A, are illuminated, the light is diffused by the translucent, opaque, milky-white panel board 1110A. As a result, the panel board 1110A of the game panel 1100 can be illuminated with a soft, indirect light similar to fluorescent lighting, brightening the game area 5a while suppressing glare from the LEDs 1130a, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 that is easy on the eyes of the player. Therefore, compared to conventional pachinko machines that use plywood or transparent panels as game panels, this pachinko machine 1 has a game area 5a that glows like a fluorescent light, unlike anything seen before. This allows players to be strongly drawn to the game panel 1100 (game area 5a), creating a sense of anticipation and raising expectations for the game. Furthermore, the game balls B circulating within the game area 5a are illuminated by light from the rear panel 1110A, making them easier to see and allowing players to enjoy the movement of the balls, thus preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, by providing a decorative sheet (decorative film) (not shown) on the front surface of the panel board 1110A of the game panel 1100, the milky white panel board 1110A enhances the color development of the patterns on the decorative film, improving the appearance of the game area 5a through the decorative patterns. Additionally, by illuminating the LEDs 1130a of the panel decoration substrate 1130, the patterns on the decorative film can be illuminated via the panel board 1110A of the game panel 1100, further improving the appearance of the game area 5a and providing a pachinko machine 1 with high appeal to players.

Furthermore, when a decorative film is provided on the front surface of the panel board 1110A of the game panel 1100, the translucent, opaque panel board 1110A can easily obscure the areas illuminated by LEDs 1130a, etc. However, by devising the pattern so that the areas where the illuminated decoration becomes obscured are partially hidden by the pattern on the decorative film (or by devising the arrangement of LEDs 1130a, etc.), the illuminated decoration can be made clearly visible, thereby enhancing the decorative effect.

Furthermore, when a decorative film is applied to the front surface of the panel board 1110A of the game panel 1100, using a material with excellent abrasion resistance as the decorative film allows the front surface of the panel board 1110A to be protected from the flow of game balls B by the decorative film. This eliminates the need to use a highly abrasion-resistant material for the panel board 1110A, allowing the use of a lower-grade, less expensive material, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, if a decorative film is provided on the rear surface of the panel board 1110A of the game panel 1100, the shadow of the design on the decorative film is projected onto the panel board 1110A by light radiated from the rear to the front of the decorative film, allowing the design to be shown to the player. This creates a light projection effect where the design or text of the decorative film is projected onto the panel board 1110A from the rear. This effect can make the player think that something good is about to happen, increasing their anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in their enjoyment. Alternatively, as part of this light projection effect, the decorative film can project designs or text that encourage actions such as "shooting to the right" or operation of the performance control unit 301 onto the panel board 1110A of the game panel 1100 from the rear, allowing the player to enjoy actions such as shooting the game balls B and operating the performance control unit 301 in player-participation events, thus preventing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, when decorative films are provided on both the front and rear surfaces of the panel board 1110A of the game panel 1100, shining light onto the side surface of the panel board 1110A using LEDs 1130a, etc., of the panel decoration substrate 1130, as described above, causes the panel board 1110A to self-illuminate, illuminating the decorative film on the front side and allowing the player to enjoy the design on the front decorative film. On the other hand, when light is shone from the rear to the front of the game panel 1100 using LEDs, etc., the shadow of the design on the rear decorative film is projected onto the panel board 1110A, and this shadow overlaps with the design on the front decorative film, causing the design on the front decorative film to appear to change. This allows for a variety of light-emitting effects to be shown to the player, making it less likely for the player to get bored and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, when the rear front left logo decoration section 3122 of the rear front left decoration unit 3120 and the rear front right logo decoration section 3142 of the rear front right decoration unit 3140, which are located behind the translucent, opaque, milky white panel board 1110A, are illuminated in accordance with the progress of the game, the light is transmitted to a certain extent through the panel board 1110A of the game panel 1100 to the front (towards the player). This allows the panel board 1110A to be partially illuminated in the same manner as the rear front left logo decoration section 3122 and the rear front right logo decoration section 3142 located at the rear, and also makes the presence of the rear front left logo decoration section 3122 and the rear front right logo decoration section 3142 located at the rear to be noticed by the player. Therefore, by making the illuminated decorations of the upper left and upper right logo decorations on the back of the game panel 1100 visible through the panel board 1110A, it is possible to make the player think that something good might happen, thereby increasing their anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, since the rear front upper left logo decoration section 3122 and the rear front upper right logo decoration section 3142, which are located at the rear of the panel board 1110A of the game panel 1100, are made of a colorless, transparent material, and because the panel board 1110A is a milky white color, the colors of the rear front upper left logo decoration section 3122 and the rear front upper right logo decoration section 3142 blend in with the color of the panel board 1110A and become invisible from the front, thus preventing the player from noticing the presence of the rear front upper left logo decoration section 3122 and the rear front upper right logo decoration section 3142. Furthermore, by illuminating the upper left logo decoration section 3122 and the upper right logo decoration section 3142 on the back front, as described above, the illuminated decorations of the upper left logo decoration section 3122 and the upper right logo decoration section 3142 become visible through the panel board 1110A. This allows players to notice the presence of the upper left logo decoration section 3122 and the upper right logo decoration section 3142, which they had not anticipated, greatly surprising them and making them strongly believe that an opportunity has arrived. It also allows for a more visually impressive illumination effect, entertaining the players and preventing a decline in their enjoyment.

Furthermore, the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 of the rear lower display unit 3300 are normally located behind the opaque, milky white panel 1110A, making them invisible from the front. However, as the game progresses, they move to the rear of the opening 1112 in the panel 1110A, becoming visible through the opening 1112. This allows the player to see the movable decorative elements 3301 and 3302. Therefore, the appearance of the rear left and right movable decorative elements suggests an opportunity to the player, strongly suggesting that a favorable game state (for example, a "jackpot" state) may occur, thereby increasing anticipation for the game and preventing a decline in enjoyment.

Furthermore, by making the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 capable of emitting light, when the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 are not visible, the emitting light decorations of the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 (or the rear front upper left logo decoration part 3122 and the rear front upper right logo decoration part 3142) can be lit or flashed, allowing the player to notice the presence of the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 through the translucent panel board 1110A. At the same time, the player can be made to feel excited and thrilled depending on whether or not the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 move to a state where they become visible (whether or not the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 appear or not), enabling a movable effect that can entertain the player even more.

Furthermore, since the panel plate 1110A of the game panel 1100, which has a game area 5a at its front, is made of a translucent, opaque material, when a player looks into the game area 5a, their focus is easily drawn to the front of the panel plate 1110A. As a result, simply by looking at the panel plate 1110A, the focus naturally shifts to the game balls B circulating within the game area 5a. In this case, as described above, the panel 1110A appears to be self-illuminating due to light from external sources or from the emitting LED 1130a, etc. Therefore, the game balls B circulating within the game area 5a can be made to appear as silhouettes due to the light from the rear panel 1110A. This makes it easier to see the game balls B circulating within the game area 5a, allowing players to enjoy the movement of the game balls B and preventing a decline in enjoyment. Furthermore, it makes it easier to make subtle adjustments to the force with which the game balls B are driven, thus enhancing the enjoyment of playing the pachinko machine 1 by allowing players to devise ways to drive the game balls B.

Furthermore, since the panel board 1110A of the game panel 1100 is made of a translucent, opaque, milky-white synthetic resin, a lower-grade synthetic resin can be used compared to when the panel board is transparent, thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, because the panel board 1110A is made of translucent, opaque milky white material, the colors of the decorative elements on this pachinko machine 1 are made to stand out relatively, allowing the decorative effect of the elements to be strongly exhibited. This provides a highly appealing pachinko machine 1 that can strongly attract the attention of players. In addition, when the LEDs 1130a on the panel decoration substrate 1130 and the decorative elements provided at the rear of the game panel 1100 are illuminated, the light can be transmitted forward while maintaining its original color, allowing players to enjoy a colorful illumination display.

Furthermore, since the panel board 1110A is translucent, opaque, and milky white, decorative elements (for example, the rear front left decorative unit 3120) provided at the rear of the game panel 1100 can be made invisible from the front (player side). When the decorative elements provided at the rear of the game panel 1100 are illuminated, the light from the decorative elements passes through the translucent game panel 1100 (panel board 1110A) to the front, allowing the game panel 1100 to be partially illuminated and making the presence of the decorative elements at the rear known to the player. Also, when the decorative elements provided at the rear of the game panel 1100 are moved to a position behind the opening 1112 that penetrates the panel board 1110A, the decorative elements can be made visible from the front through the opening 1112, allowing the player to see a movable effect in which the decorative elements are hidden and reappear. In this way, a variety of lighting and moving effects can be presented to the player, making it less likely for the player to get bored and preventing a decline in interest.

Furthermore, the translucent, opaque, milky-white panel board 1110A allows for the diffusion of light from the LEDs 1130a of the panel decoration substrate 1130. This enables the game panel 1100 to be softly illuminated, creating a gentle, indirect lighting effect within the game area 5a. Simultaneously, it reduces glare from the LEDs 1130a, resulting in a pachinko machine 1 that is gentle on the player's eyes.

Furthermore, since the panel board 1110A of the game panel 1100 can be illuminated and decorated by the LEDs 1130a of the panel decoration substrate 1130, for example, if the LEDs 1130a are provided on the left and right sides of the panel board 1110A and each can be illuminated independently, and the right side is illuminated according to the game situation (progress), the right side of the game area 5a will be lit through the panel board 1110A, thereby directing the player's attention to the right side of the game area 5a and encouraging them to shoot the game ball B into the right side of the game area 5a ("shoot to the right"). On the other hand, if the left side is illuminated, the left side of the game area 5a will be lit through the panel board 1110A, thereby directing the player's attention to the left side of the game area 5a and encouraging them to shoot the game ball B into the left side of the game area 5a ("shoot to the left"). In this way, by illuminating the LEDs 1130a at appropriate positions, the illuminated decorations on the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110A) can be intuitively understood as advising players to "shoot left" or "shoot right," allowing players to enjoy the operation of shooting the game balls B, and providing a new kind of illumination effect not found in previous pachinko machines 1, thus entertaining the players.

Furthermore, since the game panel 1100 is composed of a plate-shaped panel board 1110A (panel board 1110) and a frame-shaped panel holder 1120 that is thicker than the panel board 1110A and holds the outer perimeter of the panel board 1110A, if the thickness of the panel holder 1120 is the same as that of a conventional pachinko machine's game panel, the thickness of the panel board 1110A (panel board 1110), where the game area 5a is provided at the front, can be made thinner than that of a conventional game panel. This reduces the amount of material used for the game panel 1100 (panel board 1110, panel board 1110A), thereby reducing the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the game panel 1100 is composed of a panel board 1110 or panel board 1110A and a panel holder 1120, the panel board 1110A and the panel holder 1120 can be detached, making the panel holder 1120 a common, general-purpose part. This allows for mass production of the panel holder 1120, thereby reducing its cost. Additionally, by manufacturing a panel board 1110 or panel board 1110A tailored to each machine model, costs associated with new developments and model changes can be reduced.

Furthermore, according to the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, with the magnetic sensor 1050 housed in the housing portion 1061 having the elastic claw 1062 of the holding member 1060, the magnetic sensor 1050 can be mounted on the game board 5 via the holding member 1060 by engaging the elastic claw 1062 with the magnetic sensor 1050. Alternatively, with the magnetic sensor 1050 housed in the holding container 1072 having the elastic claw 1072a, the magnetic sensor 1050 can be mounted on the game board 5 via the holding member 1071 and the holding container 1072 by engaging the elastic claw 1072a with the locking portion 1071a of the holding member 1071. In this configuration, since the holding members 1060, 1071, and 1072 are made of non-magnetic material, when the magnet 1055 is brought close to the game area 5a, the holding members 1060, etc., are prevented from attracting magnetic field lines from the magnet 1055, thus preventing a reduction in the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1050. Therefore, it is possible to easily detect the magnetism acting on the game area 5a, enabling early detection of fraudulent activity using the magnet 1055. Furthermore, by notifying the magnetic sensor 1050 of the detection of suspicious magnetism, fraudulent activity can be deterred, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, as described above, the non-magnetic holding members 1060, 1071, and 1072 prevent the attraction of magnetic field lines from the magnet 1055, thereby preventing a reduction in the number of magnetic field lines passing through the magnetic sensor 1050. This allows for effective detection of the magnetism acting on the game area 5a with fewer magnetic sensors 1050 than in conventional pachinko machines, reducing the number of magnetic sensors 1050 and thus suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by elastically deforming the elastic claws 1062 of the housing section 1061 and 1072a of the retaining container 1072, the magnetic sensor 1050 can be easily attached to and removed from the locking portion 1071a of the retaining member 1060 and retaining member 1071. Therefore, unlike conventional pachinko machines, the magnetic sensor 1050 can be attached using the elastic claws 1062 and 1072a without the need for metal screws made of magnetic material. This also simplifies the assembly of the pachinko machine 1 and helps to suppress increases in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, by providing multiple locking portions 1071a on the holding member 1071 in advance, and locking the elastic claws 1072a of the holding container 1072 containing the magnetic sensor 1050 to the appropriate locking portions 1071a, the magnetic sensor 1050 can be positioned at any location or its position can be easily changed. Therefore, since the position and addition of magnetic sensors 1050 can be easily performed, it is possible to provide a pachinko machine 1 that can easily accommodate design changes and model changes while suppressing an increase in the cost of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the projection 1063 on the holding member 1060 biases the magnetic sensor 1050 into the housing portion 1061, the biasing force by the projection 1063 suppresses fine vibrations of the magnetic sensor 1050. This reduces the likelihood of the connector connected to the magnetic sensor 1050 becoming detached or experiencing poor contact due to such vibrations, thereby ensuring reliable operation of the magnetic sensor 1050.

Furthermore, the magnetic sensor 1050 is visibly held by the holding member 1060, holding member 1071, and holding container 1072. Since the sensor case 1053 of the magnetic sensor 1050 is transparent, the sensor body 1051 mounted on the sensor board 1052 can be shown to the player through the transparent sensor case 1053. In this case, since the surface of the sensor board 1052 on which the sensor body 1051 is mounted is white, the sensor body 1051, which is a different color (for example, black), can be made more conspicuous. Therefore, the player can be strongly made aware that the magnetic sensor 1050 is real and not a dummy. The visibility of the magnetic sensor 1050 can deter those attempting to commit fraud using magnets 1055, thereby increasing the deterrent against fraudulent activity and reducing the burden on the pachinko hall where this pachinko machine 1 is installed.

Furthermore, even though the sensor body 1051 is visible through the transparent sensor case 1053, ordinary players do not pay much attention to the presence of the magnetic sensor 1050 and therefore do not notice it. In contrast, those attempting to commit fraud will focus their attention on the game area 5a, and the contrast between the white sensor board 1052 and the black sensor body 1051 makes the magnetic sensor 1050 easily noticeable and visible. Therefore, by noticing the presence of the magnetic sensor 1050, it is possible to deter attempts to commit fraud using magnets, thus providing a highly deterrent pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in the magnetic sensor 1050, since the surface of the sensor substrate 1052 on which the sensor body 1051 is mounted is white, the sensor substrate 1052 can be made less conspicuous, and it can also be mistaken for a decorative substrate on which LEDs are mounted. Therefore, even if the sensor substrate 1052 of the magnetic sensor 1050 is visible, it will not bother a typical player, and the appearance of the game area 5a can be avoided.

Furthermore, since the sensor body 1051 of the magnetic sensor 1050 can be viewed from the outside, it is possible to check for damage to the sensor body 1051 from the outside. This simplifies the maintenance of the pachinko machine 1 and reduces the burden on the amusement hall where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

Furthermore, since the magnetic sensor 1050 is mounted on the game board 5 via a non-magnetic holding member 1060, a holding member 1071, and a holding container 1072, if magnetic materials such as screws are used to attach the holding members 1060 and 1071 to the game board 5, it becomes possible to position the parts of the holding members 1060 and 1071 that are attached to the game board 5 at a location away from the magnetic sensor 1050, or at a location outside the magnetic detection range of the game area 5a. This minimizes the influence of magnetic materials such as screws, allowing the magnetic sensor 1050 to reliably detect the magnetic field acting on the game area 5a, thus providing a pachinko machine 1 with a high deterrent against fraudulent activities using magnets 1055.

[21. Base Monitor Management]
Next, a modified version of the base monitor 1310h will be described. In the embodiment described above, the number of game balls B counted by the out ball counter is displayed on the base monitor 1310h (four 7-segment LEDs) when the game balls discharged from the game board 5 and flowing through the first ball path 701 are detected by the first ball sensor 703. However, separately from or in addition to the above, the number of balls entered and the number of balls dispensed (prize balls) which increase as the game progresses may be counted and the base value (ratio of the number of balls dispensed to the number of balls entered) may be displayed on the base monitor 1310h. Note that the basic configuration of the base monitor 1310h, such as having four 7-segment LEDs, is the same as in the other embodiments.

The game area 5a, which is partitioned on the game board 5, is provided with multiple entry points into which game balls B can enter. Of the multiple entry points, the entry points that are subject to awarding prize balls (granting a number of prize balls) upon entry include: multiple (three in this case) general entry points 2001 that are always open to receive game balls B played into the game area 5a; a first start entry point 2002 located at a predetermined position within the game area 5a and always open to receive game balls B; and a lottery for ordinary symbols that is drawn when game balls B are received into gate 2003. The machine includes a second starting port 2004 that allows the acceptance of game ball B according to the selection result (ordinary lottery result), and a large prize port 2005 and a special prize port 2006 that allow the acceptance of game ball B according to the lottery result of the first special symbol drawn by the acceptance of game ball B into the first starting port 2002 (first special lottery result) or the lottery result of the second special symbol drawn by the acceptance of game ball B into the second starting port 2004 (second special lottery result). Game ball B that enters the general prize port 2001, first starting port 2002, second starting port 2004, large prize port 2005, and special prize port 2006 are detected by the general prize port sensor 3001, first starting port sensor 3002, second starting port sensor 2401, large prize port sensor 2402, and special prize port sensor 2601, respectively.

Furthermore, among the multiple ball entry points, the out-out points for collecting game balls B that did not enter the prize entry points include an out-out point 1008 located furthest downstream within the game area 5a, which is always open to receive game balls B and discharges the received game balls B outside the game area 5a without returning them; and a first sub-out

Then, among the multiple ball entry points, the game balls B that are discharged to the rear of the game panel 1100 through the out entry point 1008, the first sub-out entry point 2021, and the second sub-out entry point 2022, flow through the first ball path 701 and are detected (counted) one by one by the first ball sensor 703. On the other hand, the game balls B that are received into entry points such as the general prize entry point 2001, the first start entry point 2002, the second start entry point 2004, the large prize entry point 2005, and the special prize entry point 2006, and discharged downward from the front unit 2000 and the back unit 3000, flow through the second ball path 702 and are detected (counted) one by one by the second ball sensor 704.

The main control MPU 1310a counts the number of game balls B that enter the entry points (prize entry points and out entry points) located in the game area 5a partitioned off the game board 5. Specifically, it counts the total number of game balls B: the number of game balls B that enter the prize entry points (which dispense prize balls) detected by the second ball sensor 704, and the number of game balls B that enter the out entry points (which collect game balls that did not enter the prize entry points) detected by the first ball sensor 703.

Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a counts the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls when a ball enters a prize slot (hereinafter referred to as the number of balls dispensed). Specifically, it is predetermined that a certain number of game balls B (for example, 3 balls for a ball entering the first start slot 2002 or the second start slot 2004) will be dispensed in relation to the prize slots that dispense prize balls when a ball enters. When a ball is detected by a detection sensor corresponding to the prize slot that dispenses prize balls when a ball enters, the MPU counts that predetermined number of game balls B as the number of balls dispensed. For example, when a game ball B enters the general prize slot 2001, 10 game balls B are dispensed. When a game ball B enters the first start slot 2002 or the second start slot 2004, 3 game balls B are dispensed. When a game ball B enters the large prize slot 2005 or the special prize slot 2006, 10 game balls B are dispensed. The number of game balls B dispensed as prize balls is counted as the number of balls dispensed. In the case of managed gaming machines that do not dispense actual balls, the number of game balls B dispensed (given) as prize balls should be added to the player's ball count.

The main control MPU 1310a calculates the ratio of payouts to balls entered, stores the result as a base value in a specific area of the built-in RAM, and displays it on the base monitor 1310h. The formula for calculating the ratio of payouts to balls entered is "Base Value = (Payouts ÷ Balls Entered) × 100". For example, if the ratio of payouts to balls entered is too high, it may indicate that balls are entering only the prize-winning slots (where prize balls are paid out). By monitoring the information displayed on the base monitor 1310h, it is possible to determine if balls are being entered into the prize-winning slots through fraudulent means.

In this example, among the various game states, only in the low-probability non-time-saving state are the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slot (prize entry slot, out entry slot) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out) counted and reflected on the display of the base monitor 1310h. Here, in the low-probability time-saving state (time-saving state) and the high-probability time-saving state (probability-changing state), balls frequently enter the second start slot 2004, resulting in a larger number of game balls B being paid out as prize balls, and a tendency for the ratio of payouts to balls entered to be higher. In other words, whether or not the ratio of payouts to balls entered is high depends on the period of the low-probability time-saving state (time-saving state) or the high-probability time-saving state (probability-changing state). By excluding such periods, the ratio of payouts to balls entered can be kept within a certain range, provided there is no fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, while the base monitor 1310h displays the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered, it may also be possible to display the number of game balls B that entered the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, payout slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that were paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out), separately.

Furthermore, information stored in a specific area of RAM (the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered) is not cleared even if the RAM clear switch 1310f is operated when the power is turned on. However, regarding the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered, the ratio is recalculated each time the number of game balls B entered into the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) reaches 60,000 balls, and the calculation results of the old ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered are saved as history up to a predetermined number of calculation results. In such a specification of the base monitor 1310h, for example, the display of the new ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered may be restricted from the time the ratio of payouts to the number of balls entered is newly calculated until at least the number of game balls B entered into the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out entry slots) reaches 1,000 balls. This is because, immediately after calculating the ratio of payouts to balls entered, biases are likely to occur. For example, if balls continue to enter the prize-winning slots, the ratio may be higher than the baseline. Conversely, if balls continue not to enter the prize-winning slots, the ratio may be lower than the baseline. Therefore, immediately after calculating the ratio of payouts to balls entered, it is best to determine that the information obtained from the base monitor information command is unreliable and not display the ratio of payouts to balls entered.

Furthermore, in this example, game balls B collected in the out-out port 1008, the first sub-out-out port 2021, and the second sub-out-out port 2022 are detected (counted) by the first ball sensor 703 located on the main frame 4 side, and game balls B that enter prize-winning ports such as the general prize-winning port 2001, the first start-up port 2002, the second start-up port 2004, the big prize-winning port 2005, and the special prize-winning port 2006 are detected (counted) by the second ball sensor 704 located on the main frame 4 side. However, these sensors may also be located on the game board 5 side. Alternatively, a passage may be formed so that the game balls B collected at the out-out port 1008, the first sub-out-out port 2021, and the second sub-out-out port 2022 merge with the game balls B that enter the various prize-winning ports. A sensor may be installed in this passage, and the number of game balls B that enter the entry ports (prize-winning ports, out-out ports) is counted based on the detection of this sensor.

Furthermore, in this example, the base monitor 1310h is located on the main control board 1310, but it may also be located on the payout control board 633 (or the frame control board in a managed gaming machine). In such a case, the ratio of payouts to balls entered is calculated on the main control board 1310, and the calculation result is displayed on the base monitor 1310h via the payout control board 633, but other methods may be used. For example, commands related to the number of balls entered and the number of payouts may be sent from the main control board 1310 to the payout control board 633 at predetermined timings, and the payout control board 633 may calculate the ratio of payouts to balls entered and display the calculation result on the base monitor 1310h. In this way, by having the payout control board 633 handle some of the base monitor-related control, the control burden on the main control board 1310 can be reduced.

Furthermore, in this example, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry opening (prize entry opening, out entry opening) is calculated using the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704. However, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry opening (prize entry opening, out entry opening) may be calculated using a different configuration. For example, when the payout control board 633 calculates the ratio of the number of payouts to the number of balls that enter, the number of game balls launched into the game area 5a may be calculated based on the detection result of a launch sensor (not shown) that detects the game balls launched in the ball launching device 540, and this value (the number of game balls launched into the game area 5a) may be used as a substitute for the "number of game balls B that enter the ball entry opening (prize entry opening, out entry opening)". It is preferable that the "number of game balls launched into the game area" here excludes the number of balls that are processed as foul balls as described above. In this case, the calculation of the base value on the payout control board 633 can be exemplified by "Base Value = (Number of Payouts ÷ Number of Game Balls Launched into the Game Area) × 100". By having the payout control board 633 handle some of the base monitor-related control in this way, the control burden on the main control board 1310 can be reduced.

[21-1. New Forms of Game Management]
In recent years, even when a large amount of winnings are awarded to a cheater due to new fraudulent activities, it has become difficult to distinguish this from cases where a large amount of winnings were awarded to a legitimate player due to a bias in the probability of winning or losing. This makes it difficult for the gaming hall to stop the cheater from playing, creating a problem in managing gaming machines. Furthermore, a large amount of winnings can be awarded to legitimate players due to a bias in the probability of winning or losing, leading to problems such as so-called "gambling addiction." Therefore, as one embodiment of solving these problems, with the aim of properly managing gaming machines that have been awarded a large amount of winnings, a new game control method is described below that extracts the "amount of winnings over a predetermined period" and reflects it in the progress of the game, separate from the control that calculates and displays the base value mentioned above.

(Extraction of the amount of balls dispensed over a specified period)
In this example, the pachinko machine 1 allows the main control board 1310 to calculate and derive the following two types of payout amounts A and B as the payout amount (net payout amount) for a predetermined period.

First, the main control MPU 1310a counts the number of game balls B launched into the game area 5a by the operation of the handle 160. Specifically, when game balls B are launched into the game area 5a by operating the handle 160, the launch sensor detects that game balls B have been launched from 7. The number of these game balls B (excluding those processed as foul balls) is counted as the "number of launches" used to calculate the payout amounts A and B. Note that the counting of launches may be done by other methods; for example, a separate sensor could be installed to detect and count game balls entering the game area 5a.

Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a counts the number of game balls B that are dispensed (given) as prize balls when a ball enters a prize slot. Specifically, it is predetermined that a certain number of game balls B (for example, 3 balls for balls entering the first start slot 2002 or the second start slot 2004) will be dispensed (given) for each prize slot that dispenses (given) prize balls upon entry. When a ball is detected by a detection sensor corresponding to the prize slot that dispenses prize balls upon entry, the MPU counts the predetermined number of game balls B as the "dispensed number (given number)" for calculating the payout amounts A and B. For example, when a game ball B enters the general prize slot 2001, 15 game balls B are dispensed. When a game ball B enters the first start slot 2002 or the second start slot 2004, 3 game balls B are dispensed. When a game ball B enters the large prize slot 2005 or the special prize slot 2006, 15 game balls B are dispensed. The number of game balls B dispensed as prize balls is counted as the number of dispensed balls used to calculate the payout amounts A and B. In this example of pachinko machine 1, since there is no actual ball payout, the number of game balls B assigned as prize balls is counted as the number of dispensed balls used to calculate the payout amounts A and B.

The main control MPU 1310a calculates the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls dispensed within the period until the predetermined clear conditions described later are met, and stores the calculation result in the "stop counter" as a value for calculating the ball amounts A and B. The value of the stop counter is stored in a specific area of the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a. The formula for calculating the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls dispensed is "value of stop counter = number of balls dispensed - number of shots". For example, if the value of the stop counter becomes too high, it can be determined that a large number of balls have been dispensed from the pachinko machine 1, regardless of whether the players have changed. Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, the normal number of balls held by player A is reduced when game balls B are launched, and increased when prize balls are paid out, thereby managing the increase or decrease in player A's normal number of balls (the number of balls displayed on the ball count display unit). However, as mentioned above, the value of the stop counter is stored (remembered) separately from the normal number of balls and managed by the main control MPU 1310a. This stop counter value is also reduced when game balls B are launched and increased when prize balls are paid out, and in this respect, it is similar to the process of managing the increase or decrease in the normal number of balls. However, the value of the stop counter is not something that the player can settle, and in this respect, it differs significantly from the normal number of balls. The following explains the payout amounts A and B calculated using the value of the stop counter.

The payout amount A is the difference between the value of the stop counter at its highest point during the period until the predetermined clear conditions described later are met, and the value of the stop counter at its lowest point during the same period until the predetermined clear conditions described later are met. In other words, the main control MPU 1310a stores the changes in the stop counter, calculates the difference between the maximum and minimum values of the stop counter, updates the calculated result as payout amount A as needed, and stores it in a specific area of the built-in RAM. Payout amount A is then cleared when the predetermined clear conditions described later are met, and is returned to its initial value of 0. Furthermore, in the case of the aforementioned sealed-type gaming machines and managed gaming machines, the clear conditions described later do not necessarily include "settling the winnings (e.g., operating the counting button switch)." In this case, even if player B starts playing after player A has settled their winnings, as long as the clear conditions are not met, the amount of winnings A accumulated during the gameplay of both player A and player B should be stored and retained. This allows for the detection of not only cases where a single gaming machine unexpectedly awards a large amount of winnings to one player, but also cases where a single gaming machine unexpectedly awards a large amount of winnings to multiple players.

The payout amount B is the difference between a predetermined initial value of 0 and the value at the point when the stop counter reaches its highest value within the period until the predetermined clear conditions described later are met. In other words, the main control MPU 1310a stores the progress of this stop counter, calculates the difference (i.e., a difference of 0 or more) from the initial value of 0 to the value at the point when the stop counter reaches its highest value, updates the calculated result as the payout amount B as needed, and stores it in a specific area of the built-in RAM. The payout amount B is then cleared and returned to its initial value of 0 when the predetermined clear conditions described later are met. Furthermore, in the case of the aforementioned sealed-type gaming machines and managed gaming machines, the clearing condition described later does not necessarily need to include "settling the winnings (operation of the counting button switch)." In this case, even if player B starts playing after player A has settled their winnings, as long as the clearing condition has not been met, the amount of winnings B accumulated during the gameplay of both player A and player B should be stored and retained. This allows for the detection of not only cases where a single gaming machine unexpectedly awards a large amount of winnings to one player, but also cases where a single gaming machine unexpectedly awards a large amount of winnings to multiple players.

Figure 214 is a time chart showing an example of the amount of balls dispensed calculated based on the progress of the stop counter. Here, we will explain a specific example where the stop counter starts at an initial value of 0 and repeatedly increases and decreases as the game is played.

As shown in Figure 214, the stop counter starts at an initial value of 0, then decreases to -2000, increases to 3000, decreases to -4000, increases to 2000, decreases to -500, increases to 4000, and decreases to 2500. In this case, the payout amount A is calculated as the difference between the highest value (4000) on the stop counter and the lowest value (-4000), resulting in 8000, which is stored in memory. On the other hand, the payout amount B is calculated as 4000, starting from the initial value of 0 on the stop counter and using the highest value (4000) on the stop counter as the starting point, and is stored in memory. Note that the maximum difference between payout amounts A and B is stored, and the stored payout amounts A and B are updated when a new maximum difference is calculated.

In this example, the main control board 1310 calculates two types of payout amounts, A and B. The configuration allows the hall to freely choose which to use, according to their operating style. Specifically, an operation switch A is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, on the main control board 1310), which can be operated by the hall manager. By operating this switch A, either payout amount A or payout amount B is selected. On the other hand, considering the control load on the main control board 1310, only one of payout amounts A or B may be adopted and implemented. Furthermore, the operation of switch A when selecting between payout amounts A and B may be judged only at power-on and reflected accordingly, or it may be judged continuously after power-on and reflected in real-time.

Furthermore, while the base value calculation described above calculates the ratio of payouts to the number of balls received, the payout amount calculation calculates the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls paid out. These calculation programs are executed by separate programs in the main control MPU 1310a. This ensures that even if the base value calculation fails, it does not affect the payout amount calculation. It also facilitates separate control of processes related to the initialization of the base value and payout amount, including the predetermined clear conditions described later. Additionally, it becomes easy to rewrite the payout amount calculation program for each machine model; for example, it becomes easy to change which of payout amount A or payout amount B is used for each machine.

Furthermore, while the base value mentioned above is displayed on the base monitor 1310h, the payout amount, unlike the base value, should not be displayed at all times from the standpoint of preventing fraud. However, when the hall manager performs a prescribed operation (for example, when a dedicated switch is operated to turn on the power), the payout amount may be displayed on a prescribed display device (for example, the performance display device 1600, a dedicated display device installed on the back of the gaming machine, the base monitor 1310h, or the setting display device 1310g).

Furthermore, in this example, the payout amount is calculated on the main control board 1310, but other methods may be used. For example, a stop counter may be provided on the payout control board 633, and commands related to the number of shots and payouts may be sent from the main control board 1310 to the payout control board 633 at predetermined timings. The payout control board 633 would then manage the stop counter and calculate the payout amount from the increase or decrease in the stop counter. Alternatively, a stop counter may be provided on the main control board 1310, and commands related to the stop counter may be sent from the main control board 1310 to the payout control board 633 at predetermined timings. The payout control board 633 would then calculate the payout amount from the increase or decrease in the received stop counter. Also, from the viewpoint of reducing the control burden, while the payout amount is calculated on the main control board 1310, the base value mentioned above may be calculated on the payout control board 633. Furthermore, from the perspective of reducing the control burden, the management of the normal number of balls held and the ball-stopping counter may be calculated separately on the main control board 1310 side and the payout control board 633 side.

Furthermore, while the calculation of the payout amount is currently performed using a stop counter, which is the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls dispensed, it is also possible to calculate the payout amount by storing the "difference between the number of balls dispensed and the number of balls dispensed" in the stop counter, using the number of balls that entered as the base value mentioned above. In other words, the "number of shots" used for calculating payout amounts A and B may be replaced with the "number of game balls B that entered the ball entry point (prize entry point, out entry point) (number of balls dispensed)." In this case, the value of the stop counter can be exemplified as "value of stop counter = number of balls dispensed - number of balls dispensed." By using the number of balls that entered as the base value mentioned above as the value stored in the stop counter, and sharing it with some of the base monitor-related controls on the main control board 1310 side, the control burden on the main control board 1310 can be reduced. In pachinko machine 1, the game balls launched into the game area 5a by operating the handle 160 enter the ball entry points (winning entry points, out entry points) and are discharged to the outside. Therefore, the number of balls launched and the number of balls entered should be approximately the same value. As a result, regardless of whether the number of balls launched or the number of balls entered is used, the amount of balls dispensed will be approximately the same value.

(Restrictions on gameplay)
In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed (amounts A and B) reaches a specific value, the pachinko machine 1 executes one of the following three restriction patterns, causing the main control board 1310 to enter a stop-play state and enabling the restriction of gameplay. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the restriction of gameplay is executed, but information related to the gameplay, such as the game state (high probability state, time-saving state, information on the number of reserved balls stored, and information on the symbols in motion), is not cleared and is retained. Furthermore, as will be described in more detail later, the system is configured so that it is possible to choose whether to maintain or clear the information related to the gameplay when the power is turned back on after a power outage.

First, the specific value is configured to allow selection from one of three predetermined values: 50,000, 80,000, or 100,000 balls. Specifically, on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the main control board 1310), there is an operation switch B that can be operated by the hall manager. By operating this operation switch B, one of 50,000, 80,000, or 100,000 balls is selected. Here, the lower the value selected as the specific value, the higher the likelihood of imposing a restriction on gameplay, and the higher the value selected as the specific value, the lower the likelihood of imposing a restriction on gameplay. Furthermore, from the perspective of conserving the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs, only one of the specific values may be adopted. Also, the selected specific value may be used in common for both payout amounts A and B, or it may be selectable separately for payout amounts A and B. Furthermore, regarding the operation of switch B when selecting a specific value from multiple options, the system may either evaluate the selection only at power-on and reflect the result, or it may evaluate the selection continuously after power-on and reflect the result in real time.

Furthermore, the system is configured to allow selection of one of three restriction patterns, 1 to 3, each with different restrictions on gameplay. Specifically, an operation switch C is provided on the back of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the main control board 1310), which can be operated by the hall manager. By operating this switch C, one of the restriction patterns 1 to 3 is selected. However, from the perspective of conserving the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs, only one of the restriction patterns 1 to 3 may be adopted. Also, when selecting one of multiple restriction patterns, the operation of the operation switch C may be judged only at power-on and reflected accordingly, or it may be judged continuously after power-on and reflected accordingly in real time.

Restriction Pattern 1 is a pattern in which a stop-play state is activated, accompanied by a "game stop," when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. When the "game stop" occurs, the player can launch game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160. However, even if a starting prize is awarded, no game balls are dispensed, the special symbol display cannot begin, and normal gameplay is impossible. In other words, although the launch of game balls is permitted, the game (main game) running on the main control board 1310 is forcibly stopped, preventing the main game from continuing on the main control board 1310.

Restriction pattern 2 is a pattern in which a stop-shooting state is activated, accompanied by a "shooting stop," when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. When "shooting stop" occurs, the player cannot launch game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160. However, if a starting prize is won, game balls will be dispensed, the special symbol display can begin, and normal gameplay can be performed. In other words, since the launch of game balls is not permitted, a starting prize will not occur in the first place. While the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 can proceed up to a certain point, it cannot proceed further beyond that point. As a specific example of a "shooting stop," the payout control board 633 may be unable to circulate game balls; for example, game ball B may not be launched from the ball launcher 540 even when the handle 160 is operated.

Restriction Pattern 3 is a pattern in which, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, a stop-play state is implemented involving both "stopping gameplay" and "stopping ball launching." When "stopping gameplay" and "stopping ball launching" occur, not only is it impossible for the player to launch game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160, but even if a starting win occurs, no game balls are dispensed, the special symbol display cannot begin, and normal gameplay cannot be performed. In other words, the launching of game balls is not permitted, and the game (main game) currently running on the main control board 1310 is forcibly stopped, preventing the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 from continuing.

Furthermore, in gaming machines that circulate and reuse game balls without dispensing actual prize balls outside the machine (so-called sealed gaming machines, managed gaming machines), in any of restriction patterns 1 to 3, it may be possible to allow (permit) settlement processing by operating a counting button switch, which allows players to settle their remaining balls by pressing it while they have balls. This prevents confusion among players, as they can still perform settlement processing by operating the counting button switch even if they are unable to continue playing due to any of restriction patterns 1 to 3. However, considering the possibility of a large number of balls being awarded to a fraudulent individual through fraudulent activity, settlement processing by operating the counting button switch may also be disabled in any of restriction patterns 1 to 3. In such cases, it is conceivable that the operation of the counting button switch (making settlement processing possible) can be enabled by a predetermined operation by the hall manager (for example, by operating a spare counting button switch provided on the payout control board 633) after it has been confirmed that no fraudulent activity occurred.

Furthermore, while any of the above-mentioned restriction patterns 1 to 3 is applied, the game is forcibly kept in a "stopped state" until the clear conditions described later are met. The clear conditions described later exclude those that can be met by any action by the player, and the player cannot release them. In addition, in gaming machines of the type that circulate and reuse game balls without dispensing actual prize balls outside the gaming machine (so-called sealed gaming machines, managed gaming machines), even if the player is allowed to operate the counting button switch to perform settlement processing when in the stopped state, the stopped state may continue even after the counting button switch has been operated and settlement processing has been performed. Moreover, if the stopped state continues after settlement processing has been performed, it is preferable to disable the addition of the normal number of balls held by new players and the transfer of data from the game ball dispensing device 8 so that new players cannot start playing. Furthermore, in such cases, it is conceivable to control the display mode of the remaining balls display unit to a non-receiving mode corresponding to a stopped state, such as "EEEE," to inform new players that they cannot start playing.

In this example, by triggering a "stop" state where gameplay is restricted based on one of three restriction patterns when the amount of winnings reaches a specific value, it is possible to prevent fraudulent activity by preventing large amounts of winnings from being awarded to fraudulent players. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent problems such as so-called "gambling addiction" from arising by preventing large amounts of winnings from being awarded to legitimate players due to biases in the probability of winning or losing. This allows for the proper management of gaming machines that have awarded large amounts of winnings.

Furthermore, in this example, the restrictions imposed when the game reaches its limit include patterns such as "stopping gameplay," "stopping firing," and "stopping gameplay" and "stopping firing." However, the restrictions are not limited to these methods, as long as they make it difficult to increase the payout after the payout reaches a specific value. For example, as another restriction, the time it takes for all special symbols to change after the payout reaches a specific value (change time) may be made longer, so that even if a starting win occurs, it takes time for the result of the special symbol change display to be shown, thereby restricting game progress. Also, in a game machine that controls the game state to either a low probability state or a high probability state with a higher winning probability than the low probability state, regardless of whether a win that should have resulted in the high probability state was achieved, after the payout reaches a specific value, the game may be forcibly controlled to only the low probability state, thereby restricting game progress. In these cases, since it takes longer to win compared to before the game restriction, it becomes more difficult to increase the amount of payout obtained thereafter, which can reduce the motivation to continue playing. Furthermore, even if "game stop" or "shooting stop" is not performed after the payout reaches a specific value, a special notification corresponding to the payout reaching that value may be displayed using the performance display device 1600 or other performance devices. In such a case, the progress of the performance will be interrupted by the special notification, which can reduce the desire to continue playing. Also, when a special notification is displayed, it is preferable to display a special image on the entire screen of the performance display device 1600 so that conventional performance displays are not visible at all. In such a case, the progress of the performance will be significantly interrupted, which can more effectively reduce the desire to continue playing.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the information about the amount of balls dispensed is retained and not erased until the clear conditions described later are met. After the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the updating of ball dispensed amounts A and B (updating the stop counter) may be forcibly stopped, or the calculation may continue without stopping. For example, if the updating of ball dispensed amounts A and B (updating the stop counter) continues without stopping, it is possible that, when the aforementioned "launch stop" does not occur, some malfunction or fraudulent activity may cause game balls to be launched, resulting in a decreasing trend in the stop counter. In such cases, the stop counter may fall below a specific value. Considering this, it is preferable to continue the stop state without ending it, even if the stop counter decreases further after the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value.

(Completion of restrictions on payout amount and gameplay)
In this example, pachinko machine 1 is designed to enter a stop-play state when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. However, the "amount of balls dispensed calculated before the stop-play state began" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" can be either maintained or cleared by the gaming hall when the power is turned back on after a power outage.

First, there are five types of power-on operation patterns. Power-on pattern 1 is the case where, when the power is turned on (when the power switch 751 is operated), the RAM clear switch 1310f and the setting key switch are not turned ON. In this pattern, the game state (game information) from when the power was cut off is maintained without being initialized, without any setting value changes or confirmation displays.

Power-on pattern 2 is the case where the RAM clear switch 1310f is turned ON when the power is turned on, but the setting key switch is not turned ON. In this case, no setting value changes or confirmation displays are performed, but a RAM clear is executed to initialize the RAM built into the main control board 1310, resetting the game state to its state when the power was cut off. However, information related to the setting values is not initialized by the RAM clear.

Power-on pattern 3 involves turning on the RAM clear switch 1310f and the setting key switch when the power is turned on. After changing the setting values, a RAM clear is performed to initialize the RAM built into the main control board 1310, resetting the game state to what it was when the power was cut off. However, information related to the setting values is not initialized by the RAM clear.

Power-on pattern 4 is the case where the setting key switch is turned ON without turning on the RAM clear switch 1310f when the power is turned on. After the setting value is displayed, the game state from when the power was cut off is maintained without being initialized.

Power-on pattern 5 is the same as power-on pattern 1 in that the RAM clear switch 1310f and the setting key switch are not turned ON when the power is turned on. However, in the case of the type of gaming machine being the so-called sealed gaming machine or managed gaming machine mentioned above, the ball removal switch, which is provided on the payout control board 633 and used to remove the game balls B sealed in the pachinko machine 1 to the outside, is turned ON. The game state (game information) at the time of power cut-off is maintained without changing the setting values or displaying confirmations. When the ball removal switch is turned ON, the ball removal process described above is executed, and the sealed game balls B can be removed to the outside of the pachinko machine 1 (ball receiving tray 720). Note that if the RAM clear switch 1310f and the setting key switch are turned ON, and the ball removal switch is also turned ON when the power is turned on, the ball removal process described above is executed preferentially without changing the setting values, displaying confirmations, or performing a RAM clear.

Thus, among the power-on patterns 1 to 5, power-on patterns 2 and 3 initialize the game state at the time of power-off by turning on the RAM clear switch 1310f when the power is turned on, whereas power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 maintain the game state at the time of power-off by not turning on the RAM clear switch 1310f when the power is turned on. The game state at the time of power-off includes not only game states such as high probability state, time-saving state, and winning game state, but also the presence or absence of display of special symbol changes during execution, the presence or absence of held symbols, etc. Furthermore, when power is turned on using power-on patterns 2 and 3, the game state at the time of power-off does not return, but when power is turned on using power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5, the game state at the time of power-off does return.

Figure 215 is a table showing the clearing conditions for "the amount of balls dispensed calculated before the stop-play state begins" and "the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." In this example, the system is configured so that one of the restriction clearing pattern tables 1 to 3, each with different clearing conditions, can be selected. Specifically, a restriction clearing pattern selection switch, operable by the hall manager, is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the main control board 1310), and by operating this restriction clearing pattern selection switch, one of the restriction clearing pattern tables 1 to 3 is selected. Note that, from the viewpoint of suppressing the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs, only one of the restriction clearing pattern tables 1 to 3 may be adopted. Furthermore, when selecting a restriction clearing pattern table from 1 to 3, the operation of the restriction clearing pattern selection switch may be judged only when the power is turned on and reflected accordingly, or it may be judged continuously after the power is turned on and reflected accordingly in real time. Furthermore, the "amount of balls dispensed" in Figure 215 also includes the "value of the stop counter." In this example, if the amount of balls dispensed is maintained, the value of the stop counter is also maintained, and if the amount of balls dispensed is cleared, the value of the stop counter is also cleared.

Figure 215(A) shows the restriction clear pattern table 1 selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "1". Power-on pattern 1 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." When this stop-play state is maintained, the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed. Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in blue, the speaker outputs the message "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained," and the display device 1600 also displays a message image saying "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained."

In power-on pattern 2, when the power is turned on, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized), but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are also cleared (initialized). Specifically, if gameplay is restricted in restriction pattern 1 as described above, "gameplay is stopped," but the "gameplay stop" is released when the stop-play state is cleared. If gameplay is restricted in restriction pattern 2, "firing is stopped," but the "firing is stopped" is released when the stop-play state is cleared. If gameplay is restricted in restriction pattern 3, "gameplay" and "firing are stopped," but the "gameplay stop" and "firing is stopped" are released when the stop-play state is cleared. In all cases, it is possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 will light up red, an audio message saying "Payout amount and play limit cleared" will be output from the speaker, and the display device 1600 will display an image of the message "Payout amount and play limit cleared."

Power-on pattern 3 clears (initializes) the game state from when the power was cut off upon power-on. It also clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in red, an audio message "Ball amount and stop-play state cleared" is output from the speaker, and a message image "Ball amount and stop-play state cleared" is displayed on the display device 1600.

Power-on pattern 4 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in blue, the speaker outputs the message "Ball amount and stop-play state cleared," and the display device 1600 displays a message image saying "Ball amount and stop-play state cleared."

Power-on pattern 5 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop-play state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in blue, the speaker outputs the message "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained," and the display device 1600 displays a message image saying "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained."

Thus, in Restriction Clear Pattern Table 1, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in Power-On Patterns 2 and 3, the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are cleared (initialized). On the other hand, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in Power-On Patterns 1, 4, and 5, the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are maintained. This means that not only the game state at the time of power-off, but also the amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are cleared all at once, making it less likely for hall managers to make operational errors regarding whether or not to clear the amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state.

Figure 215(B) shows the restriction clear pattern table 2 selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "2". Of the power-on patterns 1 to 5, power-on patterns 2 to 5 are the same as those in restriction clear pattern table 1, and therefore their explanation is omitted.

Power-on pattern 1 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in yellow, the speaker outputs the message "Amount of balls dispensed and stop-play state cleared," and the display device 1600 displays a message image saying "Amount of balls dispensed and stop-play state cleared."

Thus, power-on pattern 1 is the same as power-on pattern 4 in that it maintains the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but it differs from power-on pattern 4 in that it clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." In other words, in restriction clearing pattern table 2, when the power is turned on and the game state at the time of power-off is maintained, the hall manager can choose whether to clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" as in power-on pattern 1, or to maintain the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" as in power-on pattern 4. Furthermore, with power-on pattern 1, since it is not necessary to turn on the RAM clear switch 1310f and the setting key switch when powering on, the clearing (initialization) of "the amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and "the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" can be easily performed by the hall manager.

Figure 215(C) shows the restriction clear pattern table 3 selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "3". Of the power-on patterns 1 to 5, power-on patterns 1 and 3 to 5 are the same as those in restriction clear pattern table 1, so their explanation is omitted.

Power-on pattern 2 clears (initializes) the game state from when the power was cut off upon power-on, but maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in blue, an audio message "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained" is output from the speaker, and a message image "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained" is displayed on the display device 1600.

Thus, power-on pattern 2 is the same as power-on pattern 3 in that it clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but it differs from power-on pattern 3 in that it maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." In other words, in restriction clear pattern table 3, when the power is turned on and the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized), the hall manager can choose whether to maintain the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" as in power-on pattern 2, or to clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" as in power-on pattern 3. Furthermore, only when powered on using power-on pattern 3 can the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" be cleared (initialized). Since power-on pattern 3 requires both the RAM clear switch 1310f and the setting key switch to be turned ON when powered on, the clearing (initialization) of the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" can be carried out under the strict control of the hall manager.

In this example, the payout amount can be cleared (initialized) by powering on the machine in a predetermined power-on pattern. Alternatively, it could be cleared (initialized) every unit of time (e.g., every three hours). If the payout amount is not cleared (initialized) every unit of time (e.g., every three hours), the payout amount from the previous player will affect the next player in terms of whether the payout reaches a specific value. However, by clearing (initializing) the payout amount every unit of time (e.g., every three hours), the payout amount from the previous player will have less influence on the next player.

(Details of game restrictions)
In this example, the pachinko machine 1 enters a stop-play state where the main control board 1310 implements a restriction on gameplay when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. The details of this state are explained below.

Figure 216 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and gameplay is restricted. Here, we explain the case where, at timing t1, it is determined that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on balls entering the winning slots, and the machine is determined to have turned on the stop flag, transitioning to the stop state. Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, restriction pattern 3 is selected as the restriction for gameplay in the stop state, which includes both "stopping gameplay" and "stopping ball launches." After transitioning to the stop state, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the gameplay state at the time of the power outage, as well as the number of balls dispensed and the stop state.

As shown in Figure 216, prior to timing t1, the game state on the main control board 1310 is controlled to a normal state (not a stop-play state), allowing the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 to proceed. In other words, in the normal state (not a stop-play state), when a starting win occurs, the special symbol variation display can begin, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay.

Furthermore, the performance display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), lamp C (LED mounted on the light-emitting substrate of the function display unit 1400), speaker, and movable body are configured to perform their normal operations before timing t1. Note that lamp C is controlled by the main control board 1310, while the other components are controlled by the peripheral control board 1510. Here, for lamp C, multiple LEDs on the function display unit 1400 light up or blink as the game progresses. On the other hand, for components whose operation is instructed by the peripheral control board 1510, when the special symbol variation display is not being executed, they perform an operation corresponding to a standby performance (e.g., a demo performance) while waiting for the special symbol variation display to begin. When the special symbol variation display is being executed, the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command and performs an operation corresponding to a variation performance (a performance based on a variation pattern). For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command, the performance display device 1600 executes a performance display including a variable display of decorative patterns (e.g., a reach performance), the LEDs of lamps A and B light up or blink in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600, the speaker outputs sound in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600, and the movable parts perform predetermined actions in conjunction with the performance display executed by the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, the external terminal board can output predetermined signals to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 by receiving these signals. For example, it outputs corresponding signals when a starting win occurs, when the special symbol display stops on a winning symbol and a jackpot game is being played, or when an abnormality is detected.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, it is possible to launch a game ball into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160.

Furthermore, the base monitor 1310h counts the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed), calculates the ratio of the number of balls dispensed to the number of balls entered, and displays the result as a base value. However, it is possible to perform such calculations before timing t1.

Furthermore, prior to timing t1, when a ball enters the prize slot, it is possible to dispense a predetermined number of game balls as prize balls. The number of game balls dispensed as prize balls is then added to the player's remaining ball count, and the game end counter is also updated accordingly.

Next, at timing tx, which is before timing t1, when the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the prize slot, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some components, such as the display device 1600, to execute the pre-notification operation. Here, the ball entering the prize slot at timing tx is one ball earlier than the ball entering the prize slot at timing t1. Even if prize balls are dispensed (awarded) based on the ball entering the prize slot at timing tx, the total number of balls dispensed will not reach a specific value. However, when prize balls are dispensed (awarded) based on the ball entering the prize slot at timing t1, the total number of balls dispensed will reach a specific value.

The pre-notification operation is performed using the performance display device 1600 and lamp B. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Remaining +XX balls until game limit" as a pre-notification display, and lamp B flashes its LED as a pre-notification illumination. This allows players to understand that gameplay will be restricted in the near future. Furthermore, since only some components such as the performance display device 1600 are used for the pre-notification operation, the variable animation based on the winning combination can still be performed, and the enjoyment of that animation is not diminished.

In this example, the pre-notification action is executed when the ball enters the prize slot one ball before timing t1. However, the pre-notification action can be executed at any timing before reaching a specific value, such as from an earlier ball entry (for example, five balls earlier). Alternatively, the pre-notification action may be executed each time a predetermined number of balls enter or a special symbol change is displayed, prior to the ball entering the prize slot at timing t1. Another example of the pre-notification action is to display "Remaining +XX balls until play limit" based on the current payout amount for a certain period after power-on, or continuously after power-on, to give the player an idea of how much time is left before the game is considered over.

Next, at timing t1, the system determines that the amount of balls dispensed based on balls entering the prize slot reaches a specific value. When the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the prize slot, it turns on the stop flag, and transitions to a "stopped state" where restriction pattern 3, which performs both "stop gameplay" and "stop firing," is applied. In this stopped state, the firing of game balls is disabled, and the main control board 1310 cannot proceed with the game (main game). In other words, in the stopped state, there is no display of special symbol variations or execution of jackpot games. Even if a starting prize is awarded, the display of special symbol variations will not begin anew.

Furthermore, the display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, and movable parts perform actions to indicate a game-breaking state after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1. Specifically, the display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction in Progress" as a game-breaking indication, lamps A and B light up or flash in a single color as a game-breaking illumination, and the speaker outputs an audio message stating, "Gameplay is restricted because the daily payout limit has been reached."

Furthermore, Lamp C includes a function display unit 1400 equipped with a status indicator, a normal symbol indicator, a normal hold indicator, a first special symbol indicator, a first special hold count indicator, a second special symbol indicator, a second special hold count indicator, a round indicator, etc., and all of these LEDs are designed to light up. However, as an alternative, the function display unit 1400 may be equipped with a dedicated LED for stop notification, and when the stop state is reached, this dedicated stop notification LED will light up while the other LEDs will turn off.

Furthermore, the movable parts are rendered inoperable after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1. For example, if a movable part is in operation before the predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, the movable part is forcibly stopped mid-operation when the predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1. However, as an alternative, the movable parts may be returned to their initial position after the predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, and then stopped. This ensures that even if the movable part is positioned in front of the display area of the display device 1600 when the predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, the movable part will return to its initial position after the predetermined time has elapsed, making it less likely to miss the display of the inoperable state being displayed on the display device 1600.

In this example, although the game transitions to a stop-play state at timing t1, the display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, and movable parts perform the stop-play operation after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1. This is because, if a ball enters the prize slot at timing t1, the prize balls based on that ball will be dispensed afterward. By performing the stop-play operation after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, the system can wait for the prize balls to be dispensed before executing the stop-play operation, thus preventing any unnatural appearance. However, the display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, and movable parts may also perform the stop-play operation from timing t1.

Furthermore, at timing t1, the external terminal board transitions to a stop-down state and outputs a security signal. This security signal is output when an anomaly is detected, when a setting value is being changed, or when a setting value is being displayed for confirmation. The same security signal is also output when transitioning to the stop-down state. In other words, in the stop-down state, even if no anomaly has been detected, and no setting value is being changed or a setting value is being displayed for confirmation, the system is forced to output the security signal. This allows the hall computer to receive the security signal when the machine is stopped, enabling the hall to understand that the machine has transitioned to the stop-down state.

Furthermore, in this example, at timing t1, the system transitions to a stop state and outputs a security signal. However, if, for example, a security signal based on an anomaly detection is already being output at timing t1, the system does not terminate the existing security signal and output a new one; instead, it continues to output the existing security signal. This prevents the hall operator from mistakenly believing that anomaly detection has ended.

Furthermore, in this example, the external terminal board outputs various signals to the hall computer, including security signals, game status, ball entry into prize slots, and prize ball payouts. If any of these signals are currently being output at timing t1, they are terminated before the security signal is output. This allows the hall to reliably determine that the game has entered a "stopped playing" state.

Furthermore, at timing t1, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the player is prevented from launching game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160. However, in this example, restriction pattern 3, which performs both "stop play" and "stop launching" when the payout amount reaches a specific value, is selected. If restriction pattern 1, which performs only "stop play" and does not "stop launching" when the payout amount reaches a specific value, is selected, then after transitioning to the stop-play state, the player will be able to launch game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160.

Furthermore, at timing t1, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are paid out as prize balls (number of balls paid out) are not included in the count. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of paid-out balls to entered balls are disabled, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor 1310h. However, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) may be included in the count, and calculations regarding the ratio of paid-out balls to entered balls may be performed to reflect this in the base value displayed on the base monitor 1310h.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state at timing t1, any balls detected entering the prize slot before timing t1 will be dispensed as prize balls, and the number of prize balls dispensed will be added to the player's ball count. This allows the player to receive prize balls up to the number of balls played until the total payout reaches a specific value. On the other hand, if a ball is detected entering the prize slot after transitioning to the stop-play state at timing t1, no prize balls will be dispensed, nor will they be added to the player's ball count. However, the system may be configured not to detect balls entering the prize slot after transitioning to the stop-play state at timing t1. Similarly, even if a ball enters the prize slot, no prize balls will be dispensed, nor will they be added to the player's ball count.

In this example, at timing t1, when a ball is detected entering the prize slot, even though the prize balls based on that entry have not yet been dispensed, the system determines that the total number of balls dispensed will reach a specific value and transitions to the stop-play state. However, other methods may be employed. For example, at timing t1, when a ball is detected entering the prize slot, the system may not transition to the stop-play state. Instead, it may transition to the stop-play state only after the prize balls dispensed based on that entry have been completed and the total number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value. This allows the system to wait until the prize balls dispensed based on the entry have been completed and the total number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value before transitioning to the stop-play state, thus preventing any unnatural feeling.

Furthermore, in this example, at timing t1, after transitioning to the stop-play state, no abnormality check is performed to determine whether or not an abnormality such as magnetic fields or vibrations has been detected. In other words, even if an abnormality is detected after transitioning to the stop-play state, since no abnormality check is performed, no abnormality notification is executed to inform external parties that an abnormality has occurred. In this way, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the system prioritizes executing the action required when the game cannot proceed, over abnormality notification, thereby ensuring that players and hall managers are reliably aware that the game has transitioned to the stop-play state. However, at timing t1, the system may be configured not to detect abnormalities such as magnetic fields or vibrations after transitioning to the stop-play state. Similarly, if no abnormalities are detected at all, even if an abnormality occurs, no abnormality notification will be executed to inform external parties that an abnormality has occurred.

Next, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the power is shut off at timing t2, and then restarted at timing t3. In this example, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the power restart pattern selected maintains the game state at the time of the power shutoff, as well as the payout amount and the stop-play state. Therefore, after restarting the power at timing t3, the system does not return to the normal state (not the stop-play state), but maintains the stop-play state, just as at timings t1 and t2.

Furthermore, the manner of the stopped state remains the same as the stopped state at timings t1 to t2. In other words, at timing t3, after the power is turned back on, the stopped state is maintained, so for example, it is impossible to proceed with the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 side during this period, and the display device 1600, lamps A to C, speaker, and movable parts perform the actions that occur when the game cannot proceed. This allows players and hall managers to recognize that the game has returned to the stopped state when the power is turned back on after being cut off. In this example, although not shown in the diagram, before performing the actions that occur when the game cannot proceed, the speaker outputs the message "The payout amount and stopped state are maintained," and the display device 1600 temporarily displays a message image saying "The payout amount and stopped state are maintained." Also, for lamps A to C, the LEDs light up in the light color corresponding to the power-on pattern selected when the power is turned back on. Furthermore, the period during which the speaker outputs the message "The payout amount and the stop-play state are being maintained," and the display of the message image "The payout amount and the stop-play state are being maintained" on the display device 1600 is omitted.

Furthermore, at timing t3, after the power is restarted, the display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction in Progress" as an indication that further progress is impossible. However, the message content may be changed from the message indicating the game is stopped at timings t1-t2. Also, simultaneously with or prior to the "Game Restriction in Progress" message, the message "Payout Amount and Game Stop Status Maintained" is displayed. This allows the hall manager to recognize that the game is continuing from the previous day when the power is turned on on the next business day, preventing confusion among the hall manager in the event of a sudden game stop.

Furthermore, when the power is turned on normally, rather than after a power cut-off while the machine is in a stopped-play state, the speaker outputs the normal power-on sound. However, in this example, at timing t3, after the power is turned on again, the speaker outputs the message "The payout amount and stopped-play state are maintained," but it does not output the normal power-on sound. Thus, when the machine returns to a stopped-play state after power is turned on, the speaker outputs the message "The payout amount and stopped-play state are maintained" with priority over the normal power-on sound, ensuring that players and hall managers are reliably aware that the machine has returned to a stopped-play state.

Furthermore, during normal power-on (not after a power-off in a stopped state), the movable part performs initial movements to determine if it is functioning correctly and to adjust to its initial position. However, in this example, at timing t3, after power-on, the movable part has stopped moving and has not performed its initial movements. Thus, when the system returns to a stopped state upon power-on, the absence of initial movements by the movable part indicates that it has not returned to a normal state (not a stopped state). However, it is also possible to configure the movable part to perform its initial movements after power-on at timing t3.

Figure 217 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the game restrictions are lifted upon power restoration after a power outage. In the above explanation, after the payout reaches a specific value and transitions to a stop-play state, the game state, payout, and stop-play state are maintained upon power restoration after a power outage. However, in this example, upon power restoration after a power outage, the game state, payout, and stop-play state are cleared (initialized). Specifically, after transitioning to a stop-play state, upon power restoration after a power outage, a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state, payout, and stop-play state. Here, since the process up to power outage at timing t2 is the same as above, the explanation focuses on the process from power restoration at timing t3 onwards.

As shown in Figure 217, after the power is cut off in the stopped state, the power is turned back on at timing t3. However, when the power is turned back on after the power cut off, a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of the power cut off, as well as the payout amount and the stopped state. Therefore, after the power is turned back on at timing t3, the stopped state flag is turned OFF, and the stopped state is not maintained. However, before returning to the normal state (not the stopped state), the system is controlled to a recovery waiting state, waiting to return to the normal state (not the stopped state). During this recovery waiting state, it is impossible to proceed with gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310. In other words, in the stopped state, there is no special symbol variation display or jackpot gameplay, and even if a starting payout occurs, the special symbol variation display will not be started anew.

Furthermore, the display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, and movable parts execute their recovery actions at timing t3. Specifically, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount and play limit cleared" as a recovery indicator, lamps A-C illuminate with the LED color corresponding to the power-on pattern selected when the power is turned back on as a recovery illumination, and the speaker outputs the recovery sound "Payout amount and play limit cleared."

Furthermore, the movable parts are rendered inoperable at timing t3.

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing t3, just as it does when the machine enters the stop-play state. In other words, in the recovery waiting state, even though no abnormality has been detected, and no setting value has been changed or confirmed, a forced output state is maintained where the security signal is forcibly output. This allows the hall computer to receive a security signal in the recovery waiting state, enabling the hall to understand the possibility of the stop-play state being released.

Furthermore, at timing t3, after transitioning to the recovery waiting state, the player is prevented from launching game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160. As detailed above, if restriction pattern 1 is selected, where only "game stop" is performed and "launch stop" is not performed when the payout amount reaches a specific value, the player is allowed to launch game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160 after transitioning to the stop-play state. However, even in such cases, at timing t3, after transitioning to the recovery waiting state, the player is prevented from launching game balls into the game area 5a when operating the handle 160.

Furthermore, at timing t3, after transitioning to the recovery waiting state, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed) are not counted. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls are disabled, and these are not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor 1310h.

Furthermore, at timing t3, after transitioning to the recovery waiting state, even if a ball is detected entering the prize slot, the predetermined number of game balls will not be dispensed as prize balls, nor will they be added to the player's ball count. However, at timing t3, after transitioning to the recovery waiting state, the system may be configured not to detect a ball entering the prize slot. Similarly, if a ball is not detected entering the prize slot at all, even if a ball enters the prize slot, the predetermined number of game balls will not be dispensed as prize balls, nor will they be added to the player's ball count.

Next, at timing t4, after a predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds) has elapsed from timing t3, the recovery waiting state ends, and the game state on the main control board 1310 transitions to the normal state (not the stopped state). Here, the normal state (not the stopped state) is the same as the normal state (not the stopped state) before timing t1, and the restrictions on gameplay in the stopped state are lifted. Note that the timing for ending the recovery waiting state is not limited to the elapsed time (e.g., 5 seconds) from timing t3; it may also be triggered by the hall manager performing a predetermined restart operation. As an example of a restart operation, if the power-on operation at timing t3 is power-on pattern 3, the setting key switch can be rotated 60 degrees counterclockwise to return it to its initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch OFF) to perform the OFF operation.

Furthermore, at timing t4, after returning to the normal state (not the stopped state), lamps A to C perform their initial illumination upon power-on. Similarly, even during normal power-on, not just after power-off and subsequent power-on in the stopped state, lamps A to C perform their initial illumination upon power-on.

Furthermore, at timing t4, after returning to the normal state (not the stopped state), the speaker outputs the normal power-on sound. Note that, similarly, the speaker outputs the normal power-on sound during normal power-on, not just after power is cut off and then restored in the stopped state.

Furthermore, at timing t4, after returning to the normal state (not the stopped state), the movable parts perform initial movements to check whether they are functioning correctly and to adjust to their initial positions. Note that these initial movements of the movable parts are also performed during normal power-on, not just after power is cut off and then restored in the stopped state. However, the initial movements of the movable parts may be performed at timing t3, before returning to the normal state (not the stopped state). This allows the initial movements of the movable parts to be completed before returning to the normal state (not the stopped state), enabling them to perform actions corresponding to the variation effects (effects based on variation patterns) immediately after returning.

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing t3 during the recovery waiting state. Although the system returns to the normal state (not in a stopped state) between timing t4 and the end of a predetermined time, the security signal continues to be output. This allows the hall to understand the possibility of the stopped state being released, even if the recovery waiting state ends quickly, because the security signal continues to be output to the hall computer.

In this example, after the power is cut off in the stopped state, the power is restored at timing t3. However, upon restoration after the power cut, the system is controlled to a recovery waiting state before returning to the normal state (not stopped). Alternatively, upon restoration after the power cut, the system could return to the normal state (not stopped) without being controlled to a recovery waiting state. This would allow gameplay to begin immediately after restoration.

(Example of a special effect when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game or while special symbols are being displayed.)
In this example, the game is restricted when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Of the number of balls dispensed, ball dispensed A is the difference between the value at the time the stop counter is at its highest and the value at the time the stop counter is at its lowest, and ball dispensed B is the difference between a predetermined initial value of 0 and the value at the time the stop counter is at its highest. In both cases, the value at the time when the number of balls held is at its highest is involved. When a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game, or when a game ball enters a prize slot other than the large prize slot 2005 (general prize slot 2001, first start slot 2002, second start slot 2004) while a special symbol is being displayed in a variable or non-variable state, the number of balls dispensed increases due to the payout of prize balls, and the stop counter increases. At the time these balls enter, it is determined that the number of balls dispensed will reach a specific value, and the game is restricted. Here, we will first explain specific examples of animations that occur when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game. Next, we will explain specific examples of animations that occur when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 during the display of special symbols.

Figure 218 shows a specific example of the animation when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the large prize slot during a jackpot game. In this example, the "specific value" is set to 80,000, and either restriction pattern 1 or restriction pattern 3 is selected. Specifically, if restriction pattern 1 is set, the game will stop when the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls). If restriction pattern 3 is set, the game will stop when the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls), resulting in both a "game stop" and a "ball firing stop." Furthermore, in this example, if the special symbol draw results in a jackpot, a 10-round jackpot game is awarded, opening and closing the large prize slot 2005 and the special prize slot 2006. After the jackpot game ends, a high-probability state is awarded.

As shown in Figure 218(A), the performance display device 1600 executes a variation performance (performance based on variation patterns) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbols, and displays the variation of the decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. Here, in the "continuous win mode" in which a high probability state continues depending on the lottery result of the special symbols, or the acceptance of game balls B into the V prize slot 2007, etc., when the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "777" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is performed in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600, and when the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "〇" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the second decorative symbol. Furthermore, the lower left area of the display device 1600 shows a hold indicator for the number of special symbols that have entered the first or second start slot 2002 and are waiting for the special symbol variation display to be completed. The lower right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Consecutive Win Mode" message indicating that the game is in "Consecutive Win Mode," and also displays a "Right Shot" arrow instructing the player to aim for the large prize slot 2005 located in the game area 5a to the right of the display device 1600 during a jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 218(B), at the start of a jackpot game, the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600. This message also indicates that the large prize entry point 2005 and the prize entry point 2006 will open and close during the jackpot game, and that the player should aim to enter the V prize entry point 2007 during the jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 218(C), during a jackpot game, the upper left area of the display device 1600 shows the current round number, and the central area of the display device 1600 shows the total number of prize balls dispensed when game balls enter the large prize slot 2005 during "consecutive win mode." Here, "3R" is displayed as the current round number, and "18,000 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls.

In this example, before the main control board 1310 implements a restriction on gameplay when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the main control board 1310 monitors the number of remaining balls until the number of balls dispensed reaches that specific value. When a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 and the remaining number of balls becomes "+1500", a pre-flag is turned ON, and this ON information of the pre-flag is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 then receives the ON information of the pre-flag and continues to execute the actions that were announced in advance until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (until the number of remaining balls becomes 0). The calculation of the number of balls dispensed is performed by the main control board 1310 based on a stop counter, which is the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls paid out. In other words, the number of remaining balls until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value increases as the number of shots increases, and decreases as the number of balls paid out increases. Furthermore, regarding the pre-notification process, the system continues to run after a predetermined value is reached before the payout reaches a specific value (in this example, when the remaining number of balls until the payout reaches a specific value is 1500, i.e., when the payout has reached 78500 balls), until the payout reaches that specific value. This ensures that players do not miss information regarding restrictions on gameplay.

Furthermore, in this example, once a prior notification is issued, even if the number of remaining balls until the payout reaches a specific value exceeds a predetermined value (1500 balls remaining), the prior notification will not terminate and will continue until the payout reaches the specific value. Specifically, even if the number of shots increases after the ON information of the prior flag is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510, and the number of remaining balls until the payout reaches a specific value exceeds a predetermined value (1500 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 will keep the prior flag ON without turning it OFF. This prevents frequent switching of the prior flag on the main control board 1310, even if the number of remaining balls exceeds 1500 after reaching 1500 balls, and then returns to 1500 balls again, thus avoiding repeated transmission of the ON information of the prior flag to the peripheral control board 1510 and thus avoiding increased control burden and complexity.

As shown in Figure 218(D), when a game ball enters the large prize pocket 2005 during a jackpot game, and the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+1500 balls", the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message indicating "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit is reached" as a pre-notification operation. Here, the current number of rounds is displayed as the final "10R", and the total number of prize balls is displayed as "18800 balls GET". Furthermore, the display device 1600 continuously displays the current round number in the upper left area, the total number of prize balls paid out when game balls enter the big prize pocket 2005 during "continuous win mode" in the upper area, the stop symbol of the second decorative symbol in the upper right area, and the "shoot to the right" arrow in the lower right area, even before the pre-notification display is displayed. However, the pre-notification display "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is displayed so as not to overlap with the important information displays related to the ongoing jackpot game. Specifically, in this example, "current round number," "total number of prize balls," and the "shoot to the right" arrow are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. However, it is acceptable for the pre-notification display to overlap at least a part of these information displays, as long as the content of the information displays can be recognized, and not completely overlapped to the point where the player cannot see them. This ensures that information regarding the ongoing jackpot game is not missed, allowing for smooth gameplay during the jackpot. The movable part can be directed towards the front of the display device 1600 during the jackpot game, but it may also be directed towards the front of the display when the pre-announcement message "Remaining +1500 balls until the game limit" is displayed. This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game during the jackpot.

As shown in Figure 218(E), at the end of a jackpot game, the message "Continuing Win Mode! (10th Time)" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600, informing the player that the high-probability state will continue after the jackpot game ends (that "Continuing Win Mode" will continue). Here, at the end of the jackpot game, the same pre-announcement message "Remaining +1500 balls until the game limit" is displayed as during the jackpot game. Since the "Continuing Win Mode! (10th Time)" message is also important information that the player should be aware of, the pre-announcement message is displayed in a position that does not overlap with this information display. However, as long as the pre-announcement message does not completely overlap with the information display and the player can still recognize the content, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the information display to overlap with the pre-announcement message.

As shown in Figure 218(F), during "Continuous Win Mode," when a variation animation (an animation based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of special symbols is executed again, the variation of decorative symbols is displayed in the central area of the animation display device 1600. Furthermore, the variation of the second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the animation display device 1600. In addition, four pending displays are displayed in the lower left area of the animation display device 1600, and the appearance of pending displays with a high probability of winning can be changed. Furthermore, while the variation of decorative symbols is being displayed, the volume and brightness can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. During volume and brightness adjustment, an image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted is displayed in the left area of the animation display device 1600. The image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted is displayed starting when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, during the display of the changing decorative symbols in "Consecutive Win Mode," a pre-announcement message, "Remaining +1500 balls until the play limit," is displayed, just as during a big win. The display device 1600 displays the changing decorative symbols in the central area, the changing second decorative symbols in the upper right area, the "Consecutive Win Mode" message and a "Right-Handed Shot" arrow in the lower right area, the hold indicator in the lower left area, and images corresponding to volume and brightness in the left area. However, the pre-announcement message, "Remaining +1500 balls until the play limit," is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is not displayed overlapping with other important information displays related to the ongoing changing game. Specifically, in this example, the "changing decorative symbols," "changing second decorative symbols," "the 'Consecutive Win Mode' message," "the 'Right-Handed Shot' arrow," "the hold indicator," and "images corresponding to volume and brightness" are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-announcement display is placed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. Furthermore, regarding these information displays, it is permissible to have at least a portion of the information display overlap with the pre-notification display, provided that the content of the information display is not so overlapping that it becomes impossible for the player to see. This prevents players from missing information related to the ongoing variable gameplay, allowing for smooth gameplay during variable gameplay. Regarding the movable parts, while they can be moved towards the front of the performance display device 1600 during variable gameplay, they may be moved towards the front of the pre-notification display, such as "Remaining +1500 balls until game limit." This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game during variable gameplay.

As shown in Figure 218(G), during "Consecutive Win Mode," when the special symbol draw result is again a win, "777" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the decorative symbols in the central area of the display device 1600. Here, although the pre-announcement display of "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed overlapping the background image, it is not displayed overlapping with the "777" display (a type of important information display) that is the stopping symbol for the decorative symbols, thus allowing the player to see the "777" display.

As shown in Figure 218(H), when a jackpot game is restarted, the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600. This message indicates that the large prize slot 2005 and the prize slot 2006 will open and close during the jackpot game, and that the player should aim to enter the V prize slot 2007 during the jackpot game. At this point, the same pre-announcement message "Remaining +1500 balls until the game limit" is displayed as during the previous jackpot game. Here again, although the "Remaining +1500 balls until the game limit" pre-announcement message is displayed overlapping the background image, it is not displayed overlapping with the "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" message (a type of important information display), ensuring that the player can see the "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" message.

As shown in Figure 218(I), during a jackpot game, the upper left area of the display device 1600 shows the current round number, and the central area of the display device 1600 shows the total number of prize balls dispensed when game balls enter the large prize slot 2005 during "continuous win mode". Here, "10R" is displayed as the current round number, and "19900 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. At this point, the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value is decreasing due to the payout of prize balls during the jackpot game, and a pre-notification message "+10 balls remaining until game limit" is displayed.

In this example, before the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and gameplay is restricted, the remaining number of balls until the dispensed value reaches that specific value is monitored. However, if the number of remaining balls becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on balls entering the large prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game, the stop flag is turned ON when the dispensed value reaches the specific value. The game then transitions to a stop state until the predetermined clear conditions are met, and the action for when the game cannot proceed is executed. At the point of transitioning to the stop state, the ongoing jackpot game is stopped (interrupted), forcibly closing the large prize slot 2005. This prevents any further balls from entering the large prize slot 2005, thus initiating the gameplay restriction.

As shown in Figure 218(J), when the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the large prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game (when transitioning to the stop-play state), the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) indicating the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value: "+0 balls remaining until game limit is reached." Here, "10R" is displayed as the current round number, and "19915 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. Then, after the predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has elapsed since the "+0 balls remaining until game limit is reached" pre-notification message was displayed, the image corresponding to the stop-play state shown in Figure 218(K) is displayed.

In this example, the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement displayed on the display device 1600 are reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display, respectively, by the amount of prize balls paid out when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005, which causes the total number of balls to reach a specific value. However, the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display are not displayed at the moment a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005, which causes the total number of balls to reach a specific value, but rather continue to be displayed for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) after the amount of prize balls has been reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display. This prevents players from missing information regarding whether or not the total number of balls has reached a specific value, and ensures that players are reliably aware of the reason why the payout stop state begins afterward. Furthermore, just before the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0 balls," a pre-notification message is displayed stating "+10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached." However, even if the number of remaining balls exceeds the number of balls until the payout reaches the specific value, the excess payout balls (5 balls in this example) for the prize balls paid out when a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 (15 balls in this example) are paid out. This prevents situations where, even if a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, the number of prize balls exceeding the specific value is not paid out, thus reducing the likelihood of player dissatisfaction. However, if monitoring the payout amount is a priority from the perspective of preventing fraud, the excess prize balls exceeding the specific value may be withheld from the payout.

In the above example, the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display are continuously displayed until the amount of prize balls is reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display, rather than stopping when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value. However, it is also possible to stop the display when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value and display an image corresponding to the stop-play state. In other words, instead of displaying the image shown in Figure 218(J), the display may proceed to the image shown in Figure 218(K), which will be described later. This allows the system to transition to the stop-play state when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value, and simultaneously, by displaying an image corresponding to the stop-play state, the player can immediately understand that the system has transitioned to the stop-play state.

Furthermore, since the game transitions to a stop-play state and restricts gameplay once the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, it is preferable that the "right-hand shot" arrow, which encourages ball dispensing, be hidden from the player's view after the image corresponding to the stop-play state is displayed, in order to prevent the player from accidentally firing balls. In this example, it is hidden. Also, under other circumstances, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while a display encouraging ball dispensing (e.g., right-hand shot, left-hand shot, "Aim for V!" display) is shown, the display encouraging ball dispensing is hidden from the player's view at that point (hidden).

As shown in Figure 218(K), when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and gameplay is restricted, the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the "gameplay restricted" state. The image corresponding to the "gameplay restricted" state displays the message "Gameplay is restricted because the daily limit of 80,000 balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch used to perform the settlement process. In addition, before the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the current number of rounds, the stopped symbol of the second decorative symbol, the total number of prize balls, and pre-notification displays. However, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the "gameplay restricted" message is displayed, such game-related information is hidden (made invisible), and the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows players to understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and gameplay is restricted, and that the gameplay restriction cannot be lifted without the operation of the hall manager. Furthermore, it is possible to understand that the number of balls a player possesses can be settled by operating the counting button switch.

In the above example, before the payout reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 shows the current round number, the stopped symbol of the second decorative symbol, the total number of prize balls, and pre-announcement information. However, all such game-related information is made unreadable once the payout reaches the specific value. However, when the payout reaches the specific value, some of the game-related information may be made unreadable, while other information remains readable. For example, the total number of prize balls and pre-announcement information, which indicate whether or not game restrictions will be imposed, may be made unreadable, while the current round number and the stopped symbol of the second decorative symbol may remain readable. This allows for understanding the circumstances under which the payout reached the specific value, even after the payout has reached that value.

In this example, for the predetermined clear conditions to be met for the end of the stop-play state to be satisfied, it is necessary to re-energize the power after a power outage using a predetermined power-on pattern. Here, we will explain the following power-on patterns: one that maintains the game state at the time of power outage, as well as the payout amount and the stop-play state (in this example, power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 4 and 5 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 3); one that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power outage, as well as the payout amount and the stop-play state (in this example, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on pattern 3 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 3); and one that maintains the game state at the time of power outage, as well as clearing (initializes) the payout amount and the stop-play state (in this example, power-on pattern 1 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 2 and power-on pattern 2 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 3).

First, after transitioning to the stop-play state, if a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off, as well as the payout amount and stop-play state, then the restriction on gameplay in the stop-play state is not lifted, and the display device 1600 displays the image shown in Figure 218(K) again. Although not shown in this example, before displaying the image shown in Figure 218(K), the speaker outputs the message "Payout amount and stop-play state are maintained," and the display device 1600 temporarily displays a message image saying "Payout amount and stop-play state are maintained." Here, the dedicated period for displaying the message image "Payout amount and stop-play state are maintained" on the display device 1600 may be omitted. However, prioritizing the hall manager's awareness of the maintenance of the payout amount and stop-play state, the dedicated period may be omitted, but the message image "Payout amount and stop-play state are maintained" may also be displayed on the display device 1600 along with the image shown in Figure 218(K).

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, if a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off, as well as the payout amount and stop-play state, the restrictions on gameplay in the stop-play state are removed by clearing (initializing) the payout amount and stop-play state. Here, when clearing (initializing) the payout amount and stop-play state, all information related to the calculation of the payout amount, such as the stop-play counter, payout count, and shot count, is cleared (initialized). In addition, information regarding the remaining jackpot game at the time of interruption when transitioning to the stop-play state, and information regarding the "continuous win mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game, are retained after transitioning to the stop-play state or when power is cut off. However, when power is cut off and the machine is restarted, such information regarding the remaining jackpot game at the time of interruption and information regarding the "continuous win mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game are lost, resulting in the game starting in a low probability state. Therefore, as shown in Figure 218(L), the display device 1600 displays an initial image in which the decorative pattern is stopped at the initial pattern.

On the other hand, if, after transitioning to the stop-play state, a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and clears (initializes) the payout amount and stop-play state, then the restrictions on gameplay in the stop-play state are removed by clearing (initializing) the payout amount and stop-play state. In addition, information regarding the remaining jackpot game at the time of interruption when transitioning to the stop-play state, and information regarding the "continuous play mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game are retained after transitioning to the stop-play state or when power is off. Furthermore, even when power is turned on after power-off, the information regarding the remaining jackpot game at the time of interruption and the "continuous play mode" (high probability state) after the jackpot game are retained, so that the game can be resumed in the state it was in when it was interrupted. For this reason, as shown in Figure 218 (L'), the display device 1600 returns to displaying an image related to the "continuous play mode" (high probability state), which is the ending period after the final round of the jackpot game has finished. Furthermore, if a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the payout amount and the stop-play state, a special recovery notification (an image and sound indicating that the game will return to the state before the game restriction) may be displayed before resuming gameplay after power is turned on again after the power is cut off. This special recovery notification corresponds to the recovery display, recovery light, and recovery sound during the recovery waiting state at timings t3 to t4 in Figure 215 described above. As mentioned above, examples include outputting the voice message "Payout amount and stop-play state have been cleared" from the speaker, or displaying the message image "Payout amount and stop-play state have been cleared" on the display device 1600.

Figure 219 shows a specific example of the animation when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the general prize slot while a special symbol is being displayed. In this example, the "specific value" is set to 80,000, and either restriction pattern 1 or restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern." Specifically, if restriction pattern 1 is set, the game will stop when the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls). If restriction pattern 3 is set, the game will stop when the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (80,000 balls), resulting in both a "game stop" and a "ball firing stop."

As shown in Figure 219(A), the performance display device 1600 executes a variation performance (performance based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbol, and displays the variation of the decorative symbol in the central area of the performance display device 1600. Here, in the "continuous win mode" in which a high probability state continues depending on the lottery result of the special symbol, or the acceptance of game ball B into the V prize slot 2007, etc., when the lottery result of the special symbol is a win, "777" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the decorative symbol in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is performed in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600, and when the lottery result of the special symbol is a win, "〇" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the second decorative symbol. Furthermore, the lower left area of the display device 1600 shows a hold indicator for the number of special symbols that have entered the first or second start slot 2002 and are waiting for the special symbol variation display to be completed. The lower right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Consecutive Win Mode" message indicating that the game is in "Consecutive Win Mode," and also displays a "Right Shot" arrow instructing the player to aim for the large prize slot 2005 located in the game area 5a to the right of the display device 1600 during a jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 219(B), at the start of a jackpot game, the central area of the display device 1600 displays the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!", instructing the player to open and close the large prize slot 2005 and the prize slot 2006 during the jackpot game, and to aim for the game ball to enter the V prize slot 2007 during the jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 219(C), during a jackpot game, the upper left area of the display device 1600 shows the current round number, and the central area of the display device 1600 shows the total number of prize balls dispensed when game balls enter the large prize slot 2005 during "consecutive win mode." Here, "3R" is displayed as the current round number, and "17,500 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls.

In this example, before the main control board 1310 implements a restriction on gameplay when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the main control board 1310 monitors the number of remaining balls until the number of balls dispensed reaches that specific value. When a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 and the remaining number of balls reaches "+1500 balls", a pre-flag is turned ON, and this ON information of the pre-flag is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 then receives the ON information of the pre-flag and continues to execute the actions that were announced in advance until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value. The calculation of the number of balls dispensed is performed by the main control board 1310 based on a stop counter, which is the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls paid out. In other words, the number of remaining balls until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value increases as the number of shots increases, and decreases as the number of balls paid out increases. Furthermore, regarding the pre-notification process, the system continues to run after a predetermined value is reached before the payout reaches a specific value (in this example, when the remaining number of balls until the payout reaches a specific value is 1500, i.e., when the payout has reached 78500 balls), until the payout reaches that specific value. This ensures that players do not miss information regarding restrictions on gameplay.

Furthermore, in this example, once a prior notification is issued, even if the number of remaining balls until the payout reaches a specific value falls below a predetermined value (1500 balls remaining), the prior notification will not terminate and will continue until the payout reaches the specific value. Specifically, even if the ON information for the prior flag is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510, and only the number of shots increases, causing the number of remaining balls until the payout reaches a specific value to fall below a predetermined value (1500 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 will keep the prior flag ON without turning it OFF. This prevents frequent switching of the prior flag on the main control board 1310, even if the number of remaining balls falls below 1500 after reaching 1500 balls, and then returns to 1500 balls again. This avoids repeated transmission of the ON information for the prior flag to the peripheral control board 1510, thus reducing the control burden and complexity.

As shown in Figure 219(D), when a game ball enters the large prize pocket 2005 during a jackpot game, and the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+1500 balls", the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message indicating "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit is reached" as a pre-notification operation. Here, the current number of rounds is displayed as the final "10R", and the total number of prize balls is displayed as "18800 balls GET". Furthermore, the display device 1600 continuously displays the current round number in the upper left area, the total number of prize balls paid out when game balls enter the big prize pocket 2005 during "continuous win mode" in the upper area, the stop symbol of the second decorative symbol in the upper right area, and the "shoot to the right" arrow in the lower right area, even before the pre-notification display is displayed. However, the pre-notification display "+1500 balls remaining until the game limit" is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is displayed so as not to overlap with the important information displays related to the ongoing jackpot game. Specifically, in this example, "current round number," "total number of prize balls," and the "shoot to the right" arrow are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. However, it is acceptable for the pre-notification display to overlap at least a part of these information displays, as long as the content of the information displays can be recognized, and not completely overlapped to the point where the player cannot see them. This ensures that information regarding the ongoing jackpot game is not missed, allowing for smooth gameplay during the jackpot. The movable part can be directed towards the front of the display device 1600 during the jackpot game, but it may also be directed towards the front of the display when the pre-announcement message "Remaining +1500 balls until the game limit" is displayed. This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game during the jackpot.

As shown in Figure 219(E), at the end of a jackpot game, the message "Continuing Win Mode! (10th Time)" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600, informing the player that the high-probability state will continue after the jackpot game ends (that "Continuing Win Mode" will continue). Here, at the end of the jackpot game, the same pre-announcement message "Remaining +1500 balls until the game limit" is displayed as during the jackpot game. Since the "Continuing Win Mode! (10th Time)" message is also important information that the player should be aware of, the pre-announcement message is displayed in a position that does not overlap with this information display. However, regarding these information displays, it is acceptable for the pre-announcement message to overlap at least a portion of the information display, as long as the content of the information display can be recognized, and not completely obscured by the overlap.

As shown in Figure 219(F), during "Continuous Win Mode," when a variation animation (an animation based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of special symbols is executed again, the variation of decorative symbols is displayed in the central area of the animation display device 1600. Furthermore, the variation of the second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the animation display device 1600. In addition, four pending displays are displayed in the lower left area of the animation display device 1600, and the appearance of pending displays with a high probability of winning can be changed. While the variation of decorative symbols is being displayed, the volume and brightness can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. During volume and brightness adjustment, an image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted is displayed in the left area of the animation display device 1600. The image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted is displayed starting when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, during the display of the changing decorative symbols in "Continuous Win Mode," a pre-announcement message, "10 balls remaining until the play limit," is displayed, just as during a big win. The display device 1600 displays the changing decorative symbols in the central area, the changing second decorative symbols in the upper right area, the "Continuous Win Mode" message and a "Right Shot" arrow in the lower right area, the hold indicator in the lower left area, and images corresponding to volume and brightness in the left area. However, the pre-announcement message, "10 balls remaining until the play limit," is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is not displayed overlapping with other important information displays related to the ongoing changing game. Specifically, in this example, the "changing decorative symbols," "changing second decorative symbols," "the 'Continuous Win Mode' message," "the 'Right Shot' arrow," "the hold indicator," and "images corresponding to volume and brightness" are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-announcement display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. Furthermore, regarding these information displays, it is permissible to have at least a portion of the information display overlap with the pre-notification display, provided that the content of the information display is recognizable and not completely obscured by the player's vision. This prevents players from missing information related to the ongoing variable gameplay, allowing for smooth gameplay during variable gameplay. Regarding the movable parts, while they can be moved towards the front of the performance display device 1600 during variable gameplay, they may be moved towards the front of the pre-notification display, such as "10 balls remaining until the game limit." This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game during variable gameplay.

In this example, before the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game is restricted, the remaining number of balls until the number of balls dispensed reaches that specific value is monitored. However, if the number of remaining balls becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on game balls entering the general prize pocket 2001 during the special symbol variation display, the stop flag for the number of balls dispensed reaching a specific value is turned ON, and the game transitions to a stop state until the predetermined clear condition is met, and the action for when the game cannot proceed is executed. When the game transitions to the stop state, the timing of the variation time is stopped (interrupted) so that the variation display of the special symbol that is currently running does not proceed, and the game is forcibly stopped, initiating the restriction on gameplay. Here, the function display unit 1400 when the timing of the variation time is stopped (interrupted) so that the variation display of the special symbol that is currently running does not proceed will be explained. In the function display unit 1400, the LED in the first special symbol display or the second special symbol display continues to blink (control mode during variation display) (the variation time is not measured, so it continues to blink until the clear condition is met). However, the LEDs in the first special symbol indicator or the second special symbol indicator of the function display unit 1400 may not blink, but may be fully lit or fully extinguished. In this case, not only the LEDs of the first special symbol indicator or the second special symbol indicator, but also other LEDs in the function display unit 1400 (such as the status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special hold count indicator, second special hold count indicator, round indicator, etc.) may be fully lit, fully lit, or fully extinguished. Furthermore, if the function display unit 1400 is equipped with an LED specifically for stop notification, that LED may be lit, and the other LEDs may be extinguished. Note that the remaining variation time when the timing of variation time is stopped (interrupted) is stored in the RAM built into the main control board 1310.

As shown in Figure 219(G), when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the general prize pocket 2001 during the display of the special symbols, the upper area of the performance display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) that says "Remaining +0 balls until the game limit is reached," informing the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value. Here, just before the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0," the display of the decorative symbols and the display of the second decorative symbols are shown, but when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0," the display of the decorative symbols is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stop symbol ("767" in this example), and the display of the second decorative symbols is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stop symbol ("×" in this example). Then, after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has elapsed since the pre-notification message "0 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" was displayed, the image corresponding to the play limit state shown in Figure 219(H) will be displayed.

In this example, the amount of prize balls dispensed when a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 is reflected in the pre-announcement display on the performance display device 1600. However, the content of the pre-announcement display is not shown at the moment a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, but rather continues to be displayed for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) after the amount of prize balls is reflected in the pre-announcement display. This prevents players from missing information regarding whether or not the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value, and ensures that players are reliably aware of the reason why the stop-play state begins afterward. Furthermore, just before the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0 balls," a pre-notification message "Remaining +10 balls until the play limit is reached" is displayed. However, even if the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches the specific value exceeds the number of remaining balls for the prize payout (15 balls in this example), the excess prize balls (5 balls in this example) are paid out when a game ball enters the general prize entry point 2001. This prevents situations where, despite a game ball entering the general prize entry point 2001, the number of prize balls exceeding the specific value are not paid out, thus reducing the likelihood of player dissatisfaction. However, if monitoring the payout amount is a priority from the perspective of preventing fraud, the excess prize balls exceeding the specific value may be withheld from the payout.

In the above example, the pre-announcement display continues to show the content not until the payout reaches a specific value, but until the amount of winning balls is reflected in the pre-announcement display. However, it may be modified so that the display ends when the payout reaches a specific value, and an image corresponding to the stop-play state is displayed. In other words, the image shown in Figure 219(G) may not be displayed, and the display may proceed to the image shown in Figure 219(H), which will be described later. This allows the system to transition to the stop-play state when the payout reaches a specific value, and simultaneously, the image corresponding to the stop-play state is displayed, allowing for immediate understanding of the transition to the stop-play state.

Furthermore, since the game transitions to a stop-play state and restricts gameplay once the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, it is preferable that the "right-hand shot" arrow, which encourages ball dispensing, be hidden from the player's view after the image corresponding to the stop-play state is displayed, in order to prevent the player from accidentally firing balls. In this example, it is hidden. Also, under other circumstances, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while a display encouraging ball dispensing (e.g., right-hand shot, left-hand shot, "Aim for V!" display) is shown, the display encouraging ball dispensing is hidden from the player's view at that point (hidden).

As shown in Figure 219(H), when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and gameplay is restricted, the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the "gameplay restricted" state. The image corresponding to the "gameplay restricted" state displays the message "Gameplay is restricted because the daily limit of 80,000 balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch used to perform the settlement process. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 also displays the stopped symbols of the decorative symbols, the stopped symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the pre-notification indicator. However, such game-related information is hidden (made invisible) once the "gameplay restricted" message is displayed after the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows players to understand that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and gameplay is restricted, and that the gameplay restriction cannot be lifted without the operation of the hall manager. Furthermore, it is possible to understand that the number of balls a player possesses can be settled by operating the counting button switch.

In the above description, before the payout reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the pre-notification indicator. However, all such game-related information is made unreadable once the payout reaches the specific value. However, when the payout reaches the specific value, some of the game-related information may be made unreadable, while the rest remains readable. For example, the pre-notification indicator, which contains information about whether or not game restrictions will be imposed, may be made unreadable, while the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, and the hold indicator may remain readable. This allows for understanding the circumstances under which the payout reached the specific value, even after the payout has reached that value.

Here, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to a ball entering the general prize slot 2001 during the special symbol display, the same actions as when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to a ball entering the large prize slot 2005 during a jackpot game are performed, such as displaying an image corresponding to the stop-play state. In this way, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and gameplay is restricted, a common notification is given regardless of the trigger, ensuring that players are reliably aware that the game has entered the stop-play state.

In this example, for the predetermined clear conditions to be met for the end of the stop-play state to be satisfied, it is necessary to re-energize the power after a power outage using a predetermined power-on pattern. Here, we will explain the following power-on patterns: one that maintains the game state at the time of power outage, as well as the payout amount and the stop-play state (in this example, power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 4 and 5 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on patterns 1, 4, and 5 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 3); one that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power outage, as well as the payout amount and the stop-play state (in this example, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 1, power-on patterns 2 and 3 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 2, and power-on pattern 3 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 3); and one that maintains the game state at the time of power outage, as well as clearing (initializes) the payout amount and the stop-play state (in this example, power-on pattern 1 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 2 and power-on pattern 2 in Limit Clear Pattern Table 3).

First, after transitioning to the stop-play state, if a power-on pattern is selected to maintain the game state at the time of power-off, as well as the payout amount and the stop-play state, the restriction on gameplay in the stop-play state is not lifted, and the display device 1600 will display the image shown in Figure 219(H) again.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, if a power-on pattern is selected that clears (initializes) the game state at the time of power-off, as well as the payout amount and stop-play state, the restrictions on gameplay in the stop-play state are removed when the power is turned back on after a power-off. Here, when the payout amount and stop-play state are cleared (initialized), all information related to the calculation of the payout amount, such as the stop-play counter, payout count, and shot count, is cleared (initialized). In addition, information regarding the remaining fluctuation time at the time of interruption when transitioning to the stop-play state, information regarding "continuous mode" (high probability state), and information regarding held balls are retained after transitioning to the stop-play state or when the power is turned off. However, when the power is turned back on after a power-off, such information regarding the remaining fluctuation time at the time of interruption, information regarding "continuous mode" (high probability state), and information regarding held balls are lost, resulting in the game starting in a low probability state with no held balls. Therefore, as shown in Figure 219(I), the display device 1600 does not display a hold indicator and displays an initial image where the decorative symbols are stopped at the initial symbols.

On the other hand, if, after transitioning to the stop-play state, a power-on pattern is selected that maintains the game state at the time of power-off and clears (initializes) the payout amount and stop-play state, the restrictions on gameplay in the stop-play state are removed by clearing (initializing) the payout amount and stop-play state. In addition, information regarding the remaining spin time when interrupted at the time of transitioning to the stop-play state, information regarding "continuous mode" (high probability state), and information regarding held balls are retained after transitioning to the stop-play state or when power is off. However, even when power is turned on after power-off, this information regarding the remaining spin time when interrupted, information regarding "continuous mode" (high probability state), and information regarding held balls is retained, so that the game resumes in the high probability state, with held balls, and in the middle of the previous spin. In other words, if the timing of the spin time is stopped (interrupted) at the time of transitioning to the stop-play state, the remaining spin time is stored in the RAM built into the main control board 1310. After power is turned on, the display of decorative symbols and the display of second decorative symbols are executed for the duration of that remaining spin time. Therefore, as shown in Figure 219(I'), the display device 1600 returns to displaying an image related to the "continuous win mode" (high probability state), and resumes displaying the variation of the decorative symbols and the variation of the second decorative symbols based on the information regarding the held symbols. Furthermore, if a power-on pattern that clears (initializes) the payout amount and the stop-play state is selected, a special return notification (an image and sound indicating a return to the state before the game restriction) may be displayed before the various display effects are restored after the power is turned back on after the power is cut off.

Furthermore, while the above describes a system where a stop-play state is immediately triggered when the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot, as an alternative, the start of the stop-play state may be delayed until the end of the jackpot game when the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot game. That is, if the payout reaches a specific value during multiple rounds of a jackpot game, the jackpot game may continue until the end of the final round. In such a case, the payout will increase even after reaching the specific value due to prize ball payouts, but such an increase in payout is permitted. The system then waits until the jackpot game ends before entering a stop-play state accompanied by "game stop" or "ball firing stop." This prevents the game from being restricted during a jackpot game and avoids any disadvantage in acquiring prize balls, thus reducing the likelihood of player dissatisfaction.

Furthermore, while the fourth embodiment described above explained a type of gaming machine that circulates and reuses game balls without dispensing actual prize balls outside the machine (a so-called sealed-type gaming machine, a managed gaming machine), the "technology for generating a stop-play state based on the amount of balls dispensed (amounts A and B)" described above is not limited to this type of gaming machine, but can also be applied to conventional types of gaming machines (gaming machines that dispense actual prize balls outside the machine). When applying to conventional types of gaming machines, it is preferable to set the timing of the stop-play state and the game control during the stop-play state as follows.

In other words, in conventional gaming machines that dispense actual balls, the payout control board 633 can control the payout device that dispenses game balls stored in the ball tank on the back of the gaming machine as prize balls to the outside of the gaming machine. The prize balls dispensed into the ball tray on the front of the gaming machine are then given to the player as actual balls. However, in this configuration, there is a larger time lag between when game balls enter the various prize slots and when the prize balls are dispensed compared to gaming machines that reuse game balls. In particular, it is conceivable that during a jackpot game, multiple game balls may enter the large prize slot 2005, resulting in a large number of prize balls being stored as undispensed. In such cases, there is a possibility that many prize balls will remain stored as undispensed even after the start of the aforementioned stop-play state. In such cases, as with the fourth embodiment described above, if the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 is stopped at the same time as the payout processing on the payout control board when the stop-play state begins, there is a risk that the player will not be able to obtain the profit they are rightfully entitled to (the prize balls that are stored as unpaid). Therefore, when applying the "technology of generating a stop-play state based on the amount of balls dispensed (amounts A and B)" to a conventional type of gaming machine, the following two control methods can be considered.

First, one pattern involves using the actual number of balls dispensed as the "dispensed count" for the payout counter calculation. Specifically, a ball sensor is installed to detect the number of game balls sent out by the dispensing device towards the ball tray, and the detection result of this ball sensor is reflected in the "dispensed count." This reduces the number of undispensed prize balls compared to calculating the payout counter based on the prize ball information on the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, in the second pattern, even if the game is stopped when the payout limit is reached, the payout of any unpaid prize balls will continue. The game will then completely stop once all unpaid prize balls have been dispensed. Note that the second pattern may be used in conjunction with the first pattern.

(Addition of Restriction Clear Pattern Table 4)
In the above, restriction clear pattern tables 1 to 3 are provided as restriction clear pattern tables with different clearing conditions for "the amount of balls calculated before the stop-loss state begins" and "the restriction on gameplay during the stop-loss state." However, a restriction clear pattern table 4 may also be provided separately. In such a case, the hall manager will select one of restriction clear pattern tables 1 to 4 by operating a restriction clear pattern selection switch that can be operated by the hall manager. However, regarding the restriction clear pattern tables, from the viewpoint of suppressing the capacity of the ROM that stores various processing programs, it is also possible to adopt only restriction clear pattern table 4.

Figure 220 shows the restriction clear pattern table 4, which is selected when the restriction clear pattern selection switch is set to "4". When this restriction clear pattern table 4 is selected, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" can be chosen by the gaming hall to either maintain or clear it upon power re-energization after a power outage. However, the "amount of balls dispensed calculated before the stop-play state began" is always cleared upon power re-energization after a power outage.

Power-on pattern 1 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but it clears (initializes) the amount of balls dispensed before and after the "stop-play" state began, while maintaining the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate green, and the speaker outputs the message, "Ball amounts have been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained." The display device 1600 also displays a message image saying, "Ball amounts have been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained." (This corresponds to the clear notification 1 and the "cannot proceed" notification described later). In addition to these notifications, a clear method notification showing how to clear the stop-play state may be added for the hall manager.

In power-on pattern 2, when the power is turned on, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized), but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are also cleared (initialized). Specifically, if gameplay is restricted in restriction pattern 1 as described above, "gameplay is stopped," but the "gameplay stop" is released when the stop-play state is cleared. If gameplay is restricted in restriction pattern 2, "firing is stopped," but the "firing is stopped" is released when the stop-play state is cleared. If gameplay is restricted in restriction pattern 3, "gameplay" and "firing are stopped," but the "gameplay stop" and "firing is stopped" are released when the stop-play state is cleared. In all cases, it is possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 will light up red, an audio message saying "Payout amount and play limit cleared" will be output from the speaker, and the display device 1600 will display a message image saying "Payout amount and play limit cleared" (corresponding to the clear notification 2 described later).

Power-on pattern 3 clears (initializes) the game state from when the power was cut off upon power-on. It also clears (initializes) the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate red, an audio message "Ball amount and stop-play state cleared." is output from the speaker, and a message image "Ball amount and stop-play state cleared." is displayed on the display device 1600. (This corresponds to the clear notification 2 described later).

Power-on pattern 4 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but it clears (initializes) the amount of balls dispensed before and after the "stop-play" state began, while maintaining the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in blue, and the speaker outputs the message, "Ball amounts have been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained." The display device 1600 also displays a message image saying, "Ball amounts have been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained." (This corresponds to the clear notification 1 and game-inability notification described later). In addition to these notifications, a clear method notification showing how to clear the stop-play state may also be added for hall managers.

Power-on pattern 5 maintains the game state as it was when the power was cut off, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the stop-play state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state." Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 illuminate in blue, the speaker outputs the message "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained," and the display device 1600 displays a message image saying "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are maintained."

Thus, in Limit Clear Pattern Table 4, when power is turned on, regardless of whether the game state at the time of power-off is maintained (as in Power-On Patterns 1 and 4) or the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) (as in Power-On Patterns 2 and 3), the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the stop-play state and after the start of the stop-play state" is cleared (initialized). This prevents hall managers from forgetting to clear the amount of balls dispensed when powering on, such as at opening time, and prevents the stop-play state from occurring immediately after opening due to the amount of balls dispensed reaching a specific value. Note that if Power-On Pattern 5 is selected when power is turned on, only the ball removal process described above is executed, and gameplay does not start, so the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the stop-play state and after the start of the stop-play state" is not cleared (initialized) and is maintained.

Furthermore, in the restriction clear pattern table 4, when the power is turned on, the "restriction on playing during a stopped state" is cleared (initialized) only if the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. On the other hand, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restriction on playing during a stopped state" is maintained. In other words, regarding the "restriction on playing during a stopped state," the gaming hall can choose whether to maintain or clear it when the power is turned on again after a power-off. For example, if a stopped state has already occurred and you want to remove the restriction on playing, you should perform the power-on operation to clear the "restriction on playing during a stopped state" after the power is turned off. If you want to maintain the restriction on playing, you should perform the power-on operation to maintain the "restriction on playing during a stopped state" after the power is turned off. Note that when power-on pattern 5 is selected, only the ball removal process described above is executed, and the game does not start, so the "restriction on playing during a stopped state" is maintained without being cleared (initialized).

(Notification regarding the amount of balls dispensed in the event of an anomaly detection)
In this example, the system is designed to detect abnormalities such as magnetic fields and vibrations while the power is on, and to determine whether or not an abnormality has been detected. Depending on the type of abnormality, the system may stop the game when an abnormality is detected, and the game cannot be resumed until the power is turned back on. However, if the power is turned back on, as is clear from, for example, the restriction clear pattern table 4, depending on the manner of operation when the power is turned on, the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-loss state begins or after the stop-loss state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-loss state" may be cleared (initialized). Therefore, there is a possibility of new fraudulent activities occurring where players intentionally cause abnormalities at the stage just before the ball amount approaches a certain value and transitions to the stop-loss state, or during the stop-loss state, in order to force the hall manager to turn the power back on and clear (initialize) the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-loss state begins or after the stop-loss state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-loss state". In this example, to prevent such new forms of fraud, the following explains how to implement notifications regarding "the amount of balls dispensed before the stop-loss state begins and after the stop-loss state begins" and "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-loss state" when an anomaly is detected.

Furthermore, in this example, an abnormality check is performed during power-on to determine whether an abnormality has been detected. The abnormality is classified as either minor or major. Minor abnormalities include situations such as the main frame 4 being opened relative to the outer frame 2, the door frame 3 being opened relative to the main frame 4, or the decorative frame members being removed. When a minor abnormality is detected, the game does not stop. When a minor abnormality is detected, an abnormality notification is sent to inform the external system of the occurrence of a minor abnormality. However, the notification is terminated when a predetermined error termination condition is met, such as the elapsed of a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds). In other words, when a minor abnormality is detected, although there is a possibility that the main frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2 due to fraudulent activity, it is easy to confirm whether or not such an action has occurred, so the abnormality notification is terminated at a predetermined time.

On the other hand, detecting severe anomalies includes detecting magnetism, vibration, and radio waves on the pachinko machine 1. The pachinko machine 1 in this example is equipped with a magnetic sensor for detecting magnetism, a vibration sensor for detecting vibration, and a radio wave sensor for detecting unauthorized radio waves, each enabling the detection of magnetism, vibration, and radio waves. When a severe anomaly is detected, it is highly likely that the magnetism, vibration, or radio waves were applied through unauthorized actions rather than by the hall manager, and therefore the game is stopped. Furthermore, when a severe anomaly is detected, an anomaly notification is issued to inform the outside that a severe anomaly has occurred. However, even after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed, this notification does not terminate. Therefore, when a severe anomaly occurs, the hall manager must shut off the power to terminate the anomaly notification, and then restart the power to resume the game.

Furthermore, abnormality notifications are implemented not only using components on the front of the pachinko machine 1, such as the display device 1600, but also using components on the back of the pachinko machine 1, such as the back of the main frame 4 and the back of the game board 5. This allows, for example, a hall manager to detect an abnormality even while performing work on the back of the pachinko machine 1.

Figures 221 to 223 are time charts showing the behavior of a pachinko machine in the event of minor or severe malfunctions. This example will explain, in order, the behavior of the pachinko machine when a minor malfunction occurs during the normal state or the stop-play state, when a severe malfunction occurs during the normal state, and when a severe malfunction occurs during the stop-play state. Note that the normal state refers to a state that is not the stop-play state, before the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. This can include the display of special symbols, the execution of a jackpot game, or the standby state where neither special symbols nor a jackpot game is being executed.

Furthermore, regarding the case where, at timing t1, the payout amount reaches a specific value due to the distribution of prize balls based on balls entering the winning slots, and the machine is determined to have turned on the stop flag and transition to the stop state, this has already been explained using Figure 216. In other words, the behavior of the pachinko machine in the state before the payout amount reaches a specific value (normal state), and in the stop state when no minor or major abnormalities have occurred, has already been explained, so it is omitted here. However, in Figure 216, after transitioning to the stop state at timing t1, no abnormality check is performed to determine whether or not an abnormality such as magnetism or vibration has been detected. In this example, however, abnormality checks are performed even during the stop state, and an abnormality notification is executed to inform the outside that an abnormality has occurred.

Furthermore, in this example, when the payout reaches a specific value, restriction pattern 3 is selected, which performs both "stop gameplay" and "stop firing" as restrictions on gameplay in the stop-play state. Additionally, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, restriction clear pattern table 4 is used as the restriction clear pattern table. The explanation describes the cases where power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout but maintain the stop-play state, and where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear both the payout and the stop-play state.

Figure 221 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during normal operation or when the machine is stopped.

First, before the timing t1 when the system transitions to the stop-down state, it is controlled to the normal state (not the stop-down state). The behavior in the normal state (not the stop-down state) is as described above.

This section describes the case where a minor anomaly is detected at timing tx during normal operation (not in a stopped state). When a minor anomaly is detected, an anomaly notification is triggered to inform the external system of the anomaly. The display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), speaker, and external terminal board perform the error-specific actions as part of the anomaly notification. However, aspects other than the execution of the anomaly notification, such as the progress of the game, remain unchanged from the state before timing tx when no minor anomaly was detected, and the behavior of the normal state (not in a stopped state) is maintained.

Specifically, the performance display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute error-handling operations at timing tx. For example, if a minor anomaly is detected, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the performance display device 1600 will display the message "Door Open Error" as error display A, and will also display the message "Remaining +XX balls until game limit is reached" as current status display A, indicating the remaining amount of balls to be dispensed before gameplay is restricted (the remaining amount of balls to be dispensed before gameplay reaches a specific value). Specifically, the system displays a pre-announcement when the remaining number of balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value reaches 5,000. However, even when this pre-announcement is not being displayed, if a minor anomaly is detected when, for example, the number of balls remaining until the total number of balls reaches the specific value is 50,000, the display device 1600 will display the message "Remaining until the game limit is reached: +50,000 balls" as the current status display A. Note that while current status display A shows the remaining number of balls until the total number of balls reaches the specific value, it may also show the current number of balls at that point in time.

As described above, if a minor anomaly is detected during normal operation (not in a stopped state), the display device 1600 displays not only error display A but also current status display A, showing the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted (the remaining amount of balls until the total amount of balls reaches a specific value). At this time, if the power is cut off, the detection of the minor anomaly is resolved, but when the power is restarted using power-on patterns 1-4 in the restriction clear pattern table 4, the ball count is cleared. In this example, however, the hall manager can determine whether it is safe to restart the power after understanding the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted.

Furthermore, prior to the timing t1 when the game is about to enter the stop-play state, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some components, such as the performance display device 1600, to enable pre-notification operations in order to notify the player that the amount of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Remaining until the play limit is +XX balls" in a specific display area as a pre-notification display. This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 and is used to display when the amount of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game state so that the hall manager does not overlook it. If a minor abnormality is detected while such a pre-notification display is being executed, the performance display device 1600 may also display the current status display A, using the same data as the pre-notification display. Furthermore, when using the pre-notification display to show current status display A, it is configured to be displayed on a higher (front) layer than the layers displaying other visual effects. In this example, current status display A is displayed as the top layer, and the display is controlled to ensure that it can be reliably and continuously recognized during the execution of anomaly notification. This prevents current status display A from becoming unrecognizable.

Furthermore, in this example, for the start of the pre-notification (the action at the start of the pre-notification), in addition to the pre-notification display using the performance display device 1600, lamp B (an LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) is configured to blink for a predetermined period (e.g., 2 seconds) as a pre-notification illumination. This makes it easier to recognize that the amount of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value.

Furthermore, in this example, a pre-notification display is executed when the remaining number of balls to be dispensed reaches 5000, before the total number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. This pre-notification display, as will be explained in more detail later, terminates when the remaining number of balls exceeds 5000. Additionally, the pre-notification display cannot be dismissed after a predetermined time has elapsed or through administrator operation. On the other hand, in the event of a minor or severe malfunction (as described later), the current status display A is executed. This current status display A does not terminate even if the remaining number of balls dispensed changes. Furthermore, the current status display A can be dismissed, for example, after a predetermined time has elapsed until error display A terminates, or through administrator operation that resolves the malfunction. This ensures that it is always possible to distinguish between the pre-notification display and the current status display A.

Furthermore, in this example, the performance display device 1600 is used to display the current status A, but instead of using the display element on the front of the pachinko machine 1, the display element on the back of the main frame 4 or the back of the game board 5 may be used to show the remaining amount of balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value. Also, even when the performance display device 1600 is used to display the current status A, the current status A may be the remaining amount of balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value, or an encrypted version depending on the amount of balls (for example, displaying A when the remaining amount of balls is between 0 and 5000). This allows only the hall manager to check the current status A, preventing fraudulent attempts to obtain the amount of balls by intentionally causing anomalies.

Furthermore, in this example, the display device 1600 executes the current status display A when a minor abnormality occurs, or when a major abnormality occurs (as described later). However, in the case of frequent operational abnormalities (errors), such as the upper tray becoming full in a conventional type of gaming machine (a gaming machine that dispenses prize balls as actual balls outside the machine), the display device 1600 does not execute the current status display A. This prevents the current status display A from being displayed frequently.

Furthermore, in this example, the current status display A is executed on the performance display device 1600 when a minor abnormality occurs or when a severe abnormality occurs (as described later). However, even in the case of a RAM error, the current status display A is executed on the performance display device 1600, treating it as a severe abnormality. However, in the case of a RAM error, since the memory related to the payout amount itself may be abnormal, the current status display A may not be executed on the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, at timing tx, lamps A and B illuminate or flash in a single color as an error signal, and the speaker outputs an error sound stating, "Door open error."

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing TX. This allows the hall computer to receive a security signal if a minor anomaly is detected, enabling the hall to understand that a minor anomaly has occurred.

Furthermore, in this example, the abnormality notification starts at timing tx, but ends after a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), speaker, and external terminal board are returned to normal operation. However, if a minor abnormality, such as the closing of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, is detected to have been resolved before the predetermined period has elapsed, the abnormality notification will end at that point.

Next, at timing t1, the system determines that the amount of balls dispensed based on balls entering the prize slots reaches a specific value. When the main control board 1310 detects balls entering the prize slots, it turns on the stop-play flag, and transitions to a "stopped-play state" where restriction pattern 3 is applied, performing both "stop play" and "stop firing." The behavior of the stopped-play state is as described above.

This section describes the case where a minor anomaly is detected at timing ty while the game is in a stopped state. When a minor anomaly is detected, an anomaly notification is executed to inform an external party of the occurrence of the anomaly. The display device 1600 performs the error-specific actions as part of the anomaly notification. However, other than executing the anomaly notification, such as disabling gameplay, the behavior remains unchanged from the situation before timing ty when no minor anomaly was detected, and the stopped state behavior is maintained.

Specifically, the display device 1600 executes the error handling operation at timing tx. For example, if a minor anomaly is detected, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the display device 1600 displays the message "Door Opening Error" as error display A, and also displays the message "Game Limit Reached" as current status display B, indicating that the game has already entered a stop-play state and is restricted (that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value).

As described above, if a minor anomaly is detected while the machine is in a stopped-play state, the display device 1600 will display not only error display A but also current status display B, indicating that the machine has already entered a stopped-play state and is restricting gameplay (that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value). At this point, restarting the power will resolve the detection of the minor anomaly. However, restarting the power using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the restriction clear pattern table 4 maintains the restriction on gameplay during the stopped-play state, while restarting using power-on patterns 2 and 3 clears the restriction on gameplay during the stopped-play state. In this example, the hall manager can determine which power-on pattern is appropriate to restart the power after understanding that the machine has already entered a stopped-play state and is restricting gameplay.

In this example, only the display device 1600 is used to perform abnormality notification, and other components are prioritized to perform actions when the game is unable to proceed. This allows for easy understanding that even if a minor abnormality is detected during a game-stop state, the game has already entered a game-stop state and gameplay is restricted.

Furthermore, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the stop-play state, or if a major abnormality occurs (as described later), the current status display B is executed. However, this current status display B will not terminate even if the amount of balls dispensed changes afterward. Additionally, the current status display B can be cleared, for example, after a predetermined time has elapsed until error display A terminates, or through administrator operation that resolves the abnormality. This prevents the current status display B from being displayed unnecessarily.

Furthermore, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the stop-play state, or if a major abnormality (described later) occurs, the display device 1600 executes the current status display B. However, if a frequently occurring operational abnormality (error) occurs, such as the upper tray becoming full in a conventional type of gaming machine (a gaming machine that dispenses prize balls as actual balls outside the machine), the display device 1600 does not execute the current status display B. This prevents the current status display B from being displayed frequently.

Furthermore, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the stop-down state, or if a severe abnormality occurs (as described later), the performance display device 1600 executes the current status display B. However, even if a RAM error occurs, for example, it is treated as a severe abnormality, and the performance display device 1600 executes the current status display B. However, if a RAM error occurs, the memory related to the stop-down state itself may be abnormal, so the performance display device 1600 may choose not to execute the current status display B.

Furthermore, regarding the speaker, after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, it executes an action for when the game cannot proceed, outputting a sound indicating that the daily payout limit has been reached and gameplay is restricted. However, this sound indicating that the game cannot proceed may be terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed since its start. This prevents the sound indicating that the game cannot proceed from continuing to be output after the game has entered a state where play has stopped, thus preventing interference with other players playing on other pachinko machines 1.

Furthermore, the external terminal board is forced to output a security signal from timing t1, when the machine transitions to the stop-down state. However, if a minor anomaly is detected at timing tx, the system does not terminate the currently outputting security signal and output a new one; instead, it continues to output the security signal. This prevents the hall staff from mistakenly believing that the machine has stopped.

Furthermore, in this example, the abnormality notification is initiated at timing ty, but terminates after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed. In other words, the display device 1600 returns to its operation as it was when the system was unable to proceed. However, if a minor abnormality, such as the closing of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, is detected to have been resolved before the predetermined period has elapsed, the abnormality notification will terminate at that point.

Next, after transitioning to the stop-down state, the power is shut off at timing t2, and then restored at timing t3. In this example, when the power is restored, the limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table.

First, at timing t3, the power is restored. We will now explain the case where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the payout amount and the stop-play state. When power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized). This includes clearing (initializing) the payout amount before and after the stop-play state began, as well as the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state. Therefore, regardless of whether power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, the system is controlled to a normal state (not in a stop-play state) by clearing the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state. In other words, it becomes possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310. The behavior in the normal state (not in a stop-play state) is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 2 at timing t3. For example, the display device 1600 displays a predetermined combination of decorative patterns as its initial display, and also displays the message "Limit cleared" as clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and play limit have been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount and play limit have been cleared when the power is restored. However, regarding clear notification 2, if the play limit is not reached when the power is cut off, it is not necessary to notify that the play limit has been cleared, or it may be necessary to notify that the payout amount has been cleared, or the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3, lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 2, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in red.

Furthermore, at timing t3, the speaker outputs a voice message, "Limit cleared," as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and the limit have been cleared.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 2 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their normal operation. However, the normal operation may be started before the clear notification 2 is terminated. Also, the clear notification 2 displayed on the display device 1600 may continue to be displayed even after the predetermined period has elapsed. Furthermore, it may be possible to erase such a clear notification 2 through administrator operation. This makes it more difficult to perform fraudulent acts, as the clear notification 2 will remain displayed unless erased by administrator operation.

Next, we will explain the case where the power is restored at timing t3', specifically when power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-play state. When power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, the game state at the time of power cut-off is maintained. However, the payout amount before and after the stop-play state began is cleared (initialized), while the restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state is maintained. Therefore, regardless of whether power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the behavior of the stop-play state is maintained by preserving the restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state. In other words, it becomes impossible to restart gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. The behavior of the stop-play state is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 1 at timing t3'. For example, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as clear notification 1 to indicate that the payout amount has been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, clear notification 1 may also notify that the stop-play state was maintained when the power was cut off, or it may not only notify that the payout amount has been cleared, but also the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3', lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 1, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing green.

Furthermore, at timing t3', the speaker outputs a voice message indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, as a clear notification 1.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 1 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their operation when the game is unable to proceed. However, the operation when the game is unable to proceed may be started before the clear notification 1 is terminated.

Specifically, the display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction in Progress" as a notification of an inability to proceed (indication of inability to proceed). In addition, the display device 1600 displays the message "A RAM reset will return the machine to normal state" as a notification of how to clear the state (indication of how to clear the state), intended for hall managers. This allows hall managers to understand that the state cannot be cleared unless power-on patterns 2 or 3, which involve a RAM reset, are selected when the power is turned back on.

Furthermore, regarding the speaker, when the system performs an action to indicate that the game has become unplayable, it outputs a voice message as a notification of unplayable state (a sound indicating that the game has become unplayable): "You have reached the daily payout limit, and gameplay is restricted." However, as mentioned above, while this unplayable sound may end after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since its start, even if the unplayable sound is stopped during the unplayable state, it may be restarted if the power is turned on again at timing t3'. In this case, the unplayable sound will end after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t3'. This allows the player to easily understand that the unplayable state has not been cleared and gameplay is restricted, as the unplayable sound is output again upon power-on.

In this example, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is turned on again, the payout amount is cleared, but the stop-play state is maintained. Therefore, the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification are executed after the clear notification 1 is completed, and clear notification 1 is executed with priority over the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared when the power is turned on again. Alternatively, the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification may be executed in parallel with clear notification 1, or they may be executed alternately. Furthermore, when the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification are executed in parallel with clear notification 1, clear notification 1 may be executed in some of the components and the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification in the remaining components, or even in the same component, clear notification 1 may be executed in some areas and the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification in the remaining areas. Furthermore, even when the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification are executed in parallel with clear notification 1, clear notification 1 may be terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. Furthermore, the notification of how to clear the system may also be terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds).

Figure 222 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs during normal operation.

First, prior to the timing tx for detecting a severe anomaly, the system is controlled to a normal state (not in a stopped state). The behavior in the normal state (not in a stopped state) is as described above.

This section explains what happens when a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx during normal operation (not in a stopped state). When a severe abnormality is detected, the launch of game balls is disabled, and the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed. In other words, if a severe abnormality occurs, the special symbol variation display and jackpot game will not be executed. Even if a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display will not begin anew.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected, an abnormality notification is executed to inform an external party of the occurrence of the abnormality. The display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, movable parts, and external terminal board perform the appropriate actions when an error occurs as part of the abnormality notification.

Specifically, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute error-handling actions at timing tx. For example, if a severe abnormality such as magnetism is detected, the display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic Abnormality" as error display B, and also displays the message "Remaining +XX balls until game limit is reached" as current status display A, indicating the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted (the remaining amount of balls until gameplay reaches a specific value).

As described above, if a severe abnormality is detected during normal operation (not in a stopped state), the display device 1600 displays not only error display B but also current status display A, showing the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted (the remaining amount of balls until the total amount of balls reaches a specific value). At this time, if the power is cut off, the detection of a severe abnormality is resolved, but when the power is restarted using power-on patterns 1-4 in the restriction clear pattern table 4, the amount of balls is cleared. In this example, however, the hall manager can determine whether it is safe to restart the power after understanding the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted.

Furthermore, before transitioning to the stop-play state, the peripheral control board 1510 uses some components, such as the performance display device 1600, to enable pre-notification operations in order to notify the player that the amount of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value. Specifically, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Remaining until play limit is +XX balls" as a pre-notification display in a specific display area. This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 and is used to display when the amount of balls dispensed is approaching a specific value. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game state so that the hall manager does not overlook it. If a serious abnormality is detected while such a pre-notification display is being executed, the performance display device 1600 may also display the current status display A, using the same data as the pre-notification display. Furthermore, when using the pre-notification display to show current status display A, it is configured to be displayed on a higher (front) layer than the layers displaying other visual effects. In this example, current status display A is displayed as the top layer, and the display is controlled to ensure that it can be reliably and continuously recognized during the execution of anomaly notification. This prevents current status display A from becoming unrecognizable.

Furthermore, at timing tx, lamps A and B are designed to illuminate or blink in a single color as an error signal.

Furthermore, Lamp C includes a function display unit 1400 equipped with a status indicator, a normal symbol indicator, a normal hold indicator, a first special symbol indicator, a first special hold count indicator, a second special symbol indicator, a second special hold count indicator, a round indicator, etc., and all of these LEDs are configured to light up. However, as an alternative, the function display unit 1400 may be equipped with an LED dedicated to abnormality notification, and if a severe abnormality is detected, this abnormality notification LED may be illuminated while the other LEDs are turned off.

Furthermore, the speaker is configured to emit an error sound stating, "A magnetic anomaly has occurred."

Furthermore, movable parts are rendered inoperable at timing tx. For example, if a movable part is in motion at timing tx, it is forcibly stopped mid-movement. However, as an alternative, movable parts may be returned to their initial position after timing tx if they are not in their initial position, and then stopped. This ensures that even if a movable part is positioned in front of the display area of the display device 1600 at timing tx, it will return to its initial position after timing tx, making it less likely to miss error display B or current status display A displayed on the display device 1600.

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing TX. This means that if a severe anomaly is detected, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand that a severe anomaly has occurred.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx, the system prevents the game ball from being launched into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed) are not included in the count. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls are disabled, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor 1310h. However, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) may be included in the count, and calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls may be performed to reflect this in the base value displayed on the base monitor 1310h.

Furthermore, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing TX, any balls detected entering the prize slot before timing TX will be dispensed as prize balls, and the number of prize balls dispensed will be added to the player's ball count. This allows the player to receive prize balls up to the number of balls played until the total payout reaches a specific value. On the other hand, if a ball is detected entering the prize slot after a severe anomaly has been detected at timing TX, no prize balls will be dispensed, nor will they be added to the player's ball count. However, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing TX, the system may be configured not to detect balls entering the prize slot. Similarly, even if a ball enters the prize slot, no prize balls will be dispensed, nor will they be added to the player's ball count.

Furthermore, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing tx, the system executes the error-specific action as an anomaly notification. However, if another severe anomaly is detected at timing ty, the system continues executing the error-specific action without changing it. However, it is also possible to configure the system so that no further severe anomalies are detected after a severe anomaly has been detected at timing tx.

Furthermore, in this example, although the abnormality notification starts at timing TX, it does not terminate even after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed. Therefore, in the event of a severe abnormality, the hall manager must terminate the abnormality notification by shutting off the power, and then restart the game by restoring power.

Next, after detecting a severe anomaly during normal operation (not in a stopped state), the power supply is shut off at timing t2 to terminate the anomaly notification, and then the power is restored at timing t3. In this example, the limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table when the power is restored.

First, at timing t3, the power is restored. We will now explain the case where power restoration patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the payout amount and the stop-play state. When power restoration patterns 2 and 3 are selected, the game state at the time of power interruption is cleared (initialized). This includes clearing (initializing) the payout amount before and after the stop-play state began, as well as the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state. In this example, since the game was not in a stop-play state when the power was interrupted at timing t2, when the power is restored at timing t3, regardless of whether power restoration patterns 2 and 3 are selected, the system is controlled to a normal state (not in a stop-play state). In other words, it is possible to resume gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310. The behavior in the normal state (not in a stop-play state) is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 2 at timing t3. For example, the display device 1600 displays a predetermined combination of decorative patterns as its initial display, and also displays the message "Limit cleared" as clear notification 2 to indicate that the payout amount and the stop-play state have been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount and the stop-play state have been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, regarding clear notification 2, since the stop-play state is not cleared when the power is cut off, it is not necessary to notify that the stop-play state has been cleared, or it may be necessary to notify that the payout amount has been cleared, or the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3, lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 2, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in red.

Furthermore, at timing t3, the speaker outputs a voice message, "Limit cleared," as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and the limit have been cleared.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 2 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their normal operation. However, the normal operation may be started before the clear notification 2 is terminated. Also, the clear notification 2 displayed on the display device 1600 may continue to be displayed even after the predetermined period has elapsed. Furthermore, it may be possible to erase such a clear notification 2 through administrator operation. This makes it more difficult to perform fraudulent acts, as the clear notification 2 will remain displayed unless erased by administrator operation.

Next, we will explain the case where, at timing t3', the power is restored, and power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-play state. When power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, the game state at the time of power cut-off is maintained, but the payout amount before and after the stop-play state began is cleared (initialized), while the restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state is maintained. In this example, since the game was not in a stop-play state when the power was cut off at timing t2, when the power is restored at timing t3, regardless of whether power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, the system is controlled to a normal state (not in a stop-play state). In other words, it is possible to resume gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310. The behavior in the normal state (not in a stop-play state) is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 1 at timing t3'. For example, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as clear notification 1 to indicate that the payout amount has been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, clear notification 1 may also notify that the stop-play state was maintained when the power was cut off, or it may not only notify that the payout amount has been cleared, but also the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3', lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 1, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in green.

Furthermore, at timing t3', the speaker outputs a voice message indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, as a clear notification 1.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 1 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their normal operation. However, the normal operation may be started before the clear notification 1 is terminated.

Figure 223 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs while it is in a stopped-play state.

First, the system is controlled to a shutdown state before the timing tx, which is used to detect severe abnormalities. The behavior of the shutdown state is as described above.

This section describes the case where a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx while the game is in a stopped state. When a severe abnormality is detected, an abnormality notification is executed to inform an external party of the occurrence of the abnormality. The display device 1600 performs the error-specific actions as an abnormality notification. However, other than executing the abnormality notification, such as disabling gameplay, the behavior remains unchanged from the state before timing tx when a severe abnormality was not detected, and the stopped state behavior is maintained.

Specifically, the display device 1600 executes the error handling operation at timing tx. For example, if a severe anomaly is detected, such as magnetism, the display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic Anomaly" as error display B, and also displays the message "Game Limit Reached" as current status display B, indicating that the game has already entered a stop-play state and is restricted (that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value).

As described above, if a severe abnormality is detected while the machine is in a stopped-play state, the display device 1600 will display not only error display B but also current status display B, indicating that the machine has already entered a stopped-play state and is restricting gameplay (that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value). At this point, restarting the power will resolve the detection of the severe abnormality. However, when the power is restarted using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the restriction clear pattern table 4, the restriction on gameplay during the stopped-play state is maintained, while when the power is restarted using power-on patterns 2 and 3, the restriction on gameplay during the stopped-play state is cleared. In this example, the hall manager can understand that the machine has already entered a stopped-play state and is restricting gameplay, and then decide which power-on pattern is appropriate to restart the power.

Furthermore, in this example, only the display device 1600 is used to perform abnormality notification, and other components are prioritized to perform actions when the game is unable to proceed. This allows for easy understanding that even if a severe abnormality is detected during a game-stop state, the game has already entered a game-stop state and gameplay is restricted.

Furthermore, the external terminal board is forced to output a security signal from timing t1, when the machine transitions to the stop-down state. However, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing tx, the system does not terminate the currently outputting security signal or output a new one; instead, it continues to output the security signal. This prevents the hall staff from mistakenly believing that the machine has stopped.

Furthermore, in this example, although the abnormality notification starts at timing TX, it does not terminate even after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed. Therefore, in the event of a severe abnormality, the hall manager must terminate the abnormality notification by shutting off the power, and then restart the game by restoring power.

Next, after detecting a severe anomaly while the system is in a stopped state, the power is shut off at timing t2 to terminate the anomaly notification, and then the power is restored at timing t3. In this example, when the power is restored, the restriction clear pattern table 4 is used as the restriction clear pattern table.

First, at timing t3, the power is restored. We will now explain the case where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the payout amount and the stop-play state. When power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized). This includes clearing (initializing) the payout amount before and after the stop-play state began, as well as the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state. Therefore, regardless of whether power-on pattern 2 or 3 is selected, the system is controlled to a normal state (not in a stop-play state) by clearing the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state. In other words, it becomes possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310. The behavior in the normal state (not in a stop-play state) is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 2 at timing t3. For example, the display device 1600 displays a predetermined combination of decorative patterns as its initial display, and also displays the message "Limit cleared" as clear notification 2 to indicate that the payout amount and play limit have been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount and play limit have been cleared when the power is restored. However, regarding clear notification 2, if the play limit is not reached when the power is cut off, it is not necessary to notify that the play limit has been cleared, or it may be necessary to notify that the payout amount has been cleared, or the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3, lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 2, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in red.

Furthermore, at timing t3, the speaker outputs a voice message, "Limit cleared," as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and the limit have been cleared.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 2 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their normal operation. However, the clear notification 2 displayed on the display device 1600 may continue to be displayed even after the predetermined period has elapsed. Also, such a clear notification 2 may be made available for deletion by an administrator. This makes it more difficult to perform fraudulent acts, as the clear notification 2 will remain displayed unless deleted by an administrator.

Next, we will explain the case where the power is restored at timing t3', specifically when power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-play state. When power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, the game state at the time of power cut-off is maintained. However, the payout amount before and after the stop-play state began is cleared (initialized), while the restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state is maintained. Therefore, regardless of whether power-on pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the behavior of the stop-play state is maintained by preserving the restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state. In other words, it becomes impossible to restart gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. The behavior of the stop-play state is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 1 at timing t3'. For example, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as clear notification 1 to indicate that the payout amount has been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, clear notification 1 may also notify that the stop-play state was maintained when the power was cut off, or it may not only notify that the payout amount has been cleared, but also the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3', lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 1, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in green.

Furthermore, at timing t3', the speaker outputs a voice message indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, as a clear notification 1.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 1 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their operation when the game is unable to proceed. However, the operation when the game is unable to proceed may be started before the clear notification 1 is terminated.

Specifically, the display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction in Progress" as a notification of an inability to proceed (indication of inability to proceed). In addition, the display device 1600 displays the message "A RAM reset will return the machine to normal state" as a notification of how to clear the state (indication of how to clear the state), intended for hall managers. This allows hall managers to understand that the state cannot be cleared unless power-on patterns 2 or 3, which involve a RAM reset, are selected when the power is turned back on.

Furthermore, regarding the speaker, when the system performs an action to indicate that the game has become unplayable, it outputs a voice message as a notification of unplayable state (a sound indicating that the game has become unplayable): "You have reached the daily payout limit, and gameplay is restricted." However, as mentioned above, while this unplayable sound may end after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since its start, even if the unplayable sound is stopped during the unplayable state, it may be restarted if the power is turned on again at timing t3'. In this case, the unplayable sound will end after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t3'. This allows the player to easily understand that the unplayable state has not been cleared and gameplay is restricted, as the unplayable sound is output again upon power-on.

In this example, when power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected upon power-on restart, the payout amount is cleared, but the stop-play state is maintained. Therefore, after clear notification 1 is completed, the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification are executed, with clear notification 1 taking priority over the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared upon power-on restart. Alternatively, clear notification 1 may be executed in parallel with the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification, or they may be executed alternately. Furthermore, when executing clear notification 1 in parallel with the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification, clear notification 1 may be executed in some of the components while the remaining components execute the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification. Even within the same component, clear notification 1 may be executed in some areas while the remaining areas execute the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification. Even when executing clear notification 1 in parallel with the "cannot proceed" notification and the "clear method" notification, clear notification 1 may be terminated after a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds).

(If a stop-loss preparation state is set: Notification regarding the amount of balls dispensed when an abnormality is detected during the stop-loss preparation state)
In the above configuration, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the main control board 1310 puts the game into a stop-play state to restrict gameplay. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, the game may be configured not to put the game into a stop-play state until the jackpot game ends, but rather to transition to the stop-play state when the jackpot game ends. For example, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during an intermediate round of a jackpot game, the game may not immediately put the game into a stop-play state, but rather transition to the stop-play state when the final round of the jackpot game ends. In other words, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, it is possible to obtain balls that exceed the specific value. In this way, by not ending the jackpot game when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, player dissatisfaction can be reduced.

In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state. Although the transition to the stop-play state is confirmed, the jackpot game continues. Furthermore, similar to the stop-play state, the system is configured to either maintain or clear the stop-play preparation state upon power re-energization after a power outage.

Specifically, in the restriction clear pattern table 4, when the power is turned on, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is cleared (initialized) only if the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3, but the stop-play preparation state is also cleared (initialized). On the other hand, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is maintained, but the stop-play preparation state is also maintained. In other words, regarding the stop-play preparation state, just like the stop-play state, it is possible to choose whether to maintain or clear it when the power is turned on again after a power-off. For example, if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value and a stop-play preparation state occurs, and you want to clear that stop-play preparation state, you should perform a power-on operation to clear the stop-play preparation state after the power is turned off, but such a power-on operation will clear the jackpot game that was in progress. On the other hand, if you want to maintain the stop-play preparation state, you can perform the power-on operation to maintain the stop-play preparation state after the power is cut off. However, this power-on operation will restart any ongoing jackpot game. Note that if power-on pattern 5 is selected at power-on, only the ball removal process described above will be executed, and the game will not start; therefore, the stop-play preparation state will not be cleared (initialized) and will be maintained.

Figure 224 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a minor abnormality occurs during the preparation state for stopping play.

First, at timing t1 during a jackpot game, the system determines that the amount of balls dispensed based on balls entering the winning slot reaches a specific value. When the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering that slot, it turns on the stop flag, transitioning to the stop preparation state. Prior to timing t1, when transitioning to the stop preparation state, the system is controlled to the normal state (not the stop state), and the jackpot game is executed. The behavior in the normal state (not the stop state) is as described above.

Furthermore, in the stop-and-go preparation state, the ongoing jackpot game continues. Also, in the stop-and-go preparation state, after a predetermined time has elapsed from timing t1, the display device 1600 is used to perform a standby notification to inform the external system that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value. For example, in addition to displaying information about the ongoing jackpot game (normal display), the display device 1600 also displays a standby message indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value, such as "The jackpot is over, and today's game is finished." In this way, the stop-and-go preparation state provides advance notice that the game will transition to the stop-and-go state when the jackpot game ends.

On the other hand, aspects other than the execution of the standby notification, such as the progress of the jackpot game, remain unchanged from the situation before timing t1, and maintain the behavior of the normal state (not in a stopped state).

In this example, the standby notification is performed using only the performance display device 1600, and other components are prioritized for normal operation. This allows for easy acquisition of information regarding the ongoing jackpot game during the stop-play preparation state.

Next, we will explain the case where a minor abnormality is detected at timing tx during the stop-play preparation state. When a minor abnormality is detected, an abnormality notification is executed to inform the external system of the occurrence of the abnormality. The display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), speaker, and external terminal board perform the error-specific actions as an abnormality notification. On the other hand, aspects other than the execution of the abnormality notification, such as the progress of the jackpot game, remain unchanged from the state before timing tx when no minor abnormality was detected, and maintain the behavior of the normal state (not in the stop-play state).

Specifically, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute error-handling actions at timing tx. For example, if a minor anomaly is detected, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the display device 1600 will display the message "Door Opening Error" as error display A, and also display the message "Big Win Ended, Today's Game Over" as current status display C, indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value.

As described above, if a minor anomaly is detected during the stop-play preparation state, the display device 1600 displays not only error display A but also current status display C, indicating that the payout amount has already reached a specific value. At this point, if the power is cut off, the detection of the minor anomaly is resolved. However, when the power is restarted using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the limit clear pattern table 4, the stop-play preparation state is maintained, while restarting the power using power-on patterns 2 and 3 clears the stop-play preparation state. In this example, the hall manager can determine which power-on pattern is appropriate to restart the power after understanding that the payout amount has already reached a specific value and the machine has entered the stop-play preparation state.

Furthermore, during the stop-loss preparation state, the performance display device 1600 displays a message, "The jackpot is over, and today's game is finished," as a standby display, indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. However, if a minor abnormality is detected during this stop-loss preparation state, the performance display device 1600 may reuse the same data as the standby display to display the current status display C. When using the standby display to display the current status display C, the current status display C is displayed as the highest layer, and the display is controlled to ensure continuous recognition during the execution of abnormality notification. This prevents the current status display C from becoming unrecognizable.

Furthermore, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the stop-play preparation state, or if a major abnormality occurs (as described later), the current status display C is executed. However, this current status display C will not terminate even if the amount of balls dispensed changes afterward. Also, the current status display C can be cleared, for example, after a predetermined time has elapsed until error display A terminates, or through administrator operation that resolves the abnormality. This prevents the current status display C from being displayed unnecessarily.

Furthermore, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the preparation state for stopping play, or if a major abnormality (described later) occurs, the display device 1600 executes the current status display C. However, if a frequently occurring operational abnormality (error) occurs, such as the upper tray becoming full in a conventional type of gaming machine (a gaming machine that dispenses prize balls as actual balls outside the machine), the display device 1600 does not execute the current status display C. This prevents the current status display C from being displayed frequently.

Furthermore, in this example, if a minor abnormality occurs during the stop-down preparation state, or if a severe abnormality (described later) occurs, the performance display device 1600 executes the current status display C. However, even if a RAM error occurs, for example, it is treated as a severe abnormality, and the performance display device 1600 executes the current status display C. However, if a RAM error occurs, the memory related to the stop-down preparation state itself may be abnormal, so the performance display device 1600 may choose not to execute the current status display C.

Furthermore, at timing tx, lamps A and B illuminate or flash in a single color as an error signal, and the speaker outputs an error sound stating, "Door open error."

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing TX. This allows the hall computer to receive a security signal if a minor anomaly is detected, enabling the hall to understand that a minor anomaly has occurred.

Furthermore, in this example, the abnormality notification starts at timing tx, but ends after a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), speaker, and external terminal board are returned to normal operation. However, if a minor abnormality, such as the closing of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, is detected to have been resolved before the predetermined period has elapsed, the abnormality notification will end at that point.

Next, at timing tz, it is determined that the jackpot game has ended. However, after the jackpot game state ends, the system transitions to a "stopped play state" where restriction pattern 3 is applied, which involves both "stopping gameplay" and "stopping firing." The behavior of the stopped play state is as described above.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the power is shut off at timing t2, and then restarted at the subsequent timing t3. In this example, when the power is restarted, the limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table. Here, the power is restarted at timing t3, but the power restart patterns selected are power restart patterns 2 and 3, which clear the payout amount and the stop-play state; and the power is restarted at timing t3', but the power restart patterns selected are power restart patterns 1 and 4, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-play state. These behaviors are explained in Figure 221.

Figure 225 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a severe malfunction occurs during the preparation phase for stopping play.

First, prior to the timing tx when a severe anomaly is detected, the system is controlled to a stop-play preparation state, and the jackpot game is executed. The behavior of the stop-play preparation state is as described above.

This section describes the case where a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx during the stop-play preparation state. If a severe abnormality is detected, the launch of game balls is disabled, and the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed. In other words, if a severe abnormality occurs, the currently running jackpot game is stopped.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected, an abnormality notification is executed to inform an external party of the occurrence of the abnormality. The display device 1600, lamps A-C, speaker, movable parts, and external terminal board perform the appropriate actions when an error occurs as part of the abnormality notification.

Specifically, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute error-handling actions at timing tx. For example, if a severe abnormality such as magnetism is detected, the display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic abnormality" as error display B, and also displays the message "Big win ended, today's game is over" as current status display C, indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value.

As described above, if a severe abnormality is detected during the stop-play preparation state, the display device 1600 displays not only error display A but also current status display C, indicating that the payout amount has already reached a specific value. At this point, if the power is cut off, the detection of the severe abnormality is resolved. However, when the power is restarted using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the limit clear pattern table 4, the stop-play preparation state is maintained, while restarting the power using power-on patterns 2 and 3 clears the stop-play preparation state. In this example, the hall manager can determine which power-on pattern is appropriate to restart the power after understanding that the payout amount has already reached a specific value and the machine has entered the stop-play preparation state.

Furthermore, during the stop-loss preparation state, the performance display device 1600 displays a message, "The jackpot is over, and today's game is finished," as a standby display, indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. However, if a severe abnormality is detected during this stop-loss preparation state, the performance display device 1600 may reuse the same data as the standby display to display the current status display C. When using the standby display to display the current status display C, the current status display C is displayed as the highest layer, and the display is controlled to ensure continuous recognition during the execution of the abnormality notification. This prevents the current status display C from becoming unrecognizable.

Furthermore, at timing tx, lamps A and B are designed to illuminate or blink in a single color as an error signal.

Furthermore, Lamp C includes a function display unit 1400 equipped with a status indicator, a normal symbol indicator, a normal hold indicator, a first special symbol indicator, a first special hold count indicator, a second special symbol indicator, a second special hold count indicator, a round indicator, etc., and all of these LEDs are configured to light up. However, as an alternative, the function display unit 1400 may be equipped with an LED dedicated to abnormality notification, and if a severe abnormality is detected, this abnormality notification LED may be illuminated while the other LEDs are turned off.

Furthermore, the speaker is configured to emit an error sound stating, "A magnetic anomaly has occurred."

Furthermore, movable parts are rendered inoperable at timing tx. For example, if a movable part is in motion at timing tx, it is forcibly stopped mid-movement. However, as an alternative, movable parts may be returned to their initial position after timing tx if they are not in their initial position, and then stopped. This ensures that even if a movable part is positioned in front of the display area of the display device 1600 at timing tx, it will return to its initial position after timing tx, making it less likely to miss the error display B or current status display C being displayed on the display device 1600.

Furthermore, the external terminal board outputs a security signal at timing TX. This means that if a severe anomaly is detected, a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand that a severe anomaly has occurred.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx, the system prevents the game ball from being launched into the game area 5a when the player operates the handle 160.

Furthermore, if a severe abnormality is detected at timing tx, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed) are not included in the count. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls are disabled, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor 1310h. However, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slots (prize entry slots, out slots) (number of balls entered) may be included in the count, and calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls may be performed to reflect this in the base value displayed on the base monitor 1310h.

Furthermore, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing TX, any balls that entered the prize slot before timing TX will be dispensed as prize balls, and the number of prize balls dispensed will be added to the player's ball count. This allows the player to receive prize balls up to the number of balls played until the total payout reaches a specific value. On the other hand, if a ball is detected entering the prize slot after a severe anomaly has been detected at timing TX, no prize balls will be dispensed, nor will they be added to the player's ball count. However, if a severe anomaly is detected at timing TX, the system may be configured not to detect balls entering the prize slot. Similarly, even if a ball enters the prize slot, no prize balls will be dispensed, nor will they be added to the player's ball count.

Furthermore, in this example, although the abnormality notification starts at timing TX, it does not terminate even after a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed. Therefore, in the event of a severe abnormality, the hall manager must terminate the abnormality notification by shutting off the power, and then restart the game by restoring power.

Next, after detecting a severe anomaly during the shutdown preparation state, the power is shut off at timing t2 to terminate the anomaly notification, and then the power is restored at timing t3. In this example, the limit clear pattern table 4 is used as the limit clear pattern table when the power is restored.

First, at timing t3, the power is restored. We will now explain the case where power restoration patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the payout amount and the stop-play state. When power restoration patterns 2 and 3 are selected, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized), thus clearing information related to the ongoing jackpot game. Furthermore, the "payout amount before and after the start of the stop-play state" and "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are cleared (initialized), as is the stop-play preparation state. Therefore, regardless of whether power restoration pattern 2 or 3 is selected, the system is controlled to a normal state (not in a stop-play state) by clearing the stop-play preparation state. In other words, it is possible to resume gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310. However, the ongoing jackpot game will not be resumed. The behavior in the normal state (not in a stop-play state) is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame decoration member), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 2 at timing t3. For example, the display device 1600 displays a predetermined combination of decorative patterns as its initial display, and also displays the message "Limit cleared" as clear notification 2 to indicate that the payout amount and the stop-play preparation state have been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount and the stop-play preparation state have been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, regarding clear notification 2, if the machine is not in the stop-play preparation state when the power is cut off, it is not necessary to notify that the stop-play preparation state has been cleared, or it may be necessary to notify that the payout amount has been cleared, or the payout amount at the time of clearing. Also, regarding clear notification 2, a common notification is executed when the stop-play state is cleared and when the stop-play preparation state is cleared, but different notifications may be executed.

Furthermore, at timing t3, lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 2, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in red.

Furthermore, at timing t3, the speaker outputs a voice message, "Limit cleared," as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and the stop-play preparation state have been cleared.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 2 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. That is, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their normal operation. However, the normal operation may be started before the clear notification 2 is terminated. Also, the clear notification 2 displayed on the display device 1600 may continue to be displayed even after the predetermined period has elapsed. Furthermore, it may be possible to erase such a clear notification 2 through administrator operation. This makes it more difficult to perform fraudulent acts, as the clear notification 2 will remain displayed unless erased by administrator operation.

Next, we will explain the case where the power is restored at timing t3', specifically when power restoration patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-play state. When power restoration patterns 1 and 4 are selected, the game state at the time of the power cut is maintained, thus preserving information about the ongoing jackpot game. Furthermore, the payout amount before and after the start of the stop-play state is cleared (initialized), while the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state are maintained, as is the stop-play preparation state. Therefore, regardless of whether power restoration pattern 1 or 4 is selected, the stop-play preparation state is maintained. In other words, in the stop-play preparation state, the ongoing jackpot game will resume. The behavior of the stop-play preparation state is as described above.

The display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and speaker execute clear notification 1 at timing t3'. For example, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as clear notification 1 to indicate that the payout amount has been cleared. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. However, clear notification 1 may also notify that the stop-play state was maintained when the power was cut off, or it may not only notify that the payout amount has been cleared, but also the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Furthermore, at timing t3', lamps A and B are designed to display a clear notification 1, with the LEDs lighting up or flashing in green.

Furthermore, at timing t3', the speaker outputs a voice message indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, as a clear notification 1.

Furthermore, in this example, the clear notification 1 is started at timing t3, but it is terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. In other words, the display device 1600, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speaker are returned to their normal operation. However, the normal operation may be started before the clear notification 1 terminates.

Specifically, the display device 1600 displays information about the resumed jackpot game (normal display), and also displays a standby message, "The jackpot is over for today," indicating that the payout has already reached a specific value. In addition, the display device 1600 displays a message for hall managers indicating how to clear the stop-play preparation state, stating, "A RAM clear will return it to the normal state." This allows hall managers to understand that the stop-play preparation state cannot be cleared unless power-on patterns 2 and 3, which involve a RAM clear, are selected when the power is turned on again. However, the notification of the clear method may be executed after waiting for the machine to transition from the stop-play preparation state to the stop-play state.

In this example, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is restarted, the display device 1600 displays the normal display (display related to the resumed jackpot game) or the standby display after the clear notification 1 has finished. However, the normal display and standby display may be executed in parallel with the clear notification 1. This prevents the player from missing out on winnings when the jackpot game resumes.

Furthermore, in this example, since the payout amount is cleared but the stop-play preparation state is maintained, the standby display notification and clear method notification are executed after the clear notification 1 is completed, and clear notification 1 is executed with priority over the standby display notification and clear method notification. This allows the hall manager to confirm that the payout amount has been cleared when the power is turned back on. Alternatively, the standby display notification and clear method notification may be executed in parallel with clear notification 1, or the clear notification 1 and the standby display notification and clear method notification may be executed alternately. Also, when the standby display notification and clear method notification are executed in parallel with clear notification 1, clear notification 1 may be executed in some of the components and the standby display notification and clear method notification in the remaining components, or even in the same component, clear notification 1 may be executed in some areas and the standby display notification and clear method notification in the remaining areas. Furthermore, even when the standby display notification and clear method notification are executed in parallel with clear notification 1, clear notification 1 may be terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed. Furthermore, the notification of how to clear the system may also be terminated after a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds).

Figure 226 shows specific examples of how the game plays when a minor anomaly occurs during normal or stopped-play states. In this example, the "specific value" is set to 100,000, and restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern." That is, when restriction pattern 3 is set, the game enters a stopped-play state with "game stop" and "shooting stop" when the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (100,000 balls).

As shown in Figure 226(A), the performance display device 1600 executes a variation performance (performance based on variation patterns) corresponding to the variation display of special symbols, and displays the variation of decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the lower left area of the performance display device 1600 displays a hold indicator for the number of special symbol variations that are waiting to be displayed when a game ball enters the first start slot 2002 or the second start slot 2004.

As shown in Figure 226(B), if a minor anomaly is detected during normal operation, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the display of the decorative symbols continues. However, in the central area of the performance display device 1600, an error display A is shown, indicating that the main frame 4 is open: "Door open error. Please call an attendant." Furthermore, in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, a current status display A is shown, indicating the remaining amount of balls until the game is restricted (the remaining amount of balls until the total amount of balls reaches a specific value): "+42,000 balls remaining until game restriction." These error displays A and current status displays A are displayed on a higher layer than the game-related information displays such as decorative symbols. Also, the current status display A is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the game-related information displays or error displays A. This ensures that the remaining amount of balls until game restriction is reliably determined when a minor anomaly occurs.

As shown in Figure 226(C), when a predetermined error termination condition is met, such as the closing of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, the display device 1600 clears the error display A and the current status display A.

As shown in Figure 226(D), when the number of balls dispensed approaches a specific value, for example, when the number of balls remaining until the dispensed amount reaches the specific value becomes "+500 balls", the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message indicating "Remaining balls until game limit is reached +500 balls," as part of the pre-notification operation. Note that this pre-notification message is displayed in a position that does not overlap with game-related information displays such as decorative symbols.

As shown in Figure 226(E), when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game enters a stop-play state and restricts gameplay. The display device 1600 then displays an image corresponding to the stop-play state. The image corresponding to the stop-play state displays the message "Gameplay Restricted," along with the messages "Gameplay is restricted because the daily ball dispenser limit of 100,000 balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch used to execute the settlement process. When the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the stopped symbols of the decorative symbols, the stopped symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the pre-notification indicator. However, such game-related information is not displayed (made invisible) once the "Gameplay Restriction" message is displayed after the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and the message is displayed on the darkened screen. This allows us to understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a certain value and that a restriction on gameplay has been imposed, and that the restriction cannot be lifted without intervention from the hall manager. Furthermore, it allows us to understand that the number of balls a player has can be settled by operating the counting button switch.

In the above description, before the payout reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the pre-notification indicator. However, all such game-related information is made unreadable once the payout reaches the specific value. However, when the payout reaches the specific value, some of the game-related information may be made unreadable, while the rest remains readable. For example, the pre-notification indicator, which contains information about whether or not game restrictions will be imposed, may be made unreadable, while the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, and the hold indicator may remain readable. This allows for understanding the circumstances under which the payout reached the specific value, even after the payout has reached that value.

As shown in Figure 226(F), if a minor anomaly is detected during the stop-play state, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the central area of the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Door open error. Please call an attendant" as error display A, indicating that the main frame 4 is open. In addition, the upper area of the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Game limit reached" as current status display B in a specific display area, indicating that the game has already entered the stop-play state and is restricted (that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value). This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 and is also used for the pre-notification display and current status display A mentioned above. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game state so that hall managers do not overlook it. Furthermore, these error display A and current status display B are configured to be displayed on a higher (front) layer than the layer that displays other performance images such as the image display corresponding to the stop-play state. In this example, error display A and current status display B are displayed on the highest layer. Furthermore, the current status display B is positioned so as not to overlap with the image display (message) corresponding to the stop-play state or the error display A. This ensures that players can reliably understand that gameplay is restricted when a minor anomaly occurs.

As shown in Figure 226(G), when a predetermined error termination condition is met, such as the closing of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, the display device 1600 clears the error display A and the current status display B.

In this example, for the predetermined clear conditions to be met for the end of the stop-play state to be satisfied, the power must be turned on again after the power is cut off using a predetermined power-on pattern. Here, we will explain the cases where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of power cut off, and clear the payout amount and the stop-play state, and where power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which maintain the game state at the time of power cut off, clear the payout amount, but maintain the stop-play state.

First, after transitioning to the stop-play state, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of power-off, the payout amount, and the stop-play state when power is turned back on after a power-off, the stop-play state is cleared, and the restrictions on gameplay in the stop-play state are removed. In addition, information regarding the remaining fluctuation display and the reserve information at the time of interruption when transitioning to the stop-play state is retained after transitioning to the stop-play state or when power is turned off, but when power is turned back on after a power-off, such information regarding the remaining fluctuation display and the reserve information at the time of interruption is cleared, so that the game starts in a low probability state with no reserves. For this reason, as shown in Figure 226 (H-1), the performance display device 1600 displays an initial image with no reserve display and the decorative symbols stopped at the initial symbols. Also, in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, a message "Restrictions cleared" is displayed as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and stop-play state have been cleared. This Clear Notification 2 is displayed on a higher layer than the display of game-related information such as decorative patterns, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the game-related information display. This ensures that, upon restarting the power, it is reliably confirmed that the payout amount and the game-stop status have been cleared.

On the other hand, if, after transitioning to the stop-play state, power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected—which maintain the game state at the time of power-off and clear the payout amount while maintaining the stop-play state—the restriction on gameplay due to the stop-play state is not lifted. Therefore, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as a clear notification 1, indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, and then displays the image shown in Figure 226 (H-2) again. Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, a message indicating the method for clearing the stop-play state is displayed for hall managers: "A RAM clear will return to the normal state." This clear method display is shown on a higher layer than the image display corresponding to the stop-play state and is positioned so as not to overlap with the image display (message) corresponding to the stop-play state. This ensures that, at the time of power-on, it is reliably understood that a power-on with a RAM clear is necessary to lift the gameplay restriction.

Figure 227 shows specific examples of how the game plays when a severe malfunction occurs during normal or stopped-play states. In this example, the "specific value" is set to 100,000, and restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern." That is, when restriction pattern 3 is set, the game enters a stopped-play state with "game stop" and "shooting stop" when the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (100,000 balls).

First, we will explain what happens when a severe abnormality occurs during normal operation. As shown in Figure 227(A), the performance display device 1600 executes a variation performance (a performance based on a variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbols, and displays the variation of the decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is displayed in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, in the lower left area of the performance display device 1600, a hold indicator is displayed for the number of special symbol variations that are waiting to be displayed when a game ball enters the first start slot 2002 or the second start slot 2004.

As shown in Figure 227(B), if a severe abnormality such as magnetism is detected during normal operation, an error state occurs in which the display of the decorative symbols stops and the game cannot proceed. The display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic Anomaly" as error display B, indicating that magnetism has been detected, along with the messages "Please call an attendant" and "Recovery and restrictions will be reset by restarting the power." Furthermore, when magnetism is detected, the display device 1600 displays the stopped symbols of the decorative symbols, the stopped symbols of the second decorative symbols, and the hold indicator. However, after detecting magnetism and displaying the "Magnetic Anomaly" message, this game-related information is hidden (made invisible), and a message is displayed on the darkened screen. This allows the user to understand that an error state has occurred due to magnetism detection. It also allows the user to understand that the error state will not be resolved without restarting the power, and that game restrictions will be lifted when the power is restarted.

Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, the message "Remaining +42,000 balls until gameplay is restricted" is displayed as the current status display A, indicating the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted (the remaining amount of balls until the total amount of balls reaches a specific value). These error displays B and current status displays A are displayed on a higher layer than game-related information displays such as decorative symbols. Also, current status displays A are displayed in a position that does not overlap with error displays B (messages). This ensures that, when a severe abnormality is detected, the remaining amount of balls until gameplay is restricted can be reliably determined.

In this example, for the predetermined clear conditions to terminate the error state related to severe abnormalities to be met, it is necessary to restart the power after a power outage. Here, we will explain the cases where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of power outage and clear the payout amount and the stop-play state, and where power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which maintain the game state at the time of power outage, clear the payout amount, but maintain the stop-play state.

First, after an error occurs, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected when the power is turned back on after a power outage, the game state at the time of the power outage, the payout amount, and the stop-play state are cleared, making it possible to start the game. In addition, information regarding the remaining spin display and the hold information at the time of interruption when the error occurs is retained after the error occurs or when the power is turned off. However, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, this information regarding the remaining spin display and the hold information at the time of interruption is cleared, so that the game starts in a low probability state with no hold. For this reason, as shown in Figure 227 (C-1), the performance display device 1600 displays an initial image with no hold display and the decorative symbols stopped at the initial symbols. Also, in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, a message "Limit cleared" is displayed as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and stop-play state have been cleared. This clear notification 2 is displayed on a higher layer than the game-related information display such as decorative symbols, and is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the game-related information display. However, in this example, since the game is not in a stop-play state when the error occurs, it is not necessary to display a clear notification 2 indicating that the stop-play state has been cleared. Alternatively, clear notification 2 could display a message indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, or the payout amount at the time of clearing.

Similarly, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected after an error occurs and the power is turned back on after a power outage, the game state at the time of the power outage is maintained, the payout amount is cleared, and the game can be started. However, information regarding the remaining spin display and the hold information at the time of interruption when the error occurred is retained after the error occurred or when the power was turned off, and this information is also retained when the power is turned back on after a power outage, so that there are holds and the game resumes from the middle of the previous spin. For this reason, as shown in Figure 227 (C-2), the performance display device 1600 resumes the spin display of the decorative symbols and the spin display of the second decorative symbols. In addition, in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, a message "Payout amount cleared" is displayed as a clear notification 1, indicating that the payout amount has been cleared. This clear notification 1 is displayed on a higher layer than the game-related information display such as decorative symbols, and is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the game-related information display. This ensures that the payout amount has been cleared upon power-on. In this example, the display of the decorative symbols and the second decorative symbols is resumed before the clear notification 1 ends; however, it may be possible to resume the display of the decorative symbols and the second decorative symbols after the clear notification 1 ends.

Next, we will explain what happens if a severe abnormality occurs during the stop-play state. As shown in Figure 227 (A'), when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the system transitions to a stop-play state and restricts gameplay. The display device 1600 then displays an image corresponding to the stop-play state. The image corresponding to the stop-play state displays the message "Gameplay Restricted," along with the messages: "Gameplay is restricted because the daily ball limit of 100,000 has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch used to execute the settlement process. Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 displays the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the pre-notification indicator. However, such game-related information is hidden (made invisible) once the "Gameplay Restriction" message is displayed after the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, and the message is displayed on a darkened screen.

As shown in Figure 227(B'), if a severe abnormality such as magnetism is detected while the game is in a stopped state, the display device 1600 displays the message "Magnetic Anomaly" as error display B, indicating that magnetism has been detected. Along with this, it displays the messages "Please call an attendant," and "The game will be restored and the restrictions reset upon power-on/off." Furthermore, when magnetism is detected, the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the stopped state. However, after magnetism is detected and the "Magnetic Anomaly" message is displayed, such images are hidden (made invisible), and the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows the user to understand that an error state has occurred due to magnetism detection. It also allows the user to understand that the error state will not be resolved without power-on/off, and that the game restrictions will be lifted upon power-on/off.

Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, a message indicating "Gameplay has been restricted" is displayed in a specific display area as the current status display B, indicating that the game has already entered a stop-play state and gameplay is restricted (that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value). This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the display device 1600 and is also used for the aforementioned pre-notification display and current status display A. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the gameplay state to prevent hall managers from overlooking it. These error displays B and current status displays B are configured to be displayed on a higher (front) layer than the layer displaying other performance images, such as the image display corresponding to the stop-play state. In this example, error displays B and current status displays B are displayed on the highest layer. Also, current status displays B are displayed in a position that does not overlap with error displays B (messages). This ensures that when a severe abnormality occurs, it is possible to reliably understand that gameplay is restricted.

In this example, for the predetermined clear conditions to terminate the error state related to severe abnormalities to be met, it is necessary to restart the power after a power outage. Here, we will explain the cases where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of power outage and clear the payout amount and the stop-play state, and where power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which maintain the game state at the time of power outage, clear the payout amount, but maintain the stop-play state.

First, if an error occurs while the game is in a stopped state, and then the power is turned back on after a power outage, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of the power outage and clear the payout amount and stopped state, the error state and the stopped state are cleared, releasing the restrictions on gameplay in the stopped state and allowing the game to start. In addition, information regarding the remaining spin display and the held symbols at the time of interruption when transitioning to the stopped state is retained after transitioning to the stopped state or when the power is turned off. However, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, this information regarding the remaining spin display and the held symbols at the time of interruption is cleared, so that the game starts in a low probability state with no held symbols. For this reason, as shown in Figure 227 (C'-1), the performance display device 1600 displays an initial image with no held symbols and the decorative symbols stopped at the initial symbols. Also, in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, a message "Restrictions cleared" is displayed as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and stopped state have been cleared. This Clear Notification 2 is displayed on a higher layer than the display of game-related information such as decorative patterns, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the game-related information display. This ensures that, upon restarting the power, the system can reliably confirm that the payout amount and the game-stop status have been cleared.

On the other hand, if an error occurs while the game is in a stopped state, and the power is turned back on after a power outage, selecting power-on patterns 1 and 4, which maintain the game state at the time of the power outage and clear the payout amount but maintain the stopped state, will clear the error state, but the restriction on gameplay due to the stopped state will not be lifted. Therefore, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as a clear notification 1, indicating that the payout amount has been cleared, and then displays the image shown in Figure 227 (C'-2) again. Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, a message indicating how to clear the stopped state is displayed for the hall manager: "A RAM clear will return the game to normal state." This clear method display is displayed on a higher layer than the image display corresponding to the stopped state and is positioned so as not to overlap with the image display (message) corresponding to the stopped state. This ensures that, at the time of power-on, it is reliably understood that a power-on with a RAM clear is necessary to lift the gameplay restriction.

Figure 228 shows specific examples of how the game will play when a minor or major abnormality occurs during the preparation state for stopping play. In this example, the game transitions to the preparation state for stopping play when the number of balls reaches a specific value at the moment a game ball enters the large prize slot during a jackpot game. After the jackpot game ends, the game transitions to the stop-play state. Furthermore, this example assumes that the "specific value" is set to 100,000 and that restriction pattern 3 is selected as the "restriction pattern." That is, if restriction pattern 3 is set, the game will enter a stop-play state accompanied by "game stop" and "shooting stop" when the number of balls reaches the specific value (100,000 balls). Also, in this example, if the result of the special symbol lottery is a jackpot, a 10-round jackpot game is awarded, which involves opening and closing the large prize slot 2005 and the special prize slot 2006.

As shown in Figure 228(A), the performance display device 1600 executes a variation performance (performance based on variation patterns) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbols, and displays the variation of the decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. Here, in the "continuous win mode" in which a high probability state continues depending on the lottery result of the special symbols, or the acceptance of game balls B into the V prize slot 2007, etc., when the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "777" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the decorative symbols in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the variation display of the second decorative symbol is performed in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600, and when the lottery result of the special symbols is a win, "〇" is displayed as the stopping symbol for the second decorative symbol. Furthermore, the lower left area of the display device 1600 shows a hold indicator for the number of special symbols that have entered the first or second start slot 2002 and are waiting for the special symbol variation display to be completed. The lower right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Consecutive Win Mode" message indicating that the game is in "Consecutive Win Mode," and also displays a "Right Shot" arrow instructing the player to aim for the large prize slot 2005 located in the game area 5a to the right of the display device 1600 during a jackpot game.

Furthermore, as the number of balls dispensed approaches a specific value, for example, when the number of remaining balls until the dispensed amount reaches that specific value becomes "+1400 balls," the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message indicating "+1400 balls remaining until the game limit is reached," as part of the pre-notification operation. Note that this pre-notification message is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the information display regarding the ongoing jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 228(B), at the start of a jackpot game, the message "Special Bonus! Aim for V!" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600. This message also indicates that the large prize entry point 2005 and the prize entry point 2006 will open and close during the jackpot game, and that the player should aim to enter the V prize entry point 2007 during the jackpot game.

As shown in Figure 228(C), when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the large prize pocket 2005 during a jackpot game (when transitioning to the stop-play preparation state), the upper area of the display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) indicating the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value: "Remaining +0 balls until play limit is reached." Here, "8R" is displayed as the current round number, and "19900 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls. Then, after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has elapsed since the "Remaining +0 balls until play limit is reached" pre-notification message was displayed, the standby display shown in Figure 228(D) is displayed.

In this example, the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement displayed on the display device 1600 are reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display, respectively, only when a game ball enters the large prize opening 2005, which causes the total number of balls to reach a specific value. However, the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display are continuously displayed for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) after the amount of prize balls has been reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display, rather than at the moment the game balls enter the large prize opening 2005 where the total number of balls has reached a specific value. This prevents players from missing information regarding whether the total number of balls has reached a specific value, and ensures that players understand the reason why the payout limit is subsequently reached.

In the above explanation, the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display are continuously shown until the amount of prize balls is reflected in the total number of prize balls and the content of the pre-announcement display, rather than stopping when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value. However, it may be possible to stop the display and show a standby indicator when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value. This would allow the system to transition to a stop-play preparation state when the amount of prize balls reaches a specific value, and simultaneously display the standby indicator, allowing for immediate understanding that the system has transitioned to a stop-play preparation state.

Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a certain value, the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state. However, since the ongoing jackpot game continues, the "right-hand shot" arrow, which encourages players to continue firing balls, remains displayed.

As shown in Figure 228(D), after transitioning to the stop-play preparation state, a standby display is shown in the upper area of the display device 1600. Specifically, the standby display shows the message "The jackpot is over, and today's game is finished," indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value. This allows the player to understand that in the stop-play preparation state, the game will transition to the stop-play state and be restricted when the jackpot game ends. The standby display is positioned so as not to overlap with the information display regarding the ongoing jackpot game. This allows the player to understand both the transition to the stop-play preparation state and the information regarding the ongoing jackpot game. Here, "9R" is displayed as the current round number, and "19915 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of balls dispensed.

As shown in Figure 228(E), if a minor anomaly is detected during the stop-play preparation state, such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the jackpot game continues. However, in the central area of the performance display device 1600, an error display A is shown, indicating that the main frame 4 is open: "Door open error. Please call an attendant." Furthermore, in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, the current status display C continues the standby display content and shows the message "Jackpot ended, today's game is over," indicating that the payout amount has already reached a specific value. These error displays A and current status displays C are displayed on a higher layer than the jackpot game information display. Also, current status display C is displayed in a position that does not overlap with the jackpot game information display or error display A (message). This ensures that when a minor anomaly occurs, it is reliably understood that the payout amount has already reached a specific value and the machine is in the stop-play preparation state.

As shown in Figure 228(F), when a predetermined error termination condition is met, such as the closing of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, the display device 1600 clears error display A, but continues to display the current status display C as a standby display. Here, "10R" is displayed as the current round number, and "20020 balls GET" is displayed as the total number of prize balls.

As shown in Figure 228(G), at the end of a jackpot game, an ending display is executed, and the message "Hit ended! Congratulations! Download your special bonus!" is displayed in the central area of the display device 1600. Furthermore, a camera-readable code is displayed in the lower right area of the display area 1600, allowing players to download a special bonus by reading this code. This special bonus is only available when the amount of balls won during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, thereby reducing player dissatisfaction with the restriction of gameplay due to the transition to a stop-play state. Note that a standby display is not shown at the end of a jackpot game, but it may be displayed if desired.

As shown in Figure 228(H), after a jackpot game ends, the game transitions to a "stopped play" state, restricting further play. The display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to this state. The image displays the message "Game Restriction," along with the messages: "You have reached the daily payout limit of 100,000 balls, so play is restricted," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The "settlement button" here refers to the counting button switch used to execute the settlement process. Furthermore, when the display device 1600 displays the "Game Restriction" message, it prevents the ending display associated with the jackpot game from being shown (making it invisible), instead displaying the message on a darkened screen. This allows players to understand that the payout has reached a specific value and that play is restricted, and that the restriction cannot be lifted without the hall manager's intervention. It also allows players to understand that they can settle their remaining ball count by operating the counting button switch.

However, the display device 1600 continues to display the code that was shown during the ending sequence following a jackpot, even after the image corresponding to the stop-play state has been displayed. Furthermore, the code displayed during the ending sequence following a jackpot is positioned so as not to overlap with the image (message) corresponding to the stop-play state. This allows players to read the code without rushing, even after the game has transitioned to the stop-play state, ensuring they don't miss out on downloading special bonuses.

Next, we will explain what happens if a severe abnormality occurs during the stop-play preparation state. As shown in Figure 228 (E'), if a severe abnormality such as magnetism is detected during the stop-play preparation state, the ongoing jackpot game will stop, and an error state will occur in which the game cannot proceed. In this case, the display device 1600 will display the message "Magnetic Abnormality" as error display B, indicating that magnetism has been detected, and will also display the messages "Please call an attendant" and "The game will be restored and the restrictions will be reset by restarting the power." Furthermore, when magnetism is detected, the display device 1600 displays information related to the jackpot game, but such information related to the jackpot game is hidden (made invisible) once the "Magnetic Abnormality" message is displayed after magnetism is detected, and the message is displayed on a darkened screen. This allows the user to understand that an error state has occurred due to magnetism detection. It also allows the user to understand that the error state will not be resolved unless the power is restarted, and that the game restrictions will be lifted when the power is restarted.

Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, the current status display C continues the content of the standby display and shows the message "The jackpot is over, and it's finished for today," indicating that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. These error displays B and current status displays C are displayed on a higher layer than the information displays related to the jackpot game. Also, current status display C is displayed in a position that does not overlap with error display B (the message). This ensures that, when a severe malfunction occurs, it is reliably understood that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value and the game is in a state of preparation for stopping play.

In this example, for the predetermined clear conditions to terminate the error state related to severe abnormalities to be met, it is necessary to restart the power after a power outage. Here, we will explain the cases where power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of power outage and clear the payout amount and the stop-play state, and where power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which maintain the game state at the time of power outage, clear the payout amount, but maintain the stop-play state.

First, if an error occurs during the stop-play preparation state, and then the power is turned back on after a power outage, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected, which clear the game state at the time of the power outage, the payout amount, and the stop-play state, the error state is cleared, making it possible to start the game. However, the stop-play preparation state is also cleared, so the restrictions on gameplay that were planned as a stop-play state after the end of the stop-play preparation state are not executed. In addition, information regarding the remaining jackpot game and the reserved balls at the time of interruption due to the error is retained after the error occurs or when the power is turned off. However, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, this information regarding the remaining jackpot game and the reserved balls at the time of interruption is cleared, so that the game starts in a low probability state with no reserved balls. For this reason, as shown in Figure 228 (F'-1), the display device 1600 displays an initial image with no reserved ball display and the decorative symbols stopped at the initial symbols. Furthermore, in the upper area of the display device 1600, a message "Limit cleared" is displayed as a clear notification 2, indicating that the payout amount and the stop-play preparation state have been cleared. This clear notification 2 is displayed on a higher layer than the display of game-related information such as decorative symbols, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the game-related information display. This ensures that, upon restarting the power, the system can reliably confirm that the payout amount and stop-play preparation state have been cleared.

On the other hand, if an error occurs during the stop-play preparation state, and power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is turned back on after a power outage, the game state at the time of the power outage is maintained and the payout amount is cleared, but the stop-play state is maintained. In this case, the error state is cleared, making it possible to start the game, but the stop-play preparation state is not cleared. In addition, information regarding the remaining jackpot game and the held balls at the time of interruption when the error occurred is retained after the error occurred or when the power was turned off. However, when the power is turned back on after a power outage, this information regarding the remaining jackpot game and the held balls at the time of interruption is retained, making it possible to resume the interrupted jackpot game. For this reason, the display device 1600 displays the message "Payout amount cleared" as a clear notification 1, and then displays the image shown in Figure 228 (F'-2) again. Furthermore, the upper area of the display device 1600 not only displays a standby message indicating that the number of balls dispensed has reached a specific value, stating "The jackpot is over, and today's game is finished," but also displays a clearing method message for hall managers, indicating how to clear the game-stop preparation state: "A RAM clear will return the game to normal." This clearing method display is shown on a higher layer than the jackpot game information display and is positioned so as not to overlap with the jackpot game information display. This ensures that when the power is turned back on, it is reliably understood that a power cycle accompanied by a RAM clear is necessary to clear the game-stop preparation state.

(Another example of a counter for stopping operations 1)
In the above example, the "stop counter" is configured to be set to a non-zero predetermined value (for example, 100,000) as its initial value when the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state begins or after the stop state begins" is cleared (initialized) when the power is turned on. It is then subtracted by the launch of game ball B and added by the payout of prize balls. When only the number of launches increases from the point where the stop counter is 0, it counts in the negative direction from 0. In contrast, in alternative example 1, the "stop counter" is configured to be set to a non-zero predetermined value (for example, 100,000) as its initial value when the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state begins or after the stop state begins" is cleared (initialized) when the power is turned on. In this case, the stop counter starts from the initial value of 100,000 when the power is turned on, and is subtracted by the launch of game ball B and added by the payout of prize balls.

Specifically, the payout amount A is calculated as the difference between the value at which the payout counter reaches its highest point within the period until the predetermined clear conditions are met, and the value at which the payout counter reaches its lowest point within the same period, starting from the initial value of 100,000.

Furthermore, the payout amount B is calculated as the difference between the initial value of 100,000 (the stop counter) and the value at the point where the stop counter reaches its highest value within the period until the predetermined clear conditions are met. Note that in alternative example 1, the maximum difference between payout amounts A and B is stored, and the stored payout amounts A and B are updated when a new maximum difference is calculated, which is the same as when the initial value is 0.

In alternative example 1, when the amount of balls dispensed (amounts A and B) reaches a specific value, the game is stopped and play is restricted. For example, if 100,000 balls are selected as the specific value, the stop counter starts from its initial value of 100,000, and when the stop counter reaches 200,000 (100,000 for the specific value), it is determined that the amount of balls dispensed (B) has reached the specific value.

Furthermore, in Example 1, the "stop counter" is configured not only to start from an initial value of 100,000, but also to have 0 as its minimum value. In other words, even if the number of shots increases after the stop counter reaches 0, it will not count negatively from 0, but will maintain a state of 0. As a result, regarding the payout amount B, even if the number of shots increases after the stop counter reaches 0, the system will determine that the payout amount B has reached a specific value when the stop counter reaches 200,000 from that point. This means that the payout amount B will reach the specific value faster than if it were counting negatively from 0. In short, by enabling the early occurrence of a stop state that restricts gameplay, it is possible to prevent large payouts from being awarded to cheaters due to fraudulent activity, or large payouts from being awarded to legitimate players due to biases in the probability of winning or losing.

(Another example of a counter for stopping operations, part 2)
In the second example, the "stop counter" is configured to be set to 0 as its initial value when the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state begins and after the stop state begins" is cleared (initialized) when the power is turned on, with 0 being the minimum value. In this case, the stop counter starts from the initial value of 0 when the power is turned on, and is subtracted by the launch of game ball B and added by the payout of prize balls. However, even if the number of launches increases further after the stop counter reaches 0, it is configured not to count in the negative direction from 0, but to maintain the state of 0.

In another example (Example 2), the payout amount C is calculated from the stop-loss counter. The payout amount C is calculated as the difference between the initial value of 0 (the stop-loss counter's initial value) and the value at the point where the stop-loss counter reaches its highest value within the period until the predetermined clear conditions are met. In Example 2, the maximum difference is stored as the payout amount C, and the stored payout amount C is updated when a new maximum difference is calculated, which is the same as when there is no minimum value of 0. When the payout amount C reaches a specific value, the game is stopped, and the gameplay is restricted.

In another example (Example 2), when the payout amount C reaches a specific value, the game is stopped and play is restricted. For example, if 100,000 balls are selected as the specific value, the stop counter starts from its initial value of 0, and when the stop counter reaches 100,000 (the value of the specific value), it is determined that the payout amount C has reached the specific value.

Furthermore, in Example 2, the "stop counter" is configured not only to start at an initial value of 0, but also to have 0 as its minimum value. However, regarding the payout amount C, even if only the number of shots increases after the stop counter reaches 0, the system determines that the payout amount C has reached a specific value when the stop counter reaches 100,000 from that point. Therefore, the payout amount C reaches the specific value faster than if it were counting from 0 in the negative direction. In other words, by enabling the early occurrence of a stop state that restricts gameplay, it is possible to prevent large payouts from being awarded to cheaters due to fraudulent activity, and to prevent large payouts from being awarded to legitimate players due to biases in the probability of winning or losing.

Regarding the "stop counter," it is deducted when game balls B are launched and added when prize balls are paid out. However, the initial value may be set to a value greater than the specific value at which the game is restricted and the game is stopped. The counter may be configured to be added when game balls B are launched and deducted when prize balls are paid out. In such a case, for example, if 100,000 balls are selected as the specific value, the stop counter starts at its initial value of 100,000, and the specific value of +100,000 is subtracted. When the stop counter reaches 0, it is determined that the amount of balls dispensed has reached the specific value. Furthermore, when applied to Example 2, for example, the stop counter starts at its initial value of 100,000 when the power is turned on, and is added when game balls B are launched and deducted when prize balls are paid out. However, even if the number of launches increases further after the stop counter reaches 100,000, it should not be counted in the positive direction from 100,000, but rather maintained at 100,000.

(Regarding the trend in displaying advance notices)
In this example, the "stop counter" is configured to be set to 0 as its initial value when the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop state begins and after the stop state begins" is cleared (initialized) when the power is turned on. It is then subtracted when game balls B are launched and added when prize balls are paid out. A specific value of 100,000 balls is selected, and when the stop counter reaches 100,000, it is determined that the amount of balls dispensed has reached the specific value, and the game is stopped to restrict play. Furthermore, before the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, after a predetermined value is reached (in this example, when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value is 5,000, i.e., when the amount of balls dispensed has reached 95,000), a pre-notification display (in this example, "Remaining until game restriction is reached +XX balls") is displayed on the performance display device 1600 as a pre-notification operation until the amount of balls dispensed reaches the specific value. In addition, when the pre-notification display is made, the LED on lamp B blinks for a predetermined period (for example, 2 seconds) as a pre-notification illumination.

Specifically, before the main control board 1310 implements a game restriction when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the main control board 1310 monitors the number of remaining balls until the number of balls dispensed reaches that specific value. When a game ball enters a prize pocket such as the large prize pocket 2005 and the remaining number of balls reaches "+5000 balls", a pre-flag is turned ON, and this ON information of the pre-flag is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. When the peripheral control board 1510 receives the ON information of the pre-flag, it starts displaying a pre-notification on the display device 1600 (in this example, "Remaining until game restriction is +XX balls"), and continues to do so until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value. The calculation of the number of balls dispensed is performed on the main control board 1310 based on a stop counter, which is the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls dispensed. In other words, regarding the number of balls remaining until the total payout reaches a specific value, the more balls fired, the lower the payout and the higher the number of remaining balls; conversely, the more balls dispensed, the higher the payout and the lower the number of remaining balls.

Furthermore, when the number of balls remaining until the payout reaches a specific value reaches "+5000 balls", the display device 1600 starts displaying a pre-notification. However, if the payout then decreases and the number of remaining balls increases, causing the number of remaining balls to exceed "+5000 balls" and the pre-notification display to end, or if the payout then increases again and the number of remaining balls decreases, causing the number of remaining balls to reach "+5000 balls" and the pre-notification display to start again, the pre-notification flag is frequently switched on the main control board 1310, and the ON information of the pre-notification flag is sent to the peripheral control board 1510 many times. In addition, if the pre-notification display is sometimes shown and sometimes not, it becomes difficult to understand the state of the game. In this example, once the pre-announcement display device 1600 starts displaying the pre-announcement, even if the amount of balls dispensed decreases and the number of remaining balls increases afterward, the pre-announcement display will not end until the number of remaining balls exceeds a predetermined value of "+5000 balls" (in this example, the state where the number of remaining balls until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value is 5100 balls, i.e., the state where the amount of balls dispensed reaches 94900 balls). This prevents frequent switching of the pre-announcement flag on the main control board 1310 side, suppressing the repeated transmission of the pre-announcement flag ON information to the peripheral control board 1510 side, thereby avoiding control burden and control complexity. Furthermore, by displaying the pre-announcement display as continuously as possible, it is possible to prevent difficulty in understanding the game state. The progression of the pre-announcement display after it starts in this example is explained below.

Figure 229 is a time chart showing the progression of pre-announcement displays after they have been initiated. This example illustrates a situation where the number of balls dispensed fluctuates around 95,000 (with 5,000 balls remaining).

In (A), as the number of balls dispensed increases, when the number of balls dispensed reaches 95,000 (5,000 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification start command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 starts displaying "5,000 balls remaining until the game limit" as a pre-notification display. At this time, the LED in lamp B blinks for a predetermined period (for example, 2 seconds) as a pre-notification illumination.

Then, after the pre-notification display starts, as the amount of balls dispensed increases, the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification update command to the peripheral control board 1510 for every 100 balls dispensed, and the performance display device 1600 updates the display content of the pre-notification display. For example, when the amount of balls dispensed increases by 100 balls, the performance display device 1600 updates the pre-notification display to "Remaining until game limit +4900 balls", and when the amount of balls dispensed increases by another 100 balls, the performance display device 1600 updates the pre-notification display to "Remaining until game limit +4800 balls". Here, the display content of the pre-notification display is updated when the amount of balls dispensed increases by 100 balls, but not when the amount of balls dispensed increases by only 1 to 99 balls. This prevents the pre-notification display content from being updated in real time when the payout amount increases, thus avoiding the repeated transmission of pre-notification update commands to the peripheral control board 1510 and thus avoiding increased control burden and complexity. Furthermore, lamp B is designed to flash as a pre-notification only when the number of remaining balls until the payout amount reaches a specific value of 5000, i.e., when the payout amount reaches 95000 balls. When the payout amount increases by 100 balls and the pre-notification display content is updated, lamp B does not emit any light corresponding to that update.

In (B), after the pre-notification display begins, if the number of balls dispensed decreases and falls below 95,000 (the number of remaining balls exceeds 5,000), the main control board 1310 does not send a pre-notification termination command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 continues to display "Remaining +5,000 balls until the game limit" as a pre-notification display. Then, as the payout increases again, exceeding 95,000 balls (5,000 balls remaining), and subsequently decreasing, falling below 95,000 balls (more than 5,000 balls remaining), at the point where the payout reaches 95,000 balls (5,000 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 does not send pre-notification start or end commands to the peripheral control board 1510. Instead, the display device 1600 continues to display "+5,000 balls remaining until game limit" as a pre-notification. This prevents the peripheral control board 1510 from repeatedly sending pre-notification start and end commands after the pre-notification display has started, thus avoiding increased control burden and complexity. Furthermore, while lamp B illuminates in response to the pre-notification start command, it does not illuminate in response to the pre-notification end command, preventing external parties from mistakenly believing that there is a malfunction in the gaming machine.

In (C), after the pre-announcement display is started, as the amount of balls dispensed decreases, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-announcement termination command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 terminates the pre-announcement display. Here, after the pre-announcement display is started, the pre-announcement display is terminated when the amount of balls dispensed decreases by 100, but it is not terminated if the amount of balls dispensed decreases by only 1 to 99. In other words, after the pre-announcement display is started, there is a termination suppression period until the amount of balls dispensed decreases by 99, during which the pre-announcement display is not terminated even if the amount of balls dispensed falls below 95,000. This prevents the game state from becoming difficult to grasp by allowing a slight decrease in the amount of balls dispensed after the pre-announcement display is started and continuing to display the pre-announcement display as much as possible. In this example, the "termination suppression period" during which the pre-announcement display is permitted is defined as "until the number of balls dispensed decreases by 1 to 99," but this is not the only option. The decrease in the number of balls dispensed can be appropriately set according to the performance of the gaming machine, such as "until the number of balls dispensed decreases by 1 to 199" or "until the number of balls dispensed decreases by 1 to 49."

In this example, the pre-notification start operation involves both a pre-notification display using the display device 1600 and pre-notification illumination using lamp B. However, the pre-notification start operation may be limited to only the pre-notification display using the display device 1600, without pre-notification illumination. This prevents lamp B from illuminating repeatedly and causing external parties to mistakenly believe that a malfunction has occurred in the gaming machine when the payout amount increases or decreases beyond the aforementioned termination suppression period and the pre-notification start command is sent several times.

In (D), as the payout increases again, when the payout reaches 95,000 balls (with 5,000 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification start command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 starts displaying "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit" as a pre-notification display.

In (E), after the pre-notification display starts, as the number of balls dispensed decreases, if the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification termination command to the peripheral control board 1510. However, it is conceivable that an irregularity may occur where the peripheral control board 1510 cannot properly receive the pre-notification termination command (the peripheral control board 1510 misses the pre-notification termination command) for some reason, such as a temporary power outage or a connection failure between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510. If such an irregularity occurs, normally, it would be conceivable to resend the pre-notification termination command triggered by the number of balls dispensed reaching 94,900 (5,100 balls remaining). However, in this example, the display device 1600 deliberately refrains from terminating the pre-notification display by not resending the command at this trigger. In other words, when such an irregularity occurs, even if the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (with 5,100 balls remaining) and the pre-notification display should end, the pre-notification display continues to show "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit is reached." This prevents the pre-notification end command from being resent at unexpected times during gameplay (for example, when no balls have been launched or when no balls have entered the payout slot), thus preventing the player from feeling confused.

In (F), if the aforementioned irregularity occurs where the pre-notification display does not end, and the number of balls dispensed continues to decrease, and the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,800 (5,200 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification termination command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 terminates the pre-notification display. In this example, anticipating that the pre-notification display may not end at the expected time, the pre-notification termination command is sent from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510 not only when the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 balls remaining), but also when the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,800 (5,200 balls remaining) and 94,700 (5,300 balls remaining) as a precaution. This ensures that even if the peripheral control board 1510 temporarily fails to receive the pre-notification termination command, resulting in an irregularity where the pre-notification display does not end, the display can be terminated at a different, more natural time, and it reliably prevents the pre-notification display from continuing to be shown without termination.

In this example, the trigger for sending the pre-notification termination command is set in increments of 100 balls, from the moment the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,900 (5,100 balls remaining) to the moment the number of balls dispensed reaches 94,500 (5,500 balls remaining). However, the pre-notification display may be terminated by other triggers. For example, the pre-notification termination command could be forcibly sent when the hall manager performs a termination operation (for example, operating the RAM clear switch 1310f or setting key switch while the power is on, or opening the main unit frame 4 or door frame 3), thereby forcibly terminating the pre-notification display at the time it should have ended.

Furthermore, in this example, if an irregularity occurs where the peripheral control board 1510 fails to properly receive the pre-notification completion command (misses the pre-notification completion command) due to a temporary power outage or a connection failure between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 (as described above), the system performs a preliminary transmission of the pre-notification completion command at another trigger. However, if an irregularity occurs where the peripheral control board 1510 fails to properly receive the pre-notification update command (misses the pre-notification update command), the system does not perform a preliminary transmission of the pre-notification update command at another trigger. For example, if, after the pre-notification display starts, the number of balls dispensed increases by 100 to reach 95,100 balls (4,900 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification update command to the peripheral control board 1510. However, if an irregularity occurs where the peripheral control board 1510 cannot receive this pre-notification update command, the display device 1600 continues to display "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit" as the pre-notification display. Then, if the number of balls dispensed increases by another 100 to reach 95,200 balls (4,800 balls remaining), the display device 1600 sends a pre-notification update command corresponding to the number of balls dispensed reaching 95,200 (4,800 balls remaining) to the peripheral control board 1510, updating the pre-notification display to "4,800 balls remaining until the play limit". This makes it seem to the player that the number of balls dispensed has increased all at once, and irregularities can be used to enhance the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, while Lamp B illuminates in response to the pre-notification start command, it does not illuminate in response to the pre-notification update command, thus preventing external parties from mistakenly believing that there is a malfunction in the gaming machine.

Furthermore, there is a possibility that the update of the pre-notification display may not proceed on the peripheral control board 1510 side until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to some abnormality. In such cases, for example, the pre-notification update command may be forcibly sent when an update operation is performed by the hall manager (for example, an operation such as operating the RAM clear switch 1310f or setting key switch while the power is on, or opening the main unit frame 4 or door frame 3. It is desirable that this be triggered by something other than the termination operation described above), thereby forcibly updating the pre-notification display.

In (G), as the payout increases again, when the payout reaches 95,000 balls (with 5,000 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification start command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 starts displaying "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit" as a pre-notification.

In (H), after the pre-notification display begins, if the number of balls dispensed increases by 100 to 95,100 balls (4,900 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification update command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 updates the pre-notification display to "+4,900 balls remaining until the game limit is reached."

In (I), after updating the pre-notification display to "+4900 balls remaining until the game limit is reached," if the number of balls dispensed falls below 95100 (the number of remaining balls exceeds 4900) as the number of balls dispensed decreases, the main control board 1310 does not send a pre-notification downgrade command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 continues to display "+4900 balls remaining until the game limit is reached" as the pre-notification display. This prevents the peripheral control board 1510 from repeatedly sending pre-notification update commands and pre-notification downgrade commands after updating the pre-notification display to "+4900 balls remaining until the game limit is reached," thereby avoiding increased control burden and complexity. In this example, the pre-notification update command used when the payout increases (remaining ball count decreases) and the pre-notification downgrade command used when the payout decreases (remaining ball count increases) are treated as separate commands. However, they could be unified as commands that indicate the content of the pre-notification display.

In (J), after updating the pre-notification display to "4900 balls remaining until the play limit," if the number of balls dispensed falls below 95000 (the number of remaining balls exceeds 5000) while the number of balls dispensed is decreasing, the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification downgrade command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 updates the pre-notification display to "5000 balls remaining until the play limit." Here, after updating the pre-notification display to "4900 balls remaining until the play limit" when the number of balls dispensed is 95100 (the number of remaining balls is 4900), the display content of the pre-notification display is updated when the number of balls dispensed decreases by 100 balls, but the display content of the pre-notification display is not updated if the number of balls dispensed decreases by only 1 to 99 balls. In other words, after updating the pre-notification display to "4900 balls remaining until the play limit is reached," a downgrade suppression period is observed where the pre-notification display is not updated until the number of balls dispensed decreases by 99. This allows for continued display of the "4900 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" pre-notification display, preventing difficulties in understanding the game's status.

In this example, in sections (G) through (H), as the payout increases, the display device 1600 shows "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit" as a pre-notification message when the payout transitions from 95,000 balls (5,000 balls remaining) to 95,100 balls (4,900 balls remaining). However, in sections (I) through (J), as the payout decreases, the display device 1600 shows "4,900 balls remaining until the play limit" as a pre-notification message when the payout transitions from 95,100 balls (4,900 balls remaining) to 95,000 balls (5,000 balls remaining). Thus, even if the payout interval is the same, by differentiating the pre-notification message depending on whether the payout is increasing or decreasing, the displayed pre-notification message can be kept on display for as long as possible.

In (K), after updating the pre-notification display to "5000 balls remaining until the game limit is reached," and the number of balls dispensed decreases, if the number of balls dispensed reaches 94900 (5100 balls remaining), the main control board 1310 sends a pre-notification termination command to the peripheral control board 1510, and the display device 1600 terminates the pre-notification display.

In this example, in sections (G) through (H), as the payout increases, the display device 1600 shows "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit" as a pre-notification message when the payout transitions from 95,000 balls (5,000 balls remaining) to 95,100 balls (4,900 balls remaining). However, in sections (J) through (K), as the payout decreases, the display device 1600 shows "5,000 balls remaining until the play limit" as a pre-notification message when the payout transitions from 95,000 balls (5,000 balls remaining) to 94,900 balls (5,100 balls remaining). Thus, even though the payout intervals differ, by using the same pre-notification message regardless of whether the payout is increasing or decreasing, the pre-notification message can be displayed for as long as possible.

In this example, as mentioned above, if a severe anomaly is detected while the pre-notification display is running, the display device 1600 uses the same data as the pre-notification display to show the current status display A. However, if a severe anomaly is detected while the termination or downgrade of the pre-notification display is being suppressed, it is desirable to control the display of current status display A to show the exact amount of balls dispensed to the hall manager, even while using the same data as the pre-notification display. This way, even if an irregular situation occurs, the hall manager can accurately recognize the amount of balls dispensed through current status display A.

Furthermore, in each of the above examples, the pre-notification message is displayed in a specific display area on the top layer of the performance display device 1600 during the progress of the game, so that the visibility of the pre-notification is not obstructed by other performance images. However, if a predetermined area for displaying adjustment images that reflect adjustment operations by the player regarding the performance (for example, images corresponding to volume or brightness, or images related to other adjustments) is located in a position that overlaps with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction, then the visibility of the adjustment images may be obstructed by the pre-notification, at least while the pre-notification is displayed, potentially reducing the enjoyment of the game. To resolve this, for example, in each of the above examples, the predetermined area for displaying the adjustment images may be located in a position that does not overlap with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction at all. This ensures the visibility of the adjustment images even while the pre-notification is displayed, thus avoiding a reduction in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, if a portion of the designated area for displaying the adjustment image overlaps with a specific display area in the front-to-back direction, it is possible to offset the adjustment image from the pre-announcement display to at least a degree that allows the player to confirm the results of their adjustment operation (for example, if the adjustment image is a level gauge type, it should be displayed so that it does not overlap enough that the change in the level gauge can be grasped; if the adjustment image is a numerical type, it should be displayed so that it does not overlap enough that the numerical value can be grasped). In this case as well, it is possible to avoid a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in each of the examples described above, the pre-notification message is displayed in a specific display area on the top layer of the performance display device 1600 during the game's progression, ensuring that the visibility of the pre-notification is not obstructed by other performance images. However, it is desirable that the pre-notification continue to be displayed even after the game transitions to a standby state where no game is in progress. This would prevent new players from starting the game without being aware of information regarding the amount of balls dispensed, etc., before the game begins. Also, since the pre-notification is displayed on the top layer of the performance display device 1600, there is a concern that it may obstruct the visibility of demonstration images (e.g., images explaining the performance or promotional images) displayed in the standby state, thus failing to satisfy the needs of players who want to view the demonstration images. To address this issue, for example, in each of the above examples, the pre-announcement display in a specific display area could be hidden for the entire duration or part of the demonstration image, and the display of the pre-announcement display in that specific display area could be reactivated when a new player performs a predetermined operation (e.g., touching the handle 160 before operation, making adjustments, or operating other buttons). This would satisfy the needs of players who wish to view the demonstration image while preventing new players from starting the game without being aware of information regarding the amount of balls dispensed beforehand.

(A modified example of the restriction clearing pattern table 4)
As detailed above, in the restriction clear pattern table 4, regardless of which of the power-on patterns 1 to 4 is selected when the power is turned on, the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized). Specifically, in the restriction clear pattern table 4, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is cleared (initialized), and along with clearing the amount of balls dispensed, the stop-play preparation state is also cleared (initialized). On the other hand, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is maintained, but along with clearing the amount of balls dispensed, the stop-play preparation state is also maintained. In other words, regarding the stop-play preparation state, just like the stop-play state, it is possible to choose whether to maintain or clear it when the power is turned on again after a power-off. For example, if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value and a stop-play preparation state is triggered, and you want to clear this stop-play preparation state, you should perform a power-on operation after the power is cut off to clear the amount of balls that meets the start condition for the stop-play preparation state. However, in the limit clear pattern table 4, such a power-on operation will clear the jackpot game that was in progress. On the other hand, if you want to maintain the stop-play preparation state, you should perform a power-on operation after the power is cut off to maintain the amount of balls that meets the start condition for the stop-play preparation state. However, such a power-on operation will restart the jackpot game that was in progress.

As described above, in the restriction clearing pattern table 4, in order to resume a jackpot game that was in progress when the power is turned on, it is necessary to maintain the stop-and-go preparation state. Therefore, it was not possible to clear only the stop-and-go preparation state while resuming the jackpot game that was in progress when the power is turned on. In such a configuration, for example, in a test firing during the development stage of a gaming machine, if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value and the stop-and-go preparation state is generated, even if it is desired to continue the test firing without initiating the stop-and-go state, it was not possible to clear only the stop-and-go preparation state, and there was a risk that the subsequent occurrence of the stop-and-go state would hinder the continued execution of the test firing. Also, even if an attempt was made to clear the stop-and-go preparation state, the jackpot game would be cleared along with the stop-and-go preparation state, and in this case as well, there was a risk that the continued execution of the test firing would be hindered. Considering these circumstances, this example describes a configuration that, upon power-on operation, resumes the jackpot game that was in progress before the power was cut off, while simultaneously clearing only the stop-play preparation state. This configuration is explained below as a modification of the restriction clearing pattern table 4.

Figure 230 shows a modified example of the limit clear pattern table 4 when the power is turned on. In this example, when the limit clear pattern selection switch is in the position of "4", two limit clear pattern tables 4(a) and limit clear pattern table 4(b) are provided as the limit clear pattern table 4 used, and the system controls whether to use limit clear pattern table 4(a) or limit clear pattern table 4(b) depending on whether a special external signal is output during the stop-out preparation state. If a special external signal is output during the stop-out preparation state and this is determined when the power is turned on, the system allows the jackpot game that was running before the power was cut off to be resumed in conjunction with the power-on operation, while only the stop-out preparation state is cleared. Here, the "special external signal" is a signal output through a specific circuit implemented on the main control board 1310, and it is sufficient if it is a signal that is output from the main control board 1310 to an external device such as an external test device by satisfying predetermined output requirements. In this example, an empty test circuit is designated as a specific circuit formed on the main control board 1310. The system "satisfies a specific output requirement" by detecting the presence of test electronic components mounted on this empty test circuit. When test electronic components are mounted on the empty test circuit, a special external signal is continuously output to the external test device. Furthermore, the special external signal may be output externally from the main control board 1310 via an external terminal board, or it may be output directly externally from the main control board 1310 without using an external terminal board.

Figure 230(A) shows a modified example of the limit clear pattern table 4, specifically limit clear pattern table 4(a), which is selected when the power is cut off while a special external signal is output during the shutdown preparation state, and then the power is restored. In this example, prior to various clearing processes during power-on, the presence or absence of a special external signal output from the main control board 1310 is determined. Based on this determination, limit clear pattern table 4(a) and limit clear pattern table 4(b) are selected.

In the power-on pattern 1 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), when the power is turned on, the game state at the time of power cut-off is maintained, but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized). Also, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is maintained, but the stop-play preparation state is cleared (initialized). Furthermore, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 light up green (if the stop-play state is maintained; red if the stop-play preparation state is cleared), and the speaker outputs the message "Amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained (stop-play preparation state has been cleared)." and the display device 1600 displays a message image that says "Amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained (stop-play preparation state has been cleared)." (This corresponds to clear notification 1 and game-stop failure notification). More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the machine is in the "stopped" state. If the power is cut off while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the preparation for stopping has been cleared. In all other cases, only a notification indicating that the payout amount has been cleared will be issued. Furthermore, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, in addition to these notifications, a notification indicating how to clear the machine may be added.

In the power-on pattern 2 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), when the power is turned on, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized), but the amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins is also cleared (initialized). In addition, the restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state and the stop-play preparation state are also cleared (initialized). Specifically, if gameplay is restricted in the restriction pattern 1 described above, the game is "stopped," but the game stop is released when the stop-play state is cleared. If gameplay is restricted in the restriction pattern 2, the ball is "stopped firing," but the ball stop is released when the stop-play state is cleared. If gameplay is restricted in the restriction pattern 3, both gameplay and firing are stopped, but the game stop and firing are released when the stop-play state is cleared. In all cases, it is possible to resume gameplay (main gameplay) on the main control board 1310 side. Furthermore, as a notification method for external communication, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 will light up red, and the speaker will output an audio message saying, "The payout amount and the stop-out state (stop-out preparation state) have been cleared." The display device 1600 will display a message image saying, "The payout amount and the stop-out state (stop-out preparation state) have been cleared" (corresponding to Clear Notification 2). More specifically, if the power is cut off while the stop-out state is active, the system will notify that the stop-out state has been cleared when the power is turned on. If the power is cut off while the stop-out preparation state is active, the system will notify that the stop-out preparation state has been cleared when the power is turned on. In all other cases, only the payout amount has been cleared.

In the power-on pattern 3 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), when the power is turned on, the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized), but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is also cleared (initialized). Furthermore, the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" and the stop-play preparation state are also cleared (initialized). In addition, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up red, and the speaker outputs the voice message "Amount of balls dispensed and stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) have been cleared." and the display device 1600 displays a message image that says "Amount of balls dispensed and stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) have been cleared." (This corresponds to clear notification 2). More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, the machine will notify the user that the "stopped" state has been cleared when the power is restored. If the power is cut off while the machine is in the "preparing to stop" state, the machine will notify the user that the "preparing to stop" state has been cleared when the power is restored. In all other cases, the machine will only notify the user that the payout amount has been cleared.

In the power-on pattern 4 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), the game state at the time of power-on is maintained, but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized). Also, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is maintained, but the stop-play preparation state is cleared (initialized). Furthermore, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time of power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up green (if the stop-play state is maintained; red if the stop-play preparation state is cleared), and the speaker outputs the message "Amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained (stop-play preparation state has been cleared)." and the display device 1600 displays a message image that says "Amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state is maintained (stop-play preparation state has been cleared)." (corresponding to clear notification 1, game inability notification). More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the machine is in the "stopped" state. If the power is cut off while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the preparation for stopping has been cleared. In all other cases, only a notification indicating that the payout amount has been cleared will be issued. Furthermore, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, in addition to these notifications, a notification indicating how to clear the machine may be added.

The power-on pattern 5 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(a) maintains the game state at the time of power-off when the power is turned on, but also maintains the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins." It also maintains the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" and the stop-play preparation state. As a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up in blue, and the speaker outputs the message "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) are maintained." The display device 1600 displays a message image that says "The amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) are maintained." More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, the system will notify the user that the "stopped" state was maintained upon power-on. If the power is cut off while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping" state, the system will notify the user that the "preparation for stopping" state has been cleared upon power-on. In all other cases, the system will only notify the user that the payout amount has been cleared.

Thus, in the restriction clear pattern table 4(a) used when a special external signal is output, regardless of whether power-on patterns 1 and 4 maintain the game state at the time of power-off, or power-on patterns 2 and 3 clear (initialize) the game state at the time of power-off, the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the stop-out state and after the start of the stop-out state" is cleared (initialized). This allows for clearing only the stop-out preparation state when power is turned on during test firing in the development phase of the gaming machine, thus avoiding the disruption of the test firing due to the subsequent occurrence of the stop-out state. Note that if power-on pattern 5 is selected at power-on, only the ball removal process described above is executed, and the game does not start; therefore, the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the stop-out state and after the start of the stop-out state" is not cleared (initialized) but maintained.

Furthermore, in the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), which is used when a special external signal is being output, the "restriction on gameplay during the stopped state" is cleared (initialized) only when the game state at the time of power-on is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. On the other hand, when the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restriction on gameplay during the stopped state" is maintained. In other words, regarding the "restriction on gameplay during the stopped state," it is possible for the developer to choose whether to maintain or clear it when the power is turned on again after a power-off under conditions such as test firing during the development stage of the game machine. For example, if the stopped state has already occurred and the developer wants to release the game restriction, they should perform a power-on operation to clear the "restriction on gameplay during the stopped state" after the power is turned off. If the developer wants to maintain the game restriction, they should perform a power-on operation to maintain the "restriction on gameplay during the stopped state" after the power is turned off. Furthermore, if power-on pattern 5 is selected when the power is turned on, only the ball removal process described above is executed, and gameplay does not begin. Therefore, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" is not cleared (initialized) and remains in place.

Furthermore, in the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), which is used when a special external signal is being output, when the game state at the time of power-on is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3, the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the stop-play state and after the start of the stop-play state" is cleared (initialized), as well as the stop-play preparation state. On the other hand, when the game state at the time of power-on is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the stop-play state and after the start of the stop-play state" is cleared (initialized), as well as the stop-play preparation state. This makes it possible to choose whether or not to clear the game state when clearing the stop-play preparation state during trial firing tests in the development stage of the gaming machine, making it possible to make it suitable for normal operation (such as operation in a gaming hall) rather than trial firing tests.

Figure 230(B) shows a modified example of the limit clear pattern table 4, specifically limit clear pattern table 4(b), which is selected when the power is cut off while the system is in the shutdown preparation state and no special external signal is output, and then the power is restored. Note that power-on patterns 2, 3, and 5 here are the same as those in limit clear pattern table 4(a) described above, and therefore their explanation is omitted.

In the power-on pattern 1 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(b), when the power is turned on, the game state at the time of power cut-off is maintained, but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized). In addition, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" and the stop-play preparation state are maintained. Furthermore, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time the power is turned on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up green, and the speaker outputs the voice message "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) is maintained." and the display device 1600 displays a message image that says "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) is maintained." (This corresponds to clear notification 1 and the inability to proceed notification). More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the machine is in the "stopped" state. If the power is cut off while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the "preparation for stopping" state is maintained. In all other cases, only a notification indicating that the payout amount has been cleared will be issued. Furthermore, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, in addition to these notifications, a notification indicating how to clear the machine may be added for the hall manager.

In the power-on pattern 4 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(b), the game state at the time of power-on is maintained, but the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized). In addition, the "restriction on gameplay during the stop-play state" and the stop-play preparation state are maintained. Furthermore, as a notification method to inform the outside, from the time of power-on until a predetermined period has elapsed, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5 and door frame 3 are made to light up green, and the speaker outputs the voice message "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) is maintained." and the display device 1600 displays a message image that says "The amount of balls dispensed has been cleared. The stop-play state (stop-play preparation state) is maintained." (corresponding to clear notification 1, game inability notification). More specifically, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the machine is in the "stopped" state. If the power is cut off while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping" state, a notification will be issued upon power-on indicating that the "preparation for stopping" state is maintained. In all other cases, only a notification indicating that the payout amount has been cleared will be issued. Furthermore, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stopped" state, in addition to these notifications, a notification indicating how to clear the machine may be added for the hall manager.

Thus, in the restriction clear pattern table 4(b) used when no special external signals are output, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power cut-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3, not only is the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" cleared (initialized), but the stop-play preparation state is also cleared (initialized). On the other hand, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power cut-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, although the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized), the stop-play preparation state is maintained regardless of whether the amount of balls dispensed is cleared. For example, during normal operation (such as operation in a gaming hall) not a test firing, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and a state of preparing to stop play occurs, and a severe malfunction (such as detection of magnetism, vibration, or radio waves) occurs due to fraudulent activity by the player, and it is desired to resolve this severe malfunction, the power should be turned off and then power-on operation should be performed to resolve the severe malfunction. However, even if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected as such power-on operation, the state of preparing to stop play will be maintained. In other words, although the jackpot game that was in progress will be resumed, if the state of preparing to stop play is maintained, the game will transition to the state of stopping play at the end of the resumed jackpot game. Thus, while the machine is in the "stop-play preparation" state, there is a possibility of a new type of fraud where an unscrupulous individual intentionally causes a severe malfunction to force the hall manager to restart the power and clear (initialize) the stop-play preparation state. However, if the power is restored to resolve the severe malfunction, the unscrupulous clearing of the stop-play preparation state can be avoided, and the game can be terminated when the resumed jackpot game ends, thereby preventing such new fraud. In this way, the restriction clear pattern table 4(b), used when no special external signal is output, can be configured to be suitable for normal operation (such as operation in a gaming hall) rather than test firing, unlike when using the restriction clear pattern table 4(a).

In the example described above, the system was configured to continuously output a special external signal while test electronic components were mounted on an empty test circuit. However, if the output time of the special external signal becomes unnecessarily long, it can lead to another problem: the control load on the main control board 1310 increases. Considering this, instead of continuously outputting the special external signal while test electronic components are mounted on an empty test circuit, it may be possible to configure the system to output the special external signal only when predetermined output start conditions are met. This point will be explained below using Figures 230(C) and (D).

Figure 231 is a time chart showing the start of outputting special external signals before the shutdown preparation state and the shutdown state begin. Figure 231(A) is a time chart for when the power is shut off before the shutdown preparation state and the shutdown state begin, and then powered on using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the aforementioned limit clear pattern table 4(a). Figure 231(B) is a time chart for when the power is shut off after the shutdown preparation state begins, and then powered on using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the aforementioned limit clear pattern table 4(a).

First, let's explain Figure 231(A). In Figure 231(A), although a test electronic component is mounted on an empty test circuit, it does not output a special external signal at all times. Instead, it starts outputting a special external signal at a specific timing (t1) before the start of the stop-out preparation state and the stop-out state. The specific timing (t1) in this example is set to be the same timing as the execution condition for the pre-notification display described above. That is, as described above, when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls won due to winning during the game reaches a specific value becomes "+1500 balls", the upper area of the performance display device 1600 displays a pre-notification display that says "Remaining until game limit +1500 balls" as the operation at the time of pre-notification. The special external signal is output when the number of balls remaining until the specific value reaches "+1500 balls", at the same timing as when this pre-notification display is displayed. Here, it is conceivable that a predetermined external signal might be output via an external terminal board at the timing of displaying the pre-notification indicator. Therefore, to avoid confusion between such predetermined external signals and special external signals, in this example, it is preferable to output the special external signal directly from the main control board 1310 to the outside without going through the external terminal board.

When the output of a special external signal begins at a specific timing (t1), under conditions such as test firing during the development phase of a gaming machine, the operation of test equipment receiving the special external signal makes it possible to determine that the machine is approaching the end-of-play preparation state and the end-of-play state. Therefore, by shutting off the power (t2) when the output of the special external signal is detected, and then turning the power back on (t3) using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the aforementioned restriction clear pattern table 4(a), it becomes possible to avoid the occurrence of the end-of-play preparation state and the end-of-play state without clearing (initializing) the game state.

Furthermore, in power-on patterns 1 and 4 of the limit clear pattern table 4(a), the output of the special external signal is terminated after a predetermined time has elapsed following power-on (t3). In this example, since the presence or absence of output of the special external signal from the main control board 1310 is determined prior to the various clearing processes in the power-on process, the timing of the termination of the output of the special external signal can be anytime after this determination has been made. However, if the output of the special external signal continues for an unnecessarily long time after power-on (t3) in power-on patterns 1 and 4 of the limit clear pattern table 4(a), there is a possibility of incorrectly determining the occurrence of the stop-out preparation state and the stop-out state. Therefore, it is desirable to terminate the output of the special external signal at a relatively early stage (for example, within 5 seconds) after power-on. Note that if the power is shut off (t2) when the output of the special external signal is detected, but the power is turned on due to an incorrect power-on pattern and the amount of balls dispensed is maintained, it is preferable to continue outputting the special external signal. This allows the system to detect that the payout balance has not been reset (initialized) after an incorrect power-on by outputting a special external signal for an extended period, enabling it to prompt the user to shut off the power again.

In this way, by configuring the system to output a special external signal at a specific timing (t1), such as before the start of the stop-out preparation state or the stop-out state, the constant output of the special external signal can be avoided, thereby reducing the control load on the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the approaching start of the stop-out preparation state or the stop-out state can be detected early from the outside via the special external signal, along with a pre-notification display, enabling smooth operation during test firing and other testing phases of the gaming machine development. Also, because the main control board 1310 outputs the special external signal externally, even if the pre-notification display is not yet complete during the gaming machine development phase, as long as the specific timing is set, the approaching start of the stop-out preparation state or the stop-out state can be detected early from the outside via the special external signal, further facilitating smooth operation during test firing and other testing phases of the gaming machine development.

Next, Figure 231(B) will be explained. In Figure 231(B), with test electronic components mounted in an empty test circuit, a special external signal is started to output at a specific timing (t1) before the start of the shutdown preparation state, and the power is shut off after the start of the shutdown preparation state.

Specifically, while a test electronic component is mounted on an empty test circuit, the system does not continuously output a special external signal. Instead, it starts outputting the special external signal at a specific timing (t1) before the start of the stop-and-go preparation state. Furthermore, it continues outputting the special external signal even after the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the stop-and-go preparation state occurs (t2). Here, since it is conceivable to output a predetermined external signal via an external terminal board during the stop-and-go preparation state, to avoid confusion between such predetermined external signals and the special external signal, in this example, it is preferable to output the special external signal directly from the main control board 1310 without going through the external terminal board. In addition, during the stop-and-go preparation state, as described above, the display device 1600 displays not only the display related to the ongoing jackpot game (normal display), but also a standby display indicating "The jackpot is over, and today's game is finished" to show that the payout has already reached a specific value.

After the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and a stop-play preparation state is triggered (t2), the game transitions to the stop-play state when the jackpot game ends. However, by continuing to output a special external signal during this stop-play preparation state, it becomes possible to detect the approaching stop-play state through the operation of test equipment receiving the special external signal, such as during test firings in the development phase of the gaming machine. Therefore, by shutting off the power (t3) when the output of the special external signal is detected during the stop-play preparation state, and then turning the power back on (t4) using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the aforementioned restriction clear pattern table 4(a), it becomes possible to clear the stop-play preparation state without clearing (initializing) the game state, thus avoiding the occurrence of the stop-play state.

Then, when the output of a special external signal is detected during the stop-loss preparation state, the power is shut off (t3). When the power is turned on (t4) using power-on patterns 1 and 4 in the aforementioned restriction clear pattern table 4(a), the stop-loss preparation state is cleared. This does not clear the jackpot game that was running before the power shut-off. Instead, after various clearing processes during power-on, the jackpot game that was running before the power shut-off is resumed. This ensures that even if the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the stop-loss preparation state occurs during trial testing in the development phase of the gaming machine, only the stop-loss preparation state is cleared, preventing disruption to the continuous execution of trial testing.

Furthermore, in the power-on patterns 1 and 4 of the restriction clear pattern table 4(a), after power-on (t4), the output of the special external signal is terminated after a predetermined time has elapsed, as described above. However, since the presence or absence of output of the special external signal from the main control board 1310 is determined prior to the various clearing processes during power-on, the timing of the termination of the special external signal output can be anytime after this determination has been made.

By configuring the system to continue outputting a special external signal not only before the start of the stop-loss preparation state but also after it begins, the approaching start of the stop-loss state can be detected early from the outside via the special external signal along with the standby indicator. This enables smooth operation during test firing and other procedures during the development phase of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, the specific timing (t1) does not necessarily have to be the same timing as the execution conditions for the prior notification display described above. It may be any timing before the start of the stop-down preparation state or the stop-down state, and may be either before or after the execution conditions for the prior notification display.

Furthermore, the configuration is not limited to the embodiments shown in Figures 231(A) and (B) above. For example, regardless of whether test electronic components are mounted on an empty test circuit, the output/non-output of the special external signal may be switched in accordance with the ON/OFF operation of the output start switch mounted on the main control board 1310. Specifically, when the output start switch is turned ON during the shutdown preparation state, the specific output requirements are met and the special external signal is output. However, when the output start switch is turned ON when not in the shutdown preparation state, the specific output requirements are met and the special external signal is output after a specific timing (t1) before the start of the shutdown preparation state has arrived. In such cases as well, the constant output of the special external signal can be avoided, and the control load on the main control board 1310 can be reduced.

(Regarding adjustments to the amount of balls dispensed)
As explained in detail above, when the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game (winning game) reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state. The game does not immediately enter the stop-play state until the jackpot game ends, at which point it transitions to the stop-play state. For example, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during an intermediate round of a jackpot game, the game does not immediately enter the stop-play preparation state, but rather transitions to the stop-play preparation state. The game then transitions to the stop-play state when the final round of the jackpot game ends. In other words, when the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, it is possible to obtain more balls than that specific value.

By the way, in situations such as "multiple reserved balls that are judged to be jackpots are stored, and after the jackpot game resulting from the consumption of the earlier reserved balls is completed, the execution of the jackpot game resulting from the consumption of the later reserved balls is also confirmed (the player can recognize the occurrence of multiple jackpots by the display of multiple reserved ball displays with a high expectation level)," or "it is confirmed that the jackpot will be a probability-increasing jackpot, and that the game will transition to a high-probability state (such as a continuous win mode) after the jackpot game is completed," or "a game ball enters the V-entry slot 2007 during a jackpot game, and it is confirmed that the game will transition to a high-probability state after the jackpot game is completed," then it is confirmed that the next jackpot can be obtained even while the jackpot game is in progress. However, even when a jackpot is guaranteed during a winning game, if the payout reaches a specific value and the game enters a state of preparing to stop, the game cannot continue once the jackpot ends. This prevents players from receiving the benefit of the next jackpot, leading to significant player dissatisfaction. This example describes a configuration where, when the payout reaches a specific value and the game enters a state of preparing to stop, the hall manager can perform a specific operation to reduce the payout (the value of the stop counter), returning the payout to its state before reaching the specific value (normal state). This resolves the stop-stop preparation state, allowing players to receive the next jackpot after the jackpot ends.

First, on the back of the pachinko machine 1, there is a payout amount subtraction switch for subtracting and adjusting the payout amount (the value of the stop counter). This payout amount subtraction switch is located on the main control board 1310 as a work-only operation unit (such as a button that allows switching between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that allows switching between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that cannot be touched by the player. When the payout amount subtraction switch is operated (for example, by turning it ON for more than 3 seconds and then switching it OFF), the operation signal is input to the main control board 1310, making it possible to subtract a predetermined payout amount (for example, 1500 balls) from the current payout amount. In other words, it is possible to subtract a predetermined payout amount (for example, 1500 balls) from the value at the point when the stop counter reaches its highest value.

In this example, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state, the ball dispenser reduction switch is enabled during this state. When the hall manager operates the ball dispenser reduction switch, a predetermined amount of balls (for example, 1500 balls) is subtracted from the current number of balls dispensed, causing the number of balls dispensed to fall below the specific value. At this time, the stop-play flag, which was turned on when the game transitioned to the stop-play preparation state, is turned off, ending the stop-play preparation state and returning to the normal state. For example, if the "specific value" is set to 100,000, and the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value (100,000 balls) during a jackpot game, the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state. However, when the hall manager operates the ball dispenser reduction switch, 1500 balls are subtracted as a predetermined amount, resulting in a number of balls dispensed of 98,500, which falls below the specific value (100,000 balls). Here, when the payout amount is reduced to a certain value, the "stop-play" preparation state is resolved, but the information for the ongoing jackpot game and for obtaining the next jackpot is not cleared. Furthermore, after reducing the payout amount to a certain value, the payout count is restarted from the reduced amount.

Thus, even if the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the game enters a state of preparation for stopping play, the hall manager can operate the payout reduction switch to resolve the state of preparation for stopping play. As long as the payout does not reach the specific value again, the game can continue even after the jackpot game ends. This means that even if the next jackpot is confirmed during a jackpot game, as described above, the game can continue after the jackpot game ends, allowing the player to reap the benefits related to the next jackpot and alleviating player dissatisfaction. While the game continues after the jackpot game ends, if the payout reaches the specific value again during the next jackpot game, for example, the game will enter the state of preparation for stopping play. Conversely, if the payout reaches the specific value again when the game is not in a jackpot state, the game will enter the state of stopping play.

On the other hand, when the machine is not in a state of preparation for stopping play, the operation of the payout amount reduction switch is disabled. Even if the hall manager operates the payout amount reduction switch, the predetermined payout amount (e.g., 1500 balls) will not be reduced from the current payout amount. Therefore, even if the payout amount reduction switch is operated while the machine is in a state of stopping play, the predetermined payout amount (e.g., 1500 balls) will not be reduced from the current payout amount, and the payout amount will not fall below a specific value. In other words, since the machine does not return to the normal state and maintains the state of stopping play, it is not possible to resume playing. In such cases, it is necessary to cut off the power while the machine is in a state of stopping play, and when the power is turned back on, the payout amount and the state of stopping play must be cleared.

Furthermore, when the payout amount reduction switch is operated during the stop-loss preparation state, a predetermined amount of payouts (for example, 1500 balls) is subtracted from the current payout amount. The amount of payouts subtracted is equivalent to the amount of payouts that can be obtained in one jackpot game. In this example, the amount of payouts that can be obtained in one jackpot game is set to be around 1500 balls, and the amount of payouts subtracted when the payout amount reduction switch is operated is set to 1500 balls. As a result, if the payout amount reaches a specific value during a jackpot game and the game transitions to the stop-loss preparation state, operating the payout amount reduction switch during the stop-loss preparation state will cancel the stop-loss preparation state, and the payout amount will not reach the specific value again during that jackpot game, thus preventing the game from transitioning to the stop-loss preparation state. In other words, even if the next jackpot is confirmed during a jackpot game as described above, it is possible to continue playing after the jackpot game ends and obtain the benefit related to the next jackpot. Furthermore, since the amount of balls deducted when the payout amount reduction switch is operated is equivalent to the amount of balls that can be obtained in one jackpot game, there is a high probability that the payout amount will reach a specific value again in the next jackpot game and transition to the stop-play preparation state. At the end of that next jackpot game, the game will transition to the stop-play state and end.

Furthermore, when the number of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, the system transitions to a stop-play preparation state. However, after transitioning to the stop-play preparation state, the system is configured not to count the number of balls dispensed during the jackpot game (the value of the stop-play counter). In other words, the system is configured not to count the number of balls dispensed beyond a specific value. Therefore, when the ball dispensed amount subtraction switch is operated during the stop-play preparation state, a predetermined amount of balls dispensed (for example, 1500 balls) is subtracted from the current number of balls dispensed, which is the specific value, so that the number of balls dispensed falls below the specific value. However, the system may also be configured to continue counting the number of balls dispensed during the jackpot game (the value of the stop-play counter) even after transitioning to the stop-play preparation state. In other words, the system may be configured to count the number of balls dispensed beyond the specific value. In such a configuration, when the ball dispensed amount subtraction switch is operated during the stop-play preparation state, a predetermined amount of balls dispensed (for example, 1500 balls) is subtracted from the current number of balls dispensed, which exceeds the specific value, so that the number of balls dispensed falls below the specific value.

Furthermore, when the payout reduction switch is operated while the machine is in the "stop-play preparation" state, a predetermined amount of payouts (e.g., 1500 balls) is subtracted from the current payout. Alternatively, if the power is cut off while the machine is in the "stop-play preparation" state, and then the payout reduction switch is operated upon power restoration, the machine may be configured to subtract a predetermined amount of payouts (e.g., 1500 balls) from the current payout. In such a configuration, even if the "stop-play preparation" state is maintained upon power restoration, operating the payout reduction switch at that time will subtract a predetermined amount of payouts (e.g., 1500 balls) from the current payout, causing the payout to fall below a specific value. In other words, when the payout reduction switch is operated upon power restoration, the "stop-play preparation" state is resolved, allowing the jackpot game that was in progress when the power was cut off to resume. Thus, by requiring power on/off switching to be effective, the resolution of the "stop-play preparation" state can be strictly controlled by the hall manager.

Furthermore, if the payout reduction switch is operated during the stop-loss preparation state, making it possible to win the next jackpot, and then the next jackpot game is played, it is conceivable that a similar game situation may occur again (a situation where, despite the next jackpot being secured, the payout reaches a specific value during the jackpot game, causing the game to transition to the stop-loss preparation state). Considering such cases, it is preferable not to limit the number of times the payout reduction switch can be operated (the number of reductions) during the stop-loss preparation state, allowing operation to be accepted for each stop-loss preparation state. This allows the hall manager to appropriately manage the situation so as not to dissatisfaction with players, even if a similar game situation occurs after operating the payout reduction switch. However, to prevent excessive payout reduction by accepting multiple operations of the payout reduction switch during a single stop-loss preparation state, it is desirable to limit the number of operations of the payout reduction switch (the number of reductions) to one per stop-loss preparation state.

Furthermore, operating the payout reduction switch while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping play" state requires work by the hall manager, which temporarily stops the player's gameplay. However, since the jackpot game continues to progress during this operation, there is a risk of the player losing payouts during this time. To avoid this, for example, when operating the payout reduction switch while the machine is in the "preparation for stopping play" state, control may be implemented to stop the progress of the game, including the jackpot game. For example, if the payout reduction is performed by turning the payout reduction switch ON for three seconds or more and then OFF, it is possible to implement a system that stops the progress of the game, including the jackpot game, at least while the payout reduction switch is ON. Also, to ensure that players understand that this does not cancel the jackpot game, it is preferable to provide a unique notification indicating that the game, including the jackpot game, is temporarily stopped while the payout reduction switch is ON, and to make this information known externally.

Furthermore, the amount of balls deducted when operating the ball deduction switch during the preparation state for stopping play is not limited to the "amount of balls that can be obtained in one jackpot game" as described above, but may be set appropriately according to the game specifications, etc. For example, in a game where four jackpot games are guaranteed after one jackpot game (for example, a set of five jackpot games), operating the ball deduction switch once may deduct a value exceeding the amount of balls that can be obtained in the next jackpot game (500 balls) (for example, "2000 balls," which is the amount of balls that can be obtained in four jackpot games). This can alleviate player dissatisfaction.

(Regarding the transition to a state similar to "finished" after clearing the "finished" state)
As detailed above, in the restriction clear pattern table 4, regardless of which of the power-on patterns 1 to 4 is selected when the power is turned on, the "amount of balls dispensed before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" is cleared (initialized). Also, in the restriction clear pattern table 4, when the power is turned on, the "restrictions on playing during the stop-play state" are cleared (initialized) only if the game state at the time of power-off is cleared (initialized) as in power-on patterns 2 and 3. On the other hand, when the power is turned on, if the game state at the time of power-off is maintained as in power-on patterns 1 and 4, the "restrictions on playing during the stop-play state" are maintained. In other words, regarding the "restrictions on playing during the stop-play state," it is possible to choose whether to maintain or clear them when the power is turned on again after a power-off. For example, if the stop-play state has already occurred and you want to remove the restrictions on playing, you should perform the power-on operation to clear the "restrictions on playing during the stop-play state" after the power is turned off. If you want to maintain the restrictions on playing, you should perform the power-on operation to maintain the "restrictions on playing during the stop-play state" after the power is turned off.

However, if the hall manager, unaware that a game-stopping state had already occurred, mistakenly performed the power-on operation to clear the "restriction on gameplay during a game-stopping state" after a power-off, there was a possibility that the game-stopping state would be resolved and gameplay could be resumed, even though the manager wanted the game-stopping state to continue. In this example, when a game-stopping state has already occurred, the power-on operation to clear the "restriction on gameplay during a game-stopping state" clears the game-stopping state at that point, but instead of immediately returning to the normal state, it transitions to a state similar to a game-stopping state, where gameplay is restricted in a similar manner. This similar state continues until the hall manager performs a specific operation. This configuration is described below.

First, a stop-like state termination switch is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 to terminate the stop-like state. This stop-like state termination switch is provided on the main control board 1310 as an operational part (such as a button that can switch between ON and OFF states, or a key switch that can switch between ON and OFF states by inserting a key) that cannot be touched by the player. When the stop-like state termination switch is operated during the stop-like state, the operation signal is input to the main control board 1310, and although the game is restricted in the stop-like state, the stop-like state is resolved, returning to the normal state and allowing the game to resume. Note that the stop-like state termination switch is enabled during the stop-like state, but it is disabled during the stop state, and even if the stop-like state termination switch is operated during the stop state, the stop state will not be resolved. Furthermore, the stop-like state termination switch may also be used in conjunction with the payout amount reduction switch mentioned above.

Figure 232 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a state similar to a stop-out state occurs after the stop-out state is cleared upon power-up.

First, at timing t1, the system determines that the amount of balls dispensed based on balls entering the prize slots reaches a specific value. When the main control board 1310 detects a ball entering the prize slot, it turns on the stop-play flag, and the system transitions to a "stopped-play state" where restriction pattern 3 is applied, performing both "stop play" and "stop firing." The behavior of the stopped-play state is as described above.

Specifically, in the "stopped" state, the launch of game balls is disabled, and the game (main game) on the main control board 1310 cannot proceed. In other words, in the "stopped" state, the special symbol variation display and jackpot game are not executed, and even if a starting payout occurs, the special symbol variation display will not be initiated anew.

Next, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the power is shut off at timing t2, and then restarted at timing t3. In this example, when the power is restarted, the restriction clear pattern table 4 is used as the restriction clear pattern table, and power restart patterns 2 and 3, which clear the payout amount and the stop-play state, are selected as the power restart patterns. Therefore, when the power is restarted, the game state at the time of the power shutoff is cleared (initialized), but the "payout amount before the stop-play state begins and after the stop-play state begins" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are also cleared (initialized).

In this example, when the power is restored, the "restriction on gameplay during stoppage state" is cleared (initialized), but instead of immediately returning to the normal state, it transitions to a stoppage-like state that restricts gameplay in the same way as a stoppage state. In this stoppage-like state, just like a stoppage state, the launch of game balls is disabled, and it becomes impossible to proceed with gameplay (main game) on the main control board 1310. In other words, in the stoppage-like state, the special symbol variation display and jackpot game are not executed, and even if a starting prize is won, the special symbol variation display will not start anew. Thus, even if the hall manager mistakenly performs the power-on operation to clear the "restriction on gameplay during stoppage state" after a power outage without realizing that a stoppage state had already occurred, the system transitions to a stoppage-like state, and gameplay is restricted in the same way as a stoppage state until the hall manager operates the stoppage-like state termination switch, allowing the hall manager to strictly control the resumption of gameplay.

In a state similar to a "stopped play" state, the notification to external parties is given in a manner different from that of a "stopped play" state. Specifically, in a state similar to a "stopped play" state, for example, the display device 1600, lamp A (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LED mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker notify that gameplay is temporarily restricted until the "stopped play" state termination switch is operated. In this way, by notifying in a manner different from that of a "stopped play" state in a "stopped play" state, it is possible to reliably recognize whether the game is in a "stopped play" state or whether the power has been cut off during a "stopped play" state. Furthermore, when the power is restored, the "amount of balls dispensed before the start of the "stopped play" state and after the start of the "stopped play" state, as well as the "restriction of gameplay during the "stopped play" state, are cleared (initialized), and therefore, the amount of balls dispensed and the fact that the "stopped play" state has been cleared are also notified.

Furthermore, the behavior of the "similar to a stop-down state" is substantially the same as that of a normal stop-down state, except for the manner in which external notifications are sent. Specifically, in the "similar to a stop-down state," movable parts are rendered inoperable. Also, in the "similar to a stop-down state," the external terminal board is forced to output a security signal, even though no abnormality has been detected, and no setting value has been changed or a setting value confirmation display is being performed. This ensures that in the "similar to a stop-down state," a security signal is output to the hall computer, allowing the hall to understand that the system has transitioned to the "similar to a stop-down state."

Furthermore, in a state similar to a "stop-play" state, the number of game balls B that enter the ball entry slot (prize entry slot, out entry slot) (number of balls entered) and the number of game balls B that are dispensed as prize balls (number of balls dispensed) are not counted. In other words, calculations regarding the ratio of dispensed balls to entered balls are disabled, and this is not reflected in the base value displayed on the base monitor 1310h.

Furthermore, in a state similar to a "stopped play" state, even if a ball is detected entering the prize slot, no predetermined number of game balls will be dispensed as prize balls, nor will they be added to the player's ball count. However, in a state similar to a "stopped play" state, the system may be configured not to detect balls entering the prize slot, and even if balls enter the prize slot, no predetermined number of game balls will be dispensed as prize balls, nor will they be added to the player's ball count. Additionally, in a state similar to a "stopped play" state, the player's ball count can be settled by operating the counting button switch.

Furthermore, in a state similar to a "stop-down" state, no abnormality determination is performed to determine whether or not an abnormality such as magnetic fields or vibrations has been detected. In other words, even if an abnormality is detected in a state similar to a "stop-down" state, since no abnormality determination is performed, no abnormality notification is executed to inform external parties that an abnormality has occurred. Thus, in a state similar to a "stop-down" state, notification regarding the state takes precedence over abnormality notifications, ensuring that players and hall managers are reliably aware that they have entered a state similar to a "stop-down" state. However, the system may be configured not to detect abnormalities such as magnetic fields or vibrations in a state similar to a "stop-down" state. Similarly, if no abnormalities are detected at all, even if an abnormality occurs, no abnormality notification will be executed to inform external parties that an abnormality has occurred.

Next, after transitioning to a state similar to a stop-loss state, the stop-loss-like-state termination switch is operated at timing t4. In this example, operating the stop-loss-like-state termination switch during the stop-loss-like state resolves the stop-loss-like state, returning to the normal state and releasing the restrictions on gameplay in the stop-loss-like state. The behavior of the normal state is as described above.

Specifically, in the normal state, the game balls can be launched, and the game (main game) can proceed on the main control board 1310. In other words, in the normal state, unlike the near-stop state or the actual stop state, when a starting win occurs, the special symbol variation display can begin, and when the special symbol variation display stops on a winning symbol, the jackpot game can begin, allowing for normal gameplay.

Furthermore, when the power is restarted, the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" and the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are cleared (initialized). Therefore, a notification is sent indicating that the amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state have been cleared. However, such a notification could also be sent when the stop-play-like state termination switch is operated during the stop-play-like state, returning the system to the normal state. This prevents the user from feeling confused when, upon restarting the power, the amount of balls dispensed and the stop-play state are cleared, but the system transitions to a stop-play-like state and restricts gameplay in the same way as the stop-play state.

(Regarding the visibility of advance notices and signs indicating that the road is impassable)
In the examples described above, the pre-notification message is displayed in a specific display area on the top layer of the performance display device 1600 during the game's progression, ensuring that the visibility of the pre-notification is not obstructed by other performance images. However, if a predetermined area for displaying adjustment images that reflect the player's adjustment operations related to the performance (for example, images corresponding to volume or brightness, or other adjustment images) is located in a position that overlaps with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction, the visibility of the adjustment images may be obstructed by the pre-notification, at least while the pre-notification is displayed, potentially reducing the enjoyment of the game. As an example, one solution described above is to hide the pre-notification in the specific display area so that it cannot be seen. However, in the example described below, a configuration is described in which, while the pre-notification message is displayed in the specific display area, game information such as adjustment images is displayed outside the specific display area.

Figure 233 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when a pre-announcement or an "impossible to proceed" message is displayed during the standby state.

First, once the remaining number of balls to be dispensed reaches a predetermined value (for example, 5000 balls), a pre-notification display is shown. This pre-notification display continues to be shown not only during the special symbol's variation display, but also during the standby state when the special symbol is not varying, until the number of balls to be dispensed reaches the predetermined value. Furthermore, as detailed above, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Remaining until the game limit is reached: +XX balls" in a specific display area as a pre-notification display. This specific display area is set as part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 and is used to display information when the number of balls to be dispensed approaches the predetermined value. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game state to prevent hall managers from overlooking it.

Furthermore, advance notices and indications of impossibility of proceeding are displayed on the upper layers of the display device 1600. In this example, the display device 1600 can display multiple layers, including at least an upper layer, a middle layer, and a lower layer. The display elements on higher layers are displayed closer to the front, following the relationship "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer," ensuring priority visibility. This prevents the visibility of advance notices and impossibility of proceeding displayed on the upper layers from being obstructed by displays on the middle and lower layers.

Furthermore, during the non-variable display of the special symbol, the stopped symbol of the decorative symbol is displayed as standby display 1 (standby effect 1) for a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) elapsed after the special symbol has stopped in a fixed position. This stopped symbol of the decorative symbol is displayed on a lower layer of the effect display device 1600. The decorative symbol is displayed on a lower layer of the effect display device 1600 regardless of whether the special symbol is in a variable display or a non-variable display state. In addition, the predetermined area of standby display 1 in which the stopped symbol of the decorative symbol is displayed is located outside the specific display area where the pre-notification display is displayed, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction. This ensures that the visibility of the stopped symbol of the decorative symbol is maintained even while the pre-notification display is displayed, and allows the user to understand that the special symbol is in a non-variable display state. Furthermore, the designated area within the standby display 1 where the stop symbol of the decorative pattern is displayed may be positioned so that a portion of it overlaps with a specific display area in the front-to-back direction. For example, the stop symbol of the decorative pattern may be displayed offset from the pre-notification display to the extent that the stop symbol of the decorative pattern can be clearly identified.

Furthermore, while the special symbols are displayed in a non-variable state, the volume and brightness can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204, just as when the special symbols are displayed in a variable state. During volume and brightness adjustment, an adjustment image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted is displayed. The adjustment image is displayed starting when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated and disappears after a certain period of time (for example, 3 seconds) has elapsed since the start of display. Here, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated at timing t1 while the special symbols are displayed in a non-variable state, the adjustment image is displayed, and this adjustment image is displayed on the middle layer of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the predetermined area where the adjustment image is displayed is outside the specific display area where the pre-notification display is displayed, and is located in a position that does not overlap with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction. This ensures that the visibility of the adjustment image is maintained even while the pre-notification display is displayed, and prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, the designated area where the adjustment image is displayed may be positioned so that it partially overlaps with a specific display area in the front-to-back direction. For example, if the adjustment image is a level gauge type, it may be displayed so that it does not overlap to the extent that the change in the level gauge can be grasped; if the adjustment image is a numerical type, it may be displayed so that it does not overlap to the extent that the numerical value can be grasped. In short, it may be displayed offset from the pre-notification display to the extent that the results of the adjustment operation by the player can be confirmed.

Furthermore, pre-announcement displays and game-breaking indicators are excluded from the image conversion processing (mosaic processing, grayscale processing, scaling, etc.) performed by the peripheral control board 1510. In other words, while other performance images are subject to image conversion processing by the peripheral control board 1510, allowing for changes in their appearance as the performance progresses, pre-announcement displays and game-breaking indicators are excluded from this processing. Therefore, even as the performance progresses, changes in their appearance are not permitted. This ensures that while pre-announcement displays and game-breaking indicators are displayed, their visibility remains unchanged, preventing players from overlooking information such as payout amounts.

Next, at timing t3, after the special symbol's variation display has finished, and after a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbol stopped, a demonstration period begins, displaying demonstration images (e.g., images explaining the game's mechanics or promotional images). This demonstration period ends when the special symbol's variation display begins. Furthermore, the pre-announcement display continues to be shown even after the demonstration period has started. This prevents new players from starting the game without being aware of information regarding payout amounts, etc., before they begin playing.

Furthermore, during the demonstration period, a demonstration image with the following content is displayed as standby display 2 (standby effect 2). Specifically, first, the effect display device 1600 is used to display an explanatory and promotional image (movie) of the effects of the pachinko machine 1, and at the end of this, the logo of the pachinko machine 1's title is displayed. After the display of the title logo is finished, the effect display device 1600 displays the logo of the manufacturer of the pachinko machine 1, and then displays a warning message regarding "preventing addiction" to prevent excessive gambling (for example, the text "Pachinko should be enjoyed in moderation. Be careful not to become addicted"). By displaying such a warning message, it is possible to prevent players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game during subsequent play.

In this example, the standby display 2 described above is displayed on a lower layer of the performance display device 1600. For example, the predetermined area where the warning message is displayed is located outside the specific display area where the pre-notification display is displayed, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction. This ensures that the visibility of the warning message is maintained even while the pre-notification display is displayed, and reliably prevents players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game. The predetermined area where the warning message is displayed may be positioned so that a part of the predetermined area overlaps with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction. For example, even if the predetermined area and the specific display area overlap, the warning message may be shifted vertically or horizontally from the pre-notification display to the extent that the content of the warning message can be confirmed. Also, for example, the predetermined area where the warning message is displayed may be located outside the display area where the adjustment image described later will be displayed. This ensures the visibility of warning messages even when adjustment images are displayed, effectively preventing players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game.

As an alternative, the standby display 2 described above may be displayed on a higher layer of the performance display device 1600. In this case, the predetermined area where the warning message is displayed and the specific display area where the pre-notification display is displayed will be displayed on the same layer. However, it is desirable to offset the predetermined area and the specific display area vertically or horizontally so that they do not overlap at all. This ensures that the visibility of the warning message is maintained even while the pre-notification display is displayed, and reliably prevents players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game. It should be noted that a portion of the predetermined area where the warning message is displayed may overlap with the specific display area. For example, even if the warning message overlaps with the predetermined area and the specific display area, it may be displayed offset vertically or horizontally from the pre-notification display to the extent that the content of the warning message can be confirmed.

Furthermore, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated at timing t4 during the demonstration period, an adjustment image is displayed. As described above, this adjustment image is displayed on the middle layer of the display device 1600. The predetermined area where the adjustment image is displayed is located outside the specific display area where the pre-notification display is shown, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the specific display area in the front-to-back direction. This ensures the visibility of the adjustment image even while the pre-notification display is shown, thus avoiding a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Note that if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated during the demonstration period, the demonstration period may be terminated while continuing in standby mode. However, even in the standby state after the end of the demonstration period, the pre-notification display will continue to be displayed.

Furthermore, during the demonstration period, the movable body provided on the game board 5 may be moved from its initial position to its appearance position, so that it appears in front of the screen of the display device 1600. However, even if the movable body appears in front of the screen of the display device 1600, it is preferable that it does not position itself in front of the specific display area where the pre-announcement display is shown. This ensures the visibility of the pre-announcement display even when the movable body is in operation during the demonstration period.

Next, at timing t6, if the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game is restricted, the standby state ends and the game transitions to a stop-play state where further gameplay is impossible. As described above, when the number of balls dispensed, calculated based on the prize balls awarded for winning in each prize slot, reaches a specific value, the game is restricted and the game enters a stop-play state. However, in this example, this game restriction is controlled not only during the display of special symbols or during winning gameplay, but also during the standby state. This makes it possible to prevent the game from entering a stop-play state during the display of special symbols or during winning gameplay, for example, if a game ball launched in the standby state enters a general prize slot 2001, and the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value as a result of that entry.

When the game transitions directly from standby to the stop-play state, the display device 1600 displays a "cannot proceed" indicator as the image corresponding to the stop-play state. This "cannot proceed" indicator displays the message "Game Restriction," along with the messages "Gameplay is restricted because the daily payout limit of XXX balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The payout button is active." Furthermore, as mentioned above, the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed on a higher layer of the display device 1600. This ensures that the visibility of the "cannot proceed" indicator is not obstructed, allowing players to understand that gameplay has been restricted because the payout amount has reached a specific value.

Furthermore, in this example, the "cannot proceed" display is shown on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, displaying a message on a screen consisting of an opaque blacked-out display (for example, a black background image). This blacked-out display covers almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600. As a result, screens displayed on lower layers than the upper layer are invisible due to the blacked-out display on the upper layer. Specifically, even after transitioning to the stop-play state at timing t6, the demonstration image as standby display 2 continues to be displayed on the lower layer of the performance display device 1600. However, because the "cannot proceed" display is shown on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600 using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, the demonstration image is invisible. As a result, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the player does not realize that it is a demonstration period while the "cannot proceed" display is shown, and can reliably understand that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and that the game is being restricted. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed in the standby state where the special symbols are not being displayed, the lower layer of the display device 1600 may be forcibly terminated to prevent the demonstration image from being continuously displayed.

Furthermore, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated at timing t7 while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, the operation of the setting adjustment button 204 itself is accepted, and the adjustment image is displayed on the middle layer of the performance display device 1600. However, because the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, the adjustment image is not visible. Note that while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, the adjustment image is simply not displayed, but the volume and light intensity adjustments can be internally accepted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. However, while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, control based on the stop state takes priority as a control related to sound and light emission, and the volume and light intensity adjustments received from operating the setting adjustment button 204 are not reflected. Alternatively, the volume and light intensity adjustments received from operating the setting adjustment button 204 while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed may be reflected. For example, volume and light intensity adjustments may be reflected except for those related to the notification mode described later.

Furthermore, in this example, even after transitioning to the stop state at timing t6, the demonstration image as standby display 2 continues to be displayed on the lower layer of the performance display device 1600. However, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated while the display of the "cannot proceed" indicator is shown, the demonstration image continuing on the lower layer may be terminated. This reduces the control load on the peripheral control board 1510. Note that the condition for terminating the demonstration image continuing on the lower layer is not limited to the operation of the setting adjustment button 204, but may also be the operation of the first performance button 251, the second performance button 252, or the handle 160. Also, if the setting adjustment button 204, the first performance button 251, the second performance button 252, or the handle 160 is operated while the display of the "cannot proceed" indicator is shown (i.e., a predetermined operation that is a condition for terminating the demonstration image continuing on the lower layer is performed), it is desirable that no special sound, light, display, or other notification is provided accordingly. In other words, if dedicated voice, light, or display notifications are provided for each operation, there is a risk that players may misunderstand and think they can play the game. However, by not providing any dedicated voice, light, or display notifications for each operation, such misunderstandings can be prevented. Furthermore, in the case of the aforementioned sealed-type gaming machines and managed gaming machines, dedicated voice, light, or display notifications are not provided for the operation of the setting adjustment button 204, the first and second performance buttons 251 and 252, or the handle 160. However, for the operation of the counting button switch, dedicated voice, light, or display notifications may be provided to clearly indicate the normal end of the game.

Next, the notification methods regarding light and sound during the execution of the stop-play state will be explained using Figure 233. In this example, when the machine transitions to the stop-play state, not only the performance display device 1600 but also other notification components are used to actively inform the outside that the machine has transitioned to the stop-play state in an emphasized manner. However, if this emphasized notification continues until the stop-play state is resolved, it may interfere with the game for surrounding players. Here, to address this concern, a configuration that controls the notification regarding light and sound during the execution of the stop-play state to change in a specific manner will be described below.

First, at timing t6, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game is restricted, the game transitions to a stop-play state where further play is impossible. The display device 1600 then displays a message indicating that further play is impossible, using almost the entire surface of the display device 1600 as an image corresponding to the stop-play state. At this time, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamps B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and speakers are forcibly activated as notification mode A, consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume), regardless of the settings made by operating the setting adjustment button 204, in conjunction with the execution of the operation when further play is impossible. More specifically, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) emit white monochromatic light, and the LEDs blink or light up at a specific brightness level (e.g., maximum brightness). The speaker outputs a voice message at a specific volume (e.g., maximum volume) stating, "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted." This clearly informs the hall manager that the game has entered a stop-play state. It is preferable that the notification related to the stop-play state be presented in a different manner than the notifications given in the event of other errors such as malfunctions.

Then, after the notification in the emphasized mode as notification mode A has started, at timing t8, when a predetermined period (for example, 15 seconds) has elapsed, the performance display device 1600 maintains the display of "cannot proceed" using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, but the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member), lamps B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and the speaker switch to notification mode B, a suppressed mode in which the light intensity and volume are suppressed. Specifically, for lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member) and lamps B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), the LEDs continue to emit white monochromatic light, but they are prevented from flashing or lighting at a specific light intensity (for example, maximum light intensity) (they are prevented from flashing or lighting at a light intensity lower than a specific light intensity), and furthermore, the speaker does not output the voice message "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted," resulting in a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard. This allows the notification in the emphasized mode to end even when the machine is in a stopped state, preventing it from interfering with the game for surrounding players. It also prevents excessive power consumption by the gaming machine when it is no longer being played.

Regarding the suppression method, it is sufficient to suppress the light intensity and volume compared to the emphasis method. For example, for lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), the pattern of emitted colors may be changed from the emphasis method so that the LEDs flash or light up with multiple colors, or the speaker may output a voice message such as "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted" or a predetermined background music at a volume lower than a certain level. By doing so, even if a game machine has reached its payout limit and is no longer being played, the decorative effect can be maintained, and it can play a role in enlivening the entire game hall. Furthermore, decorative effects are unnecessary for gaming machines that have reached a stopping point and are no longer being played. If even greater energy savings are desired, the suppression mode may completely suppress light intensity and volume. For example, the display device 1600 may maintain a "cannot proceed" indication using almost its entire surface, while lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the gaming board 5) may be turned off. Additionally, the system may be rendered completely silent (inaudible) from the speakers. A predetermined suppression mode selection switch may also be provided, allowing the administrator to change (select) the suppression mode settings by operating the switch.

Furthermore, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated at timing t9 after the start of notification in suppression mode as notification mode B, the performance display device 1600 maintains the display of inability to proceed, while the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamps B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker switch to notification mode A, in an enhanced mode that emphasizes the light intensity and volume. Similarly, if the handle 160 is touched and the handle touch sensor 162 detects the player's contact, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member), lamps B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker switch to notification mode A, in an enhanced mode that emphasizes the light intensity and volume. As a result, even if a new player tries to start playing without realizing that the game is in a stopped state, the notification will switch to the enhanced mode, making them aware that the game is in a stopped state. Furthermore, even if the handle 160 is rotated while in contact with it, if the game is restricted by the aforementioned restriction pattern 3, the game will not be launched toward the game area 5a because "game stop" and "launch stop" occur during the stop-shooting state.

Furthermore, after restarting notification in the enhanced mode as notification mode A, at timing t10, when a predetermined period (for example, 15 seconds) has elapsed, the display device 1600 maintains the display indicating that the game cannot proceed, but the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and the speaker switch to notification mode B, which is a suppressed mode with reduced light intensity and volume. This prevents the enhanced notification from being interrupted by accidental operation of the setting adjustment button 204 or contact with the handle 160, even if the setting adjustment button 204 is accidentally operated or the handle 160 is touched. In this example, the time from timing t6 to timing t8 and timing t9 to timing t10 to transition from notification mode A (enhanced mode) to notification mode B (suppressed mode) is the same predetermined time (15 seconds), but the time from timing t6 to timing t8 and timing t9 to timing t10 may be different. For example, the time between timing t6 and timing t8 should ideally be set to a relatively long period (15 seconds) for the purpose of informing those around, while the time between timing t9 and timing t10 should be set to a shorter period (e.g., 5 seconds) than timing t6 to t8, with the aim of ensuring that new players have reached their limit and extending the energy-saving period.

Furthermore, the predetermined conditions for transitioning from notification mode A (emphasis mode) to notification mode B (suppression mode) are not limited to the elapsed time described above; they may also be triggered by an operation by an administrator. For example, a predetermined suppression mode setting switch may be provided, allowing the system to forcibly change to notification mode B (suppression mode) by an administrator operating the suppression mode setting switch while notification mode A (emphasis mode) is active.

As described above, during the execution of the stop-play state, when predetermined conditions are met, such as the passage of a predetermined period of time, the notification patterns of lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and the speaker are changed. In contrast, lamp C, as a function display unit 1400, is equipped with a status indicator, a normal symbol indicator, a normal hold indicator, a first special symbol indicator, a first special hold count indicator, a second special symbol indicator, a second special hold count indicator, a round indicator, etc. However, all of these LEDs are kept lit during the stop-play state, so that the notification pattern does not change even if predetermined conditions are met. As a result, even if the notification pattern of a component changes, it is possible to understand that the stop-play state has not been resolved by the notification using lamp C.

Furthermore, at timing t6, whether notification mode A is executed immediately after transitioning to the stop-operation state, or at timing t10, whether notification mode A is executed due to operation of the setting adjustment button 204 or contact with the handle 160, the same notification is executed in the emphasized mode. This allows for the standardization of the control program.

As an alternative example, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated or the handle 160 is touched at timing t10, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and the speaker may switch to notification mode C, which is a different notification mode from notification mode A and notification mode B. Even with such a configuration, if a new player attempts to start playing without realizing that the game is in a stopped state, the notification will switch to a different notification mode from notification mode A and notification mode B, making the player aware that the game is in a stopped state.

Next, we will explain whether the handle contact animation can be executed while the special symbols are not changing (in standby mode) using Figure 233. In this example, if there is a new contact with the handle 160 while the special symbols are not changing, the handle contact animation can be executed to enhance the excitement of starting the game.

First, during the non-variable display of special symbols when the machine is not in a stopped state (standby state), regardless of whether it is during the demonstration period or not, a period is set during which the handle contact animation can be executed if a new contact occurs with the handle 160. For example, if a new contact occurs with the handle 160 at timing t1 while the pre-notification display is being shown, the handle contact animation is started and executed for a predetermined period (e.g., 5 seconds). In this handle contact animation, the animation display device 1600 is used to display a contact-specific image corresponding to contact with the handle 160 (e.g., a video display of a specific character that emphasizes the start of the game). Lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member), Lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and the speaker are also capable of executing specific animation processes corresponding to contact with the handle 160 (e.g., sound or light emission that emphasizes the start of the game). Note that the contact-specific image corresponding to contact with the handle 160 is outside the specific display area where the pre-notification display is shown and is displayed on the lower layer mentioned above.

On the other hand, during the period when the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed in the stopped-play state, if there is a new contact with the handle 160, the handle contact animation is set to be unexecutable. In other words, even if there is a new contact with the handle 160 while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, the animation display device 1600 does not display the contact-specific image corresponding to the contact with the handle 160, thereby restricting the execution of the handle contact animation. As a result, even if a new player tries to start playing without realizing that the game is stopped, the normal handle contact animation will not be executed. That is, the absence of the normal handle contact animation can alert the player to the stopped-play state. As mentioned above, since the contact-specific image is displayed on a lower layer, in order to avoid the complexity of control caused by the presence or absence of the contact-specific image, the contact-specific image may be displayed on a lower layer if there is a new contact with the handle 160 while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed. Even if a contact-specific image is displayed on a lower layer, if a "cannot proceed" indication is displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600 using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, the player will not be able to see the contact-specific image, and will realize that the game is stopped because the normal handle contact animation does not occur. Furthermore, even if the player rotates the handle 160 while making contact, if the game is restricted by the aforementioned restriction pattern 3, the game will not be launched toward the game area 5a because "game stop" and "launch stop" occur during the stopped state.

Furthermore, as detailed above, if the handle 160 is touched again while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and the speaker can be changed from notification mode B to notification mode A (or notification mode C as an alternative), transitioning to the emphatic notification mode. This ensures that even if a new player attempts to start playing without realizing the game is in a stopped state, the emphatic notification mode will be activated, alerting them to the stopped state.

Furthermore, if a new contact occurs with the handle 160 at timing t5 while the pre-notification display is shown, the handle contact animation is initiated. However, if the payout reaches a specific value and the game enters a stop-play state at timing t6, before the handle contact animation finishes, the animation is terminated midway through, preventing it from completing. In other words, after entering the stop-play state, the contact-specific image corresponding to contact with the handle 160 is made difficult to see. This ensures that even if a player is paying attention to the handle contact animation, they will realize that the game has entered a stop-play state and they cannot continue playing.

In this example, while the game is in a stopped state, data transfer from the game machine to the game ball dispensing device 8 is accepted, but the addition of a new player's normal number of balls and data transfer from the game ball dispensing device 8 to the game machine are not accepted, preventing a new player from starting a game. If a new player attempts to add to their normal number of balls (a ball dispensing operation), a notification is issued in a predetermined manner. For example, similar to when the game is stopped, if the handle 160 is touched again while the game is being played, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the frame ornament), B (LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker are changed from notification manner B to notification manner A (or notification manner C as an alternative), transitioning to an enhanced notification. As a result, even if a new player attempts to start playing without realizing that the game is in a "stopped out" state, the normal number of balls held will not be added during the ball dispensing operation, preventing the player from starting the game. Furthermore, by issuing an emphatic notification, the player will be made aware that the game is in a "stopped out" state. In cases where the game is in a "stopped out" state, and the system is unable to accept the addition of a new player's normal number of balls or data transfer from the game ball dispensing device 8, it is preferable to control the display mode of the ball count display unit to a non-receiving mode corresponding to the "stopped out" state, such as "EEEE," to inform the player of this in advance.

As an alternative, even when the game is in a stopped state, it may be possible to accept the addition of a new player's normal number of balls and data transfer from the game ball dispensing device 8 to the game machine. In such cases, if a new player attempts to add to their normal number of balls (ball dispensing operation), a notification is issued in a predetermined manner. For example, similar to when the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, if the handle 160 is touched again, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and the speaker are changed from notification manner B to notification manner A (or notification manner C as an alternative), and the notification is switched to an emphasized manner. This ensures that when a new player attempts to start playing without realizing that the game is stopped, although the normal number of balls will be added during the ball dispensing operation, the emphasized notification will alert them to the stopped state.

As an alternative example, during the non-variable display of special symbols (standby state), a movable body provided on the game board 5 may be moved from its initial position to its appearance position at a predetermined time within the demonstration period, and made to wait in front of the screen of the performance display device 1600 for a predetermined operating period (after the operating period has elapsed, the movable body is returned from the appearance position to its initial position) to perform a so-called "customer-attracting operation." However, such customer-attracting operations may also be partially restricted, similar to the handle contact performance described above. For example, if it is pre-set to move a movable body provided on the game board 5 from its initial position to its appearance position (customer-attracting operation) at timing t5 while the pre-notification display is being shown, the customer-attracting operation will be performed from timing t5 for a predetermined operating period. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a stop-play state at timing t6, before the operating period has elapsed, the operation will end midway through the operating period, and the movable body will be forcibly returned from the appearance position to its initial position to shorten the customer-attracting operation. In other words, the customer-attracting operation is not performed after the game transitions to a stop-play state. This allows players to realize that even if they are performing actions to attract customers, the game will enter a state where it cannot be stopped and they will not be able to continue playing.

Next, we will explain the acceptance of performance change operations using Figure 233. In this example, when the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held, whether during the special symbol variation display, the special symbol non-variation display, or during a winning game (jackpot game), it is possible to change to "Auto Button Mode," which enables the auto-button function that considers the operation of the first performance button 251 or second performance button 252 as having been performed even if they are not actually operated when operation is requested in subsequent performances, or to "3D Display Mode," which enables 3D image display on the performance display device 1600, thereby providing a game environment that meets the player's needs. Note that if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held again after changing to Auto Button Mode or 3D Display Mode, the change is canceled and the system returns to normal mode.

First, as an example, let's explain what happens when the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held while the special symbols are not displayed in a non-changing state when the machine is not in a stop-play state. When the special symbols are not displayed in a non-changing state when the machine is not in a stop-play state, regardless of whether it is during the demonstration period or not, the machine is enabled to accept presses of the setting adjustment button 204, allowing changes to auto button mode or 3D display mode. For example, if a press and hold operation of the setting adjustment button 204 is initiated at timing t1 while the pre-notification display is being shown, the performance display device 1600 executes an acceptance performance consisting of images and sounds corresponding to the acceptance of the press and hold operation (for example, a display or sound such as "Press and hold for 5 seconds to change to auto button mode or 3D display mode"). Then, at timing t2, when the period of long-press operation of the setting adjustment button 204 reaches a predetermined period (for example, 5 seconds), the system switches to auto button mode or 3D display mode. The performance display device 1600 then executes a reception confirmation performance (for example, a display or sound such as "Auto button mode and 3D display mode have been switched") consisting of images and sounds corresponding to the reception of the long-press operation. Note that the images for the reception and reception confirmation performances are displayed outside the specific display area where the pre-notification display is shown, and are displayed on the middle layer of the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held while the special symbol is being displayed in a state other than the stop-play state, or during a winning game (jackpot game), the system will accept the press and hold operation of the setting adjustment button 204 in the same manner as when the special symbol is not being displayed. This allows switching to auto-button mode or 3D display mode, and controls the system to execute the acceptance and acceptance animations. In addition, if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held while the special symbol is being displayed, the system will allow the press and hold operation to continue not only during the display of that special symbol, but also after the display of that special symbol has ended and the display of the next special symbol has started, preventing the press and hold operation from being forcibly canceled midway through when the display of the special symbol ends.

Furthermore, during the display of special symbols in a variable state, during the display of special symbols in a non-variable state, or during a winning game (during a jackpot game), after changing to auto button mode or 3D display mode, subsequent effects are modified to correspond to auto button mode or 3D display mode, and a setting effect (setting image) indicating that auto button mode or 3D display mode is set is executed. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game enters a stop-play state, the change to auto button mode or 3D display mode is forcibly canceled, and the execution of subsequent setting effects (setting images) is restricted. In other words, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game enters a stop-play state, the set auto button mode or 3D display mode is forcibly canceled without any operation on the setting adjustment button 204, and the above-mentioned game-ending display, etc., is executed in a normal manner that does not correspond to either mode. Furthermore, the setting-in animation (setting-in image), like the reception-in animation and reception-completed animation images, is outside the specific display area where the game-stopping indicator is displayed, and is displayed on the middle layer of the animation display device 1600. This avoids the game-stopping indicator being displayed in 3D or other ways, and also prevents the game-stopping indicator from becoming difficult to see due to the setting-in animation (setting-in image), allowing for appropriate notification of the game-stopping state without causing discomfort or aversion to the player.

Next, we will explain what happens when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held in order to change to auto button mode or 3D display mode, during the display of special symbols in a variable state, a non-variable display state of special symbols, or during a winning game (jackpot game). Using Figure 233 as an example, when the special symbols are not in a stopped state, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a stopped state at timing t6 (for example, after pressing and holding the setting adjustment button 204 for 3 seconds), the acceptance of continued pressing of the setting adjustment button 204 is blocked at timing t6, and further operation acceptance is forcibly made impossible. In addition, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game transitions to a stopped state while an acceptance-in-progress or acceptance-completed animation is being executed, the animation is forcibly terminated at the time the game transitions to a stopped state. In other words, even if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held for more than 5 seconds after that point, the system is restricted from switching to auto-button mode or 3D display mode. This means that even if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held before the game enters the stop state, if the game enters the stop state during that press and hold, none of the reception, reception, or setting animations will be executed after the game enters the stop state. This ensures that the game enters the stop state is properly notified to the player without causing discomfort or aversion.

On the other hand, while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed in the "stopped play" state, the system disables the acceptance of long presses of the setting adjustment button 204, restricting changes to auto-button mode and 3D display mode. In other words, even if the setting adjustment button 204 is long-pressed while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, the display device 1600 restricts the execution of the "receiving" animation, "received" animation, and "setting" animation. This prevents new players from mistakenly believing they can continue playing, even if they long-press the setting adjustment button 204 without realizing they are in a "stopped play" state, by notifying them of changes to auto-button mode or 3D display mode.

Furthermore, during the display of special symbols (both changing and non-changing), or during a winning game (jackpot game), if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held to cancel the already set auto button mode or 3D display mode, the system will be controlled as follows: Specifically, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the system transitions to a stop state at timing t6 (for example, after pressing and holding the setting adjustment button 204 for 3 seconds) while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held to cancel the auto button mode or 3D display mode, the system will block the acceptance of continued pressing of the setting adjustment button 204 at timing t6, and will forcibly prevent further operation acceptance in the same manner as described above. Also, if a currently accepting or accepted performance is in the middle of its execution and the amount of balls dispenses to a stop state, the performance will be forcibly terminated at the time the system transitions to a stop state in the same manner as described above. However, if the payout reaches a specific value while the setting adjustment button 204 is being pressed and held to cancel an already set auto-button mode or 3D display mode, even if the acceptance of continued pressing of the setting adjustment button 204 is interrupted, the system will still control the cancellation of the auto-button mode or 3D display mode based on the payout reaching the specific value. In other words, if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held (for cancellation) before transitioning to the stop-play state, the system will transition to the stop-play state during that press and hold. As a result, none of the acceptance, acceptance, or setting animations will be executed after transitioning to the stop-play state, but the cancellation of the auto-button mode or 3D display mode will be forcibly performed. This prevents the stop-play state notification from becoming distorted due to reflecting a special mode, thus avoiding causing discomfort or aversion to the player.

Furthermore, as detailed above, if the setting adjustment button 204 is operated (long-pressed) while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament), B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5), and the speaker can be changed from notification mode B to notification mode A (or notification mode C as an alternative), transitioning to the emphasized notification mode. This ensures that even if a new player long-presses the setting adjustment button 204 without realizing they are in a "stopped play" state, the emphasized notification mode will be activated, alerting them to the "stopped play" state.

Furthermore, if the setting adjustment button 204 is pressed and held at timing t5 while the pre-notification display is being shown, the performance display device 1600 displays an image of the performance currently being accepted. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the system transitions to a stop-play state at timing t6, before the duration of the long press operation of the setting adjustment button 204 reaches a predetermined period (for example, 5 seconds), the display of the image of the performance currently being accepted is terminated midway, and the display of the image of the performance currently being accepted is not completed. In other words, after transitioning to a stop-play state, the display of the image of the performance currently being accepted is made invisible. Also, after transitioning to a stop-play state, acceptance of the long press operation of the setting adjustment button 204 is disabled. Therefore, even if the long press operation was continued before transitioning to a stop-play state, at timing t7, when the duration of the long press operation reaches a predetermined period (for example, 5 seconds), the system does not change to auto button mode or 3D display mode, and the performance display device 1600 does not display an image of a accepted performance. This allows the player to realize that even if they continue to hold down the setting adjustment button 204, the game will enter a stop-play state and they will not be able to continue playing.

Furthermore, when the payout reaches a specific value during a jackpot and the game transitions to a stop-play preparation state, unlike when the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed in the stop-play state, the system enables acceptance of long-press operations on the setting adjustment button 204, allowing for changes to auto-button mode or 3D display mode. Therefore, if the long-press operation of the setting adjustment button 204 is started during the pre-notification display, and the game transitions to the stop-play preparation state before the long-press period reaches a predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds), the game will not terminate mid-playthrough of the acceptance animation. Instead, once the long-press period reaches the predetermined time (e.g., 5 seconds) after transitioning to the stop-play preparation state, the system will switch to auto-button mode or 3D display mode, and the animation display device 1600 will display the image of the accepted animation. This allows the system to determine whether the game transitioned to the stop-play state or the stop-play preparation state when the payout reaches a specific value during the long-press operation of the setting adjustment button 204. After transitioning to the stop-play preparation state, the system can perform corresponding animations to provide gameplay tailored to the player's needs.

Furthermore, while the above example illustrates changing to other modes such as Auto Button Mode and 3D Display Mode by long-pressing the setting adjustment button 204, the other modes that can be changed by long-pressing the setting adjustment button 204 are not limited to these modes. For example, other modes could include "different presentation modes in which the予告演出 (preview effects) andリーチ演出 (reach effects) are executed in a different manner." Also, while the example illustrates changing to other modes by long-pressing the setting adjustment button 204, the player action that triggers the change to another mode is not limited to long-pressing the setting adjustment button 204; it could also be "a short press of the setting adjustment button 204 or another button."

Furthermore, the timing for reflecting changes to other modes, such as auto-button mode or 3D display mode, is not limited to the examples above. For example, the change could be held in abeyance until the next special symbol variation begins, and the change to the other mode could be reflected at that point. In such a case, if the payout reaches a specific value and the game stops between the time the change to the other mode is held in abeyance and the start of the next special symbol variation, the start of the next special symbol variation itself will not occur, thus preventing the reflection of the change to the other mode and achieving the same effect as described above. In addition, if the information regarding the holding of the change to the other mode is also erased when the payout reaches a specific value and the game stops, the control load on the peripheral control board 1510 can be reduced.

(Regarding the movement of the movable parts after transitioning to the stopped state)
As detailed above, when a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 or similar while the special symbols are being displayed, and the payout of prize balls reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop-play state, and gameplay is restricted. When the game transitions to the stop-play state, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Gameplay Restriction" as an image corresponding to the stop-play state, informing the player that the payout has reached a specific value and gameplay is being restricted. However, while the special symbols are being displayed, as part of the variation performance, it is possible to move movable parts such as the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 from their standby position to a performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, according to a performance pattern determined at the start of the special symbols' variation display. Therefore, if the display of the special symbols is stopped when the game transitions to a stop state while the special symbols are fluctuating, but the movable body is made to operate according to a predetermined performance pattern after the transition to the stop state, the display content (the image corresponding to the stop state) shown on the performance display device 1600 will be obscured by the movable body and will not be visible, making it difficult to understand that the game is being restricted. Also, if the display of the special symbols is stopped and the movable body is forcibly stopped when the game transitions to a stop state while the special symbols are fluctuating, if the movable body stops while in the performance position, the display content (the image corresponding to the stop state) shown on the performance display device 1600 will be obscured by the movable body and will not be visible, making it difficult to understand that the game is being restricted. Therefore, in this example, a configuration is described below in which the movable body does not stop while in the performance position after the transition to the stop state, and the movable body does not move to a new performance position.

In this example, the game board 5 is equipped with a front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 and a rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410, which are movable bodies capable of appearing in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Normally, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 are in standby position above the display screen of the performance display device 1600. However, at predetermined timings during the display of special symbols, each movable body can perform performance actions by moving between its standby position and a performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

First, we will explain the operation of the movable parts when the machine does not transition to the stop state during the special symbol variation display. Figure 234 is a time chart showing the operation of the movable parts when the machine does not transition to the stop state during the special symbol variation display.

The main control board 1310 detects balls entering various starting holes, and when it starts displaying the special symbols based on the balls entering these holes, it determines one variation pattern from multiple variation patterns based on the lottery result, and the first or second special symbol display in the function display unit 1400 executes the variation display of the special symbols based on that variation pattern. When a variation pattern is determined, it is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510 as a variation pattern command, and the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern corresponding to the variation pattern. The performance pattern is set to contain the content of the variation performance to be executed during the variation display of the special symbols, and the variation performance includes displaying decorative symbols using the performance display device 1600, performances such as reach performances, illumination using lamps, and sound output from speakers. Furthermore, as part of the variation effects, the operation of movable parts such as the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 can also be executed, and instructions are given to execute the operation schedule in which the timing and content of the operation of the movable parts are set. According to this operation schedule, when the timing for the operation of a movable part arrives, the peripheral control board 1510 executes a movement process to operate the movable part and starts the predetermined operation. The operation schedule has two sets: operation schedule X, which sets the timing and content of the operation of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable part X), and operation schedule Y, which sets the timing and content of the operation of the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable part Y). In addition, the variation pattern, effect pattern, and operation schedule are determined when the variation display of the special symbols begins, and after the variation display of the special symbols begins, they are executed according to that variation pattern, effect pattern, and operation schedule. Furthermore, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are designed to operate when the variation pattern (performance pattern) selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win, and when the variation pattern (performance pattern) selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, is determined. This operation is intended to give the player a sense of anticipation regarding a win.

As shown in Figure 234, when variation pattern 1 is determined at the start of the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is executed based on that variation pattern 1. Also, at the start of the special symbol variation display, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 1 corresponding to variation pattern 1, and during the special symbol variation display, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 1. Furthermore, when performance pattern 1 is determined, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is instructed to execute operation schedule X1, and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is instructed to execute operation schedule Y1. However, these operation schedules do not include settings for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to operate. Therefore, during the special symbol variation display, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) remain in standby mode.

Then, at timing t1, the display of the special symbol variation ends, and at the start of the next display of the special symbol variation, if variation pattern 2 is determined, the display of the special symbol variation is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and during the display of the special symbol variation, it executes the variation performance based on that performance pattern 2. Also, at timing t1, if performance pattern 2 is determined, the back front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is instructed to execute operation schedule X2, and the back rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is instructed to execute operation schedule Y2. Of these operation schedules, operation schedule X2 is set so that the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs a performance at timing tx, a predetermined period (e.g., 20 seconds) after the start of the variable display. Operation schedule Y2 is set so that the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) performs a performance at timing ty, a predetermined period (e.g., 25 seconds) after the start of the variable display. Note that timing ty is later than timing tx, occurring after the performance of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed. If the game does not transition to a stop state during the variable display of the special symbols, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs a performance at timing tx, and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) performs a performance at timing ty.

Next, we will explain the case where the machine transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and the movable part does not move thereafter. Figure 235 is a time chart showing the case where the machine transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and the movable part does not move thereafter.

As shown in Figure 235, at timing t1, if variation pattern 2 is determined at the start of the variation display of the special symbol, the variation display of the special symbol is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and during the variation display of the special symbol, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 2. Furthermore, if performance pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is instructed to execute operation schedule X2, and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is instructed to execute operation schedule Y2.

Then, at timing t2, prior to the arrival of timing tx, if a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 while the special symbol is being displayed in a variation state, and the system transitions to a stop state, the stop state flag is turned ON, and the variation display of the special symbol that is currently running is forcibly stopped based on variation pattern 2. Also at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510 forcibly stops the variation performance that is currently running based on performance pattern 2. At this time, the performance display device 1600 forcibly changes the image corresponding to the variation performance to the image corresponding to the stop state. Furthermore, the operation schedule X2 currently running for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 currently running for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are also forcibly stopped, and the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are put into a state where operation is prohibited. Therefore, even if timing tx arrives after transitioning to the stop state at timing t2, the predetermined performance action will not be executed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and even if timing ty arrives, the predetermined performance action will not be executed on the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y).

Thus, while determining the timing tx for executing the performance actions of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the timing ty for executing the performance actions of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) at the start of the special symbol variation display, if the machine transitions to a stop state at timing t2 before timing tx arrives, the predetermined performance actions will not be executed for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) when timing tx arrives, nor will the predetermined performance actions be executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) when timing ty arrives. As a result, when the game enters a stop-play state, the display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction" as an image corresponding to the stop-play state. However, the display content (the image corresponding to the stop-play state) on the display device 1600 is not obscured by the performance movements of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), thus preventing the player from losing awareness that a game restriction has been imposed.

In the above-described embodiment, at the timing t2 when transitioning to the stop state, the execution schedule X2 for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the execution schedule Y2 for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. However, as an alternative, the operation of movable bodies X and Y may be stopped by a control independent of the operation schedules, while the operation of the movable bodies X and Y may be stopped while the operation schedules themselves continue without being forcibly stopped. For example, at the timing t2 when transitioning to the stop state, an operation prohibition flag may be turned on to forcibly put the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) into an operation prohibition state, and whether or not to operate the movable bodies X and Y may be determined according to the state of this operation prohibition flag. In such cases, even if timing tx arrives in the operation schedule that continues even after the transition to the stop state, the predetermined performance action can be prohibited for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) based on the operation prohibition flag being on. Similarly, even if timing ty arrives, the predetermined performance action can be prohibited for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) based on the operation prohibition flag being on. This eliminates the need to change the operation schedule upon transitioning to the stop state, thus avoiding complexity in the game design.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the image corresponding to the variation effect is forcibly changed to the image corresponding to the stop effect at timing t2 when the system transitions to the stop effect state. However, it is also possible to continue displaying the image corresponding to the variation effect without forcibly stopping it, while displaying the image corresponding to the stop effect state on a higher layer of the effect display device 1600 (a layer higher than the layer displaying the image corresponding to the variation effect), so that only the image corresponding to the stop effect state is visible on the effect display device 1600.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, in order to avoid the inability to perceive that restrictions on gameplay are being implemented, all of the ongoing variation effects based on the performance pattern 2 are forcibly stopped at timing t2 when the game transitions to the stop-play state. However, as an alternative example, instead of forcibly stopping all of the ongoing variation effects based on the performance pattern 2, some of the ongoing variation effects may be continued. In other words, only some of the performance elements that constitute the variation effect, which consists of "sound, light, image, and movable body," may be controlled in the normal manner. For example, if only "sound, light, and image" of the "sound, light, image, and movable body" performance elements that constitute the variation effect are forcibly stopped, at timing t2 when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the performances of the movable body X and Y in the variation effect based on the performance pattern will continue, but the image corresponding to that variation effect will be forcibly changed to an image corresponding to the stop-play state, so that only the image corresponding to the stop-play state will be visible on the performance display device 1600. In this case, as mentioned above, the fact that the game is being restricted may become unclear due to the visual effects of the movable parts X and Y. However, in this alternative example, the fact that the game is being restricted is preemptively indicated by visual elements such as "sound" or "light," which are not interfered with by the visual effects of the movable parts X and Y. Specifically, at timing t2, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the control can be changed to output a warning sound different from the sound corresponding to the variation effect, thereby providing a "sound" warning, or the control can be changed to emit a warning light different from the light corresponding to the variation effect, thereby providing a "light" warning. This prevents the situation where the player is unable to understand that the game is being restricted, even if not all of the ongoing variation effects are forcibly stopped.

Furthermore, the above-described embodiment explains the case where the game transitions to a stopped state before the timing of the movable body's operation during the display of the special symbols, and the movable body does not operate thereafter. However, if an operable first performance button 251 is provided as a movable body separate from the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), the following configuration may be adopted. In other words, if a vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) installed inside or outside the first performance button 251 enables vibration operation (vibration) of the first performance button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when it has determined the variation pattern (performance pattern) to be selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern to be selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first performance button 251 (movable body) according to the performance pattern set in accordance with the variation pattern, and in some cases when it is a win and when it is a loss, it can be said that the first performance button 251 (movable body) vibrates at a predetermined vibration timing during the variation display of the special symbol to give the player a sense of expectation regarding a win. With such a configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state before the vibration timing of the first performance button 251 during the variation display of the special symbol, the first performance button 251 is prevented from vibrating, regardless of whether the performance pattern or operation schedule is continued to be executed thereafter. This prevents the vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) from activating while the display device 1600 is showing an image corresponding to the stop-play state after the game has entered the stop-play state, thus preventing the player from feeling uncomfortable.

Furthermore, while the above-described embodiment explains a case where the game transitions to a stopped state before the timing of the movable body's operation during the special symbol display, and the movable body does not operate thereafter, it is also possible to prevent the movable body from operating even if the game transitions to a stopped state before the timing of the movable body's operation during a jackpot game. Specifically, the movable body's operation schedule is executed according to the performance pattern during a jackpot game, and the movable body is operated at a predetermined timing during the jackpot game. In this configuration, if the game transitions to a stopped state before the timing of the movable body's operation during a jackpot game, the movable body is prevented from operating regardless of whether the performance pattern or operation schedule continues to be executed thereafter. This prevents the movable body from operating while the image corresponding to the stopped state is displayed on the performance display device 1600 after the game transitions to a stopped state, thus preventing the player from feeling uncomfortable.

Next, we will explain the case where, while the machine is in a stop-loss state, the power is cut off at timing t3 and then restored at timing t4. Here, we will explain the case where, upon restoration of power after the power cut-off, the limit clear pattern table 4 is used, and power restoration patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-loss state.

At timing t4, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is restarted, the payout amount is cleared, but the stop-play state is maintained. Furthermore, while the stop-play state is maintained, the display of special symbols based on the variation pattern is forcibly stopped. Also, on the peripheral control board 1510, while the stop-play state is maintained, the variation effects based on the effect pattern are forcibly stopped, and the operation schedules for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are also forcibly stopped. However, at timing t4, when the power is restarted, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are instructed to execute operation schedule Z, which does not involve the variation of special symbols, so that these movable bodies perform their initial operation at least at timing t4 when the power is restarted.

Furthermore, the initial operation of the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) involves checking whether each movable unit moves normally from its standby position to the performance position and whether it returns normally to its standby position. Specifically, the operation schedule Z is set so that the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) performs its initial operation after a predetermined period (e.g., 5 seconds) has elapsed since the power was turned on, while the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) performs its initial operation after a predetermined period (e.g., 10 seconds) has elapsed since the power was turned on. Note that the initial operation of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is performed after the initial operation of the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) is completed.

Thus, even when the stop-down state is maintained upon power-on, and the forced stop of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is maintained, the initial operation of these movable units is permitted. This ensures that even if a malfunction occurs before or after the stop-down state prior to power-on, where the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) are not in their standby position, these movable units will return to their standby position through their initial operation. This prevents the display content (the image corresponding to the stop-down state) shown on the display device 1600 from remaining hidden due to the malfunction of these movable units not being in their standby position, thus preventing the user from losing awareness that game restrictions are being enforced.

On the other hand, at timing t4, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected when the power is restarted, the payout amount and stop-play state are cleared. Even in such cases, when the power is restarted, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are instructed to execute operation schedule Z, causing these movable units to perform their initial movements. After the initial movements of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are completed, the forced stop for the special symbol display based on the variation pattern is released, and the system is put into a standby state. Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 releases the forced stop for the variation display based on the performance pattern, and also releases the forced stop for the operation schedules of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), putting them into a standby state.

In the above-described embodiment, when the power is turned back on, the system maintains the stopped state and forces the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to remain stopped. In this case, the initial operation of these movable bodies is performed. However, if the movable bodies are in the standby position, the system may restrict the execution of the initial operation of the movable bodies to prioritize the control load. Furthermore, even if the movable bodies are not in the standby position, the system may restrict the execution of the initial operation of the movable bodies for the following reasons. That is, if the initial operation of the movable bodies is not performed despite them not being in the standby position, and a malfunction occurs before the power is turned back on where the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are not in the standby position, the system can maintain the state where these movable bodies are not in the standby position after the power is turned back on, and the hall manager can be informed that a malfunction has occurred with these movable bodies. However, in this case, there is a concern that the display content (the image corresponding to the stop state) shown on the performance display device 1600 may remain hidden due to a malfunction where the movable body is not in the standby position. Therefore, it is desirable to display the image corresponding to the stop state in a display area of the performance display device 1600 that is not obstructed by the movable body, or to use a separate device other than the performance display device 1600 to provide notification corresponding to the stop state.

Next, we will explain the case where the movable part transitions to a stop state during the display of the special symbols and does not move thereafter. Figure 236 is a time chart showing the case where the movable part transitions to a stop state during the display of the special symbols and does not move thereafter.

As shown in Figure 236, at timing t1, if variation pattern 2 is determined at the start of the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and during the special symbol variation display, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 2. Furthermore, if performance pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is instructed to execute operation schedule X2, and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is instructed to execute operation schedule Y2.

Furthermore, when timing tx arrives during the special symbol variation display, a predetermined performance action is executed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) based on the operation schedule X2 currently being executed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). Then, while the performance action is being executed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), at timing t2, if a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 during the special symbol variation display and the game transitions to a stop state, the stop state flag is turned ON, and the variation display of the special symbol that is currently being executed based on variation pattern 2 is forcibly stopped. Also at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510 forcibly stops the variation performance that is currently being executed based on performance pattern 2. At this time, the performance display device 1600 forcibly changes the image corresponding to the variation performance to the image corresponding to the stop state. Furthermore, the operation schedule X2 currently running for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 currently running for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are also forcibly stopped. However, the performance operation currently running for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) does not terminate midway through the predetermined performance operation at timing t2, but continues to run until the predetermined performance operation is completed. Then, after the predetermined performance operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed and the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is returned to its standby position, the operation is disabled.

On the other hand, at timing t2, when transitioning to the stop state, the predetermined performance operation has not yet been initiated for the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y). The rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) is in a disabled state, and even if timing ty arrives afterward, the predetermined performance operation for the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) will not be executed, as shown in Figure 235.

Thus, after initiating a predetermined performance action for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) at timing tx, if the system transitions to a stop state at timing t2 while the performance action is in progress, the predetermined performance action will not terminate midway, but will continue until it is completed. As a result, when the system transitions to a stop state, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction" as an image corresponding to the stop state. However, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is not forcibly stopped in a position other than the standby position, and the display content (image corresponding to the stop state) shown on the performance display device 1600 is not continuously hidden, thus preventing the player from losing awareness that a game restriction is in effect. Furthermore, while the timing ty for executing the performance action of the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) is determined at the start of the special symbol variation display, if timing ty has not yet arrived at the timing t2 for transitioning to the stop-play state, the predetermined performance action will not be executed on the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) when timing ty arrives. This prevents the display content (the image corresponding to the stop-play state) shown on the performance display device 1600 from being obscured by the performance action of the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y), thus preventing the player from losing awareness that game restrictions are being enforced.

Furthermore, the behavior when the power is shut off at timing t3 and then restored at timing t4 while the system is in a state of being shut off is as described above.

In the above-described embodiment, at the timing t2 when transitioning to the stop state, the performance operation currently being executed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is not terminated midway, but continues until the predetermined performance operation is completed, thereby returning the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) to the standby position. However, the method of returning to the standby position is not limited to this. For example, as an alternative, at the timing t2 when transitioning to the stop state, the performance operation currently being executed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) may be forcibly terminated midway through the execution, and in the situation where the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is not in the standby position due to the forcible termination, a separate dedicated operation schedule for returning to the standby position may be executed, thereby returning the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) to the standby position.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, at the timing t2 when transitioning to the stop state, the operation schedule X2 currently running for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 currently running for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. However, as an alternative example, the operation schedules themselves may be allowed to continue without being forcibly stopped, while the operation of movable bodies X and Y may be stopped by control independent of the operation schedules. For example, at the timing t2 when transitioning to the stop state, an operation prohibition flag may be turned on to forcibly put the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) into an operation prohibition state, and except for the performance operation currently running for movable body X, the decision of whether or not to operate movable bodies X and Y may be made according to the state of this operation prohibition flag. In such cases, even if timing ty arrives in the operation schedule that continues after the transition to the stop-down state, the predetermined performance action can be prohibited for the rear-facing lifting decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) based on the operation prohibition flag being on. This eliminates the need to change the operation schedule upon transitioning to the stop-down state, thus avoiding complexity in the game design.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the image corresponding to the variation effect is forcibly changed to the image corresponding to the stop effect at timing t2 when the system transitions to the stop effect state. However, it is also possible to continue displaying the image corresponding to the variation effect without forcibly stopping it, while displaying the image corresponding to the stop effect state on a higher layer of the effect display device 1600 (a layer higher than the layer displaying the image corresponding to the variation effect), so that only the image corresponding to the stop effect state is visible on the effect display device 1600.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, in order to address concerns that it may become impossible to ascertain that the game is being restricted, at timing t2, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the variable animation currently being performed on the movable body X is forcibly stopped based on the animation pattern 2, except for the animation operation currently being performed. In other words, only the "sound, light, and image" elements of the animation elements that constitute the variable animation ("sound, light, image, and movable body") are forcibly stopped. Therefore, at timing t2, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, while continuing the animation currently being performed on the movable body X based on the animation pattern, the image corresponding to that variable animation is forcibly changed to an image corresponding to the stop-play state, so that only the image corresponding to the stop-play state is visible on the animation display device 1600. In this case, as mentioned above, there is a possibility that it may become impossible to ascertain that the game is being restricted due to the animation operation being performed on the movable body X. However, in this example, the fact that the game is being restricted is preemptively notified by animation elements such as "sound" or "light," which are not hindered by the animation operation being performed on the movable body X. Specifically, at the timing t2 when the game transitions to a stop-play state, the control system can be modified to output a warning sound different from the sound corresponding to the variation animation, thereby providing a "sound" warning. Alternatively, the control system can be modified to execute a warning light different from the light corresponding to the variation animation, thereby providing a "light" warning. This prevents the player from losing awareness that game restrictions are in place, even if the animation being performed on the movable body X continues until completion.

Furthermore, the above-described embodiment explains a case where the movable body transitions to a stopped state during the movement of the movable body while the special symbol is being displayed, and the movement of the movable body continues until the movement is completed, and the movable body is not moved thereafter. However, if a movable body other than the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is provided, the following configuration may be adopted. In other words, if a vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) installed inside or outside the first performance button 251 enables vibration operation (vibration) of the first performance button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when it has determined the variation pattern (performance pattern) to be selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern to be selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first performance button 251 (movable body) according to the performance pattern set in accordance with the variation pattern, and in some cases when it is a win and when it is a loss, it can be exemplified that the first performance button 251 (movable body) vibrates at a predetermined vibration timing during the variation display of the special symbol to give the player a sense of expectation regarding a win. With such a configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state while the first performance button 251 is vibrating during the variation display of the special symbol, regardless of whether the performance pattern or operation schedule is being executed continuously thereafter, the first performance button 251 continues to execute until the operation is completed, and the first performance button 251 does not vibrate again. This prevents the vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) from continuing to operate while the display device 1600 shows an image corresponding to the stop-play state after the game has entered the stop-play state, thus preventing the player from feeling uncomfortable.

Furthermore, while the above-described embodiment explains a case where the movable body transitions to a stop state during the display of special symbols, and the movable body continues to operate until its operation is complete, and no further movement of the movable body occurs thereafter, it is also possible to have the movable body continue to operate until its operation is complete, and no further movement of the movable body occurs, even if the transition to a stop state occurs during the operation of a movable body during a jackpot game. Specifically, the operation schedule of the movable body is executed according to the performance pattern during the jackpot game, and the movable body is operated at predetermined timings during the jackpot game. In this configuration, if the transition to a stop state occurs during the operation of a movable body during a jackpot game, regardless of whether the performance pattern or operation schedule continues to be executed thereafter, the movable body continues to operate until its operation is complete, and no further movement of the movable body occurs. This prevents the movable body from continuing to operate while an image corresponding to the stop state is displayed on the performance display device 1600 after the transition to a stop state, which could cause discomfort to the player.

Next, we will explain the case where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and then the movable part is activated thereafter. In the above explanation, if the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, the variation display based on the display pattern is forcibly stopped, and even if the timing for the movable part's movement arrives, the predetermined display action is not executed on the movable part. However, in such cases, the ongoing variation display ends prematurely, resulting in significant disappointment for players who were eagerly awaiting the movable part's display. Figure 237 is a time chart showing the case where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol's variation display, and then the movable part is activated thereafter.

As shown in Figure 237, at timing t1, if variation pattern 2 is determined at the start of the variation display of the special symbol, the variation display of the special symbol is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and during the variation display of the special symbol, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 2. Furthermore, if performance pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is instructed to execute operation schedule X2, and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is instructed to execute operation schedule Y2.

Then, at timing t2, prior to the arrival of timing tx, if a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 while the special symbol is being displayed in a variable state, and the system transitions to a stop state, the stop state flag is turned ON, and the variable display of the special symbol, which is currently running based on the variable pattern 2, is forcibly stopped. However, at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510 does not forcibly stop the variable performance that is currently running based on the performance pattern 2, but continues to run until the variable performance is completed. In other words, the performance display device 1600 does not change to an image corresponding to the stop state, but continues to display the image corresponding to the variable performance. Furthermore, the operation schedule X2 running for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 running for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are also not forcibly stopped, and continue to run until those operation schedules are completed. Therefore, at timing t2, after transitioning to the stop state, when timing tx arrives, a predetermined performance action is executed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and when timing ty arrives, a predetermined performance action is executed on the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y).

Then, at timing t2, after transitioning to the stop state, when the currently running variation effect based on the effect pattern 2 is completed, a forced stop is initiated, and no new variation effects are executed. At this time, the effect display device 1600 begins displaying the image corresponding to the stop state. Furthermore, when the currently running operation schedule X2 for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the currently running operation schedule Y2 for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are completed, a forced stop is initiated, and these movable bodies are placed in an operation-prohibited state to prevent them from moving.

Thus, when the timing tx for executing the performance actions of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the timing ty for executing the performance actions of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) are determined at the start of the special symbol variation display, even if the game transitions to a stop state at timing t2 before timing tx arrives, the predetermined performance actions are executed for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) when timing tx arrives, and for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) when timing ty arrives. This ensures that, for players who have been eagerly awaiting the performance actions of the movable units after the variation display has started, even if the game transitions to a stop state during the variation display, they can at least enjoy the performance actions of the movable units to the end, thus mitigating player disappointment.

Furthermore, the behavior when the power is shut off at timing t3 and then restored at timing t4 while the system is in a state of being shut off is as described above.

In the above-described embodiment, after transitioning to the stopped state at timing t2, when the execution schedule X2 for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, it is forcibly stopped and the movable body is put into an operation-prohibited state so that it does not move. However, before the execution schedule X2 for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, when the execution of a predetermined performance operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, the operation schedule X2 may be forcibly stopped and the movable body may be put into an operation-prohibited state so that it does not move. Similarly, at timing t2, after transitioning to the stop state, when the execution schedule Y2 for the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is completed, it is forcibly stopped and the movable body is put into an operation-prohibited state to prevent it from moving. However, even before the execution schedule Y2 for the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is completed, when the predetermined performance operation for the rear-rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) is completed, the operation schedule Y2 may be forcibly stopped and the movable body may be put into an operation-prohibited state to prevent it from moving.

Furthermore, the above-described embodiment explains the case where the system transitions to a stopped state before the timing of the movable body's operation during the display of the special symbols, and the movable body is operated thereafter. However, if an operable first performance button 251 is provided as a movable body separate from the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y), the following configuration may be adopted. In other words, if a vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) installed inside or outside the first performance button 251 enables vibration operation (vibration) of the first performance button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when it has determined the variation pattern (performance pattern) to be selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern to be selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first performance button 251 (movable body) according to the performance pattern set in accordance with the variation pattern, and in some cases when it is a win and when it is a loss, it can be said that the first performance button 251 (movable body) vibrates at a predetermined vibration timing during the variation display of the special symbol to give the player a sense of expectation regarding a win. With this configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state before the vibration timing of the first performance button 251 during the variation display of the special symbol, the performance pattern and operation schedule are continued thereafter, and the first performance button 251 is vibrated at a predetermined vibration timing. This allows players to enjoy the operation of the vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) until the very end, even after the game has entered the stop-play state, while the display device 1600 shows an image corresponding to the stop-play state, thus preventing disappointment for the player.

Furthermore, while the above-described embodiment explains the case where the system transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable body's operation during the special symbol display, and then operates the movable body thereafter, it is also possible to configure the system to operate the movable body even if the system transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable body's operation during a jackpot game. Specifically, the system executes the operation schedule of the movable body according to the performance pattern during a jackpot game, and operates the movable body at a predetermined timing during the jackpot game. In this configuration, if the system transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable body's operation during a jackpot game, the performance pattern and operation schedule are continued thereafter, and the movable body is operated at a predetermined timing. This allows the player to enjoy the operation of the movable body until the end, even while the image corresponding to the stop state is displayed on the performance display device 1600 after the transition to the stop state, thereby suppressing the player's disappointment.

Next, regarding the case where the movable part transitions to a stop state during the display of the special symbols and does not operate thereafter, as explained above, here we will explain the relationship between the display screen of the performance display device 1600 and the operation of the movable part in such a case. Figure 238 shows a specific example of the performance when the movable part transitions to a stop state during the display of the special symbols and does not operate thereafter.

As shown in Figure 238(A), when the special symbol variation display is executed, the variation display is executed based on the performance pattern, and the decorative symbol variation display is shown in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the second decorative symbol variation display is shown in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, in the lower left area of the performance display device 1600, a hold display is shown for the number of special symbol variation displays that are waiting for a game ball to enter the first start opening 2002 or the second start opening 2004, but the appearance of the hold display can be changed for those with a high probability of winning. Here, the game is in "Consecutive Win Mode," a state of high probability that continues depending on the result of the special symbol draw or the acceptance of game ball B into the V-entry slot 2007. The lower right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Consecutive Win Mode" message indicating that the game is in "Consecutive Win Mode," and also displays a "Right Shot" arrow instructing the player to aim for the second start slot 2004, located in the game area 5a to the right of the display device 1600, while in "Consecutive Win Mode." During the display of the decorative symbols, the volume and brightness can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. While adjusting the volume or brightness, the left area of the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the adjusted volume or brightness. This image is displayed when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, during the display of the changing decorative symbols in "Continuous Win Mode," a pre-notification message "10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" is displayed. The display device 1600 displays the changing decorative symbols in the central area, the changing second decorative symbols in the upper right area, the "Continuous Win Mode" message and a "Right Shot" arrow in the lower right area, and the hold indicator in the lower left area. However, the pre-notification message "10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is displayed so as not to overlap with other important information displays related to the ongoing changing game. Specifically, in this example, the "changing decorative symbols," "changing second decorative symbols," "the 'Continuous Win Mode' message," the "Right Shot" arrow, the hold indicator, and the "images corresponding to volume and brightness" are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. Furthermore, regarding these information displays, it is permissible to have at least a portion of the information display overlapped with a pre-announcement display, provided that the content of the information display is not so obscured that it becomes impossible for the player to see. This ensures that players do not miss information related to the ongoing variable gameplay, allowing for smooth gameplay during variable gameplay.

As shown in Figure 238(B), when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) during the display of the special symbol's variation, the movable body moves from its standby position to the performance position, positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the performance display device 1600 displays an effect in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), effectively indicating that the movable body is performing a performance action. In addition, the pre-announcement display of "10 balls remaining until the play limit" and the display of the second decorative symbol's variation are displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), making it easy to understand whether the amount of balls dispensed will reach a specific value and transition to the stop-play state while the performance action is being performed on the movable body. Furthermore, regarding the pre-announcement display, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the pre-announcement display to overlap with the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), provided that the display is not completely obscured and the player can still recognize its contents.

As shown in Figure 238(C), during the execution of a performance operation for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), when the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the general prize pocket 2001 becomes "+0 balls", the machine transitions to a stop state, and as a pre-notification operation, the upper area of the performance display device 1600 displays a pre-notification message "Remaining +0 balls until the game limit is reached" for a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) indicating the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Here, just before the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+0 balls", the display of the decorative symbols and the display of the second decorative symbols are shown, but when the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value becomes "+0 balls", the display of the decorative symbols is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stop symbol ("767" in this example), and the display of the second decorative symbols is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stop symbol ("×" in this example). However, the display of changing decorative symbols and the display of changing secondary decorative symbols may not be forcibly stopped.

Furthermore, after the game has entered the "stopped" state, it is preferable to make the "right-hand shot" arrow, which promotes the release of game balls, invisible to the player to prevent them from accidentally firing game balls. In this example, it is removed. Then, after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has elapsed since the pre-notification message "Remaining +0 balls until game limit" was displayed, the image corresponding to the stopped state shown in Figure 238(D) is displayed.

As shown in Figure 238(D), when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the performance actions currently being performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) do not terminate midway through the predetermined performance actions, but continue to be performed until the predetermined performance actions are completed. However, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the light-emitting element provided on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is controlled to terminate midway through the illumination corresponding to the variation effect and either turn off or illuminate to indicate the stop-play state. As a result, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, so only a portion of the image corresponding to the stop-play state can be seen. However, the change in illumination of the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) prevents the player from noticing that the game is being restricted. In this example, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the light-emitting element on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable element X) stops emitting light in the middle of the variation effect. However, it is also possible to continue emitting light in the variation effect until the predetermined effect operation is completed. In such a case, it becomes unnecessary to change the light emission pattern when transitioning to the stop-play state, thus avoiding complexity in the game design.

As shown in Figure 238(E), when the predetermined performance actions are completed, the movable body returns to its standby position and is no longer positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600, allowing all images corresponding to the stop-play state to be visible. Here, the image corresponding to the stop-play state displays the message "Game Restriction," along with the messages "You have reached the daily payout limit of 80,000 balls, so gameplay is restricted," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active." The settlement button here refers to the counting button switch used to execute the settlement process. Furthermore, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the performance display device 1600 displays the stop symbols of the decorative symbols, the stop symbols of the second decorative symbols, the hold indicator, and the pre-notification indicator. However, such game-related information is not displayed (made invisible) when the "Game Restriction" message is displayed after the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, and the message is displayed on the darkened screen. This allows us to understand that the number of balls dispensed has reached a certain value and that a restriction on gameplay has been imposed, and that the restriction cannot be lifted without intervention from the hall manager. Furthermore, it allows us to understand that the number of balls a player has can be settled by operating the counting button switch.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, during the execution of the performance actions on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), the message "Game Restriction" is displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), so that the player can at least recognize that the game has transitioned to the stop-play state while the performance actions on the movable body are being executed. However, regarding the "Game Restriction" message, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the message to overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) as long as the player can recognize that the game has transitioned to the stop-play state, without the entire message being obscured.

Furthermore, in the above description, when an effect operation was performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) before transitioning to the stop state, the effect was displayed in the area of the effect display device 1600 that did not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). However, when an effect operation was performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) after transitioning to the stop state, the effect was not displayed in the area of the effect display device 1600 that did not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). This allows the system to determine whether the effect operation is performed before or after transitioning to the stop state, even if the image corresponding to the stop state is not visible when an effect operation is performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X).

Furthermore, while the decorative symbols were being displayed in a variable manner, the volume and brightness could be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. However, even after transitioning to the stop state during the variable special symbol display, the volume and brightness can still be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204, and the performance display device 1600 can display an image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted. However, after transitioning to the stop state, it is also possible to allow volume and brightness adjustment by operating the setting adjustment button 204, but to disable the display of the image corresponding to the volume or brightness being adjusted. This prevents the image corresponding to the stop state from becoming difficult to see after transitioning to the stop state. Alternatively, after transitioning to the stop state, it is also possible to disable volume and brightness adjustment by operating the setting adjustment button 204 and disable the display of the image corresponding to the volume or brightness. This prevents the volume and brightness from changing after transitioning to the stop state, thus preventing the image corresponding to the stop state from becoming difficult to see and the sound corresponding to the stop state from becoming difficult to recognize.

Furthermore, even if it was decided to perform a performance action on the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) before transitioning to the stop-out state, if the performance action is not started on the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) at the time of transitioning to the stop-out state, the predetermined performance action will not be performed on the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y) after transitioning to the stop-out state. This prevents the display content (the image corresponding to the stop-out state) shown on the performance display device 1600 from being obscured by the performance action of the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y), thus preventing the player from becoming unaware that the game is being restricted.

Next, regarding the case where the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol variation display, and the movable part operates thereafter, as explained above, this section will explain the relationship between the display screen of the performance display device 1600 and the operation of the movable part in such a case. Figure 239 shows a specific example of a performance when the game transitions to a stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the special symbol variation display, and the movable part operates thereafter.

As shown in Figure 239(A), when the special symbol variation display is executed, the variation display is executed based on the performance pattern, and the decorative symbol variation display is shown in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the second decorative symbol variation display is shown in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, in the lower left area of the performance display device 1600, a hold display is shown for the number of special symbol variation displays that are waiting for a game ball to enter the first start opening 2002 or the second start opening 2004, but the appearance of the hold display can be changed for those with a high probability of winning. Here, the game is in "Consecutive Win Mode," a state of high probability that continues depending on the result of the special symbol draw or the acceptance of game ball B into the V-entry slot 2007. The lower right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Consecutive Win Mode" message indicating that the game is in "Consecutive Win Mode," and also displays a "Right Shot" arrow instructing the player to aim for the second start slot 2004, located in the game area 5a to the right of the display device 1600, while in "Consecutive Win Mode." During the display of the decorative symbols, the volume and brightness can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. While adjusting the volume or brightness, the left area of the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the adjusted volume or brightness. This image is displayed when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, during the display of the changing decorative symbols in "Continuous Win Mode," a pre-notification message "10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" is displayed. The display device 1600 displays the changing decorative symbols in the central area, the changing second decorative symbols in the upper right area, the "Continuous Win Mode" message and a "Right Shot" arrow in the lower right area, and the hold indicator in the lower left area. However, the pre-notification message "10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is displayed so as not to overlap with other important information displays related to the ongoing changing game. Specifically, in this example, the "changing decorative symbols," "changing second decorative symbols," "the 'Continuous Win Mode' message," the "Right Shot" arrow, the hold indicator, and the "images corresponding to volume and brightness" are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. Furthermore, regarding these information displays, it is permissible to have at least a portion of the information display overlapped with a pre-announcement display, provided that the content of the information display is not so obscured that it becomes impossible for the player to see. This ensures that players do not miss information related to the ongoing variable gameplay, allowing for smooth gameplay during variable gameplay.

As shown in Figure 239(B), during the special symbol variation display, when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the general prize pocket 2001, the game transitions to a stop state, and in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, as a pre-notification operation, a pre-notification display of "Remaining +0 balls until game limit" is displayed, indicating the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value. Here, just before the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the decorative symbol variation display and the second decorative symbol variation display are performed, but when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the variation display of the second decorative symbol is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stop symbol (in this example, "×"). On the other hand, when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the variation performance based on the performance pattern is continued, and the variation display of the decorative symbol is not forcibly stopped and continues. However, the display of the second decorative symbol may also continue without being forcibly stopped. In such cases, the display of the second decorative symbol will stop at the same time as the display of the first decorative symbol stops.

Furthermore, after the game has entered the stop-shooting state, it is preferable to make the "right-hand shot" arrow, which promotes the release of game balls, invisible to the player to prevent them from accidentally launching the balls. In this example, it is removed.

As shown in Figure 239(C), after transitioning to the stop-play state, when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), the movable body moves from its standby position to the performance position, positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the performance display device 1600 displays an effect in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), effectively indicating that the movable body is performing a performance action. In addition, the pre-notification display "Remaining +0 balls until play limit" and the display of the second decorative symbol variation are displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), allowing the player to understand that the stop-play state has already been reached. Regarding the pre-notification display, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the pre-notification display to overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), as long as the content of the pre-notification display is recognizable and not completely obscured by the display.

As shown in Figure 239(D), when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) following the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X), the movable unit moves from its standby position to the performance position, positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, the performance display device 1600 displays an effect in an area that does not overlap with the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), effectively indicating that the movable unit is performing a performance action. In addition, the pre-notification display "Remaining +0 balls until game limit" and the display of the second decorative symbol variation are displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), allowing the player to understand that the game has already entered the stop-play state. Furthermore, regarding the pre-announcement display, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the display to overlap with the rear-mounted decorative element 3410 (movable element Y), provided that the display is not so completely obscured that the player cannot see it, and the content of the pre-announcement display can still be recognized.

As shown in Figure 239(E), once the execution of the variation animation based on the animation pattern is complete, the variation display of the decorative symbols is set to stop at a predetermined stop symbol (in this example, "767"). Then, after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has elapsed since the variation display of the decorative symbols stopped, the image corresponding to the stop-game state shown in Figure 239(F) is displayed. The image corresponding to the stop-game state is as described above. In this example, the variation animation based on the animation pattern continues when the game transitions to the stop-game state, and the image corresponding to the stop-game state is not displayed immediately. However, during such a period, a pre-notification message such as "Remaining until game limit +0" and the variation display of the second decorative symbol that was forcibly stopped are displayed, allowing the player to understand that the game has already transitioned to the stop-game state.

As described above, in this example, when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the variable animation based on the animation pattern continues. The animation display device 1600 does not display an image corresponding to the stop-play state. Instead, it notifies the player that the game is being restricted by displaying a pre-announcement message such as "Remaining +0 balls until game limit" or by displaying the variable animation of the forcibly stopped second decorative symbol. In this case, there is a possibility that the player may not be able to perceive the game restriction due to the animation actions of the movable bodies X and Y. Therefore, it may be possible to provide preliminary notification of the game restriction using animation elements such as "sound" or "light" that are not interfered with by the animation actions of the movable bodies X and Y. Specifically, examples include changing the control to output a warning sound different from the sound corresponding to the variable animation when the game transitions to the stop-play state, or changing the control to perform a warning flash different from the light corresponding to the variable animation, thereby providing a warning by "light." This avoids the situation where the player cannot perceive the game restriction even when predetermined animation actions are performed on the movable bodies X and Y after the game transitions to the stop-play state.

Next, in the above example, when the game transitions to the stop state, the variation animation based on the animation pattern is continued, and when the execution of the variation animation based on the animation pattern is completed, the image corresponding to the stop state is displayed. Alternatively, when the game transitions to the stop state, the variation animation based on the animation pattern may be continued, but the image corresponding to the stop state may be displayed on a higher layer than the image corresponding to the variation animation. Figure 240 shows another specific example of animation when the game transitions to the stop state before the timing of the movable part's movement during the variation display of the special symbols, and the movable part operates thereafter.

As shown in Figure 240(A), when the special symbol variation display is executed, the variation display is executed based on the performance pattern, and the decorative symbol variation display is shown in the central area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the second decorative symbol variation display is shown in the upper right area of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, in the lower left area of the performance display device 1600, a hold display is shown for the number of special symbol variation displays that are waiting for a game ball to enter the first start opening 2002 or the second start opening 2004, but the appearance of the hold display can be changed for those with a high probability of winning. Here, the game is in "Consecutive Win Mode," a state of high probability that continues depending on the result of the special symbol draw or the acceptance of game ball B into the V-entry slot 2007. The lower right area of the display device 1600 displays a "Consecutive Win Mode" message indicating that the game is in "Consecutive Win Mode," and also displays a "Right Shot" arrow instructing the player to aim for the second start slot 2004, located in the game area 5a to the right of the display device 1600, while in "Consecutive Win Mode." During the display of the decorative symbols, the volume and brightness can be adjusted by operating the setting adjustment button 204. While adjusting the volume or brightness, the left area of the display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the adjusted volume or brightness. This image is displayed when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated and disappears after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, during the display of the changing decorative symbols in "Continuous Win Mode," a pre-notification message "10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" is displayed. The display device 1600 displays the changing decorative symbols in the central area, the changing second decorative symbols in the upper right area, the "Continuous Win Mode" message and a "Right Shot" arrow in the lower right area, and the hold indicator in the lower left area. However, the pre-notification message "10 balls remaining until the play limit is reached" is displayed overlapping the background image, but it is displayed so as not to overlap with other important information displays related to the ongoing changing game. Specifically, in this example, the "changing decorative symbols," "changing second decorative symbols," "the 'Continuous Win Mode' message," the "Right Shot" arrow, the hold indicator, and the "images corresponding to volume and brightness" are important information displays that should be made known to the player, so the pre-notification display is displayed in a position that does not overlap with these information displays. Furthermore, regarding these information displays, it is permissible to have at least a portion of the information display overlapped with a pre-announcement display, provided that the content of the information display is not so obscured that it becomes impossible for the player to see. This ensures that players do not miss information related to the ongoing variable gameplay, allowing for smooth gameplay during variable gameplay.

As shown in Figure 240(B), during the display of the special symbols, when the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value becomes "+0" due to the payout of prize balls based on the entry of game balls into the general prize pocket 2001, the game transitions to a stop state, and in the upper area of the performance display device 1600, as a pre-notification operation, a pre-notification display of "Remaining +0 balls until the game limit is reached" is displayed, indicating the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value. Here, just before the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the display of the decorative symbols and the display of the second decorative symbols are shown, but when the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the display of the second decorative symbols is forcibly stopped at a predetermined stop symbol (in this example, "×"). On the other hand, when the number of remaining balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value becomes "+0", the performance based on the performance pattern is continued, and the display of the decorative symbols is not forcibly stopped but continues. However, the display of the second decorative symbol may also continue without being forcibly stopped. In such cases, the display of the second decorative symbol will stop at the same time as the display of the first decorative symbol stops.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, it is preferable to make the "right-hand shot" arrow, which promotes the release of game balls, invisible to the player to prevent them from accidentally firing game balls. In this example, it is removed. Then, after a predetermined time (5 seconds in this example) has elapsed since the pre-notification message "Remaining +0 balls until game limit" was displayed, the image corresponding to the stop-play state, shown in Figure 240(C), is displayed on a higher layer than the image corresponding to the variation animation. The image corresponding to the stop-play state is as described above.

As shown in Figure 240(D), after transitioning to the stop-play state, when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), the movable body moves from its standby position to the performance position, positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, during the performance action on the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), the message "Game Restriction" is displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), allowing the player to recognize that the game has transitioned to the stop-play state during the performance action on the movable body. However, regarding the "Game Restriction" message, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the message to overlap with the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) as long as the player can recognize that the game has transitioned to the stop-play state, without the entire message being obscured.

As shown in Figure 240(E), when a predetermined performance action is performed on the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) following the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X), the movable unit moves from its standby position to the performance position, positioned in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, during the performance action on the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), the message "Game Restriction" is displayed in an area that does not overlap with the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), allowing the player to recognize that the game has entered a stop-play state during the performance action on that movable unit. However, regarding the "Game Restriction" message, it is acceptable for at least a portion of the message to overlap with the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), as long as the player can recognize that the game has entered a stop-play state, without the entire message being obscured.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the light-emitting elements provided on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are controlled to either terminate and turn off midway through the illumination corresponding to the variation effect, or to illuminate in a way that corresponds to the stop-play state. As a result, after transitioning to the stop-play state, when the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are positioned in front of the display screen of the effect display device 1600, only a portion of the image corresponding to the stop-play state can be seen. However, the change in illumination of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) prevents the user from noticing that the game is being restricted. In this example, after transitioning to the stop-out state, the light-emitting elements on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) terminate their illumination in the middle of the variation effect. However, the illumination corresponding to the variation effect may be made to continue until the predetermined effect operation is completed. In such a case, it becomes unnecessary to change the illumination pattern when transitioning to the stop-out state, thus avoiding complexity in the game design.

Furthermore, in this example, even when the game transitions to the stop-play state, the variable animation based on the animation pattern continues. However, the animation display device 1600 displays an image corresponding to the stop-play state on a higher layer than the image corresponding to the variable animation, informing the player that the game is being restricted. In this case, there is a possibility that the player may not be able to perceive that the game is being restricted due to the animation actions of the movable bodies X and Y. Therefore, it may be possible to provide preliminary notification of the game being restricted using an animation element such as "sound" or "light" that is not interfered with by the animation actions of the movable bodies X and Y. Specifically, examples include changing the control to output a warning sound different from the sound corresponding to the variable animation when the game transitions to the stop-play state, or changing the control to perform a warning light different from the light corresponding to the variable animation, in order to provide a warning using "light." This prevents the player from noticing that the game is being restricted, even when predetermined animation actions are performed on the movable bodies X and Y after the game transitions to the stop-play state.

As shown in Figure 240(F), when the execution of the variation animation based on the animation pattern is completed, the variation display of the decorative symbols is set to stop at a predetermined stop symbol (in this example, "767"). However, because an image corresponding to the stop state is displayed on a higher layer than the image corresponding to the variation animation, the player does not recognize that the variation display of the decorative symbols has stopped.

Furthermore, when performing a performance action on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) before transitioning to the stop state, the performance display device 1600 displays an effect in an area that does not overlap with the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). However, when performing a performance action on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) after transitioning to the stop state, the performance display device 1600 does not display an effect in an area that does not overlap with the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). This allows us to determine whether an animation is performed before or after the transition to the stop state, even if the image corresponding to the stop state is not visible when an animation is being performed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y).

(Regarding celebratory actions using movable parts after transitioning to the stopped state)
The above describes a configuration in which, when the game transitions to a stop-out state, the execution schedule X2 for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the execution schedule Y2 for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped, and after the game transitions to a stop-out state, the performance actions of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are not performed. In such a configuration, the display content (image corresponding to the stop-out state) shown on the performance display device 1600 becomes easier to see because the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) do not perform performance actions. On the other hand, even though the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value, no special performance actions are performed, so there is no motivation to aim for the amount of balls dispensed to reach a specific value in future games. Therefore, in this example, after transitioning to the stop-play state, a predetermined celebratory action is performed as a special notification to the player who has reached the stop-play state, and the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are configured to operate with a different performance pattern than when the special symbols are being displayed.

In this example, regardless of whether the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are performing any performance actions immediately before transitioning to the stop-play state, the performance actions of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped at the moment the game transitions to the stop-play state. After transitioning to the stop-play state, both the movable front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are used to perform a celebratory action to commemorate the transition to the stop-play state. The movable bodies used in the celebratory action may be some of the movable bodies (movable decorative bodies mainly used for decoration) provided on the game board 5, or all of the movable bodies (movable decorative bodies mainly used for decoration) may be used. If all movable parts on the game board 5 were to be applied, even if the player was unaware of the operation of a movable part before the game ended, it would be possible to make the player aware of that operation. This would prevent the game from ending with an unexperienced movable effect, thus suppressing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

First, we will explain the case where the movable body transitions to the stop state while the special symbol is inactive (in its initial position) during the special symbol's variation display, and then performs the celebratory action of the movable body. Figure 241 is a time chart showing the case where the movable body transitions to the stop state while the special symbol is inactive during the special symbol's variation display, and then performs the celebratory action of the movable body. Note that this example explains the case where the movable body is inactive during the special symbol's variation display, but it is sufficient for the movable body to be inactive at the time of transition to the stop state (immediately before). Even if the movable body is inactive during the special symbol's non-variable display, it will be controlled to exhibit the same behavior after transitioning to the stop state.

As shown in Figure 241, at timing t1, if variation pattern 2 is determined at the start of the variation display of the special symbol, the variation display of the special symbol is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and during the variation display of the special symbol, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 2. Furthermore, if performance pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the system instructs the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) to execute operation schedule X2, and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to execute operation schedule Y2.

Then, at timing t2, when the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are not in operation, if a game ball enters the general prize pocket 2001 during the special symbol fluctuation display and a prize ball is awarded, resulting in a transition to the stop state, the stop state flag is turned ON, and the fluctuation display of the special symbol that is currently running is forcibly stopped based on fluctuation pattern 2. Also at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510, upon realizing that the stop state flag has been turned ON, turns ON a predetermined performance prohibition flag, and forcibly stops the fluctuation performance that is currently running based on performance pattern 2. Specifically, triggered by the performance prohibition flag being turned ON, the performance display device 1600 forcibly changes the image corresponding to the fluctuation performance to the image corresponding to the stop state. Furthermore, when the performance prohibition flag is turned ON at timing t2, the operation schedule X2 currently running for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 currently running for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. After transitioning to the stopped state, the performance actions based on operation schedule X2 and operation schedule Y2 are not executed.

Furthermore, at timing t2, when the game transitions to the stop-out state, the execution schedule X2 for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the execution schedule Y2 for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. Then, using both the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), the execution of a celebratory action, which is a special notification to the player who has reached the stop-out state, is started. In other words, when the game transitions to the stop-out state at timing t2 by prohibiting the performance actions of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), a special operation schedule X3 is executed for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and a special operation schedule Y3 is executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). These special operation schedules X3 and Y3 are not set at the start of the special symbol variation display before transitioning to the stop-play state, nor are they executed during the special symbol variation display.

Specifically, when the operation schedule X3 is executed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in its initial position (standby position). If the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in its initial position, at timing tA, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs the first celebratory action (the first half of the celebratory action) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. Similarly, when the operation schedule Y3 is executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is in its initial position (standby position). If the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is in its initial position, at timing tB after the completion of the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit unit 3310 (movable unit X), the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) performs a second celebratory operation (the latter half of the celebratory operation) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

In this way, after transitioning to the stop-payout state, performing celebratory actions on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) allows players to feel satisfied that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value, and can motivate them to aim for the amount of balls dispensed to reach that specific value in future games. Furthermore, by performing a second celebratory action on the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) immediately after the first celebratory action on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, players can enjoy a longer period of operation. In addition, even if there were movable parts whose operation patterns the player was not aware of before transitioning to the stop-payout state, it becomes possible to make the player aware of those operation patterns, thus avoiding the situation where the stop-payout state is reached while there are still unexperienced movable effects, and thus suppressing a decline in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the system executes actions corresponding to the stop-play state, except for celebratory actions on the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). For example, the display device 1600 displays the message "Game Restriction" as an image corresponding to the stop-play state. Therefore, even if celebratory actions are performed on the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), it is possible to prevent the player from losing awareness that game restrictions are in place.

Furthermore, in this example, the operation time for the first celebratory action on the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation time for the second celebratory action on the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are both set to "5 seconds" (the shortest time excluding the initial position confirmation time), ensuring a minimum of 10 seconds for the series of celebratory actions by the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). This ensures a predetermined period (10 seconds in this example) during which the player focuses on the game board 5 after the transition to the stop-play state, avoiding giving the player time to become bored during the settlement processing period associated with the settlement operation of the remaining balls immediately after the stop-play state, and allowing the player to stay in place effectively. In this example, we have described a type of gaming machine that recycles and reuses game balls without dispensing actual prize balls outside the gaming machine (so-called sealed gaming machine, managed gaming machine). However, the "technology for generating a stop-play state based on the amount of balls dispensed (amounts A and B)" described above is not limited to this type of gaming machine, but can also be applied to conventional gaming machines (gaming machines that dispense actual prize balls outside the gaming machine). In other words, conventional gaming machines have a payout control board instead of the payout control board 633, and this payout control board can generally control a payout device that dispenses game balls stored in a ball tank on the back of the gaming machine as prize balls outside the gaming machine. The prize balls dispensed into the ball tray on the front of the gaming machine are then given to the player as actual balls. However, in this configuration, there is a larger time lag between the time a game ball enters one of the various prize slots and the time the prize ball is dispensed compared to a gaming machine that recycles and reuses game balls. In particular, it is conceivable that during a jackpot game, multiple game balls may enter the large prize slot 2005, resulting in a large number of prize balls being recorded as unpaid. In such cases, many prize balls may be unpaid at the start of the aforementioned stop-play state, and many of these unpaid prize balls may be paid out after the start of the stop-play state. In this example, a predetermined period (10 seconds in this example) is ensured during which the player focuses on the game board 5 after the transition to the stop-play state. This avoids giving the player time to become bored during the period immediately following the stop-play state when unpaid prize balls are paid out, thus effectively keeping the player engaged.

Regarding the initial position check, it is performed before the first celebratory action for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). After the initial position check of the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, the initial position check of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is performed. Alternatively, the initial position check of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) may be performed a second time, after the first celebratory action for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, but before the second celebratory action for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). Furthermore, the initial position check of the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) may not be performed before the first celebratory action for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), but only after the first celebratory action for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed.

Furthermore, the initial position check verifies whether each movable body is in its initial position (standby position). If a movable body is not in its initial position, a recovery process (multiple retry operations) is executed to return it to its initial position. This recovery process (multiple retry operations) is executed multiple times until the movable body returns to its initial position, and once the movable body returns to its initial position, a celebratory operation is then performed on the movable body. On the other hand, if the movable body does not return to its initial position despite multiple recovery processes (multiple retry operations), the celebratory operation is not performed on the movable body afterward. For example, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) does not return to its initial position, not only the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) but also the second celebratory operation for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is not executed. This prevents the celebratory operation from being executed incompletely after transitioning to the stopped state.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, a celebratory action is performed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). However, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) perform an action corresponding to the stop-play state, rather than an action corresponding to the celebratory action. For example, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) may be made to light up in coordination with other LEDs provided on the game board 5, or to turn off, as an action corresponding to the stop-play state. On the other hand, during the movement of the movable parts while the special symbols are being displayed, the LEDs mounted on the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable part X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable part Y) illuminate in coordination with the performance actions of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable part X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable part Y), thereby informing the outside that the movable parts are performing performance actions. Thus, after transitioning to the stop-play state, although celebratory actions are performed on the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable part X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable part Y), the LEDs do not illuminate in coordination with the celebratory actions of these movable parts. Therefore, it is difficult for people from a distance to perceive that celebratory actions are in progress, allowing only the player to enjoy the celebratory actions.

Furthermore, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are designed to perform actions corresponding to the stop state (coordinated illumination or extinguishing with other LEDs on the game board 5) even during the initial position confirmation operation. Also, if the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) do not return to their initial positions, the first and second celebratory actions will not be performed as described above. However, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) will continue to perform actions corresponding to the stop state. This makes it difficult for external parties to perceive that the celebratory actions were not performed, even if a malfunction prevents the actions from being executed, thus avoiding causing displeasure to the player.

Furthermore, regarding the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), while the LED brightness can be changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204 when they are illuminating in coordination with the performance operation of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) during the display of special symbols, after the machine has entered the stop-play state, the setting adjustment button 204 will no longer accept input, making it impossible to change the brightness of the LEDs during the operation corresponding to the stop-play state. This prevents malicious acts such as striking the pachinko machine 1 under the guise of operating the setting adjustment button 204 while the machine is in the stop-play state.

As another example, if a special movable body (for example, a movable body for instant notification that protrudes only during a winning spin) is provided in the door frame 3, which is the area outside the game board 5 (game area 5a), when the result of the special symbol lottery is a win, then after transitioning to the stop state, the celebratory action is not performed on the special movable body provided in the door frame 3 (the special movable body is excluded from the celebratory action). In other words, after transitioning to the stop state, the celebratory action is performed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), but not on the special movable body provided in the door frame 3. On the other hand, when the movable body is operating during the special symbol's spinning display, the performance action can be performed not only on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), but also on the special movable body provided in the door frame 3. Thus, after transitioning to the stop-loss state, a celebratory action is performed on the movable parts located on the game board 5, but not on the special movable parts located on the door frame 3, which is the area outside the game board 5 (game area 5a). This makes it difficult for viewers from a distance to perceive that a celebratory action is in progress, allowing only the player to enjoy the action, and avoiding the special movable parts that announce wins activating and causing distrust among the player. Furthermore, if the special movable parts on the door frame 3 are accessible from the outside, excluding them from the celebratory action, as described above, avoids the risk of the special movable parts activating despite the stop-loss state and the player accidentally touching them.

Furthermore, if a first performance button 251, which can be operated by the player, is provided as a movable body in the door frame 3, separate from the special movable body described above, the following configuration may be adopted. That is, if a vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) provided inside or outside the first performance button 251 enables vibration operation (vibration) of the first performance button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when it has determined the variation pattern (performance pattern) to be selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern to be selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first performance button 251 (movable body) according to the performance pattern set in accordance with the variation pattern, and in some cases when it is a win and when it is a loss, it is possible to vibrate the first performance button 251 (movable body) at a predetermined vibration timing during the variation display of the special symbol to give the player a sense of anticipation regarding a win. In this configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state while the first performance button 251 is inactive during the special symbol variation display, the performance pattern and operation schedule are forcibly stopped, and the first performance button 251 is prevented from vibrating thereafter. Furthermore, if the game transitions to a stop state while the first performance button 251 is vibrating during the special symbol variation display, the ongoing vibration operation is forcibly stopped, and the first performance button 251 is prevented from vibrating thereafter. In this way, after transitioning to a stop state, by preventing the first performance button 251 (movable body) from vibrating as a celebratory action, attention can be drawn solely to the celebratory action of the movable body on the game board 5.

Furthermore, in this example, even after transitioning to the stopped state, and after the execution of the operation schedule X3 and operation schedule Y3 has ended and the celebratory operation has been completed for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), the aforementioned operation prohibition flag remains ON, and the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) continue to be in an operation prohibition state. This prevents, for example, situations where the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) or rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) are demonstrated as part of a demonstration effect during a standby state in the game's progression process, even when the game is in a stopped state. This prevents the peripheral control board 1510 from mistakenly performing standby control while the game is in a stopped state, causing the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) or rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) to be demonstrated.

Furthermore, similar to the initial position confirmation operation described above, if the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) becomes misaligned due to some factor during the display of the special symbols (either in a changing or non-changing state) and fails to return to its initial position, a recovery process (multiple retries) is performed to return the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to its initial position, based on the fulfillment of the normal recovery conditions (such as winning a prize in the starting slot or the passage of a predetermined time since the special symbols stopped changing). However, in this example, the recovery process (multiple retries) is not performed while the machine is in a stopped state. In other words, if, during the stop-play state after the celebratory action has been completed normally, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) becomes misaligned due to some factor and does not return to its initial position, even if an event that satisfies the above-mentioned return conditions occurs afterward (such as a ball entering the starting slot or the passage of a predetermined amount of time after the special symbols stop moving), the return process (multiple retry operations) to return the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to its initial position is not performed, and the state in which these movable bodies are not in their initial position is maintained. This makes it possible to avoid a situation in which the movable bodies continue to move (restore) during the stop-play state, causing the player to hesitate to leave their seat. However, after the celebratory movement of the movable body is completed, if a predetermined time (e.g., several minutes) has elapsed during the stopped state, an initial position check may be performed to reconfirm whether the movable body is in its initial position (standby position). If the movable body has not returned to its initial position during any period other than immediately after the celebratory movement, the above-mentioned recovery process (multiple retries) may be performed to return the movable body to its initial position at a time during the stopped state when it is presumed the player has already left their seat. This avoids a situation where the movable body continues to operate (restore) during the stopped state, potentially causing the player to hesitate to leave their seat, and also allows for smoother control of various functions when gameplay resumes after the stopped state is resolved.

Next, we will explain the case where, while the machine is in a stop-loss state, the power is cut off at timing t3 and then restored at timing t4. Here, we will explain the case where, upon restoration of power after the power cut-off, the limit clear pattern table 4 is used, and power restoration patterns 1 and 4 are selected, which clear the payout amount but maintain the stop-loss state.

At timing t4, if power-on patterns 1 and 4 are selected when the power is restarted, the payout amount is cleared, but the stop-play state is maintained. Furthermore, while the stop-play state is maintained, the display of special symbols based on the variation pattern is forcibly stopped. Also, on the peripheral control board 1510, while the stop-play state is maintained, the variation effects based on the effect pattern are forcibly stopped, and the operation schedules for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are also forcibly stopped. However, at timing t4, when the power is restarted, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are instructed to execute operation schedule Z, which does not involve the variation of special symbols, so that these movable bodies perform their initial operation at least at timing t4 when the power is restarted.

Furthermore, before the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) perform their initial operations, the aforementioned initial position check is performed to confirm whether or not these movable bodies are in their initial positions (standby positions). If the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are in their initial positions, the initial operations are performed to confirm whether or not each movable body moves normally from the standby position to the performance position, or whether or not it returns normally to the standby position. Specifically, the operation schedule Z is set so that the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs its initial operation when a predetermined period (for example, 5 seconds) has elapsed since the power was turned on, while the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) performs its initial operation when a predetermined period (for example, 10 seconds) has elapsed since the power was turned on. Furthermore, the initial operation of the rear-facing lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is performed after the initial operation of the front-facing lifting decorative unit unit 3310 (movable unit X) is completed.

Thus, even when the stop-down state is maintained upon power-on, and the forced stop of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is maintained, the initial position confirmation and initial operation of these movable units are permitted. This allows for the execution of operation checks even if a malfunction occurs before or after the stop-down state prior to power-on, where the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) are not in their standby position. This prevents the display content (image corresponding to the stop-down state) shown on the display device 1600 from being obscured due to the malfunction of these movable units not being in their standby position, thus preventing the user from losing awareness that game restrictions are in place.

On the other hand, at timing t4, if power-on patterns 2 and 3 are selected when the power is restarted, the payout amount and stop-play state are cleared. Even in such cases, when the power is restarted, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are instructed to execute operation schedule Z, causing these movable units to perform their initial movements. After the initial movements of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are completed, the forced stop for the special symbol display based on the variation pattern is released, and the system is put into a standby state. Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 releases the forced stop for the variation display based on the performance pattern, and also releases the forced stop for the operation schedules of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), putting them into a standby state.

In the above-described embodiment, when the power is turned back on, the system maintains the stopped state and forces the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to remain stopped. In this case, the initial operation of these movable bodies is performed. However, if the movable bodies are in the standby position, the system may restrict the execution of the initial operation of the movable bodies to prioritize the control load. Furthermore, even if the movable bodies are not in the standby position, the system may restrict the execution of the initial operation of the movable bodies for the following reasons. That is, if the initial operation of the movable bodies is not performed despite them not being in the standby position, and a malfunction occurs before the power is turned back on where the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are not in the standby position, the system can maintain the state where these movable bodies are not in the standby position after the power is turned back on, and the hall manager can be informed that a malfunction has occurred with these movable bodies. However, in this case, there is a concern that the display content (the image corresponding to the stop state) shown on the performance display device 1600 may remain hidden due to a malfunction where the movable body is not in the standby position. Therefore, it is desirable to display the image corresponding to the stop state in a display area of the performance display device 1600 that is not obstructed by the movable body, or to use a separate device other than the performance display device 1600 to provide notification corresponding to the stop state.

Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, after transitioning to the stop-down state, celebratory actions are performed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). However, for these celebratory actions, the same operation processing (operation schedule) as the operation processing (operation schedule) for the initial operation of the movable body may be performed. By standardizing the operation processing (operation schedule) for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), it is possible to avoid an increase in the memory capacity required for the performance operations of the movable body. However, regarding the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), when the movable body performs celebratory actions after transitioning to the stop-down state, an action corresponding to the stop-down state (coordinated illumination or extinguishing with other LEDs provided on the game board 5) is performed, whereas when the movable body performs initial operation upon power-on, an action corresponding to the initial operation (for example, illumination in coordination with the initial operation) is performed. This prevents the inability to determine whether the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is in a celebratory movement after transitioning to a stopped state, or in its initial movement after power is restored.

Next, we will explain the case where the movable part transitions to a stop state while the special symbol is changing, and then the celebratory action of the movable part is performed. Figure 242 is a time chart showing the case where the movable part transitions to a stop state while the special symbol is changing, and then the celebratory action of the movable part is performed. Note that this example explains the case where the movable part is operating while the special symbol is changing, but it is sufficient for the movable part to be operating at the time (immediately before) the transition to the stop state. Even if the movable part is operating during a non-changing display of the special symbol, for example, when the movable part is performing a demonstration action, the system will be controlled to exhibit the same behavior after transitioning to the stop state.

As shown in Figure 242, at timing t1, when the special symbol variation display begins, if variation pattern 2 is determined, the special symbol variation display is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to variation pattern 2, and during the special symbol variation display, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 2. Furthermore, if performance pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the system instructs the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) to execute operation schedule X2 and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to execute operation schedule Y2. Then, during the special symbol variation display, when timing tx arrives, the system executes a predetermined performance operation on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) based on the operation schedule X2 currently being executed on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X).

Then, at timing t2, when the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in operation, if a game ball enters the general prize slot 2001 during the special symbol fluctuation display and a prize ball is awarded, resulting in a transition to the stop state, the stop state flag is turned ON, and the fluctuation display of the special symbol that is currently running is forcibly stopped based on fluctuation pattern 2. Also at timing t2, the peripheral control board 1510, upon realizing that the stop state flag has been turned ON, turns ON the aforementioned performance prohibition flag, and forcibly stops the fluctuation performance that is currently running based on performance pattern 2. Specifically, triggered by the performance prohibition flag being turned ON, the performance display device 1600 forcibly changes the image corresponding to the fluctuation performance to the image corresponding to the stop state. Furthermore, when the performance prohibition flag is turned ON at timing t2, the operation schedule X2 currently running for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y2 currently running for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. After transitioning to the stopped state, the performance actions based on operation schedules X2 and Y2 are not executed. At this time, since the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is forcibly stopped during operation, it stops at a position other than the initial position (performance position).

Then, at timing t2, when transitioning to the stopped state, the execution schedule X2 currently running for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the execution schedule Y2 currently running for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. After that, the execution of the celebratory action is started using both the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). In other words, when transitioning to the stopped state by prohibiting the performance action for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) at timing t2, a special execution schedule X3 is instructed to be executed for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and a special execution schedule Y3 is instructed to be executed for the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). These special operation schedules X3 and Y3 are not set at the start of the special symbol variation display before transitioning to the stop-play state, nor are they executed during the special symbol variation display.

Specifically, when the operation schedule X3 is executed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in its initial position (standby position) prior to the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). However, at timing t2, when the system transitions to the stopped state, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is forcibly stopped during operation, the system determines that the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in a position other than its initial position (performance position), and a recovery process (multiple retry operations) is performed to return the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) to its initial position. Then, when the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) returns to its initial position, at timing tA, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs the first celebratory action (the first half of the celebratory action) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. On the other hand, when the operation schedule Y3 is executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is in its initial position (standby position). If the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is in its initial position, at timing tB after the first celebratory action for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) performs the second celebratory action (the second half of the celebratory action) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

By the way, in the explanation in Figure 236, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) transitions to the stop state at timing t2 while it is in operation, it does not terminate in the middle of a predetermined performance action, but continues to execute until the predetermined performance action is completed. When performing a celebratory action with this configuration, it is also possible to execute a special operation schedule X3 for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) after the predetermined performance action is completed, so that the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs the first celebratory action between its initial position (standby position) and a performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. However, with this configuration, the celebratory action after transitioning to the stop state will be delayed until the predetermined performance action is completed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and it will not be possible to enjoy the celebratory action immediately after transitioning to the stop state. In this example, at the timing t2 when the device transitions to the stopped state, the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is forcibly stopped while in operation. Therefore, the celebratory action can be enjoyed immediately after the device transitions to the stopped state.

Furthermore, as in the example above, if the door frame 3 is equipped with the special movable body (for example, a movable body for instant notification that protrudes only during a winning spin), the celebratory action is not performed on the special movable body installed on the door frame 3 after transitioning to the stop-play state (the special movable body is excluded from the celebratory action). However, even if the special movable body installed on the door frame 3 is in operation when transitioning to the stop-play state, the special movable body installed on the door frame 3 is forcibly stopped. If the special movable body installed on the door frame 3 is forcibly stopped while in operation, and the special movable body remains in a position other than its initial position (the performance position), there is a risk of the player coming into contact with the special movable body. Therefore, it is desirable to perform a recovery process to return the special movable body to its initial position after transitioning to the stop-play state.

Furthermore, if a first performance button 251, which can be operated by the player, is provided as a movable body in the door frame 3, separate from the special movable body described above, the following configuration may be adopted. That is, if a vibrator device (vibration motor, etc.) provided inside or outside the first performance button 251 enables vibration operation (vibration) of the first performance button 251, the peripheral control board 1510, when it has determined the variation pattern (performance pattern) to be selected when the special symbol lottery result is a win and the variation pattern to be selected in some cases when the special symbol lottery result is a loss, executes an operation schedule corresponding to the first performance button 251 (movable body) according to the performance pattern set in accordance with the variation pattern, and in some cases when it is a win and when it is a loss, it is possible to vibrate the first performance button 251 (movable body) at a predetermined vibration timing during the variation display of the special symbol to give the player a sense of anticipation regarding a win. In this configuration, if the game transitions to a stop state while the first performance button 251 is vibrating during the special symbol display, the vibration operation is forcibly stopped, preventing the first performance button 251 from vibrating again. In this way, after transitioning to a stop state, the first performance button 251 (movable body) does not vibrate as a celebratory action, allowing attention to be focused solely on the celebratory action of the movable body on the game board 5.

Furthermore, even after transitioning to the stop-down state, and after the execution of the ongoing operation schedules X3 and Y3 has ended and the celebratory operation has been completed for the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), the aforementioned operation prohibition flag remains ON, and the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) continue to be in the operation prohibition state. The behavior when the power is cut off at timing t3 and then restored at timing t4 while the stop-down state is occurring is as described above.

Next, we will explain the case where the movable body abnormally stops at a position other than its initial position before transitioning to the stop-start state, and the system transitions to the stop-start state while the movable body is abnormally stopped. The celebratory action of the movable body is then performed depending on whether or not it returns to its initial position. Figure 243 is a time chart showing the case where the system transitions to the stop-start state while the movable body is abnormally stopped, and the celebratory action of the movable body is performed when it returns to its initial position. Figure 244 is a time chart showing the case where the system transitions to the stop-start state while the movable body is abnormally stopped, and the movable body does not return to its initial position. Note that this example explains the case where the movable body is abnormally stopped while the special symbols are changing. However, it is sufficient for the movable body to be abnormally stopped at the time (immediately before) transitioning to the stop-start state. Even if the movable body is abnormally stopped while the special symbols are not changing, the system is controlled to exhibit the same behavior after transitioning to the stop-start state.

First, we will explain the basic operation of the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) when the machine is not in a stopped state. The front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) operate between their initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600 during the initial operation of the movable body and during the performance operation of the movable body. However, at the end of this operation, they may not return to the initial position and may stop abnormally at a position other than the initial position. In addition, during the display of special symbols, whether variable or non-variable, the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) may become misaligned due to some factor, and may stop abnormally without returning to the initial position. In these cases, the aforementioned performance prohibition flag is turned ON, prohibiting the performance actions. However, based on the normal recovery conditions (such as winning a prize in the starting slot or the passage of a predetermined amount of time after the special symbols stop moving), a recovery process (multiple retries) is performed to return the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to their initial positions. When it is detected that the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) have returned to their initial positions, the performance prohibition flag is turned OFF. However, even after such recovery processing (multiple retry operations), the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) may still not return to their initial positions. In such cases, the recovery processing (multiple retry operations) is terminated, and the system remains in an abnormal stop state (the performance prohibition flag is ON). Even if the recovery conditions are met again, the recovery processing (multiple retry operations) will not be performed again. The following describes the case where one or both of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are abnormally stopped at the point (immediately before) transitioning to the stop state.

First, let's explain the case where only the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is abnormally stopped at the point (immediately before) transitioning to the stop-down state. As shown in Figure 243, at timing t1, if the variation pattern 2 is determined at the start of the variation display of the special symbol, the variation display of the special symbol is executed based on that variation pattern 2. Also at timing t1, the peripheral control board 1510 determines the performance pattern 2 corresponding to the variation pattern 2, and during the variation display of the special symbol, the variation performance is executed based on that performance pattern 2. Furthermore, if the performance pattern 2 is determined at timing t1, the operation schedule X2 is instructed to be executed for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and the operation schedule Y2 is instructed to be executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). However, since the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is abnormally stopped, the aforementioned performance prohibition flag is ON, and the performance operations based on operation schedule X2 and operation schedule Y2 are not executed.

Then, at the timing t2 when the system transitions to the stop-motion state, the execution schedule X2 for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the execution schedule Y2 for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are forcibly stopped. After this, a special execution schedule X3 is instructed to be executed for the front-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), and a special execution schedule Y3 is instructed to be executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y). These special execution schedules X3 and Y3 are not set at the start of the special symbol before the transition to the stop-motion state, nor are they executed during the display of the special symbol's variation.

Specifically, when the operation schedule X3 is executed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in its initial position (standby position) prior to the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). However, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) has abnormally stopped at timing t2 when it transitions to the stop state, it is determined that the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in a position other than the initial position (performance position), and regardless of whether the normal recovery conditions are met, a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) is executed based on timing t2 (start of stop state). Then, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) returns to its initial position due to a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations), at timing tA, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) performs the first celebratory operation (the first half of the celebratory operation) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. On the other hand, when the operation schedule Y3 is executed for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is in its initial position (standby position). If the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is in its initial position, at timing tB after the completion of the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit unit 3310 (movable unit X), the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) performs a second celebratory operation (the latter half of the celebratory operation) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 244, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) fails to return to its initial position despite a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) being performed on it, the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is prevented from performing the first celebratory operation. Furthermore, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) fails to return to its initial position, not only is the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) prevented, but the second celebratory operation for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is also prevented from being performed. In other words, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) fails to return to its initial position, the second celebratory operation for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) becomes impossible to perform, regardless of whether the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is functioning correctly or not. This prevents the celebratory actions from being performed incompletely after the game has entered a stop state.

Next, we will explain the case where only the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is abnormally stopped at the point (immediately before) transitioning to the stop-down state. Since it is similar to the embodiment using Figure 243, the illustration is omitted, but specifically, when the operation schedule Y3 is executed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is in its initial position (standby position) prior to the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). However, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is abnormally stopped at the time of transitioning to the stop-down state, it is determined that the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is in a position other than the initial position (performance position), and regardless of whether the normal recovery conditions are met, a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) is executed, conditional on the start of the stop-down state. Then, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) returns to its initial position due to a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations), the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X), which was in a normal standby state, performs the first celebratory operation (the first half of the celebratory operation) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600. After the first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is completed, the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) performs the second celebratory operation (the second half of the celebratory operation) between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

On the other hand, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) fails to return to its initial position despite a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) being performed on it, not only is the second celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) prevented, but the preceding first celebratory operation for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is also prevented. In other words, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) fails to return to its initial position, regardless of whether the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is functioning correctly, even the first celebratory operation for the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) becomes impossible to execute. This prevents the celebratory operation from being executed incompletely after transitioning to the stopped state.

Next, we will explain the case where both the rear-mounted lifting decorative body 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-mounted lifting decorative body 3410 (movable body Y) are abnormally stopped at the point (immediately before) when transitioning to the stop-down state. Although the illustration is omitted as it is similar to the embodiment using Figure 243, specifically, when the operation schedule X3 for the back-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the operation schedule Y3 for the back-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are executed, an initial position check is performed to confirm whether the back-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and then the back-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are in their initial positions (standby positions) prior to the first celebratory operation for the back-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). However, if both movable bodies have abnormally stopped at the timing of transitioning to the stop state, it is determined that the back-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) is in a position other than the initial position (performance position), and regardless of whether the normal recovery conditions are met, a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) based on the start of the stop state is executed for the back-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X). Then, if the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) returns to its initial position due to a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations), it is determined that the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) is in a position other than the initial position (performance position), and the special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) is executed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y). Once both movable units have returned to their initial positions, a first celebratory operation is performed for the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X). After this is completed, the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) performs a second celebratory operation between its initial position (standby position) and the performance position located in front of the display screen of the performance display device 1600.

On the other hand, if, despite performing a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations) on both the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) and the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y), neither movable unit returns to its initial position, the system prevents the execution of the celebratory operations, including not only the celebratory operations of the movable unit that failed to return but also those of the movable unit that did return. In other words, if either the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable unit X) or the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable unit Y) fails to return to its initial position, or if both fail to return to their initial positions, the series of celebratory operations becomes unexecutable regardless of whether some of the movable units are functioning correctly or not. This prevents the celebratory operations from being executed incompletely after transitioning to the stopped state.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-down state, regardless of whether the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) returns to its initial position through a special trigger recovery process (multiple retry operations), the aforementioned operation prohibition flag remains ON when the currently executing operation schedule X3 or Y3 ends, causing the rear-front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear-rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) to continue in the operation prohibition state. The behavior when the power is cut off at timing t3 and then restored at timing t4 while the stop-down state is occurring is as described above.

Furthermore, in this example, if the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) is abnormally stopped at the point (immediately before) transitioning to the stop-down state, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are allowed to emit normal light (lighting that coordinates with the performance operation of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) during the display of the special symbol fluctuations) rather than abnormal light emission. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-down state, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) are capable of performing actions corresponding to the stop-down state (coordinated illumination or extinguishing with other LEDs on the game board 5), regardless of whether the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) have malfunctioned or not. This makes it difficult for external parties to discern that the celebratory action was not performed, even if it fails to execute due to a malfunction, thus avoiding causing displeasure to the player.

Furthermore, regarding the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y), as mentioned above, the brightness of the LEDs can be changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204 when they are illuminating in coordination with the performance operation of the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) during the display of special symbols. However, even when the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) has abnormally stopped, the brightness of the LEDs can still be changed by operating the setting adjustment button 204. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the LEDs mounted on the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) and the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) perform an operation corresponding to the stop-play state (coordinated illumination or extinguishing with other LEDs on the game board 5), regardless of whether the rear front lifting decorative unit 3310 (movable body X) or the rear rear lifting decorative unit 3410 (movable body Y) has abnormally stopped or not. However, as described above, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the setting adjustment button 204 is disabled, and the brightness of the LEDs performing the operation corresponding to the stop-play state cannot be changed. This prevents malicious acts such as striking the pachinko machine 1 under the guise of operating the setting adjustment button 204 while the machine is in the stop-play state.

(Regarding the attachment and detachment of the game board before and after the game reaches its limit)
Next, we will explain the case in which game board A, which has not entered a stop-play state, and game board B, which has entered a stop-play state, are attached to and replaced with game board A, which has entered a stop-play state, from the main frame 4. In the other embodiments described above, the amount of balls dispensed is calculated by the main control board 1310, but in this example, a stop-play counter is provided on the payout control board 633, and commands related to the number of shots and payouts are sent from the main control board 1310 to the payout control board 633 at predetermined timings. The payout control board 633 manages the stop-play counter and calculates the amount of balls dispensed from the increase or decrease of the stop-play counter.

In this example, the payout control board 633, rather than the main control board 1310, manages (calculates and stores) the amount of balls dispensed, which is calculated from the stop-play counter. Specifically, the payout control board 633 calculates the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls dispensed within the period until a predetermined clear condition is met, and stores this calculation result in the "stop-play counter" as a value for calculating the amount of balls dispensed (amount of balls dispensed A, B). The value of the stop-play counter is stored in a specific area of the built-in RAM. The formula for calculating the difference between the number of shots and the number of balls dispensed is "value of stop-play counter = number of balls dispensed - number of shots." For example, if the value of the stop-play counter becomes too high, it can be determined that a large amount of balls have been dispensed from the pachinko machine 1, regardless of whether the player has changed.

Furthermore, in this example, the payout control board 633 manages (calculates and stores) the amount of balls dispensed calculated from the stop counter. At predetermined timings, the payout control board 633 sends a command regarding the amount of balls dispensed to the main control board 1310. The main control board 1310 then transitions to a stop state and restricts gameplay when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. The main control board 1310 is also capable of storing the ON information of the stop state flag when the stop state occurs. The ON/OFF status of the stop state flag is stored in a specific area of the built-in RAM. For this reason, when the game board A is not in a stop state, it stores the OFF information of the stop state flag when the power is cut off. Even if game board A is removed from the main frame 4 and then attached to another main frame 4, when the power is turned on without clearing (initializing) the "restriction of gameplay during stop state," it maintains a state that is not in a stop state (normal state). On the other hand, when the game board B is in a state of playout, it is configured to retain the information that the playout state flag is ON when the power is cut off. Even if game board B is removed from the main frame 4 and then installed in another main frame 4, the playout state will be maintained when the power is turned on without clearing (initializing) the "restriction on playing while in playout state."

Incidentally, when the payout amount is managed by the payout control board 633, even if the game board 5 is replaced with the main frame 4, the payout control board 633 located in the main frame 4 is not replaced. Therefore, even though the game board 5 has been replaced, there is a possibility that information regarding the payout amount of the game board 5 before replacement will be reflected in the replacement game board 5, leading to a problem of reduced reliability and convenience during game board 5 replacement. For example, if the payout amount of the game board 5 before replacement, managed by the payout control board 633, is transmitted to the replacement game board 5, the reliability of the information regarding the payout amount of the replacement game board 5 will be compromised. In this example, a method to avoid the reduction in reliability and convenience during game board 5 replacement when the payout amount is managed by the payout control board 633 is described below.

Figure 245 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the game board 5 is replaced during a power outage. In this example, a specific value of 10,000 is set, and when the number of balls dispensed reaches 10,000, the machine enters a stop-play state to restrict gameplay. It is assumed that the game board 5 before and after replacement are the same game board 5 (a game board from the same series with the same specifications and the same effects).

Furthermore, this example describes the case where, upon power-on restart after a power outage, the restriction clear pattern table 4 is used as the restriction clear pattern table, and power-on pattern 1 is selected as the power-on pattern. As detailed above, in power-on pattern 1, the game state at the time of power-on is maintained, but the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" is cleared (initialized), while the "restrictions on gameplay during the stop-play state" are maintained. However, regardless of whether power-on patterns 1 through 4 are selected, the "amount of balls dispensed before and after the start of the stop-play state" is always cleared upon power-on restart after a power outage.

Furthermore, in this example, the main control board 1310 has a unique CPU number (unique information) pre-stored for each CPU (main control MPU 1310a). This CPU number is unique to each main control board 1310, even for identical game boards 5, and cannot be overwritten even with external devices. The payout control board 633 receives the CPU number from the main control board 1310 and stores it in the RAM built into the payout control board 633. The CPU number stored in the payout control board 633 is retained without being cleared (initialized) even if the power is turned on or off, or if the RAM clear switch 1310f is operated when the power is turned on. When the payout control board 633 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 matches the CPU number stored in the payout control board 633, it determines that the game board 5 has not been replaced with the main frame 4. On the other hand, if the payout control board 633 determines that the CPU number received from the main control board 1310 matches the CPU number stored in the payout control board 633, it determines that the game board 5 has not been replaced with the main frame 4.

First, we will explain the case where, when the power is cut off, the game board A1, which is not in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board A2, which is also not in a stopped-out state, referring to Figure 245(A). First, between timing t1 and timing t2, when the power is cut off, game board A1, which is not in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4. Because the power is on, both game board A1 and the main frame 4 are energized. Furthermore, the amount of balls managed by the payout control board 633 is less than 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board A1 has not detected a stopped-out state, allowing the game to continue.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and game board A1, which is not in a stopped-play state, is removed. Game board A2, which is different from game board A1 and is also not in a stopped-play state, is installed. At timing t3, the power is turned on, so both game board A2 and the main frame 4 are powered. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state before game board A2 was replaced (before installation), where no stopped-play state occurred (normal state), allowing the game to continue. Furthermore, at timing t3, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared (initialized), and the payout amount for the replaced game board A2 starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared, and information regarding the payout amount of the game board A1 before replacement is not carried over.

Next, we will explain the case where, when the power is cut off, game board A, which is not in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board B, which is in a stopped-out state, referring to Figure 245(B). First, between timing t1 and timing t2 when the power is cut off, game board A, which is not in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4. However, because the power is on, both game board A and the main frame 4 are energized. Also, the amount of balls managed by the payout control board 633 is less than 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board A has not detected a stopped-out state, allowing the game to continue.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, game board A (which is not in a stopped-play state) is removed, and game board B (which is in a stopped-play state) is installed. However, at timing t3, the power is turned on, so that both game board B and the main frame 4 are powered. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state in which game board A2 is in a stopped-play state, as it was before replacement (before installation), and the progress of the game is restricted. Also, at timing t3, the amount of balls dispensed managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared (initialized), and the amount of balls dispensed for the replaced game board B starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the amount of balls dispensed managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared, but the information regarding the stopped-play state managed by the main control board 1310 is not cleared, thus preventing the stopped-play state from being cleared during replacement.

Next, we will explain the case where, when the power is cut off, the game board B, which is in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board A, which is not in a stopped-out state, referring to Figure 245(C). First, between timing t1 and timing t2 when the power is cut off, game board B, which is in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4. However, because the power is on, both game board B and the main frame 4 are energized. Also, the amount of balls managed by the payout control board 633 has reached 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board B has entered a stopped-out state, restricting the progress of the game.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and game board B, which is experiencing a stop-loss state, is removed. Game board A, which is different from game board B and is not experiencing a stop-loss state, is then installed. At timing t3, the power is turned on, supplying power to both game board A and the main frame 4. Furthermore, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state of game board A2 before replacement (before installation), indicating that no stop-loss state has occurred (normal state), allowing gameplay to continue. Also at timing t3, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared (initialized), and the payout amount for the replaced game board A starts from 0. In other words, by clearing the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 when the power is turned on, information regarding the payout amount of the previous game board B is not carried over, preventing a stop-loss state from occurring during replacement.

Next, we will explain the case where, when the power is cut off, the game board B1, which is in a stopped-play state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board B2, which is also in a stopped-play state, referring to Figure 245(D). First, between timing t1 and timing t2, when the power is cut off, game board B1, which is in a stopped-play state, is attached to the main frame 4. However, because the power is on, both game board B1 and the main frame 4 are energized. Also, the amount of balls managed by the payout control board 633 has reached 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board B1 has entered a stopped-play state, restricting the progress of the game.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and game board B1, which is in a stopped-play state, is removed. Game board B2, which is different from game board A and is also in a stopped-play state, is installed. However, at timing t3, the power is turned on, so both game board B2 and the main frame 4 are powered. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the stopped-play state as the game state before game board A2 was replaced (before installation), and the progress of the game is restricted. Furthermore, at timing t3, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared (initialized), and the payout amount for the replaced game board B2 starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared, but the information regarding the stopped-play state managed by the main control board 1310 is not cleared, thus preventing the stopped-play state from being cleared during replacement.

Figure 246 is a time chart showing the behavior of the pachinko machine 1 when the game board 5 is replaced before the power is cut off. In this example, a specific value of 100,000 is set, and when the number of balls dispensed reaches 100,000, the machine enters a stop-play state to restrict gameplay.

First, before the power is shut off, the case where game board A1, which is not in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board A2, which is also not in a stopped-out state, will be explained with reference to Figure 246(A). At timing t1, game board A1, which is not in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4. Because the power is on, both game board A1 and the main frame 4 are energized. Furthermore, the amount of balls managed by the payout control board 633 is less than 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board A1 has not detected a stopped-out state, allowing the game to continue.

Then, before the timing t2 for cutting off the power, the game board A1, which is not in a stopped-play state, is removed from the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, only the main frame 4 is energized, and the payout control board 633 maintains the information regarding the amount of balls dispensed. Subsequently, the game board A2, which is not in a stopped-play state, is attached to the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, both the game board A2 and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, the game state before the replacement (before installation) of game board A2 is a state where no stopped-play state has occurred (normal state). However, by attaching game board A2 while the power is still on, the main control board 1310 generates a special stopped-play state, and the progress of the game is restricted. Note that the special stopped-play state is the same as the stopped-play state in that the progress of the game is restricted, but it differs from the stopped-play state in that the special stopped-play state is resolved by turning the power on and off (power-on pattern 1). In other words, when game board A2 is replaced, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is not cleared, and the information regarding the payout amount of the previous game board A1 is inherited. However, by generating a special stop-play state, it is possible to prevent the game from continuing with this incorrect information.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and with the game board A2, which is not in a stopped-play state, still installed, the power is turned on at timing t3, so that both the game board A2 and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, if the power is not turned on and off when the game board A2 is replaced, a special stopped-play state occurs, but if the power is turned on and off, a special stopped-play state does not occur. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state in which the game board A2 was in a stopped-play state (normal state) before replacement (before installation), allowing the game to continue. Also, at timing t3, the amount of balls that is managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared (initialized), and the amount of balls that is returned to the replaced game board A2 starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared, and the information regarding the payout amount of the game board A1 before replacement is not carried over.

Next, we will explain the case where, before the power is cut off, game board A, which is not in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board B, which is in a stopped-out state, referring to Figure 246(B). First, at timing t1, game board A, which is not in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4, but because the power is on, both game board A and the main frame 4 are energized. Also, the amount of balls managed by the payout control board 633 is less than 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board A has not detected a stopped-out state, allowing the game to proceed.

Then, before the timing t2 for cutting off the power, the game board A, which is not in a stopped-play state, is removed from the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, only the main frame 4 is energized, and the payout control board 633 maintains the information regarding the amount of balls dispensed. Subsequently, the game board B, which is in a stopped-play state, is installed on the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, both the game board B and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, the game state before the replacement (before installation) of game board B is a stopped-play state. However, by installing game board B with the power still on, the main control board 1310 generates a special stopped-play state, restricting the progress of the game. Note that the special stopped-play state is the same as the stopped-play state in that the progress of the game is restricted, but it differs from the stopped-play state in that the special stopped-play state is resolved by turning the power on and off (power-on pattern 1). In other words, when game board B is replaced, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is not cleared, and the information regarding the payout amount of game board A before replacement is carried over. However, by generating a special stop-play state, it is possible to prevent the game from continuing with this incorrect information.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and with game board B, which is in a stopped-play state, still installed, the power is turned on at timing t3, so that both game board B and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, if the power is not turned on and off when game board B is replaced, a special stopped-play state occurs, but if the power is turned on and off, a special stopped-play state does not occur. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state in which the stopped-play state occurs as the game state before game board B was replaced (before installation), and the progress of the game is restricted. Also, at timing t3, the amount of balls that is managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared (initialized), and the amount of balls that is dispensed for the replaced game board B starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared, but the information regarding the stop-play state managed by the main control board 1310 is not cleared, thus preventing the stop-play state from being cleared during exchange.

Next, we will explain the case where, before the power is cut off, the game board B, which is in a stopped-out state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board A, which is not in a stopped-out state, referring to Figure 246(C). First, at timing t1, game board B, which is in a stopped-out state, is attached to the main frame 4, but because the power is on, both game board B and the main frame 4 are energized. Also, the amount of balls managed by the payout control board 633 has reached 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board B has entered a stopped-out state, restricting the progress of the game.

Then, before the timing t2 for cutting off the power, the game board B, which is in a stopped-play state, is removed from the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, only the main frame 4 is energized, and the payout control board 633 maintains the information regarding the amount of balls dispensed. After that, the game board A, which is not in a stopped-play state, is installed on the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, both the game board B and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, the game state before the replacement (before installation) of game board A is a state where no stopped-play state has occurred (normal state). However, by installing game board A while the power is still on, the main control board 1310 generates a special stopped-play state, and the progress of the game is restricted. Note that the special stopped-play state is the same as the stopped-play state in that the progress of the game is restricted, but it differs from the stopped-play state in that the special stopped-play state is resolved by turning the power on and off (power-on pattern 1). In other words, when game board A is replaced, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is not cleared, and the information regarding the payout amount of game board B before replacement is carried over. However, by generating a special stop-play state, it is possible to prevent the game from continuing with this incorrect information.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and with the game board A, which has not entered a stop-out state, still installed, the power is turned on at timing t3, so that both the game board A and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, if the power is not turned on and off when the game board A is replaced, a special stop-out state occurs, but if the power is turned on and off, a special stop-out state does not occur. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state before the replacement (before installation) of game board A, where the stop-out state has not occurred (normal state), and the game can proceed. Also, at timing t3, the amount of balls that is managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared (initialized), and the amount of balls that is returned to the game board A after replacement starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared, and information regarding the payout amount of the game board B before replacement is not carried over, thus preventing a stop-play state from occurring during replacement.

Next, we will explain the case where, before the power is cut off, the game board B1, which is in a stopped state, is removed from the main frame 4 and replaced with game board B2, which is also in a stopped state, referring to Figure 246(D). First, at timing t1, game board B1, which is in a stopped state, is attached to the main frame 4, but because the power is on, both game board B1 and the main frame 4 are energized. Also, the amount of balls managed by the payout control board 633 has reached 100,000, and the main control board 1310 of game board B1 has entered a stopped state, restricting the progress of the game.

Then, before the timing t2 for cutting off the power, the game board B1, which is in a stopped-play state, is removed from the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, only the main frame 4 is energized, and the payout control board 633 maintains the information regarding the amount of balls dispensed. After that, the game board B2, which is in a stopped-play state, is installed on the main frame 4. However, because the power remains on, both the game board B2 and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, the game state before the replacement (before installation) of game board B2 is a stopped-play state. However, by installing game board B2 while the power is still on, the main control board 1310 generates a special stopped-play state, and the progress of the game is restricted. The special stop-down state is the same as the stop-down state in that the game's progress is restricted, various adjustment operations (such as volume and light intensity adjustments) are disabled, and information is output externally to the hall computer via the external terminal board. However, it differs from the stop-down state in that the special stop-down state is resolved by turning the power on and off (power-on pattern 1). In other words, when the game board B2 is replaced, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is not cleared, and the information regarding the payout amount of the previous game board B2 is carried over. However, by generating the special stop-down state, it is possible to prevent the game from continuing with this incorrect information.

Then, at timing t2, the power is cut off, and with the game board B2, which is in a stopped-play state, still installed, the power is turned on at timing t3, so that both the game board B2 and the main frame 4 are energized. At this time, if the power is not turned on and off when the game board B2 is replaced, the special stopped-play state occurs, but if the power is turned on and off, the special stopped-play state does not occur. Also, at timing t3, if power-on pattern 1 is selected when the power is turned on, the main control board 1310 maintains the state in which the stopped-play state occurs as the game state before the replacement (before installation) of the game board B2, and the progress of the game is restricted. Also, at timing t3, the amount of balls that is managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared (initialized), and the amount of balls that is dispensed for the replaced game board B2 starts from 0. In other words, when the power is turned on, the payout amount managed by the payout control board 633 is cleared, but the information regarding the stop-play state managed by the main control board 1310 is not cleared, thus preventing the stop-play state from being cleared during exchange.

As described above, in the above-described embodiment, even if the game board 5 is replaced with the main frame 4 when the payout amount is managed by the payout control board 633, it is possible to avoid the information regarding the payout amount of the game board 5 before replacement being reflected in the game board 5 after replacement, thereby avoiding a decrease in reliability and convenience when replacing the game board 5.

Furthermore, as explained above, a special stop-out state occurs when various game boards are attached to or detached from the main frame 4 before the power is shut off. However, during the special stop-out state, control may be implemented using the following example. For example, during the stop-out state that occurs when the number of balls dispensed reaches 100,000, as described above in Figure 218(K), the display device 1600 displays images corresponding to the stop-out state (messages such as "Game Restriction," "Gameplay is restricted because the daily ball limit of XX balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The settlement button is active"). However, in the special stop-out state, it is possible that the number of balls dispensed has not reached 100,000. Therefore, to prevent misinterpretation, at least some of these displays may be suppressed from being executed. In particular, the "Game Restriction" and "Gameplay is restricted because the daily payout limit of XX balls has been reached" messages in the aforementioned images should not be displayed. Instead, alternative messages such as "Temporary Game Restriction" and "This is not a payout limit, but gameplay is restricted as a precaution" should be displayed. Furthermore, since a special stop-loss state can occur during gameplay due to various factors, the messages "Please call an attendant" and "The payout button is active" should be made available for both the stop-loss state caused by reaching 100,000 balls and the special stop-loss state.

Furthermore, while the game's progress is restricted in both the stop-play state caused by reaching 10,000 balls and the special stop-play state, the content of this restriction may be as follows. Specifically, in both the stop-play state caused by reaching 100,000 balls and the special stop-play state, even if there is a special symbol variation display running at the start of the state, the timing of the variation is stopped (interrupted) to prevent the special symbol variation display from progressing, thereby forcibly stopping the game and initiating the restriction on gameplay. Here, at least in the case of the special stop-play state, if various game information related to the special symbol variation display (such as the remaining variation time that was interrupted) is stored even after the restriction on gameplay has started, and the special symbol variation display is restarted when the special stop-play state is resolved by turning the power on and off (power-on pattern 1), the decrease in reliability and convenience when replacing the game board 5 can be avoided even more effectively. Furthermore, the stop-loss state and special stop-loss state that occur when the number of balls dispensed reaches 10,000 can occur not only during the display of special symbols, but also during the display of normal symbols and during the progress of a jackpot game. In such cases, regardless of whether the stop-loss state or the special stop-loss state occurs, the timing of the display of normal symbols and the progress of the jackpot game (current round number and opening time of the big prize slot 2005) is stopped (interrupted), forcibly stopping the game and initiating a restriction on gameplay. In this regard, at least for the special stop-loss state, if various game information related to the display of normal symbols (remaining interrupted display time, etc.) and various game information related to the jackpot game (remaining interrupted opening time, etc.) is stored even after the restriction on gameplay has begun, and if the display of normal symbols and the jackpot game can be resumed when the special stop-loss state is resolved by turning the power on and off (power-on pattern 1), the decrease in reliability and convenience when replacing the game board 5 can be more effectively avoided.

Furthermore, during the special stop-play state described above, it is preferable to restrict game progress and also suspend the management of the payout amount by the payout control board 633. In other words, by preventing fluctuations in the payout amount during the special stop-play state, it is possible to avoid situations where the payout amount reaches 100,000 during the special stop-play state, triggering another stop-play state, or where the payout amount falls below 95,000 during the special stop-play state, causing the prior notification (such as a prior announcement display) to be cancelled.

Furthermore, the display mode of the function display unit 1400 may be controlled to differ from that during normal gameplay, both during the stop-play state that occurs when the number of balls dispensed reaches 10,000 and during the special stop-play state. Specifically, if all LEDs of the function display unit 1400, such as the first special symbol indicator, second special symbol indicator, status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator, are lit during the stop-play state that occurs when the number of balls dispensed reaches 10,000, then all LEDs of the function display unit 1400, such as the first special symbol indicator, second special symbol indicator, status indicator, normal symbol indicator, normal hold indicator, first special hold number indicator, second special hold number indicator, and round indicator, may be turned off during the special stop-play state. Furthermore, if the function display unit 1400 is equipped with an LED specifically for indicating the end of play, during the end-of-play state caused by reaching 10,000 balls, the LED for this indication should be lit while all other LEDs are turned off. However, during a special end-of-play state, all LEDs, including the LED for this indication, should be turned off. This allows for distinction between the end-of-play state caused by reaching 10,000 balls and the special end-of-play state by checking the function display unit 1400, further reducing the reliability and convenience when replacing the game board 5.

(Regarding the energy-saving mode after transitioning to the shutdown state)
In this example, when a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since a special symbol was confirmed to stop without the display of a new special symbol variation starting, a predetermined demonstration sequence (e.g., display of an explanation of the sequence or promotional images) is initiated. After a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of the demonstration sequence (e.g., after the demonstration sequence has been repeated twice), it is possible to switch to an energy-saving mode to reduce standby power consumption. In this energy-saving mode, not only is the demonstration sequence not performed, but audio output is also stopped and some lamps are turned off, and the performance display device 1600 notifies that the energy-saving mode is in operation. However, if the energy-saving mode is made executable in the same manner not only in the normal standby state (a standby state that is not the stop-play state), but also after the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and the machine has entered the stop-play state, it becomes difficult to determine whether the state in energy-saving mode is the stop-play state, making it difficult to grasp that restrictions on gameplay are being imposed. Therefore, in this example, we will describe a configuration that allows the system to switch to energy-saving mode during normal standby and shutdown states, while differentiating the behavior of the energy-saving mode depending on whether the system is in normal standby or shutdown state.

First, let's explain the energy-saving mode. In this example, whether or not to activate energy-saving mode when the special symbols are not changing (when no game is being played) can be arbitrarily set by the administrator according to the operating style of the gaming hall. Specifically, when the energy-saving mode setting switch on the peripheral control board 1510 is turned ON, energy-saving mode can be started when the special symbols are not changing. When the energy-saving mode setting switch is turned OFF, energy-saving mode cannot be started when the special symbols are not changing. In this example, as will be described later, the system transitions to energy-saving mode after a demonstration is performed with the energy-saving mode setting switch turned ON. However, this is not the only option, and as an alternative, the system may always transition to energy-saving mode after a demonstration is performed without providing an energy-saving mode setting switch.

Next, the relationship between the demonstration sequence and the energy-saving mode in this example will be explained. In this example, when the energy-saving mode setting switch is ON and the special symbols are displayed in a non-variable state, the system enters the energy-saving mode after a normal standby state. Here, the "normal standby state" in this example refers to a standby state that is not in a stopped state, encompassing the period during which the display device 1600 displays the stopped symbols of the decorative symbols, and the period during which the display device 1600 and other devices perform operations corresponding to the predetermined demonstration sequence (e.g., displaying or illuminating images for explanation or promotional purposes). Details of the demonstration sequence will be described later. In this example, when the energy-saving mode setting switch is ON, the system transitions to energy-saving mode based on the completion of a predetermined number of demonstration sequences. In energy-saving mode, the demonstration sequence is not performed, and the display device 1600 and other devices are controlled in an operation corresponding to the energy-saving mode.

Furthermore, as the game progresses, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop-play state where further gameplay is impossible. In this stop-play state, actions corresponding to the stop-play state are executed with priority over actions corresponding to demonstration effects, ensuring reliable notification that the stop-play state is in effect. Also, when the energy-saving mode setting switch is ON, energy-saving mode can be started even during the stop-play state; however, the energy-saving mode is started at a different timing than when it is started when the game is not in a stop-play state. Specifically, when starting energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, the system transitions to energy-saving mode after a predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes) has elapsed since the stop-play state notification pattern (described later) transitioned to notification pattern B. When the system transitions to energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, the system executes actions corresponding to energy-saving mode on the performance display device 1600 and other devices in a manner different from when the system transitions to energy-saving mode via a normal standby state.

Figure 247 is a table comparing the notification patterns for light emission and sound in the normal standby state, energy-saving mode, and power-out state. In this example, it is possible to switch to energy-saving mode during the power-out state. Before switching to energy-saving mode, energy-saving mode does not occur during the power-out state, but after switching to energy-saving mode, energy-saving mode occurs during the power-out state.

First, the normal standby state consists of two states: when the demonstration performance is not being executed (when standby performance 1 is being executed) and when the demonstration performance is being executed (when standby performance 2 is being executed). Specifically, in the normal standby state, standby performance 1 is executed, in which the stopped decorative symbols remain displayed without executing the demonstration performance until a predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbols have stopped in a confirmed position. When the predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbols have stopped in a confirmed position, the stopped decorative symbols are erased and the first demonstration performance (standby performance 2) begins. After the first demonstration performance has finished, standby performance 1 is executed again, in which the stopped decorative symbols remain displayed without executing the demonstration performance until another predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed. When the predetermined time (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed, the second demonstration performance (standby performance 2) begins. When the energy-saving mode setting switch is ON, the system will switch to energy-saving mode after the second demonstration sequence has finished. When the energy-saving mode setting switch is OFF, after the second demonstration sequence has finished, the system will go through standby sequence 1 again before performing the third demonstration sequence. Thereafter, standby sequence 1 and the demonstration sequences will repeat.

As mentioned above, when the demonstration is not being executed, the stopped symbols of the decorative patterns are displayed as standby display 1 (standby performance 1). However, standby display 1 is displayed on a lower layer of the performance display device 1600. In this example, the performance display device 1600 can display multiple layers, including at least an upper layer, a middle layer, and a lower layer. The display elements of higher layers are displayed closer to the front in a "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer" relationship, ensuring priority for visibility.

On the other hand, during the execution of the demonstration sequence, a demonstration image with the following content is displayed as standby display 2 (standby sequence 2). Specifically, first, the sequence display device 1600 is used to display explanatory and promotional images (movie) of the pachinko machine 1's sequences, and at the end of this sequence, the logo of the pachinko machine 1's title is displayed. After the display of the title logo, the sequence display device 1600 displays the logo of the manufacturer of the pachinko machine 1, and then displays a warning message regarding "preventing excessive gambling" (for example, "Pachinko should be enjoyed in moderation. Be careful not to become addicted"). By displaying such a warning message, it is possible to prevent players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game during subsequent play. Note that standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the sequence display device 1600.

Furthermore, during the normal standby state, while Standby Display 1 (Standby Animation 1) is displayed, a predetermined sound is output from the speaker. However, after Standby Display 1 (Standby Animation 1) ends, the speaker stops outputting sound, effectively muting it. In other words, while Standby Display 1 (Standby Animation 1) is displayed, sound such as background music corresponding to Standby Display 1 (Standby Animation 1) is output, but during the period from when Standby Display 1 (Standby Animation 1) ends to when Standby Display 2 (Standby Animation 2) is displayed, there is no sound.

Furthermore, in the normal standby state, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) are configured to light up or blink in the normal notification mode. Specifically, when a demonstration performance is not being executed, the LEDs blink or light up in the normal notification mode corresponding to standby performance 1, whereas when a demonstration performance is being executed, the LEDs blink or light up in the normal notification mode corresponding to the demonstration performance (standby performance 2). In addition, lamp C is configured to light up in a reference brightness confirmation mode, which allows the user to confirm the reference brightness by emitting light at a predetermined specific brightness in comparison with the brightness of lamps A and B. In other words, while the brightness of lamps A and B changes depending on the setting status obtained by operating the setting adjustment button 204, the brightness of lamp C does not change regardless of the setting status obtained by operating the setting adjustment button 204, making it easier to determine whether the brightness of lamps A and B has changed. Furthermore, while lamp C may be configured to emit light in the reference brightness confirmation mode even when the demonstration is not being performed, considering the load caused by constant illumination, it may be possible to enable illumination in the reference brightness confirmation mode only when a specific illumination start operation is performed. For example, illumination in the reference brightness confirmation mode may be started when a specific illumination start condition is met (e.g., when the setting adjustment button 204 is operated or other operations are received), and the illumination in the reference brightness confirmation mode may be terminated and the lamp turned off after a predetermined time has elapsed. Additionally, multiple LEDs may be provided to constitute lamp C, so that even if some of the LEDs constituting lamp C fail, the other LEDs constituting lamp C can still be used to determine whether the brightness of lamps A and B has changed.

Next, in energy-saving mode, an energy-saving indicator is displayed as an image corresponding to the energy-saving mode. This energy-saving indicator is displayed on a higher layer of the display device 1600. At this time, the speaker outputs no sound, and the sound is muted. Furthermore, the LEDs of lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off. However, lamp C remains lit in the same manner as in the normal standby state, for the purpose of checking the standard brightness.

Next, if the power-saving mode is not activated while the game is in a stopped state, a "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed as the image corresponding to the stopped state. This "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed on a higher layer of the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, when the game transitions to a stopped state, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and the speaker perform notification in an enhanced mode consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume) as notification mode A. However, after a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) has elapsed, the notification switches to notification mode B, which is a suppressed mode with reduced light intensity and volume. Specifically, after a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds) has elapsed, the speaker mutes the sound output. Regarding lamp C, it is possible to enable the LED to emit light in the same manner as in the normal standby state for checking the reference brightness. However, considering that the setting adjustment button 204 will not be operated due to the nature of the "stopped" state, lamp C may remain off regardless of whether the specific light emission start conditions are met.

Next, if energy-saving mode is activated during the stop-play state, in addition to displaying a "cannot proceed" indicator as the image corresponding to the stop-play state, an energy-saving indicator is displayed as the image corresponding to the energy-saving mode. Both the "cannot proceed" indicator and the energy-saving indicator are displayed on a higher layer of the display device 1600, and both displays are visible. At this time, the speaker outputs no sound, and the sound is muted. Furthermore, the LEDs of lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off. Regarding lamp C, it is possible to enable the LED to emit light in the same manner as in the normal standby state for checking the reference brightness. However, considering that the setting adjustment button 204 is not operated due to the nature of the stop-play state, lamp C may remain off regardless of whether the specific light emission start conditions are met.

Figure 248 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it switches to energy-saving mode while in a stop-play state. The following explanation assumes that the energy-saving mode setting switch is turned ON.

First, once the remaining number of balls until the total number of balls reaches a specific value (for example, 5000 balls), a pre-notification display is shown. This pre-notification display continues to be shown not only during the special symbol's variable display but also during its non-variable display, until the total number of balls reaches the specific value. Furthermore, it continues to be displayed not only during the normal standby state but also during the energy-saving mode while the special symbol is not varying. As detailed above, the performance display device 1600 displays the message "Remaining until game limit: +XX balls" as a pre-notification display in a specific display area 1. This specific display area 1 is set as part of the display area of the performance display device 1600 and is used to display when the total number of balls approaches a specific value. It is a fixed area that remains unchanged regardless of the game state to prevent hall managers from overlooking it.

Furthermore, advance notices and indications of impossibility of proceeding are displayed on the upper layers of the display device 1600. In this example, the display device 1600 can display multiple layers, including at least an upper layer, a middle layer, and a lower layer. The display elements on higher layers are displayed closer to the front, following the relationship "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer," ensuring priority visibility. This prevents the visibility of advance notices and impossibility of proceeding displayed on the upper layers from being obstructed by displays on the middle and lower layers.

Furthermore, pre-notification displays and game-breaking indicators are excluded from the image conversion processing (mosaic processing, grayscale processing, scaling, etc.) performed by the peripheral control board 1510. In other words, while other performance images are subject to image conversion processing by the peripheral control board 1510, allowing for changes in their appearance as the performance progresses, pre-notification displays and game-breaking indicators are excluded from this processing. Therefore, even as the performance progresses, changes in their appearance are not permitted. This ensures that while pre-notification displays and game-breaking indicators are displayed, their visibility remains unchanged, preventing players from overlooking information such as the amount of balls dispensed.

Next, after the special symbol has stopped in a confirmed state, the machine is in a normal standby state. However, at timing t1, if a predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the special symbol stopped in a confirmed state without any further special symbol variation being displayed, a demonstration period (a period during which the demonstration effect is executed) is started, displaying a demonstration image (e.g., an image explaining the effect or an advertisement) as standby display 2 (standby effect 2). During this demonstration period, when the special symbol variation display starts (when a prize is awarded to the first start opening 2002, the second start opening 2004, or the big prize opening 2005), the demonstration period ends and the variation effect or the effect during a win begins. On the other hand, the demonstration period can also end and the machine transitions to standby display 1 (standby effect 1) if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, effect control unit 250, etc.). Furthermore, the pre-announcement display continues to be shown even after the transition to the demonstration period. This prevents new players from starting a game without being aware of information regarding payout amounts and other details beforehand.

In this example, the standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the performance display device 1600. For example, the predetermined area where the warning message is displayed is located outside of the specific display area 1 where the pre-notification display is shown, and is positioned so as not to overlap with the specific display area 1 in the front-to-back direction. This ensures the visibility of the warning message even while the pre-notification display is shown, and reliably prevents players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game. Note that a portion of the predetermined area where the warning message is displayed may overlap with the specific display area 1 in the front-to-back direction. For example, even if the predetermined area and the specific display area 1 overlap, the warning message may be displayed offset vertically or horizontally from the pre-notification display to the extent that the content of the warning message can be confirmed.

Furthermore, during the demonstration period, no sound is output from the speakers, resulting in silence. Also, during the demonstration period, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) are set to light up or flash in the normal notification mode corresponding to standby display 2 (standby effect 2). Additionally, during the demonstration period, lamp C is set to emit light at a specific brightness level as a standard brightness confirmation mode, regardless of standby display 2 (standby effect 2).

Next, at timing t2, when the demonstration period (the second demonstration sequence) ends, the system switches to an energy-saving mode that enhances power saving for sound and lights. The performance display device 1600 displays an energy-saving indicator as an image corresponding to the energy-saving mode. The energy-saving indicator displays the message "Energy-saving mode in progress." This energy-saving mode ends and the variation sequence begins when the special symbol variation display starts. Alternatively, the system can also end the energy-saving mode and return to the normal standby state by operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). Furthermore, if a ball enters a general prize slot 2001, etc., where the special symbol variation display does not occur during energy-saving mode, the prize balls will be awarded, but the system will not return to the normal standby state. In addition, the pre-notification display continues to be shown even after switching to energy-saving mode. This prevents new players from starting the game without being aware of information regarding the amount of balls dispensed beforehand.

In this example, the energy-saving display is shown on a higher layer of the display device 1600, similar to the pre-notification display. However, the specific area 2 where the energy-saving display is shown is located outside of the specific display area 1 where the pre-notification display is shown, and is positioned differently from the specific display area 1. This ensures that the energy-saving display is visible even while the pre-notification display is shown on the higher layer of the display device 1600, and reliably informs the user that energy-saving mode is in operation.

Furthermore, in this example, the standby display 2, which was running during the demonstration period, is terminated when the system switches to energy-saving mode. Since standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the display device 1600, even if it were to continue displaying after switching to energy-saving mode, the energy-saving display shown on the higher layer would not become obscured. However, by terminating it when the system switches to energy-saving mode, the control burden on the peripheral control board 1510 can be reduced.

Furthermore, in energy-saving mode, the speaker outputs no sound, effectively muting it. In other words, the speaker is silent (inaudible). Additionally, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) are turned off. This prevents excessive power consumption by game machines that have not been played for a predetermined period of time. Lamp C, however, remains lit in the same way as in normal standby mode, allowing for confirmation of the standard brightness. This ensures that lamp C is not turned off like lamps A and B, indicating that the game machine is operating normally.

Furthermore, in this example, if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.) before the energy-saving mode is activated (during the period from timing t1 to t2), it is possible to restrict the execution of the energy-saving mode. Specifically, the conditions for starting the energy-saving mode are met when the second demonstration ends, and the system transitions to energy-saving mode. However, if the player operates the control unit during the demonstration period before the energy-saving mode is activated, the demonstration period is forcibly terminated, preventing the conditions for starting the energy-saving mode from being met, and thus preventing the system from transitioning to energy-saving mode. Therefore, in the normal standby state, if the player does not want to transition to energy-saving mode, they can simply operate the control unit before the energy-saving mode is activated, preventing the energy-saving mode from being executed unintentionally.

Next, at timing t3 during energy-saving mode, if a ball enters the first start gate 2002 or the second start gate 2004 and the special symbol variation display begins, the energy-saving mode ends and a variation animation (an animation based on the variation pattern) corresponding to the variation display of the special symbol is executed. This variation animation displays the variation of decorative symbols, which are displayed on a lower layer of the animation display device 1600. Furthermore, the pre-notification display continues to be shown even after the variation animation has started. This allows players to understand that gameplay will be restricted in the near future.

Furthermore, during the display of special symbols, the speaker outputs sound corresponding to the variation effect as predetermined background music. Also, during the display of special symbols, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) are configured to light up or flash in a notification mode corresponding to the variation effect as a normal notification mode. Additionally, during the display of special symbols, lamp C can be configured to emit light at a specific brightness level as a standard brightness confirmation mode, regardless of the variation effect.

Next, at timing t4 during the special symbol variation display, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value due to balls entering the winning slots such as the first starting slot 2002 and the second starting slot 2004, and the game is restricted, the special symbol variation display and effect will end, and the game will enter a stop-play state where further play is impossible. As described above, when the amount of balls dispensed, calculated based on the prize balls dispensed by balls entering each winning slot, reaches a specific value, the game enters a stop-play state and is restricted. In this example, however, this game restriction is controlled during the special symbol variation display.

Then, at timing t4, if the game enters a stop-play state, the display device 1600 displays a "cannot proceed" indicator as the image corresponding to the stop-play state. The "cannot proceed" indicator displays the message "Game Restriction," along with the messages "Gameplay is restricted because the daily payout limit of XXX balls has been reached," "Please call an attendant," and "The payout button is active." Furthermore, as mentioned above, the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed on a higher layer of the display device 1600. This ensures that the visibility of the "cannot proceed" indicator is not obstructed, and allows the player to understand that gameplay has been restricted because the payout amount has reached a specific value.

Furthermore, regarding the "cannot proceed" display in this example, the upper layer of the performance display device 1600 displays a message on a screen consisting of an opaque, darkened display (for example, a black background image). This darkened display covers almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600. As a result, screens displayed on lower layers than the upper layer are invisible due to the darkened display on the upper layer. Specifically, even after transitioning to the stop-play state at timing t4, the lower layer of the performance display device 1600 can display a demonstration image as standby display 2. However, because the "cannot proceed" display uses almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600 on the upper layer, the demonstration image is invisible. As a result, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the player does not realize that it is a demonstration period while the "cannot proceed" display is shown, and can reliably understand that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and that the game is being restricted. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed in the normal standby state where the special symbols are not displayed, the lower layer of the display device 1600 may be restricted from displaying the demonstration image altogether.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the performance display device 1600 displays a "cannot proceed" indication using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600 as an image corresponding to the stop-play state. At this time, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decorative member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are forcibly executed as notification mode A, consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume), regardless of the setting status by operating the setting adjustment button 204, in conjunction with the execution of the operation when the game cannot proceed. Specifically, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decorative member) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) emit white monochromatic light, and the LEDs blink or light up at a predetermined light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity), and the speaker outputs a voice message "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted" at a predetermined volume (e.g., maximum volume). This allows for clear notification to the hall manager that the machine has entered a "stopped" state. It is preferable that the notification regarding the stopped state, with its emphasis, be different from the notification used for other errors such as malfunctions.

Then, after the notification in the emphasized mode as notification mode A has started, at timing t5, when a predetermined period (for example, 15 seconds) has elapsed, the performance display device 1600 maintains the display of "cannot proceed" using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, but the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5) switch to notification mode B, a suppressed mode with reduced light intensity. Specifically, the LEDs for lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5) continue to emit white monochromatic light, but do not flash or light up at a specific light intensity (for example, maximum light intensity) (they flash or light up at a light intensity lower than a specific light intensity). In addition, the speaker does not output the voice message "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted," resulting in a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard. This allows the notification in the emphasized mode to end even when the game is in a stopped state, preventing it from interfering with the game for other players nearby.

Furthermore, the suppression method in this example only needs to suppress the light intensity compared to the emphasis method. For example, for lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), the pattern of emitted light colors may be changed from the emphasis method so that the LEDs flash or light up with multiple colors. This allows the decorative effect to be maintained even for game machines that have stopped being played and can contribute to the overall liveliness of the gaming hall.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-down state, lamp C is configured to emit LED light at a specific brightness level, regardless of whether lamps A and B are in the enhanced mode (notification mode A) or the suppressed mode (notification mode B), as a mode for confirming the reference brightness. This makes it easier to determine whether lamps A and B are in the enhanced mode (notification mode A) or the suppressed mode (notification mode B) compared to lamp C, which is at a specific brightness level.

Next, at timing t6, when a predetermined time (e.g., 5 minutes) has elapsed since lamps A and B transitioned to the suppression mode as notification mode B, an energy-saving mode that enhances power saving of sound and lamps is activated concurrently during the stop-play state. The performance display device 1600 displays an energy-saving indicator as an image corresponding to the energy-saving mode. The energy-saving indicator displays the message "Energy-saving mode in progress." After activating the energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, the special symbol variation display cannot be started because the machine is in a stop-play state. Even if a starting prize is won, the energy-saving mode cannot be terminated. Furthermore, the player cannot terminate the energy-saving mode by operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). However, by continuing to display the "cannot proceed" indicator even after transitioning to energy-saving mode, it is possible to prevent new players from starting the game without realizing that the machine is in a stop-play state, even if energy-saving mode is active.

In this example, the energy-saving indicator is displayed on a higher layer of the display device 1600, similar to the "cannot proceed" indicator. However, the specific area 2 where the energy-saving indicator is displayed is located outside of the specific display area 1 where the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, and is positioned differently from the specific display area 1. This ensures the visibility of the energy-saving indicator even while the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed on the higher layer of the display device 1600, and reliably informs the user that energy-saving mode is in operation.

In this example, the energy-saving display is shown on the upper layer of the display device 1600, similar to the "cannot proceed" display. However, it may also be displayed on the middle layer within the "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer" hierarchy. In such a case, since the "cannot proceed" display in this example is shown on the upper layer of the display device 1600 on a screen consisting of an opaque, darkened display (e.g., a black background image), the energy-saving display shown on the middle layer becomes invisible due to the darkened display on the upper layer.

Furthermore, while the energy-saving display in this example is displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, just like the game-stopping display, the energy-saving display is displayed on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, whereas the game-stopping display may be displayed on the middle layer within the relationship "upper layer > middle layer > lower layer". This ensures the visibility of the energy-saving display even while the game-stopping display is displayed on the middle layer of the performance display device 1600, and reliably informs the player that energy-saving mode is in operation. It is preferable that the specific display area 1 where the game-stopping display is shown on the middle layer of the performance display device 1600 is located outside of the specific display area 2 where the energy-saving display is shown on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, and does not overlap with the specific display area 2 in the front-to-back direction. This ensures the visibility of the game-stopping display even while the energy-saving display is shown on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, and reliably informs the player that gameplay is restricted. Furthermore, regarding the specific display area 1 on the intermediate layer of the display device 1600 where the "cannot proceed" indicator is displayed, a portion of this specific display area 1 may be positioned so as to overlap with the specific display area 2 in the front-to-back direction. For example, even if the specific display area 1 and the specific display area 2 overlap, the "cannot proceed" indicator may be displayed shifted vertically or horizontally from the energy-saving display to a degree that allows the content of the "cannot proceed" indicator to be confirmed.

Furthermore, in this example, the standby display 2, which was running during the demonstration period, is terminated when the system switches to energy-saving mode. Since standby display 2 is displayed on a lower layer of the display device 1600, even if it were to continue displaying after switching to energy-saving mode, the energy-saving display shown on the higher layer would not become obscured. However, by terminating it when the system switches to energy-saving mode, the control burden on the peripheral control board 1510 can be reduced.

Furthermore, in this example, the "cannot proceed" display is shown on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600, displaying a message on a screen consisting of an opaque blacked-out display (for example, a black background image). This blacked-out display covers almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600. As a result, screens displayed on lower layers than the upper layer are invisible due to the blacked-out display on the upper layer. Specifically, even after transitioning to the stop-play state at timing t4, the demonstration image as standby display 2 continues to be displayed on the lower layer of the performance display device 1600. However, because the "cannot proceed" display is shown on the upper layer of the performance display device 1600 using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, the demonstration image is invisible. As a result, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the player does not realize that it is a demonstration period while the "cannot proceed" display is shown, and can reliably understand that the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value and that the game is being restricted. Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed in the normal standby state where the special symbols are not being displayed, the lower layer of the display device 1600 may be forcibly terminated to prevent the demonstration image from being continuously displayed.

Furthermore, in energy-saving mode, the speaker outputs no sound, effectively muting it. In other words, the speaker is silent (inaudible). Additionally, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) are turned off. This prevents excessive power consumption by preventing the game machine from being in a stopped state where it cannot be played. Lamp C, however, remains lit in the same way as in normal standby mode, allowing the user to understand that lamp C is not turned off like lamps A and B, and that the game machine is operating normally.

Thus, when the system switches to energy-saving mode while in a stopped-play state, the speaker outputs no sound, and the LEDs on lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off, saving power. On the other hand, when the system switches to energy-saving mode while in a normal standby state, an energy-saving indicator is displayed on the display device 1600. However, when the system switches to energy-saving mode while in a stopped-play state, not only is the energy-saving indicator displayed on the display device 1600, but a "cannot proceed" indicator is also displayed in a different area (a specific display area 1) from the energy-saving indicator. This allows the system to determine whether gameplay is possible in a normal standby state or restricted in a stopped-play state while in energy-saving mode, preventing new players from starting a game without realizing they are in a stopped-play state.

Furthermore, in this example, during the stop-play state, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) transition from notification mode A (emphasis mode) to notification mode B (suppression mode), and after activating the energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, the LEDs turn off. Also, during the stop-play state, the speaker switches from notification mode A (emphasis mode) to silence, and after activating the energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, the silence continues. In this way, by gradually reducing the power consumption of various display components during the stop-play state, it is possible to prevent misunderstandings that the stop-play state has ended when power saving is activated, while also avoiding excessive power consumption by the game machine that is in a stop-play state and cannot be played.

Furthermore, in this example, after activating the energy-saving mode while the machine is in a stopped-play state, the special symbol display cannot begin because the machine is still in a stopped-play state. Even if a winning combination occurs, the energy-saving mode cannot be terminated. The player cannot terminate the energy-saving mode by operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). In other words, after activating the energy-saving mode (power-saving state) while the machine is in a stopped-play state and reducing power consumption, it is impossible to return to the non-power-saving state that existed before the energy-saving mode was activated. This prevents the player from mistakenly believing that the stopped-play state has ended by returning to the non-power-saving state, thus preventing confusion for the player regarding whether the machine is in a stopped-play state.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.) before the energy-saving mode is started during the stopped-play state (during the period from timing t4 to t6), it is not possible to restrict the execution of the energy-saving mode. Specifically, the conditions for starting the energy-saving mode are met during the stopped-play state when a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed since lamps A and B transition to the suppression mode as notification mode B, and the system transitions to the energy-saving mode during the stopped-play state. However, even if the player operates the control unit before the energy-saving mode is started during the stopped-play state, it does not affect the meeting of the conditions for starting the energy-saving mode during the stopped-play state, and the system transitions to the energy-saving mode during the stopped-play state. As described in detail above, in the normal standby state, it is possible to restrict the execution of the energy-saving mode if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.) before the energy-saving mode is started (during the period from timing t1 to t2). In this way, by ensuring that the energy-saving mode is always activated during the "stopped play" state, it is possible to avoid excessive power consumption by gaming machines that are unable to be played due to the stopped play state.

Furthermore, in the example described above, after activating the energy-saving mode while the game is in a stopped-play state, the special symbol display cannot be started because the game is in a stopped-play state, and even if a starting win occurs, the energy-saving mode cannot be terminated. The player cannot terminate the energy-saving mode by operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). In other words, after activating the energy-saving mode (power-saving state) while the game is in a stopped-play state and power is reduced, it is impossible to return to the non-power-saving state before the energy-saving mode was activated. However, instead, the return to the non-power-saving state before the energy-saving mode was activated may be suppressed as follows: That is, after activating the energy-saving mode while the game is in a stopped-play state, the special symbol display cannot be started because the game is in a stopped-play state, and even if a starting win occurs, the energy-saving mode cannot be terminated. However, the energy-saving mode may be terminated only when the player operates the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). Here, if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, effect control unit 250, etc.) and the energy-saving mode that was running concurrently during the stop-play state is terminated, the notification method A for the stop-play state may be executed again. This ensures that new players are reliably aware that the game is in a stop-play state. Furthermore, since the "cannot proceed" indicator continues to be displayed even after the energy-saving mode that was running concurrently during the stop-play state is terminated, it is possible to prevent new players from starting the game without realizing that the game is in a stop-play state, even after the energy-saving mode has ended.

In the example described above, the system switches to energy-saving mode while the device is in a shutdown state, thereby enhancing standby power savings. However, as an alternative, even with the energy-saving mode switch ON, the system may not switch to energy-saving mode during the shutdown state. Instead, power savings for the audio and lamps may be enhanced through other control methods, thereby reducing standby power consumption. Such alternative examples are described below.

Figure 249 is a table comparing the notification patterns related to light emission and sound when transitioning to notification pattern C during the shutdown state. In another example, although the energy-saving mode does not occur concurrently during the shutdown state, the notification pattern changes to a pattern similar to the energy-saving mode during the shutdown state. Note that the explanation for the normal standby state and energy-saving mode is omitted as they are the same as when transitioning to energy-saving mode during the shutdown state.

In the case of the "stopped play" state in another example, an "impossible to proceed" indicator is displayed as an image corresponding to the stopped play state. This "impossible to proceed" indicator is displayed on a higher layer of the display device 1600. Furthermore, when the game transitions to the stopped play state, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament), lamps B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), and the speaker perform notification in an enhanced mode consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume) as notification mode A. However, after a predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds), the notification switches to notification mode B, a suppressed mode with reduced light intensity and volume. Specifically, after the predetermined period (e.g., 15 seconds), the speaker mutes the sound output.

Furthermore, for lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), after a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed since switching to notification mode B, the system switches to notification mode C, which further reduces the light intensity compared to notification mode B, and the LEDs turn off. At this time, the speaker outputs no sound, and the system remains silent. Regarding lamp C, it is possible to enable LED illumination in the standard brightness confirmation mode, as in the normal standby state. However, considering that the setting adjustment button 204 will not be operated due to the nature of the stopped state, lamp C may remain off regardless of whether specific illumination start conditions are met.

Figure 250 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when it transitions to notification mode C while in the stop-play state. The following explanation assumes that the energy-saving mode setting switch is ON. Note that the behavior at timing t4, from when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game restriction is implemented, is the same as when transitioning to energy-saving mode while in the stop-play state, and therefore the explanation is omitted.

First, at timing t4, after transitioning to the stop-play state, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed in the normal standby state where the special symbols are not displayed, the lower layer of the performance display device 1600 is restricted from displaying the demonstration image. Since the demonstration image (standby display 1) is displayed on the lower layer of the performance display device 1600, even if it were made displayable after transitioning to the stop-play state, the "cannot proceed" display on the upper layer would not become invisible. However, restricting it at the point of transitioning to the stop-play state reduces the control burden on the peripheral control board 1510.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the performance display device 1600 displays a "cannot proceed" indication using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600 as an image corresponding to the stop-play state. At this time, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decorative member), lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5), and speaker are forcibly executed as notification mode A, consisting of a predetermined specific light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity) and a predetermined specific volume (e.g., maximum volume), regardless of the setting status by operating the setting adjustment button 204, in conjunction with the execution of the operation when the game cannot proceed. Specifically, lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decorative member) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) emit white monochromatic light, and the LEDs blink or light up at a predetermined light intensity (e.g., maximum light intensity), and the speaker outputs a voice message "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted" at a predetermined volume (e.g., maximum volume). This allows for clear notification to the hall manager that the machine has entered a "stopped" state. It is preferable that the notification regarding the stopped state, with its emphasis, be different from the notification used for other errors such as malfunctions.

Then, after the notification in the emphasized mode as notification mode A has started, at timing t5, when a predetermined period (for example, 15 seconds) has elapsed, the performance display device 1600 maintains the display of "cannot proceed" using almost the entire surface of the performance display device 1600, but the lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5) switch to notification mode B, a suppressed mode with reduced light intensity. Specifically, the LEDs for lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame decoration member) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5) continue to emit white monochromatic light, but do not flash or light up at a specific light intensity (for example, maximum light intensity) (they flash or light up at a light intensity lower than a specific light intensity). In addition, the speaker does not output the voice message "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted," resulting in a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard. This allows the notification in the emphasized mode to be terminated even when the game is in a stopped state, preventing it from interfering with the game for surrounding players.

Furthermore, the suppression method in this example only needs to suppress the light intensity compared to the emphasis method. For example, for lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5), the pattern of emitted light colors may be changed from the emphasis method so that the LEDs flash or light up with multiple colors. This allows the decorative effect to be maintained even for game machines that have stopped being played and can contribute to the overall liveliness of the gaming hall.

Furthermore, after transitioning to the stop-down state, lamp C is configured to emit LED light at a specific brightness level, regardless of whether lamps A and B are in the enhanced mode (notification mode A) or the suppressed mode (notification mode B), as a mode for confirming the reference brightness. This makes it easier to determine whether lamps A and B are in the enhanced mode (notification mode A) or the suppressed mode (notification mode B) compared to lamp C, which is at a specific brightness level.

Next, at timing t6, when a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed since lamps A and B transitioned to the suppression mode as notification mode B, the performance display device 1600 maintains the display of "cannot proceed" using almost its entire surface, but lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the frame ornament member) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the game board 5) are set to notification mode C, further suppressing the light intensity compared to notification mode B, causing the LEDs to turn off. This prevents the game machine, which is in a stopped state and cannot be played, from consuming excessive power. In addition, the speaker does not output the voice message "You have reached the daily payout limit, so gameplay is restricted," maintaining a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard. Lamp C, however, is set to emit light at a specific brightness as a reference brightness confirmation mode, just like in the normal standby state. This allows the player to understand that lamp C is not turned off like lamps A and B, and that the game machine is operating normally.

Thus, when the system transitions to notification mode C while in a stopped state, the speaker is muted by not outputting sound, and lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame ornament) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off to conserve power, just as when the system transitions to energy-saving mode during normal standby. On the other hand, when the system transitions to energy-saving mode during normal standby, an energy-saving indicator is displayed on the performance display device 1600. However, when the system transitions to notification mode C while in a stopped state, an "impossible to proceed" indicator is displayed on the performance display device 1600. This allows the system to determine whether gameplay is possible in normal standby mode or restricted in a stopped state during the period when sound output is stopped and lamps are turned off, thus preventing new players from starting a game without realizing that the system is stopped.

Furthermore, in this example, during the stop-play state, lamps A (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the frame ornament) and B (LEDs mounted on various decorative circuit boards of the game board 5) transition from notification mode A (emphasis mode) to notification mode B (suppression mode), and then to notification mode C (off). Also, during the stop-play state, the speaker switches from notification mode A (emphasis mode) to silence. In this way, by gradually reducing the power consumption of various display components during the stop-play state, it is possible to prevent misunderstandings that the stop-play state has ended when power saving is activated, while also avoiding excessive power consumption by the game machine that is unable to be played during the stop-play state.

Furthermore, in this example, after transitioning to notification mode C while in the stop-loss state, the special symbol variation display cannot be started because the machine is still in the stop-loss state. Even if a starting win occurs, notification mode C cannot be terminated. The player cannot terminate notification mode C by operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). In other words, after transitioning to notification mode C (power-saving state) and power saving is activated while in the stop-loss state, it is impossible to return to the non-power-saving state (notification mode A or notification mode B) that existed before transitioning to notification mode C. This prevents the player from mistakenly believing that the stop-loss state has ended by returning to the non-power-saving state, thus preventing confusion for the player regarding whether or not they are in the stop-loss state.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.) before the transition to notification mode C occurs during the stop-out state (during the period from timing t4 to t6), it is not possible to restrict the transition to notification mode C. Specifically, the conditions for starting notification mode C are met during the stop-out state when a predetermined time (for example, 5 minutes) has elapsed since lamps A and B transition to the suppression mode as notification mode B, and the system transitions to notification mode C during the stop-out state. However, even if the player operates the control unit before the transition to notification mode C occurs during the stop-out state, this does not affect the meeting of the conditions for starting notification mode C during the stop-out state, and the system transitions to notification mode C during the stop-out state. As detailed above, in the normal standby state, it is possible to restrict the execution of the energy-saving mode if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.) before the energy-saving mode is started (during the period from timing t1 to t2). In this way, by ensuring that the transition to notification mode C is always performed without restriction during the stop-loss state, it is possible to avoid excessive power consumption by gaming machines that are in a stop-loss state and cannot be played.

Furthermore, in the example described above, after transitioning to notification mode C while in the stop-loss state, the display of special symbols cannot be started because the machine is in the stop-loss state, and even if a starting prize is won, notification mode C cannot be terminated. The player cannot terminate notification mode C by operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). In other words, after power saving is activated by simultaneously activating notification mode C (power-saving state) while in the stop-loss state, it is not possible to return to the non-power-saving state (notification mode A or notification mode B) that existed before transitioning to notification mode C. However, instead, it is also possible to suppress the return to the non-power-saving state that existed before transitioning to notification mode C, as follows: That is, after transitioning to notification mode C while in the stop-loss state, the display of special symbols cannot be started because the machine is in the stop-loss state, and even if a starting prize is won, notification mode C cannot be terminated. However, it is also possible to terminate only notification mode C in response to the player operating the control unit (handle 160, performance control unit 250, etc.). Here, if the player operates the control unit (handle 160, effect control unit 250, etc.) and terminates notification mode C during the stop-play state, notification mode A during the stop-play state may be executed again. This ensures that new players are reliably aware that the game is in a stop-play state. Furthermore, since the "cannot proceed" indicator continues to be displayed even after notification mode C is terminated during the stop-play state, it is possible to prevent new players from starting the game without realizing that the game is in a stop-play state, even after notification mode C has terminated.

(Regarding the forced transition to a halt state)
As mentioned above, when the amount of balls dispensed, calculated based on the prize balls that enter each prize slot, reaches a certain value, the game enters a stop-play state and play is restricted. However, for gaming machines that are just about to reach a certain value in terms of the amount of balls dispensed (for example, when the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed is less than the amount of balls dispensed in one winning game (e.g., 1500 balls)), there is a possibility that the game will quickly enter a stop-play state when a new player starts playing. For this reason, it is conceivable that the administrator could intentionally switch gaming machines that are just about to reach a certain value into a stop-play state to prevent new players from entering a stop-play state too soon after starting to play. However, for the administrator to intentionally transition to a stop-play state, it is necessary to have a game ball enter a prize slot and cause the amount of balls dispensed to reach a specific value. However, if a ball enters each prize slot, it will trigger special symbol changes and winning games, resulting in various effects (such as changes in the symbols and effects associated with ball entry during winning games), which may attract attention and cause distrust among other players. Furthermore, such work would place a heavy burden on the administrator. Therefore, in this example, a configuration that makes it possible to easily induce a stop-play state when the amount of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, while suppressing the possibility of causing distrust among other players and reducing the burden on the administrator, will be described below.

In this example, as described above, two types of administrator tasks are provided to easily induce a stop-play state: a first administrator task involving operating the prize ball addition switch on the game board 5, and a second administrator task involving inserting game balls into the prize ball addition slot on the game board 5. Both tasks can be performed at any time as long as the game machine is powered on. The following describes each task.

First, let's explain the first administrator task. In this example, a pressable prize ball addition switch (not shown) is mounted on the main control board 1310 of the game board 5, and it can be operated by opening the main frame 4. When this prize ball addition switch is pressed and held for a predetermined time (3 seconds in this example) while the main frame 4 is open, the main control board 1310 controls the system to forcibly add a predetermined number of prize balls without going through the control of the payout control board 633 (or the payout control board), and this is reflected in the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed. The number of prize balls is set to 100. In other words, when a game ball is received in the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004, the number of prize balls is 1, and when a game ball is received in the big prize port 2005 during a winning game, the number of prize balls is 10 or 13. However, when the prize ball addition switch is operated, the number of prize balls is 100, which is more than the number of prize balls set for the first start port 2002, the second start port 2004, and the big prize port 2005. As a result, when the number of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, the administrator can increase the number of balls dispensed all at once by operating the prize ball addition switch once, and by operating it the necessary number of times corresponding to the difference until the number of balls dispensed reaches the specific value, the number of balls dispensed can be quickly increased and the game can be stopped. Furthermore, the prize ball addition switch is not limited to being implemented on the main control board 1310 of the game board 5; it may also be implemented on the payout control board 633 (or the payout control board). In that case, operation information and information regarding the awarding of a predetermined number of prize balls should be transmitted from the payout control board 633 (or the payout control board) to the main control board 1310, and this information should be reflected in the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed.

Next, the second administrator task will be explained. The game board 5 described above is equipped with various prize slots (first start slot 2002, second start slot 2004, large prize slot 2005, etc.) that can award prize balls when game balls are played into the game area 5a. In this example, in addition to these prize slots, a prize ball addition slot (not shown) is provided to facilitate the occurrence of a ball-playing stop condition. This prize ball addition slot is provided in the game area 5a, similar to the other prize slots, and is not variable like the large prize slot 2005, etc., but is always open, and is configured to allow balls to enter from the upper entrance (a so-called pocket type). However, the prize ball addition slot is configured such that its entrance is closed by a predetermined member (for example, an obstacle nail or resin wall is placed to prevent ball entry), so that game balls played into the game area 5a during normal gameplay involving the player's launch operation cannot be accepted into the prize ball addition slot or are difficult to accept. In other words, the prize ball refill slot has a lower probability of balls entering compared to other prize entry slots. During normal gameplay involving player launching, the probability of a game ball entering the prize ball refill slot is extremely low, thus preventing game balls from entering the slot during normal gameplay. Furthermore, as mentioned above, although the entrance to the prize ball refill slot is closed by a predetermined component (such as an obstructing nail or resin wall), this component is positioned above the entrance to the prize ball refill slot, leaving a space for 1.5 game balls to be positioned. This configuration obstructs ball entry in the downward direction but does not obstruct ball entry from the front of the prize ball refill slot. As a result, it is possible for a manager to manually refill the prize ball refill slot with the door frame 3 open.

As a second administrator task, when the administrator inserts one game ball into the prize ball addition slot with the door frame 3 open, a predetermined number of prize balls (100) are awarded, similar to the first administrator task. When a ball is inserted into the prize ball addition slot, information regarding the awarding of a predetermined number of prize balls is transmitted from the payout control board 633 (or the payout control board) to the main control board 1310, just as with normal prize ball processing, and this is reflected in the calculation of the amount of balls dispensed. Furthermore, as described above in the first administrator operation, when a game ball is received in the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004, the prize is 1 ball. When a game ball is received in the large prize port 2005 during a winning game, the prize is 10 or 13 balls. However, when a game ball is received in the additional prize port, the prize is 100 balls, which is more than the prizes for the first start port 2002, the second start port 2004, and the large prize port 2005. This allows the administrator to increase the amount of balls received all at once by inserting one game ball into the additional prize port when the amount of balls is about to reach a specific value. By inserting the necessary number of balls corresponding to the difference until the amount of balls reaches the specific value, the amount of balls can be reached and the game can quickly transition to the stop-play state.

In this example, the special prize balls awarded in response to the first administrator operation (operation of the prize ball addition switch) and the second administrator operation (input of balls into the prize ball addition slot) are controlled as much as possible within the normal prize ball processing to avoid complex control such as program changes. In other words, in this example, since these special prize balls are controlled within the normal prize ball processing, they are directly reflected in the calculations related to the base value using the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 mentioned above. For this reason, the number of special prize balls awarded in response to the first administrator operation (operation of the prize ball addition switch) and the second administrator operation (input of balls into the prize ball addition slot) (a predetermined number) is not limited to the aforementioned 100 balls, but may be 1,000 balls or 10,000 balls, etc. However, considering the effect of the base value becoming an abnormal value due to awarding more prize balls than the number required for the amount of balls dispensed to reach a specific value, in this example it is set to "100 balls" as mentioned above, in order to suppress the effect of the base value becoming an abnormal value as much as possible. Furthermore, to mitigate the impact of the base value becoming an abnormal value, the number of special prize balls may be reduced to less than 100. However, considering the work efficiency (number of operations) involved in awarding the special prize balls, it is preferable to keep the number of special prize balls at least greater than the number of prize balls awarded when game balls are received into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004.

Furthermore, the transition to the stop-play state using the first administrator operation (operation of the prize ball addition switch) and the second administrator operation (inserting balls into the prize ball addition slot) is controlled not only during special symbol fluctuations or winning games, but also during non-game standby states (normal standby state or energy-saving mode) when special symbol fluctuations are not being displayed. This allows the administrator to increase the payout amount to reach a specific value by operating the prize ball addition switch or inserting game balls into the prize ball addition slot during normal standby state or energy-saving mode when the payout amount is about to reach a specific value. In such cases, it becomes possible to directly transition to the stop-play state from normal standby state or energy-saving mode without generating special symbol fluctuations or winning games, thereby restricting gameplay. Thus, by performing a first administrator operation (operating the prize ball addition switch) or a second administrator operation (inserting balls into the prize ball addition slot) during normal standby or energy-saving mode, it is possible to increase the payout amount with special prize balls and transition to the stop-play state. This eliminates the need for special symbol changes or winning games when transitioning to the stop-play state, reducing the burden on the administrator. Furthermore, for gaming machines that are close to reaching a specific payout value, transitioning to the stop-play state through such administrator operations can prevent situations where a new player starts playing and the machine immediately enters the stop-play state.

Furthermore, when a ball enters the prize ball addition slot, the system does not notify the player of the win. For example, when a ball enters the first start slot 2002, the second start slot 2004, or the large prize slot 2005, a sound is emitted from the speaker to notify the player of the win. However, when a ball enters the prize ball addition slot, no sound is emitted from the speaker, and the player does not notify the player of the win. In addition, when a ball enters the prize ball addition slot, no special effects are performed other than the awarding of prize balls. For example, when a ball enters the first start slot 2002 or the second start slot 2004, a variation effect related to the variation display of decorative symbols is performed using the effect display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., and when a ball enters the large prize slot 2005, a win effect is performed using the effect display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc. However, when a ball enters the prize ball addition slot, no variation effect or win effect is performed, and no special effects are performed. This allows the administrator to perform tasks related to triggering a payout limit without attracting attention, even if they insert additional balls into the prize ball refill slot when the payout amount is about to reach a specific value.

Furthermore, in this example, when the aforementioned standby animation 2 (demonstration period) or energy-saving mode is running, if a ball enters the first start port 2002, the second start port 2004, or the large prize port 2005, standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode will terminate, and the variable animation or winning animation will begin. However, if a ball enters the prize ball addition port while standby animation 2 (demonstration period) or energy-saving mode is running, standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode will not terminate, and the controls will continue without issuing any notification regarding the ball entry into the prize ball addition port, as described above. This means that even if the administrator enters a game ball into the prize ball addition port while standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode is running, if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value, standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode will not terminate, and the operation of standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode will continue. In this respect, the administrator can perform tasks related to the occurrence of a stop-play state without attracting attention.

As mentioned above, both operations can be performed at any time as long as the gaming machine is powered on. However, in case of unauthorized execution of the first or second administrator operation, it may be possible to generate a predetermined state (operation disabled state) that disables both the first and second administrator operations. The operation disabled state can be generated when the power is turned on in a predetermined manner as part of the power-on operation. In this example, the main control board 1310 of the gaming board 5 has an operation disabled switch that can be pressed separately from the prize ball addition switch. The operation disabled state can be generated when the power is turned on with the operation disabled switch pressed as part of the predetermined power-on manner. After the operation disabled state is generated, unless a predetermined release operation (in this example, pressing the operation disabled switch again) or a power-on restart is performed while the power is on, it is possible to disable the first or second administrator operation without enabling it. By creating this invalidation state, it is possible to prevent the addition of prize balls even if the first or second administrator action is performed fraudulently, thereby deterring fraudulent activities that illegally increase the number of prize balls.

Furthermore, if fraudulent entry into the prize ball addition slot is suspected, an error notification is issued. Specifically, in this example, as mentioned above, no special effects are displayed when a ball enters the prize ball addition slot. However, under certain circumstances that clearly suggest fraud (for example, when the number of remaining balls until the total payout reaches a certain value is 1500 or more), if a large number of game balls (15 in this example within one minute) are detected entering the prize ball addition slot in a short period of time, the system considers the addition of prize balls equivalent to the payout amount of a single winning game as abnormal, and issues an error notification using the display device 1600, lamps, speakers, etc., to indicate the fraudulent increase in prize balls. As mentioned above, the prize ball addition slot is designed to be unable or difficult to accept game balls that have been played into the game area 5a, so under normal gameplay, a large number of game balls should not enter the prize ball addition slot in a short period of time. In this regard, when the number of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, simply inserting 5 to 10 game balls into the prize ball addition slot by the administrator will not trigger an error notification indicating an unauthorized increase in prize balls. However, in normal gameplay, if a large number of game balls are inserted into the prize ball addition slot in a short period of time, an error notification indicating an unauthorized increase in prize balls can be issued, thereby preventing acts of gaining profit through fraudulent entries. Furthermore, if fraudulent operation of the prize ball addition switch is suspected, an error notification indicating an unauthorized increase in prize balls may also be issued in the same manner as described above.

Furthermore, in this example, the transition to the stop-play state is controlled not only when the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are closed, but also when they are open. For example, in normal gameplay, while the main frame 4 is closed, game balls can be entered into the first start opening 2002, the second start opening 2004, and the big prize opening 2005, causing the amount of balls dispensed to reach a specific value. In contrast, in the first administrator operation in this example, if the amount of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, the main frame 4 can be opened, and the administrator can operate the prize ball addition switch, causing the amount of balls dispensed to reach a specific value through the addition of prize balls resulting from this operation. Furthermore, in normal gameplay, while the door frame 3 is closed, game balls can be entered into the first start opening 2002, the second start opening 2004, and the large prize opening 2005, causing the amount of balls dispensed to reach a specific value. However, in the second administrator operation of this example, if the amount of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, the door frame 3 can be opened, and the administrator can enter game balls into the prize ball addition opening, causing the amount of balls dispensed to reach the specific value through the addition of prize balls resulting from this entry. In such cases, it becomes possible to transition to a stop-play state and restrict gameplay without closing the main frame 4 or the door frame 3. By transitioning to a stop-play state even while the main frame 4 or the door frame 3 is open, it becomes easier for administrators performing the first or second administrator operation to be aware of the transition to the stop-play state, thereby reducing the burden on the administrator's work.

Here, during normal gameplay, when the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is in an open state (specific state), a notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 (specific notification in the normal notification manner) is made using sound, light, and video, and communicated to the outside. However, considering that the administrator can perform work related to the occurrence of a stop-play state (first administrator work and second administrator work) without attracting attention from those around them, as mentioned above, in this example, if the first administrator work or second administrator work is performed at least while the aforementioned standby performance 2 (demonstration period) or energy-saving mode is running, a special process is implemented to make the notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 more suppressed than during normal gameplay. Specifically, even if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is in an open state while standby performance 2 (demonstration period) or energy-saving mode is running, standby performance 2 and energy-saving mode are not terminated, and all controls continue without making any notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 (all using sound, light, and video; specific notification in the normal notification manner) that are performed during normal gameplay. As a result, even if the administrator performs the first or second administrator task while the standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode is running, if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value, the standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode will continue to operate without terminating, allowing the administrator to perform tasks related to the occurrence of a payout limit without attracting attention. Furthermore, even if the administrator performs the first or second administrator task while the standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode is running, no notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 will be issued, allowing the administrator to perform tasks related to the occurrence of a payout limit without attracting attention.

Furthermore, if the game transitions to a stop-play state during normal gameplay, even if the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are in an open state (specific state) after the transition to the stop-play state, a special process is implemented to suppress notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 compared to normal gameplay. Specifically, if the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are in an open state and the game transitions to a stop-play state during normal gameplay, the normal gameplay-related fluctuation effects will end and notification regarding the stop-play state will be given. However, after the transition to the stop-play state, no notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 (all using sound, light, and video; specific notifications in the normal notification mode) will be given at all. As a result, even if the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are in an open state during normal gameplay and the administrator performs the first or second administrator tasks, no notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 will be given after the transition to the stop-play state, allowing the administrator to perform tasks related to the occurrence of the stop-play state without attracting attention.

Similarly, when transitioning from standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode to the stop-play state, even if the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are in an open state (specific state) after the transition to the stop-play state, a special process is continued during the stop-play state to suppress notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 more than during normal gameplay. Specifically, when standby animation 2 (demonstration period) or energy-saving mode is being executed and the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are in an open state, and the machine transitions to the stop-play state, standby animation 2 or energy-saving mode ends and a notification regarding the stop-play state is given. However, during the period before and after the transition to the stop-play state, no notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 (all those using sound, light, and video; specific notifications in the normal notification mode) are given. As a result, even if the administrator performs the first or second administrator task during the transition from standby mode 2 or energy-saving mode to the stop-start state, no notification regarding the opening of the main unit frame 4 or door frame 3 will be issued. This allows the administrator to perform tasks related to the occurrence of the stop-start state without attracting attention.

Furthermore, when the game transitions to a stop-out state while the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is closed, notifications regarding the stop-out state (post-suppression notification) are issued using sound, light, and video. However, if the game transitions to a stop-out state while the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open, or if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is opened while the game is in a stop-out state, no notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 (all using sound, light, and video; specific notifications in the normal notification mode) are issued. However, notifications regarding the stop-out state (post-suppression notification) are still issued, just as when the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is closed. In this way, when the game is in a stop-out state but the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open, only notifications regarding the stop-out state are issued. This makes it easier for administrators performing the first or second administrator tasks while the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open to be aware of the transition to a stop-out state, thereby reducing the burden on administrators.

Furthermore, while the above example illustrates a system where no notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 are made during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, or the stop-play state, it is also possible to make notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 in a manner that is inconspicuous to the surroundings. For example, in another example, when an administrator performs the first or second administrator task, they may perform actions related to the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 (notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3) even while the standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, or stop-play state is in progress. In addition, during normal gameplay, after transitioning to the stop-play state, actions related to the stop-play state are performed using sound, light, and video. However, if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open while the machine is in the stop-play state, some of the above-mentioned animation elements may be used in parallel with the actions related to the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3. For example, if the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is open while the machine is in a stopped state, the performance display device 1600 (video), which is one of the performance elements that is less conspicuous from the outside, may display an image corresponding to the stopped state (indication of impossibility of progress) while simultaneously displaying an image corresponding to the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 (opening notification display) in a different area from the area where the impossibility of progress display is shown. Then, when the open main frame 4 or door frame 3 is closed, the opening notification display on the performance display device 1600 should be terminated, and only the actions related to the stopped state (indication of impossibility of progress) should be performed. In this case, the performance display device 1600 can execute image control corresponding to the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 in parallel with the operation schedule related to the stopped state, and when the door frame 3 is closed, only the actions related to the stopped state will be executed. This allows the administrator to perform tasks related to the occurrence of the stopped state without attracting attention, even if a notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 is issued.

Furthermore, while the above example illustrates a system where no notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 or door frame 3 are made during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, or the stop-play state, from the perspective of preventing fraud such as using magnets or vibrations to get game balls into various prize slots, and from the perspective of preventing malfunctions such as causing damage to certain components by hitting the game machine, notifications regarding the detection of fraudulent magnetism or vibrations are made conspicuously during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, and the stop-play state, just like during normal gameplay. In this example, the notification priority is set to "Notification regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 > Notification regarding a specific state." Therefore, if the notification priority is followed, the system is configured so that if notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are not issued, the notification regarding the specific state described above will also not be issued. However, during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, and the stop-play state, the system is controlled in a way that disregards the notification priority. This means that while notifications regarding the opening of the main frame 4 and door frame 3 are not issued, the notification regarding the specific state described above is issued, just as during normal gameplay. By doing so, even during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, and the stop-play state, fraud and malfunctions can be notified externally, thereby deterring acts that cause fraud or malfunctions.

Furthermore, while the above example illustrates a system that completely suppresses notifications regarding the opening of the main unit frame 4 and door frame 3 during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, and the stop-play state, notifications that may arise in connection with the first or second administrator tasks, not limited to notifications regarding opening, may also be suppressed during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, and the stop-play state, similar to notifications regarding opening, in order to avoid attracting attention. For example, in the case of error notifications related to the payout of game balls during normal gameplay (such as a full tray error), error notifications related to the payout of game balls (such as a full tray error) arising from the addition of prize balls due to the first or second administrator tasks may be suppressed or not executed during standby animation 2 (demonstration period), energy-saving mode, and the stop-play state, similar to notifications regarding opening.

Figure 251 is a time chart showing the behavior of a pachinko machine when the first or second administrator operation is performed during energy-saving mode, leading to a transition to the stop-play state. The following explanation assumes that the energy-saving mode setting switch is ON. Note that, except for the fact that at timings t2 to t3, the machine transitions to the stop-play state due to the operation of the prize ball addition switch or entry into the prize ball addition slot during energy-saving mode, the behavior is the same as when a ball enters each slot during the special symbol variation display shown in Figure 248, leading to a transition to the stop-play state; therefore, the explanation is omitted.

First, even if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot at timing t3 during energy-saving mode, if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value, the energy-saving mode operation continues without any special effects. In this way, by ensuring that no special effects other than the awarding of prize balls occur when the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot, the amount of balls dispensed can be increased without attracting attention.

Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the same applies even if the energy-saving mode is not activated at timing t3 and the system is in a normal standby state. In other words, even if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot while in a normal standby state, if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value, the system continues its normal standby operations without any special effects. In this way, by ensuring that no special effects other than the awarding of prize balls occur when the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot, the amount of balls dispensed can be increased without attracting attention.

As detailed above, during energy-saving mode, the display device 1600 displays an energy-saving indicator in a specific area 2 of the upper layer, and displays a pre-notification indicator in a specific area 1 of the upper layer when the remaining amount of balls to be dispensed has reached a predetermined value (for example, 5000 balls). Furthermore, during energy-saving mode, the speaker outputs no sound; in other words, it is in a silent state (inaudible state) where no sound can be heard from the speaker. Also, the LEDs of lamp A (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the frame decoration member) and lamp B (LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the game board 5) are turned off. However, lamp C is allowed to emit light in the same way as in the normal standby state, in a manner for checking the standard brightness. This allows the user to understand that lamp C is not turned off like lamps A and B, and that the game machine is operating normally.

Next, at timing t4 during energy-saving mode, if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot, and the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game will be restricted. In this case, the operation related to energy-saving mode will be terminated, and the game will transition to a stop state where further gameplay is impossible. As described above, when the amount of balls dispensed, calculated based on the prize balls dispensed into each slot, reaches a specific value, the game will be restricted and the game will be stopped. In this example, however, such restrictions on gameplay are controlled not only during the display of special symbols or during winning games, but also during energy-saving mode. This allows, for example, when the amount of balls dispensed is about to reach a specific value, the prize ball addition switch may be operated or a prize ball may be entered into the prize ball addition slot, which are not conditions for terminating energy-saving mode, and the amount of balls dispensed may reach the specific value due to these prize ball additions. In such cases, it becomes possible to directly restrict gameplay from energy-saving mode without generating a display of special symbols. By directly transitioning from energy-saving mode to the stop-play state in this way, it is possible to prevent situations where a player prematurely triggers the stop-play state when the number of balls dispensed is just about to reach a specific value.

Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the same applies even if the energy-saving mode is not activated at timing t4 and the game is in a normal standby state. In other words, even if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a prize ball is entered into the prize ball addition slot while in a normal standby state, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game will be restricted. In this case, the operation related to the normal standby state will be terminated, and the game will transition to a stop state where further gameplay is impossible. As described above, when the amount of balls dispensed, calculated based on the prize balls dispensed into each slot, reaches a specific value, the game will be restricted and the game will be stopped. In this example, however, this game restriction is controlled not only during the display of special symbols or during winning games, but also during the normal standby state. This allows, for example, when the payout is about to reach a specific value, the machine to activate the prize ball addition switch or enter the prize ball addition slot, which are not normally considered conditions for ending the standby state. This additional prize balls can then cause the payout to reach the specific value. In such cases, it becomes possible to directly restrict gameplay from the normal standby state without triggering various effects such as special symbol changes. By directly transitioning from the normal standby state to the stop-play state in this way, it is possible to prevent situations where a player prematurely enters the stop-play state while playing a machine that is about to reach a specific payout value.

Furthermore, the explanation for what happens after the machine enters the stop-play state is the same as when a ball enters one of the prize slots during the special symbol variation display shown in Figure 248, so the explanation is omitted. Alternatively, after entering the stop-play state, as in the case where a ball enters one of the prize slots during the special symbol variation display shown in Figure 250, the machine may not switch to energy-saving mode during the stop-play state, but instead enhance power saving for sound and lights through other control methods. Also, after entering the stop-play state, even if the prize ball addition switch is operated or a ball enters the prize ball addition slot, no prize balls will be awarded.

Furthermore, the door frame 3 may remain closed to the main frame 4, allowing the administrator to insert game balls into the prize ball addition slot. Specifically, the door frame 3 is provided with an opening that allows access to the prize ball addition slot. Under normal circumstances, the opening is closed by a predetermined closing member (in this example, a transparent, flat plate member) in a state visible from the outside. During the second administrator operation, the closing member is opened, allowing the administrator to insert game balls into the prize ball addition slot through the opening. Additionally, opening the opening by opening the closing member requires a key owned by the administrator. By inserting the key into the keyhole and turning it, the closing member can be detached from the opening. This eliminates the need to open the door frame 3 during the second administrator operation, allowing the administrator to perform the work without attracting attention.

Furthermore, considering that the prize ball refill slot is subject to administrator work, it is preferable to place it in a location that can be seen from the outside of the game board 5. However, from the perspective of preventing fraud, it is preferable to place it in a location that is difficult to see from the outside. Therefore, for example, it is preferable to integrate the prize ball refill slot with the component where other ball entry slots are provided, and to mark the front side of the other ball entry slots with a predetermined symbol or marking (for example, letters such as "IN" indicating that balls can be entered), while leaving no special markings on the front side of the prize ball refill slot. This makes it possible to place the prize ball refill slot in a location that can be seen from the outside but is difficult to see, thus effectively serving both administrator work and fraud prevention purposes. Also, when placing the prize ball refill slot in a location that is difficult to see from the outside (especially from players), it is preferable to provide the component on which the prize ball refill slot is located as a non-illuminating decorative component that does not have light-emitting parts such as LEDs and does not receive illuminated decoration.

Furthermore, while the above example illustrates a configuration with one prize ball refill slot on the game board 5, considering the need to perform the administrator's task of inserting game balls more quickly (smoothly), a configuration with multiple prize ball refill slots on the game board 5 is also possible. In the case of a configuration with multiple prize ball refill slots on the game board 5, the special notation described above should not be written on any of the multiple prize ball refill slots. Additionally, when a configuration with multiple prize ball refill slots on the game board 5 is used, arranging the multiple prize ball refill slots together in a single component to form a unit, and positioning them relatively close to each other, can further enhance the convenience of the administrator's work.

[21-2. Regarding cases where the amount of balls dispensed during various winning games reaches a specific value]
The above states that if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, the game may not immediately transition to a stop-play state, but rather to a stop-play state after the jackpot game has ended. In other words, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during any of the rounds of a jackpot game, it is possible to continue the jackpot game until the final round is completed, and even after the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, the game can continue, allowing the player to receive the prize balls awarded in that jackpot game. Incidentally, the pachinko machine 1 can be equipped with various types of jackpot games that award prize balls, and the timing of the stop-play state occurring when the amount of balls dispensed during that jackpot game reaches a specific value can be made different depending on the type of jackpot game. In this example, the timing of when the stop-play state occurs when the amount of balls dispensed during various jackpot games is explained below.

In this example, the following game specifications are used in the game board 5 described above. First, when a game ball is received into the first starting port 2002, a lottery for the first special symbol is performed. In the lottery for the first special symbol, the first special random number obtained when the ball enters the first starting port 2002 is matched with a predetermined minor win judgment value with a probability of 1/150. If the predetermined win/loss judgment process determines that the first special random number and the predetermined minor win judgment value match, a "minor win" (corresponding to the "prize win" described above) is awarded. Furthermore, in the lottery for the first special symbol, the first special random number obtained when the ball enters the first starting port 2002 is matched with a predetermined major win judgment value with a probability of 1/300. If the predetermined win/loss judgment process determines that the first special random number and the predetermined major win judgment value match, a "major win B" is awarded.

Specifically, when a "minor win" is achieved, the prize entry opening 2006 is opened and closed in a predetermined minor win opening and closing pattern (for example, an opening and closing pattern that repeats opening for 0.3 seconds and closing for 1 second five times each) to control the minor win game in a way that makes it possible (easy) for the game ball to enter the prize entry opening 2006. If the game ball that enters the prize entry opening 2006 then enters the V prize entry opening 2007, a "big win A" is awarded. On the other hand, in a minor win game, if the game ball does not enter the V prize entry opening 2007 and the aforementioned minor win opening and closing pattern ends, a "big win A" is not awarded, and the big win game does not start. Then, if a ball enters the V-entry slot 2007 and "Big Win A" is awarded, the game is controlled to be a 10-round big win game in which it is possible (easy) for a game ball to enter the large entry slot 2005 by repeating the big win opening and closing pattern 10 times, after which the large entry slot 2005 is kept open for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or closed when 10 game balls enter the large entry slot 2005. After the big win game ends, the game is controlled to be in a time-saving state (low probability time-saving state) in which the duration of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) variation display is shortened compared to normal until the variation display is executed 50 times. Furthermore, when one game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, 15 game balls are awarded (paid out). Therefore, in a single "minor win" or "large win A" game, approximately 1500 game balls are expected to be awarded (paid out) through entries into the large prize slot 2005 and other prize slots.

Furthermore, if "Big Win B" is won, the game is controlled to a 20-round special big win game in which it is possible (easy) for game balls to enter the big prize slot 2005. This is done by repeating a big win opening and closing pattern 20 times, where the big prize slot 2005 is kept open for a long period of time (for example, 29 seconds) or closed when 10 game balls enter the big prize slot 2005. After the special big win game state ends, the game is controlled to a time-saving state (low probability time-saving state) in which the duration of the special symbol (first special symbol, second special symbol) fluctuation display is shortened compared to normal until it is displayed 50 times. However, for the 20-round special big win game, after the first 10 rounds are executed, a predetermined break period has elapsed in which the big prize slot 2005 is closed for a longer period of time than between other rounds (10 seconds in this example), after which the second 10 rounds are executed. Furthermore, if one game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, 15 game balls will be awarded (paid out). In the special jackpot state of "Jackpot B," it is expected that approximately 3000 game balls will be awarded (paid out), consisting of approximately 1500 balls in the first 10 rounds from balls entering the large prize slot 2005 and other prize slots, and approximately 1500 balls in the second 10 rounds.

On the other hand, when a game ball is received into the second starting gate 2004, a lottery for the second special symbol is conducted. In the lottery for the second special symbol, the second special random number obtained when the ball enters the second starting gate 2004 matches a predetermined jackpot determination value with a probability of 1/300. If the predetermined win/loss determination process determines that the second special random number and the predetermined jackpot determination value match, then a "jackpot C" is awarded.

Specifically, when "Big Win C" is won, the large prize slot 2005 is kept open for an extended period (for example, 29 seconds), or closed when 10 game balls enter the large prize slot 2005. This opening and closing pattern is repeated 10 times, controlling the game to a 10-round big win game where game balls can easily enter the large prize slot 2005. After the big win game ends, the game is controlled to a time-saving state (low probability time-saving state) where the duration of the special symbol (first special symbol, second special symbol) fluctuation display is shortened compared to normal until it is displayed 100 times. Furthermore, if one game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, 15 game balls are awarded (paid out), and in the "Big Win C" big win game state, it is expected that 1500 game balls will be awarded from balls entering the large prize slot 2005 and other prize slots.

(Regarding cases where the amount of balls dispensed during a minor win game reaches a specific value)
First, let's explain what happens when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a minor win. Figure 252 is a time chart showing what happens when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a minor win. In this example, when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value (100,000 in this example) during a minor win, regardless of when in the minor win the specific value was reached, the minor win opening and closing pattern continues until the minor win is completed, and the game continues to determine whether the balls that entered the prize entry point 2006 enter the V prize entry point 2007. If the balls that entered the prize entry point 2006 enter the V prize entry point 2007 while the aforementioned minor win opening and closing pattern is being executed, it is possible to continue the game to a major win.

Figure 252(A) is a time chart showing the case where, after the amount of balls dispensed during a minor win game reaches a specific value, the game balls that enter the prize entry point 2006 enter the V-entry point 2007, and the game is controlled to proceed to a major win game. As shown in Figure 252(A), at timing t1, if it has been determined that a "minor win" has been achieved at the start of the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is executed based on the variation pattern for "minor wins". Furthermore, during the special symbol variation display, a variation animation is executed based on the animation pattern for "minor wins," and this animation indicates whether the result of the lottery is a major win or a minor win. Note that during the special symbol variation display, the amount of balls dispensed is less than 100,000, and at this stage, the stop flag on the main control board 1310 is not ON. Therefore, a stop condition has not occurred, and the game can proceed as normal.

Furthermore, after the special symbol variation display shows a stop symbol indicating a "minor win," the game is controlled to a minor win game where the game ball can (easily) enter the prize entry slot 2006. If the game ball that enters the prize entry slot 2006 also enters the V-entry slot 2007, a "Big Win A" is awarded. In addition, during the minor win game, a minor win animation is performed that is different from the animation performed during normal gameplay. In the minor win animation, voice and visual instructions are given to aim for the prize entry slot 2006, and an animation (voice and visual) is performed indicating that if the game ball that enters the prize entry slot 2006 also enters the V-entry slot 2007, a "Big Win A" will be awarded. Furthermore, during a minor win, it is possible to increase the amount of balls dispensed by entering the prize entry point 2006 or other prize entry points. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 by entering the prize entry point 2006 or other prize entry points, the main control board 1310 activates the stop flag. However, in this example, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 and the stop flag is activated during a minor win, the timing of the stop state is delayed to prevent immediate termination. This allows the ongoing minor win game to continue without being prematurely terminated. Thus, in this example, by delaying the timing of the stop state when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a minor win, the game can continue. This prevents any disadvantage in acquiring prize balls, including the outcome of the minor win (whether or not a "Big Win A" is awarded by entering the V prize entry point 2007), thus minimizing player dissatisfaction.

Furthermore, at timing tL1, during a minor win, if a game ball that has entered the prize entry point 2006 also enters the V-entry point 2007, thereby awarding "Big Win A," the system controls the game to continue with a 10-round big win game in which the game ball can (easily) enter the large prize entry point 2005. In addition, during a big win game, a different big win animation is performed compared to the animations during normal gameplay and minor wins. In the big win animation, voice and visual instructions are given to aim for the ball to enter the large prize entry point 2005, and special animations (voice and visuals) are performed, such as displaying special images that are only shown during a big win game. In this example, even though the payout amount has already reached 100,000 during a minor win, and the stop-play flag has been turned ON on the main control board 1310, if a game ball enters the V-entry slot 2007 during a minor win, the game does not enter a stop-play state at the end of the minor win, and the timing of the stop-play state is further delayed to prevent it from occurring during the subsequent big win, thus allowing the big win game to proceed immediately after the minor win. In this way, when the payout amount reaches 100,000 during a minor win, if a game ball enters the V-entry slot 2007 during that minor win, the occurrence of the stop-play state is further delayed, allowing the big win game to proceed. This ensures that there is no disadvantage in acquiring prize balls, including the results of the entire game from the minor win to the big win, and minimizes player dissatisfaction.

Then, at timing tN, after the jackpot game is completed, a predetermined ending period is triggered, and the jackpot ending sequence is executed. In the jackpot ending sequence, the end of the jackpot game is indicated, and the display device 1600 displays an image showing the amount of balls awarded during the jackpot game by balls entering the jackpot opening 2005 (an image of the amount of balls awarded in this jackpot game), along with a warning message described later. In this example, as described above, in the jackpot game of "jackpot A", it is possible to award approximately 1500 game balls. If balls enter the jackpot opening 2005 until the upper limit is reached during the jackpot game, the amount of balls awarded during the jackpot game will be shown as approximately 1500. Furthermore, although the payout amount has already reached 100,000 during a minor win, and the stop-play flag has been turned ON on the main control board 1310, as described above, the timing of the stop-play state is delayed to prevent it from occurring at the end of the minor win or during the major win. However, in this example, even when the major win animation ends at timing tN, coinciding with the opening of the grand prize opening 2005 in the final round (10th round) of the major win animation, the stop-play state is not immediately triggered. Instead, it is triggered at timing tL2, after the subsequent ending period has elapsed. By delaying the timing of the stop-play state until after the ending period has ended, and controlling the system to allow the major win ending animation to be executed before the stop-play state occurs, the player can remain in the game even after the grand prize opening 2005 has finished, allowing the player to experience the major win ending animation.

Furthermore, during the jackpot ending sequence that takes place during the ending period, the display device 1600 displays a warning message regarding "addiction prevention" (for example, "Pachinko should be enjoyed in moderation. Be careful not to get addicted") as "Addiction Prevention Display A" after the display (payout amount image) showing the amount of balls dispensed in the winning game has finished. In this example, although the jackpot game of "Jackpot A" dispenses approximately 1500 game balls, the game transitions to a stop-play state after the jackpot game. Therefore, there is a risk that the player may move to another pachinko machine and become excessively addicted. However, by displaying "Addiction Prevention Display A" before transitioning to the stop-play state, it is possible to warn the player not to become excessively addicted to other pachinko machines after transitioning to the stop-play state. In this way, by controlling the execution of the jackpot ending sequence, including the period during which the warning message is displayed, to occur before the game reaches its limit, it is possible to ensure that players have an opportunity to check the "Addiction Prevention Display A," thereby effectively preventing them from becoming excessively engrossed in the game.

Furthermore, at timing tL2, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the peripheral control board 1510 turns on a predetermined animation prohibition flag, forcibly stopping the currently running animation (such as the jackpot ending animation). For example, when the animation prohibition flag is turned on, the animation display device 1600 forcibly changes from the addiction prevention display A to various images corresponding to the stop-play state described above.

Figure 252(B) is a time chart showing a case where, after the amount of balls dispensed during a minor win game reaches a specific value, the game ball does not enter the V-entry slot 2007, regardless of whether the ball enters the prize entry slot 2006, and the minor win opening/closing pattern ends, completing the minor win game, and there is no subsequent control to a major win game. As shown in Figure 252(B), at timing t1, if it is determined that a "minor win" has been achieved at the start of the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is executed based on the variation pattern for "minor wins". In addition, during the special symbol variation display, a variation performance is executed based on the performance pattern for "minor wins", and the variation performance performs an effect that indicates whether the result of the lottery is a major win or a minor win. Furthermore, during the special symbol display, the payout is less than 100,000. At this stage, the stop-play flag is not ON on the main control board 1310. Therefore, a stop-play state has not occurred, and normal gameplay is possible.

Furthermore, after the special symbol variation display shows a stop symbol indicating a "minor win," the game is controlled to a minor win game where the game ball can (easily) enter the prize entry slot 2006. If the game ball that enters the prize entry slot 2006 also enters the V-entry slot 2007, a "Big Win A" is awarded. In addition, during the minor win game, a minor win animation is performed that is different from the animation performed during normal gameplay. In the minor win animation, voice and visual instructions are given to aim for the prize entry slot 2006, and an animation (voice and visual) is performed indicating that if the game ball that enters the prize entry slot 2006 also enters the V-entry slot 2007, a "Big Win A" will be awarded. Furthermore, during a minor win, it is possible to increase the amount of balls dispensed by entering the prize entry point 2006 or other prize entry points. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 by entering the prize entry point 2006 or other prize entry points, the main control board 1310 activates the stop flag. However, in this example, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 and the stop flag is activated during a minor win, the timing of the stop state is delayed to prevent immediate termination. This allows the ongoing minor win game to continue without being prematurely terminated. Thus, in this example, by delaying the timing of the stop state when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during a minor win, the game can continue. This prevents any disadvantage in acquiring prize balls, including the outcome of the minor win (whether or not the ball enters the V-entry point 2007 and transitions to "Big Win A"), thus minimizing player dissatisfaction.

Then, at timing tN, if the game ball does not enter the V-entry slot 2007 and the minor win opening/closing pattern ends without the game ball entering the prize slot 2006, regardless of whether the game ball enters the prize slot 2006 or not, "Big Win A" is not awarded, and the big win game does not start. After the minor win game is completed, a predetermined ending period is generated, and the minor win ending sequence is executed. In the minor win ending sequence, an animation is performed indicating the end of the minor win game and that the game ball did not enter the V-entry slot 2007. Note that during the minor win game, the payout amount has already reached 100,000, and the stop flag has been turned ON on the main control board 1310. However, the stop state is not generated during the minor win game, and the stop state is generated at timing tL3 after the subsequent ending period has elapsed. In this way, by delaying the timing of the stop-loss state until the end of the ending period, and controlling the execution of the minor win ending sequence before the stop-loss state occurs, it is possible to keep the player in the machine even after the prize entry point 2006 has finished opening, allowing the player to become aware of the minor win ending sequence.

Furthermore, during the jackpot ending sequence, the display device 1600 displays an image showing the amount of balls dispensed in the winning game and a "gambling addiction prevention display A." However, in this example, during the minor jackpot ending sequence, no such display of the amount of balls dispensed (image showing the amount of balls dispensed) or a warning message regarding "gambling addiction prevention" is displayed. Instead, an ending image ("Too bad..." image) indicating the end of the minor jackpot game is displayed. In this example, if a game ball enters the V-entry slot 2007 during a minor jackpot game, the "jackpot A" jackpot game is executed, and approximately 1500 game balls are awarded. However, if a game ball does not enter the V-entry slot 2007 during a minor jackpot game, the "jackpot A" jackpot game is not executed, and approximately 1500 game balls are not awarded. Thus, if the game ball does not enter the V-entry slot 2007 during a minor win, the payout is also small. Therefore, after transitioning to the stop-play state, players are less likely to continue playing on other pachinko machines, and no warning is issued. Furthermore, in this example, the execution time of the minor win ending sequence (e.g., 5 seconds) is set shorter than the execution time of the big win ending sequence (e.g., 10 seconds), allowing for an earlier transition to the stop-play state after a minor win compared to after a big win.

Furthermore, at timing tL3, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the peripheral control board 1510 turns on a predetermined animation prohibition flag, forcibly stopping the currently running animation (such as the minor win ending animation). For example, when the animation prohibition flag is turned on, the animation display device 1600 forcibly changes from the ending image to various images corresponding to the stop-play state described above.

Furthermore, in this example, at timing tN, if, regardless of whether the game ball enters the prize entry point 2006 or not, the game ball does not enter the V-entry point 2007 and the minor win opening/closing pattern ends without awarding "Big Win A," a predetermined ending period is generated after the minor win game is completed, and the minor win ending sequence is executed. However, as an alternative, the system may be controlled to prevent the predetermined ending period from being generated after the minor win game is completed, thus preventing the minor win ending sequence from being executed altogether, and immediately generating a stop-play state after the minor win game ends. Such an embodiment can also achieve the same effect as described above.

Furthermore, in this example, during the jackpot ending sequence after a jackpot game is completed, the display device 1600 displays a warning message regarding "preventing excessive gambling." However, the warning message displayed on the display device 1600 is positioned so as not to overlap with related displays before the transition to the stop-play state. Specifically, before the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, a message such as "Remaining +XX balls until the game limit is reached" is displayed, similar to the pre-notification display described above, indicating the number of balls remaining until the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value. Also, when the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value but the ongoing small jackpot game or jackpot game is continuing, a message such as "The jackpot is over, and today is finished" is displayed, similar to the standby notification in the stop-play preparation state described above, to indicate that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. When the display device 1600 displays the warning message regarding "preventing excessive gambling," it is positioned so as not to overlap with the pre-notification display shown as a related display before the transition to the stop-play state, or with the standby notification in the stop-play preparation state. This ensures that players don't miss related displays before the transition to the stop-play state when the warning message about "preventing excessive gambling" is displayed. It also ensures that players are reliably aware of the pre-notification displays and standby notifications shown during the stop-play preparation state.

Furthermore, in this example, when the number of balls dispensed reaches a specific value and the game enters a stop-play state, gameplay is restricted. However, gameplay may also be restricted by factors other than the stop-play state. For example, as detailed above, if the game board 5 is replaced while the main frame 5 is powered on, the game enters a special stop-play state and gameplay is restricted. If gameplay is restricted during a minor win due to a factor other than the stop-play state, the power needs to be turned on and off. Turning the power on and off (power pattern 1) removes the game restriction, allowing the ongoing minor win game to resume. Also, if the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value and the stop-play flag has been turned ON during a minor win game, and then gameplay is restricted due to a factor other than the stop-play state, the gameplay will resume with the stop-play flag still ON after turning the power on and off (power pattern 1). Therefore, after the restarted minor win game ends, or after the big win game that follows the minor win game ends if a ball enters the V-entry slot 2007 during the restarted minor win game, it is possible to transition to a stop-play state. This means that even if the game is restricted during the minor win game due to factors other than the stop-play state, there will be no disadvantage in winning prize balls after turning the power on and off (power pattern 1), making it less likely to cause dissatisfaction to the player.

Similarly, as will be explained in more detail later, for example, the payout control board 633 stops the game when it detects a RAM error, such as when the RAM contains abnormal values, or when it detects an error other than a RAM error, such as "out of launching balls," "out of balls at the lifting entrance," "lifting ball jamming error," "insufficient number of game balls," or "insufficient number of game balls." In this case, if the game is restricted during a minor win game due to an error other than a RAM error, such as "out of launching balls," "out of balls at the lifting entrance," "lifting ball jamming error," "insufficient number of game balls," or "insufficient number of game balls," as a factor other than the game being stopped, it is necessary to turn the power on and off after resolving the cause of the error. However, if the power is turned on and off (power pattern 1) after resolving the cause of the error, the restriction on the game can be lifted and the ongoing minor win game can be resumed. Furthermore, if, during a minor win game, the number of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value and the stop-play flag has been turned ON, and the game is restricted due to an error other than a RAM error detected by the payout control board 633, such as "out of launched balls," "out of balls at the lifting entrance," "lifting ball jamming error," "insufficient number of game balls," or "insufficient number of game balls," the game will be restricted by resolving the cause of the error and turning the power on and off (power pattern 1), while the stop-play flag remains ON, and the ongoing minor win game is resumed. For this reason, it is possible to transition to the stop-play state after the resumed minor win game ends, or after the big win game that follows the minor win game ends if a ball enters the V-entry slot 2007 during the resumed minor win game. This means that even if the payout control board 633 detects errors other than RAM errors, such as "out of launchable balls," "out of balls at the lifting input," "lifting ball jamming error," "insufficient number of game balls," or "insufficient number of game balls," during a minor win, and restricts gameplay due to factors other than the game's end state, after resolving the cause of the error and turning the power on and off (power pattern 1), there will be no disadvantage in winning prize balls, making it less likely to cause dissatisfaction to the player.

Furthermore, during the jackpot ending sequence after a jackpot game is completed, the display device 1600 displays a warning message regarding "preventing addiction." However, if another jackpot is triggered within a predetermined period after the jackpot game ends (for example, within 30 consecutive spins), the display device 1600 will display a visual representation (payout image) showing the amount of balls dispensed in the current jackpot game during the jackpot ending sequence after the second jackpot game is completed, but it will not display the warning message regarding "preventing addiction." For example, if the warning message regarding "preventing addiction" is repeatedly displayed within a short predetermined period after the jackpot game ends, players may become accustomed to the warning, and the effect of preventing addiction in future games may be lost. However, by not displaying the warning message regarding "preventing addiction" during subsequent jackpots within a predetermined period after the jackpot game ends, this effect can be maintained. Furthermore, in this example, a predetermined ending period is triggered and the jackpot ending sequence is executed after the jackpot game is completed. However, in an alternative example, if another jackpot game occurs within a predetermined period after the jackpot game ends (for example, within 30 consecutive spins), the system may be controlled to prevent the predetermined ending period from occurring after the jackpot game is completed, thus preventing the jackpot ending sequence from being executed and the warning message regarding "preventing addiction" from being displayed. Such an embodiment can also achieve the same effect as described above.

(Regarding the case where the amount of balls dispensed during a special jackpot game reaches a specific value)
Next, we will explain what happens when the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the special jackpot game of "Jackpot B". Figure 253 is a time chart showing the case where the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value during the special jackpot game, and Figure 254 is a time chart showing the case where the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the special jackpot game. In this example, for the 20-round special jackpot game, after the first 10 rounds are executed, a predetermined break period (a period during which the large prize entry point 2005 is closed for a longer time than between other rounds (10 seconds in this example)) is elapsed before the second 10 rounds are executed. If the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the first 10 rounds of the 20-round special jackpot game, the game will transition to a stop state after the first 10 rounds are completed and the second 10 rounds will not be executed. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the second 10 rounds, it is possible to transition to a stop state after the second 10 rounds are completed.

Figure 253 is a time chart showing a situation where the amount of balls dispensed during a special jackpot game does not reach a specific value. As shown in Figure 253, at timing t1, if it is determined that a "jackpot B" has been won at the start of the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is executed based on the variation pattern for "jackpot B". Furthermore, during the special symbol variation display, a variation animation is executed based on the animation pattern for "jackpot B," and this animation indicates whether the lottery result is a jackpot or a minor win.

Then, as a result of the special symbol variation display, after the stopping symbol indicating "Big Win B" is displayed, the system controls the game to a 20-round special big win game in which the game ball can (easily) enter the big prize slot 2005. First, the first 10 rounds of the 20-round special big win game (the first half of the special big win game) are executed. During the first half of the special big win game, a special big win animation is executed that differs from the animations during normal gameplay. In the special big win animation, voice and visual instructions are given to aim for the ball to enter the big prize slot 2005, and special animations (voice and visuals) are executed, such as displaying special images on the animation display device 1600 that are only displayed during the first half of the special big win game.

Then, at timing tL1, after the first 10 rounds have finished and the first half of the special jackpot game is complete, a predetermined break period is generated and a rest animation is executed. During the rest animation, an animation is performed that indicates the end of the first half of the special jackpot game and that the player is in a waiting state until the second half of the special jackpot game begins (for example, an animation that displays a message image on the animation display device 1600 saying "First half finished! Second half will resume in 10 seconds!"). In this example, a break period is generated between the first 10 rounds and the second 10 rounds. However, if 20 rounds were to be executed continuously, the player might become fatigued from continuously aiming for the ball to enter the big prize pocket 2005, so such a break period is generated. Furthermore, even if a break period occurs in the middle of a special jackpot game, it may be configured as follows to clearly indicate that it is a single jackpot game. For example, during a special jackpot animation, a special background music (BGM) for the special jackpot animation could be output. This BGM could be continuously output throughout the first half of the special jackpot game, the break period, and the second half of the special jackpot game. This avoids diminishing the impression that a long special jackpot game is a continuous sequence, even if it is interspersed with a break period.

After a predetermined break period has elapsed, the latter 10 rounds of the 20-round special jackpot game (the latter half of the special jackpot game) are executed. During the latter half of the special jackpot game, special jackpot effects different from those during normal gameplay are executed. In the special jackpot effects, voice and visual instructions are given to aim for the ball to enter the jackpot opening 2005, and special effects (voice and visual effects) are executed, such as displaying special images on the display device 1600 that are only shown during the latter half of the special jackpot game. In this example, the images displayed in the first half of the special jackpot game and the images displayed in the second half of the special jackpot game are related to each other in order to clearly indicate that it is the same jackpot game, and the images displayed in the second half of the special jackpot game are a continuation of the images displayed in the first half of the special jackpot game. Specifically, the system displays an introductory video featuring the same character in both the first and second halves of the special jackpot game, and also continuously displays images of the payout amount in both halves of the special jackpot game.

Then, after the second half of the 10 rounds is completed and the second half of the special jackpot game is finished, a predetermined ending period is triggered, and the special jackpot ending sequence is executed. During the special jackpot ending sequence, the display device 1600 shows the end of the special jackpot game and displays the amount of balls won during the special jackpot game (an image of the amount of balls won in this jackpot game) and a warning message, as described below. In this example, as mentioned above, in the "Jackpot B" special jackpot game, it is possible to award a total of approximately 3000 game balls, consisting of approximately 1500 balls in the first 10 rounds and approximately 1500 balls in the second half of the 10 rounds. If balls are entered into the jackpot 2005 until the limit is reached during the special jackpot game, the display device 1600 will show the "3000 GET!!" message.

Furthermore, after the display of acquired balls during the special jackpot ending sequence ends, the performance display device 1600 displays a warning message as "Addiction Prevention Display B" to prevent excessive addiction to the game (for example, the text "Pachinko should be enjoyed in moderation. Don't get addicted!"). In this example, in the special jackpot game of "Jackpot B," it is possible to award approximately 3,000 game balls. If balls enter the jackpot opening 2005 until the upper limit is reached during the special jackpot game, the player may become excessively addicted to the game. However, by displaying "Addiction Prevention Display B" during the special jackpot ending sequence, it is possible to prevent the player from becoming excessively addicted to the game. Furthermore, when the game is controlled to trigger a "Big Win A" jackpot, "Addiction Prevention Display A" is displayed during the jackpot ending sequence. However, "Addiction Prevention Display B" during the special jackpot ending sequence is implemented in a different manner than "Addiction Prevention Display A." In other words, when the game is controlled to trigger a "Big Win B" special jackpot, the amount of payout is greater than when the game is controlled to trigger a "Big Win A" jackpot, increasing the likelihood that the player is excessively engrossed in the game. Therefore, it is preferable that "Addiction Prevention Display B" be a stronger warning than "Addiction Prevention Display A." In this example, the message content is displayed in a different, more commanding tone than "Addiction Prevention Display A," the message is displayed in a more prominent location (the center of the display device 1400) than "Addiction Prevention Display A" (for example, the bottom of the display device 1400), and the message is displayed for a longer period than "Addiction Prevention Display A." This effectively prevents players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game. Note that the manner in which "Addiction Prevention Display A" and "Addiction Prevention Display B" are differentiated is not limited to the above; the message content, display location, or display time may be differentiated in only a part.

Furthermore, when the ending period expires at timing tL2, the special jackpot ending sequence ends, and the image switches to one corresponding to the time-saving state, allowing for the display of special symbol variations.

Figure 254(A) is a time chart showing the case where the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the special jackpot game in the first half. As shown in Figure 254(A), at timing t1, if it is determined that a "jackpot B" has been won at the start of the special symbol variation display, the special symbol variation display is executed based on the variation pattern for "jackpot B". Furthermore, during the special symbol variation display, the variation animation is executed based on the animation pattern for "jackpot B", and the animation indicates whether the result of the lottery is a jackpot or a minor win. Note that during the special symbol variation display, the amount of balls dispensed is less than 100,000, and at this stage, the stop flag on the main control board 1310 is not ON, so a stop condition has not occurred, and normal gameplay is possible.

Then, as a result of the special symbol variation display, after the stopping symbol indicating "Big Win B" is displayed, the game is controlled to a 20-round special big win game in which the game ball can (easily) enter the big prize opening 2005. First, the first 10 rounds of the 20-round special big win game (the first half of the special big win game) are executed. During the special big win performances performed during the first half of the special big win game, voice and visual instructions are given to aim for the ball to enter the big prize opening 2005, and special effects (voice and visual images) are executed, such as displaying special images on the performance display device 1600 that are only displayed during the first half of the special big win game. Furthermore, during the first half of the special jackpot game, it is possible to increase the amount of balls dispensed by entering the large prize slot 2005 or other prize slots. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 by entering the large prize slot 2005 or other prize slots, the main control board 1310 activates the stop-play flag. However, in this example, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 and the stop-play flag is activated during the first half of the special jackpot game, the timing of the stop-play state is delayed to prevent immediate stop-play. This allows the game to continue at least until the end of the first half of the special jackpot game. Thus, in this example, by delaying the timing of the stop-play state when the amount of balls dispensed during the first half of the special jackpot game reaches a specific value, the game can be made to avoid disadvantages in acquiring prize balls, thus minimizing player dissatisfaction.

Furthermore, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value at timing t2 during the first half of the special jackpot game, the timing of the stop-play state is delayed until timing tL1, which is the end of the first half of the special jackpot game. During this delay, the game can continue, but afterwards, no break period occurs, and the second half of the special jackpot game does not start. Also, even if the amount of balls dispensed has already reached 100,000 during the first half of the special jackpot game and the stop-play flag has been turned ON on the main control board 1310, the stop-play state is activated at timing tL1, which is the end of the first half of the special jackpot game. This is controlled forcibly, regardless of the amount of balls dispensed between timing t2 and timing tL1. In this way, if the amount of balls dispensed during the first half of the special jackpot game reaches a specific value, the game will automatically switch to a stop-play state at a predetermined timing, regardless of the subsequent amount of balls dispensed, and the second half of the special jackpot game will not be played. This prevents the amount of balls dispensed from deviating significantly from the specific value.

Furthermore, before the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, the display device 1600 is forced to display a warning message regarding "addiction prevention" as "Addiction Prevention Display A" to prevent excessive addiction to the game (for example, the text "Pachinko should be enjoyed in moderation. Be careful not to get addicted"). As mentioned above, if the amount of balls dispensed during the first half of the special jackpot game does not reach a specific value, the second half of the special jackpot game starts after a break period following the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, so "Addiction Prevention Display A" is not displayed on the display device 1600. However, if the amount of balls dispensed during the first half of the special jackpot game reaches a specific value, the game transitions to a stop-play state without a break period following the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, so "Addiction Prevention Display A" is displayed on the display device 1600 before transitioning to the stop-play state. In this example, while the special jackpot game in the first half of "Jackpot B" awards approximately 1500 game balls, similar to the jackpot game in "Jackpot A," the game transitions to a stop-play state after the first half of the special jackpot game. This could lead to players moving to another pachinko machine and becoming excessively engrossed in the game. However, by displaying "Addiction Prevention Display A" before the game transitions to the stop-play state, it is possible to warn players against becoming excessively engrossed in other pachinko machines after the game transitions to the stop-play state. Thus, by controlling the warning message to be executed before the stop-play state occurs, opportunities to see "Addiction Prevention Display A" can be ensured, effectively preventing players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game.

Furthermore, at timing tL1, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the peripheral control board 1510 turns on a predetermined effect prohibition flag, forcibly stopping the currently running effects (special jackpot effects and "addiction prevention display A" executed during the special jackpot game in the first half). For example, when the effect prohibition flag is turned on, the effect display device 1600 forcibly changes from addiction prevention display A to various images corresponding to the stop-play state described above.

Figure 254(B) is a time chart showing the case where the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the break period after the end of the first half of the special jackpot game. As shown in Figure 254(B), if the amount of balls dispensed has not reached the specific value between the end of the first 10 rounds and the completion of the first half of the special jackpot game, the large prize slot 2005 is closed after the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, creating a break period during which no balls enter the large prize slot 2005. However, in this example, if the amount of balls dispensed is close to the specific value during the break period (for example, exceeding 99900), there is a possibility that the amount of balls dispensed will reach the specific value by increasing as balls enter prize slots other than the large prize slot 2005 during the break period.

Furthermore, at timing t2, during the break period following the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value, a stop-play state is triggered at that point, and the second half of the special jackpot game is not started. Specifically, during the break period, it is possible to increase the amount of balls dispensed by entering entry points other than the large entry point 2005. When the amount of balls dispensed by entering entry points other than the large entry point 2005 reaches 100,000, the main control board 1310 turns on the stop-play flag. In this case, even if it is in the middle of the break period, the stop-play state is triggered as soon as the amount of balls reaches 100,000. In this way, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the break period, the system transitions to a stop-play state at that point and does not execute the second half of the special jackpot game, thereby preventing the amount of balls from deviating significantly from the specific value.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the amount of balls dispensed during the special jackpot game in the first half reaches a specific value, the display device 1600 is forcibly populated with "Addiction Prevention Display A" before transitioning to the stop-play state. However, if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the break period after the special jackpot game in the first half has ended, the display device 1600 does not populate with "Addiction Prevention Display A" before transitioning to the stop-play state. In this example, while the first half of the special jackpot game in "Jackpot B" awards approximately 1500 game balls, similar to the jackpot game in "Jackpot A," the second half of the special jackpot game is not executed, and the game transitions to a stop-play state. This could lead to the player moving to another pachinko machine and becoming excessively engrossed in the game. However, by creating a break period after the end of the first half of the special jackpot game where no balls enter the large prize slot 2005, it is possible to prevent the player from becoming excessively engrossed in another pachinko machine after transitioning to the stop-play state. Thus, even if the amount of balls dispensed during the break period reaches a specific value, and the "Addiction Prevention Display A" is not displayed on the display device 1600 before transitioning to the stop-play state, it is possible to prevent the player from becoming excessively engrossed in the game.

In this example, if the amount of balls dispensed during the first half of the special jackpot game does not reach a specific value, the "Addiction Prevention Indicator A" is not displayed before the end of the first half of the special jackpot game. However, if the amount of balls dispensed is close to the specific value (for example, exceeding 99,900) at the time when deciding whether to display the "Addiction Prevention Indicator A," the "Addiction Prevention Indicator A" may be displayed before the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, even if the amount of balls dispensed has not reached the specific value. For example, if the amount of balls dispensed is close to the specific value (for example, exceeding 99,900) at the time when deciding whether to display the "Addiction Prevention Indicator A," there is a possibility that the amount of balls dispensed will reach the specific value during the period when the "Addiction Prevention Indicator A" is displayed before the end of the first half of the special jackpot game, and a stop-loss state may occur after the end of the first half of the special jackpot game. However, even in such cases, displaying "Addiction Prevention Display A" before the end of the special jackpot game in the first half can prevent players from becoming excessively engrossed in the game.

Furthermore, in this example, if the amount of balls dispensed during the break period is close to a specific value (for example, if it exceeds 99,900), there is a possibility that the amount of balls dispensed will reach the specific value by increasing the amount of balls dispensed by balls entering prize slots other than the large prize slot 2005 during the break period. In such cases, the manner of the launch instructions may be changed to discourage players from launching game balls into prize slots other than the large prize slot 2005 during the break period (for example, by not executing the video or audio of the launch instructions that were executed during the first half of the special jackpot game during the break period). This prevents the amount of balls dispensed from reaching the specific value during the break period, even if it is close to a specific value (for example, if it exceeds 99,900), and prevents disadvantages in acquiring prize balls by starting the second half of the special jackpot game after the break period has passed, thus making it less likely to cause dissatisfaction among players. Furthermore, when the special jackpot game in the second half begins, it is preferable to change the launch instruction again (for example, by re-outputting the video and audio of the launch instruction that was performed during the special jackpot game in the first half) in order to encourage the player to launch the game balls.

Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, if, after the special jackpot game in the first half ends, the large prize slot 2005 is closed, creating a break period during which no balls can enter the large prize slot 2005, but the large prize slot 2005 is illegally opened and game balls are illegally entered into the large prize slot 2005 during the break period, the system may be configured as follows: For example, if an illegal entry of game balls into the large prize slot 2005 is detected during the break period, the entry may be invalidated, no prize balls will be awarded, and a "break period error" will be generated to provide special error notification and stop the game's progress (the progress of the break period), thereby deterring illegal entry of balls into the large prize slot 2005 during the break period. Additionally, the "break period error" can be resolved by turning the power on and off (power pattern 1), thus avoiding the resetting of the payout amount when the power is turned on and off.

Furthermore, at timing t2, after transitioning to the stop state, the peripheral control board 1510 turns on a predetermined animation prohibition flag, forcibly stopping the currently running animation (rest animation). For example, when the animation prohibition flag is turned on, the animation display device 1600 forcibly changes from the rest animation to various images corresponding to the stop state described above.

Figure 254(C) is a time chart showing the case where the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the second half of the special jackpot game. As shown in Figure 254(C), if the amount of balls dispensed does not reach a specific value between the end of the first 10 rounds and the completion of the first half of the special jackpot game, or during the break period, the second 10 rounds (second half of the special jackpot game) are executed after the break period has elapsed. During the special jackpot game, the special jackpot performance is performed, with voice and visual instructions to aim for balls to enter the jackpot opening 2005, and special performances (voice and visual images) are performed, such as displaying special images on the performance display device 1600 that are only displayed during the second half of the special jackpot game. Furthermore, during the second half of the special jackpot game, it is possible to increase the amount of balls dispensed by entering the large prize slot 2005 or other prize slots. When the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 by entering the large prize slot 2005 or other prize slots, the main control board 1310 activates the stop flag. However, in this example, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches 100,000 and the stop flag is activated during the second half of the special jackpot game, the timing of the stop state is delayed to prevent immediate game over. This allows the game to continue at least until the end of the second half of the special jackpot game. In this way, by delaying the timing of the stop state when the amount of balls dispensed during the second half of the special jackpot game reaches a specific value, and allowing the game to continue, disadvantages in ball acquisition are suppressed, making it less likely to cause dissatisfaction among players.

Furthermore, if the payout reaches a specific value at timing t2 during the second half of the special jackpot game, the timing of the stop-play state is delayed until timing tL2, which is the end of the second half of the special jackpot game. While the game can continue during this delay, the ending period is not triggered, and the special jackpot ending sequence is not executed. Also, even if the payout has already reached 100,000 during the second half of the special jackpot game and the stop-play flag is turned ON on the main control board 1310, the stop-play state is still triggered at timing tL2, which is the end of the second half of the special jackpot game. This control is enforced regardless of the amount of payout between timing t2 and timing tL1. Thus, if the payout reaches a specific value during the second half of the special jackpot game, the system transitions to the stop-play state at a predetermined timing, regardless of the subsequent payout, and the special jackpot ending sequence is not executed.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, if the amount of balls dispensed during the second half of the special jackpot game does not reach a specific value, an ending period is triggered after the second half of the special jackpot game is completed, and the "Addiction Prevention Display B" is displayed after the execution of the special jackpot ending sequence during that ending period. However, if the amount of balls dispensed during the second half of the special jackpot game reaches a specific value, the ending period itself is not triggered after the second half of the special jackpot game is completed, and the special jackpot ending sequence is not executed. Therefore, the "Addiction Prevention Display B" is not displayed on the performance display device 1600. In this example, it is possible to dispense approximately 1500 game balls during the "jackpot A" jackpot game, but compared to the amount of balls dispensed during the first and second halves of the special jackpot game in "jackpot B," the player may not feel satisfied. Furthermore, even if the amount of balls dispensed reaches a specific value during the first half of the special jackpot game in "jackpot B" and the second half of the special jackpot game is not performed, it is still possible to dispense approximately 1,500 game balls during the first half of the special jackpot game. However, compared to the amount of balls dispensed during both the first and second half of the special jackpot game, the player will not be satisfied. Thus, when the game transitions to a stop-play state after the end of the jackpot game in "jackpot A" or after the end of the first half of the special jackpot game in "jackpot B," the player will not be satisfied with the amount of balls dispensed during the jackpot game. This may lead to the player moving to another pachinko machine after the game transitions to a stop-play state and becoming excessively engrossed in the game. Therefore, the display device 1600 is configured to display "Addiction Prevention Display A" before the game transitions to a stop-play state. On the other hand, if the amount of balls dispensed during the first half of the special jackpot game in "jackpot B" does not reach a specific value, but the amount of balls dispensed during the second half of the special jackpot game does reach that value, it is possible to dispense approximately 3,000 game balls during both the first and second halves of the special jackpot game. Therefore, even if the game transitions to a stop-play state after the end of the second half of the special jackpot game, the player can still feel satisfied. In this way, when the game transitions to a stop-play state after the end of the second half of the special jackpot game, even if the "anti-addiction display B" is not displayed on the display device 1600 before the transition to the stop-play state, the player will not become excessively engrossed in the game and can accept the stop-play state with a sense of satisfaction.

Furthermore, at timing tL2, after transitioning to the stop-play state, the peripheral control board 1510 turns on a predetermined animation prohibition flag, forcibly stopping the currently running animation (the special jackpot animation performed during the latter half of the special jackpot game). For example, when the animation prohibition flag is turned on, the animation display device 1600 forcibly changes from the special jackpot animation performed during the latter half of the special jackpot game to various images corresponding to the stop-play state described above.

As an alternative, if the amount of balls dispensed during the special jackpot game in the latter half of the game reaches a specific value, the aforementioned ending period may be triggered even after the completion of the special jackpot game. During this ending period, only the special jackpot ending sequence may be executed, and the execution period for "Addiction Prevention Display B" may be removed, thus preventing "Addiction Prevention Display B" from being displayed. This configuration can achieve the same effect as described above.

Furthermore, in the example described above, if the payout amount reached a specific value at timing t2 during the break period, the game would stop once the payout amount reached 100,000, even if it was in the middle of the break period. However, if the payout amount reached the specific value immediately after the break period began (for example, when the player is unaware of the break period's start), suddenly switching to the stop-play state could mislead the player into thinking that the game had stopped midway through the first half of the special jackpot game. Considering this possibility, as an alternative, if the payout amount reaches a specific value during the break period, the game may be switched to the stop-play state after a predetermined waiting time (e.g., 3 seconds) has elapsed, ensuring that the player is aware of the start of the break period (the end of the first half of the special jackpot game). It is preferable that the predetermined waiting time be shorter than the maximum duration of the break period (10 seconds in the above example) to avoid unnecessarily prolonging the break period.

Furthermore, while the above example shows the break period ending after a predetermined period (10 seconds), another example is to allow the player to arbitrarily determine when the break period ends. For example, the break period could be continued until a predetermined action for ending the break period is performed (for example, detection of the player releasing their hand from the handle 160 for launching the game balls during the break period and then touching the launch handle 160 again, or the action of entering the game balls into a separate entry point for restarting the win, provided separately from the grand prize entry point 2005). The break period could then be terminated based on the detection that the predetermined action for ending the break period has been performed. In this case, a sufficient rest period tailored to each player can be ensured, and the progress of a long-term special jackpot game can be appropriately executed.

Furthermore, in the example above, during the break period, the amount of balls may reach a specific value by increasing the amount of balls dispensed by balls entering prize slots other than the main prize slot 2005. However, as an alternative example, in game board 5, a special prize slot may be provided as a prize slot other than the main prize slot 2005, which awards more prize balls when balls enter it than the various starting slots, allowing the amount of balls to reach a specific value without progressing the game during the break period. For example, unlike the various starting slots, the special prize slot does not trigger the display of special or normal symbols when balls enter it, but awards 100 game balls as prize balls when balls enter it. This allows players to aim to reach a specific value by having balls enter the special prize slot during the break period when the amount of balls is close to a specific value (for example, when it exceeds 99900), and can be adapted to the player's needs, such as when they want to end the special jackpot game early by transitioning to a stop state for some reason. Furthermore, it is preferable to configure the special prize slot to be equipped with a special opening/closing mechanism that allows game balls to enter only during the break period after they have flowed down the game board 5. However, considering that the control becomes more complex with the addition of special opening/closing mechanisms, it is also acceptable to leave the special prize slot open at all times, even outside of the break period, without providing a special opening/closing mechanism. In this case, it is preferable to configure the system so that the frequency of game balls entering the special prize slot is lower than the frequency of game balls entering the various starting slots. Also, if there is concern about game balls entering the special prize slot even outside of the break period after they have flowed down the game board 5, it is possible to place numerous game pins or the like at the entrance of the special prize slot to make it extremely difficult for game balls to enter the special prize slot, and leave the entrance of the special prize slot open at all times so that game balls entering the special prize slot can be controlled by the hall manager at the request of the player.

Furthermore, in the example described above, after each jackpot game ends, the game is controlled to enter a time-saving state for a predetermined number of rounds. Generally, it is known that a status notification (for example, a display of "Time-saving rounds GET!") is shown to inform the player of the state after the jackpot game has ended. However, as mentioned above, if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a certain value, the game will transition to a stop-play state, and the game will end with that jackpot game. If the status notification is shown, there is a risk that the player will be disappointed. Considering this issue, if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a certain value, the game is designed so that the player cannot perceive the status notification during that jackpot game. Specifically, if the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a certain value, the game is controlled to not execute the status notification itself during the jackpot game and to change to a display that does not inform the player of the state after the jackpot game has ended. Furthermore, considering that this change in presentation may complicate control, as an alternative, a state notification presentation may be executed during a jackpot game, but the presentation display device 1600 may hide all or part of the display of the state notification presentation with a predetermined display object, making it invisible or difficult to see for the player. As described in detail above, when the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value but the jackpot game being played continues (preparation state for stopping play), a standby notification is executed to inform the outside that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. For example, in addition to displaying information about the jackpot game being played (normal display), the presentation display device 1600 displays a message such as "The jackpot is over, and it's finished for today" as a standby display to indicate that the amount of balls dispensed has already reached a specific value. The display of the state notification presentation may also be hidden by such a standby display. Specifically, the standby display is displayed on a higher layer than the display of the state notification presentation, and the standby display is displayed in a position that overlaps with the display of the state notification presentation, making it possible to hide the display of the state notification presentation. In this way, when the amount of balls dispensed during a jackpot game reaches a specific value, the execution of the status notification animation during the jackpot game is suppressed, and the state after the jackpot game ends is not clearly communicated to the player, thereby preventing the player from feeling disappointed.

[22. Various control processes of the main control board]
Next, the various control processes performed by the main control board 1310 in accordance with the progress of the game of the pachinko machine 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 255 to 260. Figure 255 is a flowchart showing an example of the main control side power-on process, Figure 256 is a flowchart showing the continuation of the main control side power-on process in Figure 255, Figure 257 is a flowchart showing an example of the main control side timer interrupt process, Figure 258 is a flowchart showing an example of the setting change process, Figure 259 is a flowchart showing an example of the setting value confirmation display process, and Figure 260 is a flowchart showing an example of the error display process. First, the various random numbers used in game control will be explained, followed by the operation of the initial value update type counter, the main control side power-on process, the main control side timer interrupt process, the setting change process, the setting value confirmation display process, and the error display process.

[22-1. Various Random Numbers]
Various random numbers are provided for game control, including special random numbers used to determine whether or not to generate a jackpot game state or a minor jackpot game state, initial value determination random numbers for hit determination used to determine the initial value of these special random numbers, random numbers for reach determination used to determine whether or not to generate a reach (missed reach) when a jackpot game state is not generated, random numbers for variation display patterns used to determine the variation display pattern of special symbols that are varied and displayed on the first and second special symbol indicators of the function display unit 1400, symbol random numbers used to determine the jackpot symbols and minor jackpot symbols (determination of the type of win) that are derived and displayed on the first and second special symbol indicators of the function display unit 1400 when a jackpot game state is generated, and initial value determination random numbers for jackpot symbols used to determine the initial value of these symbol random numbers. In addition to these random numbers, there are also random numbers for determining whether or not to open and close the second start-up door 2411 that can guide the game ball B into the second start-up opening 2004, random numbers for determining the initial value of the random numbers for determining whether or not to open and close the second start-up door 2411, random numbers for determining the initial value of the random numbers for determining whether or not to open and close the second start-up door 2411, and random numbers for determining the variation display pattern of the normal symbols that are displayed on the normal symbol display unit of the function display unit 1400.

Of the various random numbers used in this type of game control, special random numbers are updated by hardware, while other types of random numbers are updated by software.

[22-2. The behavior of a counter with an initial value update]
For example, special random numbers are directly updated by hardware using a main control built-in hardware random number circuit built into the main control MPU 1310a. When the main control MPU 1310a is reset, this main control built-in hardware random number circuit first uses a value of 1 within a predetermined numerical range as its initial value, and then rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range one after another based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU 1310a. Once all values within the predetermined numerical range have been extracted, it again extracts a value of 1 within the predetermined numerical range and rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range one after another based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU 1310a. The main control built-in hardware random number circuit repeatedly performs this high-speed lottery, and the main control MPU 1310a sets the value extracted by the main control built-in hardware random number circuit at the time of obtaining a value from the main control built-in hardware random number circuit as the special random number.

In contrast, the counter that updates the random number used for determining whether a symbol wins is normal is updated within a predetermined fixed numerical range from the minimum value to the maximum value. This range from the minimum to the maximum value is incremented by 1 each time the main control timer interrupt process (described later) occurs. This counter counts up from the initial random number used to determine whether a symbol wins is normal towards the maximum value, and then from the minimum value towards the initial random number used to determine whether a symbol wins is normal. Once the counter has finished counting up the range from the minimum to the maximum value of the random number used to determine whether a symbol wins is normal, the initial random number used to determine whether a symbol wins is normal is updated. This method of updating a counter is called an "initial value update type counter." The initial random number used to determine whether a symbol wins is normal can be obtained by performing an initial value lottery process that draws a value of 1 from the fixed numerical range of the counter that updates the random number used to determine whether a symbol wins is normal.

In this embodiment, if the RAM clear switch (RWM switch 633d) of the payout control board 633 is operated when the power is turned on, or if the checksum value (sum value) obtained by calculating the sum of various information stored in the main control MPU 1310a's built-in RAM, which is treated as numerical values during the main control side power-on processing described later, does not match the checksum value (sum value) stored during the main control side power-off processing (power-off), then, when clearing all areas of the main control built-in RAM except for a specific area, the initial value determination random number for normal symbol win determination is set by the main control MPU 1310a retrieving an ID code from its built-in non-volatile RAM, deriving the same fixed value from the fixed numerical range of the counter that updates the normal symbol win determination random number based on this retrieved ID code, and then deriving this derived fixed value. In other words, the initial value determination random number for normal symbol win determination is always overwritten and updated by the execution of the initial value determination processing, which derives the same fixed value derived based on the ID code. Thus, the value set as the initial random number for determining the winning combination is derived using an ID code. This prevents analysis through a two-stage security measure: firstly, the manufacturer of the main control MPU 1310a stores the ID code in a non-volatile RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a, preventing the ID code from being overwritten even with external devices; and secondly, the initial value derivation process is executed when the entire RAM area of the main control unit is cleared except for a specific area, thereby deriving the same fixed value based on the ID code.

Here, we will explain the advantages of extracting an ID code from the non-volatile RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a and using this extracted ID code as the initial random number for determining the normal symbol win. For example, even if someone trying to illegally obtain game balls dispensed as prize balls somehow obtains and disassembles the game board 5, illegally obtains the ID code pre-stored in the non-volatile RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a, and is able to grasp the timing when the value of the counter that updates the normal symbol win determination random number matches the normal symbol win determination value, that ID code will be completely different from the ID code pre-stored in the non-volatile RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a' of other game boards 5' because it has a unique code attached to identify the individual. In other words, in other game boards 5', the timing when the value of the counter that updates the normal symbol win determination random number matches the normal symbol win determination value will also be completely different from that of the obtained game board 5. In other words, the ID code obtained by disassembling and analyzing the acquired game board 5 is completely useless for other game boards 5', i.e., other pachinko machines 1'. Therefore, even if a momentary power outage is generated at predetermined intervals determined by the disassembly and analysis, and game balls are passed through gate 2003 at those predetermined intervals, it is not possible to create a state where the second start gate door 2411 can be opened and closed to guide game balls B to the second start gate 2004.

[22-3. Processing when the main control side power is turned on]
First, when power is turned on to the pachinko machine 1, the main control MPU 1310a is configured so that the stack pointer is set to a predetermined address by default. This stack pointer indicates, for example, the address to which the contents of a memory element (register) currently in use are pushed onto the stack for temporary storage, or the address to which the return address of the main routine is pushed onto the stack for temporary storage when a subroutine finishes and the main routine returns. The stack pointer advances each time an item is pushed onto the stack.

Under the control of the main control MPU 1310a, the main control side power-on processing is performed as shown in Figures 255 and 256. When this main control side power-on processing begins, the main control MPU 1310a sets RAM access permissions (step S10). This setting of RAM access permissions allows updates to be performed on the main control's built-in RAM.

Following step S10, the main control MPU 1310a performs a power outage clearing process (step S12). This power outage clearing process involves a wait timer process to determine whether a power outage warning signal has been received from the power outage monitoring circuit. The voltage does not rise immediately from power-on until it reaches a predetermined voltage. On the other hand, during a power outage or momentary power interruption (a phenomenon where power supply is temporarily suspended), the voltage drops, and when it falls below the power outage warning voltage, a power outage warning signal is received from the power outage monitoring circuit. Similarly, from power-on until the voltage rises to a predetermined voltage, a power outage warning signal is received from the power outage monitoring circuit when the voltage falls below the power outage warning voltage. Therefore, the wait timer process is a process to wait after power-on until the voltage rises above the power outage warning voltage and stabilizes. In this embodiment, the waiting time (wait timer) is set to 200 milliseconds (ms).

Following step S12, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether the RAM clear switch has been operated (step S14). The RAM clear switch has three functions (RAM clear switch, setting switching button, and error release switch), and here it operates as a RAM clear switch to completely erase information stored in a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM. In this determination, the main control MPU 1310a determines that the RAM clear switch has not been operated if the logic of the operation signal (RAM clear signal) from the RAM clear switch is HIGH, while determining that the RAM clear switch has been operated if the logic of the operation signal (RAM clear signal) from the RAM clear switch is LOW. Note that the period from the start of this routine (main control side power-on processing) to the determination in step S14 is extremely short. Therefore, in practice, the person pressing the RAM clear switch's press button will do so while simultaneously powering on the pachinko machine 1.

In the determination in step S14, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the RAM clear switch has been operated, it sets the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG to a value of 1 (step S16A). On the other hand, in the determination in step S14, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the RAM clear switch has not been operated, it sets the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG to a value of 0 (step S16B). In other words, the main control MPU 1310a is in a state where it can perform a RAM clear process (step S38) to initialize the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a (i.e., the main control built-in RAM) for a predetermined time from the time the power is turned on. The RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG mentioned above is a flag that indicates whether or not to erase various information stored in the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU 1310a, including game information related to the game such as probability fluctuations and unpaid prize balls, and other information (for example, information indicating the value of the main prize ball count information output determination counter). It is set to a value of 1 when various information is to be erased, and to a value of 0 when various information is not to be erased. The value of the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG set in steps S16A and S16B is stored in the general-purpose memory element (general-purpose register) of the main control MPU 1310a. In order to execute the RAM clear process (step S38) which initializes the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a (i.e., the main control built-in RAM), the "predetermined initialization process execution conditions" must be met, which are that the RAM clear switch is operated and the setting key switch 1311a is not set to ON when the power is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage.

Following step S16A or step S16B, it is determined whether the main frame 4 has been opened and the setting key has been turned ON (step S18). In this determination, the main control MPU 1310a makes the determination based on the detection signal from the main frame opening switch 4b for detecting the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, and the setting key ON signal from the setting key switch 1311a, which is made when the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, and the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise from its initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF) and turned ON, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON. Furthermore, since the period from the start of this routine, the main control side power-on processing, to the determination in step S18 is extremely short, in practice, the person who turns on the setting key switch 1311a will turn on the power to the pachinko machine 1 after turning on the setting key switch 1311a.

In the determination in step S18, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 based on the detection signal from the main frame release switch 4b, and also determines that the setting key switch 1311a is set to the setting key ON based on the setting key ON signal, it sets the setting key ON flag CS-FLG to a value of 1 (step S20A). On the other hand, in the determination in step S18, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the main frame 4 is not open relative to the outer frame 2 based on the detection signal from the main frame release switch 4b, and/or determines that the setting key switch 1311a is not set to the setting key ON based on the setting key ON signal, it sets the setting key ON flag CS-FLG to a value of 0 (step S20B). The setting key ON flag CS-FLG is a flag that indicates whether or not to allow the current setting value (the value set among setting values 1 to 6 at the time the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON) stored in a predetermined area (a dedicated area for setting values in a specific area, described later) of the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU 1310a to be changed or to display a confirmation. It is set to a value of 1 when changing the setting value or displaying a confirmation is permitted, and to a value of 0 when changing the setting value or displaying a confirmation is not permitted. The value of the setting key ON flag CS-FLG set in steps S20A and S20B is stored in the general-purpose memory element (general-purpose register) of the main control MPU 1310a.

Following step S20A or step S20B, the main control MPU 1310a performs a wait time processing (step S22). During this wait time processing, it waits until the system that controls the drawing on the peripheral control board 1510 starts up (boots). In this embodiment, a waiting time (boot timer) of 2.5 seconds (s) is set until booting. At the time the main control MPU 1310a completes the wait time processing, the peripheral control board 1510 is ready to receive various commands from the main control board 1310 (main control MPU 1310a). Note that, at the time the main control MPU 1310a completes the wait time processing, the dispensing control board 633 completes booting in a shorter time than the peripheral control board 1510, and therefore the dispensing control board 633 is ready to receive various commands from the main control board 1310 (main control MPU 1310a).

Following step S22, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether or not a power outage warning signal has been input (step S24). As described above, when the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off, or when there is a power outage or momentary interruption, if the voltage falls below the power outage warning voltage, a power outage warning signal is input from the power outage monitoring circuit as a power outage warning. The determination in step S24 is made based on this power outage warning signal. In the determination in step S24, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that a power outage warning signal has been input, it returns to the determination in step S24 and repeats the determination in step S24 as long as the power outage warning signal continues to be input. A detailed explanation of why the determination in step S24 is performed following the wait time processing in step S22 will be given later.

In step S24, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that there is no power outage warning signal input, it determines whether the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is valued at 1 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG is valued at 1 (step S25). The main control MPU 1310a determines that the predetermined setting value change permission condition is met, based on the determination that the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is valued at 1 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG is valued at 1.

In step S25, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is value 1 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG is not value 1, it determines whether the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is value 1 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG is value 0 (step S26). The main control MPU 1310a determines that the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is value 1 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG is value 0, and therefore, although the predetermined setting value change permission condition is not met, it determines to erase various information in the same way as if the predetermined setting value change permission condition were met.

In the determination in step S26, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is valued at 1 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG is not valued at 0, it calculates a checksum (step S29). This checksum is calculated by treating various information stored in the main control's built-in RAM as numerical values and summing them up.

Following step S29, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether the calculated checksum value (sum value) matches the checksum value (sum value) stored in the main control side power failure processing (power failure) described later (step S30). In step S30, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that they match, it determines whether the backup flag BK-FLG is valued at 1 (step S32). This backup flag BK-FLG is a flag that indicates whether or not game backup information such as various information, the checksum value (sum value), and the value of the backup flag BK-FLG has been stored in the main control's built-in RAM during the main control side power failure processing described later. It is set to value 1 when the main control side power failure processing is completed normally, and to value 0 when the main control side power failure processing is not completed normally. Furthermore, a detailed explanation of the checksum calculation in step S29 and the determination in step S30, which occur when the main control board 1310 is first powered on after manufacturing for inspection, will be provided later.

In the determination in step S30, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the checksum value (sum value) does not match, or in the determination in step S32, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the backup flag BK-FLG is not valued as 1 (is valued as 0), that is, that the main control side power-off processing has not been completed normally, it performs an error display process (step S33) and enters an infinite loop. This infinite loop maintains the state after the error display process has finished, making it impossible to proceed with the game, so the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off and then turned back on. In this error display process, a detailed explanation will be given later, but if it is determined that there is an abnormality in the contents of the main control's built-in RAM, or if it is determined that the main control side power-off processing has not been completed normally when the power is cut off, it displays an error message indicating that there is an abnormality (or that the contents stored in the main control's built-in RAM are unreliable). In this embodiment, the main control MPU 1310a displays the letter E on the setting display 1310g as an error indication.

Furthermore, after the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off, the main frame 4 is opened from the outer frame 2, and the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise from its initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF) to turn it ON, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on again by operating the pressing operation part of the RAM clear switch on the payout control board 633, thereby restarting the main control side power-on processing routine. In the determination of step S14 described above, the main control MPU 1310a determines that the press operation part of the RAM clear switch has been operated, and in step S16A described above, sets the value of the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG to 1. In the determination of step S18 described above, it determines that the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 based on the detection signal from the main body frame release switch 4b, and also determines that the setting key switch 1311a is set to the setting key ON based on the setting key ON signal, and in step S20A described above, sets the setting key ON flag To set the value of CS-FLG to 1, in the determination in step S25 described above, it is determined that the predetermined setting value change permission conditions are met, assuming that the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is valued at 1 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG is valued at 1. Following the setting change process in step S37 (described later), in the process of step S38 (described later), the RAM error is cleared by clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, thereby allowing the game to proceed (hereinafter referred to as "the first RAM error clearing method").

As an alternative to this first RAM error clearing method, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off, and while the setting key cylinder remains in its initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on while pressing the press operation part of the RAM clear switch on the payout control board 633, thereby restarting the main control side power-on processing routine. In the determination in step S14 described above, the main control MPU 1310a determines that the press operation part of the RAM clear switch has been operated, and sets the value of 1 to the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG in step S16A described above. In step S18 described above, the detection signal from the main frame open switch 4b determines that the main frame 4 is not open to the outer frame 2, and/or determines that the setting key switch 1311a is not set to ON by the setting key ON signal, and sets the value of 1 to the setting key ON flag CS-FLG in step S20B described above. To set the value to 0, in the determination in step S26 described above, it is assumed that the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is valued at 1 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG is valued at 0. In other words, the predetermined setting value change permission conditions are not met. However, it is determined that various information should be erased in the same way as when the predetermined setting value change permission conditions are met. Therefore, in the processing of step S38 described later, the RAM error is cleared by clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, thereby allowing the game to proceed (hereinafter referred to as "the second RAM error clearing method").

Thus, in this embodiment, if the main control MPU 1310a determines in step S30 that the checksum value (sum value) does not match, or if the main control MPU 1310a determines in step S32 that the backup flag BK-FLG is not value 1 (is value 0), that is, that the main control side power failure processing has not been completed normally, it displays an error in step S33 to indicate that there is an abnormality (or that the contents stored in the main control's built-in RAM) and that the contents are unreliable, it can do so using two methods: a first RAM error clearing method and a second RAM error clearing method. Therefore, if there is no need to change the setting value at all, the RAM error can be cleared by using the second RAM error clearing method via the RAM clear switch.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S32, when the main control MPU 1310a determines that the backup flag BK-FLG is valued at 1, that is, that the main control side power outage processing has been completed successfully, it sets the working area of the main control's built-in RAM as the power restoration state (step S34). This setting is done by reading the power restoration information from the ROM built into the main control MPU 1310a (i.e., the main control's built-in ROM) and setting this power restoration information in the working area of the main control's built-in RAM. As a result, various information is read from the game backup information and various commands corresponding to this information are stored in a predetermined storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a proceeds with the game based on the setting values stored in a dedicated setting value area in a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM. Furthermore, "power restoration" includes not only the state of power being restored after being cut off, but also the state of power being restored after a power outage or momentary interruption, and the state in which the main control MPU 1310a itself is reset and then restored after being exposed to high-frequency waves from an unauthorized means (for example, a high-frequency output device hidden in the sleeve of an unauthorized person) on the main control board 1310.

Following step S34, the main control MPU 1310a sets the backup flag BK-FLG to a value of 0 (step S36). As a result, various information, checksum values (sum values), etc., are changed during subsequent processing. Therefore, if the main control power failure processing (described later) is not completed successfully and the backup flag BK-FLG is not set to a value of 1, the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM, excluding a specific area, will be cleared, as described later.

Following the determination in step S36, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is valued at 0 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG is valued at 1 (step S27). Having determined that the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is valued at 0 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG is valued at 1, the main control MPU 1310a determines that the predetermined setting value display permission condition is met.

In step S27, the main control MPU 1310a determines that the predetermined conditions for displaying the set value are met, based on the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG being valued at 0 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG being valued at 1. If it does so, it performs a setting value confirmation display process (step S28). This setting value confirmation display process, which will be explained in detail later, displays the setting value stored in a dedicated area for setting values within a specific region of the main control's built-in RAM on the setting display unit 1310g.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S25, when the main control MPU 1310a determines that the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is value 1 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG is value 1, that is, when it determines that the predetermined setting value change permission conditions have been met, it performs a setting change process (step S37). This setting change process will be explained in detail later, but it is performed based on a signal from the RAM clear switch on the payout control board 633. As mentioned above, the RAM clear switch has a function that combines three functions (RAM clear switch, setting switching button, and error release switch), and here it operates as a setting switching button for selecting and switching setting values. Each time the RAM clear switch's press operation is performed, a signal (a setting value selection switching signal) is input to indicate this, the setting value is changed and displayed on the setting display unit 1310g, and when the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a is switched from ON to OFF, the changed setting value is determined based on the OFF signal from the setting key switch 1311a and stored in a predetermined area of the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a.

In the processing of step S37, or in the determination of step S26, when the main control MPU 1310a determines that the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is value 1 and the setting key ON flag CS-FLG is value 0, that is, when the predetermined setting value change permission conditions are not met, but the MPU determines that various information should be erased in the same way as when the predetermined setting value change permission conditions are met, it clears the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM, excluding a specific area (step S38). Here, the main control MPU 1310a does this by writing the value 0 to a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM (the area of the main control's built-in RAM excluding the specific area). In this embodiment, in addition to when the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is not value 0 (value 1), that is, when the MPU determines that various information should be erased, when the setting change process is completed, it is always cleared the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM, excluding a specific area (a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM (the area of the main control's built-in RAM excluding the specific area)). Here, the "specific area" consists of a dedicated area for setting values where the setting values are stored, and a dedicated area for counting out balls where the count result (total number) of the game balls collected by the out port 1008, the first sub-out port 2021, and the second sub-out port 2022, which are located in the game area 5a partitioned on the game board 5, is stored. The dedicated area for setting values stores the setting values that are changed in the setting change process described later, and the dedicated area for counting out balls stores the count result (total number) of the game balls collected by the out port 1008, the first sub-out port 2021, and the second sub-out port 2022, which are counted in the ball counting process described later.

Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a may read a predetermined value from the main control's built-in ROM as its initial value and set it. Also, when the logic of the signal (RAM clear signal) indicating that the RAM clear switch on the payout control board 633 has been pressed indicates that a RAM clear is necessary to erase various information, when the sum value does not match, or when the main control side power-off processing has not been completed normally, the main control MPU 1310a retrieves a unique ID code pre-stored in its non-volatile RAM. Based on this retrieved ID code, it performs an initial value derivation process to always derive the same fixed value from the fixed numerical range of the counter that updates the random number for determining the normal symbol win, and sets this fixed value as the random number for determining the initial value of the normal symbol win determination, as described above.

Following step S38, the main control MPU 1310a sets the working area of the main control's built-in RAM as an initial setting (step S40). This setting is performed by reading initial information from the main control's built-in ROM and setting this initial information in the working area of the main control's built-in RAM. This initializes the game backup information, and for example, the value of the main prize ball count information output determination counter is set to its initial value of 0. Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a proceeds with the game based on the setting values stored in a dedicated setting value area within a specific region of the main control's built-in RAM.

Following steps S36, S28, or S40, the main control MPU 1310a performs initial value setting and startup setting of the main control built-in WDT (step S41). Here, in order to set an initial value for the main control built-in WDT, which monitors whether the operation (system) of the main control MPU 1310a is operating normally, the timer setting value is set in the watchdog timer control register (hereinafter referred to as the "WDT control register") built into the main control MPU 1310a, and the main control built-in WDT is started, and timing begins until the main control MPU 1310a is reset. When the main control built-in WDT is started, timing by the main control built-in WDT begins, and if the timer clear setting value is not set in the watchdog timer clear register (hereinafter referred to as the "WDT clear register") built into the main control MPU 1310a before the time measured reaches the time set by the timer setting value, the main control MPU 1310a is forcibly reset by the main control built-in WDT. In contrast, when the main control's built-in WDT starts and timing begins, setting the timer clear setting in the WDT clear register before the timing reaches the time set by the timer setting clears the timing by the main control's built-in WDT, and timing starts again. By repeatedly performing this process of clearing the timing by the main control's built-in WDT before the time set by the timer setting is reached and then starting timing again, it is possible to monitor whether the operation (system) of the main control MPU 1310a is functioning correctly.

Following step S41, the main control MPU 1310a performs interrupt initialization (step S42). This setting determines the interrupt period when the main control-side timer interrupt processing, described later, occurs. In this embodiment, it is set to 4 milliseconds (ms).

Following step S42, the main control MPU 1310a performs initial serial communication setup (step S44). Here, it sets the communication speed and parity settings in the transmit serial port prescaler corresponding to the various serial input/output ports built into the main control MPU 1310a (for example, the serial input/output ports (receive channel and transmit channel) for the dispensing control board 633, and the serial input/output ports (receive channel and transmit channel) for the peripheral control board 1510, as well as setting the initialization of the transmit circuit and enabling transmission in the transmit serial port control register.

Following step S44, the main control MPU 1310a performs the test signal output port initialization setting (step S46). Here, the test signal output port (not shown), used for outputting various inspection information at the gaming machine testing facility, is initialized (set to OFF data output) upon power-on.

Following step S46, the main control MPU 1310a performs the activation settings for the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit (step S48). Here, it sets up the main control MPU 1310a to latch and acquire a special random number, which is used to determine whether or not to generate a jackpot game state, from among the various random numbers related to the game, in order to update it by hardware. It also sets the activation of the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit in the hardware random number setting register. When the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit is activated by these settings, it rapidly extracts other values within a predetermined numerical range without repetition based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU 1310a. Once all values within the predetermined numerical range have been extracted, it again extracts a value of 1 within the predetermined numerical range and rapidly extracts other values within the predetermined numerical range without repetition based on the clock signal input to the main control MPU 1310a. Furthermore, when the main control MPU 1310a acquires a random number (random value) from the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit, it outputs a latch signal to the circuit. The MPU 1310a then acquires the random number (random value) extracted by the circuit upon receiving this latch signal from its built-in hardware random number latch register. The MPU 1310a then sets this acquired random value as a special random number.

Following step S48, the main control MPU 1310a sets the scheduled commands to be transmitted when the power is turned on (step S50). Here, based on the power restoration information set in the work area of the main control's built-in RAM in step S34, the MPU creates a power-on status command, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command, all categorized as power-on, to indicate that the power has been turned on (restored), and stores them as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. In some cases, the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM may also contain various commands corresponding to various information read from the game backup information during the work area setting of the main control's built-in RAM in step S34. In such cases, after the transmission of the various commands corresponding to the game information is completed, the power-on status command, the power-on main control return destination command, and the power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command are transmitted. These commands are sent during the main control timer interrupt processing, which will be described later. A detailed explanation of how the command to be sent when the power is turned on is reserved in step S50 will be provided later.

Following step S50, the main control MPU 1310a performs interrupt enable settings (step S52). This setting causes the main control timer interrupt processing, described later, to be repeatedly performed at the interrupt cycle set in step S42, i.e., every 4ms.

Following step S52, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether or not a power outage warning signal has been input (step S54). When the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off, or when there is a power outage or momentary interruption, as described above, if the voltage falls below the power outage warning voltage, a power outage warning signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a from the power outage monitoring circuit. The determination in step S54 is made based on this power outage warning signal.

In step S54, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that there is no power outage warning signal input, it performs a non-win/lose random number update process (step S56). This non-win/lose random number update process updates the random numbers used for reach determination, the random numbers used for the variable display pattern, the random numbers used for determining the initial value of the jackpot symbols, and the random numbers used for determining the initial value of the minor jackpot symbols, as described above. In this way, the non-win/lose random number update process updates random numbers unrelated to win/lose determination (jackpot determination) using software. Note that the random numbers used for normal symbol win determination, the random numbers used for determining the initial value of normal symbol win determination, and the random numbers used for normal symbol variable display patterns, as described above, are also updated by this non-win/lose random number update process.

Following step S56, the process returns to step S54. The main control MPU 1310a determines whether or not a power outage warning signal has been received. If no power outage warning signal is received, the non-winning/losing random number update process is performed in step S56, and steps S54 to S56 are repeated. This process from steps S54 to S56 is referred to as the "main control side main process."

On the other hand, in the determination in step S54, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that a power outage warning signal has been received, it sets the interrupt disable setting (step S58). This setting prevents the main control-side timer interrupt processing described later from occurring, preventing writing to the main control's built-in RAM and protecting against overwriting of various information, including the game information and other information mentioned above.

Following step S58, the main control MPU 1310a begins outputting a power outage clear signal (step S60). Here, the same process as the one performed in step S12, where the power outage clear signal was initiated, is performed.

Following step S60, the main control MPU 1310a stops the drive signals output to, for example, the various indicators of the function display unit 1400, the start port solenoid 2412, the attacker solenoid 2414, the prize entry port solenoid 2612, the V distribution solenoid 3007, the special monitor, etc. (step S62).

Following step S62, the main control MPU 1310a calculates a checksum and stores the calculated value (step S64). This checksum is calculated by treating the game information in the working area of the main control's built-in RAM, excluding the storage area for the checksum value (sum value) and the backup flag BK-FLG value, as numerical values and summing them up.

Following step S64, the main control MPU 1310a sets the backup flag BK-FLG to a value of 1 (step S66). This completes the storage of the game backup information.

Following step S66, the main control MPU 1310a sets a RAM access prohibition setting (step S68). This RAM access prohibition setting prevents access to the main control's built-in RAM, thereby preventing updates to the contents of the main control's built-in RAM.

Following step S68, an infinite loop is entered. In this infinite loop, the timer clear setting value is set in the WDT clear register built into the main control MPU 1310a for the main control's built-in WDT, which was activated in step S41. This clears the timing performed by the main control's built-in WDT, preventing it from restarting timing. As a result, the main control MPU 1310a is forcibly reset by the main control's built-in WDT. Afterward, the main control MPU 1310a performs this main control power-on processing again. The processing from steps S58 to S68 and the infinite loop are referred to as the "main control power-off processing."

As described above, if the main control MPU 1310a is affected by electrical noise, a forced reset will occur via its built-in reset circuit. In this case, the main control MPU 1310a cannot perform the determination in step S54 and cannot perform the main control side power-off processing. Therefore, when the main control MPU 1310a is forcibly reset by its built-in reset circuit, it will reset without performing the main control side power-off processing and will then perform the main control side power-on processing again. In other words, because the main control power-off processing is not executed, the checksum value (sum value) from the main control power-off processing based on the moment immediately before the forced reset by the built-in reset circuit is not stored. Therefore, the checksum value (sum value) stored when the main control power-off processing was executed during the previous power outage will not match the checksum value (sum value) calculated in step S29 when the system restarts after a forced reset by the built-in reset circuit. This will inevitably result in a checksum (sum value) error in the main control's built-in RAM, and in the process of step S38, all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area will be completely erased (cleared).

The pachinko machine 1 (main control MPU 1310a) resets when there is a power outage or momentary power interruption, and then performs the power-on processing on the main control side upon restoration of power.

Furthermore, in step S30, the game backup information stored in the main control's built-in RAM is checked to determine if it is correct, and then in step S32, it is checked to determine if the main control's power-off process was completed successfully. In this way, the game backup information stored in the main control's built-in RAM is checked twice to determine whether or not it was stored through fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, in the determination in step S25, if the setting change permission flag CS-FLG is not valued as 0 (value is 1), that is, if setting value changes are permitted, the setting change process in step S37 is performed, and in the process in step S38, the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM is completely erased (cleared) except for a specific area. In the determination in step S26, if the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is not valued as 0 (value is 1), that is, if it is determined that various information should be erased, the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM is completely erased (cleared) except for a specific area. Thus, when the press operation unit is operated during power restoration (more precisely, when the power of the pachinko machine 1 is turned on while pressing the press operation unit of the RAM clear switch), and when a setting change is performed that allows the setting value to be changed (when the main control MPU 1310a performs the setting change process), the main control MPU 1310a always clears a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM. This is because, when the RAM clear switch's press operation is performed, for example, when the pachinko machine 1 is in a favorable state for the player (for example, in a state where a probability variation (jackpot) win is occurring) when the amusement hall closes for business, it is necessary to erase (clear) the aforementioned game backup information before the next business day begins. Therefore, an employee of the amusement hall or other staff member needs to turn on the power to the pachinko machine 1 while pressing the RAM clear switch's press operation. Furthermore, when a setting value is to be changed, the setting change process must be performed. Even if the current setting value is ultimately maintained, the game backup information, including various information such as gameplay data obtained based on the setting value before the change process, must be erased (cleared) from the main control's built-in RAM. As mentioned above, the setting key is an important key that allows for checking the current setting value in addition to changing it. Therefore, only a limited number of people, including the manager of the pachinko parlor, are permitted to possess it, and its possession is limited to two or three individuals. In this embodiment, even if the setting value is not changed, that is, even without the setting key possessed by a limited number of specific individuals, staff members of the pachinko parlor can erase (clear) the game backup information from the main control's built-in RAM by pressing the RAM clear switch while powering on the pachinko machine 1.

Here, we will explain the point that the determination of whether or not a power outage warning signal is present in step S24 is performed following the wait time processing in step S22. First, we will explain the problems that arise when the determination of whether or not a power outage warning signal is present in step S24 is not performed; that is, when the value of the RAM clear flag in step S26 is determined after the wait time processing in step S22 and the subsequent processing proceeds.

As described above, the VDD terminal, which is the power terminal of the main control MPU 1310a, is configured so that when a power outage or momentary power interruption occurs and the power supply from the gaming hall's island equipment is cut off, the charge stored in the electrolytic capacitor MC2 is applied as +5V for a period of approximately 7 milliseconds (ms) from the time the power outage or momentary power interruption occurs. In other words, even when the power supply from the gaming hall's island equipment is cut off due to a momentary power interruption or power outage, the charge stored in the electrolytic capacitor MC2 is applied as +5V, allowing the main control side power outage processing to be completed within approximately 7 ms from the time the power supply from the gaming hall's island equipment is cut off. This ensures that the main control side power outage processing can be reliably completed when a power outage or momentary power interruption occurs and the power supply from the gaming hall's island equipment is cut off while a player is playing, that is, while the main control side main processing or the main control side timer interrupt processing described later is running.

However, in an extremely rare phenomenon, during the wait time processing in step S22 upon power restoration, the system that controls the drawing of the peripheral control board 1510 starts up (boots). If a momentary power outage or blackout occurs just before this waiting time is reached, the charge stored in the electrolytic capacitor MC2 is applied as +5V to the VDD terminal, which is the power terminal of the main control MPU 1310a. However, within approximately 7ms, the interrupt initial setup is performed in step S42, followed by the interrupt enable setting in step S52. This triggers the main control timer interrupt processing described later, updating the contents of the main control's built-in RAM. In this case, the main control power-on processing cannot be completed. Therefore, the checksum calculated based on the contents of the main control's built-in RAM is not stored, and the main control power-on processing starts again upon power restoration.

Consequently, when power is restored, the main control power-on process begins, and without any momentary power interruption or blackout, the wait time processing in step S22 is completed. Then, in step S30, the checksum calculated based on the contents of the main control's built-in RAM in step S29 is compared with the value stored in the main control's built-in RAM immediately before the momentary power interruption or blackout occurred. Since the checksum values will not match, step S38 will clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area. In other words, when power is restored, even without an explicit indication from an employee of the gaming hall that the RAM clear switch is operated, the aforementioned game backup information stored in the main control's built-in RAM will be forcibly erased (cleared).

Therefore, in this embodiment, immediately after the wait time processing in step S22, a process to determine whether or not a power outage warning signal has been input is provided as step S24. If a power outage warning signal has been input, the process returns to the determination in step S24, and as long as the power outage warning signal continues to be input, the determination in step S24 is repeated. This prevents the game from progressing. Although a value is set in the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG in step S16A or step S16B before the wait time processing in step S22, the value of the RAM clear notification flag RCL-FLG is stored in the general-purpose memory element (general-purpose register) of the main control MPU 1310a, as described above. Therefore, even if RAM access permission is set in step S10, the contents of the main control's built-in RAM (game information) are not changed at all.

In this way, immediately after the wait time waiting process in step S22, a process called step S24 is provided to determine whether or not a power outage warning signal has been input. When a power outage warning signal has been input (that is, when it is determined by the determination in step S24 that the power to the pachinko machine 1 has been cut off after waiting in the wait time waiting process in step S22), the process returns to the determination in step S24. As long as the power outage warning signal continues to be input, the determination in step S24 is repeated, preventing the game from progressing and preventing the updating of various information, including game information and other information (for example, information indicating the value of the main prize ball count information output determination counter), so that the checksum calculation result does not change. As a result, when the main control board 1310a restarts, it will determine that the checksum calculation result in step S29 and the value of the checksum calculated and stored in step S64 match, so the game information immediately before the momentary power outage or blackout stored in the main control's built-in RAM is not initialized. Therefore, when power is restored, it is possible to prevent the game information from being reset immediately before a momentary power outage or blackout occurred.

Furthermore, immediately after the wait time processing in step S22, a process is provided as step S24 to determine whether or not a power outage warning signal has been input. If no power outage warning signal has been input (i.e., if it is determined by the determination in step S24 that the power to the pachinko machine 1 will not be cut off after waiting in the wait time processing in step S22), even if the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off while the main control board 1310a is running the game, power will be supplied to the VDD terminal, which is the power terminal of the main control MPU 1310a, by the electrolytic capacitor MC2, and the game information and other information (for example, main prize ball count information output determination) based on the progress of the game will be output. The main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a can complete the main control side power outage processing, which consists of the backup processing in steps S58 to S68 (including information indicating the value of the counter) and an infinite loop, for storing various information. Therefore, when the main control MPU 1310a restarts, it determines that the checksum calculation result in step S29 matches the checksum calculation result in the backup processing (i.e., the value stored in step S64). As a result, the game information stored in the main control's built-in RAM immediately before the power outage or interruption occurs is not initialized. In other words, the main control board 1310 can be started up with the game information restored to what it was immediately before the power outage or interruption occurred.

Furthermore, if it is determined in step S24 that a power outage warning signal has been input immediately after the wait time processing in step S22, the main control MPU 1310a is forcibly reset by the main control's built-in WDT, allowing the main control side power outage processing to start again without updating the contents of the main control's built-in RAM at all. On the other hand, if it is determined in step S24 that no power outage warning signal has been input immediately after the wait time processing in step S22, the main control side power outage processing can be reliably completed within the "power supply securing period during momentary power outage or blackout" of approximately 7 ms by hardware, as before. In other words, in this embodiment, if a momentary power outage or blackout occurs during the main control power-on processing when power is restored, and the power from the gaming hall's island equipment is cut off, the charge stored in the electrolytic capacitor MC2 is applied as +5V to the VDD terminal, which is the power terminal of the main control MPU 1310a, for a period of approximately 7 milliseconds (ms) from the time of the blackout or momentary power outage. Therefore, if the main control power-off processing cannot be completed within the approximately 7 ms "momentary power outage or power supply period" provided by the electrolytic capacitor MC2 hardware, then in step S24, immediately after the wait time processing in step S22, it is determined whether or not a blackout warning signal has been input. If a blackout warning signal has been input, the process returns to the determination in step S24, and as long as the blackout warning signal continues to be input, the determination in step S24 is repeated, preventing the game from progressing.

This system employs a mechanism that prevents the game from progressing by using such software, thereby preventing the system from proceeding to steps after step S24 (specifically, the control flow in which interrupt initial settings are performed in step S42, and then interrupt permission is set in step S52 to start the main control side timer interrupt processing described later). This prevents the contents of the main control's built-in RAM (including game information and other information (for example, information indicating the value of the main prize ball count information output determination counter)) from being updated. In this way, when a power outage or momentary interruption occurs and the power supply from the gaming hall's island equipment is cut off, the system is configured in two parts: one part handled by software to ensure that the contents of the main control's built-in RAM (including game information and other information (e.g., information indicating the value of the main prize ball count output determination counter)) remain completely unchanged, and another part handled by hardware to ensure that the main control's power outage processing is reliably completed and the contents of the main control's built-in RAM (including game information and other information (e.g., information indicating the value of the main prize ball count output determination counter)) remain completely unchanged. By dividing the system into these two parts, it is possible to reliably prevent the contents of the main control's built-in RAM (including game information and other information (e.g., information indicating the value of the main prize ball count output determination counter)) from being altered.

Next, we will explain how the reservation setting of commands to be transmitted when the power is turned on is performed in step S50. In step S50, as described above, based on the power restoration information set in the work area of the main control's built-in RAM in step S34, a power-on status command, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM in order to convey that the power has been turned on (power restored). This power-on main control return destination command mainly consists of information indicating the drive state of the start solenoid 2412 and information indicating the drive state of the attacker solenoid 2414. This section first explains the problems that arise when the power-on main control return command does not include information indicating the drive state of the starter solenoid 2412 and information indicating the drive state of the attacker solenoid 2414. In other words, it describes the problems that arise when the power-on main control return command does not have a scheduled command setting for when the power is turned on in step S50.

For example, when the peripheral control board 1510 is controlling the display of a screen showing a jackpot game state (e.g., a screen showing a jackpot game animation) on the display area of the animation display device 1600, if a momentary power outage or blackout occurs while the main control board 1310 is driving the attacker solenoid 2414 to open the jackpot entry point 2005 by the opening/closing member, and then power is restored, the main control board 1310 will be restored to the game state immediately before the momentary power outage or blackout occurred, based on the power restoration information set in the work area of the main control's built-in RAM during the setting of the work area of the main control's built-in RAM in step S34. This will cause the attacker solenoid 2414 to start driving, transitioning the jackpot entry point 2005 from a closed state to an open state by the opening/closing member.

However, in the event of a momentary power outage or blackout, the peripheral control board 1510 is designed to receive various commands from the main control board 1310 and recover upon power restoration. Therefore, when a momentary power outage or blackout occurs and power is subsequently restored, the peripheral control board 1510 can recover based on the probability and time-saving state indicated by the power-on state command received from the main control board 1310 upon power restoration. However, when the main control board 1310 is in a game state and a jackpot game state is generated, if a momentary power outage or blackout occurs and power is subsequently restored, the peripheral control board 1510 can recover by displaying the screen in the display area of the performance display device 1600 according to the probability and time-saving state indicated by the power-on state command received from the main control board 1310 upon power restoration, but it cannot display which round of the jackpot game state is currently in. In other words, even if, for example, a game ball enters the large prize slot 2005 and is detected by the large prize slot sensor 2402, and the main control board 1310 transmits a large prize slot 1 count display command to the peripheral control board 1510 indicating the number of game balls that entered the large prize slot 2005, and the peripheral control board 1510 receives this command, the peripheral control board 1510 can display the number of game balls that entered the large prize slot 2005 on the screen in the display area of the performance display device 1600 according to the probability and time-saving state, but it cannot display which round of the jackpot game state (i.e., which round it is) at all.

In this situation, for example, when the fourth round (the fourth time) of a jackpot game state is ending, the main control board 1310 sends a command to the peripheral control board 1510 indicating that the drive of the attacker solenoid 2414 should be stopped and the jackpot opening 2005 should transition from an open state to a closed state by the opening/closing member (i.e., the closure of the jackpot opening 2005 of the first attacker unit 2400 between rounds should begin). When the main control board 1310 starts the fifth round (the fifth time) of a jackpot game state, it sends a command to the peripheral control board 1510 indicating that the drive of the attacker solenoid 2414 should be started and the jackpot opening 2005 should transition from an open state to an open state by the opening/closing member (i.e., the jackpot opening 2005 should begin opening for the fifth round). As a result, the peripheral control board 1510 finally switches from the screen corresponding to the probability and time-saving state described above to display the screen indicating the start of the 5 rounds of the jackpot game state in the display area of the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, for example, when the peripheral control board 1510 is displaying a screen on the display area of the performance display device 1600 indicating that the game is in a favorable state for the player, where a game ball can be received into the second start opening 2004 (for example, a screen indicating that the second start opening door 2411 is open), and the main control board 1310 is driving the start opening solenoid 2412 to open the second start opening door 2411, making it possible to guide game ball B into the second start opening 2004, if a momentary power outage or blackout occurs and power is subsequently restored, the main control board 1310, based on the power restoration information set in the work area of the main control's built-in RAM in step S34, will be restored to the game state immediately before the momentary power outage or blackout occurred. This will cause the start opening solenoid 2412 to start, closing the second start opening door 2411 and closing the second start opening 2004.

However, in the event of a momentary power outage or blackout, the peripheral control board 1510 is configured to receive various commands from the main control board 1310 and recover upon power restoration. Therefore, when a momentary power outage or blackout occurs and power is subsequently restored, the peripheral control board 1510 can recover based on the power-on state command received from the main control board 1310 upon power restoration. However, when the main control board 1310 is in a game state where game balls can be accepted into the second start port 2004, creating a game state that is advantageous to the player, if a momentary power outage or blackout occurs and power is restored afterward, even if the peripheral control board 1510 can return to normal by displaying a screen in the display area of the performance display device 1600 according to the probability and time-saving state instructed by the power-on state command received from the main control board 1310 at the time of power restoration, the peripheral control board 1510 cannot display a screen in the display area of the performance display device 1600 that indicates that the game state is in a game state where game balls can be accepted into the second start port 2004, creating a game state that is advantageous to the player. Therefore, players seated in front of the pachinko machine may be surprised by the momentary power outage or blackout and forget that, upon power restoration, the machine was in a state where game balls could be received into the second start port 2004, just before the outage or blackout occurred. In such cases, even though the machine has returned to a state where game balls can be received into the second start port 2004, the display area of the performance display device 1600 does not show a screen instructing the player to play (i.e., a screen instructing the player to insert game balls into the second start port 2004), leading to the problem that players are unsure of what to do.

Thus, in the two examples described above, there was a problem in that the game state immediately before the momentary power outage or blackout could not be quickly restored after power was restored. In other words, players seated in front of the pachinko machine might mistakenly believe the machine was broken when a momentary power outage or blackout occurred and then power was restored, as the machine's system appeared to freeze.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 is powered on (including not only power-on but also power restoration after a power outage or momentary interruption), in order to transmit a power-on status command and a power-on main control return destination command to the peripheral control board 1510, in step S50, a power-on status command, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. These commands are then transmitted in the main control-side timer interrupt processing described later.

As a result, the peripheral control board 1510, based on the power-on state command and the power-on main control return destination command received from the main control board 1310, can, for example, in the above example, if a momentary power outage or blackout occurs during the 4th round of the jackpot game state and then power is restored, the peripheral control board 1510 can communicate to the main control board 1310 that it will start driving the attacker solenoid 2414 and transition the jackpot opening 2005 from a closed state to an open state by the opening/closing member. Therefore, the peripheral control board 1510 cannot display a screen in the display area of the performance display device 1600 that identifies the 4th round of the jackpot game state (i.e., a screen that shows which round it is), but it can display a screen that indicates that the jackpot game state is in progress and the attacker solenoid 2414 has started to drive, and the large prize slot 2005 is open by the opening/closing member (for example, "It's a jackpot. The large prize slot is open. Please play the game and put the game ball into the large prize slot.") A screen displaying a message to the player can be shown in the display area of the performance display device 1600, instructing the player seated in front of the pachinko machine to insert the game ball into the large prize opening 2005 after power is restored. For example, in the above example, when the game state is such that the game ball can be received into the second start opening 2004 and the game state is favorable to the player, if a momentary power outage or blackout occurs and power is restored afterward, the main control board 1310 will start driving the start opening solenoid 2412 as the reset destination. The peripheral control board 1510 then displays a screen on the display area of the display device 1600 indicating that the second start gate door 2411 has been opened and that the game ball B is ready to be guided into the second start gate 2004 (for example, a screen displaying the message, "The second start gate door 2411 is open. Please play the game so that the game ball enters the second start gate."). This allows the player seated in front of the pachinko machine to be instructed to play the game by entering the game ball into the second start gate 2004 after power is restored.

This allows the main control board 1310 to precisely instruct the peripheral control board 1510 on its recovery destination when power is restored after a momentary power outage or blackout. Therefore, the game can quickly return to the state it was in immediately before the power outage or blackout after power is restored. In other words, this prevents players seated in front of the pachinko machine from mistakenly believing the machine is broken when it appears to freeze or become unresponsive after a power outage or blackout.

Next, we will explain the calculation of the checksum in step S29 and the judgment in step S30 in the main control board inspection process, which is an inspection process on the manufacturing line of the main control board 1310, when the main control board 1310 is powered on for the first time after being manufactured for inspection. In the main control board inspection process, when the main control board 1310 is powered on for the first time after being manufactured for inspection, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 has never executed the backup processing described above, which consists of steps S58 to S68 and the main control side power-off processing composed of an infinite loop. Therefore, even if a checksum based on the contents of the main control's built-in RAM is calculated in step S29, the checksum value will not match in the comparison judgment in step S30. Consequently, in step S38, the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM will be cleared except for a specific area.

As a result, when the command to be sent when the power is turned on is reserved in step S50, the following commands are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM: a power-on status command, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command. This ensures that only these three commands—the power-on status command, the power-on main control return destination command, and the power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command—are stored as transmission information in the main control's built-in RAM. These commands are then transmitted in the main control timer interrupt processing described later, with the power-on status command being sent first, followed by the power-on main control return destination command, and then the power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command. Using this, in the main control board inspection process, when the main control board 1310 is powered on for the first time after manufacturing for inspection, the power-on status command is sent from the main control board 1310 as the first command to the inspection device in the main control board inspection process.

By the way, the power-on status command consists of information indicating whether the RAM clear switch is operated to perform a RAM clear when the power is turned on (including not only when the power is turned on, but also when power is restored after a power outage or momentary interruption), information indicating which state (probability and time reduction state) to return to from the aforementioned low-probability time reduction state, high-probability time reduction state, low-probability non-time reduction state, and high-probability non-time reduction state, and information indicating the pachinko machine model code. Here, we will explain the problems that arise when the power-on status command does not include information indicating the pachinko machine model code.

The model code for a pachinko machine (specifically, the main control board 1310) allows for the identification of which copyrighted work it is based on, and what kind of game specifications it has (for example, in addition to game specifications where, once a probability change occurs, that state continues until the next jackpot occurs, there are also game specifications where the number of special symbol changes is limited (for example, 30 or 70 times) before a probability change occurs (so-called ST machine)).

In the manufacturing line of a pachinko machine 1, when producing the main control board 1310, there are cases where main control boards 1310 for multiple types of copyrighted works are mixed together. This can lead to workers on the manufacturing line becoming confused about which copyrighted work (for example, the copyrights for movies A, B, C, D, E, and F) the main control board 1310 is intended for, or they may mistakenly believe that a main control board 1310 intended for one copyrighted work (for example, the copyright for movie D) is being produced for another copyrighted work (for example, the copyright for manga F).

Therefore, in the manufacturing line of a manufacturer of pachinko machines 1, if main control boards 1310 for multiple different copyrighted works are mixed together during production, the workers on the manufacturing line cannot confirm which copyrighted work each main control board 1310 produced on the line belongs to. Furthermore, even for the same copyrighted work, they cannot confirm which machine type (Max type, Middle type, or Sweet type) or what the game specifications are (e.g., a game specification where, once a probability change occurs, that state continues until the next jackpot occurs, or an ST machine).

As a result, in the manufacturing line of a pachinko machine 1, when manufacturing the main control board 1310, if main control boards 1310 for multiple types of copyrighted works are mixed together, the main control boards 1310 for multiple types of copyrighted works will be sent to the game board assembly line for mounting the main control boards 1310 to the game boards 5 while still mixed together. Therefore, workers on the game board assembly line sometimes mounted main control boards 1310 that did not correspond to the game board 5 with the copyrighted work. This resulted in a problem of reduced production efficiency for the game boards 5.

Therefore, in this embodiment, when the main control board 1310 powers on (including not only power-on but also power restoration after a power outage or momentary interruption), in order to send a power-on status command containing information indicating the pachinko machine's model code to the peripheral control board 1510, in step S50, a power-on status command categorized as power-on, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. These commands are then transmitted in the main control-side timer interrupt processing described later.

As a result, in the main control board inspection process, which is an inspection process of the manufacturing line, the workers on the production line of the Pachinko machine 1 can power on the main control board 1310, and the inspection device will, based on the information indicating the model code of the Pachinko machine included in the power-on state command received from the main control board 1310, configure the information indicating the model code of the Pachinko machine, which consists of a series code to identify which of the above-mentioned Max type, Middle type, and Sweet Digi type is the model type, a copyright code to identify the copyright of the work, and game specifications (for example, if a probability change occurs, that state will continue until the next jackpot game state occurs). In addition to the game specifications mentioned above, the system also uses a game specification code to identify game specifications (such as ST machines) where probability fluctuations occur with a limited number of special symbol variations. By visually inspecting the detailed machine information displayed on the inspection monitor based on this code, it is possible to determine which copyright the main control board 1310 belongs to. Furthermore, even for the same copyright, it is possible to determine the machine type (Max type, Middle type, or Sweet type) and the game specifications (such as a game specification where, once a probability fluctuation occurs, that state continues until the next jackpot occurs, or an ST machine).

This allows the manufacturer of the pachinko machine 1 to accurately identify the model type, copyright, and game specifications of each main control board 1310 by visually inspecting the inspection monitor, even if multiple main control boards 1310 for different copyrighted works are mixed together on the manufacturing line. This enables them to separate the main control boards 1310 according to their copyright and send them to the subsequent game board assembly line. The workers on the game board assembly line can then reliably install the main control board 1310 corresponding to the game board 5, preventing a decrease in production efficiency caused by installing a main control board 1310 that does not correspond to the game board 5. Therefore, this contributes to improving the production efficiency of the game boards 5.

[22-4. Main control side timer interrupt processing]
Next, the main control side timer interrupt processing will be explained. This main control side timer interrupt processing is repeated at the interrupt cycle (4 ms in this embodiment) set in the main control side power-on processing shown in Figures 255 and 256.

When the main control timer interrupt processing begins, the main control MPU 1310a switches register banks as shown in Figure 257 (step S100). The main control MPU 1310a's general-purpose memory elements (general-purpose registers) consist of two register banks: a first register bank and a second register bank. The first register bank is used in the main control main processing during the main control power-on processing described above, while the second register bank is used in the main control timer interrupt processing routine. In step S100, since the second register bank is used in the main control timer interrupt processing routine, the register bank is switched from the first register bank, which is used in the main control main processing during the main control power-on processing, to the second register bank. In this embodiment, it is not necessary to save each register to the stack when the main control timer interrupt processing routine begins.

Following step S100, the main control MPU 1310a performs a timer subtraction process (step S102). This timer subtraction process manages time, for example, the time during which the first special symbol indicator and the second special symbol indicator of the function display unit 1400 light up according to the variable display pattern determined in the special symbol and special electric mechanism control process described later, the time during which the normal symbol indicator of the function display unit 1400 lights up according to the normal symbol variable display pattern determined in the normal symbol and normal electric mechanism control process described later, and the time during which the normal symbol indicator of the function display unit 1400 lights up. In addition, it manages time such as the ACK signal input determination time, which is set as a determination condition when determining whether or not a payer ACK signal has been input to indicate that the payout control board 633 has successfully received various commands transmitted by the main control board 1310 (main control MPU 1310a). Specifically, when the variation time of the variable display pattern or the normal symbol variation display pattern is 5 seconds, the timer interrupt period is set to 4 ms. Therefore, each time this timer subtraction process is performed, 4 ms is subtracted from the variation time, and the variation time of the variable display pattern or normal symbol variation display pattern is accurately measured when the result of this subtraction becomes 0.

In this embodiment, the ACK signal input detection time is set to 100 ms. Each time this timer subtraction process is performed, the ACK signal input detection time is subtracted by 4 ms, and the ACK signal input detection time is accurately measured when the subtraction result becomes 0. These various times and the ACK signal input detection time are stored as time management information in the time management information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM.

Following step S102, the main control MPU 1310a performs switch input processing (step S104). In this switch input processing, various signals input to the input terminals of the various input ports of the main control MPU 1310a are read and stored as input information in the input information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. Specifically, the main control MPU 1310a reads, for example, the detection signal from the gate sensor 2801, the detection signal from the general prize slot sensor 3001, the detection signal from the first start slot sensor 3002, the detection signal from the second start slot sensor 2401, the detection signal from the large prize slot sensor 2402, the detection signal from the out sensor 664, the detection signals from the first ball sensor 703 and the second ball sensor 704, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050, the operation signal (RAM clear signal) from the RAM clear switch, the detection signal from the door frame open switch, the detection signal from the main frame open switch 4b, the signal from the setting key switch 1311a, the signal from the setting switch button, and the payout ACK signal from the payout control board 633 indicating that the payout control board 633 has successfully received the prize ball command transmitted in the prize ball control processing described later, and stores them as input information in the input information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. Furthermore, when detection signals from the first start port sensor 3002 and the second start port sensor 2401 are read, the corresponding start port entry command, categorized as "other," is stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. In other words, when a detection signal is received from the first start port sensor 3002, the corresponding start port entry command is stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. Similarly, when a detection signal is received from the second start port sensor 2401, the corresponding start port entry command is stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM.

In this embodiment, when the switch input processing begins, the input status of all input terminals of the various input ports of the main control MPU 1310a (including those that have been processed as empty terminals) is read for the first time, and after a predetermined time (e.g., 10 μs) has elapsed, it is read again for the second time. The results read for the second time are then compared with the results read for the first time. It is determined whether or not there are any results that are the same. If the results are not the same, the input is read for the third time, and the results read for the third time are compared with the results read for the second time. It is determined again whether or not there are any results that are the same. If the results are not the same, the input is read for the fourth time, and the results read for the fourth time are compared with the results read for the third time. It is determined again whether or not there are any results that are the same. If the results are not the same, it is treated as if no game balls have entered, or the input is ignored.

Thus, in the switch input processing, the state of input to all input terminals of the various input ports of the main control MPU 1310a (including those with unused terminal processing) is compared twice: once from the 1st to the 3rd time, and again from the 2nd to the 4th time. This double reading process avoids false detections due to the effects of chattering, noise, etc. Therefore, detection signals from gate sensor 2801, general prize slot sensor 3001, first start slot sensor 3002, and second start slot sensor 24 This improves the reliability of the detection signal from 01, the detection signal from the large prize slot sensor 2402, the detection signals from the out sensor 664, the first ball sensor 703, and the second ball sensor 704, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050, the operation signal (RAM clear signal) from the RAM clear switch, the detection signal from the door frame open switch, the detection signal from the main body frame open switch 4b, the signal from the setting key switch 1311a, the signal from the setting switching button, and the payout ACK signal from the payout control board 633, which indicates that the payout control board 633 has successfully received the payout command transmitted in the payout ball control processing described later.

Following step S104, the main control MPU 1310a performs input terminal malfunction monitoring (step S105). In this input terminal malfunction monitoring process, the status of the input terminals of the various input ports of the main control MPU 1310a that have been treated as unused terminals is checked based on the information obtained in the switch input processing of step S104. Specifically, for example, the input terminal PA7 of the input port PA of the main control MPU 1310a is grounded to ground (GND) as an unused terminal, so its logic state is always LOW. Therefore, in the input terminal malfunction monitoring process, the logic state of the input terminals of the various input ports that have been treated as unused terminals is checked based on the information obtained in the switch input processing of step S104 to determine whether or not the logic state is LOW. When the main control MPU 1310a determines that the logic state of an input terminal that has undergone terminal processing is not LOW, it stores a malfunction command, classified as a notification display indicating a malfunction in the peripheral circuitry of the main control MPU 1310a, as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM.

Following step S105, the main control MPU 1310a performs a win/loss random number update process (step S106). In this win/loss random number update process, the symbol random numbers described above are updated. In addition to these random numbers, the random numbers for determining the initial values of the jackpot symbols and the random numbers for determining the initial values of the minor jackpot symbols, which are updated in the non-win/loss random number update process of step S56 in the main control side power-on process (main control side main process) shown in Figure 256, are also updated. These random numbers for determining the initial values of the jackpot symbols and minor jackpot symbols are updated in the main control side main process and the main control side timer interrupt process, respectively, to further increase their randomness. In contrast, since the symbol random numbers are random numbers related to the win/loss determination (win determination), their respective counters are counted up only each time this win/loss random number update process is performed. Furthermore, the random numbers used for determining the outcome of a regular symbol win and the random numbers used to determine the initial value for determining the outcome of a regular symbol win, as mentioned above, are also updated by this win/loss random number update process.

For example, the counter that updates the random number used for determining whether a symbol wins is normal is, as described above, an initial value update type counter. It is updated within a predetermined fixed numerical range from the minimum to the maximum value, and this range from minimum to maximum is incremented by 1 each time the main control timer interrupt process is executed. The counter counts up from the initial random number used to determine whether a symbol wins, towards the maximum value, and then from the minimum value towards the initial random number used to determine whether a symbol wins. Once the counter has finished counting up the range from the minimum to the maximum value of the random number used to determine whether a symbol wins, the initial random number used to determine the win is updated by this win/loss random number update process. The initial random number used to determine whether a symbol wins can be obtained by executing an initial value lottery process that selects a value of 1 from the fixed numerical range of the counter that updates the random number used to determine whether a symbol wins.

In this embodiment, the random numbers for determining the initial values of the jackpot symbols and the minor jackpot symbols are updated in the non-win/lose random number update process at step S56 of the main control side power-on processing (main control side main processing) shown in Figure 256, and in the win/lose random number update process at step S106 of the main control side timer interrupt processing, which is this routine. However, if the processing time of this routine becomes inconsistent each time an interrupt timer occurs, and the main control side main processing is repeatedly executed within the remaining time until the next interrupt timer occurs, resulting in a random number of executions of the non-win/lose random number update process at step S56, then the random numbers for determining the initial values of the jackpot symbols and the minor jackpot symbols may be updated only at the non-win/lose random number update process at step S56.

Following step S106, the main control MPU 1310a performs ball counting processing (step S107). In this ball counting processing, input information is read from the input information storage area described above, and based on this input information, a detection signal from the out sensor 664 is input, and game balls that are ejected from the game board 5 and flow through the out ball passage 663 (game balls that are driven into the game area 5a and received into prize slots such as the general prize slot 2001, the first start slot 2002, the second start slot 2004, the big prize slot 2005, the special prize slot 2006, etc., and ejected from the game board 5, and game balls that are driven into the game area 5a When the out sensor 664 detects a game ball that has been discharged from the game board 5 without being accepted into any of the prize-winning slots after being played, and is received into one of the out slots 1008, first sub-out slot 2021, or second sub-out slot 2022, it performs a calculation to add (increment) the value of the total recovered ball counter, and when a detection signal from the first ball sensor 703 is input and the ball is received into the out slot 1008, first sub-out slot 2021, or second sub-out slot 2022, When the first ball sensor 703 detects a game ball flowing through the first ball path 701, it performs a calculation to add (increment) the value of the out ball counter, which counts the number of game balls collected by the out port 1008, the first sub-out port 2021, and the second sub-out port 2022, so-called out balls. When a detection signal from the second ball sensor 704 is input and the ball is driven into the game area 5a, it enters the general prize port 2001, the first start port 2002, When the second ball sensor 704 detects a game ball that has been accepted into an entry opening such as the second start opening 2004, the big prize entry opening 2005, or the special prize entry opening 2006 and is circulating through the second ball path 702, it performs an operation to add (increment) the value of the safe ball counter, which counts the number of game balls accepted into entry openings such as the general prize entry opening 2001, the first start opening 2002, the second start opening 2004, the big prize entry opening 2005, or the special prize entry opening 2006, so-called safe balls. In other words, during the ball counting process, the out sensor 664 detects both the game balls received in the general prize slot 2001, the first start slot 2002, the second start slot 2004, the big prize slot 2005, the special prize slot 2006, etc., and the game balls received in the out slot 1008, the first sub-out slot 2021, and the second sub-out slot 2022. The first ball sensor 703 detects the game balls collected by the out slot 1008, the first sub-out slot 2021, and the second sub-out slot 2022, and the second ball sensor 704 detects the game balls received in the general prize slot 2001, the first start slot 2002, the second start slot 2004, the big prize slot 2005, the special prize slot 2006, etc.

The main control MPU 1310a then stores the value of the total recovered ball counter, which is the calculation result, in a dedicated area for total recovered ball counting in a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM, as the total number of game balls received in the general prize slot 2001, first start slot 2002, second start slot 2004, big prize slot 2005, special prize slot 2006, etc., and the game balls received in the out slot 1008, first sub-out slot 2021, and second sub-out slot 2022, and the value of the out ball counter out The total number of balls recovered through outlet 1008, the first sub-out outlet 2021, and the second sub-out outlet 2022 is stored in a dedicated area for ball counting in a specific region of the main control's built-in RAM. The value of the safe ball counter is also stored in a dedicated area for safe ball counting in a specific region of the main control's built-in RAM as the total number of safe balls received into the general prize outlet 2001, the first start outlet 2002, the second start outlet 2004, the large prize outlet 2005, the special prize outlet 2006, etc. Furthermore, the ratio of the number of balls dispensed (total number of prize balls dispensed) to the value of the total recovered ball counter, that is, the ratio of the number of balls dispensed (total number of prize balls dispensed) to the total number of game balls played, is calculated and stored in a base calculation area in a specific region of the main control's built-in RAM. The output of the lighting signal to be displayed on the special monitor is also set and stored as output information in the output information storage area.

Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a generates a ball retrieval command to indicate that the total number of game balls retrieved from the general prize slot 2001, first start slot 2002, second start slot 2004, large prize slot 2005, special prize slot 2006, etc., as well as the out slot 1008, first sub-out slot 2021, and second sub-out slot 2022, reaches 10 balls each time the total number of game balls retrieved reaches 10. This command is then stored in the output information storage area as transmission information. Note that when the calculated values of the ball retrieval counter, out ball counter, and safe ball counter reach their maximum values (65535 in this embodiment), and the main control MPU 1310a further increments (adds 1) to the ball retrieval counter, out ball counter, and safe ball counter, the values of the ball retrieval counter, out ball counter, and safe ball counter overflow to 0, and the calculation is performed starting from this value of 0.

Following step S107, the main control MPU 1310a performs prize ball control processing (step S108). In this prize ball control processing, input information is read from the input information storage area described above, and a prize ball command is created to dispense game balls based on this input information, and a self-check command is created to check the connection status between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. The created prize ball command and self-check command are then transmitted to the payout control board 633 as main payout serial data. For example, when one game ball enters the large prize slot 2005, a prize ball command is created to dispense 15 prize balls. Since the number of game balls to be dispensed as prize balls has reached 10, the output of the main prize ball count information output signal is set to indicate this, stored in the output information storage area, and the prize ball command is sent to the payout control board 633. If the payout control board 633 does not receive a payout ACK signal within a predetermined time to indicate successful reception of this prize ball command, a self-check command is created to check the connection status between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 and sent to the payout control board 633.

Furthermore, in the prize ball control process of step S108, the input information is read from the input information storage area described above, and based on this input information, if the number of game balls to be paid out as prize balls has reached 10, a main prize ball count information output command, categorized as "other," is created to convey this fact and stored in the transmission information storage area as transmission information. The main prize ball count information output command is created based on the value of the main prize ball count information output determination counter. The value of this main prize ball count information output determination counter is calculated by reading the input information from the input information storage area described above and counting the number of game balls that are scheduled to be paid out as prize balls based on the game balls that have entered the various prize slots provided on the game board 5, such as the general prize slot 2001, the first start slot 2002, the second start slot 2004, the big prize slot 2005, the special prize slot 2006, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "various prize slots provided on the game board 5"). In the prize ball control processing of step S108, this value is stored and updated in the prize ball schedule information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. In the prize ball control process of step S108, the value of the main prize ball count information output determination counter stored in the prize ball schedule information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM is read. The number of game balls scheduled to be paid out as prize balls is added to this read value of the main prize ball count information output determination counter, based on input information read from the aforementioned input information storage area. If the value indicating this added number exceeds 10 (i.e., the number of game balls scheduled to be paid out as prize balls has reached 10), a main prize ball count information output command is created to indicate this, stored in the output information storage area as transmission information, and the value indicating the excess number of balls is updated in the prize ball schedule information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM as the value of the main prize ball count information output determination counter.

Following step S108, the main control MPU 1310a performs frame command reception processing (step S110). The dispensing control board 633 transmits various 1-byte (8-bit) commands categorized as status indicators (for example, frame status 1 command, error clear navigation command, and frame status 2 command). In the frame command reception processing, when the various commands are successfully received as payer serial data, information to inform the dispensing control board 633 of this is stored as output information in the output information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a formats the successfully received commands as payer serial data into 2-byte (16-bit) commands (various commands categorized as status indicators (frame status 1 command, error clear navigation command, and frame status 2 command)) and stores them as transmission information in the aforementioned transmission information storage area.

Following step S110, the main control MPU 1310a performs fraud detection processing (step S112). This fraud detection processing checks for abnormal conditions related to prize balls. If it determines that fraudulent activity using radio wave irradiation (hereinafter referred to as "radio wave irradiation fraud") is occurring, the value of the radio wave irradiation fraud counter is incremented by 1. This radio wave fraud counter value is incremented each time radio wave irradiation fraud is determined to be occurring during the fraud detection processing, and when the RAM is cleared, the initial value is set to 0 (zero). When the value of the radio wave irradiation fraud counter reaches its upper limit (in this embodiment, the upper limit is set to 250 based on the interrupt period of 4ms, which is the interrupt period during which the fraud detection processing is performed by the main control side timer interrupt processing), a radio wave irradiation fraud notification command, which is classified as a notification display indicating that radio wave irradiation fraud is occurring, is created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area described above.

Furthermore, in the fraud detection process of step S112, input information is read from the input information storage area described above. When a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, it is determined that a fraudulent act using a magnet (hereinafter referred to as "magnet fraud") is being performed, and the value of the magnet fraud counter is incremented by 1. This value of the magnet fraud counter is incremented each time it is determined in the fraud detection process that radio wave irradiation fraud is being performed. It is included in the game backup information, and when the RAM is cleared, the initial value is set to 0 (zero). When the value of the magnet fraud counter reaches the upper limit (in this embodiment, the upper limit is set to 250 based on the interrupt period of 4ms, which is the interrupt period during which the fraud detection process is performed by the main control side timer interrupt process), a magnet fraud notification command, which is classified as a notification display indicating that radio wave irradiation fraud is being performed, is created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area described above. In this embodiment, by reliably detecting and notifying staff of magnetic cheating using this mechanism, it is possible to contribute to the early detection of magnetic cheating by staff members of amusement halls and other personnel.

Furthermore, in the fraud detection process of step S112, for example, input information is read from the input information storage area described above, and when a detection signal is input from the large prize pocket sensor 2402 when the game is not in a jackpot state (when a game ball enters the large prize pocket 2005), or when an abnormal entry into the large prize pocket occurs, an entry abnormality display command is created, which is classified as an abnormal state and stored in the transmission information storage area described above as transmission information, or the value of the safe ball counter stored in the safe ball counting dedicated area is used for general entry. If the total number of game balls detected by the mouth sensor 3001, first start-up sensor 3002, second start-up sensor 2401, large prize-winning-out-out sensor 2402, and special prize-winning-out-out sensor 2601 differs from the total number of game balls actually received into the prize-winning-out

In step S112, during the fraud detection process, when radio wave irradiation and/or magnet-based fraud are detected, the fraud detection flag FD-FLG is set to 1. Conversely, when neither radio wave irradiation nor magnet-based fraud is detected, the fraud detection flag FD-FLG is set to 0. This fraud detection flag FD-FLG is included in the game backup information, and when the RAM is cleared, it is reset to its initial value of 0 (zero). Furthermore, when an abnormal entry into the large prize slot is detected, the fraud detection flag FD-FLG may also be set to 1 as a detection of fraud.

Following step S112, the main control MPU 1310a performs a launch permission signal setting process (step S113). In this launch permission signal setting process, the logic of the launch permission signal is set to inform the launch control unit 633b of the payout control board 633 that launching the game ball B is permitted. Specifically, based on the value of the fraud detection flag FD-FLG described above, when the fraud detection flag FD-FLG is valued at 0, that is, when it is determined that no fraud has been detected, the main control MPU 1310a sets the logic of the launch permission signal to launch permission logic and stores it in the output information storage area described above as output information. On the other hand, when the fraud detection flag FD-FLG is not valued at 0 (value is 1), that is, when it is determined that fraud has been detected, the logic of the launch permission signal is set to launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic), which is the inverse of the launch permission logic, and stores it in the output information storage area described above as output information. Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a reads input information from the input information storage area described above and, based on this input information, if a detection signal is received from the door frame open switch and the door frame open switch detects that the door frame 3 is open relative to the main frame 4, or if a detection signal is received from the main frame open switch 4b and the main frame open switch 4b detects that the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the logic of the firing permission signal is set to firing stop logic (firing non-permission logic), which is the inverse of the firing permission logic, and stored as output information in the output information storage area described above. The firing permission signal logic is configured, as an initial value (default), to be set to firing stop logic (firing non-permission logic), which is the inverse of the firing permission logic, from the time the pachinko machine 1 is powered on (after power is restored) until the firing permission signal setting process in step S113 of the main control side timer interrupt processing routine begins, using hardware including a main control output circuit with a reset function.

Following step S113, the main control MPU 1310a performs special symbol and special electric mechanism control processing (step S114). In this special symbol and special electric mechanism control processing, a latch signal is output to the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit. The random number (random value) extracted by the main control's built-in hardware random number circuit when the latch signal is input is obtained from the hardware random number latch register built into the main control MPU 1310a, and this obtained random value is set as a special random number. Then, it determines whether a special random number (i.e., a random number obtained from the hardware random number latch register built into the main control MPU 1310a) matches a jackpot determination value pre-stored in the main control's built-in ROM (determining whether or not to generate a jackpot game state (referred to as a "special lottery")). Alternatively, it retrieves the value of the counter that updates the symbol random numbers and determines whether or not it matches one of the jackpot type determination values pre-stored in the main control's built-in ROM according to the jackpot type or minor jackpot type (determining the jackpot type).

If these determination results (lottery results) are determined by the first start port sensor 3002, various commands related to the synchronization performance in Special Figure 1 are created. On the other hand, if the determination results (lottery results) are determined by the second start port sensor 2401, various commands related to the synchronization performance in Special Figure 2 are created and stored in the transmission information storage area as transmission information. The variable display pattern of the special symbols is determined based on the random number for the variable display pattern described above, and the output of a lighting signal to the first special symbol indicator or the second special symbol indicator of the function display unit 1400 is set to light up according to the determined variable display pattern of the special symbols, and this is stored in the output information storage area described above as output information. Furthermore, depending on the game state to be generated, for example, when a jackpot game state is reached, various commands categorized as jackpot-related (jackpot opening command, command to display the Nth time the jackpot opening 1 has been opened, command to display the jackpot closing 1, command to display the jackpot count 1, jackpot ending command, and jackpot symbol display command) are created and stored in the transmission information storage area as transmission information. Alternatively, for example, the output of a drive signal to the attacker solenoid 2414 to open or close the opening/closing member is set and stored in the output information storage area as output information. If the number of times (rounds) the jackpot opening 2005 changes from a closed state to an open state is 2, At times, the system may set the output signal to illuminate the 2-round indicator lamp on the round indicator unit 1400, and store this information in the output information storage area. Similarly, when there are 15 rounds, the system may set the output signal to illuminate the 15-round indicator lamp on the round indicator unit 1400, and store this information in the output information storage area. Furthermore, the system may set the output signal to illuminate the status indicator on the function display unit 1400 in a predetermined color to indicate whether or not a time-saving event has occurred, and store this information in the output information storage area.

Following step S114, the main control MPU 1310a performs control processing for normal symbols and normal electric prizes (step S116). In this control processing, input information is read from the input information storage area described above, and normal prize entry processing is performed based on this input information. In this normal prize entry processing, it is determined from the input information whether or not a detection signal from the gate sensor 2801 was input to the input terminal of the input port. Based on this determination, if a detection signal was input to the input terminal of the input port, the value of the counter used to update the normal symbol win determination is extracted and stored as normal prize entry information in the normal prize entry information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM.

This general prize winning information storage area is provided with four sections (Section 0 to Section 3), and the general prize winning information is stored in the order of Section 0, Section 1, Section 2, and Section 3. For example, if the general prize winning information is stored in Sections 0 to 2 of the general prize winning information storage, and a detection signal from the gate sensor 2801 is input to the input terminal of the input port, the general prize winning information is stored in Section 3 of the general prize winning information storage.

The information for winning the regular prize slots is stored in section 0 of the regular prize slot information memory and is set in the working area of the main control's built-in RAM. Once this regular prize slot information is set, the regular prize slot information in section 1 of the regular prize slot information memory is shifted to section 0, the regular prize slot information in section 2 of the regular prize slot information memory is shifted to section 1, and the regular prize slot information in section 3 of the regular prize slot information memory is shifted to section 2, making section 3 of the regular prize slot information memory an empty area. For example, if the normal prize winning information is stored in sections 1 and 2 of the normal prize winning information storage, the normal prize winning information from section 1 is shifted to section 0, and the normal prize winning information from section 2 is shifted to section 1, leaving sections 2 and 3 as free areas. At this point, if the normal prize winning information is stored in sections 1 to 3, the output of the normal prize winning indicator's illumination signal for the function display unit 1400 is set based on the above-mentioned normal prize winning information, so that the total number of stored normal prize winning information points is treated as reserved balls and the normal reserved indicator of the function display unit 1400 is illuminated. This signal is then stored as output information in the output information storage area described above.

Following the normal prize entry process, the normal prize entry information set in the work area of the main control's built-in RAM is read, and a random number value for determining whether a normal symbol win occurs is extracted from this read normal prize entry information. It is then determined whether or not this value matches the normal symbol win determination value pre-stored in the main control's built-in ROM (this is called "normal lottery"). Based on this determination result (the result of the normal lottery), it is decided whether or not to open or close the second start gate door 2411. If the decision is made to open or close the door, the second start gate door 2411 will be opened, allowing game balls to be received into the second start gate 2004, resulting in a game state that is advantageous to the player. Based on this determination, the corresponding variation display pattern for the regular symbols is determined using the random number for the variation display pattern of the regular symbols described above. Various commands categorized as related to the regular symbol synchronization effect are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area described above. Furthermore, the output of a lighting signal to the regular symbol display unit 1400 is set to light up the regular symbol display unit of the function display unit 1400 according to the determined variation display pattern of the regular symbols, and this is stored as output information in the output information storage area described above.

Furthermore, for example, if the extracted random number for determining a normal symbol win matches the normal symbol win determination value pre-stored in the main control's built-in ROM, various commands related to normal electric performance are created and stored in the transmission information storage area as transmission information. At the same time, the output of a drive signal to the start port solenoid 2412 is set to open and close the second start port door 2411 and stored in the output information storage area as output information. On the other hand, if the extracted random number for determining a normal symbol win does not match the normal symbol win determination value pre-stored in the main control's built-in ROM, the normal symbol variation display pattern is determined based on the normal symbol variation display pattern random number mentioned above. Various commands categorized as normal symbol synchronization performance are created and stored in the transmission information storage area as transmission information. At the same time, the output of a lighting signal to the normal symbol display of the function display unit 1400 is set to light up the normal symbol display of the function display unit 1400 according to the determined normal symbol variation display pattern and stored in the output information storage area as output information. In this example, the probability of winning a regular draw (the probability of getting a regular win) is 1/2.

Following step S116, the main control MPU 1310a performs port output processing (step S118). In this port output processing, output information is read from the output information storage area described above from the output terminals of the various output ports of the main control MPU 1310a, and various signals are output based on this output information. For example, when the main control MPU 1310a has successfully received various commands from the payout control board 633 from the output terminals of predetermined output ports of the main control MPU 1310a based on the output information, it outputs a main payout ACK signal to the payout control board 633, when it has successfully received various commands from the payout control board 633, it outputs a drive signal to the attacker solenoid 2414 which opens and closes the opening and closing member of the big prize opening 2005 when it is in a big win game state, it outputs a drive signal to the start opening solenoid 2412 which opens and closes the second start opening door 2411 for opening and closing the second start opening 2004, and also outputs a 15-round big win information output signal, a 2-round big win information output signal, and small The system outputs various game-related information signals (game information), such as winning information output signals, special symbol display information output signals, normal symbol display information output signals, time-saving information output signals, and starting gate entry information output signals, to the payout control board 633. It also outputs a launch permission signal, set to launch permission logic or launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic), to the payout control board 633. Furthermore, it outputs a display signal to a special monitor that shows the ratio of the number of payouts (total number of prize balls dispensed) to the total number of game balls played. Finally, it outputs a lighting signal to display the setting value stored in a dedicated setting value area within a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM on the setting display unit 1310g.

Following step S118, the main control MPU 1310a performs peripheral control board command transmission processing (step S120). In this peripheral control board command transmission processing, transmission information is read from the transmission information storage area described above and this transmission information is transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 as main frequency serial data. This transmitted information includes various commands created in this routine, the main control-side timer interrupt processing, that are categorized as follows: various commands related to the synchronization effects of special figure 1, various commands related to the synchronization effects of special figure 2, various commands related to big wins (for example, a big win 1 count display command corresponding to the big win jackpot count command based on the detection signal from the big win jackpot sensor 2402 when a game ball that has entered the big win jackpot 2005 is detected), various commands categorized as power on, various commands categorized as the synchronization effects of the normal game, various commands categorized as the normal electric game effects, various commands categorized as notification display, various commands categorized as status display, various commands categorized as test-related, and various commands categorized as others (for example, when the main control board 1310 receives 10 game balls that have entered the various win jackpots on the game board 5, it sends a message to that effect). The system stores commands such as a main prize ball count output command, which instructs the system to send a main prize ball count information output signal to the hall computer via the external terminal board 558, using the main prize ball count information as the main prize ball count information, and various commands categorized into specific histories (for example, a ball retrieval command that notifies the system whenever the number of game balls retrieved from prize slots such as the general prize slot 2001, the first start slot 2002, the second start slot 2004, the big prize slot 2005, the special prize slot 2006, etc., as well as the out slot 1008, the first sub-out slot 2021, and the second sub-out slot 2022 reaches 10 balls, a setting change command that notifies the system that a setting value has been changed, an error display command that notifies the system that there is an abnormality (or that the contents stored in the main control's built-in RAM are unreliable), and a setting key ON operation command that notifies the system to check the setting value stored in the setting value-dedicated area described later in a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM). The main frequency serial data consists of 3 bytes per packet. Specifically, the main-period serial data consists of a status indicating the command type (with a storage capacity of 1 byte (8 bits)), a mode indicating the variation of the effect (also with a storage capacity of 1 byte (8 bits)), and a sum value calculated by treating the status and mode as numerical values. This sum value is created at the time of transmission.

In this peripheral control board command transmission process, various commands are transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 in the order of status, mode, and sum value, which constitute the main frequency serial data. As described above, in the event of a power outage or momentary interruption, the charge stored in the electrolytic capacitor MC2 is applied as +5V to the VDD terminal, which is the power terminal of the main control MPU 1310a. Therefore, the main frequency serial transmission port built into the main control MPU 1310a can, at a minimum, have the commands set in its transmission buffer register transferred to the transmission shift register by the serial management unit, and then completed to transmit them as main frequency serial data from the transmission shift register. When power is turned on to the pachinko machine 1, or when power is restored after a power outage or momentary interruption occurs, in the reservation setting of commands to be sent when power is turned on in step S50 of the main control side power-on processing shown in Figure 256, in order to inform that power has been restored, a power-on status command, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. Therefore, as main frequency serial data, the status, mode, and sum value that constitute the power-on status command are sent to the peripheral control board 1510 in that order, followed by the status, mode, and sum value that constitute the power-on main control return destination command, followed by the status, mode, and sum value that constitute the power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command, followed by the status, mode, and sum value that constitute the power-on main control Furthermore, in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM, various commands corresponding to various information read from the game backup information may be stored during the setting of the main control's built-in RAM's work area in step S34 of the main control side power-on processing. In such cases, after the transmission of various commands corresponding to the game information is completed, the power-on status command, the power-on main control return destination command, and the power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command are transmitted.

Furthermore, each time the number of game balls collected from the general prize slot 2001, first start slot 2002, second start slot 2004, big prize slot 2005, special prize slot 2006, etc., as well as the out slot 1008, first sub-out slot 2021, and second sub-out slot 2022 reaches 10, a ball collection command is sent to the peripheral control board 1510 to indicate this. The CPU of the peripheral control IC in the peripheral control board 1510 then, for each ball collection command received, sends a ball collection command to the general prize slot 2001, first start slot 2002, second start slot 2004, big prize slot 2005, special prize slot 200 6. The number of game balls collected from the prize winning slots, the out slot 1008, the first sub-out slot 2021, and the second sub-out slot 2022 is counted, and the ball collection information (information that associates the counted value (i.e., the total number of game balls collected from the prize winning slots such as the general prize winning slot 2001, the first start slot 2002, the second start slot 2004, the big prize winning slot 2005, the special prize winning slot 2006, etc., as well as the out slot 1008, the first sub-out slot 2021, and the second sub-out slot 2022) with the date and time of the update) stored in the built-in RAM of a real-time clock IC (not shown) is updated. Furthermore, if the ball retrieval command is not received and the pachinko machine 1 is powered off when the amusement hall closes, the ball retrieval information, which associates the last counted value (i.e., the total number of game balls retrieved from the entry points such as the general entry point 2001, the first start entry point 2002, the second start entry point 2004, the big entry point 2005, the special feature entry point 2006, etc., as well as the out entry point 1008, the first sub-out entry point 2021, and the second sub-out entry point 2022) with the date and time of update, is stored in the built-in RAM of the real-time clock IC (not shown). When the pachinko machine 1 is powered on when the amusement hall opens for business, the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 creates new ball retrieval information from the date of opening, replacing the ball retrieval information stored in the built-in RAM of the real-time clock IC (not shown), and the ball retrieval information is stored in the built-in RAM of the real-time clock IC (not shown) as ball retrieval history information. Furthermore, the counted values stored as ball retrieval information in the built-in RAM of the real-time clock IC (not shown) may use either the values counted from 0 (zero) on that day, or the sum of the values counted from 0 (zero) on that day and the sum of all previously counted values.

Following step S120, the main control MPU 1310a clears the built-in WDT (Waste Time Controller) (step S122), and terminates this routine. The clearing of the built-in WDT in step S122 is performed by setting the timer clear setting value in the WDT clear register built into the main control MPU 1310a. This clears the timing performed by the built-in WDT. Then, by restarting the timing performed by the built-in WDT, the main control MPU 1310a is not forcibly reset by the built-in WDT.

Furthermore, as described above, the main control board 1310 can execute and complete the backup process described above to store game information based on the progress of the game before the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off while the game is in progress. In addition, when power is restored, the main control board 1310 can output a power-on main control return destination command to the peripheral control board 1510, which instructs the drive state of the start port solenoid 2412 and attacker solenoid 2414, which are electrical drive sources, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off by the port output processing in step S118 of this routine, based on the game information for which the backup process was executed, as the destination for the return of the game progress by the main control board 1310. In other words, the main control board 1310, in the setting of commands to be sent when power is turned on in step S50 of the main control side power-on processing shown in Figure 256, and in the setting of the work area of the main control built-in RAM in step S34 of the same processing shown in Figure 255, based on the power-on information set in the work area of the main control built-in RAM, creates a power-on status command, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command, all categorized as power-on, to communicate that power has been turned on (power restored), and sends them as information to the main control built-in RAM. The information is stored in the transmission information storage area. In step S120 of this routine, during the peripheral control board command transmission process, the following information is transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 as main frequency serial data: status, mode, and sum value, which constitute the power-on status command. This is followed by the transmission of the power-on main control return destination command to the peripheral control board 1510, in the same order: status, mode, and sum value. Finally, the power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command is transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510, in the same order: status, mode, and sum value.

Therefore, the peripheral control board 1510 can display the destination of the game's progress as restored by the main control board 1310 upon power restoration, based on the main control board 1310's power-on restoration command, within the display area of the performance display device 1600. This allows the game to quickly return to the state it was in immediately before the power outage or interruption while a player is playing, and the destination of the game's progress as restored by the main control board 1310 can be displayed and notified within the display area of the performance display device 1600. This prevents the player from mistakenly believing the pachinko machine 1 has malfunctioned because it appears to be frozen. Therefore, by quickly returning to the game state it was in immediately before the power outage or interruption, it is possible to prevent the player from mistakenly believing the machine has malfunctioned.

Furthermore, in the main control board inspection process, which is an inspection process on the manufacturing line of the main control board 1310, when the main control board 1310 is powered on for the first time after manufacturing for inspection, as described above, in step S38 of the main control side power-on processing shown in Figure 255, all areas of the main control's built-in RAM are always cleared except for a specific area. As a result, in the reservation setting of commands to be sent at power-on in step S50 of the same process shown in Figure 256, when the reservation setting of commands to be sent at power-on is performed, a power-on state command, a power-on main control return destination command, and a power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command are created and stored as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. Thus, only three commands—the power-on state command, the power-on main control return destination command, and the power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command—are transmitted as transmission information in the main control's built-in RAM. The information is stored in the transmission information storage area of M, and in the peripheral control board command transmission process of step S120 in this routine, the status, mode, and sum value, which constitute the power-on state command, are transmitted to the inspection device of the main control board inspection process as main frequency serial data. Subsequently, the status, mode, and sum value, which constitute the power-on main control return destination command, are transmitted to the inspection device of the main control board inspection process. Subsequently, the status, mode, and sum value, which constitute the power-on main prize ball count information output determination counter notification command, are transmitted to the inspection device of the main control board inspection process. The inspection device in the main control board inspection process displays detailed machine information on the inspection monitor of the main control board inspection process based on the information indicating the pachinko machine's model code included in the power-on state command received from the main control board 1310. Specifically, it displays detailed machine information based on the series code (which identifies the machine type from the aforementioned Max type, Middle type, and Sweet type), the copyright code (which identifies the copyright of the work), and the game specification code (for example, in addition to a game specification where, once a probability change occurs, that state continues until the next jackpot occurs, there is also a game specification where a probability change occurs with a limited number of special symbol variations (ST machine)).

[22-5. Configuration Change Process]
Next, the setting change process will be explained. This setting change process is performed in step S37 of the main control side power-on process shown in Figure 255.

When the setting change process begins, the main control MPU 1310a acquires the current setting values, as shown in Figure 258 (step S200). Here, the main control MPU 1310a acquires the setting values stored in a dedicated setting value area within a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM. When acquiring these setting values, they can be read or retrieved; however, when retrieving the setting values, the retrieved setting values are set in a predetermined area.

Following step S200, the main control MPU 1310a calculates a checksum (step S202). This checksum is calculated by treating various information stored in the main control's built-in RAM as numerical values and summing them up. This is the same process as the checksum calculation performed in step S29 of the main control power-on processing shown in Figure 255.

Following step S202, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether the calculated checksum value (sum value) matches the checksum value (sum value) stored in the main control side power-off process (power-off) during the main control side power-on process shown in Figure 256 (step S204). In step S204, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that they match, it determines whether the backup flag BK-FLG is valued at 1 (step S206). The determinations in step S204 and step S206 are the same as the determinations in step S30 and step S32 during the main control side power-on process shown in Figure 255. The backup flag BK-FLG, as described above, is a flag that indicates whether or not game backup information, such as various information, the checksum value (sum value), and the value of the backup flag BK-FLG, was stored in the main control's built-in RAM during the main control power-off processing described later. It is set to a value of 1 when the main control power-off processing is completed successfully, and to a value of 0 when the main control power-off processing is not completed successfully.

In the determination in step S204, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the checksum value (sum value) does not match, or in the determination in step S206, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the backup flag BK-FLG is not value 1 (is value 0), that is, that the main control side power-off processing has not been completed normally, then it determines whether the setting value obtained in step S200 is within the normal range (step S208). Here, the "normal range" is the value that the setting value can be changed, and in this embodiment, it is pre-set to values up to setting value 1, setting value 2, setting value 3, setting value 4, setting value 5, and setting value 6. As the flowchart proceeds to the determination in step S208, it is determined that there is an abnormality in the contents of the main control's built-in RAM, or that the main control side power-off processing has not been completed normally when the power is cut off, therefore there is an abnormality (or it cannot be trusted) in the contents stored in the main control's built-in RAM. Therefore, in the determination in step S208, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether the setting value stored in the dedicated setting value area of a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM, obtained in step S200, is one of the normal range setting values 1 to 6. If it determines that it is within the normal range, it uses that setting value as is.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S208, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the value is not within the normal range, it sets the initial value, setting value 1, to the setting value obtained in step S200 (step S210). In the determination in step S208, it is determined whether the setting value stored in the dedicated area for setting values in a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM, obtained in step S200, is one of the values from setting value 1 to setting value 6, which are within the normal range. However, instead of performing the determination in step S208, if the main control MPU 1310a determines in the determination in step S204 that the checksum value (sum value) does not match, or if the main control MPU 1310a determines in the determination in step S206 that the backup flag BK-FLG is not value 1 (value 0), that is, that the main control side power failure processing has not been completed normally, it may proceed to the process in step S210 and set the initial value, setting value 1, to the setting value obtained in step S200.

In the determination in step S206, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the backup flag BK-FLG is valued at 1, that is, that the main control side power failure processing has been completed successfully, or in the determination in step S208, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the result is within the normal range, or following step S210, the main control MPU 1310a outputs a signal to the setting change permission lamp 1310z to illuminate the setting change permission lamp 1310z (step S212).

Following step S212, the main control MPU 1310a outputs a signal to the setting indicator 1310g to display the set value on the setting indicator 1310g, and displays the set value on the setting indicator 1310g (step S214).

Following step S214, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether the setting switch button has been operated (step S216). This determination is made by reading the detection signal from the setting switch button and determining whether a detection signal from the setting switch button has been input. The main control MPU 1310a determines that the setting switch button has been operated when a detection signal from the setting switch button has been input, and determines that the setting switch button has not been operated when no detection signal from the setting switch button has been input.

In step S216, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the setting switch button has been operated, it performs an operation to add (increment) the value of 1 to the setting value and updates it (step S218). At this time, if, when acquiring the setting value in step S200, the setting value stored in a dedicated area for setting values within a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM was retrieved and set in a predetermined area, then the value of 1 will be added (incremented) to the setting value set in this predetermined area.

Following step S218, the main control MPU 1310a outputs a signal to the setting indicator 1310g to display the updated setting value on the setting indicator 1310g, and displays the updated setting value on the setting indicator 1310g (step S220).

Following step S220, or in the determination in step S216, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the setting switch button has not been operated, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether or not the confirmation key has been operated (step S222). In this determination, the main control MPU 1310a determines that the setting key has been inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, and that the setting key cylinder has been rotated 120 degrees counterclockwise from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON (that is, the setting key switch 1311a has been rotated counterclockwise from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key is turned ON to its original initial position (that is, the rotation position of the setting key cylinder when the setting key switch 1311a is turned OFF) By rotating the setting key switch 1311a 60 degrees to the left (to the OFF position) and then rotating it another 60 degrees counterclockwise (to the ON position), the setting key switch 1311a is activated. Based on the ON signal from the setting key switch 1311a, it is determined that the key has been operated when the ON signal is received from the setting key switch 1311a. Conversely, if the ON signal is not received from the setting key switch 1311a, it is determined that the key has not been operated.

In the determination in step S222, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the OK key has not been operated, it returns to the determination in step S216 to determine whether the setting switch button has been operated. In the determination in step S216, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the setting switch button has been operated, it repeats the processes of step S218 and step S220, and makes the determination in step S222. If it determines that the OK key has not been operated, it returns to the determination in step S216. Until the OK key is operated, if the setting switch button is operated, the setting value is increased by 1 each time it is operated and updated and displayed on the setting display 1310g. If the setting switch button is not operated, the setting value updated when the setting switch button was operated most recently is displayed on the setting display 1310g. Furthermore, even if a power outage or momentary interruption occurs and power is restored before the determination in step S222 that the confirmation key has been operated, the setting value updated immediately before the power outage or momentary interruption occurred is not stored in the dedicated setting value area in a specific region of the main control's built-in RAM. Therefore, it is discarded, and the setting value stored in the dedicated setting value area in a specific region of the main control's built-in RAM remains unchanged.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S222, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the confirmation key has been operated, it stores the updated setting value in a dedicated setting value area in a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM (step S224). At this time, if, when acquiring the setting value in step S200, the setting value stored in the dedicated setting value area in the specific area of the main control's built-in RAM was retrieved and set in a predetermined area, the setting value set in this predetermined area will be updated. Therefore, this updated setting value will be returned to the dedicated setting value area in the specific area of the main control's built-in RAM. Even if a power outage or momentary interruption occurs and power is restored after the completion of this step S224, the updated setting value from when the confirmation key was operated before the power outage or momentary interruption occurred will be stored in the dedicated setting value area in the specific area of the main control's built-in RAM.

Following step S224, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether or not the setting key has been turned OFF (step S226). In this determination, the main control MPU 1310a determines that the setting key has been turned OFF when the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, and the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise from the rotational position where the setting key switch 1311a was turned ON back to its initial position (i.e., the rotational position where the setting key switch 1311a is turned OFF). This determination is based on the OFF signal from the setting key switch 1311a. If an OFF signal is received from the setting key switch 1311a, the MPU determines that the setting key has been turned OFF. Conversely, if no OFF signal is received from the setting key switch 1311a, the MPU determines that the setting key has not been turned OFF.

In the determination in step S226, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the setting key has not been turned OFF, it returns to the determination in step S226 and repeats the determination in step S226 until the setting key is turned OFF.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S226, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the setting key has been turned OFF, it stops outputting the illumination signal to the setting indicator 1310g for displaying the updated setting value, thereby hiding the updated setting value from the setting indicator 1310g (step S228).

Following step S228, the main control MPU 1310a stops the signal to illuminate the setting change permission lamp 1310z, thereby turning off the setting change permission lamp 1310z (step S230).

Following step S230, the main control MPU 1310a sets the setting change permission flag CS-FLG to a value of 0 (step S232). As described above, this setting change permission flag CS-FLG indicates whether or not to allow a change to the current setting value (the value set among setting values 1 to 6 at the time the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a is first turned ON) stored in a dedicated area for setting values within a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM. It is set to a value of 1 when a setting change is permitted, and to a value of 0 when a setting change is not permitted. In the process of step S232, by setting the setting change permission flag CS-FLG to a value of 0, further changes to the setting value are not permitted.

Following step S232, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether the setting value stored in step S224 is within the normal range (step S233). The "normal range" is the same as that determined in step S208, and as described above, in this embodiment, it is pre-set to values up to setting value 1, setting value 2, setting value 3, setting value 4, setting value 5, and setting value 6. In the determination in step S233, the main control MPU 1310a reconfirms whether the setting value is an abnormal value. It determines whether the setting value stored in the dedicated setting value area within a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM in step S224 is one of the normal range values (setting value 1 to setting value 6). If it determines that it is within the normal range, it uses that setting value as is.

In the determination in step S233, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that it is within the normal range, it performs serial communication initial setup (step S234), then creates a setting change command and sets the transmission information (step S236), and then performs peripheral control board transmission command transmission processing to send the transmission information (setting change command) set in step S236 as main frequency serial data to the peripheral control board 1510 (step S238), and then terminates this routine. The serial communication initial setup in step S234 is the same process as the serial communication initial setup in step S44 in the main control side power-on processing shown in Figure 256, and the peripheral control board transmission command transmission processing in step S238 is the same process as the peripheral control board transmission command transmission processing in step S120 in the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257. Here, in the serial communication initialization step S234, the process precedes the serial communication initialization step S44. In the peripheral control board transmission command transmission process in step S238, the transmission information (setting change command) set in step S236 is transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 as main frequency serial data. This is because, prioritizing the notification of the setting change to the peripheral control board 1510 via the setting change command, before the reservation setting of the command to be transmitted at power-up in step S50 of the main control side power-up processing shown in Figure 256. The setting change command is a command that communicates the changed setting value and the completion of setting value storage. Upon receiving the setting change command, the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 updates the setting value history information (information associating setting values with date and time) stored in the built-in RAM of the real-time clock IC (not shown).

On the other hand, in the determination in step S233, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the value is outside the normal range, it performs an error display process (step S240) and enters an infinite loop. This infinite loop maintains the state where the error display process has ended, making it impossible to proceed with the game. Therefore, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off and then turned back on. This error display process, which will be explained in detail later, is performed if it determines that there is an abnormality in the contents of the main control's built-in RAM, or if it determines that the main control's power-off process has not completed normally when the power is shut off. In this embodiment, the main control MPU 1310a displays the letter E on the setting display 1310g as an error display.

In the example above, the setting change process was shown to set the system to one of several setting values (setting values 1 to 6). However, it is not limited to setting to one of several setting values. Alternatively, a system with multiple setting values may have a single setting value, and the setting change process may be limited to setting to this single value. Furthermore, a system with multiple setting values may have a setting change process that sets the system to only one predetermined setting value (meaning it can only be set to the predetermined value and cannot be set to any other setting). In this case, the setting value will not be changed during the setting change process, and the system will remain at the same setting value before and after the process.

[22-6. Setting Value Confirmation and Display Process]
Next, the setting value confirmation and display process will be explained. This setting value confirmation and display process is performed in step S28 of the main control side power-on process shown in Figures 255 and 256.

When the setting value confirmation and display process is started, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether the confirmation display flag DCS-FLG is valued at 0 or not, as shown in Figure 259 (step S350). This confirmation display flag DCS-FLG is a flag for confirming the setting value stored in a dedicated area for setting values in a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM. It is set to value 1 when the setting value is being confirmed and displayed, and to value 0 when the setting value is not being confirmed and displayed. In addition, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 displays "Power Restoring" on a black background on the performance display device 1600 as a startup mode. Furthermore, when the setting value confirmation display process in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing begins, the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a sends a setting value confirmation display start command as main frequency serial data to the peripheral control board 1510 to indicate that the setting value confirmation display will begin. When the setting value confirmation display process ends, a setting value confirmation display end command is sent as main frequency serial data to the peripheral control board 1510. This allows for the display of "Checking settings" following "Power recovery in progress," or for "Checking settings" to be displayed instead of "Power recovery in progress."

In the determination in step S350, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether the main frame 4 has been opened and the setting key has been turned ON when the confirmation display flag DCS-FLG is valued at 0, that is, when the set value is not being confirmed and displayed (step S352). In this determination, the main control MPU 1310a reads the input information from the input information storage area described above and, based on this input information, determines whether the main frame 4 has been opened relative to the outer frame 2, a detection signal from the main frame opening switch 4b to detect the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, and whether the setting key has been inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, and the setting key cylinder has been rotated 60 degrees clockwise from its initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF) to perform the first ON operation, thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a ON, and the setting key switch 13 Based on the setting key ON signal from 11a, it is determined that the main frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2, and based on the setting key ON signal, it is determined that the setting key switch 1311a is set to ON. Therefore, it is determined that the predetermined setting value display permission conditions are met. On the other hand, based on the detection signal from the main frame open switch 4b, it is determined that the main frame 4 is not open to the outer frame 2, and/or based on the setting key ON signal, it is determined that the setting key switch 1311a is not set to ON. Therefore, it is determined that the predetermined setting value display permission conditions are not met.

In step S352, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the predetermined setting value display permission conditions are not met, it terminates this routine. However, if it determines that the predetermined setting value display permission conditions are met, it sets the confirmation display flag DCS-FLG to 1 (step S354) to indicate that the setting value will be displayed for confirmation, and then retrieves the current set value (step S356). Here, the main control MPU 1310a retrieves the setting value stored in a dedicated setting value area within a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM.

Following step S356, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether the setting value acquired in step S356 is within the normal range (step S357). The "normal range" is the same as the determinations made in step S208 and step S233 in the setting change process shown in Figure 258. As described above, in this embodiment, the values are pre-set to setting value 1, setting value 2, setting value 3, setting value 4, setting value 5, and setting value 6. In the determination in step S357, the main control MPU 1310a reconfirms whether the setting value is an abnormal value by determining whether the setting value acquired in step S356 (i.e., the setting value stored in the dedicated setting value area in a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM) is one of the values within the normal range, from setting value 1 to setting value 6. If it determines that it is within the normal range, it uses that setting value as is.

In the determination in step S357, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the value is within the normal range, it outputs a signal to the setting indicator 1310g to display the setting value acquired in step S356 on the setting indicator 1310g, and displays the setting value on the setting indicator 1310g (step S358).

Following step S360, the main control MPU 1310a creates an ON operation command for the setting key, stores it as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM, sets the ON operation command for the setting key (step S360), and terminates this routine. This ON operation command for the setting key is transmitted in the peripheral control board command transmission process of step S120 in the main control-side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257. The ON operation command for the setting key is a command that indicates that the setting value confirmation and display process, which is this routine, has started (that is, that the setting value stored in the dedicated setting value area in a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM has been confirmed).

Furthermore, when the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 receives an ON operation command for the setting key, it updates the ON operation history information for the setting key (information that associates the confirmation of the setting value with the date and time) stored in the built-in RAM of a real-time clock IC (not shown).

Furthermore, when the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 receives an ON operation command for the setting key, it enters a state where a predetermined condition for permission to display specific history information is met, allowing it to display the aforementioned ball retrieval history information, setting value history information, error display history information, and setting key ON operation history information. In this state where the predetermined condition for permission to display specific history information is met, the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 controls the display area of the display device 1600 by switching from the previously displayed image to a specific history information display image that selects and displays the specific history information, upon rotation of the contact operation unit 302 and pressing of the press operation unit 303.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S350, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether or not the setting key has been turned OFF when the confirmation display flag DCS-FLG is not valued at 0 (value is 1), that is, when the set value is being confirmed and displayed (step S362). In this determination, the main control MPU 1310a reads the input information from the input information storage area described above and, based on this input information, determines that the setting key has been turned OFF. This is done by inserting the setting key into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, and by rotating the setting key cylinder 60 degrees clockwise from the rotational position where the setting key switch 1311a was turned ON back to its initial position (i.e., the rotational position where the setting key switch 1311a is turned OFF). This OFF operation is performed by an OFF signal from the setting key switch 1311a. When an OFF signal is received from the setting key switch 1311a, it is determined that the setting key has been turned OFF. Conversely, when no OFF signal is received from the setting key switch 1311a, it is determined that the setting key has not been turned OFF.

In the determination in step S362, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the setting key has not been turned OFF, it terminates this routine. However, if it determines that the setting key has been turned OFF, it sets the confirmation display flag DCS-FLG to 0, indicating that the setting value will not be displayed (step S364). Subsequently, it stops outputting the lighting signal to the setting display 1310g for displaying the setting value acquired in step S356, thereby hiding the acquired setting value from the setting display 1310g (step S366). Subsequently, it creates an OFF operation command for the setting key, stores it as transmission information in the transmission information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM, and sets the OFF operation command for the setting key (step S368), and then terminates this routine. This OFF operation command for the setting key is transmitted in the peripheral control board command transmission process of step S120 in the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257. The OFF command for the setting key indicates that the setting value confirmation and display process of this routine has finished (i.e., that the setting value stored in the dedicated area for setting values in a specific region of the main control's built-in RAM has been confirmed).

Furthermore, when the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 receives an OFF operation command for the setting key, the predetermined conditions for permitting the display of specific history information described above are no longer met. At this time, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 was controlling the display of the specific history information display image in the display area of the performance display device 1600, it will switch back to the image that was displayed in the display area of the performance display device 1600 immediately before switching to the specific history information display image.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S357, if the main control MPU 1310a determines that the value is outside the normal range, it sets the interrupt to disabled (step S370). This setting stops the main control-side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257, which was repeatedly performed every 4ms.

Following step S370, the main control MPU 1310a performs error display processing (step S372), and then enters an infinite loop in which it continuously clears the main control's built-in WDT (step S374). This infinite loop causes the main control's built-in WDT to be continuously cleared. This is because once the main control's built-in WDT is started, it cannot be stopped. By continuously clearing the main control's built-in WDT, the timer clear setting value is set in the WDT clear register built into the main control MPU 1310a, clearing the timing by the main control's built-in WDT. When the timing by the main control's built-in WDT is restarted, the main control MPU 1310a is not forcibly reset by the main control's built-in WDT. Furthermore, this infinite loop maintains the state in which the error display processing has ended, making it impossible to proceed with the game. As a result, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off and then turned back on. This error display process, which will be explained in detail later, will display an error message if it determines that there is an abnormality in the contents of the main control's built-in RAM, or if it determines that the main control's power-off process has not completed properly when the power is cut off. In this embodiment, the main control MPU 1310a displays the letter E on the setting display 1310g as an error message.

Furthermore, as described above, if the system is configured to have only one setting value and the setting change process executes a process to set that single setting value, or if it has multiple setting values but the setting change process executes a process to set only one predetermined setting value (where it is only possible to set to the predetermined single setting value and not to set to any other setting values), then when the setting value confirmation display process is executed, only the single set setting value may be displayed.

[22-7. Error Display Processing]
Next, the error display process will be explained. This error display process is performed in step S33 of the main control side power-on process shown in Figure 255, in step S37 of the main control side power-on process shown in Figure 255 (the process performed in step S240 of the setting change process shown in Figure 258), and in step S372 of the setting value confirmation display process shown in Figure 259.

When error display processing begins, the main control MPU 1310a stops the launch permission signal as shown in Figure 260 (step S400). As described above, the launch permission signal informs the launch control unit 633b of the payout control board 633 that launching the game ball B is permitted. When its logic is set to launch permission logic, it can communicate permission to launch. Conversely, when its logic is set to launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic), which is the inverse of the launch permission logic, it can communicate that launch should be stopped (not permitted).

If the error display process in this routine is initiated as one of the processes performed in step S33 of the main control side power-on process shown in Figure 255, or in step S37 of the main control side power-on process shown in Figure 255 (specifically, the process performed in step S240 of the setting change process shown in Figure 258), the main control MPU 1310a cannot perform the interrupt enable setting in step S52 of the main control side power-on process shown in Figure 256. Therefore, it cannot perform the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257, and thus cannot perform the launch enable signal setting processing in step S113 of the same process. Since the launch enable signal is output from the output terminal of a predetermined output port of the main control MPU 1310a to the launch control unit 633b of the payout control board 633 via the main control output circuit with a reset function, the main control output circuit with a reset function is reset upon power restoration, and its logic becomes the launch stop logic (launch non-enable logic), which is the inverse of the launch enable logic.

Therefore, when this routine, the error display processing, is initiated as one of the processes performed in step S33 of the main control side power-on processing shown in Figure 255, or in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing shown in Figure 255 (specifically, the process performed in step S240 of the setting change processing shown in Figure 258), the main control MPU 1310a, in step S400, sets the logic of the launch permission signal to launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic) to ensure that the game ball B is not launched even after power is restored and this routine, the error display processing, has started. This signal is then output from the output terminal of its predetermined output port to the launch control unit 633b of the payout control board 633 via the main control output circuit with a reset function.

When this routine, the error display process, is initiated as a process performed in step S372 of the setting value confirmation display process shown in Figure 259, the main control MPU 1310a determines in the judgment at step S357 of the setting value confirmation display process shown in Figure 259 that there is an abnormality in the contents of the main control's built-in RAM. Although the main control MPU 1310a has already performed the interrupt enable setting at step S52 of the main control side power-on process shown in Figure 256, the interrupt de-enable setting has already been performed at step S370 of the setting value confirmation display process shown in Figure 259 before this routine, the error display process, ends, as described above, entering an infinite loop. Therefore, the main control side timer interrupt process shown in Figure 257 cannot be performed, and the launch enable signal setting process at step S113 of the same process cannot be performed.

Therefore, when this routine, the error display processing, is initiated as a process performed in step S372 of the setting value confirmation display processing shown in Figure 259, the main control MPU 1310a, in step S400, sets the logic of the launch permission signal to launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic) in order to reliably prevent the game ball B from being launched when there is an abnormality in the contents of the main control's built-in RAM, and outputs it from the output terminal of its predetermined output port to the launch control unit 633b of the payout control board 633 via the main control output circuit with a reset function.

Following step S400, a signal is output to the setting indicator 1310g to display the letter E as an error, and an error message is displayed on the setting indicator 1310g (step S402).

Following step S402, the main control MPU 1310a displays an error to the function display unit 1400 (step S404). In step S404, the MPU outputs a signal to the function display unit 1400 to illuminate all of its indicators, thereby displaying an error to the function display unit 1400.

Following step S404, the main control MPU 1310a performs initial serial communication setup (step S406), then creates an error display command and sets the transmission information (step S408), and finally performs a peripheral control board transmission command transmission process (step S410) to send the transmission information (error display command) set in step S406 to the peripheral control board 1510 as main frequency serial data, and then terminates this routine.

The serial communication initial setting in step S406 is the same process as the serial communication initial setting in step S234 in the setting change process shown in Figure 258 and the serial communication initial setting in step S44 in the main control side power-on process shown in Figure 256. The peripheral control board transmission command transmission process in step S410 is the same process as the peripheral control board transmission command transmission process in step S238 in the setting change process shown in Figure 258 and the peripheral control board transmission command transmission process in step S120 in the main control side timer interrupt process shown in Figure 257. When this routine, the error display process, is started and completed in step S33 of the main control power-on process shown in Figure 255, in step S37 of the main control power-on process shown in Figure 255 (the process performed in step S240 of the setting change process shown in Figure 258), and in step S372 of the setting value confirmation display process shown in Figure 259, an infinite loop is entered, as described above. This infinite loop maintains the state where the error display process has finished, making it impossible to proceed with the game at all.

Therefore, in this embodiment, after performing the initial serial communication setup in step S406, the transmission information (error display command) set in step S408 is transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 as main frequency serial data during the peripheral control board transmission command transmission process in step S410.

The error display command is a command that indicates that there is an abnormality (or that the information stored in the main control's built-in RAM is unreliable). When the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 receives the error display command, it updates the error display history information (information that associates the error display command with the date and time it was received) stored in the built-in RAM of the real-time clock IC (not shown).

Furthermore, when the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 receives an error display command, it controls the display area of the display device 1600 to display a message image with a blue background image and white text that reads "A RAM error has occurred. Please call an attendant." It also controls the announcement "A RAM error has occurred. Please call an attendant." to be forcibly set to maximum volume, regardless of the volume adjustment made by rotating the volume control switch on the peripheral control board 1510, and broadcast it through various speakers (top center speaker, top side speakers, and the main frame speaker on the main frame 4, etc.). The process of notifying of a RAM error via an error display command has the highest priority. If the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 receives an error display command after receiving other error commands, it prioritizes the RAM error notification.

[23. Various control processes of the dispensing control board]
Next, the various control processes performed by the dispensing control board 633 will be explained with reference to Figures 261 to 264. Figure 261 is a flowchart showing an example of the dispensing control unit power-on process, Figure 262 is a flowchart showing the continuation of the dispensing control unit power-on process shown in Figure 261, Figure 263 is a flowchart showing the continuation of the dispensing control unit power-on process following Figure 262, and Figure 264 is a flowchart showing an example of the dispensing control unit timer interrupt process. First, the dispensing control unit power-on process will be explained, followed by the dispensing control unit timer interrupt process.

[23-1. Processing when the power to the dispensing control unit is turned on]
First, when power is turned on to the pachinko machine 1, the payout control unit power-on processing is performed under the control of the payout control MPU of the payout control unit 633a on the payout control board 633, as shown in Figures 261 to 263. When this payout control unit power-on processing starts, the payout control MPU sets the interrupt mode (step S500). This interrupt mode sets the priority of interrupts for the payout control MPU. In this embodiment, the payout control unit timer interrupt processing, which will be described later, is set to have the highest priority, and when an interrupt for this payout control unit timer interrupt processing occurs, it is processed preferentially.

Following step S500, the dispensing control MPU performs input/output settings (I/O input/output settings) (step S502). These I/O input/output settings involve configuring the various input and output ports of the dispensing control MPU.

Following step S502, the payout control MPU performs wait timer processing 1 (step S506) and determines whether a power outage warning signal has been input (step S508). The voltage does not rise immediately from power-on until it reaches a predetermined voltage. On the other hand, in the event of a power outage or momentary power interruption (a phenomenon where power supply is temporarily suspended), the voltage drops, and when it falls below the power outage warning voltage, a power outage warning signal is input from the power outage monitoring circuit of the main control board 1310. Similarly, from power-on until it rises to a predetermined voltage, if the voltage falls below the power outage warning voltage, a power outage warning signal is input from the power outage monitoring circuit of the main control board 1310. Therefore, wait timer processing 1 in step S506 is a process to wait after power-on until the voltage becomes higher than the power outage warning voltage and stabilizes. In this embodiment, the waiting time (wait timer) is set to 200 milliseconds (ms). The determination in step S508 is made based on the power outage warning signal from the power outage monitoring circuit of the main control board 1310.

Following step S508, the payout control MPU determines whether the RAM clear switch on the payout control board 633 has been operated (step S512). This determination is based on the logic of the operation signal from the RAM clear switch. When the logic of the operation signal (RAM clear signal) from the RAM clear switch is HIGH, it is determined that the RAM clear switch has not been operated, as it does not instruct a RAM clear. Conversely, when the logic of the operation signal (RAM clear signal) from the RAM clear switch is LOW, it is determined that the RAM clear switch has been operated, as it instructs a RAM clear.

In step S512, if the payout control MPU determines that the RAM clear switch has been operated, it sets the payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG to a value of 1 (step S514). In other words, the payout control MPU is in a state where it can perform a RAM clear process (step S38) to initialize the RAM built into the payout control MPU (i.e., the payout control built-in RAM) for a predetermined period of time from power-on.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S512, if the payout control MPU determines that the RAM clear switch has not been operated, it sets the payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG to a value of 0 (step S516). This payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG is a flag that indicates whether or not to erase payout information related to payouts stored in the payout control built-in RAM of the payout control MPU, such as various flags and various information stored in various information storage areas (for example, the number of prize balls stocked PBS, the number of actual balls counted PB, the number of drive commands DRV, the mismatch counter INCC, etc., stored in the prize ball information storage area, and the PRDY signal output setting information, etc., which sets the logical state of the PRDY signal, stored in the CR communication information storage area). It is set to a value of 1 when the payout information is to be erased, and to a value of 0 when the payout information is not to be erased. Furthermore, the payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG, set in steps S514 and S516, is stored in the general-purpose memory element (general-purpose register) of the payout control MPU.

Following step S514 or step S516, the dispensing control MPU configures the system to allow access to the built-in dispensing control RAM (step S518). This configuration allows access to the built-in dispensing control RAM, enabling operations such as writing (storing) or reading dispensing information.

Following step S518, the payout control MPU sets the stack pointer (step S520). The stack pointer indicates, for example, the address where the contents of a currently used memory element (register) are temporarily stored on the stack, or the address where the return address of the main routine is temporarily stored when a subroutine terminates and the main routine returns. The stack pointer advances each time data is added to the stack. In step S520, an initial address is set in the stack pointer, and from this initial address, the contents of the registers, the return address, etc., are pushed onto the stack. Then, by reading sequentially from the last stacked data to the first stacked data, the stack pointer returns to its initial address.

Following step S520, the payout control MPU determines whether the payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG is valued at 0 (step S522). As described above, the payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG is set to 1 when the payout information is cleared, and to 0 when the payout information is not cleared.

In the determination in step S522, if the payout control MPU determines that the payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG is valued at 0, that is, that the payout information will not be erased, it calculates a checksum (step S524). This checksum is calculated by treating the payout information stored in the built-in payout control RAM as numerical values and summing them up.

Following step S524, the dispensing control MPU determines whether the calculated checksum value matches the checksum value stored during the dispensing control unit power-off processing (power-off) described later (step S526). In step S526, if the dispensing control MPU determines they match, it determines whether the dispensing backup flag HBK-FLG is valued at 1 (step S528). This dispensing backup flag HBK-FLG indicates whether dispensing backup information, such as dispensing information and the checksum value, was stored in the dispensing control unit's built-in RAM during the dispensing control unit power-off processing described later. It is set to value 1 when the dispensing control unit power-off processing is completed successfully, and to value 0 when the dispensing control unit power-off processing is not completed successfully.

In the determination in step S528, if the payout control MPU determines that the payout backup flag HBK-FLG is valued at 1, that is, that the payout control unit power outage processing has been completed successfully, it sets the working area of the built-in RAM of the payout control as the power restoration time (step S530). In this setting, in addition to setting the payout backup flag HBK-FLG to value 0, the power restoration time information is read from the ROM built into the payout control MPU (i.e., the built-in ROM of the payout control), and this power restoration time information is set in the working area of the built-in RAM of the payout control. This sets information used for various processes based on the payout information, including the payout backup information stored in the built-in RAM for payout control, various flags, and various information stored in various information storage areas (for example, the number of prize balls stocked PBS, the number of actual balls counted PB, the number of drive commands DRV, the mismatch counter INCC, etc., stored in the prize ball information storage area; the PRDY signal output setting information, where the logical state of the PRDY signal is set, stored in the CR communication information storage area; the mismatch counter reset judgment time, etc., stored in the time management information storage area). Note that "power restoration" includes not only the state of turning the power back on after it has been cut off, but also the state after power has been restored following a power outage or momentary interruption.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S522, if the payout control MPU determines that the payout RAM clear notification flag HRCL-FLG is not valued as 0 (i.e., valued as 1), that is, that the payout information should be erased; or in the determination in step S526, if the payout control MPU determines that the checksum values do not match; or in the determination in step S528, if the payout control MPU determines that the payout backup flag HBK-FLG is not valued as 1 (i.e., valued as 0), that is, that the payout control unit power-off processing has not been completed successfully, then the entire area of the built-in payout control RAM is cleared (step S532). This clears the payout backup information stored in the built-in payout control RAM.

Following step S532, the dispensing control MPU sets the working area of the built-in dispensing control RAM as an initial setting (step S534). This setting is done by reading initial information from the built-in dispensing control ROM and setting this initial information in the working area of the built-in dispensing control RAM.

Following step S530 or step S534, the payout control MPU performs interrupt initialization (step S536). This setting determines the interrupt period when the payout control timer interrupt processing, described later, occurs. In this embodiment, it is set to 2 ms.

Following step S536, the payout control MPU performs interrupt enablement settings (step S538). This setting causes the payout control timer interrupt process to be repeatedly executed at the interrupt cycle set in step S536, i.e., every 2ms.

Following step S538, the payout control MPU sets value A in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL (step S539). By sequentially setting values A, B, and C in this watchdog timer clear register HWCL, the watchdog timer is cleared.

Following step S539, the payout control MPU determines whether or not a power outage warning signal has been input (step S540). When the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off, or when there is a power outage or momentary interruption, as described above, if the voltage falls below the power outage warning voltage, a power outage warning signal is input from the power outage monitoring circuit of the main control board 1310. The determination in step S540 is made based on this power outage warning signal.

In step S540, if the payout control MPU determines that there is no power outage warning signal input, it determines whether the 2ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is valued at 1 (step S542). This 2ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is a flag used in the payout control timer interrupt processing, which is performed every 2ms (described later). It is set to value 1 when 2ms have elapsed and value 0 when 2ms have not elapsed.

In step S542, if the payout control MPU determines that the 2ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is valued at 0, meaning that 2ms have not elapsed, it returns to step S540 and determines whether or not a power outage warning signal has been input.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S542, if the payout control MPU determines that the 2ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is valued at 1, that is, that 2ms have elapsed, it sets the value of the 2ms elapsed flag HT-FLG to 0 (step S544).

Following step S544, the payout control MPU sets value B in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL (step S546). At this time, value B is set in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL, following value A which was set in step S539.

Following step S546, the dispensing control MPU performs port output processing (step S548). In this port output processing, various information is read from the output information storage area of the built-in dispensing control RAM, and various signals are output from the output terminals of the various output ports of the dispensing control MPU based on this information. The output information storage area stores various information, such as payout ACK information indicating that various commands related to payout from the main control board 1310 (prize ball commands and self-check commands) have been successfully received, drive information for controlling the payout motor 584, prize ball count information for the number of game balls actually dispensed by the payout motor 584, and LED display information to be displayed on the error LED indicator. Based on this output information, the payout control MPU outputs a payout ACK signal to the main control board 1310 when various commands related to payout from the main control board 1310 have been successfully received, outputs a drive signal to the payout motor 584, and outputs the number of game balls actually dispensed by the payout motor 584 as a prize ball count information output signal to the external terminal board 558 (in this embodiment, the prize ball count information output signal is output to the external terminal board 558 every time the payout motor 584 actually dispenses 10 game balls).

Specifically, a counter for determining whether or not to output prize ball count information is provided. This prize ball count information output determination counter counts the number of game balls actually dispensed by the payout motor 584 based on the detection signal from the payout detection sensor 591 during the port input processing in step S550, which will be described later. The number of game balls actually dispensed by the payout motor 584 is monitored and updated in the prize ball information storage area of the built-in RAM for payout control through a process (program) not shown.

In the process (program) not shown, which monitors the number of game balls actually dispensed by the dispensing motor 584, the value of the counter for determining the output of prize ball information, stored in the prize ball information storage area of the built-in RAM for dispensing control, is updated by adding the number of game balls actually dispensed by the dispensing motor 584, based on the detection signal from the dispensing detection sensor 591 in the port input processing of step S550 described later.

In the port output processing of step S548, the value of the prize ball count information output determination counter is read from the prize ball information storage area. If the read value of the prize ball count information output determination counter exceeds 10 (i.e., the number of game balls actually dispensed by the payout motor 584 has reached 10), a prize ball count information output signal is output to the external terminal board 558. (At this time, the value indicating the excess number of balls is stored and updated in the prize ball information storage area of the payout control built-in RAM as the value of the prize ball count information output determination counter.) A display signal is also output to the error LED indicator.

Following step S548, the payout control MPU performs port input processing (step S550). In this port input processing, various signals input to the input terminals of the various input ports of the payout control MPU are read and stored as input information in the input information storage area of the built-in RAM for the payout control. For example, the operation signal of the RAM clear switch (RAM clear signal), the detection signal from the blade rotation detection sensor 590, the detection signal from the payout detection sensor 591, the detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154, the BRQ signal, BRDY signal, and CR connection signal from the CR unit, and the main payout ACK signal from the main control board 1310 indicating that the main control board 1310 has successfully received the various commands transmitted in the command transmission processing described later, are each read and stored as input information in the input information storage area.

Following step S550, the payout control MPU performs a timer update process (step S552). This timer update process determines whether or not a ball jamming condition has occurred due to the payout vane 589, which receives the rotation of the rotating shaft of the payout motor 584, and sets the ball jamming determination time as a determination condition; the skip determination time set when no fixed position determination of the payout vane 589 is performed; the full determination time set as a determination condition when determining whether or not the lower tray 202 is full with stored game balls; and the balls that have been taken into the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 by the detection signal from the ball cut detection sensor 574. In addition to managing time for determining whether the number of balls exceeds a predetermined number, the system also manages the time for resetting the inconsistency counter INCC, which monitors whether the system is repeatedly dispensing inconsistent game balls due to a discrepancy between the number of game balls received and dispensed by the ball storage section 589b of the dispensing vane 589 and the number of game balls actually detected by the dispensing detection sensor 591. For example, when the ball jamming detection time is set to 5005ms, the timer interrupt period is set to 2ms. Therefore, each time this timer update process is performed, the ball jamming detection time is subtracted by 2ms, and the result of this subtraction becomes 0, thus accurately measuring the ball jamming detection time. These various detection times are stored as time management information in the time management information storage area of the dispensing control's built-in RAM.

Following step S552, the payout control MPU performs CR communication processing (step S554). In this CR communication processing, input information is read from the input information storage area described above, and based on this input information, it is determined whether various signals from the CR unit (BRQ signal, BRDY signal, and CR connection signal) are being input. Based on the various signals from the CR unit, the payout control MPU exchanges signals with the CR unit. In the process of setting the work area of the payout control built-in RAM in step S530, as described above, information used for various processing is set based on payout information related to payouts, such as various flags, various information stored in various information storage areas (for example, prize ball stock count PBS, actual ball count PB, drive command count DRV, mismatch counter INCC, etc., stored in the prize ball information storage area, and PRDY signal output setting information, where the logical state of the PRDY signal is set, etc., stored in the CR communication information storage area).

This process allows the values of prize ball stock count PBS, actual ball count PB, drive command count DRV, mismatch counter INCC, etc., stored as payout backup information, to be restored to the values of prize ball stock count PBS, actual ball count PB, drive command count DRV, mismatch counter INCC, etc., immediately before the momentary power outage or blackout, even if a momentary power outage or blackout occurs while the payout operation of the game balls by the payout device 580 is being performed, making it impossible to continue the payout operation. As a result, even if a momentary power outage or blackout occurs and the payout operation cannot be continued, the payout operation can be continued when power is restored, so that the correct number of game balls can be dispensed into the upper tray 201 and lower tray 202. In other words, the payout control MPU, while dispensing game balls into the upper tray 201 and lower tray 202 during CR communication processing, experiences a momentary power outage or blackout that interrupts the communication between the CR unit and the MPU, preventing the continued dispensing of game balls. However, upon power restoration, the values of prize ball stock count PBS, actual ball count PB, drive command count DRV, and mismatch counter INCC are restored to the values stored as payout backup information, which are those from immediately before the momentary power outage or blackout. This allows the communication between the pachinko machine 1 (payout control MPU) and the CR unit to continue from the time of power restoration, and enables the continued dispensing of game balls.

In this way, the exchange of various signals between the pachinko machine 1 (payout control MPU) and the CR unit is designed so that even if there is a momentary power outage or stoppage, the system will be restored to the state it was in immediately before the outage or stoppage when power is restored. This prevents the various signals between the pachinko machine 1 (payout control MPU) and the CR unit from changing due to the effects of a momentary power outage or stoppage. Therefore, the reliability of the exchange of various signals between the pachinko machine 1 (payout control MPU) and the CR unit can be improved.

Furthermore, various types of information stored in the CR communication information storage area are included in the payout backup information. In the CR communication processing, when power is restored, the PRDY signal output setting information is read from the CR communication information storage area stored in the payout control built-in RAM, which was set in the process of setting the work area of the payout control built-in RAM in step S530. If this read PRDY signal output setting information is set to a logical state for the PRDY signal, for example, indicating that a payout operation to dispense a ball is impossible, the PRDY signal is output to the CR unit from the output terminal of a predetermined output port of the payout control MPU. Then, as part of the main operation setting process, for example, in the retry operation monitoring process, based on the value of the mismatch counter INCC in the prize ball information storage area stored in the built-in RAM of the payout control, which is included in the payout backup information, it is determined whether the value of this mismatch counter INCC is smaller than the mismatch threshold INCTH. If the value of the mismatch counter INCC is not smaller than the mismatch threshold INCTH, it is determined that the retry operation is malfunctioning, that is, that the payout operation of the game balls by the payout device 580 is in an abnormal state, and the value of 1 is set to the retry error flag RTERR-FLG. In the payout ball mishap operation determination setting process, as a setting for outputting an error state to the CR unit, for example, when not communicating with the CR unit, the logical state (LOW) of the PRDY signal, which indicates that the payout operation for dispensing the balls is impossible, is set in the PRDY signal output setting information and stored in the CR communication information storage area.

As a result, in the CR communication processing, from the time power is restored until the next timer interrupt, the logical state of this PRDY signal is read from the CR communication information storage area, and the PRDY signal is output to the CR unit from the output terminal of a predetermined output port of the payout control MPU. In this way, for example, if the payout operation of the payout device 580 was in an abnormal state immediately before the momentary power outage, that state is restored when power is restored. Therefore, a PRDY signal indicating that the payout operation for dispensing borrowed balls is impossible can be output to the CR unit from the output terminal of a predetermined output port of the payout control MPU at a very early stage after power is restored, informing the CR unit that the payout operation of the payout device 580 is in an abnormal state. This prevents the output of unnecessary BRDY signals, which are requests for borrowed balls, from the CR unit at a very early stage after power is restored.

Furthermore, in the CR communication processing, in the port input processing of step S550, the CR connection signal is read from the input information storage area of the built-in payout control RAM. Based on this CR connection signal, when the logic is HI, that is, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and the payout control board 633 and the CR unit are electrically connected, the logic state of the PRDY signal is set to HI and output to the CR unit from the output terminal of a predetermined output port of the payout control MPU to indicate that a payout operation for dispensing balls is possible. On the other hand, when the logic is LOW, that is, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and the payout control board 633 and the CR unit are not electrically connected, the logic state of the PRDY signal is set to LOW and output to the CR unit from the output terminal of a predetermined output port of the payout control MPU to indicate that a payout operation for dispensing balls is impossible. Furthermore, the logical state of the EXS signal, which indicates the start or end of a single dispensing operation, is stored as EXS signal output setting information in the CR communication information storage area of the dispensing control's built-in RAM. The CR connection signal, which indicates whether the dispensing control board 633 and the CR unit are electrically connected, is stored as CR connection information in the status information storage area.

Following step S554, the payout control MPU performs a full tank and ball depletion check process (step S556). In this full tank and ball depletion check process, input information is read from the input information storage area described above, and based on this input information, the lower tray 202 described above is determined to be full with stored game balls based on the detection signal from the full tank detection sensor 154, and the number of game balls taken into the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 described above is determined to be greater than or equal to a predetermined number based on the detection signal from the ball depletion detection sensor 574. For example, the determination of whether the lower tray 202 is full of stored game balls is made using a timer interrupt period of 2ms. When the detection signal from the full-tank detection sensor 154 is ON during the current full-tank and ball-out check process, and when the detection signal from the full-tank detection sensor 154 was OFF during the previous (2ms ago) full-tank and ball-out check process, that is, when the detection signal from the full-tank detection sensor 154 transitions from OFF to ON, the timer update process in step S552 starts timing the full-tank determination time described above. Then, when the full-tank determination time becomes 0 during the timer update process, that is, when the full-tank determination time is reached, it is determined whether the detection signal from the full-tank detection sensor 154 is ON during this full-tank and ball-out check process. In this determination, if the detection signal from the full-tank detection sensor 154 is ON, the full-tank information indicating that the lower tray 202 is full of stored game balls is stored in the state information storage area described above. On the other hand, when the detection signal from the full-tank detection sensor 154 is OFF, the system stores full-tank information in the status information storage area, indicating that the lower tray 202 is not full with the stored game balls.

The determination of whether the number of game balls taken into the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 is equal to or greater than a predetermined number is also made using the timer interrupt period of 2ms. When the detection signal from the ball-out switch is ON during the current full-tank and ball-out check process, and when the detection signal from the ball-out switch is OFF during the previous (2ms ago) full-tank and ball-out check process, that is, when the detection signal from the ball-out detection sensor 574 transitions from OFF to ON, the timer update process in step S552 starts timing the ball-out determination time as described above. Then, when the ball-out determination time becomes 0 during the timer update process, that is, when the ball-out determination time is reached, it is determined whether the detection signal from the ball-out detection sensor 574 is ON during this full-tank and ball-out check process. In this determination, when the detection signal from the ball depletion detection sensor 574 is ON, the system stores ball depletion information in the status information storage area indicating that the number of game balls taken into the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 is greater than or equal to a predetermined number. Conversely, when the detection signal from the ball depletion detection sensor 574 is OFF, the system stores ball depletion information in the status information storage area indicating that the number of game balls taken into the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 is less than or equal to a predetermined number.

Following step S556, the payout control MPU performs command reception processing (step S558). During this command reception processing, it receives various commands related to payouts from the main control board 1310 (prize ball commands and self-check commands). When these commands are successfully received, payout ACK information indicating this is stored in the output information storage area described above. On the other hand, when the commands are not successfully received, connection abnormality information indicating an abnormality in the connection between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 (an abnormality in the various command signals) is stored in the status information storage area described above.

Following step S558, the dispensing control MPU performs command analysis (step S560). This command analysis analyzes the command received in step S558 and stores the analyzed command as received command information in the received command information storage area of the dispensing control's built-in RAM.

Following step S560, the payout control MPU performs the main operation setting process (step S562). This main operation setting process involves setting operations such as prize balls, ball lending, ball removal, and ball jamming, determining retry operations, and monitoring the number of unpaid balls (prize ball stock).

Following step S562, the payout control MPU performs LED display data creation processing (step S564). In this LED display data creation processing, various information is read from the status information storage area described above, and display data to be displayed on the error LED indicator of the payout control board 633 is created and stored as LED display information in the output information storage area described above. For example, the bulb failure information described above is read from the status information storage area, and based on this bulb failure information, if the number of game balls taken into the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 is not equal to or greater than a predetermined number, corresponding display data (in this embodiment, display value 1 (the digit "1")) is created and the LED display information is stored in the output information storage area.

Following step S564, the payout control MPU performs command transmission processing (step S566). In this command transmission processing, various information is read from the status information storage area described above, and based on this information, various commands (frame status 1 command, error clear navigation command, and frame status 2 command) categorized for status display are created and transmitted to the main control board 1310. For example, if ball depletion information is read from the status information storage area, and based on this ball depletion information, if the number of game balls taken into the guidance passage 570a of the ball guidance unit 570 is not equal to or greater than a predetermined number, a frame status 1 command is created and transmitted to the main control board 1310.

Following step S566, the payout control MPU sets the value C in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL (step S568). In step S568, the value C is set in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL, following the value B set in step S546. As a result, the watchdog timer clear register HWCL is set with values A, B, and C in that order, and the watchdog timer is cleared.

Following step S568, the process returns to step S539. The payout control MPU sets the value A in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL, determines in step S540 whether a power outage warning signal has been input, and if no power outage warning signal has been input, determines in step S542 whether the 2ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is value 1. When this 2ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is value 1, i.e., 2ms have elapsed, sets the value 0 in the 2ms elapsed flag HT-FLG in step S544, sets the value B in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL in step S546, and then steps S548 The process involves port output processing in step S539, port input processing in step S550, timer update processing in step S552, CR communication processing in step S554, full tank and bulb burnout check processing in step S556, command reception processing in step S558, command analysis processing in step S560, main operation setting processing in step S562, LED display data creation processing in step S564, command transmission processing in step S566, setting the value C in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL in step S568, and repeating steps S539 to S568. This process from steps S539 to S568 is called the "dispensing control unit main processing".

The processing content of the main processing unit of the payout control unit changes depending on the progress of the game as controlled by the main control board 1310. Therefore, the processing time required by the payout control MPU fluctuates. To address this, in the port output processing of step S548, the payout control MPU prioritizes outputting a payout ACK signal to the main control board 1310, indicating that it has successfully received various payout-related commands from the main control board 1310. This ensures that the payout control MPU has sufficient processing time to adequately handle other fluctuating processes.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S540, if the payout control MPU determines that a power outage warning signal has been received, it sets the interrupt disable setting (step S570). This setting prevents the payout control timer interrupt processing described later from occurring, preventing writing to the payout control's built-in RAM and protecting against the rewriting of the payout information mentioned above.

Following step S570, the payout control MPU stops outputting the drive signal to the payout motor 584 (step S574). This stops the payout of game balls.

Following step S574, the payout control MPU performs a clear setting for the watchdog timer (step S576). This clear setting is performed by sequentially setting values A, B, and C in the watchdog timer clear register HWCL, as described above.

Following step S576, the payout control MPU calculates a checksum and stores the calculated value (step S578). This checksum is calculated by treating the payout information in the working area of the built-in payout control RAM, excluding the storage area for the checksum value calculated in step S524 and the payout backup flag HBK-FLG value, as numerical values and summing them up.

Following step S578, the payout control MPU sets the payout backup flag HBK-FLG to a value of 1 (step S580). This completes the storage of the payout backup information.

Following step S580, the dispensing control MPU disables access to the built-in dispensing control RAM (step S582). This setting disables access to the built-in dispensing control RAM, preventing writing and reading, and protecting the dispensing backup information stored in the RAM.

Following step S582, the payout control MPU enters an infinite loop. In this infinite loop, the watchdog timer clear register HWCL is not set to values A, B, and C in sequence, thus preventing the watchdog timer from being cleared. Therefore, the payout control MPU is reset, and the payout control unit power-on processing is then performed again. The processing from steps S570 to S582 and the infinite loop are referred to as the "payout control unit power-off processing."

Pachinko machine 1 (payout control MPU) resets in the event of a power outage or momentary power interruption, and then performs the power-on processing for the payout control unit upon restoration of power.

Furthermore, in step S526, the system checks whether the payout backup information stored in the payout control's built-in RAM is correct, and then in step S528, it checks whether the payout control unit's power-off process was completed successfully. In this way, by double-checking the payout backup information stored in the payout control's built-in RAM, the system verifies whether the payout backup information was stored through fraudulent means.

[23-2. Dispensing Control Unit Timer Interrupt Processing]
Next, the payout control timer interrupt processing will be explained. This payout control timer interrupt processing is repeated at the interrupt cycle (2 ms in this embodiment) set in the payout control power-on processing shown in Figures 261 to 263.

When the payout control timer interrupt processing begins, the payout control MPU (Multi-Purpose Unit) disables the timer interrupt and performs register switching (save) as shown in Figure 264 (step S590). Here, it switches from the general-purpose memory element (general-purpose register) used in the main payout control processing described above to an auxiliary register. By using this auxiliary register in the payout control timer interrupt processing, the value of the general-purpose register is not overwritten. This prevents the corruption of the contents of the general-purpose register used in the main payout control processing.

Following step S590, the payout control MPU sets the value of the 2ms elapsed flag HT-FLG to 1 (step S592). This 2ms elapsed flag HT-FLG is a flag that measures 2ms each time the payout control timer interrupt process is performed, i.e., every 2ms. It is set to a value of 1 when 2ms have elapsed and to a value of 0 when 2ms have not elapsed.

Following step S592, the payout control MPU performs a register switch (reset) (step S594). This reset switches from the auxiliary register used in the payout control timer interrupt processing to a general-purpose memory element (general-purpose register). By using this general-purpose register in the payout control main processing, the values of the auxiliary registers are no longer overwritten. This prevents the corruption of the contents of the auxiliary registers used in the payout control timer interrupt processing.

Following step S594, the payout control MPU sets the interrupt enable setting (step S596) and terminates this routine.

[24. Various control processes of peripheral control boards]
Next, the various processes of the peripheral control board 1510 that receive various commands from the main control board 1310 (main control MPU 1310a) will be explained with reference to Figures 265 to 269. Figure 265 is a flowchart showing an example of the peripheral control unit power-on process, Figure 266 is a flowchart showing an example of the peripheral control unit V-blank interrupt process, Figure 267 is a flowchart showing an example of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt process, Figure 268 is a flowchart showing an example of the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process, and Figure 269 is a flowchart showing an example of the peripheral control unit power-off warning signal interrupt process. First, the peripheral control unit power-on process will be explained, followed by the peripheral control unit V-blank interrupt process, the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt process, the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process, and the peripheral control unit power-off warning signal interrupt process. In this embodiment, the priority of the interrupt processes is set so that the peripheral control unit power-off warning signal interrupt process has the highest priority, followed by the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt process, the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process, and then the peripheral control unit V-blank interrupt process.

As described above, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "peripheral control IC of the peripheral control board 1510") integrates the CPU, RAM, VDP, VRAM, sound source, SATA controller, and various I/O interfaces onto a single semiconductor chip.

[24-1. Processing when the peripheral control unit is powered on]
First, the power-on processing for the peripheral control unit will be explained with reference to Figure 265. When power is turned on to the pachinko machine 1, the peripheral control unit power-on processing is performed under the control of the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510, as shown in Figure 265. When this power-on processing for the peripheral control unit starts, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs an initial setup process (step S1000). This initial setup process includes initializing the peripheral control IC itself, determining whether it is a hot start or a cold start, setting the wait timer after reset, and transferring various control information (peripheral data). The CPU of the peripheral control IC first performs an initialization process for the peripheral control IC itself, but the time required for initializing the peripheral control IC is on the order of microseconds (μs), so the peripheral control IC can be initialized in an extremely short time. As a result, the CPU of the peripheral control IC is in a state where interrupts are enabled, and can receive various commands, such as commands related to the control of game effects and commands related to the state of the pachinko machine 1, which are output from the main control board 1310, for example, in the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing described later.

Following step S1000, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a current time information acquisition process (step S1002). In this current time information acquisition process, calendar information specifying the year, month, and day, and time information specifying the hour, minute, and second are acquired from the built-in RAM of the real-time clock IC (not shown), and the current calendar information and current time information are set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC.

In this embodiment, the peripheral control IC's CPU acquires calendar and time information from the real-time clock IC's built-in RAM only once, upon power-up. Furthermore, after performing this current time information acquisition process, the peripheral control IC's CPU outputs a clear signal to an external WDT (not shown) to prevent a reset of the peripheral control IC's CPU.

Following step S1002, the CPU of the peripheral control IC sets the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG to a value of 0 (step S1004). This V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is a flag used to determine whether or not to execute the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing, which will be described later. It is set to a value of 1 when the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing is executed, and to a value of 0 when the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing is not executed. The V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to a value of 1 in the peripheral control unit's V-blank signal interrupt processing, which will be described later and is executed when a V-blank signal is input from the peripheral control IC's VDP, indicating that it is ready to receive screen data (information defining the screen configuration) from the peripheral control IC's CPU. In step S1004, the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is initialized once by setting it to a value of 0. Furthermore, the peripheral control IC's CPU sets the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG to 0, and then outputs a clear signal to the external WDT to prevent the peripheral control IC's CPU from being reset.

Following step S1004, the peripheral control IC's CPU determines whether the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is valued at 1 (step S1006). If the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is not valued at 1 (i.e., valued at 0), it returns to step S1006 and repeatedly determines whether the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is valued at 1. By repeating this determination, the system enters a waiting state until the peripheral control unit can perform its regular processing. Furthermore, after determining whether the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is valued at 1, the peripheral control IC's CPU outputs a clear signal to the external WDT to prevent a reset.

In the determination in step S1006, when the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is valued at 1, that is, that the peripheral control unit should execute its steady-state processing, it first sets the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG to value 1 (step S1008). This steady-state processing flag SP-FLG is set to value 1 when the peripheral control unit is executing its steady-state processing, and to value 0 when the peripheral control unit has completed its processing.

Following step S1008, the peripheral control IC's CPU performs a 1ms interrupt timer activation process (step S1010). This 1ms interrupt timer activation process activates the 1ms interrupt timer for executing the peripheral control unit's 1ms timer interrupt process (described later). It also initializes the 1ms timer interrupt execution count STN by setting its value to 1, which counts the number of times the 1ms interrupt timer has been activated and the peripheral control unit's 1ms timer interrupt process has been executed. This 1ms timer interrupt execution count STN is updated during the peripheral control unit's 1ms timer interrupt process.

Following step S1010, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a performance operation unit monitoring process (step S1014). In this performance operation unit monitoring process, in the performance operation unit information acquisition process in the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing described later, various information (for example, rotation (direction of rotation) history information of the contact operation unit 302 and operation history information of the press operation unit 303 created based on detection signals from various detection sensors (hereinafter referred to as "various sensors provided on the performance operation unit 300") such as the first rotation detection sensor 347, the second rotation detection sensor 348, the pressure detection sensor 381, and the lifting/lowering detection sensor 382 provided on the performance operation unit 300) acquired from the rotation (direction of rotation) of the contact operation unit 302 and the operation of the press operation unit 303 is acquired based on detection signals from various sensors provided on the performance operation unit 300. Based on this information, the rotation direction of the contact operation unit 302 and the operation status of the press operation unit 303 are monitored, and it is appropriately decided whether or not to reflect the rotation direction of the contact operation unit 302 and the operation status of the press operation unit 303 in the game performance. Specifically, if the volume has been adjusted during the performance control unit information acquisition process, the schedule data for sound generation is rewritten according to the adjusted volume. If the brightness has been adjusted, the schedule data for generating the light emission pattern is rewritten according to the adjusted brightness. This ensures that volume and brightness adjustments are reflected in real time, and the performance proceeds with the adjusted volume and brightness.

Furthermore, the CPU of the peripheral control IC also performs lamp palette setting processing as part of the performance operation unit monitoring processing. In the lamp palette setting processing, the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light and the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light are set based on a lamp palette setting table consisting of brightness specification values, normal palette values, and special palette values. If, during the performance, the lamp palette setting processing is executed and the player (or an employee of the gaming hall, etc.) operates the performance operation unit 301 (contact operation unit 302, press operation unit 303) to set a brightness specification value ranging from the first brightness specification value to the 31st brightness specification value (maximum brightness), the aforementioned gradation information set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC can be updated to reflect that set brightness specification value.

Here, we will briefly explain the brightness specification value, normal palette value, and special palette value that constitute the lamp palette setting table. The brightness specification value is a value that allows setting one brightness specification value within a range of 32 levels, from the 0th (zero) brightness specification value (minimum brightness, off) to the 31st brightness specification value (maximum brightness). Corresponding to the 0th (zero) to 31st brightness specification values are pre-set, as described later, for each. The player (or staff member of the gaming hall, etc.) can set one brightness specification value within the range from the 1st brightness specification value to the 31st brightness specification value (maximum brightness) by operating the operable performance control unit 301 (contact control unit 302, press control unit 303).

For example, when a player (or an employee of a gaming hall, etc.) rotates the contact operation unit 302 clockwise, and the current brightness is set to the first brightness setting value, which is the next highest brightness setting after the 0th (zero) brightness setting value (the minimum brightness, meaning the lights are off), the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light and the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light are increased along a predetermined formula (for example, a linear tone curve or a spline-like tone curve) from the first brightness setting value to the 31st brightness setting value, which is the maximum brightness. On the other hand, when the contact operation unit 302 is rotated counterclockwise, and the current brightness is set to the maximum brightness, the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light and the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light are decreased along a predetermined formula (for example, a linear tone curve or a spline-like tone curve) from the 31st brightness setting value, which is the maximum brightness, to the first brightness setting value. When a player (or an employee of a gaming hall, etc.) rotates the contact operation unit 302 to select the desired brightness and then presses the press operation unit 303, the selected desired brightness is confirmed. In this embodiment, there are pre-defined cases where the player (or an employee of a gaming hall, etc.) can set the brightness during the performance. At this time, the player (or an employee of a gaming hall, etc.) can set the desired brightness by operating the contact operation unit 302 and the press operation unit 303. Furthermore, during the performance, when the player (or an employee of a gaming hall, etc.) operates the contact operation unit 302, a bar-shaped indicator showing the position from the 1st brightness specification value to the 31st brightness specification value is displayed at a predetermined position in the display area of the performance display device 1600. This allows the player (or an employee of a gaming hall, etc.) to visually see the desired brightness level as an image. In this embodiment, the 14th brightness specification value is set as the initial value (default).

The typical palette value is set as the gradation information described above, based on the brightness of various LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards on the game board side and the various decorative circuit boards on the door frame side that are directly illuminated by light. The typical palette value is selected from 17 steps in 5% increments, ranging from the minimum palette value (20%) to the maximum palette value (100%). Within a range of 32 steps, from the 0th (zero) brightness specification value to the 31st brightness specification value, each brightness specification and its corresponding palette value are set according to a predetermined formula (for example, a linear tone curve or a spline-curve-like tone curve).

The minimum palette value (20%) is 20% of the maximum palette value (100%) corresponding to one brightness specification within the 32-step range from the 0th (zero) brightness specification to the 31st brightness specification. Similarly, for other palette values, the values (%) indicated in parentheses represent the values relative to the maximum palette value (100%) corresponding to one brightness specification within the 32-step range from the 0th (zero) brightness specification to the 31st brightness specification.

In this embodiment, the normal palette value is set to the maximum palette value (100%) for various decorative substrates provided on the game board side and on the door frame side that are directly illuminated with light, and this is set as the grayscale information described above. Furthermore, for certain decorative substrates (LEDs that may appear dazzling to the player) among the various decorative substrates provided on the game board side that are directly illuminated with light (not shown), a palette value (50%) is set to the grayscale information described above.

The special palette value is set as the gradation information described above, based on the brightness of various LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates used in light guide plates that emit indirect light. Unlike the normal palette value, the special palette value has only one level, and within the range of 32 levels from the 0th (zero) brightness specification to the 31st brightness specification, one brightness specification and the corresponding palette value are set as the gradation information described above according to a predetermined mathematical formula (for example, a linear tone curve or a spline-curve-like tone curve).

As mentioned above, if the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light is the same as that of the LEDs used as direct light, the indirect light from the light guide plate will be dimmer than the direct light. Therefore, in this embodiment, the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light is set using a special palette value, rather than the normal palette value set for the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light. The first brightness specification value, which is the next highest brightness level after the zero brightness specification value (the minimum brightness, meaning the light is off), is set to approximately the same value as the 18th brightness specification value when the normal palette value is set to the maximum palette value (100%), as the minimum brightness at which the light guide plate can be visually observed emitting light through indirect light. Within the range from the first brightness specification value to the 31st brightness specification value, the palette value corresponding to one brightness specification value is set according to a predetermined formula (for example, a linear tone curve or a spline-curve-like tone curve).

Thus, in the lamp palette setting process, when setting the brightness of LEDs used as direct light and LEDs used as indirect light, based on a lamp palette setting table consisting of brightness specification values, normal palette values, and special palette values, the brightness of LEDs used as direct light is set according to the normal palette value corresponding to the brightness specification value obtained by the player (or staff such as employees of the gaming hall) operating the contact operation unit 302 and the press operation unit 303, while the brightness of LEDs used as indirect light is set according to the special palette value corresponding to the brightness specification value obtained by the player (or staff such as employees of the gaming hall) operating the contact operation unit 302 and the press operation unit 303. As a result, when a player finds the brightness of the LED used as direct light too bright and adjusts it by operating the contact operation unit 302 and the press operation unit 303, even if the brightness of the LED used as direct light is set to the lowest level (i.e., the first brightness setting value, which is the next highest brightness level after the zero brightness setting value, which is the minimum brightness (off)), and the brightness of the LED used as indirect light is also set to the lowest level (i.e., the first brightness setting value, which is the next highest brightness level after the zero brightness setting value, which is the minimum brightness (off)), the brightness of the LED used as indirect light is set to a value approximately equal to the 18th brightness setting value when the normal palette value is set to the maximum palette value (100%). Therefore, the minimum brightness level at which the light guide plate is illuminated by indirect light is set.

Furthermore, programmers designing the light emission patterns can easily adjust the overall balance of the light emission patterns by setting the light emission patterns according to the flow of the performance, and then observing the flow of the performance based on the light emission patterns of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board and door frame, setting the normal palette value to a smaller palette value (for example, 50%) for specific decorative boards that are too bright (or where a slightly dimmer brightness would better enhance the performance), and setting the normal palette value to the maximum palette value (100%) for other decorative boards. In other words, even if a player (or an employee of a gaming hall, etc.) operates the operable performance control unit 301 (contact control unit 302, press control unit 303) to set a single brightness specification value ranging from the first brightness specification value to the 31st brightness specification value (maximum brightness), a small palette value (for example, 50%) corresponding to that brightness specification value is set for a specific decorative board, while the maximum palette value (100%) corresponding to that brightness specification value is set for other decorative boards. Therefore, brightness adjustment can be performed very easily without disrupting the relationship between the mutually set light emission patterns (the relationship between bright or dark).

Furthermore, while adjusting the brightness of indirect light using a light guide plate is more difficult than with direct light, the brightness of LEDs used as indirect light can be set using a special palette value that differs from (i.e., is independent of) the normal palette value. This allows the brightness of LEDs used as indirect light to be controlled by the special palette value, while the brightness of LEDs used as direct light is controlled by the normal palette value. Therefore, the brightness of LEDs used as indirect light and those used as direct light can be easily adjusted independently.

Following step S1014, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs display data output processing (step S1016). In this display data output processing, the VDP of the peripheral control IC reads image data from the SDRAM based on instructions from the CPU of the peripheral control IC and outputs the drawing data for one screen (one frame) generated on the VRAM of the peripheral control IC to the liquid crystal output board 1530. As a result, various screens (images) are drawn (displayed) on the display device 1600. Note that in the display data output processing, if the drawing exceeds the drawing capability of the VDP of the peripheral control IC, the output of the generated drawing data for one screen (one frame) is canceled. This prevents processing delays, although it does result in frame drops. However, the system prioritizes the use of various speakers (hereinafter referred to as "various speakers"), such as the top center speaker, top side speakers, and the main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4, through the audio data output processing described later.

Following step S1016, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs sound data output processing (step S1018). In this sound data output processing, the sound source of the peripheral control IC reads sound data from the SDRAM based on instructions from the CPU of the peripheral control IC, and outputs it to various speakers via the designated output channel. As a result, music and sound effects corresponding to various effects are played from the various speakers.

Following step S1018, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a scheduler update process (step S1020). This scheduler update process updates various schedule data set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. For example, the scheduler update process updates a pointer to indicate which screen data, from the first screen data in the time-series arrangement of screen data constituting the screen generation schedule data, should be output to the VDP of the peripheral control IC.

Furthermore, during the scheduler update process, a pointer is updated to indicate which of the time-series arranged emission data points, which constitute the schedule data for generating emission patterns, should be included in the output.

Furthermore, the scheduler update process updates a pointer to indicate which sound command data, starting from the first sound command data, should be output to the sound source of the peripheral control IC. This is done by selecting the sound command data that instructs the sound data for performance sounds such as music and sound effects, as well as the sound data for notification and announcement sounds, which are arranged in a time-series order that constitutes the sound generation schedule data.

Furthermore, in the scheduler update process, a pointer is updated to indicate which drive data from the first drive data to be output among the drive data of electrical drive sources such as motors and solenoids arranged in a time series that constitutes the electrical drive source schedule data. The drive data of electrical drive sources such as motors and solenoids arranged in a time series that constitutes the electrical drive source schedule data is updated in the motor and solenoid drive processing in the peripheral control unit's 1ms timer interrupt processing, which is executed repeatedly each time a 1ms timer interrupt occurs, as described later. In this motor and solenoid drive processing, which is executed repeatedly each time a 1ms timer interrupt occurs, the electrical drive sources such as motors and solenoids are driven according to the drive data indicated by the pointer, and the pointer is updated to the next drive data specified in the time series, and the pointer is updated each time the process is executed. In other words, the drive data pointed to by the updated pointer during motor and solenoid drive processing is forcibly updated during the scheduler update process. Therefore, even if the pointer in the motor and solenoid drive processing inadvertently points to a different drive data than the one it was originally supposed to point to, the scheduler update process will forcibly update it to point to the originally intended drive data.

Following step S1020, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs received command analysis (step S1022). In this received command analysis process, various commands transmitted from the main control board 1310 are received in the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process (described later), and the received commands are analyzed. Additionally, random numbers used for various settings of the effects (for example, random numbers used for effects related to hold-pre-reading) are updated. Various commands from the main control board 1310 are received in the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process and stored in the peripheral control IC's RAM. This received command analysis process analyzes the various commands stored in the peripheral control IC's RAM. Based on the analyzed commands, the peripheral control IC's CPU reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the peripheral control IC's RAM.

Furthermore, the CPU of the peripheral control IC also performs lamp palette setting processing as part of the received command analysis process. In the lamp palette setting processing, the brightness of the LEDs used as direct light and the brightness of the LEDs used as indirect light are set based on the lamp palette setting table, which consists of the brightness specification value, normal palette value, and special palette value described above. The peripheral control IC analyzes various commands from the main control board 1310, reads (extracts) the light emission mode generation schedule data from the peripheral control ROM based on these analyzed commands, and executes the lamp palette setting processing. When a player (or an employee of a gaming hall, etc.) operates the performance operation unit 301 (contact operation unit 302, press operation unit 303) and sets a brightness specification value ranging from the first brightness specification value to the 31st brightness specification value (maximum brightness), the peripheral control IC can update the grayscale information described above to match the set brightness specification value and set it in its RAM.

Furthermore, the CPU of the peripheral control IC analyzes whether the command received from the main control board 1310 via the peripheral control command interrupt process is, for example, a start-up entry command to instruct the start of the start-up entry animation, a normal symbol memory command to identify the number of normal symbols held (0 to 4), a variation pattern command to instruct the start of variation animations such as the variation display of decorative symbols on the animation display device 1600 in synchronization with the variation display of special symbols, a symbol memory command output when the number of start-up held symbols changes, or a large prize-entry 1 count display command output each time a game ball is accepted into the large prize-entry opening 2005, and recognizes the current game state.

Various commands from the main control board 1310 are received by the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing and stored in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. In the received command analysis processing, the various commands stored in the RAM of the peripheral control IC are analyzed. The various commands include commands related to the synchronization of special feature 1, commands related to the synchronization of special feature 2, commands related to big wins, commands related to power on, commands related to the synchronization of normal feature, commands related to normal electric performance, commands related to notification display, commands related to status display, commands related to testing, and various other commands. In addition, the peripheral control board 1510 executes a lottery process related to announcements, etc., based on the received commands, and reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data, etc., from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the RAM of the peripheral control IC based on the lottery results. This allows the peripheral control board 1510 to execute animations based on the lottery results.

The peripheral control ROM pre-stores the peripheral control unit 1511, various control programs for controlling the peripheral control unit 1511, various data, various control data, and various schedule data. The various schedule data include screen generation schedule data for generating screens to be drawn on the performance display device 1600, light emission pattern generation schedule data for generating light emission patterns for various LEDs, sound generation schedule data for generating performance sounds such as music and sound effects, and electrical drive source schedule data for generating drive patterns for electrical drive sources such as motors and solenoids. The screen generation schedule data is composed of screen data that defines the screen configuration arranged in chronological order, specifying the order in which screens are drawn on the performance display device 1600. The light emission pattern generation schedule data is composed of light emission pattern data that defines the light emission patterns of various LEDs arranged in chronological order. The sound generation schedule data is composed of sound command data arranged in chronological order, specifying the order in which music and sound effects are played. This sound command data specifies the output channel number, which indicates which output channel to use from among the multiple output channels of the peripheral control IC's built-in sound source, and the track number, which indicates which track to incorporate sound data such as music and sound effects from among the multiple tracks of the peripheral control IC's built-in sound source. The electrical drive source schedule data consists of drive data for electrical drive sources such as motors and solenoids arranged in chronological order, and defines the operation of these electrical drive sources.

Following step S1022, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a warning process (step S1024). In this warning process, if the command analyzed in the received command analysis process of step S1022 includes various commands categorized as notification displays, the CPU reads (extracts) the screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data—which are set for various abnormality display modes—from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the peripheral control IC's RAM. In the warning process, if multiple abnormalities occur simultaneously, the abnormality notifications are issued in order of priority, starting with the highest priority, and automatically transition to other remaining abnormality notifications once the first abnormality is resolved. This allows for simultaneous monitoring of multiple abnormalities without losing information that an abnormality has occurred if another abnormality occurs after the first one has occurred but before it is resolved.

Following step S1024, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs RTC acquisition information update processing (step S1026). This RTC acquisition information update processing updates the calendar information and time information acquired in the current time information acquisition processing of step S1002 and stored in the peripheral control IC's RAM. This RTC acquisition information update processing updates the time information (hours, minutes, seconds) stored in the peripheral control IC's RAM, and based on this updated time information, the calendar information (year, month, day) stored in the peripheral control IC's RAM is updated.

Following step S1026, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs display data creation processing (step S1030). In this display data creation processing, the pointer is updated during the scheduler update process in step S1020. The screen data indicated by that pointer, from the screen data arranged in a time series that constitutes the screen generation schedule data, is read (extracted) from the peripheral control ROM and output to the VDP of the peripheral control IC.

The VDP of the peripheral control IC, upon receiving screen data from the CPU of the peripheral control IC, reads image data from the SDRAM based on this input screen data and generates drawing data for one screen (one frame) to be drawn (displayed) on the display device 1600 in its built-in VRAM.

Following step S1030, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs sound data creation processing (step S1032). In this sound data creation processing, the pointer is updated during the scheduler update process in step S1020. The sound command data indicated by that pointer, from the sound command data arranged in a time series that constitutes the sound generation schedule data, is read (extracted) from the peripheral control ROM and set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. When the sound command data is input from the CPU of the peripheral control IC, the sound source of the peripheral control IC reads the sound data from the SDRAM, incorporates sound data such as music and sound effects according to the track number specified in the sound command data, and sets the output channel to be used according to the output channel number.

Furthermore, during the sound data creation process, the rotation position of the volume control switch is determined based on the volume adjustment operation signal from the volume control switch each time this process is performed (i.e., each time the peripheral control unit performs a steady-state operation). The CPU of the peripheral control IC controls the sound source of the peripheral control IC so that the volume corresponds to the rotation position of the volume control switch. In the sound data output process of step S1018, the sound data is output to the various speakers from the output channel set during this sound data creation process. As a result, music and sound effects, etc., corresponding to various effects, are played from the various speakers.

Specifically, the resistance value is varied by rotating the volume control switch. The voltage, divided by the resistance value at the rotation position of the volume control switch, is converted from an analog value to a digital value, resulting in 1024 values ranging from 0 to 1023. In this embodiment, these 1024 values are divided into seven levels and managed as board volume controls 0 to 6. Board volume control 0 is set to mute, and board volume control 6 is set to maximum volume. The volume increases from board volume control 0 to board volume control 6. The sound source of the peripheral control IC is controlled to achieve the volume set for board volume controls 0 to 6, causing music and sound effects to play from the top center speaker and top side speaker on the door frame 3, and from the bass speaker on the main frame 4. Thus, music and sound effects are played from the top center speaker and top side speaker on the door frame 3, and from the bass speaker on the main frame 4, based on volume adjustment through the rotation of the volume control switch.

Furthermore, the sound command data also includes sub-volume values for adjusting the volume of the track into which the sound data is incorporated. In addition to sound data for musical and sound effect sounds and sub-volume values for adjusting their volume, the multiple tracks in the built-in sound source of the peripheral control IC also incorporate sound data for notification sounds used to alert hall staff, etc., to malfunctions of the pachinko machine 1 or fraudulent activity against the pachinko machine 1, along with sub-volume values for adjusting their volume.

Specifically, for sound effects, the circuit board volume adjusted by rotating the volume control switch, as described above, is set as the sub-volume value. For notification sounds, the maximum volume is set as the sub-volume value, completely independent of volume adjustment based on the rotation of the volume control switch. The sub-volume value for sound effects can be adjusted by operating the contact operation section 302 or the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300, except for a predetermined period after power-on (specifically, the period until the peripheral control unit completes the initial setup process (step S1000) and the current time setting process (step S1002)) and a certain period when the variable display of special symbols (first special symbol display, second special symbol display) is started or stopped on the special symbol display (first special symbol display, second special symbol display) (in this example, from the time the peripheral control unit receives the variable pattern command until 0.5 seconds have elapsed after the variable display of the decorative symbol begins, or from the time the peripheral control unit receives the stop display command until 0.5 seconds have elapsed after the final display of the decorative symbol).

Thus, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, except for a predetermined period after power-on (specifically, the period until the peripheral control unit completes the initial setup process (step S1000) and the current time setting process (step S1002)) and a certain period when the special symbol display (first special symbol display, second special symbol display) starts or stops the display of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) (in this example, from the time the peripheral control unit receives the variation pattern command until 0.5 seconds have elapsed after the start of the variation display of the decorative symbols, and from the time the peripheral control unit receives the stop display command until 0.5 seconds have elapsed after the final display of the decorative symbols) By operating the contact operation section 302 and the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300, the voltage divided by the resistance value at the rotation position of the volume adjustment switch during the sound data creation process is converted into seven values from 0 to 6 for the circuit board volume. Furthermore, by adding or subtracting predetermined values to the voltage divided by the resistance value at the rotation position of the volume adjustment switch according to the operation of the contact operation section 302 and the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300, the value of the circuit board volume is increased or decreased, thereby setting the circuit board volume and adjusting the sub-volume value of the performance sound.

Furthermore, the sound specification data also includes a master volume value for adjusting the volume of the output channel. For the multiple output channels in the built-in sound source of the peripheral control IC, the sound data of the effect sound embedded in the track being used, along with a sub-volume value for adjusting the volume of the effect sound embedded in the track being used, are combined. The volume of this combined effect sound is then amplified to the master volume value corresponding to the volume actually emitted from the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3, and the bass speaker on the main frame 4. This amplified effect sound is then serialized and output as audio data.

In this embodiment, the master volume value is set to a constant value, and when the volume of the synthesized sound effect is at its maximum volume, it is amplified up to the master volume value so that the volume emanating from the top center speaker and top side speaker on the door frame 3 side, and the bass-heavy main frame speaker on the main frame 4, reaches the maximum permissible volume. Specifically, for the sound effect, the sound data of the sound effect incorporated into the track to be used from among the multiple tracks in the built-in sound source of the peripheral control IC, and the board volume adjusted by rotating the volume adjustment switch set as the sub-volume value for adjusting the volume of the sound effect incorporated into the track to be used are combined, and the volume of this combined sound effect is amplified up to the master volume value which is the actual volume emanating from the top center speaker and top side speaker on the door frame 3 side, and the bass-heavy main frame speaker on the main frame 4, and this amplified sound effect is serialized and audio The output is as audio data. For the notification sound, the sound data of the notification sound incorporated into the track being used, and the maximum volume (which is completely independent of the volume adjustment based on the rotation of the volume adjustment switch set as a sub-volume value for adjusting the volume of the notification sound incorporated into the track being used) are combined. This combined notification sound volume is amplified to the master volume value, which corresponds to the volume actually emitted from the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3, and the main frame speaker for bass on the main frame 4. This amplified notification sound is then serialized and output as audio data.

To briefly explain the control mechanism for playing an alert sound to notify hall staff of a malfunction in the pachinko machine 1 or any fraudulent activity against the machine 1 when the performance sound is being played from the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3 and the main frame speaker for bass frequencies on the main frame 4, first, the sub-volume value of the track containing the performance sound is forcibly set to mute. Then, the sound data of the track containing the performance sound, the sub-volume value set to mute, the sound data of the track containing the alert sound, and the sub-volume value set to the maximum volume for the alert sound are combined. The combined volume of the performance sound and the alert sound are amplified to the master volume value, which corresponds to the volume actually played from the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3 and the main frame speaker for bass frequencies on the main frame 4. Finally, the amplified performance sound and alert sound are serialized and output as audio data. In other words, the only sound emitted from the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3, and the bass speaker on the main frame 4, is the maximum volume notification sound. At this time, the sound effects are muted, so they do not emanate from the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3, nor from the bass speaker on the main frame 4. However, the sound effects continue to play according to the sound generation schedule data mentioned above.

In this embodiment, the notification sound is emitted for a predetermined period (for example, 90 seconds) from the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3, and from the bass-heavy main frame speaker on the main frame 4. After this predetermined period has elapsed, the volume of the sound effect, which has been progressing according to the sound generation schedule data that was previously forcibly set to silent, is reset to a sub-volume value by rotating the volume adjustment switch. (At this time, if the volume of the sound effect has been adjusted by operating the contact operation section 302 or the press operation section 303 of the sound effect operation unit 300, it is set to the sub-volume value of that adjusted sound effect.) The sound then emits from the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3, and from the bass-heavy main frame speaker on the main frame 4.

Thus, when the performance sound is being played from the top center speaker and top side speaker on the door frame 3, and the bass-heavy main frame speaker on the main frame 4, and an alert sound is played to notify hall staff of a malfunction in the pachinko machine 1 or fraudulent activity against the pachinko machine 1, the volume of the performance sound is muted, and the alert sound is played from the top center speaker and top side speaker on the door frame 3, and the bass-heavy main frame speaker on the main frame 4. However, since the muted performance sound is progressing according to the sound generation schedule data, once the alert sound has elapsed for a predetermined period and is no longer playing from the top center speaker and top side speaker on the door frame 3 and the bass-heavy main frame speaker on the main frame 4, the performance sound does not start playing again from where the alert sound began, but rather from where it had progressed according to the sound generation schedule data up to the point when the alert sound began and the predetermined period had elapsed.

Furthermore, the notification and alert sounds are designed to play independently of the volume adjustment via the volume control switch. The CPU of the peripheral control IC controls the sound source of the peripheral control IC via a program, adjusting the volume from silent to maximum. This program-controlled volume transitions smoothly from silent to maximum. For example, even if an employee of a gaming hall adjusts the volume to a low level using the volume control switch, while the music and sound effects from the various speakers become quieter, a loud notification sound (maximum volume in this embodiment) can still be played when a malfunction occurs in the pachinko machine or when a player is engaging in fraudulent activity. Therefore, even if the volume of the sound effects is reduced, the notification sound prevents employees of a gaming hall from becoming less aware of malfunctions or fraudulent activity.

Following step S1032, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs backup processing (step S1034). In this backup processing, the contents stored in the peripheral control IC's RAM are copied to a backup area for steady-state processing provided in the peripheral control IC's RAM, and the contents stored in the SDRAM are copied to a backup area for steady-state processing provided in the SDRAM.

Following step S1034, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a WDT clear process (step S1036). This WDT clear process outputs a clear signal to the external WDT to prevent the peripheral control IC's CPU from being reset.

Following step S1036, the CPU of the peripheral control IC sets the value of the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG to 0 to indicate the completion of the steady-state processing of the peripheral control unit (step S1038), returns to step S1004, initializes the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG by setting the value to 0, and repeatedly performs the determination in step S1006 until the value of the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to 1 in the peripheral control unit V-blank signal interrupt processing described later. In other words, in step S1006, it waits until the value of the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to 1, and if it is determined in step S1006 that the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is 1, it performs the processing in steps S1008 to S1038 and returns to step S1004. Thus, if it is determined in step S1006 that the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is 1, it performs the processing in steps S1008 to S1038. The processing from steps S1008 to S1038 is called "peripheral control unit steady-state processing".

In this peripheral control unit steady-state processing, the process begins in step S1008 by setting the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG to 1, indicating that the peripheral control unit steady-state processing is in progress. Then, in step S1010, the 1ms interrupt timer is activated, followed by the processes in steps S1014, ..., and S1036. Finally, in step S1038, the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG is set to 0, indicating that the execution of the peripheral control unit steady-state processing is complete. The peripheral control unit steady-state processing is executed in step S1006 when the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to 1. As described above, this V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to 1 in the peripheral control unit V-blank signal interrupt processing, which will be executed later, triggered by the input of a V-blank signal from the peripheral control IC's VDP to the peripheral control IC's CPU, indicating that the peripheral control IC is ready to receive screen data from its CPU. In this embodiment, the frame frequency (number of screen updates per second) of the display device 1600 is set to approximately 30 fps, as described above. Therefore, the interval at which the V-blank signal is input is approximately 33.3 ms (= 1000 ms ÷ 30 fps). In other words, the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing is repeatedly executed approximately every 33.3 ms.

[24-2. Peripheral Control Unit V Blank Signal Interrupt Processing]
Next, we will explain the peripheral control unit V-blank signal interrupt processing, which is executed when a V-blank signal indicating that the peripheral control IC is ready to receive screen data from the CPU is input from the peripheral control IC's VDP. When this peripheral control unit V-blank signal interrupt processing starts, the peripheral control IC's CPU determines whether the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG is valued at 0, as shown in Figure 266 (step S1045). As described above, this steady-state processing flag SP-FLG is set to a value of 1 when the peripheral control unit steady-state processing in steps S1008 to S1038 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing in Figure 265 is being executed, and to a value of 0 when the peripheral control unit steady-state processing has been completed.

In step S1045, the peripheral control IC's CPU terminates this routine if the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG is not valued at 0 (i.e., valued at 1), meaning that the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing is currently being executed. On the other hand, in step S1045, if the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG is valued at 0, meaning that the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing has been completed, it sets the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG to value 1 (step S1050) and terminates this routine. As described above, the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is a flag used to determine whether or not to execute the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing. It is set to value 1 when the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing is being executed and to value 0 when it is not.

In this embodiment, step S1045 determines whether the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG is valued at 0, that is, whether the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing has been completed. If the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing has been completed, step S1050 sets the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG to value 1. However, this is because if a V-blank signal is input while the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing is being executed and the V-blank signal detection flag VB-FLG is set to value 1, the determination in step S1006 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing in Figure 265 will execute the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing, forcibly canceling the currently executing peripheral control unit's steady-state processing midway and starting the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing from the beginning. To prevent this, the peripheral control unit power supply in Figure 265 In step S1008 of the power-on processing (peripheral control unit steady-state processing), the value of 1 is set to the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG, informing the peripheral control unit V-blank signal interrupt processing routine that the peripheral control unit steady-state processing is currently being executed. Furthermore, in step S1038 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing (peripheral control unit steady-state processing) shown in Figure 265, the value of 0 is set to the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG, informing the peripheral control unit V-blank signal interrupt processing routine that the peripheral control unit steady-state processing has been completed. Therefore, step S1045 of the peripheral control unit V-blank signal interrupt processing routine determines whether the steady-state processing flag SP-FLG is 0, i.e., whether the peripheral control unit steady-state processing has been completed. In other words, this is a procedure to handle cases where the peripheral control unit steady-state processing cannot be completed between the input of one V-blank signal and the input of the next V-blank signal, resulting in a so-called processing failure.

As a result, in the current peripheral control unit steady-state processing, if the processing fails to complete within approximately 33.3 ms, the system will wait until the next V-blank signal is input, as determined in step S1006 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing in Figure 265. In other words, the time required to execute the failed peripheral control unit steady-state processing becomes approximately 66.6 ms. Normally, the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing, described later, which is repeatedly executed each time a 1ms interrupt timer occurs due to the activation of the 1ms interrupt timer in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing (peripheral control unit steady-state processing) in Figure 265, is executed only 32 times for one peripheral control unit steady-state processing. However, if there is a failed peripheral control unit steady-state processing as described above, the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing is executed only 32 times instead of 64 times. In other words, even if the peripheral control unit steady-state processing fails, consistency is maintained between the progress of the performance by the peripheral control unit steady-state processing and the progress of the performance by the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing, which is timer interrupt control. Therefore, even if the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing fails, the progress of the performance can be reliably maintained.

[24-3. Peripheral Control Unit 1ms Timer Interrupt Processing]
Next, we will explain the peripheral control 1ms timer interrupt processing, which is repeatedly executed each time a 1ms interrupt timer occurs due to the activation of the 1ms interrupt timer in step S1010 of the peripheral control steady-state processing in the peripheral control power-on processing shown in Figure 265. When this peripheral control 1ms timer interrupt processing is started, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines whether the number of 1ms timer interrupt executions STN is less than 33, as shown in Figure 267 (step S1100). As described above, this number of 1ms timer interrupt executions STN is a counter that counts the number of times the 1ms interrupt timer is activated in the 1ms interrupt timer activation processing in step S1010 of the peripheral control steady-state processing in the peripheral control power-on processing shown in Figure 265, and the peripheral control 1ms timer interrupt processing, which is this routine, is executed. In this embodiment, the frame frequency (number of screen updates per second) of the display device 1600 is set to approximately 30 fps per second, as described above. Therefore, the interval at which the V-blank signal is input is approximately 33.3 ms (= 1000 ms ÷ 30 fps). In other words, the peripheral control unit steady-state processing is executed repeatedly every approximately 33.3 ms. Therefore, after the 1 ms interrupt timer is activated in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit steady-state processing, the peripheral control unit 1 ms timer interrupt processing is executed only 32 times before the next peripheral control unit steady-state processing is executed. Specifically, when the 1 ms interrupt timer is activated in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit steady-state processing, the first 1 ms timer interrupt occurs, followed by the second, ..., and then the 32nd 1 ms timer interrupt.

In the determination in step S1100, the CPU of the peripheral control IC terminates the routine if it determines that the number of 1ms timer interrupt executions STN is not less than 33, that is, if the 33rd 1ms timer interrupt has occurred and the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing has started. If the 33rd 1ms timer interrupt happens to precede the next V-blank signal, in this embodiment, although the priority of the interrupt processing is set higher for the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing than for the peripheral control unit V-blank interrupt processing, the start of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing due to the 33rd 1ms timer interrupt is forcibly canceled. In other words, in this embodiment, since the V-blank signal is a signal that governs the entire system of the peripheral control board 1510, if the 33rd 1ms timer interrupt happens to precede the next V-blank signal, the start of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing due to the 33rd 1ms timer interrupt is forcibly canceled in order to execute the peripheral control unit V-blank interrupt processing. Then, upon the generation of the V-blank signal, the 1ms interrupt timer is reactivated in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing. Afterward, the peripheral control unit's 1ms timer interrupt processing begins again due to the occurrence of the first 1ms timer interrupt.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S1100, if the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that the number of 1ms timer interrupt executions STN is less than 33, it adds (increments, step S1102) 1 to the number of 1ms timer interrupt executions STN. This addition of 1 to the number of 1ms timer interrupt executions STN increases the number of times the 1ms interrupt timer is activated and the peripheral control 1ms timer interrupt processing routine is executed in step S1010 of the peripheral control steady-state processing in the peripheral control power-on processing shown in Figure 265, by one.

Following step S1102, motor and solenoid drive processing is performed (step S1104). In this motor and solenoid drive processing, the motor and solenoid are driven according to the drive data indicated by the pointer, based on the drive data of the motor and solenoid, which are arranged in a time series that constitutes the electrical drive source schedule data set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. The pointer is updated to the next drive data specified in the time series, and the pointer is updated each time this motor and solenoid drive processing is executed. As a result, the electrical drive sources such as motors and solenoids managed by the CPU of the peripheral control IC (for example, the electrical drive sources provided in the door frame 3 and the electrical drive sources provided in the various performance units on the game board 5) are driven according to the electrical drive source schedule data.

Following step S1104, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a movable body information acquisition process (step S1106). This process determines whether detection signals have been received from various sensors on the various performance units installed on the game board 5. This creates history information of the detection signals from these sensors (e.g., original position history information, movable position history information, etc.) and sets it in the RAM of the peripheral control IC. Based on the history information of the detection signals from the various sensors set in the RAM of the peripheral control IC, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines the movable position by setting the original position (standby position) or acquiring the movable position of the various movable bodies on the various performance units installed on the game board 5.

Following step S1106, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a performance operation unit information acquisition process (step S1108). This performance operation unit information acquisition process determines whether detection signals have been input from various sensors provided on the performance operation unit 300. This process creates history information of the detection signals from the various sensors (for example, rotation (direction of rotation) history information of the contact operation unit 302, and operation history information of the press operation unit 303), and sets it in the peripheral control IC's RAM. The operation status of the contact operation unit 302 and the press operation unit 303 can be obtained from the history information of the detection signals from the various sensors set in the peripheral control IC's RAM. In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, by operating the performance operation unit 301, it is possible to adjust the volume of the performance sounds output from the top center speaker, top side speakers, and the main frame speaker of the main frame 4, and to adjust the brightness of various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5.

Following step S1108, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs backup processing (step S1110) and terminates this routine. In this backup processing, the contents stored in the peripheral control IC's RAM are copied to a backup area for 1ms timer interrupt processing provided in the peripheral control IC's RAM, and the contents stored in the SDRAM are copied to a backup area for 1ms timer interrupt processing provided in the SDRAM. In this embodiment, the backup area for 1ms timer interrupt processing provided in the peripheral control IC's RAM and the backup area for steady-state processing provided in the peripheral control IC's RAM are set to different areas, and the backup area for 1ms timer interrupt processing provided in the SDRAM and the backup area for steady-state processing provided in the SDRAM are also set to different areas.

Thus, in the peripheral control unit's 1ms timer interrupt processing, various processing related to the performance, from steps S1104 to S1108, is executed within a period of 1ms. In contrast, in the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing during power-on processing in Figure 265, various processing related to the performance, from steps S1014 to S1032, is executed within a period of approximately 33.3ms. In the peripheral control unit's 1ms timer interrupt processing, if the number of 1ms timer interrupt executions STN in step S1100 is not less than 33, that is, when the 33rd 1ms timer interrupt occurs and this peripheral control unit's 1ms timer interrupt processing starts, the routine terminates immediately. Therefore, even if the 33rd 1ms timer interrupt happens to precede the next V-blank signal, the start of the peripheral control unit's 1ms timer interrupt processing due to this 33rd interrupt is forcibly canceled. After the 1ms interrupt timer is restarted in step S1010 of the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing due to the V-blank signal, the peripheral control unit's 1ms timer interrupt processing starts anew due to the first 1ms timer interrupt. In other words, consistency is maintained between the progress of the performance controlled by the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing and the progress of the performance controlled by the peripheral control unit's 1ms timer interrupt processing, which is timer interrupt control. Therefore, the progress of the performance can be reliably synchronized.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the interval at which the V-blank signal is output varies slightly depending on the size of the liquid crystal display 1600, and may also vary slightly depending on the manufacturing lot of the peripheral control board 1510 on which the peripheral control ICs are mounted. In this embodiment, since the V-blank signal is the signal that governs the entire system of the peripheral control board 1510, if the 33rd 1ms timer interrupt happens to precede the next V-blank signal, the start of the peripheral control 1ms timer interrupt processing triggered by the 33rd 1ms timer interrupt is forcibly canceled in order to execute the peripheral control V-blank interrupt processing. In other words, in this embodiment, even if the interval at which the V-blank signal is output changes slightly, the time lag caused by this slight change in the V-blank signal output interval can be absorbed by forcibly canceling the start of the peripheral control 1ms timer interrupt processing triggered by the 33rd 1ms timer interrupt.

[24-4. Peripheral Control Unit Command Reception Interrupt Processing]
Next, the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing, which receives various commands from the main control board 1310, will be explained. When the CPU of the peripheral control IC starts transmitting various commands from the main control board 1310 as serial data, it takes this as a trigger to receive one byte (8 bits) of information from the main frequency serial data into the receive buffer at the serial I/O port of the peripheral control IC. Once this reception is complete, an interrupt is generated, and the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing is performed. The main frequency serial data consists of three bytes per packet. The first byte is assigned the status, the second byte is assigned the mode, and the third byte is assigned a sum value calculated by treating the status and mode as numerical values and adding them together.

When the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing starts, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines whether the 1-byte reception period timer has timed out, as shown in Figure 268 (step S1200). This 1-byte reception period timer sets the period during which one byte (8 bits) of information from the main frequency serial data transmitted from the main control board 1310 can be received.

In step S1200, the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that the 1-byte reception period timer has not timed out, meaning it is within the period in which it can receive 1 byte (8 bits) of information from the main frequency serial data transmitted from the main control board 1310. If it does so, it retrieves the 1 byte of information received from the reception buffer of the peripheral control IC's serial I/O port (step S1202) and adds a value of 1 to the receive counter SRXC (incrementing it, step S1204). This receive counter SRXC is a counter that indicates the number of times data has been retrieved from the receive buffer. Its value is 1 when the first byte of the main frequency serial data, the status, is retrieved from the receive buffer; its value is 2 when the second byte, the mode, is retrieved; and its value is 3 when the third byte, the sum value, is retrieved. The receive counter SRXC is initially set to 0 when the power is turned on, etc.

Following step S1204, it is determined whether the receive counter SRXC is valued at 3, that is, whether the sum value, which is the third byte of the main frequency serial data, has been retrieved from the receive buffer (step S1206). This determination checks whether the status (the first byte of the main frequency serial data), the mode (the second byte of the main frequency serial data), and the sum value (the third byte of the main frequency serial data) have been retrieved from the receive buffer in that order.

In step S1206, the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that the receive counter SRXC is not valued at 3, meaning that it has not yet retrieved the status (the first byte of the main frequency serial data), the mode (the second byte of the main frequency serial data), and the sum value (the third byte of the main frequency serial data) in sequence from the receive buffer. In this case, the CPU sets a 1-byte receive period timer (step S1208) and terminates this routine. Setting the 1-byte receive period timer in step S1208 establishes a period during which the mode (the second byte of the main frequency serial data) or the sum value (the third byte of the main frequency serial data) can be received.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S1206, when the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that the receive counter SRXC is valued at 3, that is, that it has sequentially retrieved the status (the first byte of the main frequency serial data), the mode (the second byte of the main frequency serial data), and the sum value (the third byte of the main frequency serial data) from the receive buffer, it sets the receive counter SRXC to an initial value of 0 (step S1210) and calculates the sum value (step S1212). This calculation treats the status (the first byte of the main frequency serial data) and the mode (the second byte of the main frequency serial data), which were already retrieved from the receive buffer in step S1202, as numerical values and calculates their sum (sum value).

Following step S1212, step S1214 determines whether the sum value, which is the third byte of the main frequency serial data already extracted from the receive buffer in step S1202, matches the sum value calculated in step S1212. The sum value, which is the third byte of the main frequency serial data already extracted from the receive buffer in step S1202, is the sum value assigned as the third byte of the main frequency serial data from the main control board 1310, and therefore should match the sum value calculated in step S1212. However, the pachinko machine 1 is supplied with game balls from the island equipment of the gaming hall, and since the game balls become charged by rubbing against each other and generate noise through electrostatic discharge, the pachinko machine 1 is in an environment susceptible to noise.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the peripheral control board 1510 considers the status assigned as the first byte of the received main frequency serial data and the mode assigned as the second byte of the main frequency serial data as numerical values, calculates their sum (sum value), and determines whether this calculated sum value matches the sum value assigned as the third byte of the main frequency serial data from the main control board 1310. This allows the CPU of the peripheral control IC to determine whether the main frequency serial data between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 has been altered to a non-standard value due to noise interference.

In step S1214, if the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that the sum value (the third byte of the main frequency serial data already retrieved from the receive buffer in step S1202) matches the sum value calculated in step S1212, it stores the status (as assigned to the first byte of the received main frequency serial data) and the mode (as assigned to the second byte of the main frequency serial data) in the peripheral control IC's RAM (step S1216), and terminates this routine.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S1200, if the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that the 1-byte reception period timer has not timed out, that is, that the period for receiving 1 byte (8 bits) of information from the main frequency serial data transmitted from the main control board 1310 has exceeded the time limit, or in the determination in step S1214, if the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that the sum value, which is the third byte of the main frequency serial data already retrieved from the receive buffer in step S1202, does not match the sum value calculated in step S1212, then this routine terminates.

[24-5. Peripheral Control Unit Power Outage Warning Signal Interrupt Processing]
Next, we will describe the peripheral control unit's power outage warning signal interrupt processing, which is executed when a power outage warning signal is input from the power outage monitoring circuit of the main control board 1310 to the main control board 1310. When this peripheral control unit's power outage warning signal interrupt processing starts, the CPU of the peripheral control IC first starts a 2-microsecond timer (step S1300), as shown in Figure 269, and then determines whether or not a power outage warning signal has been input (step S1302). In the determination in step S1302, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that no power outage warning signal has been input, it terminates this routine.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S1302, if the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that a power outage warning signal has been input, it determines whether 2 microseconds have elapsed (step S1304). This determination checks whether 2 microseconds have elapsed since the timer started in step S1300. In the determination in step S1304, if 2 microseconds have not elapsed, the peripheral control IC's CPU returns to step S1302 to determine whether a power outage warning signal has been input. If it determines that no power outage warning signal has been input, it terminates this routine. However, if it determines that a power outage warning signal has been input, it returns to step S1304 to determine whether 2 microseconds have elapsed. In other words, the determination in step S1304 checks whether the power outage warning signal has been continuously input for 2 microseconds since the peripheral control unit's power outage warning signal interrupt processing routine began.

In step S1304, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines that the power outage warning signal has been continuously input for 2 microseconds since the start of this routine, the peripheral control unit power outage warning signal interrupt processing, and performs power saving processing (step S1306). This power saving processing sequentially performs actions such as turning off the backlight of the display device 1600, turning off the excitation of motors and solenoids on the game board 5, and turning off various LEDs. By reducing the overall power consumption of the pachinko machine 1 system, stable operation is ensured for a period of 20 milliseconds, the time during which the peripheral control IC's CPU can operate even if the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off.

Following step S1306, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a command reception waiting process (step S1308). This command reception waiting process assumes that the main control board 1310 is transmitting various commands, and waits for at least 17 milliseconds to allow the peripheral control IC to receive the transmitted commands. Upon receiving a command, the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt process described above is initiated, and the received command is stored in the peripheral control IC's RAM.

Following step S1308, the CPU of the peripheral control IC performs a command backup process (step S1310). In this command backup process, the commands stored in the peripheral control IC's RAM are copied to a backup area for steady-state processing provided in the peripheral control IC's RAM.

Following step S1310, the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines whether or not a power outage warning signal has been input (step S1312). If the CPU of the peripheral control IC determines in step S1312 that a power outage warning signal has been input, it performs a WDT clear process (step S1314). This WDT clear process outputs a clear signal to the external WDT to prevent the CPU of the peripheral control IC from being reset.

On the other hand, in the determination in step S1312, if the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that no power outage warning signal has been input, or if it proceeds to step S1314 and then returns to step S1312 to determine whether or not a power outage warning signal has been input. In other words, it continuously determines whether or not a power outage warning signal has been input indefinitely. By continuously determining indefinitely in this way, in the determination in step S1312, if the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that no power outage warning signal has been input, it becomes unable to output a clear signal to the external WDT, and the peripheral control IC's CPU is reset. Conversely, in the determination in step S1312, if the peripheral control IC's CPU determines that a power outage warning signal has been input, it performs the WDT clearing process in step S1314, and the peripheral control IC's CPU is not reset. Note that if the peripheral control IC's CPU is reset, the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 265 will start again.

Thus, if the power outage warning signal input continues in the infinite loop as determined by step S1312, the WDT clear process is executed in step S1314, preventing the peripheral control IC's CPU from resetting just before a power outage occurs. Conversely, if the power outage warning signal input does not continue in the infinite loop and is released as determined by step S1312, the WDT clear process is not executed, and the output of a clear signal to the external WDT is interrupted. Therefore, even if the peripheral control unit's power outage warning signal interrupt processing routine is incorrectly started due to noise, and the noise persists for more than 2 microseconds, causing the system to pass the determination in step S1302, if the power outage warning signal input does not continue in the infinite loop and is released as determined by step S1312, the WDT clear process in step S1314 is not executed, resulting in a reset of the peripheral control IC's CPU. This allows the system to automatically reset and recover from such noise.

[Control processing on the main control board]
Next, an example of control processing performed on the main control board 1310 (particularly the main control MPU 1310a) will be described. Figure 270 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the special symbol and special electric mechanism control processing (step S114) described above.

Now, assuming that the random numbers used for various lottery processes have been updated (step S106), as shown in Figure 270, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 first performs the first start gate passage process, such as obtaining the first special random number for the first special symbol from the random number counter and storing it in the first special symbol hold memory area of the RAM, based on the condition that the detection signal from the first start gate sensor 3002 is ON (a ball has entered the first start gate 2002) (step S231) (step S232). Furthermore, based on the condition that the detection signal from the second start gate sensor 2401 is ON (a ball has entered the second start gate 2004) (step S233), it performs the second start gate passage process, such as obtaining the second special random number for the second special symbol from the random number counter and storing it in the second special symbol hold memory area of the RAM (step S234).

Next, it is determined whether the "Big Win Execution" flag, which indicates that the game is controlled to a big win state, is set (step S235). If the "Big Win Execution" flag is set, the big win control process (step S235A) is executed to control the game state. In the big win control process, when the result of the lottery process regarding the display pattern when the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) stop moving indicates a "15R big win," a process is executed to control the opening and closing of the large prize slot 2005 according to the 15R big win state. Furthermore, when the pattern indicates a "5R big win," a process is executed to control the opening and closing of the large prize slot 2005 according to the 5R big win state. And when the pattern indicates a "2R big win," a process is executed to control the opening and closing of the large prize slot 2005 according to the 2R big win state.

Furthermore, in the jackpot control process (step S235A), after controlling the opening of the jackpot entry point 2005, the time-saving flag and the time-saving count counter are set. The time-saving flag is a flag indicating that the game is in a time-saving state. It is set when the 2R jackpot game state ends based on the result of the lottery process when the first special symbol stops moving during the time-saving state, when the result of the lottery process suggests a "2R jackpot," when the 5R jackpot game state ends based on the result suggesting a "5R jackpot," and when the 15R jackpot game state ends during or outside of the time-saving state. The time-saving flag is then reset when the next jackpot occurs, or when the counter value of the time-saving count counter becomes "0," by the first special symbol stop process shown in Figure 281 or the second special symbol stop process (not shown), which will be described later.

Furthermore, the time-saving counter indicates the remaining number of times the special symbols (first special symbol and second special symbol) will change, which represents the number of times the time-saving state will continue. When the game is controlled to a time-saving state after the end of a jackpot game, the number of times the time-saving state will continue is set when the jackpot game ends. The time-saving counter counts down each time the special symbols change until its counter value reaches "0". However, if the next jackpot occurs before the counter value reaches "0", it is reset (the counter value is returned to "0") by the first special symbol stop process shown in Figure 281 (described later) or the second special symbol stop process (not shown).

Furthermore, if the "Big Win Execution" flag is not set, the first special symbol process, including a lottery process related to the display mode when the first special symbol's display stops, is executed, provided that the value of the second special symbol reserve counter, which indicates the number of second special random numbers stored in the second special symbol reserve memory area, is "0" (step S237). Then, the second special symbol process, including a lottery process related to the display mode when the second special symbol's display stops, is executed, provided that the value of the second special symbol reserve counter, which indicates the number of second special random numbers stored in the second special symbol reserve memory area, is not "0" (step S237). Thus, in this example, the system is configured to prioritize the display of the second special symbol's variation when the value of the second special symbol reserve counter is not "0".

Figure 271 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first start port passage process (step S232) described above.

Now, in the process of step S231 described above, if the first start port sensor 3002 is in the ON state and it is determined that a game ball has entered the first start port 2002, then, as shown in Figure 271, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, as the process of step S241, first obtains the first special random number, the reach random number, the first symbol random number, and the fluctuating random number from the random number counter.

Next, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 retrieves a counter value from the main control's built-in RAM, which indicates the number of first special random numbers stored in the first special symbol hold memory area, and determines whether the first hold memory number is at its maximum value (upper limit) of "4" based on this counter value (step S242). If, in step S242, it is determined that the first hold memory number is not at its maximum value, the following steps S243 to S245 are performed to put the variable display control of the first special symbol into a new hold state. Specifically, in step S243, the first special hold counter is incremented (added by 1). Then, in step S244, each random number obtained in step S241 is stored in the first special symbol hold memory area corresponding to the counter value of the first special hold counter in the main control's built-in RAM.

Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 performs a pre-determination process (step S245) to determine, based on the first special random number, the reach random number, the first symbol random number, and the fluctuation random number acquired in step S241, whether the display result of the fluctuation display of the first special symbol is a jackpot, the type of jackpot if it is a jackpot, and, if it is not a jackpot, whether to execute a reach animation as a game animation to be executed on the performance display device 1600, or the type of game animation to be executed (type of fluctuation pattern), before starting the fluctuation display corresponding to the initial win. The process then terminates.

However, if, during the process in step S242, it is determined that the first reserved memory count has reached its maximum value, the variable display control of the first special symbol will not be newly reserved. In other words, by terminating the process without executing steps S243 to S245, the variable display control of the first special symbol will not be newly placed in a reserved state.

Furthermore, when a game ball enters the first start opening 2002, the number of reserved balls changes. The two LEDs on the first special reserved ball indicator in the function display unit 1400 are updated to correspond to the new reserved ball count. Simultaneously, the peripheral control board command transmission process (step S120) sets a command to specify the new reserved ball count (first reserved ball count specification command 0-4 (special symbol 1 memory command 0-4)) and transmits it to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 displays the new reserved ball count on the performance display device 1600 based on its receipt of the first reserved ball count specification command 0-4 (special symbol 1 memory command 0-4).

Figure 272 is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for the above-mentioned pre-determination process for game effects (step S245). When the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a starts the pre-determination process, it compares a pre-determination table (not shown) with the random numbers obtained in step S241—specifically, the first special random number, the first symbol random number, the reach random number, and the variable random number—to determine whether a jackpot will occur, the type of jackpot if a jackpot is achieved, and, if not, whether to execute a reach animation as a game effect on the game effect display device 1600, or the type of game effect to be executed (step S261).

Then, a pre-determination command is set according to the identified pre-determination information (whether or not it will be a jackpot, the type of jackpot if it is a jackpot, whether or not a reach animation will be executed as a game animation on the animation display device 1600 if it is not a jackpot, and the type of game animation to be executed), the type of special random number acquired (first special random number), and the number of reserved memories stored corresponding to the acquired special random number (value of the reserved number counter). For example, in the animation pre-determination process for the first special symbol executed in step S245 of the first start gate passage process, a first special symbol pre-determination command is set according to the identified pre-determination information, the acquisition of the first special random number, and the first reserved memory (value of the first special reserved number counter) (step S262).

Then, in the peripheral control board command transmission process (step S120) described above, a pre-determination command is transmitted from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. This allows the peripheral control IC mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 to grasp pre-determination information before the variable display corresponding to the initial win occurs. This information includes the number of reserved symbols stored in relation to the initial win in the first start slot 2002, whether the display result of the special symbol variation based on the initial win is a jackpot, the type of jackpot if it is a jackpot, and if not a jackpot, whether a reach animation is executed as a game animation on the performance display device 1600, and the type of game animation to be executed.

Furthermore, the peripheral control IC mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 is configured to store pre-determination information indicated by the received pre-determination command when it receives one from the main control board 1310. Specifically, the RAM of the peripheral control IC is provided with a first reserved storage area for storing pre-determination information related to the variation display of the first special symbol.

Furthermore, the first hold memory area has 1 to 4 memory areas corresponding to the number of hold memories. The peripheral control IC stores the pre-determination information indicated by the received pre-determination command sequentially, starting from the first (earliest) memory area. When a pre-determination command is received while pre-determination information is stored in the nth (n=1 to 3) memory area, the notified pre-determination information is stored in the (n+1)th (n=1 to 3) memory area. Upon receiving a first variation pattern command notifying the start of the variation display of the first special symbol, the pre-determination information stored in the first memory area of the first hold memory area is discarded according to the received first variation pattern command, and the pre-determination information stored in the Nth (N=2 to 4) memory area is moved to the (N-1)th (N=2 to 4) memory area (the pre-determination information stored in the hold memory area is shifted). This ensures that the pre-determination information for the first special symbol is stored in a way that allows for the identification of the order in which the hold for the start of variation display occurred, and that the earliest pre-determination information is discarded sequentially.

In this way, when the variable display control is in a pending state, even though the variable display control remains in an unexecuted state (pending state), the expected probability of a big win (pseudo-winning probability) of that variable display control can be announced in advance at predetermined timings, such as when the pending display is newly output or when the pending display shifts in response to the consumption of the pending display.

Figure 273 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the second start port passage process (step S234) described above.

Now, in the process of step S233 described above, if the second start port sensor 2401 is in the ON state and it is determined that a game ball has entered the second start port 2004, then, as shown in Figure 273, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, as the process of step S251, first obtains the second special random number, the reach random number, the second symbol random number, and the fluctuating random number from the random number counter.

Next, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 retrieves the counter value from the main control's built-in RAM using the second special reserve counter, and determines whether the second reserve memory is at its maximum value (upper limit) of "1" based on this counter value (step S252). If, in step S252, it is determined that the second reserve memory is not at its maximum value, the following steps S253 to S254 are performed to set the variable display control of the second special symbol to a new reserve state. Specifically, in step S253, the second special reserve counter is incremented (added by 1). Then, in step S254, each random number obtained in step S251 is stored in the second special symbol reserve memory area of the main control's built-in RAM, corresponding to the counter value of the second special reserve counter.

However, if, during the process in step S252, it is determined that the second reserved memory count has reached its maximum value, the variable display control of the second special symbol will not be newly reserved. In other words, by terminating the process without executing steps S253 to S254, the variable display control of the second special symbol will not be newly placed in a reserved state.

Furthermore, when a game ball enters the second starting port 2004, the second reserved ball count changes. The two LEDs on the second special reserved ball indicator in the function display unit 1400 are updated to reflect this change. Simultaneously, the peripheral control board command transmission process (step S120) sets a command to specify the second reserved ball count (second reserved ball count specification command 0-1 (special symbol 2 memory command 0-1)) and transmits it to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 displays the second reserved ball count on the performance display device 1600 based on its receipt of the second reserved ball count specification command 0-1 (special symbol 2 memory command 0-1).

Thus, in this example of pachinko machine 1, the upper limit of the first reserved ball memory, based on the entry of a game ball into the first start port 2002, is set to "4," while the upper limit of the second reserved ball memory, based on the entry of a game ball into the second start port 2004, is set to "1." Furthermore, the second start port 2004 allows for the entry of numerous game balls during the time-saving state. Since the variation time of the second special symbol is shortened compared to the normal state, even though the upper limit of the second reserved ball memory is set to "1," the machine prevents situations that are disadvantageous to the player, such as prolonged periods without the second special symbol variation display, or prolonged periods where the second reserved ball memory is at its upper limit, resulting in the player not having an opportunity to win a jackpot even when a game ball enters the second start port 2004.

Figure 274 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special symbol process (step S238). Note that the first special symbol process executed in step S238 and the second special symbol process executed in step S239 are the same program module, differing only in the random numbers and tables used for determination. Therefore, only the first special symbol process executed in step S238 will be explained here. In the first special symbol process, one of the following five process processes will be selectively executed according to the first special symbol process flag mentioned above.

1. The first special random number stored in the RAM of the main control MPU 1310a is read, and based on the read first special random number, a lottery process is performed regarding the display mode when the variation control of the first special symbol is stopped (step S280).
2. First special symbol stop symbol setting process (step S281) in which a process is performed to determine the display mode when the first special symbol's fluctuation control is stopped, based on the result of a lottery process regarding the display mode when the fluctuation control of the first special symbol is stopped.
3. First variation pattern setting process (step S282) in which a lottery process is performed regarding the variation pattern of the first special symbol displayed on the first special symbol display unit 1400 based on the fluctuating random number, and the variation pattern of the performance display executed on the performance display device 1600 in accordance with the special symbol.
4. First special symbol variation processing (step S283) which waits until the variation display of the first special symbol on the first special symbol display unit of the function display unit 1400 stops.
5. First special symbol stop processing (step S284) to stop the display of the first special symbol so that the display mode of the first special symbol when the control of the first special symbol is stopped, determined based on the result of the lottery process for the display mode of the first special symbol when the control of the first special symbol is stopped, is displayed on the first special symbol display of the function display unit 1400.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned first special symbol process flag is operated in the main control side power-on processing (see Figure 255) to indicate that the above-mentioned first special symbol normal processing (step S280) should be performed.

Figure 275 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the normal processing of the first special symbol (step S280) described above.

When the above-mentioned first special symbol process flag indicates that the normal processing of the first special symbol should be performed, as shown in Figure 275, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 first determines, as the process of step S301, whether or not there is variable display control for the first special symbol that is in a reserved state, based on the counter value of the first special reserved number counter. If, as a result, it is determined that there is variable display control for the first special symbol that is in a reserved state, then as the process of step S302, the main control MPU 1310a reads from the RAM the random number stored in the earliest memory area among the random numbers related to the display mode of the first special symbol (for example, first special random number, first symbol random number, reach random number, variable random number) stored in the first special symbol reserved memory area of the RAM of the main control MPU 1310a. Next, in steps S303 and S304, the first special reserve counter is counted down, and the random numbers related to the display mode when the variation display of the first special symbol stops (first special random number, first symbol random number, reach random number, variation random number) stored in each memory area of the first special symbol reserve memory area of the RAM of the main control MPU 1310a are shifted in a first-in, first-out manner.

Specifically, the first special symbol hold memory area has four memory areas, 1 to 4. Random numbers extracted in response to a starting win are stored sequentially starting from the first (earliest) memory area. When a starting win occurs while random numbers are stored in the nth (n=1 to 3) memory area, the extracted random numbers are stored in the (n+1)th (n=1 to 3) memory area. When the start condition for the variable display based on the random numbers stored in the first memory area is met, the various random numbers stored in the first memory area are read, and the various random numbers stored in the Nth (N=2 to 4) memory area are moved to the (N-1)th (N=2 to 4) memory area. This allows the order in which the hold for the variable display control of the first special symbol occurred to be identified and stored, and the hold for the variable display control is released sequentially, starting from the earliest hold (the first hold to occur).

Then, as part of step S305, a win determination process is performed based on the first special random number of the first special symbol read out, which is the lottery process for determining whether or not to win the jackpot. After that, when the first special symbol process flag is updated (step S306) to transition to the first special symbol stop symbol setting process (step S281), this process terminates.

Figure 276 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the hit detection process (step S305) described above.

The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 compares the hit determination table shown in Figure 277(A) with a special random number (the first special random number read in step S302 if the first special symbol normal processing is being performed, or the second special random number read in the second special symbol normal processing if the second special symbol normal processing is being performed) (step S311).

The winning determination table shown in Figure 277(A) includes, for each type of special random number (first special random number, second special random number), a low-probability jackpot determination table used when the game state is low probability (normal state (low probability non-time-saving state) and time-saving state (low probability time-saving state)), and a high-probability jackpot determination table used when the game state is high probability (high probability time-saving state). Furthermore, in the low-probability win determination table referenced for comparison with the first special random number, the first special random numbers are associated such that they match the jackpot determination value indicating that the first special random number has won a jackpot at a jackpot probability of 1/319 when the setting value is 1, 1/309 when the setting value is 2, 1/299 when the setting value is 3, 1/289 when the setting value is 4, 1/279 when the setting value is 5, and 1/269 when the setting value is 6; they match the jackpot determination value indicating that the first special random number has won a minor win at a minor win probability of 3/319; and all other first special random numbers match the loss determination value indicating that they are misses. Furthermore, in this example, within the second special symbol process, the low-probability win judgment table referenced for comparison with the second special random number is associated such that the second special random number matches the jackpot judgment value indicating that the second special random number has won a jackpot at a jackpot probability of 1/319 when the setting value is 1, 1/309 when the setting value is 2, 1/299 when the setting value is 3, 1/289 when the setting value is 4, 1/279 when the setting value is 5, and 1/269 when the setting value is 6; matches the minor win judgment value indicating that the second special random number has won a minor win at a minor win probability of 144/319; and matches the loss judgment value indicating that any other second special random number is a loss. In other words, the win determination table referenced for comparison with the second special random number is configured to have a higher probability of determining a minor win compared to the win determination table referenced for comparison with the first special random number. This ensures that the player is more favorably affected when the second special symbol is displayed based on a start-up entry into the second start-up slot 2004 than when the first special symbol is displayed based on a start-up entry into the first start-up slot 2002. Furthermore, the win determination table during high probability is configured to increase the jackpot probability for each setting value tenfold compared to the win determination table during low probability.

The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, after comparing the hit determination table with the special random number (the first special random number read in step S302 of the normal processing of the first special symbol, or the second special random number read in the normal processing of the second special symbol), determines that a jackpot has been won (step S312). If it does so, it sets a jackpot flag indicating that the spin has resulted in a jackpot (step S313), and terminates the hit determination process.

Furthermore, if the comparison between the selected win determination table and the special random number (the first special random number read in step S302 of the normal processing of the first special symbol, or the second special random number read in the normal processing of the second special symbol) determines that it is a minor win (step S314), a minor win flag is set to indicate that the spin has resulted in a minor win (step S315), and the win determination process ends.

On the other hand, if neither a big win nor a small win is achieved, i.e., if it is determined to be a loss, the reach determination table is compared with the reach random number read in step S302 (step S316).

The reach determination table (not shown) is stored in the built-in ROM of the main control unit and includes a reach determination table for when the game state is in a time-saving state, and a reach determination table for when the game state is not in a time-saving state. In the reach determination table for the time-saving state, each of the 71 reach random numbers is associated such that one reach random number matches a reach determination value indicating a reach, and 71 reach random numbers match a reach determination value indicating no reach.

Furthermore, in the non-time-saving mode's reach determination table, five types of reach random numbers, including the same reach random numbers set in the reach determination table during the time-saving mode, are associated with the reach determination value indicating a reach, while the 67 types of reach random numbers are associated with the reach determination value indicating no reach. Thus, in this embodiment, the reach determination value indicating a reach is higher in the non-time-saving mode than in the time-saving mode.

The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, after comparing the selected reach determination table with the reach random number read in step S302 (step S316), determines that the result is a miss (step S317). If it does so, it sets a reach flag indicating that the fluctuation is a reach and terminates processing (step S318).

Figure 278 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special symbol stop symbol setting process (step S281) described above.

When the above-mentioned first special symbol process flag indicates that the first special symbol stop symbol setting process should be performed, as shown in Figure 278, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 first determines the result of the lottery process for the display mode when the first special symbol's display stops, that is, the result of the above-mentioned win determination process (step S305). The determination of the lottery process result is performed by determining whether the jackpot flag is set (step S321) or whether the minor win flag is set (step S324).

If the jackpot flag is set in step S321, the main control MPU 1310a determines the type of jackpot by comparing the random number of the first symbol read in step S302 of the normal processing of the first special symbol with the jackpot symbol determination table shown in Figure 277(B), and then determines the manner in which the variation control of the first special symbol stops (the stopping symbol of the first special symbol) corresponding to the determined type of jackpot (step S322).

in particular,
1. After the large prize slot 2005 is left open for a long period of time (e.g., 29 seconds) or when the large prize slot sensor 2402 detects that 10 game balls have entered the large prize slot 2005, the game is controlled to a 15R jackpot game state in which game balls can easily enter the large prize slot 2005 by repeating the opening and closing pattern 15 times (15 rounds). After the jackpot game state ends, the game is controlled to a high-probability time-saving state in which the execution period of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) variation display is shortened compared to normal until the variation display is executed 77 times, and the special lottery result is drawn at a higher probability than normal. 2. The opening and closing pattern is repeated five times (five rounds) to control the game into a 5R jackpot state where game balls can easily enter the large prize slot 2005. This is done after the large prize slot 2005 has been left open for a long period of time (e.g., 29 seconds) or when the large prize slot sensor 2402 detects that 10 game balls have entered the large prize slot 2005. After the jackpot state ends, the display of special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) is displayed 77 times, shortening the duration of the display of these symbols compared to normal.
3. The opening and closing pattern is repeated twice (2 rounds) to control the game to a 2R jackpot state in which game balls can easily enter the large prize slot 2005. This is done when the large prize slot sensor 2402 detects that 10 game balls have entered the large prize slot 2005 after it has been open for a long period of time (e.g., 29 seconds) or when it has been detected that 10 game balls have entered the large prize slot 2005. If the game is controlled to a time-saving state before the start of the 2R jackpot state, the game is controlled to a time-saving state in which the game ends if a jackpot does not occur within 77 times the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) are displayed after the end of the jackpot state. If the game is controlled to a non-time-saving state before the start of the 2R jackpot state, the game is controlled to a normal state after the end of the jackpot state.
The winner will be determined from one of the three types of jackpots.

Furthermore, if the jackpot flag is set during the second special symbol stop symbol setting process, the type of jackpot is determined by comparing the second symbol random number read during the second special symbol normal processing with the jackpot symbol determination table shown in Figure 277(B), and the manner in which the second special symbol's variation control stops (the stop symbol of the second special symbol) corresponding to the determined type of jackpot is determined.
in particular,
1. After the large prize slot 2005 is left open for a long period of time (e.g., 29 seconds) or when the large prize slot sensor 2402 detects that 10 game balls have entered the large prize slot 2005, the game is controlled to a 15R jackpot game state in which game balls can easily enter the large prize slot 2005 by repeating the opening and closing pattern 15 times (15 rounds). After the jackpot game state ends, the game is controlled to a high-probability time-saving state in which the execution period of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) variation display is shortened compared to normal until the variation display is executed 77 times, and the special lottery result is drawn at a higher probability than normal. 2. The opening and closing pattern is repeated five times (five rounds) to control the game into a 5R jackpot state where game balls can easily enter the large prize slot 2005. This is done after the large prize slot 2005 has been left open for a long period of time (e.g., 29 seconds) or when the large prize slot sensor 2402 detects that 10 game balls have entered the large prize slot 2005. After the jackpot state ends, the display of special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) is displayed 77 times, shortening the duration of the display of these symbols compared to normal.
3. The opening and closing pattern is repeated twice (2 rounds) to control the game to a 2R jackpot state in which game balls can easily enter the large prize slot 2005. This is done when the large prize slot sensor 2402 detects that 10 game balls have entered the large prize slot 2005 after it has been open for a long period of time (e.g., 29 seconds) or when it has been detected that 10 game balls have entered the large prize slot 2005. If the game is controlled to a time-saving state before the start of the 2R jackpot state, the game is controlled to a time-saving state in which the game ends if a jackpot does not occur within 77 times the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) are displayed after the end of the jackpot state. If the game is controlled to a non-time-saving state before the start of the 2R jackpot state, the game is controlled to a normal state after the end of the jackpot state.
The winner will be determined from one of the three types of jackpots.

Furthermore, the jackpot symbol determination table, which is compared with the first symbol random number, assigns 8 judgment values when it results in a 15R probability variation jackpot, 100 judgment values when it results in a 5R time-saving jackpot, and 92 judgment values when it results in a 2R jackpot. In other words, when a jackpot is obtained through the lottery based on the first special random number, there is a 4% chance of a 15R jackpot, a 50% chance of a 5R jackpot, and a 46% chance of a 2R jackpot. Similarly, the jackpot symbol determination table, which is compared with the second symbol random number, assigns 92 judgment values when it results in a 15R probability variation jackpot, 100 judgment values when it results in a 5R time-saving jackpot, and 8 judgment values when it results in a 2R jackpot. In other words, if the lottery based on the second special random number results in a jackpot, there is a 46% probability of a 15R probability-increasing jackpot, a 50% probability of a 5R jackpot, and a 4% probability of a 2R jackpot. Thus, in this example of pachinko machine 1, the jackpot symbol determination table compared with the second symbol random number is configured such that the probability of determining a 15R probability-increasing jackpot is higher in the second symbol random number determination table compared with the first symbol random number determination table. This configuration makes the player more favorable when the second special symbol variation display based on a starting entry into the second starting entry 2004 is executed than when the first special symbol variation display based on a starting entry into the first starting entry 2002 is executed.

Furthermore, once the type of jackpot is determined, the stopping symbols corresponding to that type of jackpot are determined as the stopping pattern of the first special symbol. Specifically, if a 2R jackpot is determined, the jackpot symbols will be set to 2R jackpot symbols; if a 5R jackpot is determined, the jackpot symbols will be set to 5R jackpot symbols; and if a 15R jackpot is determined, the jackpot symbols will be set to 15R jackpot symbols.

Furthermore, if the jackpot flag is not set in step S131, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, if the minor jackpot flag is set (step S324), compares the random number of the first symbol read in step S302 of the normal processing of the first special symbol with the minor jackpot symbol determination table shown in Figure 277(C) to determine the type of minor jackpot, and then determines the manner in which the variation control of the first special symbol stops (the stopping symbol of the first special symbol) corresponding to the determined type of jackpot (step S325).

in particular,
1. The prize entry opening 200 is opened for a short time (e.g., 80 ms) and then closed twice in an opening and closing pattern to control the game to a state where the game ball can easily enter the prize entry opening 200. When the game ball received into the prize entry opening 2006 is distributed to the V prize entry opening 2007 and detected by the V prize entry opening sensor 3003, the large prize entry opening 2005 is opened for a long time (e.g., 29 seconds) or the game ball is placed in the large prize entry opening 2005. When the large prize slot sensor 2402 detects that 10 balls have entered the slot, the opening and closing pattern is repeated 14 times to control the game state to a 15R jackpot state in which the game balls can easily enter the large prize slot 2005. After the jackpot state ends, the execution period of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) is shortened compared to normal until the variation display is executed 77 times, and the game state is controlled to a high-probability time-saving state in which the special lottery result is drawn at a higher probability than normal. The mechanism controls the game to a minor win state where game balls can easily enter the prize entry opening 200 by executing an opening and closing pattern twice, where the prize entry opening 200 is opened for a short time (e.g., 80 ms) and then closed. When game balls received in the prize entry opening 2006 are distributed to the V prize entry opening 2007 and detected by the V prize entry opening sensor 3003, the large prize entry opening 2005 is opened for a long time (e.g., 29 seconds), or game balls are placed in the large prize entry opening 2005. When the large prize slot sensor 2402 detects that 10 balls have entered the slot, the opening and closing pattern is repeated 14 times to control the game to a 15R jackpot state in which the game balls can easily enter the large prize slot 2005. If the game was controlled to a time-saving state before the start of the 15R jackpot state, the game will be controlled to a time-saving state that ends if a jackpot does not occur within 77 times the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) are displayed after the end of the jackpot state. If the game was controlled to a non-time-saving state before the start of the 15R jackpot state, the game will be controlled to a normal state after the end of the jackpot state. The game will be controlled to one of two types of minor wins.

The minor win symbol determination table, which is compared with the first symbol random number, has 200 judgment values assigned to it when the first minor win occurs. That is, if the lottery result based on the first special random number determines a minor win, there is a 100% probability of winning the first minor win, and the second minor win will not occur. On the other hand, the minor win symbol determination table, which is compared with the second symbol random number, has 20 judgment values assigned to it when the first minor win occurs, and 180 judgment values assigned to it when the second minor win occurs. That is, if the lottery result based on the second special random number determines a minor win, there is a 10% probability of winning the first minor win and a 90% probability of winning the second minor win.

Furthermore, once the type of minor win is determined, the stopping symbols corresponding to that type of minor win are determined as the stopping pattern of the first special symbol. Specifically, if the first minor win is determined, the minor win symbol is determined as the first minor win symbol; if the second minor win is determined, the minor win symbol is determined as the second minor win symbol.

The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 determines a losing symbol if neither the jackpot flag nor the minor jackpot flag is set (step S327). After this determination of the stopping symbol is completed, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 sets a judgment result notification command corresponding to each lottery result (step S328) to send the lottery result (indicating either the type of jackpot, minor jackpot, near miss, or loss (which may also indicate the pattern of the stopping symbol for the first special symbol)) to the peripheral control board 1510. Then, in step S329, the process ends when the first special symbol process flag is updated to transition to the first variation pattern setting process (step S282).

The peripheral control unit 1511 controls the display of the performance display device 1600 based on the received judgment result notification command and variation pattern command (displaying the left, center, and right decorative symbols in a variation pattern and stopping them in the order of left decorative symbol → right decorative symbol → center decorative symbol (in some cases, the left, center, and right decorative symbols may be displayed in a variation pattern synchronized with the same symbol and stopped simultaneously)). Specifically, the peripheral control unit 1511 determines the mode (stopped symbol) when the variation of the decorative symbols displayed on the performance display device 1600 stops as follows: if a minor win or a 2R big win is identified from the received judgment result notification command, it will be determined to be the minor win symbol ("Final Battle"); if a 5R time-saving big win is identified, it will be determined to be the 5R time-saving big win symbol (a combination in which the left, middle, and right decorative symbols are the same even number from "0" to "9"); and if a 15R probability-changing big win is identified, it will be determined to be the 15R probability-changing big win symbol (a combination in which the left, middle, and right decorative symbols are the same odd number from "0" to "9"). Furthermore, if a missed reach is identified, the system determines a losing symbol with a reach (a combination where the left and right decorative symbols are identical symbols from "0" to "9" and the middle decorative symbol is different; a missed reach symbol). If a loss is identified, the system determines a losing symbol without a reach (a combination where at least the left and right decorative symbols are different). At the end of the game animation (when the animation finishes), the system controls the display of the animation display device 1600 to show the determined stopped symbols.

In this example, the pachinko machine 1 can be controlled to a time-saving state for up to 77 times after a jackpot, during which the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) are displayed. However, the time-saving state may be terminated based on a predetermined number of jackpots occurring after the transition to the time-saving state. Specifically, if the machine is controlled to a time-saving state after a jackpot, and then a predetermined number of jackpots (e.g., two) occur, the machine may be controlled to a normal state without switching to a time-saving state after the predetermined number of jackpots. Furthermore, even if the number of jackpots is less than the predetermined number, the machine may be controlled to a non-time-saving state during the jackpot state, and then the time-saving state may be re-established after the jackpot state.

Figure 279 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first variation pattern setting process (step S282) described above.

When the above-mentioned first special symbol process flag indicates that the first variation pattern setting process should be performed, as shown in Figure 279, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 selects a variation pattern table for big wins (not shown) corresponding to the type of big win determined in step S323 of the first special symbol stop symbol setting process if the big win flag is set (step S341) (step S342), selects a variation pattern table for small wins (not shown) corresponding to the type of small win determined in step S325 of the first special symbol stop symbol setting process if the small win flag is set (step S343) (step S344), selects a variation pattern table for reach (not shown) if the reach flag is set (step S345) (step S346), and selects a variation pattern table for misses (not shown) if neither the big win flag nor the reach flag is set, i.e., it is a normal miss (a miss where the reach effect is not performed) (step S347).

Then, by comparing the selected variation pattern table with the variation random number read in step S302 of the normal processing of the first special symbol, the variation pattern to be executed is determined (step S348). A variation pattern command is set to notify the peripheral control board 1510 to start the determined variation pattern, and the variation display of the first special symbol on the function display unit 1400's first special symbol display unit begins (step S349). Furthermore, once the main control MPU 1310a determines the variation pattern, it sets the variation time corresponding to the determined variation pattern in the variation timer (step S350). As a result, the first special symbol display unit 1400 and the above-mentioned performance display device 1600 perform performance control only for the variation time thus determined.

In this example, multiple types of variation pattern tables are provided for each judgment result based on special random numbers (first special random number, second special random number) and symbol random numbers (first symbol random number, second symbol random number). Furthermore, each variation pattern set in the variation pattern table stores multiple pieces of variation time information, indicating the predetermined time (variation time) required for controlling the variation display of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol), associated with each of the variation random numbers. The main control MPU 1310a then compares the selected variation pattern table from the multiple types of variation pattern tables corresponding to the judgment results based on the special random numbers and symbol random numbers with the variation random number read in step S302 of the normal processing of the first special symbol. By obtaining the variation time information associated with the read variation random number from this table, the variation pattern of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) is determined. This allows the lottery processing for the variation pattern of the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) to be performed. The above-mentioned variation pattern table is stored in the ROM of the main control MPU 1310a.

Furthermore, in this example's reel-reach pattern table, the type of reel-reach animation to be executed is determined by comparing a judgment value indicating which reel-reach animation to execute with a randomly generated variable. For example, among the reel-reach animations, the super reel-reach animation has a higher probability of winning than the normal reel-reach animation, and when the super reel-reach animation is executed, the player's expectation of winning increases.

Furthermore, once the variable display control of the first special symbol begins, the next step, S351, determines whether the counter value of the time-saving count counter, which sets the number of consecutive time-saving states, is "0". If this counter value is not "0", the time-saving count counter is counted down (step S352), and then it is further determined whether the counter value of the simultaneous time-saving count counter is "0" (step S353). If this result shows that the counter value is "0", a time-saving end flag is set to indicate the termination of the time-saving state control (time-saving control) (step S354).

If the time-saving count counter is determined to be "0" in step S351, or if the time-saving count counter is determined to be "0" in step S353, the process proceeds to step S355. Then, when the first special symbol process flag is updated to initiate the process to the first special symbol variation process (step S283), this process terminates.

In this example, in the losing spin pattern table, the special symbol spin pattern is set such that, during the time-saving mode, the spin time information for the special symbols, set to approximately 1 second, is associated with the special symbol random numbers (first special symbol, second special symbol), while during the non-time-saving mode, the spin time information for the special symbols, set to approximately 12 seconds, is associated with the special symbol random numbers (first special symbol, second special symbol). In other words, the spin time information for the special symbols is set so that the time required for controlling the spin display of the special symbols is extremely short compared to the spin pattern selected during the non-time-saving mode.

Figure 280 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special symbol variation process (step S283) described above.

When the above-mentioned first special symbol process flag indicates that the first special symbol variation process should be performed, as shown in Figure 280, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 first decrements the variation timer, which is set to the variation time corresponding to the variation pattern determined in the variation pattern lottery process (step S282), by 1 as the process of step S371. Then, when it is determined that the variation time timer is 0, that is, that the lottery-determined variation time has elapsed (step S372), the process proceeds to step S373. That is, in the process of step S373, when the above-mentioned first special symbol process flag is updated to proceed to the first special symbol stop process (step S284), this process ends.

Figure 281 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the first special symbol stop process (step S284) described above.

When the above-mentioned first special symbol process flag indicates that the first special symbol stop processing should be performed, as shown in Figure 281, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 first performs display control to display the stop symbol determined in the first special symbol stop symbol setting processing on the first special symbol display unit 1400, and simultaneously sets a stop display command as a command to the peripheral control board 1510 to instruct the performance display device 1600 to display the derived display result of the decorative symbol corresponding to the stop symbol of the first special symbol (step S382).

Next, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 resets the time-saving termination flag (step S383) and the time-saving flag (step S385) when the time-saving termination flag is set (step S384). This causes the time-saving control (control in time-saving state) to end and the non-time-saving control (control in normal state) to begin when the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) have been displayed a predetermined number of times (77 times in this example).

Furthermore, when the jackpot flag is set (step S386), the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 sets a jackpot start command to indicate the start of a jackpot game (step S387), and sets the waiting time until the start of the jackpot game (the time for displaying an indication that the jackpot game is about to start) in the interval timer (step S388). Although not shown in the diagram, step S388 also executes a process to set the number of rounds corresponding to the type of jackpot in the jackpot counter, which indicates the remaining number of rounds. In the jackpot control process described later, the jackpot counter is decremented by 1 each time a round is executed, and when the jackpot counter reaches "0", the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 determines that the specified number of rounds has been executed and controls the game to end the jackpot game. Specifically, in the jackpot control process described later, the pre-opening process for the jackpot opening (step S401) and the process during the jackpot opening (step S402) are repeatedly executed until the jackpot count counter reaches "0". When the round ends in the jackpot opening process (step S402), the jackpot count counter is deducted by 1, and based on this reaching "0", the process transitions to the post-opening process for the jackpot opening (step S403), executing the control to end the jackpot game.

Then, a "Big Win Execution in Progress" flag is set to indicate that a big win game is currently being played (step S389). The big win start command is a command sent to the peripheral control board 1510, and each command is prepared individually according to the type of big win. In step S387, the big win start command (15R probability variation big win start command, 5R time reduction big win start command, 2R big win start command) is set according to the type of big win (15R probability variation big win, 5R time reduction big win, 2R big win). As a result, the effects of the big win game according to the type of big win instructed by the big win start command are executed by the effects display device 1600, lamps/LEDs, speakers, etc. Similarly, in the second special symbol process's second special symbol stop process, the jackpot start command (15R probability variation jackpot start command, 5R time-saving jackpot start command, 2R jackpot start command) is set according to the type of jackpot (15R probability variation jackpot, 5R time-saving jackpot, 2R jackpot).

Furthermore, the "Big Win Execution" flag, which indicates that a big win game is in progress, is reset when the big win game ends, specifically when the opening and closing control of the large prize slot 2005 according to the type of big win is completed in the post-opening processing of the large prize slot (step S403) of the big win control processing (step S235A) (for example, opening and closing control that repeats an opening and closing pattern 2, 5, or 15 times after the large prize slot 2005 has been left open for a long time (for example, 29 seconds) or when the large prize slot sensor 2402 detects that 10 game balls have entered the large prize slot 2005) (for all rounds that can be executed in the big win game). When the "Big Win Execution" flag is reset, the big win control process (step S235A) is not executed in step S235 of the special symbol and special electric mechanism control process (step S114). At the same time, the function display unit 1400 becomes capable of displaying the variation of the first special symbol on the first special symbol display and the variation of the second special symbol on the second special symbol display.

Furthermore, if the jackpot flag is not set (step S386), and the minor jackpot flag is set (step S390), the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 sets a minor jackpot start command to indicate the start of the minor jackpot game (step S391), and sets the waiting time until the start of the minor jackpot game (the time for displaying information that the minor jackpot game is starting) in the interval timer (step S392). Then, it sets a minor jackpot execution flag to indicate that the minor jackpot game is in progress (step S393). The minor jackpot start command is a command sent to the peripheral control board 1510, and each command is prepared individually according to the type of minor jackpot. In step S391, the minor jackpot start command (first minor jackpot start command, second minor jackpot start command) according to the type of minor jackpot (first minor jackpot, second minor jackpot) is set. As a result, the animations for the mini-win game, corresponding to the type of mini-win instructed by the mini-win start command, are executed by the animation display device 1600, lamps/LEDs, and speakers, etc. Similarly, in the second special symbol stop processing of the second special symbol process, mini-win start commands (first mini-win start command, second mini-win start command) corresponding to the type of mini-win (first mini-win, second mini-win) are set.

Furthermore, the "minor win in progress" flag, which indicates that a minor win game is currently being played, is reset when the minor win game ends. Specifically, this reset occurs during the minor win processing (step S411) of the minor win control processing (step S236A), which is described later. The control of opening and closing the prize entry point 200 according to the type of minor win (for example, an opening and closing pattern that repeats twice, opening the prize entry point 200 for a short time (e.g., 80 ms) and then closing it) is completed. The reset of the "minor win in progress" flag prevents the execution of the minor win control processing (step S236A) in step S236 of the special symbol and special electric prize control processing (step S114), while enabling the display of the first special symbol's variation on the first special symbol display and the second special symbol's variation on the second special symbol display of the function display unit 1400.

Furthermore, if the minor win flag is not set, i.e., if it is a loss, the waiting time until the next special symbol variation display begins (the time the special symbol's stopped symbol is displayed) is set in the interval timer (step S394), and the process proceeds to step S395.

When the processes described in steps S386 to S394 are executed, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 updates the first special symbol process flag to its initial value, which is the normal process for the first special symbol, and terminates this process (step S395).

Figure 282 is a flowchart showing the procedure for the jackpot control process (step S235A) described above. In the jackpot control process, one of the following three process operations is selectively executed depending on the jackpot process flag.

1. Pre-opening process for the big prize slot (step S401) which waits until the peripheral control board 1510 notifies the player that the game will transition to the big win state based on the fact that the state in which the special symbols (first special symbol, second special symbol) stop changing has become a big win symbol, or until the next round begins.
2. The process of keeping the large prize slot open (step S402) involves controlling the large prize slot 2005 to an open state based on the fact that the pattern of the special symbol display has stopped becoming a jackpot symbol, or based on the start of the next round, and closing the large prize slot 2005 after it has been open for a long time (for example, 29 seconds) or when the large prize slot sensor 2402 detects that 10 game balls have entered the large prize slot 2005.
3. Post-opening processing of the big prize slot (step S403) waits until the peripheral control board 1510 notifies the player that the big win game state has ended when all rounds are completed.

Furthermore, the above-mentioned jackpot process flag is operated in step S42 to indicate that the pre-opening process for the jackpot opening (step S401) should be performed. In the jackpot opening process (step S402), at the start of the round in which the jackpot opening 2005 is controlled to be open, a jackpot round start command corresponding to the number of rounds is set, and at the end of the round in which the jackpot opening 2005 is controlled to be closed, a jackpot round end command corresponding to the number of rounds is set. The jackpot round start command and the jackpot round end command are commands transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510, and the jackpot game effects corresponding to the number of rounds instructed by the jackpot round start command and the jackpot round end command are executed by the effect display device 1600, lamps/LEDs, speakers, etc.

[Rainbow effect]
Next, we will explain the rainbow effect that is executed when there is a high probability of a big win (for example, when a big win is achieved (big win confirmation effect) or when the decorative symbols become a reach (reach notification)). The rainbow effect in this example is performed by displaying a predetermined form (pattern, character, letters, etc.) using multiple colors on the effect display device 1600, and then rapidly changing the display color in an arbitrary display area of the effect display device 1600, and in conjunction with the change in display color on the effect display device 1600, various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5 (for example, the specific decorative boards described later (door frame top central decorative board 455, door frame top left decorative board 456, door frame top right decorative board 457, Door frame left side upper decorative board 422 of door frame left side unit 420, Door frame left side lower decorative board 423 of door frame left side unit 420, Plate left decorative board 273 provided behind plate left decorative lens 272, Door frame right side lower decorative board 433 of door frame right side unit 430, Plate right decorative board 278 provided behind plate right decorative lens 277, Door frame right side upper decorative board 432 of door frame right side unit 430, Rear front left upper decorative board for illuminating the rear front upper left logo decorative part 3122 3129, the front left logo decoration section 3121, the front left upper logo decoration section 3122, and the front left sub-decoration section 3123 are illuminated by a front left decoration board 3128, the front lower logo decoration board 3173 for illuminating the front lower logo decoration body 3167, the front lower middle decoration board 3168 for illuminating the front lower middle decoration body 3161, the front lower left inner decoration board 3169 for illuminating the front lower left inner decoration body 3163, and the front lower left outer decoration board 3164 for illuminating the front lower left outer decoration body The LEDs on the circuit board 3170, the rear front lower right inner decorative circuit board 3171 for illuminating the rear front lower right inner decorative body 3165, the rear front lower right outer decorative circuit board 3172 for illuminating the rear front lower right outer decorative body 3166, the rear front lower right decorative circuit board 3152 for illuminating the rear front right logo decorative body 3141, the rear front upper right decorative circuit board 3151 for illuminating the rear front upper right logo decorative body 3142, etc., emit light in multiple colors (at least two or more colors) and the colors are transitioned in a short time. The following describes a rainbow-colored effect that is executed by linking all the LEDs on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 with the effect display device 1600, causing a rapid transition of the display colors in a predetermined form displayed on the effect display device 1600 and the light emission colors of the LEDs on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5. However, it is also possible to rapidly transition the display colors and light emission colors using only one of the LEDs on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, or any combination thereof. Furthermore, for some or all of the various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 that are controlled to emit light in the rainbow-colored effect, an insulating coating may be applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative board provided on the game board 5 to improve the reflectivity with the insulating coating.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 283(A), in this example, when the rainbow effect is executed, the display area of the effect display device 1600 is divided into five areas, the first display area a to the fifth display area e, and a rainbow effect display pattern is displayed with different colors in each area. Then, as the variation time progresses, the display colors of the first display area a to the fifth display area e, as well as the size and shape of the first display area a to the fifth display area e of the effect display device 1600, are changed in a short period of time.

Furthermore, the rainbow effect displayed on the display device 1600 can take the form of not having information such as characters or text across the entire area of the display device 1600. For example, as shown in Figure 283(A), the display area of the display device 1600 can be divided into multiple areas by multiple striped lines (in the example shown in Figure 283(A), there are five display areas: the first display area a to the fifth display area e), or as shown in Figure 283(B), the display area of the display device 1600 can be divided into multiple areas by multiple radial lines (in the example shown in Figure 283(B), there are five display areas: the first display area a to the sixth display area f), and the first to fifth display areas can be colored with different colors for each area, and the colors of some or all of these multiple areas can be changed in a short time. It may also be done by coloring multiple characters (people, plants, animals, objects, landscapes, etc.) or letters in different colors for each character and/or letter (for each meaningful block (component) such as a character, letter, word, etc.) (for example, displaying the letters "CHANCE" with the first "C" in white, the "H" in yellow, the "A" in green, the "N" in blue, the second "C" in purple, and the "E" in red), or dividing a single character or letter into multiple areas and coloring each area in a different color (for example, displaying each petal in a different color, displaying a person's skin in stripes of multiple colors, or, as shown in Figure 283(C), displaying the letters "CHANCE" with seven imaginary lines, lines 1 to 7, in the first The letters of "CHANCE" are divided into six areas: area a (the area enclosed by lines 1 and 2 of the letters of "CHANCE") to area f (the area enclosed by lines 6 and 7 of the letters of "CHANCE"). Each area is displayed in a different color, making each letter of "CHANCE" appear in multiple colors in a striped pattern (for example, area 1 a (the area enclosed by lines 1 and 2 of the letters of "CHANCE") is "white", area 2 b (the area enclosed by lines 2 and 3 of the letters of "CHANCE") is "yellow", area 3 c (the area enclosed by lines 3 and 4 of the letters of "CHANCE") is "green", and area 4 d (the area enclosed by lines 4 and 5 of the letters of "CHANCE") is "blue"). For example, the fifth area e (the area enclosed by lines 5 and 6 of the word "CHANCE") may be displayed in purple, and the sixth area f (the area enclosed by lines 6 and 7 of the word "CHANCE") may be displayed in red. The color or shape of these forms, or both, may be changed in a short time. Alternatively, the size and shape of each of the multiple areas displayed in a predetermined color may be changed, or their display positions may be changed (moved) to change the display color in any display area of the display device 1600. (The areas where the background other than the word "CHANCE" is displayed may not be displayed in the same way as the word "CHANCE" (e.g., the display may not change in a short time).)

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 284 and 285, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards installed on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 are divided into multiple groups, and the illumination of each group can be controlled. When the rainbow effect is executed, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards installed on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 are made to illuminate in predetermined colors for each group. Then, the illumination color of each group is changed in a short period of time as the variation time progresses.

In this example, as shown in Figure 284, the multiple LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board 5 are as follows: the first board light-emitting group consists of multiple LEDs mounted on the front front upper left decorative board 3129 for illuminating the front front upper left logo decorative section 3122; the second board light-emitting group consists of multiple LEDs mounted on the front front left decorative board 3128 for illuminating the front front left logo decorative section 3121, the front front upper left logo decorative section 3122, and the front front left sub-decorative section 3123; the third board light-emitting group consists of multiple LEDs mounted on the front front lower logo decorative board 3173 for illuminating the front front lower logo decorative section 3167; the front front lower middle decorative board 3168 for illuminating the front front lower middle decorative section 3161; the front front lower left inner decorative board 3169 for illuminating the front front lower left inner decorative section 3163; and the front front lower left outer decorative section 3164. Multiple LEDs mounted on the rear front lower left outer decorative substrate 3170 for illuminating the rear front lower right inner decorative body 3165, and the rear front lower right outer decorative substrate 3172 for illuminating the rear front lower right outer decorative body 3166 form the fourth panel illuminating group. Multiple LEDs mounted on the rear front lower right decorative substrate 3152 for illuminating the rear front right logo decorative body 3141 form the fifth panel illuminating group. Multiple LEDs mounted on the rear front upper right decorative substrate 3151 for illuminating the rear front upper right logo decorative body 3142 form the sixth panel illuminating group. When a rainbow effect is executed, the LEDs are controlled to emit light for each group, so that LEDs in the same group emit light of the same color, and LEDs in different groups emit light of different colors.

Furthermore, the rainbow-colored effect is not limited to dividing multiple LEDs mounted on the same board into the same group and controlling the light emission for each group, but may also be implemented by dividing LEDs mounted on the same board into different groups and controlling the light emission for each group. For example, the multiple LEDs mounted on the back-front-bottom logo decoration substrate 3173, which illuminates the back-front-bottom logo decoration 3167 bearing the letters "Queen," may be divided into different groups for each letter and controlled for each group. Alternatively, each letter may be divided into multiple regions by predetermined imaginary lines and grouped, with each group controlled for each region (for example, each letter of "Queen" could be divided into three regions: upper, middle, and lower. The LEDs belonging to the upper region on the back-front-bottom logo decoration substrate 3173 could be controlled as the upper group, the LEDs belonging to the middle region as the middle group, and the LEDs belonging to the lower region as the lower group, thereby illuminating the letters "Queen" in a striped pattern).

Furthermore, in this example, as shown in Figure 285, the LEDs on the various decorative substrates provided on the door frame 3 are as follows: multiple LEDs mounted on the central decorative substrate 455, the left decorative substrate 456, and the right decorative substrate 457 of the door frame top unit 450 constitute frame light-emitting group A; multiple LEDs mounted on the upper decorative substrate 422 of the left side of the door frame unit 420 constitute frame light-emitting group B; multiple LEDs mounted on the lower decorative substrate 423 of the left side of the door frame unit 420 and the left decorative substrate 273 provided behind the left decorative lens 272 constitute frame light-emitting group C; and multiple LEDs mounted on the outer peripheral decorative substrate 320 of the performance operation unit 300 constitute frame light-emitting group 3 20a. The multiple LEDs 355a mounted on the annular button outer decorative substrate 355 and the LEDs 364a on the button inner decorative substrate 364 are divided into frame light-emitting group D. Multiple LEDs mounted on the lower right side decorative substrate 433 of the door frame right side unit 430 and the right side decorative substrate 278 provided behind the right side decorative lens 277 are divided into frame light-emitting group E. Multiple LEDs mounted on the upper right side decorative substrate 432 of the door frame right side unit 430 are divided into frame light-emitting group F. When the rainbow effect is executed, the LEDs are controlled to emit light for each group, so that LEDs in the same group emit light of the same color, and LEDs in different groups emit light of a different color.

Figure 286 is a timing diagram showing an example of a rainbow-colored effect. As described above, when the CPU of the peripheral control IC on the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command from the main control board 1310, it starts variation effects such as the variation display of decorative symbols on the effect display device 1600 in synchronization with the variation display of the special symbols, and controls the illumination of LEDs on various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5 in conjunction with the display on the effect display device 1600 (timing t0).

When the variation pattern command received from the main control board 1310 is a variation pattern that executes a rainbow effect, and the elapsed time since the start of the variation display of the decorative symbols reaches a predetermined timing t1, at least the multiple LEDs 320a mounted on the outer peripheral decorative board 320 of the effect operation unit 300, the multiple LEDs 355a mounted on the annular outer decorative board 355 of the button, the LED 364a of the inner decorative board 364 of the button, and the rear upper movable decorative The LEDs that illuminate the first decorative section 3211 on the back upper side of the five 7-segment display sections of the body 3210, which are arranged horizontally, are all turned off. The performance display device 1600 then executes a button operation prompting display (for example, "Press the button!") on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300. Simultaneously, it controls the illumination of multiple LEDs 320a mounted on the outer decorative substrate 320 of the performance operation section of the performance operation unit 300, multiple LEDs 355a mounted on the annular outer decorative substrate 355 of the button, and LEDs 364a on the inner decorative substrate 364 of the button.

Then, at timing t2, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed by the player, or if the button validity period (e.g., 5 seconds) elapses without the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed (timing t2), the display area of the performance display device 1600 is divided into the first display area a to the fifth display area e, and a rainbow-colored performance display mode is displayed, with each of the first to fifth display areas e displayed in a different color. The LEDs of the various decorative substrates provided on the door frame 3 are divided into the frame emission groups A to F, and the LEDs included in each group are made to emit light in a different color for each group. The LEDs of the various decorative substrates provided on the game board 5 are divided into the first to sixth board emission groups, and the LEDs included in each group are made to emit light in a different color for each group.

Furthermore, in accordance with the elapsed time of the variation, the display colors of the first to fifth display areas e of the display device 1600, the emission colors of each frame emission group A to frame emission group F, and the emission colors of each group from the first to sixth panel emission group are changed at predetermined intervals (e.g., 0.1 seconds) (timing t2 to t100).

In this example, when the player presses the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 at timing t2, the button operation prompting performance (in this example, the performance displaying "Press the button!") being executed on the performance display device 1600 ends, the rotating decorative symbols are reduced in size and displayed in the upper right corner of the performance display device 1600, and the first display area a of the performance display device 1600 displays "white," the second display area b displays "yellow," the third display area c displays "green," the fourth display area d displays "blue," and the fifth display area e displays "purple." At predetermined intervals (e.g., 0.1 seconds), the display area displaying "white" changes to "yellow," the display area displaying "yellow" changes to "green," the display area displaying "green" changes to "blue," the display area displaying "blue" changes to "purple," the display area displaying "purple" changes to "red," and the display area displaying "red" changes to "white."

Furthermore, when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed by the player, the first light-emitting group on the game board 5 is illuminated in "white," the second light-emitting group in "yellow," the third light-emitting group in "green," the fourth light-emitting group in "blue," the fifth light-emitting group in "purple," and the sixth light-emitting group in "red." At predetermined intervals (e.g., 0.1 seconds), the light-emitting color of the LEDs belonging to the group emitting "white" is changed to "yellow," the light-emitting color of the LEDs belonging to the group emitting "yellow" is changed to "green," the light-emitting color of the LEDs belonging to the group emitting "green" is changed to "blue," the light-emitting color of the LEDs belonging to the group emitting "blue" is changed to "purple," the light-emitting color of the LEDs belonging to the group emitting "purple" is changed to "red," and the light-emitting color of the LEDs belonging to the group emitting "red" is changed to "white."

Similarly, when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed by the player, the frame illumination group A on the door frame 3 is illuminated in "white," frame illumination group B in "yellow," frame illumination group C in "green," frame illumination group D in "blue," frame illumination group E in "purple," and frame illumination group F in "red." At predetermined intervals (e.g., 0.1 seconds), the illumination color of the LEDs belonging to the group emitting "white" is changed to "yellow," the illumination color of the LEDs belonging to the group emitting "yellow" is changed to "green," the illumination color of the LEDs belonging to the group emitting "green" is changed to "blue," the illumination color of the LEDs belonging to the group emitting "blue" is changed to "purple," the illumination color of the LEDs belonging to the group emitting "purple" is changed to "red," and the illumination color of the LEDs belonging to the group emitting "red" is changed to "white."

In this way, by controlling the LED illumination of the various decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 to sequentially switch between multiple illumination colors in short intervals, it becomes possible to visually create the illusion of a rainbow of colors, enabling an impactful illumination effect. Furthermore, by linking and controlling the display on the display device 1600 with the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards on the game board 5 and the door frame 3, it is possible to display multiple colors on the display device 1600, or to illuminate the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards on the game board 5 and the door frame 3 in multiple colors. By rapidly switching between the displayed and illuminated colors, an even more impactful effect than usual can be achieved.

In this example, the display colors of the first to fifth display areas e of the display device 1600, the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to frame light-emitting groups A to F on the door frame 3, and the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups on the game board 5 are shown to be changed regularly in a predetermined order for each display area or group. However, the display colors or light-emitting colors of one or more of the following (or all of them) may be changed irregularly, while the remaining colors are changed regularly.

Furthermore, the display colors of the first to fifth display areas e of the display device 1600, the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to frame light-emitting groups A to F, and the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups are not limited to being changed in the same order. Alternatively, one or more combinations (or all of them) of the display colors of the first to fifth display areas e of the display device 1600, the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to frame light-emitting groups A to F, and the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups may be changed in a different order (for example, changing the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to frame light-emitting groups A to F in the order of "white → yellow → green → blue → purple → red → white → yellow →...", and changing the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups in the order of "red → purple → blue → green → yellow → white → red → purple →...").

Furthermore, the display colors of the first to fifth display areas e of the display device 1600, the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to frame light-emitting groups A to F, and the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups may be combined into a combination of multiple colors, with at least some of the colors differing (for example, the LEDs belonging to frame light-emitting groups A to F may be controlled to emit light with one of the following colors: "white," "yellow," "green," "blue," "purple," or "red," while the LEDs belonging to the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups may be controlled to emit light with one of the following colors: "white," "orange," "yellow-green," "blue," "pink," or "red").

Furthermore, it is not limited to changing the display colors of the first to fifth display areas e of the performance display device 1600, the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to frame light-emitting groups A to F on the door frame 3, and the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups on the game board 5 at the same timing (matching the timing of color changes). Alternatively, the timing of changing the display colors of the performance display device 1600, the timing of changing the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to frame light-emitting groups A to F on the door frame 3, and the timing of changing the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups on the game board 5 in any combination (or all of them) may be changed at the same timing (for example, after 1 second), while the remaining timings are changed at different intervals (for example, every 1.5 seconds).

Furthermore, the period (predetermined period) between changing the display colors of the first to fifth display areas e of the display device 1600, the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to frame light-emitting groups A to F on the door frame 3, and the light-emitting colors of the LEDs belonging to the first to sixth light-emitting groups on the game board 5, is not necessarily constant. Some or all of these periods may be varied. For example, the display and light-emitting colors may be changed every second at odd timings (t1, t3, t5, t7, t9, t11, t99) and every two seconds at even timings (t2, t4, t6, t8, t10, t98, t100).

In this example, prior to the rainbow effect, the LEDs that illuminate the first rear upper decorative section 3211, where the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, are controlled to emit light. Specifically, as shown in Figure 286, the CPU of the peripheral control IC in the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variable pattern command from the main control board 1310 and controls the first rear upper decorative section 3211, where the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, to be turned off during the period from timing t0 to timing t1, when the variable effect such as the variable display of decorative patterns is started in the effect display device 1600 and the button prompt effect is executed. When the button prompt effect is executed at timing t1, the first rear upper decorative section 3211, where the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, is controlled to emit light in a manner corresponding to the rainbow effect. In this example, when the button operation prompting effect begins (timing t1 to timing t2), the five 7-segment display units on the upper rear decorative unit 3211 are controlled to emit red light, causing the words "HOT!" to repeatedly flow from right to left across the five 7-segment display units.

Furthermore, if the button press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed by the player during the execution of the button press promotion performance, or if the button validity period (e.g., 5 seconds) elapses without the button press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed and the button press promotion performance ends, and then the rainbow effect begins (timing t2), the five 7-segment display sections of the rear upper first decorative section 3211 will remain red without changing their illumination color until the rainbow effect ends (timing t2 to timing t100), and the words "Rainbow Chance!" will repeatedly flow from right to left across the five 7-segment display sections of the rear upper first decorative section 3211. As described above, in this example, the five 7-segment display sections of the rear upper first decorative section 3211 are controlled to illuminate in red. Furthermore, in the rainbow effect, the LEDs belonging to frame illumination groups A through F, and the LEDs belonging to the first to sixth panel illumination groups, are controlled to emit red light in the same way as the five seven-segment display units of the rear upper first decorative unit 3211. Therefore, although the illumination color of the five seven-segment display units of the rear upper first decorative unit 3211 is not changed, the player can be made to perceive that illumination control related to the rainbow effect is being performed.

Furthermore, around the first rear upper decorative section 3211, where the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged horizontally, LEDs (decorative substrates on which LEDs are mounted) belonging to frame illumination groups A to F provided on the door frame 3, and LEDs (decorative substrates on which LEDs are mounted) belonging to the first to sixth panel illumination groups provided on the game board 5 are provided. This creates the impression that the illumination spreads around the five 7-segment display units of the first rear upper decorative section 3211, which are illuminated in red when the button operation promotion effect ends, thereby enhancing the effect and improving the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in this example, even after the rainbow effect ends (timing t100 to timing t101), the illumination control continues without changing the illumination color of the five 7-segment display units of the upper rear first decorative unit 3211. Specifically, after the rainbow effect ends (timing t100), for example, in response to the occurrence of a reach in the decorative symbols, the illumination control is set so that the words "Reach!" repeatedly flow from right to left across the five 7-segment display units of the upper rear first decorative unit 3211, or, while a reach occurs in the decorative symbols and the reach effect is being executed, the illumination control is set so that the words "Super Hot!" repeatedly flow from right to left across the five 7-segment display units of the upper rear first decorative unit 3211. In addition, in this example, the five 7-segment display units of the upper rear first decorative unit 3211 are controlled to turn off based on the cessation of the display of the changing decorative symbols. This allows the player to recognize that the changing effect has ended. Furthermore, after the display of the decorative symbols stops, the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper first decorative unit 3211 may be controlled to turn off after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. In this case, the display of moving characters on the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper first decorative unit 3211 may also be stopped when the display of the decorative symbols stops. In this case as well, the player can recognize that the variation effect has ended because the display of moving characters on the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper first decorative unit 3211 has stopped.

In this way, the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper first decorative unit 3211 are controlled to emit light prior to the rainbow effect, and the illumination control of the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper first decorative unit 3211 continues even after the rainbow effect has ended. Therefore, the illumination control of the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper first decorative unit 3211, which is performed prior to the rainbow effect, can increase anticipation for the start of the rainbow effect, and the illumination control of the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper first decorative unit 3211, which continues even after the rainbow effect has ended, can increase anticipation for a big win.

Furthermore, the light emission control of the five 7-segment display units of the upper rear first decorative unit 3211 only needs to be started at least prior to the rainbow effect and continue after the rainbow effect has ended. It may be started at any timing between the timing t0, when the variable display of the decorative symbols begins, and the timing t2, when the rainbow effect begins (including when the light emission control is started at timing t0), or it may be ended at any timing between the timing t100, when the variable display of the decorative symbols ends, and the timing t101, when the light emission control is stopped (including when the light emission control is stopped at timing t101). Furthermore, even if the display of the decorative pattern stops, if the display of the decorative pattern starts again before a predetermined period has elapsed, the five 7-segment display units of the first upper rear decorative unit 3211 may not be controlled to turn off. In this case, when the display of the decorative pattern stops, the movement display of the characters in the five 7-segment display units of the first upper rear decorative unit 3211 may be stopped (timing t101), and when the display of the decorative pattern starts, the characters displayed in the five 7-segment display units of the first upper rear decorative unit 3211 may be updated, and the movement display of the characters from right to left in the five 7-segment display units of the first upper rear decorative unit 3211 may be resumed (timing t0). Even in this case, the presence or absence of the display of the decorative pattern can be determined by the presence or absence of the movement display of the characters in the five 7-segment display units of the first upper rear decorative unit 3211.

Furthermore, the display on the upper rear first decorative section 3211 during the execution of the rainbow effect is not limited to those described above. For example, as a supplementary display to the variable decorative pattern display being performed on the performance display device 1600, which becomes difficult to see due to the execution of the rainbow effect, a variable pattern display may be shown, or multiple LEDs may be controlled to blink in a predetermined lighting pattern to derive a pattern corresponding to the special lottery result after the execution of the rainbow effect (for example, when the decorative pattern is displayed as stopped). Alternatively, the number of LEDs that light up may be changed when predetermined increase or decrease conditions are met, such as when the player operates the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 during the execution of the variable pattern display. This makes it possible to avoid causing anxiety that the variable decorative pattern display is not being performed because it is difficult to see due to the execution of the rainbow effect, or anxiety that the special lottery result will not be derived. Also, the display of the decorative pattern on the performance display device 1600 may be hidden during the execution of the rainbow effect, and in this case as well, the above-mentioned anxiety can be avoided.

Furthermore, while the above example shows the rainbow effect starting upon the end of the button-operation prompting effect (either the press operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 is pressed by the player during the execution of the button-operation prompting effect, or the button validity period (e.g., 5 seconds) elapses without the press operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 being pressed), the rainbow effect may also be started when predetermined execution conditions are met, without the execution of the button-operation prompting effect. For example, the rainbow effect may be started when a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the start of the variation effect, or when a period of no variation effect has elapsed since the end of the variation effect.

Furthermore, in this example, when the rainbow effect ends, a high percentage of the decorative symbols (including those that do not result in a reach state (so-called false alarms)) are displayed in a reach state (timing t100). Then, when the rainbow effect ends, the rainbow effect display mode on the effect display device 1600 disappears, and the reach effect is executed. Simultaneously, the illumination control of the rainbow effect for the LEDs belonging to the first to sixth panel illumination groups on the game board 5 and the LEDs belonging to frame illumination groups A to F on the door frame 3 is terminated, and the illumination control on the effect display device 1600 is restored to the illumination mode corresponding to the reach effect displayed.

In this example, the rainbow effect is performed as a reach notification during the period from the start of the decorative symbol's movement display until the display of the reach state. Furthermore, the rainbow effect may be performed at a predetermined rate even when the decorative symbol does not result in a reach (this could be a win without the decorative symbol reaching, or a miss without the decorative symbol reaching), or when the decorative symbol reaches but does not result in a win. Alternatively, the rainbow effect may be performed only when a win is guaranteed (as a win confirmation effect). The timing of the effect is also not limited to a reach notification; it may be performed as a reach effect during the period from the display of the decorative symbol's reach state until the decorative symbol stops, or as a pre-announcement or other effect before the decorative symbol's movement begins, or independently of the decorative symbol's movement display (for example, as a customer-waiting demo effect performed when the decorative symbol's movement display does not begin for a predetermined period).

As mentioned above, the rainbow effect is executed when there is a high probability of a jackpot, and it is an important effect that enhances the player's expectations. Therefore, in this example, the LED mounting surface of the decorative circuit board on which the LEDs are mounted is characterized in order to make the colors of the LEDs controlled for the rainbow effect more vivid. Specifically, the game board 5 is equipped with multiple decorative boards that have LEDs whose illumination is controlled to produce a rainbow effect, namely, a front front upper left decorative board 3129 for illuminating the front front upper left logo decorative section 3122, a front front left decorative board 3128 for illuminating the front front left logo decorative section 3121, the front front upper left logo decorative section 3122, and the front front left sub-decorative section 3123, a front front lower logo decorative board 3173 for illuminating the front front lower logo decorative section 3167, a front front lower middle decorative board 3168 for illuminating the front front lower middle decorative section 3161, a front front lower left inner decorative board 3169 for illuminating the front front lower left inner decorative section 3163, and a front front lower left outer decorative section 3164 The front lower left outer decorative substrate 3170, the front lower right inner decorative substrate 3171 for illuminating the front lower right inner decorative body 3165, the front lower right outer decorative substrate 3172 for illuminating the front lower right outer decorative body 3166, the front lower right decorative substrate 3152 for illuminating the front right logo decorative part 3141, and the front upper right decorative substrate 3151 for illuminating the front upper right logo decorative part 3142 have a white solder resist (protective material) coating on their surface, and letters and symbols to avoid confusion with mounted LEDs and other decorative substrates are screen printed using inks of high brightness and saturation (for example, yellow). In other words, the multiple decorative circuit boards on the game board 5, which are equipped with LEDs whose illumination is controlled by a rainbow effect, are coated with white solder resist (protective material), which is the color with the highest reflectivity. Furthermore, letters and symbols to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other electronic components, as well as other decorative circuit boards, are screen-printed using inks with high brightness and saturation (for example, yellow).

Furthermore, the door frame 3 is equipped with multiple decorative boards that have LEDs whose light emission is controlled to produce a rainbow effect, namely, the central decorative board 455 on the top of the door frame top unit 450, the left decorative board 456 on the top of the door frame top, the right decorative board 457 on the top of the door frame top, the upper decorative board 422 on the left side of the door frame left side unit 420, the lower decorative board 423 on the left side of the door frame left side unit 420, the left decorative board 273 on the rear side of the left decorative lens 272, and the right side of the door frame The decorative substrate 433 on the lower right side of the door frame of the knit 430, the decorative substrate 278 on the right side of the dish-right decorative lens 277, and the decorative substrate 432 on the upper right side of the door frame of the door frame right side unit 430 are coated with white solder resist (protective material) on their surfaces. Furthermore, letters and symbols to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other decorative substrates are screen-printed using ink of a high brightness and saturation (e.g., yellow). In other words, the multiple decorative substrates mounted on the door frame 3, which are controlled to emit light in a rainbow effect, are coated with white solder resist (protective material), the color with the highest reflectivity, on their surfaces. Furthermore, letters and symbols to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other decorative substrates are screen-printed using ink of a high brightness and saturation (e.g., yellow).

Furthermore, the first rear-upper decorative substrate (not shown), on which LEDs are mounted to illuminate the first rear-upper decorative section 3211, where the five 7-segment display sections of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, is coated with white solder resist (protective material) on its surface. In addition, characters and symbols to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other electronic components and other decorative substrates are screen printed using ink of a high brightness and saturation color (for example, yellow). However, while the multiple decorative substrates provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3, which are equipped with LEDs that are controlled to emit light in a rainbow effect, are equipped with full-color LEDs, the first rear-upper decorative substrate is equipped with monochromatic LEDs (red in this example). Therefore, even when the LEDs mounted on the circuit boards in the game board 5 and door frame 3 are illuminated to create a rainbow effect, the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative unit 3210 do not change their illumination color. Instead, they simply display letters, numbers, patterns, etc., in the same illumination color (red in this example). In other words, by not changing the illumination color of the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative unit 3210 that display letters, numbers, patterns, etc., even when a rainbow effect is performed, the displayed letters, numbers, patterns, etc., are presented in a way that is easy for the player to see, thus preventing the player from receiving incorrect information.

Thus, in this example, the LED mounting surface of the decorative substrate on which the LEDs are mounted is coated with white solder resist (protective material) to enhance the reflection efficiency. Therefore, even when multiple full-color LEDs are emitted in a wide variety of colors, it is possible to uniformly reflect all the light and produce vivid colors. The game board 5 is provided with the front left upper logo decoration section 3122, the front left logo decoration section 3121, the front left upper logo decoration section 3122, the front left sub-decoration section 3123, the front lower logo decoration section 3167, the front lower middle decoration section 3161, and the front lower left inner decoration section 3163. The rear front lower left outer decorative element 3164, the rear front lower right inner decorative element 3165, the rear front lower right outer decorative element 3166, the rear front right logo decorative element 3141, and the rear front upper right logo decorative element 3142 can each be illuminated more brightly. Furthermore, the door frame top unit 450, the door frame left side unit 420, the door frame left side unit 420, the plate left decorative lens 272, the door frame right side unit 430, the plate right decorative lens 277, and the door frame right side unit 430, all of which are provided on the door frame 3, can each be illuminated more brightly and vividly (clearly), enhancing the visual effect. Additionally, the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper first decorative element 3211, which emit light in only one color (red in this example), can also be illuminated more brightly and vividly, enhancing the visual effect.

Furthermore, by using high-brightness and high-saturation inks (e.g., yellow) to screen print characters and symbols to avoid confusion with the implemented LEDs and other decorative substrates, it is possible to bring the reflective efficiency of the white solder resist (protective material) and the screen-printed characters and symbols closer together, resulting in a nearly uniform reflective efficiency on the substrate surface. This allows for uniform reflection of all light even when multiple full-color LEDs emit light in a variety of colors, suppressing uneven illumination in the illuminated decorations and enhancing the visual effect. Additionally, by reducing the contrast between the white solder resist (protective material) and the screen-printed characters and symbols, the characters and symbols screen-printed on the surface of the decorative substrate become less noticeable when viewed through the lens covering the substrate, regardless of whether the LEDs are emitting light or not. This prevents players from seeing irrelevant information and diminishing their enjoyment of the game when they directly look at the LED-mounted surface of these decorative substrates. Furthermore, in conventional decorative substrates where letters and symbols are screen-printed using low-brightness and low-saturation (dark) inks such as black, even if the letters and symbols are not clearly visible when viewed through the lens covering the substrate, the lens itself may appear darkened, potentially resulting in a poor appearance. However, by screen-printing letters and symbols using high-brightness and high-saturation inks, the lens appears brighter, thus preventing a decrease in appearance. While it is desirable to use yellow, which has the closest reflectivity to white, any color other than low-brightness and low-saturation (dark colors, black, brown, etc.) such as yellow-green or light blue can achieve the above effect.

In the example above, all of the decorative substrates mounting LEDs with rainbow-colored light emission control are shown to be coated with white solder resist (protective material) on their surfaces. However, this is not the only option. Some of the decorative substrates mounting LEDs with rainbow-colored light emission control may be coated with a solder resist (protective material) of a color other than white (e.g., green or black). Alternatively, all or some of the decorative substrates mounting LEDs with rainbow-colored light emission control may be coated with white solder resist (protective material) only on the surface where the LEDs are mounted, while the back surface without LEDs is coated with a solder resist (protective material) of a color other than white (e.g., green or black).

Furthermore, to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other electronic components or decorative substrates, the letters and symbols are not limited to those applied to the LED mounting surface by screen printing using inks of high brightness and saturation (e.g., yellow). For some of the decorative substrates among the multiple decorative substrates on which the LEDs that emit light controlled by rainbow effects are mounted, the letters and symbols may be applied to the LED mounting surface by screen printing using inks of low brightness and saturation (e.g., black). For all or some of the multiple decorative substrates on which the LEDs that emit light controlled by rainbow effects are mounted, the letters and symbols to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other decorative substrates may be formed as foil-cut letters (i.e., letters are formed by creating a wiring pattern using copper foil in the layer where the wiring pattern is formed (copper plane) and then cutting out the surrounding copper foil), and the surface of these foil-cut letters may be coated with white solder resist (protective material) that is also coated on the LED mounting surface. For some of the multiple decorative substrates on which the LEDs that emit light controlled by rainbow effects are mounted, two coats of white solder resist may be applied. Alternatively, the letters may be formed as white resist-cut characters using a resist (after coating the entire LED mounting surface with white solder resist (first layer), characters and symbols to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other electronic components or other decorative substrates are masked, and the entire area excluding these is coated again with white solder resist (second layer), thereby forming the masked area, i.e., the characters and symbols, as white resist-cut characters). Or, for all or some of the multiple decorative substrates on which LEDs that are controlled to emit light in rainbow colors are mounted, measures other than screen printing characters and symbols on the surface on which the LEDs are mounted using ink of a high brightness and saturation color (e.g., yellow) may be used, such as screen printing on the back side where the LEDs are not mounted using ink of a predetermined color (not limited to high brightness and saturation colors, but also including colors with low brightness and saturation), forming them as foil-cut characters, or forming them as white resist-cut characters using a double coat of white resist, thereby avoiding confusion with the LEDs and other electronic components or other decorative substrates mounted on the decorative substrate. In these cases as well, the decrease in reflective efficiency on the surface on which the LEDs are mounted can be suppressed, and furthermore, the reflective efficiency on the LED mounting surface can be made nearly uniform, resulting in uniform light emission, thus enhancing the visual effect.

The LEDs mounted on the decorative substrates are electronic components whose packages are white or close to white (for example, ivory, beige, or cream). Only packaged LEDs are mounted on the LED mounting surface of these decorative substrates, and no other electronic components are mounted. In this way, the pachinko machine 1 in this example is designed to suppress a decrease in reflectivity even with the LED package, thereby achieving uniform light emission on the LED mounting surface. In addition, the non-LED mounting surface may have one or more electronic components mounted on it, such as a connector for connecting electrical wiring to the decorative substrate, a resistor, a capacitor, or a circuit for controlling the light emission of multiple LEDs (for example, a constant current drive circuit). Furthermore, the connector is an electronic component whose housing is white or a color close to white (e.g., ivory, beige, cream), the constant current drive circuit is an electronic component that is a surface-mount type (SMD type) LED driver IC housed in an IC package that may be black as an integrated circuit, the resistor is a surface-mount type (SMD type) electronic component (chip component, SMD (Surface Mount Device)) having a color such as black, blue, or white, and the capacitor is a surface-mount type (SMD type) electronic component having a color such as black, brown, gray, or white.In addition, in the decorative substrate described above, it is sufficient that electronic components with low brightness or saturation colors such as black, brown, or gray are mounted on the non-LED mounting side and not on the LED mounting side, while electronic components with high brightness or saturation colors such as white or a color close to white (e.g., ivory, beige, cream) may be mounted on the LED mounting side. This makes the electronic components mounted on the surface of the decorative substrate less noticeable when viewed through the lens covering it, and suppresses the decrease in reflective efficiency on the LED mounting surface, resulting in nearly uniform reflective efficiency. Therefore, it enables highly efficient and uniform light emission, enhancing the visual effect.

In this example, even when executing a rainbow-colored effect as a variation effect, the system accepts operation of the light intensity adjustment button 228. Furthermore, when the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated, the light intensity of the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 and game board 5 can be changed (adjusted). Specifically, pressing the button marked "+" on the light intensity adjustment button 228 immediately brightens (increases the light intensity) the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 and game board 5, while pressing the button marked "-" immediately dims (decreases the light intensity) the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 and game board 5.

As shown in Figure 286, when the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated during the execution of a variable animation that performs a rainbow-colored effect, the light intensity of the LEDs that perform the rainbow-colored effect (also called rainbow-colored illumination) for the first to sixth panel illumination groups and the frame illumination groups A to F is immediately changed, regardless of whether the LEDs are turned off or not. The illumination of the LEDs in the first to sixth panel illumination groups and the frame illumination groups A to F is then controlled with the changed light intensity. In this example, while the button operation prompting effect is being executed, multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel illumination groups, and multiple LEDs in the frame illumination groups A to C, and frame illumination groups E to F are controlled to be turned off. However, multiple LEDs in frame illumination group D (multiple LEDs 320a mounted on the outer decorative substrate 320 of the effect operation unit 300, multiple LEDs 355a mounted on the annular outer decorative substrate 355 of the button, and LED 364a on the inner decorative substrate 364 of the button) are kept lit, and when the player operates the light intensity adjustment button 228, the outer decorative substrate of the effect operation unit 300 Because the multiple LEDs 320a mounted on 320, the multiple LEDs 355a mounted on the annular button outer decoration board 355, and the LEDs 364a on the button inner decoration board 364 are immediately controlled to emit light at the changed light intensity, it is possible to adjust the light intensity of all LEDs, including the multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups and the multiple LEDs in the frame light-emitting groups A to F, while observing the changes in light intensity of the multiple LEDs 320a mounted on the outer decoration board 320 of the performance operation section of the performance operation unit 300, the multiple LEDs 355a mounted on the annular button outer decoration board 355, and the LEDs 364a on the button inner decoration board 364.

On the other hand, among the various decorative circuit boards provided on the game board 5, the LEDs mounted on the first decorative circuit board on the back upper part 3211, where the five 7-segment display units of the back upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, and which do not perform the rainbow-colored illumination decoration, are configured so that the light intensity cannot be changed (adjusted) even if the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated while the variation effect that performs the rainbow-colored effect is being executed (the light intensity is fixed). In this way, during the execution of the variable effect that performs the rainbow effect, the light intensity (brightness) of the LEDs mounted on the first rear-top decorative circuit board provided on the first rear-top decorative section 3211, where the five 7-segment display units of the rear-top movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, cannot be changed (adjusted). Therefore, the light intensity (brightness) remains constant regardless of whether the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated or not. This can be used as a reference when changing the light intensity of multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups and multiple LEDs in the frame light-emitting groups A to F. The difference between the brightness of these LEDs and the brightness of the LEDs mounted on the first rear-top decorative circuit board provided on the first rear-top decorative section 3211 becomes clear, making it easy for the player to adjust the brightness to their preference. Furthermore, the LEDs mounted on the first rear-upper decorative circuit board, which is located on the first rear-upper decorative section 3211 where the five 7-segment display units of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged side by side, may always be configured so that their brightness cannot be changed (adjusted) even when the brightness adjustment button 228 is operated, regardless of whether or not the rainbow-colored variation effect is being executed.

Furthermore, in this example, the rear upper first decorative board, which is equipped with LEDs that do not perform rainbow-colored illumination and whose light intensity (brightness) cannot be adjusted, is provided. Around the rear upper first decorative section 3211, where five 7-segment display units are arranged left and right, LEDs belonging to frame illumination groups A to F (on decorative boards on which the LEDs are mounted) located on the door frame 3, and LEDs belonging to the first to sixth illumination groups (on decorative boards on which the LEDs are mounted) located on the game board 5, are provided, and their light intensity (brightness) can be adjusted. In this way, because the LED that serves as the reference for light intensity (brightness) adjustment and the LED that changes the light intensity (brightness) are located close together, it becomes easy to compare the light intensity (brightness), making it easier for the player to adjust to their preferred light intensity (brightness).

As described above, in this example, pachinko machine 1 executes a rainbow-colored animation when there is a high probability of a jackpot. However, depending on the state of the game machine, there may be situations where the rainbow-colored animation cannot be properly executed. In such cases, not only is the effect of enhancing the enjoyment of the game through the rainbow-colored animation not expected, but it may even decrease the enjoyment of the game.

For example, if an abnormality occurs that makes it difficult to display the rainbow effect on the display device 1600 (such as an abnormality where some or all of the LEDs in the backlight of the display device 1600 do not emit light, or an abnormality where the display is distorted due to noise, etc.), or if an abnormality occurs that makes it difficult to control the emission of the rainbow effect from the LEDs on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 (such as an abnormality where some or all of the LEDs on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 do not emit light, or an abnormality where the emission pattern is distorted due to noise, etc.), then the rainbow effect cannot be realized in its complete form as designed, using the display by the display device 1600 and the emission from the LEDs on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the game board 5. Instead, an incomplete rainbow effect will be executed, with some of the elements of the display by the display device 1600 and the emission from the LEDs on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 missing.

When such an incomplete rainbow-colored effect is executed, not only is the intended entertainment value of the rainbow effect not achieved, but players may perceive a different effect from the rainbow effect as being performed, potentially leading to misunderstanding. This example is designed to minimize such misunderstandings for players. Please refer to Figure 287 for an explanation.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this example, if an abnormal state occurs at timing t6 while the rainbow effect is being executed, and one of the following abnormalities occurs: an abnormality where the display mode of the rainbow effect on the effect display device 1600 is difficult to display; an abnormality where the light emission control of the rainbow effect of the LEDs on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 is difficult; or an abnormality where the light emission control of the rainbow effect of the LEDs on the various decorative boards provided on the game board 5 is difficult, the light emission decoration of the rainbow effect by the multiple LEDs of the first to sixth board light emission groups provided on the game board 5 and the multiple LEDs of the frame light emission groups A to F provided on the door frame 3 is terminated, the multiple LEDs of the first to sixth board light emission groups are controlled to turn off, and the multiple LEDs of the frame light emission groups A to F are controlled to emit light in an abnormality notification mode (in this example, a mode in which they flash red at maximum brightness (light intensity)) to notify the occurrence of the abnormality.

As shown in Figure 287, if an abnormal state occurs at any timing between timing t0 and timing t2 before the start of the rainbow effect in the variable effect that executes the rainbow effect, where it is difficult to display the rainbow effect display mode on the effect display device 1600, where it is difficult to control the light emission of the rainbow effect from the LEDs on the various decorative substrates provided on the door frame 3, or where it is difficult to control the light emission of the rainbow effect from the LEDs on the various decorative substrates provided on the game board 5, then even at timing t2, when the rainbow effect would normally start, the multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel light emission groups on the game board 5 and the multiple LEDs in the frame light emission groups A to F on the door frame 3 will not start emitting light for the rainbow effect. Instead, the multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel light emission groups will be controlled to turn off, and the multiple LEDs in the frame light emission groups A to F will be controlled to emit light in an abnormality notification mode (in this example, a mode in which they flash red at maximum brightness (light intensity)) to notify the occurrence of the abnormality.

Furthermore, if the above-described abnormality occurs at timing t6 during the execution of the variable animation that performs the rainbow effect, the display of the rainbow effect on the animation display device 1600 will disappear, and a message will be displayed to notify the user that the abnormality has occurred. Similarly, if the above-described abnormality occurs at any timing between timing t0 and timing t2 before the start of the rainbow effect in the variable animation that performs the rainbow effect, the display of the animation display device 1600 will be displayed to notify the user that the abnormality has occurred without starting the display of the rainbow effect. Note that some parts of the rainbow effect display may be omitted, and even in this case, the user can still recognize that an abnormality has occurred through a message notifying them of the abnormality.

Thus, in this example of pachinko machine 1, if the rainbow effect cannot be fully realized as designed using the display device 1600 and the LED illumination of various decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 and game board 5, the rainbow effect is interrupted or not started. This prevents the rainbow effect from being executed in an incomplete form, thus preventing misunderstandings for the player.

Furthermore, regarding the LEDs mounted on the first rear-upper decorative circuit board, which is located on the first rear-upper decorative section 3211 where the five 7-segment display units of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged left and right, even if an abnormal condition occurs during the execution of a variation performance that performs a rainbow effect, the LEDs may continue to be controlled to remain lit in an off state or to an abnormal notification emitting mode, without being controlled to remain lit. In this case, even if the illumination decoration of the rainbow effect by multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel illumination groups on the game board 5 and multiple LEDs in the frame illumination groups A to F on the door frame 3 ends or does not start due to the occurrence of an abnormal condition, or even if multiple LEDs in frame illumination groups A to F are controlled to emit an abnormal notification emitting mode, the player can be made to recognize that the variation performance is continuing, and the player will not be misled into thinking that the variation performance has ended.

Furthermore, the decision to turn off the rear upper first decorative section 3211 may vary depending on the type of abnormal condition (degree of urgency). For example, errors that have little impact on gameplay or the execution of rainbow-colored effects (minor errors: when the door frame 3 is detected to be open relative to the main frame 4 (when the opening of the door frame 3 makes it difficult to see the illumination of the LEDs on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame 3), or when a vibration sensor (not shown) continuously detects vibration of the game board 5 for a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) (when actions such as hitting the pachinko machine 1 are performed) If it is detected that the pachinko machine 1 is vibrating, causing the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 and game board 5 to vibrate and the display on the performance display device 1600 to become blurred and difficult to see, if a detection signal is received from the full-tank detection sensor 154 (when it is detected that the lower tray 202 is full of game balls), or if a detection signal is received from the ball-out detection sensor 574 (when it is detected that there are no game balls in the guide passage 570a), it is possible that cheating is taking place. For errors of low probability, the LEDs mounted on the first decorative circuit board on the upper rear section 3211 are controlled to emit light without being turned off. However, for errors that significantly affect gameplay or the execution of rainbow-colored effects (serious errors: when radio wave irradiation cheating is detected (when noise is introduced into the illumination of LEDs on various decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 or game board 5 due to electromagnetic waves, etc., or when noise is introduced into the display of the effect display device 1600), when magnetic cheating is detected, when a detection signal is input from the second start-up-out-out-out-of

Furthermore, the display of the rainbow-colored animation on the performance display device 1600 may be changed depending on the type of abnormal condition (degree of urgency). For example, for errors that have little impact on the execution of the game or the rainbow-colored animation, the display of the rainbow-colored animation on the performance display device 1600 may not be changed, and a warning display (e.g., "Door Open") may be displayed so as to partially overlap the rainbow-colored animation. On the other hand, for errors that have a significant impact on the execution of the game or the rainbow-colored animation, the display of the rainbow-colored animation on the performance display device 1600 may be changed to a warning display (e.g., "Illegal Win!"), thereby interrupting or terminating the display of the rainbow-colored animation (rainbow-colored animation display) even while the rainbow-colored animation is being executed. This makes it possible to change the display mode of the performance display device 1600 according to the degree of the error, and to determine when an abnormality has occurred. Furthermore, when controlling the system to turn off the rear upper first decorative unit 3211 and to eliminate the rainbow effect display on the performance display device 1600 in the event of an error that significantly affects the execution of the game or the rainbow effect, the performance display, such as the rainbow effect display, on the performance display device 1600 may be terminated at a predetermined time later than the timing of turning off the rear upper first decorative unit 3211. In this case, the sudden switching of the display content on the performance display device 1600 can be suppressed, allowing the display content to be switched while retaining the lingering effect of the rainbow effect display.

Furthermore, in the event of an abnormal condition, depending on the type of abnormal condition (degree of urgency), one or more (including all) of the following may be implemented: a display on the performance display device 1600 indicating an abnormal condition; notification by controlling the illumination of the LEDs on the door frame 3 in the manner of an error; and notification by audio output indicating that an abnormal condition has occurred. For example, if a minor error occurs that has little impact on gameplay, one or any two of the following may be implemented: a display on the performance display device 1600 indicating an abnormal condition; notification by controlling the illumination of the LEDs on the door frame 3 in the manner of an error; and notification by audio output indicating that an abnormal condition has occurred. If a serious error occurs that has a significant impact on gameplay, all of the following may be implemented: a display on the performance display device 1600 indicating an abnormal condition; notification by controlling the illumination of the LEDs on the door frame 3 in the manner of an error; and notification by audio output indicating that an abnormal condition has occurred.

Furthermore, in this example, if an anomaly occurs during the execution of the rainbow-colored effect (timing t6) or before the start of the rainbow-colored effect (any timing between timing t0 and timing t2) in the variation effect that performs the rainbow-colored effect, and the anomaly is resolved during the execution of the rainbow-colored effect (before the rainbow-colored effect ends), the anomaly notification illumination pattern by the multiple LEDs of frame illumination groups A to F will end, but the illumination decoration of the rainbow-colored effect by the multiple LEDs of the first to sixth illumination groups on the game board 5 and the multiple LEDs of frame illumination groups A to F on the door frame 3 will not be performed (the illumination decoration of the rainbow-colored effect will not be resumed (the illumination decoration of the rainbow-colored effect will not be returned to)).

In other words, if an abnormality occurs in the LEDs of the various decorative circuit boards installed on the door frame 3 and game board 5, causing the light emission pattern to be disrupted due to noise, and the rainbow-colored light emission display is terminated or not started, it is possible that noise may reappear even after the abnormality is initially judged to have been resolved. If the system were to restart the rainbow-colored light emission display in response to the resolution of the abnormality in such a case, the execution and termination of the rainbow-colored light emission display would be repeated, potentially confusing the player. Therefore, in this example, if the rainbow-colored light emission display is terminated or not started based on the occurrence of an abnormality, the system is designed not to execute or restart the rainbow-colored light emission display even if the abnormality is resolved during the execution period of the rainbow-colored light emission display.

For example, in a variable animation that performs a rainbow effect as shown in Figure 287, if an abnormality occurs at timing t6 during the execution of the rainbow effect due to noise or other reasons, making it difficult to control the illumination of any of the LEDs in the first to sixth LED groups on the game board 5, the illumination decoration of the rainbow effect by the LEDs in the first to sixth LED groups on the game board 5 and the LEDs in the frame illumination groups A to F on the door frame 3 will be terminated. The LEDs in the first to sixth LED groups will be controlled to turn off, and the LEDs in the frame illumination groups A to F will be controlled to flash red at maximum brightness (light intensity) as an abnormality notification illumination mode.

At this time, the display device 1600 displays a warning ("Anomaly Occurred," etc.) by making the rainbow-colored display mode disappear, but the control data for the rainbow-colored display mode is updated according to the scheduler. Furthermore, the LEDs mounted on the first rear-upper decorative board, located on the first rear-upper decorative section 3211 where the five 7-segment display units of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged horizontally, do not perform the rainbow-colored illumination decoration, but they continue to perform illumination control corresponding to the variable animation that performs the rainbow-colored illumination. This allows the player to recognize that the variable animation is continuing even when the display of the rainbow-colored display mode on the display device 1600 disappears. In addition, a warning sound is output in the above-mentioned abnormal state, allowing the player or arcade staff to recognize that an abnormal state has occurred by hearing the warning sound.

Furthermore, at timing t10 after the abnormal state occurs, when the noise is resolved and the system returns to a state where it is possible to control the illumination of the multiple LEDs in the first to sixth LED illumination groups on the game board 5 to produce the rainbow effect (timing t10), the display device 1600 terminates the warning display and resumes displaying the rainbow effect. As described above, even while the abnormal state is occurring, the control data for the rainbow effect display is updated according to the scheduler, and the display device 1600 displays the rainbow effect in a manner corresponding to the elapsed time since the start of the variation effect. Instead of displaying the rainbow effect at timing t6, when the abnormality occurred where it was difficult to control the illumination of the rainbow effect by any of the multiple LEDs in the first to sixth LED illumination groups on the game board 5 due to noise, the display shows the rainbow effect display corresponding to timing t10, when the noise has been resolved and the system has returned to a state of recovery from the abnormal state.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the anomaly is resolved at timing t10, the anomaly notification illumination mode continues for a certain period (e.g., 30 seconds), in which multiple LEDs in frame illumination groups A to F flash red at maximum brightness (light intensity) (timing t10 to timing t11). In other words, if an anomaly occurs again after the resolution of the anomaly (timing t10) but before the certain period has elapsed, the anomaly notification illumination mode continues even after the period has elapsed, rather than ending at the timing when the period has ended. This makes it easier for arcade staff to notice anomalies when they occur and resolve frequently, by continuously controlling the illumination in the anomaly notification mode without repeatedly ending and restarting the illumination control each time.

Furthermore, if an abnormality occurs at timing t6, the LEDs in the first to sixth LED light-emitting groups on the game board 5 will be turned off (timing t6). Even if the abnormality is resolved at timing t10, the LEDs in the first to sixth LED light-emitting groups on the game board 5 will remain off, and the rainbow-colored light-emitting effect will not resume (timing t10 to timing t100).

Similarly, if an abnormality occurs at timing t6, the multiple LEDs in frame light-emitting groups A to F on the door frame 3 are controlled to emit light in an abnormality notification pattern (timing t6). If the abnormality is resolved at timing t10 and a certain period of time has elapsed without further abnormalities occurring, the multiple LEDs in frame light-emitting groups A to F on the door frame 3 are controlled to turn off, and the rainbow-colored light-emitting decoration does not revert (timing t10 to timing t100).

Then, at timing t100, when the rainbow effect ends and the reach effect begins, the lighting control of multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel lighting groups on the game board 5 and multiple LEDs in the frame lighting groups A to F on the door frame 3 is executed to illuminate in a manner corresponding to the reach effect. In this way, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, even if an abnormality is resolved during the execution of the rainbow effect, the lighting decoration of the rainbow effect is not restored, making it possible to determine whether or not an abnormality occurred during the execution of the rainbow effect. Note that if an abnormality occurs before the start of the rainbow effect and is resolved before the start of the rainbow effect, the lighting decoration of the rainbow effect may be started at timing t2, which is the timing for starting the rainbow effect.

Furthermore, the timing of the start of light emission control between the multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel light emission groups on the game board 5 and the multiple LEDs in the frame light emission groups A to F on the door frame 3 is not limited to the timing t100 when the abnormality is resolved, but rather to the timing t100 when the rainbow effect ends (the timing when the next effect to be executed after the rainbow effect (in this example, the reach effect) begins). It may also occur when the variation effect that executes the rainbow effect ends, when the variation effect that executes the rainbow effect ends and the next variation effect begins, or when the demo effect begins after the variation effect that executes the rainbow effect ends without the next variation effect starting, etc. Even in these cases, it is possible to determine that an abnormality occurred during the execution of the rainbow effect or the variation effect in question.

Furthermore, if the abnormality is resolved after the completion of a variation animation that performs a rainbow-colored effect, the system may initiate the illumination control of at least the LEDs in the first to sixth panel illumination groups on the game board 5 and the LEDs in the frame illumination groups A to F on the door frame 3, at the time the abnormality is resolved. In this case, if the abnormality is resolved during the execution of a variation animation different from the one in which the abnormality occurred, and the rainbow-colored effect is being performed at the time the abnormality is resolved, the system may control the illumination to match the rainbow-colored effect at that time.

Furthermore, when the abnormality is resolved, some LEDs may be restored to their rainbow-colored illumination state. For example, when the abnormality is resolved, multiple LEDs in the fourth panel illumination group (among the multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel illumination groups on the game board 5) may be restored to their rainbow-colored illumination state. Similarly, after a certain period has elapsed since the abnormality was resolved, frame illumination group A (among the multiple LEDs in frame illumination groups A to F on the door frame 3) may be restored to its rainbow-colored illumination state. In this case, the schedule data for the illumination control patterns of LEDs that were not controlled during the abnormal state is advanced, and the illumination resumes from the state at the time the abnormality was resolved, rather than the state at the time the abnormality occurred. In this way, when some LEDs are restored to their rainbow-colored illumination state and others are turned off after the abnormality is resolved, it becomes possible to determine that the abnormality occurred during the execution of the rainbow-colored illumination state because only some LEDs are displaying the rainbow-colored illumination state.

Furthermore, in this example, even during abnormal conditions, the light intensity adjustment button 228 can be operated, allowing the light intensity (brightness) settings of multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups and multiple LEDs in the frame light-emitting groups A to F to be changed.

However, in a normal state where no abnormality has occurred, the light intensity (brightness) of multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups and multiple LEDs in the frame light-emitting groups A to F is immediately changed at the moment the operation of the light intensity adjustment button 228 is received, and the illumination of multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups and multiple LEDs in the frame light-emitting groups A to F is controlled with the changed light intensity (brightness). In contrast, in a state where an abnormality has occurred, the light intensity (brightness) of multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups and multiple LEDs in the frame light-emitting groups A to F is set at the moment the operation of the light intensity adjustment button 228 is received. Although the fixed values are changed, at the moment the operation is received, the multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel illumination groups and the multiple LEDs in the frame illumination groups A to F will not illuminate at the changed light intensity (brightness). Instead, after the abnormality is resolved, specifically, the multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel illumination groups will be controlled to illuminate at the changed light intensity (brightness) after the door frame 3 is closed and the abnormality is resolved (t10). The multiple LEDs in the frame illumination groups A to F will be controlled to illuminate at the changed light intensity (brightness) after a certain period of time has elapsed since the door frame 3 was closed and the abnormality was resolved (t11).

Thus, even when an abnormality occurs, operating the light intensity adjustment button 228 does not change the light intensity (brightness) of multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel illumination groups and multiple LEDs in the frame illumination groups A to F. This prevents the abnormality notification illumination pattern from becoming difficult to notice. Furthermore, even when an abnormality occurs, the light intensity adjustment button 228 is accepted, and the light intensity (brightness) setting is changed, reflecting the actual LED illumination state after the abnormality is resolved. Therefore, even when an abnormality occurs, the opportunity for the player to adjust the light intensity (brightness) is not taken away.

In this example, the game board 5 is configured to have a separate back-upper first decorative board on which multiple non-dimmable LEDs (hereinafter referred to as the non-dimmable LED group) are mounted, in addition to the multiple decorative boards on which multiple LEDs (hereinafter referred to as the dimmable LED group) with adjustable light intensity are mounted, belonging to the first to sixth light-emitting groups. However, the configuration is not limited to this. LEDs for illuminating the seven-segment display may be mounted on a portion of any of the multiple decorative boards on which multiple LEDs belonging to the first to sixth light-emitting groups are mounted. In other words, multiple LEDs with adjustable light intensity (dimmable LED group) and multiple LEDs with non-dimmable light intensity (non-dimmable LED group) may be mounted on a single decorative board.

For example, a group of dimmable LEDs, consisting of multiple LEDs with adjustable light intensity, and a group of non-dimmable LEDs, consisting of multiple LEDs with non-adjustable light intensity, may be arranged with a predetermined spacing between them. In this case, the distance between adjacent LEDs in the dimmable LED group and the distance between adjacent LEDs in the non-dimmable LED group may be made shorter than the distance between the dimmable LED group and the non-dimmable LED group. This configuration makes it easy to distinguish between the dimmable LED group and the non-dimmable LED group, and facilitates the comparison of the brightness between LEDs with adjustable light intensity and LEDs with non-adjustable light intensity.

Furthermore, the LEDs with adjustable brightness (hereinafter referred to as "dimmable LEDs") and LEDs with non-dimmable brightness (hereinafter referred to as "non-dimmable LEDs") may be packaged in the same or very similar color (white in this example), or in addition, the same type of package may be used. This allows the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs to emit light under similar conditions, making the difference between the brightness of the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs after brightness adjustment clear, and making it easy for players to adjust the brightness to their preference.

Furthermore, multiple through-holes may be formed between the dimmable LED group and the non-dimmable LED group. In the area of the decorative substrate surface where through-holes are formed, the light emitted from the LEDs is not reflected and leaks to the back side of the decorative substrate (the side without LEDs). By forming through-holes between the dimmable LED group and the non-dimmable LED group, interference between the light from the dimmable LEDs and the light from the non-dimmable LEDs is suppressed, making it possible to individually observe the light from each LED. This allows for brightness adjustment based solely on the light from the dimmable LED group, and enables the use of the light from the non-dimmable LED group as an indicator for brightness adjustment. As a result, the accuracy of the comparison is improved, and it becomes easier to adjust the brightness to the player's preference. Furthermore, by forming through-holes with an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs (i.e., the proportion (area) occupied by one through-hole on the LED mounting surface (front) of the decorative substrate ≤ the proportion (area) occupied by one dimmable LED or one non-dimmable LED), it is possible to suppress the leakage of light from the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs from the through-holes to the back surface (non-LED mounting surface) of the decorative substrate more than necessary. In this case, by making the number of through-holes formed between the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs greater than the number of dimmable or non-dimmable LEDs mounted to the side of the through-holes, it is possible to suppress the reflection and interference of light emitted from the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs while preventing an unnecessary reduction in the brightness of the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs.

Furthermore, on the LED mounting surface (front) of the decorative substrate, a three-dimensional object (such as an electronic component or structure with a predetermined thickness) may be provided to separate some or all of the dimmable LED group from the non-dimmable LED group, thereby suppressing the reflection and interference of light emitted from each of the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs. For example, on the LED mounting surface (front) of the decorative substrate, electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, ICs, and LED drivers, which are mounted on a circuit board, may be mounted between the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs. By providing an electronic component with a predetermined thickness that protrudes from the LED mounting surface (front) of the decorative substrate between the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs, some or all of the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs can be separated, thereby suppressing the reflection and interference of light emitted from each of the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs.

Furthermore, the electronic components placed between the dimmable LED and the non-dimmable LED may have a dark appearance (such as black, gray, green, blue, or brown) with low reflectivity (they may also have parts that are different in color from the dark color, such as metallic silver or transparent parts). This further enhances the suppression of reflection and interference of light emitted from both the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs.

Furthermore, in the example described above, the first decorative section 3211 of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, on which a non-dimmable LED is mounted, is formed to extend across the left and right edges of the performance display device 1600, so that the characters, numbers, patterns, etc., displayed by the 7-segment display of the first decorative section 3211 are easily noticeable to the player. However, the first decorative section 3211 may be formed with, for example, a single 7-segment display, or a smaller decorative board may be provided compared to other decorative boards on which LEDs are mounted, thereby enabling performances that are less noticeable to the player. In this case, players who notice the presence of the 7-segment display can be given further enjoyment through the performances performed by the 7-segment display in addition to the performances by the performance display device 1600, etc. Furthermore, if the surface of a decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs are mounted is configured to be divided into two areas: one area where multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate a decorative body covering the substrate, and another area where multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate a seven-segment display unit provided on a part of the decorative body, the area where multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate the seven-segment display unit provided on a part of the decorative body may be made narrower than the area where multiple LEDs are mounted to illuminate the decorative body covering the substrate.

Thus, because the non-dimmable LED, which serves as the reference for brightness adjustment, and the dimmable LED, which changes the brightness, are mounted on a single decorative circuit board and positioned close together, it is possible to place the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs closer together compared to when they are mounted on separate circuit boards. This makes it easier to compare the brightness of the dimmable and non-dimmable LEDs.

Furthermore, in the example described above, the brightness of the LEDs that perform the rainbow-colored light-emitting decoration, specifically the LEDs included in the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups and the LEDs included in frame light-emitting groups A to F, is adjustable, while the brightness of the LEDs that do not perform the rainbow-colored light-emitting decoration, specifically the LEDs that illuminate the first rear-upper decorative section 3211 where the five 7-segment display units of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, is not adjustable. However, in addition to the LEDs that illuminate the first rear-upper decorative section 3211, one or more non-rainbow-colored light-emitting LEDs that do not perform the rainbow-colored light-emitting decoration may also be provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5. These non-rainbow-colored light-emitting LEDs are controlled to be turned off when the rainbow effect is performed, or controlled to perform a different light-emitting decoration than the rainbow effect, and although they do not perform the rainbow-colored light-emitting decoration, unlike the LEDs that illuminate the first rear-upper decorative section 3211, their brightness is adjustable. In this way, even non-rainbow LEDs that do not perform the rainbow-colored light effect can reflect the results of brightness adjustments made during the rainbow effect. Therefore, these non-rainbow LEDs can also be illuminated at the player's preferred brightness (light intensity) during the light effect that follows the rainbow effect.

Furthermore, when the aforementioned dimmable LEDs are performing the rainbow-colored illumination, the illumination color changes rapidly (flickers), making it difficult to accurately determine the light intensity (brightness) based on the light from these dimmable LEDs. Therefore, even when the player intends to adjust the light intensity (brightness) to their preference, it may actually be set to a different level. However, if non-rainbow-colored LEDs are provided that perform a different illumination than the rainbow-colored illumination, even during the rainbow-colored illumination, then when adjusting the light intensity (brightness) of the LEDs on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and game board 5, it becomes possible to accurately determine the light intensity (brightness) based on the light from the non-rainbow-colored LEDs, making it easy to adjust to the player's preference.

Furthermore, as a light decoration during the execution of the rainbow effect of non-rainbow-colored LEDs, it is sufficient if the LEDs switch their light color at a longer unit illumination time than at least the LEDs performing the rainbow effect, specifically the LEDs included in the first to sixth panel illumination groups and the LEDs included in frame illumination groups A to F, or if they perform the light decoration with the same light color without switching colors.

Furthermore, the non-rainbow-emitting LEDs (full-color LEDs controlled to emit light in a different color from the five 7-segment display sections of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210, which is equipped with a rear-upper first decorative board on which the above-mentioned light intensity (brightness) adjustment is impossible and non-dimmable LEDs that do not perform rainbow-color illumination decoration are implemented) may be controlled to emit light in a different color from the five 7-segment display sections of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210. In this case, it becomes easy to distinguish between the non-rainbow-emitting LEDs and the non-dimmable LEDs, and it becomes easy to compare the light intensity (brightness) when adjusting the light intensity (brightness), allowing the player to easily adjust the light intensity (brightness) to their preference.

In the example described above, the first decorative substrate on the back of the back upper, where monochromatic LEDs (non-dimmable LEDs) are mounted to illuminate the first decorative section 3211 of the back upper, where five 7-segment display sections of the movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, is coated with white solder resist (protective material), which has the highest reflectivity, and characters and symbols to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other electronic components or other decorative substrates are screen printed using inks with high brightness and saturation (for example, yellow, a color with similar reflectivity to white) to enhance the reflectivity of the surface on which the LEDs are mounted on the first decorative substrate. However, in addition to this, or instead, light interference on the surface of the first decorative substrate on the back upper, where the LEDs are mounted may be suppressed to clarify the illumination of each LED and to make the characters, numbers, patterns, etc. displayed on the segment display sections clearer.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 288(A), the movable decorative body 3210 contains a first decorative substrate on the back of the rear upper section 3210, which has LEDs mounted on it to illuminate the first decorative section 3211 where the five 7-segment display units of the first decorative section 3211 are arranged on the left and right sides, and a second decorative substrate on the back of the rear upper section 3212, which is located on the back side of the first decorative section 3211 and has predetermined characters (in this case, "JACKPOT") arranged in a row, and is formed with a predetermined thickness (approximately 10 mm in this example) using an opaque resin (white in this example) that does not transmit light, except for the five 7-segment display units of the first decorative section 3211 and the predetermined characters of the second decorative section 3212.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 288(B), the seven-segment display section of the first rear upper decorative section 3211 has cylindrical through-holes corresponding to each segment, defining the surface of the first rear upper decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs are mounted so that one or more LEDs are placed within these through-holes. Similarly, the second rear upper decorative section 3212 has cylindrical through-holes corresponding to each predetermined character (in this case, "JACKPOT"), defining the surface of the second rear upper decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs are mounted so that one or more LEDs are placed within these through-holes.

Furthermore, the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 is formed to be divided into two decorative bodies, front and rear. The rear upper movable decorative body 3210 is constructed by assembling (fixing) the two divided decorative bodies together, with the inside of one decorative body in close contact with the surface of the first rear upper decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs are mounted, and the inside of the other decorative body in close contact with the surface of the second rear upper decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs are mounted.

This suppresses light from leaking from the LEDs positioned within the through-holes corresponding to each segment of the 7-segment display section of the rear upper first decorative section 3211 into the through-holes corresponding to other segments, thereby suppressing interference of light emitted from each of the multiple segments of the 7-segment display section. This makes it easier to individually identify the information (letters, numbers, patterns, etc.) displayed by each of the multiple segments of the 7-segment display section of the rear upper first decorative section 3211. Furthermore, since light from the LEDs positioned within the through-holes can be emitted from each segment of the 7-segment display section of the rear upper first decorative section 3211 without leaking outside the through-holes, a decrease in light intensity (brightness) within the through-holes can be suppressed.

Similarly, by suppressing the leakage of light from LEDs positioned within the through-holes corresponding to each predetermined character (here, "JACKPOT") of the rear upper second decorative section 3212 into the through-holes corresponding to other characters, interference of light emitted from each predetermined character can be suppressed, making it easier to individually identify each predetermined character of the rear upper second decorative section 3212. Furthermore, since light from the LEDs positioned within the through-holes can be emitted from each predetermined character (here, "JACKPOT") of the rear upper second decorative section 3212 without leakage outside the through-holes, a decrease in light intensity (brightness) within the through-holes can be suppressed.

Furthermore, in addition to the structure of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 described above, or separately from the structure of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 described above (without adopting the structure of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210), the surface on which multiple LEDs are mounted on the rear upper first decorative substrate, on which LEDs that illuminate the rear upper first decorative section 3211 where the five 7-segment display sections of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, and the rear upper second decorative substrate, on which LEDs that illuminate the rear upper second decorative section 3212 where predetermined characters (in this case, "JACKPOT") are arranged in a row, may be coated with a solder resist (protective material) of a dark color (black, purple, dark blue, dark green, etc.) with low reflectivity instead of white solder resist (protective material). In this case, although the reflection efficiency decreases on the LED mounting surface of the first rear upper decorative substrate, where the LEDs that illuminate the first rear upper decorative section 3211 are mounted, and on the LED mounting surface of the second rear upper decorative substrate, where the LEDs that illuminate the second rear upper decorative section 3212 are mounted, the light from each penetration point can be emitted independently without interference. Therefore, the characters, numbers, and patterns shown by the five 7-segment display sections of the first rear upper decorative section 3211, as well as the predetermined characters on the second rear upper decorative section 3212, can be clearly displayed, and this information can be accurately conveyed to the player.

Furthermore, even if a dark-colored solder resist (protective material) is coated on the LED mounting surface of the first rear-upper decorative substrate on which the LEDs that illuminate the first rear-upper decorative section 3211 are mounted, and on the LED mounting surface of the second rear-upper decorative substrate on which the LEDs that illuminate the second rear-upper decorative section 3212 are mounted, a solder resist (protective material) of a color other than dark (for example, white or green) may be coated on the LED-less surface of the first rear-upper decorative substrate on which the LEDs that illuminate the first rear-upper decorative section 3211 are not mounted, and on the LED-less surface of the second rear-upper decorative substrate on which the LEDs that illuminate the second rear-upper decorative section 3212 are mounted. Furthermore, the LED mounting surface of the first rear-upper decorative substrate, on which the LEDs that illuminate the first rear-upper decorative section 3211 are mounted, and the LED mounting surface of the second rear-upper decorative substrate, on which the LEDs that illuminate the second rear-upper decorative section 3212 are mounted, may be coated with white solder resist (protective material) or a white coating film may be formed by silk printing, etc., only on the inner region of the through-hole, while the outer region of the through-hole may be coated with dark solder resist (protective material) or a dark coating film may be formed by silk printing, etc. In this case, the reflectivity of the substrate surface is reduced to suppress interference of light from each of the through-holes, while reflecting a high proportion of the light emitted from the LEDs placed within the through-holes, thereby brightly illuminating each segment of the five 7-segment display sections of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 and each of the predetermined characters (here, "JACKPOT") of the rear-upper second decorative section 3212.

Furthermore, the surface (the part where the through-hole is formed) of the movable decorative body 3210, corresponding to each segment of the five 7-segment display sections of the movable decorative body 3210 and the predetermined characters (here, "JACKPOT") of the second decorative body 3212, may be provided with a cover made of a translucent film (in this example, a cloudy frosted glass-like film) or a translucent resin (in this example, red, etc.) that allows light to pass through. This prevents the light from the LEDs that illuminate the first decorative body 3211 and the second decorative body 3212 from being directly viewed, thus preventing the player from feeling dazzled. In addition, by making the film or cover emit light from the surface, the light source can be made less conspicuous when the LEDs illuminating the first decorative body 3211 and the second decorative body 3212 are illuminated.

Furthermore, the LED mounting surface of the first rear upper decorative substrate, on which the LEDs that illuminate the first rear upper decorative section 3211 are mounted, and the LED mounting surface of the second rear upper decorative substrate, on which the LEDs that illuminate the second rear upper decorative section 3212 are mounted, have letters and symbols printed using high-brightness and high-saturation ink (for example, yellow) to avoid confusion with other decorative substrates and other electronic components such as LEDs that are also mounted on these substrates. Furthermore, for one or both of the LED mounting surface of the first decorative substrate on the back upper side, on which the LEDs that illuminate the first decorative section 3211 are mounted, and the LED mounting surface of the second decorative substrate on the back upper side, on which the LEDs that illuminate the second decorative section 3212 are mounted, a low-brightness and low-saturation color (for example, green) ink may be used to screen print on the LED mounting surface. Alternatively, characters or symbols to avoid confusion with mounted LEDs and other electronic components or decorative substrates may be formed as die-cut characters (that is, characters formed from copper foil wiring patterns in the layer where the wiring patterns are formed (copper plane) and the surrounding copper foil is removed), and the surface of these die-cut characters may be coated with a dark-colored solder resist (protective material) that is also coated on the LED mounting surface. Alternatively, the non-LED mounting surface (back side) may be screen printed using an ink of a predetermined color (including not only high-brightness and low-saturation colors but also low-brightness and low-saturation colors). In this case as well, it is possible to suppress light interference between the LED mounting surface of the first decorative substrate on the back upper side, where the LEDs that illuminate the first decorative section 3211 are mounted, and the LED mounting surface of the second decorative substrate on the back upper side, where the LEDs that illuminate the second decorative section 3212 are mounted.

Furthermore, the first rear-upper decorative substrate, on which LEDs that illuminate the first rear-upper decorative section 3211 are mounted, and the second rear-upper decorative substrate, on which LEDs that illuminate the second rear-upper decorative section 3212 are mounted, may be firmly attached to the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 (in an irreversible mounting state, such as being difficult to remove, requiring the destruction of at least a part of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210, the first rear-upper decorative substrate, or the second rear-upper decorative substrate by welding or other means). This protects the LED mounting surfaces of the first and second rear-upper decorative substrates from the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210, thereby preventing malfunctions in the LEDs mounted on the first and second rear-upper decorative substrates due to tampering or other reasons.

Furthermore, when mounting LEDs for illuminating a 7-segment display on a portion of one of several decorative substrates on which multiple LEDs belonging to the first to sixth panel light-emitting groups are mounted, that is, when mounting multiple LEDs with adjustable light intensity (dimmable LED group) and multiple LEDs with non-dimmable light intensity (non-dimmable LED group) on a single decorative substrate, a decorative body with the aforementioned through-hole formed on the LED mounting surface of the non-dimmable LED group may be provided. In this case, the effect of suppressing reflection and interference of light emitted from both the dimmable LEDs and the non-dimmable LEDs is further enhanced.

As described above, the first and second rear upper decorative sections 3211 and 3212 display information such as characters, numbers, and patterns, and can play an important role in gameplay by displaying crucial information. Alternatively, the main control MPU 1310 of the main control board 1310 may directly control the first rear upper decorative board (which has LEDs mounted to illuminate the first rear upper decorative section 3211) and the second rear upper decorative board (which has LEDs mounted to illuminate the second rear upper decorative section 3212) (either one or the other). In this case, compared to the case where the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the first and second rear upper decorative sections 3211 and 3212 based on control signals from the main control board 1310, malfunctions (such as displaying content different from what was intended) can be suppressed, preventing disadvantages to players.

Furthermore, while the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 performs constant peripheral control processing approximately every 33.3 ms, the main control MPU of the main control board 1310 performs main control-side timer interrupt processing every 4 ms. Therefore, compared to the case where the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the first rear upper decoration section 3211 and the second rear upper decoration section 3212 based on the control signal from the main control board 1310, the display content of the first rear upper decoration section 3211 and the second rear upper decoration section 3212 can be updated at a shorter cycle. Even if a malfunction occurs and content different from what should be displayed is shown on the first rear upper decoration section 3211 or the second rear upper decoration section 3212, the display content can be updated immediately (after 4 ms) to change it back to the original display content, thus not causing any disadvantage to the player or others. In other words, the first and second decorative parts 3211 and 3212 on the back upper side, which display important information (high importance), are equipped with control signals that update the illumination pattern of the light-emitting means (LEDs) at a shorter interval than the light-emitting decorative parts that do not display important information (low importance). Therefore, even if a malfunction occurs in the display content of the first and second decorative parts 3211 and 3212 on the back upper side, which display important information, the display content can be immediately changed to normal, thereby preventing the display of incorrect content that would otherwise cause harm to the player. Furthermore, if the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the first rear upper decoration section 3211 and the second rear upper decoration section 3212 based on a control signal from the main control board 1310, a communication error may occur between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510, potentially causing malfunctions in the information displayed by the first rear upper decoration section 3211 and the second rear upper decoration section 3212. However, in this example, by having the main control board 1310 directly control the first rear upper decoration section 3211 and the second rear upper decoration section 3212, malfunctions in the information displayed by the first rear upper decoration section 3211 and the second rear upper decoration section 3212 are less likely to occur compared to the case where the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls them, thereby minimizing disadvantages to the player.

[Example 1 of the rainbow effect]
Next, a modified version of the rainbow effect described above will be explained. In this example, the player can determine the probability of winning a jackpot by pressing the press operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 while the rainbow effect is being performed. Note that in Modification 1, only the parts that differ from the above embodiment will be explained, and redundant explanations will not be provided.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 289, when a rainbow-colored effect is being performed, if a high-probability winning variation display, such as a symbol showing a winning combination, is being executed after the rainbow-colored effect, even if the press operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 is pressed at timing t6 during the execution of the rainbow-colored effect, the rainbow-colored effect will continue to be executed until timing t100 without ending.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 290, when the rainbow effect is being performed, unless a high-probability variation display (such as a symbol not forming a winning combination) is currently being performed after the rainbow effect, if the press operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 is pressed at timing t6 during the execution of the rainbow effect, the rainbow effect being performed will terminate at timing t6 when the press operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 was pressed. The effect display device 1600 will then display a predetermined effect pattern (for example, a variation display of the symbol), and the LEDs on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 will be controlled to emit light in a predetermined pattern (which may include turning off some or all of them).

This allows for the determination of the probability of a jackpot when the rainbow-colored effect is being performed, and encourages the player to actively press the press button 303 of the effect control unit 300 during the period from timing t2 to timing t100 when the rainbow-colored effect is being performed. Furthermore, if the player presses the press button 303 of the effect control unit 300 during the period from timing t2 to timing t100 when the rainbow-colored effect is being performed and determines that the probability of a jackpot is high, the enjoyment of the game can be enhanced.

Furthermore, after the rainbow-colored effect is terminated based on the pressing operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 being pressed during the execution of the rainbow-colored effect, the effect display device 1600 may be configured to display an effect unrelated to the rainbow-colored effect. This allows the player to be aware that the rainbow-colored effect has ended and to be certain that the probability of winning a jackpot is low. In addition, when the effect display device 1600 executes an effect display unrelated to the rainbow-colored effect, the effect display unrelated to the rainbow-colored effect may also be configured to terminate in response to the operation of the effect operation unit 300, or the effect display unrelated to the rainbow-colored effect may be configured to terminate if the effect operation unit 300 is not operated for a predetermined period of time while the effect display unrelated to the rainbow-colored effect is being executed. Furthermore, after the effect display device 1600 has terminated an effect display unrelated to the rainbow-colored effect, the rainbow-colored effect may be restarted if a predetermined start condition is met (for example, if the effect operation unit 300 is not operated for a predetermined period of time, or if a predetermined period of no-variation effects in which no variation effects are being executed has reached a predetermined period of time). This imprints the rainbow-colored light and display patterns in the player's mind, leading them to anticipate that a high-probability jackpot is being achieved when the rainbow-colored effect is executed in subsequent spinning sequences, thus prompting them to operate the spinning sequence control unit 300.

Furthermore, in Figure 290, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed while the rainbow effect is being executed, the performance display device 1600 will terminate the rainbow effect display mode and other performance displays at a predetermined time after the timing of the termination of the rainbow effect's illumination on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and the various decorative boards on the door frame 3. This prevents the display content of the performance display device 1600 from suddenly switching, allowing the display content to be switched while retaining the lingering effect of the rainbow effect display mode and other performance displays.

Furthermore, the system may be configured to output a predetermined sound when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the execution of the rainbow effect. In this case, after outputting the predetermined sound based on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed, the performance display on the performance display device 1600 may be terminated at a predetermined time (the same period from the end of the rainbow effect's illumination if the predetermined sound is output at the same time as the end of the rainbow effect's illumination; or a different period from the end of the rainbow effect's illumination if the predetermined sound is output at a different time than the end of the rainbow effect's illumination) after the timing of outputting the predetermined sound (which may be the same time as or different from the timing of the end of the rainbow effect's illumination). In this case as well, the performance display device 1600 can prevent abrupt switching of the display content, allowing the display content to be switched while retaining the lingering effect of the performance display, such as the rainbow effect display.

Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed while the rainbow effect is being performed, the system may terminate the illumination of the rainbow effect on the LEDs of the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and the door frame 3, and then restart the illumination of the rainbow effect on the LEDs of the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and the door frame 3. In this case, the system may terminate the illumination of the rainbow effect on the LEDs of the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and the door frame 3, and then restart the illumination of the rainbow effect on the LEDs of the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and the door frame 3 before terminating the display of the performance display device 1600 (while the display of the performance display device 1600 continues). This can improve the interest of players who have become disappointed after judging that the probability of winning is low because the illumination of the rainbow effect has ended, and can draw their attention back to the rainbow effect.

Furthermore, in addition to the examples above, the probability of a jackpot can be determined by varying the sound output pattern during the execution of the rainbow-colored effect. For example, if the rainbow-colored effect is being executed and a high probability of a jackpot is indicated by a symbol combination (such as a winning combination) is occurring after the effect, the sound output pattern corresponding to the rainbow-colored effect should be executed. On the other hand, if the rainbow-colored effect is being executed and a high probability of a jackpot is not indicated by a symbol combination (such as a winning combination) after the effect, the sound output pattern corresponding to the rainbow-colored effect may not be executed; instead, another sound output pattern may be executed, or no sound output may be executed at all. In this case as well, the probability of a jackpot can be determined by the execution of the rainbow-colored effect and the sound output pattern, and if a high probability of a jackpot is determined, the enjoyment of the game can be enhanced.

[Two variations of the rainbow effect]
Although the rainbow effect described above does not involve the movement of the movable parts, the movable parts that are illuminated and decorated in the rainbow effect may be made to perform movements that are always, or at a predetermined rate, linked to the rainbow effect, in addition to the illumination and decoration in the rainbow effect. This is shown below as Modification 2. In Modification 2, only the parts that differ from the above embodiment will be explained, and redundant explanations will not be given.

As shown in Figure 291, when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed by the player at timing t2, or when the button validity period (e.g., 5 seconds) has elapsed without the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed, the rainbow effect is initiated (timing t2). At this point, multiple LEDs mounted on the rear front lower middle decorative board 3168 belonging to the fourth board light-emitting group are illuminated in a predetermined color (blue in this example), and then controlled to change the illumination color at predetermined intervals (e.g., 0.1 seconds) (in this example, "blue" → "purple" → "red" → "white" → "yellow" → "green" → "blue" → "purple" → ...).

Furthermore, when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed by the player at timing t2, or when the button validity period (e.g., 5 seconds) has elapsed without the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed, the rainbow-colored performance starts. The back-front-lower-center decorative element 3161 of the back-front-lower performance unit 3160, which is equipped with the back-front-lower-center decorative board 3168, rises from its normal standby position as shown in Figure 164 to a raised position in front of the performance display device 1600 (in this example, the back-front-lower-center decorative element 3161 rises so that a part of it overlaps with the front of the performance display device 1600. Alternatively, it may rise to near the center of the performance display device 1600 so that the entire back-front-lower-center decorative element 3161 overlaps with the front of the performance display device 1600), and stops there, then rotates around the front-to-back axis.

As a result, during the execution of the rainbow-colored effect, LED illumination and movement by a movable body (rear-front-lower-center decorative board 3168) are performed in front of the display device 1600. Furthermore, since multiple LEDs mounted on the rear-front-lower-center decorative board 3168, which illuminates the rear-front-lower-center decorative body 3161, change their illumination color at predetermined intervals (e.g., 0.1 seconds), a highly attention-grabbing effect can be achieved. Additionally, because the rear-front-lower-center decorative body 3161 is exposed in front of the display device 1600 and rotates while partially overlapping with the display device 1600, it can create the impression that something good is about to happen to the player, thereby increasing their anticipation for the game.

Furthermore, when the rainbow effect ends (timing t99), the rotation of the front-front lower-center decorative element 3161 around its front-to-back axis stops, and it descends from the front of the display device 1600, stopping in its normal standby position. In this example, the display device 1600 generates a decorative symbol reach in sync with the movement of the front-front lower-center decorative element 3161 to its normal standby position. In this way, by rotating the front-front lower-center decorative element 3161, which is visible in front of the display device 1600, while illuminating it, a part of the display device 1600 is obscured, and attention is drawn to the front-front lower-center decorative element 3161. Therefore, when the display device 1600 generates a decorative symbol reach in sync with the movement of the front-front lower-center decorative element 3161 to its normal standby position, the player is surprised, and their expectation of a big win is heightened.

Furthermore, if an abnormal condition occurs during the execution of the variation animation that performs the rainbow effect as described above, the illumination of the rainbow effect by the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear front lower middle decorative board 3168 that illuminates the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 will be terminated. This prevents the rainbow effect from being performed in an incomplete manner.

On the other hand, the rear front lower middle decorative unit 3161 is designed to operate as if no abnormal condition were occurring, even if an abnormal condition occurs during the execution of the rainbow effect, without stopping its operation. Furthermore, even if an abnormal condition occurs before the start of the rainbow effect in the variation effect that executes the rainbow effect, it will operate at the intended timing for the rainbow effect to begin, just as if no abnormal condition were occurring. In other words, if the light emission control of the rainbow effect cannot be achieved perfectly as designed, the light emission decoration by the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear front lower middle decorative board 3168 will be stopped or not executed. However, operations that do not affect the light emission decoration of the rainbow effect will not be stopped and will be executed as planned (as designed). This allows the player to recognize that the variation effect is continuing and prevents them from mistakenly believing that the variation effect has ended when the rainbow effect is stopped.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 292, if an abnormality occurs at timing t6 during the execution of the rainbow effect, the illumination of the rainbow effect by the multiple LEDs in the first to sixth panel illumination groups on the game board 5, which includes multiple LEDs mounted on the rear front lower middle decorative board 3168 that illuminates the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161, is terminated and controlled to a blacked-out state. Furthermore, even if the door frame 3 is closed and the abnormality is resolved during the execution of the rainbow effect, the illumination of the rainbow effect does not resume (the illumination of the rainbow effect is not restarted).

On the other hand, even if an abnormality occurs at timing t6 when the lower-center decorative element 3161 is operating in conjunction with the rainbow effect (timing t6), the operation of the lower-center decorative element 3161 in conjunction with the rainbow effect will not be stopped, but will continue to execute the predetermined operation in conjunction with the rainbow effect (timing t6 to timing t100). In this way, if an abnormality occurs during the execution of the rainbow effect, the illumination of the rainbow effect will be terminated, while the operation of the lower-center decorative element 3161 will continue. Therefore, the player can be made to recognize that the variation effect is continuing because the operation of the lower-center decorative element 3161 is continuing, thus preventing them from feeling anxious.

Furthermore, even if an anomaly occurs during a variation animation that performs a rainbow-colored effect, and the anomaly is resolved before the rainbow-colored effect ends, and the system returns to a normal state, the illumination of the rainbow-colored effect by the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear-front-lower-center decorative substrate 3168, which illuminates the rear-front-lower-center decorative element 3161, will not be resumed. In other words, if an anomaly occurs during the execution of a rainbow-colored effect in a variation animation, and the anomaly is resolved before the rainbow-colored effect ends, and the system returns to a normal state, the rear-front-lower-center decorative element 3161 will operate in conjunction with the rainbow-colored effect while remaining unlit. This allows the system to determine whether an anomaly has occurred in a variation animation that performs a rainbow-colored effect based on whether the rear-front-lower-center decorative element 3161 is illuminated, thereby suppressing fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, depending on the type of abnormal condition (degree of urgency), the operation of the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161 linked to the rainbow color effect may be continued or initiated differently. For example, for errors with little impact on gameplay, the operation linked to the rainbow color effect of the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161 may be continued or executed as scheduled (at the timing set in the scheduler). On the other hand, for errors that have a significant impact on gameplay, the operation linked to the rainbow color effect of the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161 may be stopped (it may also be returned to the normal standby position and stopped after stopping the operation linked to the rainbow color effect), or the operation linked to the rainbow color effect that has been scheduled in advance (set in the scheduler) may be prevented from being performed, thereby interrupting or terminating the variable effect even if it is currently running. This allows the operating state of the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161 to differ according to the degree of the error, making it possible to determine the occurrence of an abnormality.

Furthermore, the display of the rainbow-colored animation on the display device 1600 may be changed depending on the type of abnormal condition (degree of urgency). For example, for errors with little impact on gameplay, the display of the rainbow-colored animation on the display device 1600 may not be erased, but a warning display (e.g., "Door Open") may be shown overlapping the rainbow-colored animation. On the other hand, for errors that have a significant impact on gameplay, the display of the rainbow-colored animation on the display device 1600 may be erased, and only a warning display (e.g., "Illegal Win!") may be shown, thereby interrupting or terminating the display of the rainbow-colored animation (rainbow-colored animation) even while it is running. This allows the display mode on the display device 1600 to be changed according to the degree of the error, making it possible to determine the occurrence of an abnormality.

Furthermore, as shown in the modified example 1 of the rainbow-colored effect described above, if a variation display indicating a high probability of a jackpot, such as a reel symbol appearing in a near-jackpot sequence, is performed after the rainbow-colored effect, the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161 may be operated in conjunction with the rainbow-colored effect, either always or at a predetermined rate. Conversely, if a variation display indicating a high probability of a jackpot, such as a reel symbol not appearing in a near-jackpot sequence, is not performed after the rainbow-colored effect, the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161 may not be operated in conjunction with the rainbow-colored effect. This allows for an increased expectation of a jackpot if the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161 operates in conjunction with the rainbow-colored effect, and prevents the expectation of a jackpot from being lost even if the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161 does not operate in conjunction with the rainbow-colored effect, as there is still a possibility of a variation display indicating a high probability of a jackpot being performed.

Furthermore, while the above embodiments (including all embodiments such as Modifications 1 and 2) demonstrate the rainbow color effect, this technical concept is also applicable to effects other than the rainbow color effect. For example, in Modification 2, the application is not limited to cases where the lower front center decorative element 3161 is operated in conjunction with the rainbow color effect, but is also applicable when it is operated in conjunction with other effects.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Various improvements and design modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention, as described below.

For example, in the above embodiment, we showed through-holes (separation holes 1023, 1822c, 2531b, 2810d, 1823c, 1827c, 1828c, etc.) that allow decorative elements such as seals to be separated. However, we are not limited to these, and slit-shaped or notched shapes may also be used.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, a pachinko machine was used as an example of a gaming machine, but it is also applicable to other gaming machines such as mahjong ball machines and arrangement ball machines, and furthermore, it is also applicable to slot machines that rotate multiple drums (slot machines or reels) using game tokens. Here, a slot machine will be explained with reference to Figure 213. Figure 213 is a schematic perspective view of a slot machine.

As shown in Figure 213, the slot machine 6000 is comprised of a front door (front frame) 6002 and a main body (box) 6004. The front door (front frame) 6002 and the main body (box) 6004 are connected to each other via a hinge (not shown). Using this hinge as a pivot point, the front door (front frame) 6002 can be opened from the main body (box) 6004 by inserting a key into the keyhole 6005 of a metal locking device located on the right end of the front door (front frame) 6002 and turning it clockwise.

The metal locking device is attached to the cylinder mounting frame of a metal door frame reinforcement unit (not shown) of the front door (front frame) 6002, and works in cooperation with the locking unit (not shown) to open, close, and lock the front door (front frame) 6002 and the main body (box) 6004. The metal locking device comprises a cylindrical metal cylinder body (not shown) extending front to back, a metal keyhole 6005 formed on the front end surface of the cylinder body, and a metal rotation transmission member (not shown) attached to the rear side of the cylinder body, which is inserted into the keyhole 6005 and rotates together with a standard metal key. The cylinder body of the metal locking device penetrates the front part of the cylinder mounting frame of the door frame reinforcement unit from the rear, and its rear end is attached to the front part. The rotation transmission member is formed in a cylindrical shape with an open rear (more specifically, a conical shape with a diameter that increases towards the rear), and has a pair of notches cut out from the rear end toward the front at positions opposite each other on the central axis. The rotation transmission member is designed so that when the front door (front frame) 6002 is closed against the main body (box) 6004, a metal transmission cylinder of a metal locking unit (not shown) is inserted from the rear. A pair of projections on the transmission cylinder are inserted into a pair of notches, thereby transmitting the rotation of the rotation transmission member (the key inserted into the keyhole 6005) to the transmission cylinder, allowing it to rotate. When the rotation transmission member of the metal locking device and the transmission cylinder of the locking unit are in contact while the front door (front frame) 6002 is closed against the main body (box) 6004, the metal locking device and the locking unit are electrically connected.

The door frame reinforcement unit not only reinforces the front door (front frame) 6002 to provide rigidity, but also functions as a door frame metal ground, electrically connected to a grounding board located inside the main body (box) 6004 via a door frame metal grounding wire (not shown). In other words, the metal door frame reinforcement unit acts as the frame ground on the door frame side. This grounding board (not shown) can collect electromagnetic noise generated at various points and ground it to the island equipment of the gaming hall, electrically connected to the ground of the island equipment of the gaming hall via an island equipment grounding wire (not shown).

An open switch (not shown) capable of detecting the opening of the front door (front frame) 6002 relative to the main body (enclosure) 6004 is located on either the main body (enclosure) 6004 or the front door (front frame) 6002. This open switch does not detect the opening of the front door (front frame) 6002 relative to the main body (enclosure) 6004 due to an electrical signal input from the opening and closing operation of the metal locking device, but rather detects the opening of the front door (front frame) 6002 relative to the main body (enclosure) 6004 independently of the opening and closing operation of the metal locking device. Furthermore, the open switch is not located near the metal locking device, and is positioned below the metal locking device, on either the main body (enclosure) 6004 or the front door (front frame) 6002, so as not to be affected by electromagnetic noise that may enter the metal locking device. Thus, even if electromagnetic noise were to penetrate the metal locking mechanism, the signal transmission line from the release switch would not be affected by this electromagnetic noise.

The front door (front frame) 6002 decorates the entire front surface of the slot machine 6000 and is equipped with various decorative parts. Some of these decorative parts have no decorative plating at all, while others have decorative plating on both the front and back surfaces. This decorative plating is made of precious metals such as chrome plating or hard gold plating, and because it is conductive, electromagnetic noise may penetrate. Among the various decorative parts, those with decorative plating on both the front and back surfaces are electrically connected to the metal door frame reinforcement unit of the door frame base unit that constitutes the front door 6002 via wiring (not shown). (Some of the decorative parts are electrically connected to the metal door frame reinforcement unit via wiring (not shown), while others have conductive members directly attached to the metal door frame reinforcement unit for electrical connection.) This prevents electromagnetic noise that has penetrated the decorative parts from penetrating the circuit board ground of the decorative circuit boards equipped with the decorative parts by transmitting it to the metal door frame reinforcement unit. Furthermore, electromagnetic noise that penetrates the decorative parts, particularly those with decorative plating on both the front and back surfaces, is transmitted via wiring (not shown) to the metal door frame reinforcement unit. From there, it is transmitted via the door frame metal ground wire to the grounding board located inside the main body (box) 6004. Finally, from the grounding board, it is transmitted via the island equipment ground wire to the ground of the gaming hall's island equipment, thus being removed from the slot machine 6000. In other words, the metal door frame reinforcement unit acts as the frame ground on the door frame side, as described above.

Furthermore, an electrostatic discharge pad may be provided as a static discharge unit at a predetermined location on the front of the front door (front frame) 6002, or, when the front door (front frame) 6002 is opened from the main body (box) 6004, an electrostatic discharge pad may be provided as a static discharge unit on the opening side, which is opposite to the side where the hinge is located (the closing side). The electrostatic discharge pad is capable of removing noise (electromagnetic noise) generated by electrostatic discharge.

Furthermore, the front door (front frame) 6002 decorates the entire front of the slot machine 6000 and is equipped with various decorative parts. Some of these decorative parts have no decorative plating at all, while others have decorative plating on both the front and back surfaces. Of the various decorative parts, those with decorative plating on both the front and back surfaces are electrically connected to a metal door frame reinforcement unit via wiring (not shown), and an earth board provided inside the main body (box) 6004 is electrically connected to the ground of the island equipment in the gaming hall via an island equipment earth wire. However, instead of electrically connecting the door frame metal earth wire to the earth board, it may be electrically connected to the terminals of the power supply board of a power supply unit (not shown) provided inside the main body (box) 6004, thereby electrically connecting the metal door frame reinforcement unit and the power supply board. The power supply board is supplied with 24V AC from the island equipment in the gaming hall. This 24V AC power supply has L (live) and N (neutral) terminals. The L terminal of the power supply board receiving the L (live) input is connected to the ungrounded side, while the N terminal of the power supply board receiving the N (neutral) input is connected to the ground side. Therefore, a surge protection element (surge absorber) is installed on the power supply board to protect against transient overvoltages. This surge protection element (surge absorber) normally has a high resistance and allows almost no current to flow, but when an overvoltage (abnormal voltage) enters, its resistance instantly decreases, allowing current to flow. Once the overvoltage disappears, it returns to its original normal resistance value (high resistance). As a result, electromagnetic noise transmitted from the metal door frame reinforcement unit is transmitted from the power supply board terminals to the ground side (earth) via the surge protection element (surge absorber), and is removed from the slot machine 6000.

The upper half of the front door (front frame) 6002 is equipped with a game panel 6006, and the lower half of the front door (front frame) 6002 has a protruding portion that extends forward from the game panel 6006. This protruding portion houses the coin slot 6008, bet buttons 6010 and 6012, start lever 6014, left stop button 6016, middle stop button 6018, right stop button 6020, etc., all positioned along the lower edge of the game panel 6006. The lower half of the front door (front frame) 6002 also houses the coin deposit/settlement button 6022 and decorative panel 6024, with a receiving tray 6026 located below the decorative panel 6024. These bet buttons 6010, 6012, the start lever 6014, the left stop button 6016, the middle stop button 6018, the right stop button 6020, and the storage/settlement button 6022 are electrically connected to the main control board 1310, which controls the progress of the game. The main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320 of the main control unit 1300 and is mounted and fixed in a board holder (not shown) located inside the main body (box) 6004.

The main control board box 1320 also houses a setting change board 1311, which has a setting key switch 1311a that allows the setting value to be changed, along with the main control board 1310. In other words, the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320 of the main control unit 1300 and is mounted and fixed to a board holder (not shown) provided inside the main body (box) 6004, so the setting key switch 1311a is located inside the main body (box) 6004. The setting change board 1311 may be housed in a separate board box from the main control board box 1320 and mounted and fixed to a board holder (not shown) provided inside the main body (box) 6004, or it may be mounted and fixed to the housing of a power supply unit (not shown) provided inside the main body (box) 6004. Furthermore, in addition to the setting key switch 1311a, the surface (mounting side) of the setting change board 1311 may also be equipped with a setting change button for selecting and switching setting values, a setting indicator 1310g consisting of a single 7-segment LED display with a decimal point (so-called dot), and the setting change permission lamp 1310z mentioned above.

A rectangular display window (not shown) is formed approximately in the center of the game panel 6006. Through this display window, it is possible to see through to the inside of the slot machine 6000, where three variable rotating parts (not shown) and a display device (not shown) are located. The three variable rotating parts (not shown) are attached and fixed to a mounting member (not shown) located inside the main body (box) 6004. In contrast, the display device (not shown) is attached and fixed to a mounting member (not shown) located on the back side of the front door (front frame) 6002.

These variable rotating bodies have translucent pattern strips printed with multiple types of patterns (e.g., bell, watermelon, cherry, 7, V, etc.) attached to their respective cylindrical frames. These cylindrical variable rotating bodies are called reels or drums in amusement machines such as slot machines, and are connected to the output shafts of stepping motors (not shown). These stepping motors are driven and controlled by the main control board 1310. As the output shafts of the stepping motors rotate, multiple types of patterns appear to continuously change from top to bottom through the display window described above.

The performance device comprises a plurality of movable performance elements (not shown), the performance display device 1600 described above, various decorative circuit boards on which a plurality of LEDs (not shown) are mounted, and the peripheral control unit 1500 described above. The peripheral control unit 1500 controls the progress of the performance by performing various controls based on various commands from the main control board 1310, such as controlling the operation of the plurality of movable performance elements, controlling the drawing of the performance display device 1600, and controlling the light emission of the plurality of LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards. The peripheral control unit 1500 includes the peripheral control board 1510 described above.

The main control board 1310 starts displaying the changing symbol information when a predetermined number of tokens are inserted into the token slot 6008 as the game medium, and based on the operation of the start lever 6014. It stops the display of the changing symbol information based on the operation of the left stop button 6016, the middle stop button 6018, or the right stop button 6020, or based on the elapsed time. Then, the main control board 1310 generates a bonus state (jackpot game state) when the symbol information reaches a predetermined specific display pattern, and dispenses a large quantity of tokens into the receiving tray 6026.

In the integrated gaming machine, the medal slot 6008 becomes the ball slot 6008'. The main control board 1310 starts displaying the changing symbol information based on the operation of the start lever 6014 when a predetermined number of game balls are inserted into the ball slot 6008' as the game medium. It stops the display of the changing symbol information based on the operation of the left stop button 6016, the middle stop button 6018, or the right stop button 6020, or after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed. Then, the main control board 1310 generates a bonus state (jackpot game state) when the symbol information reaches a predetermined specific display pattern, and dispenses a large quantity of game balls into the receiving tray 6026.

(Solution 1)
The present invention relates to a gaming machine having a game board in which a game area is formed into which game balls can flow, which performs a lottery based on the fulfillment of a starting condition and awards a prize based on the result of the lottery, which comprises a specific mounting area on which multiple light-emitting elements are mounted and on which a white coating is formed on the mounting surface, an image display means capable of displaying an image, and an image control means for performing an image control, wherein the image control means controls the display means to display a specific image and is capable of performing multicolor light emission control to simultaneously emit light from multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the specific mounting area in different colors, and when a predetermined adjustment means is operated during light emission by multicolor light emission control, the brightness of the multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the specific mounting area can be changed while continuing to emit light by multicolor light emission control. The present invention relates to a gaming machine described in Solution 1, which relates to a specific mounting area. Furthermore, since the brightness of the light emitted during multi-color light emission control, which is performed with improved reflectivity due to the white coating, can now be changed by the player, the player can perform the multi-color light emission control at their preferred brightness, thereby improving the inconvenience and difficulty in seeing the light emitted during multi-color light emission control. As a result, factors that reduce the enjoyment of the light emitted during multi-color light emission control are eliminated, and the decline in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

(Solution 2)
In the gaming machine described in Solution 1, a special mounting area is provided, separate from the specific mounting area, on which a white coating is formed on the mounting surface where multiple light-emitting elements are mounted. The performance control means controls the performance display means to display a specific performance image, and when performing multi-color light emission control to simultaneously emit light from multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the specific mounting area with different light-emitting colors, it is possible to perform a control separate from the multi-color light emission control on the multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the special mounting area. If a predetermined adjustment means is operated during light emission by multi-color light emission control, the brightness of the multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the specific mounting area can be changed while continuing to emit light by the multi-color light emission control. Furthermore, while the brightness of the multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the specific mounting area is adjusted by operation of the adjustment unit, the multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the special mounting area are not subject to brightness adjustment, and a control separate from the multi-color light emission control is continued at a predetermined constant brightness. According to the gaming machine described in Solution 2, the light emitted by multiple light-emitting elements mounted in a special mounting area can be used as an indicator for adjusting brightness. This improves the accuracy of the comparison between the light emitted by multiple light-emitting elements mounted in a specific mounting area and the light emitted by multiple light-emitting elements mounted in a special mounting area, making it easier to adjust the brightness to the player's preference.

(Solution 3)
The gaming machine described in Solution 1 has a plurality of special mounting areas where control separate from multi-color light emission control is performed as a special mounting area, and in the first special mounting area of the plurality of special mounting areas, while the brightness of the plurality of light-emitting elements that emit light in multi-color light emission control is adjusted by operation to the adjustment unit, the plurality of light-emitting elements mounted in the first special mounting area are not subject to brightness adjustment and are kept under a first control separate from multi-color light emission control at a predetermined constant brightness, and in the second special mounting area of the plurality of special mounting areas, while the brightness of the plurality of light-emitting elements that emit light in multi-color light emission control is adjusted by operation to the adjustment unit, the brightness of the plurality of light-emitting elements mounted in the second special mounting area is also adjusted in sync, and a second control separate from multi-color light emission control is kept under control. According to the gaming machine described in Solution 3, the light emitted by multiple light-emitting elements mounted in a special mounting area can be used as an indicator for adjusting brightness. This improves the accuracy of the comparison between the light emitted by multiple light-emitting elements mounted in a specific mounting area and the light emitted by multiple light-emitting elements mounted in a special mounting area, making it easier to adjust the brightness to the player's preference.

(Solution 4)
The present invention relates to a gaming machine having a game board in which a game area is formed into which game balls can flow, which performs a lottery based on the fulfillment of a starting condition and awards a prize based on the result of the lottery, which comprises a specific mounting area on which multiple light-emitting elements are mounted and on which a white coating is formed on the mounting surface, an image display means capable of displaying an image, an image control means for performing control related to the effects, and a state detection means for detecting the state of the gaming machine, wherein the image control means controls the display means to display a specific effect image and is capable of performing multicolor light emission control to simultaneously emit light from multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the specific mounting area with different light-emitting colors, and when the state detection means detects that a specific state is in place during light emission by multicolor light emission control, it turns off some or all of the multiple light-emitting elements that are emitting light by multicolor light emission control. The present invention relates to a gaming machine described in Solution 4, which relates to a gaming machine having a game area on which multiple light-emitting elements are mounted and on which a white coating is formed, which improves the reflection efficiency of the mounting surface to the light of the light-emitting elements and suppresses the occurrence of uneven illumination. This makes it possible to avoid a decrease in the effect of simultaneously emitting light from multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the specific mounting area with different light-emitting colors. Furthermore, if the state detection means detects that a specific state is being reached while the multi-color light emission control is active, some or all of the multiple light-emitting elements being emitted by the multi-color light emission control will be turned off. This prevents, for example, situations where the state of the gaming machine prevents the proper execution of the multi-color light emission control effect, which could result in an incomplete effect and a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. (See, for example, paragraphs 2869 to 2891, figures 283 to 287, etc.).

(Solution 5)
In the gaming machine described in Solution 4, a special light-emitting region is provided as a light-emitting region, separate from the specific light-emitting region, on which a white coating is provided on the mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted. The performance control means controls the light-emitting element mounted in the specific light-emitting region to emit light in a predetermined rainbow pattern in relation to a specific performance image displayed on the performance display device, while also being able to control the light-emitting element mounted in the special light-emitting region to emit light in a pattern other than the rainbow pattern. Furthermore, if the state detection means detects that a specific state is being reached within a specific light-emitting period in which the light-emitting element mounted in the specific light-emitting region emits light in a rainbow pattern, the state detection means controls the termination of the rainbow-pattern emission, regardless of whether the specific light-emitting period remains. On the other hand, the light-emitting element mounted in the special light-emitting region is controlled to continue emitting light in a different pattern until the specific light-emitting period has elapsed, even if the state detection means detects that a specific state is being reached within the specific light-emitting period, without terminating the emission in the other pattern. According to the gaming machine described in Solution 5, even if some or all of the multiple light-emitting elements are turned off due to the gaming machine entering a specific state, it is possible to determine that the specific light-emitting period remains by the continued illumination of the light-emitting elements implemented in the special light-emitting area, thus preventing the player from being misled into believing that the specific light-emitting period has ended.

(Solution 6)
The gaming machine described in Solution 4 or Solution 5 is characterized in that it has a plurality of special light-emitting regions where a light-emitting element emits light in a manner different from the rainbow pattern, and the first special light-emitting region among the plurality of special light-emitting regions is capable of emitting light in a special manner within a specific luminescence period, and even if the state detection means detects that a specific state is being reached within the specific luminescence period, control is performed to continue emitting light in the special manner until the specific luminescence period has elapsed without terminating the luminescence in the special manner, and the second special light-emitting region among the plurality of special light-emitting regions is capable of emitting light in a special manner different from the special manner within a specific luminescence period, and when the state detection means detects that a specific state is being reached within the specific luminescence period, control is performed to terminate the luminescence in the special manner for the light-emitting element implemented in the second special light-emitting region, along with the termination of the luminescence in the rainbow pattern. According to the gaming machine described in Solution 6, even if some or all of the multiple light-emitting elements are turned off due to the gaming machine entering a specific state, it is possible to determine that the specific light-emitting period remains by the continued illumination of the light-emitting elements implemented in the special light-emitting area, thus preventing the player from being misled into believing that the specific light-emitting period has ended.

(Solution 7)
The present invention relates to a gaming machine having a game board in which a game area is formed into which game balls can flow, which performs a lottery based on the fulfillment of a starting condition and awards a prize based on the result of the lottery, which comprises a specific mounting area on which multiple light-emitting elements are mounted and on which a white coating is formed on the mounting surface, an image display means capable of displaying an image, an image control means for performing control related to the effects, and a state detection means for detecting the state of the gaming machine, wherein the image control means controls the display means to display a specific effect image and can generate a specific period for performing multicolor light emission control in which multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the specific mounting area emit light simultaneously in different colors, and when the state detection means detects that a specific state is in place during the specific period, it terminates the multicolor light emission control regardless of whether the specific period remains or not, and even if the state changes from the specific state to a normal state within the specific period, it does not restart the light emission by multicolor light emission control. The present invention relates to a gaming machine described in Solution 7, which is characterized in that, because a white coating is formed on the mounting surface on which multiple light-emitting elements are mounted, the reflection efficiency of the mounting surface to the light of the light-emitting elements is improved and the occurrence of uneven illumination can be suppressed. This prevents a decrease in the visual effect caused by simultaneously illuminating multiple light-emitting elements in different colors within a specific mounting area. Furthermore, if the state detection means detects a specific state during multi-color light emission control, the multi-color light emission control is terminated, and even if the state returns to normal within a specific period, the multi-color light emission control is not restarted. This prevents, for example, a decrease in the enjoyment of the game due to an incomplete light emission effect being executed when the state of the game machine is such that the multi-color light emission control effect cannot be properly implemented, and even when the state returns to normal, it is possible to determine that a specific state occurred within that specific period until the specified period has elapsed. (See, for example, paragraphs 2869 to 2891, figures 283 to 287, etc.).

(Solution 8)
In the gaming machine described in Solution 7, a special light-emitting region is provided as a light-emitting region, separate from the specific light-emitting region, on which a white coating is provided on the mounting surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted. The performance control means controls the light-emitting element mounted in the specific light-emitting region to emit light in a predetermined rainbow pattern in relation to a specific performance image displayed on the performance display device, while also being able to control the light-emitting element mounted in the special light-emitting region to emit light in a pattern other than the rainbow pattern. Furthermore, if the state detection means detects that the light-emitting element mounted in the specific light-emitting region is in a specific state within a specific period in which it emits light in a rainbow pattern, it controls the emission to end the rainbow pattern regardless of whether the specific period remains or not, and controls the emission to not return to the rainbow pattern even if the state changes from the specific state to a normal state within the specific period. On the other hand, the light-emitting element mounted in the special light-emitting region continues to emit light in a different pattern without ending the emission even if the state detection means detects that it is in a specific state within the specific period, and also controls the emission to continue in a different pattern even after the state changes from the specific state to a normal state within the specific period. According to the gaming machine described in Solution 8, even if some or all of the multiple light-emitting elements are turned off due to the gaming machine entering a specific state, it is possible to determine that the specific period remains by the continued illumination of a light-emitting element in a manner different from the rainbow pattern by the light-emitting elements implemented in the special light-emitting area, thereby preventing the player from being misled into believing that the specific period has ended.

(Solution 9)
In the gaming machine described in Solution 8, the performance control means is characterized in that, in relation to a specific performance image displayed on the performance display device after a specific period of time has elapsed and the state has returned from a specific state to a normal state, it is possible to control the light-emitting element implemented in a specific light-emitting area to emit light in a predetermined rainbow pattern. In the gaming machine described in Solution 9, in relation to a specific performance image displayed on the performance display device after a specific period of time has elapsed and the state has returned from a specific state to a normal state, it is possible to control the light-emitting element to emit light in a predetermined rainbow pattern, thereby suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

(Solution 10)
A gaming machine having a game board in which a game area is formed into which game balls can flow down, performing a lottery based on the fulfillment of a starting condition, and executing a winning game based on the result of the lottery, comprising a specific mounting area on which a plurality of light-emitting elements are mounted and on which a white coating is formed on the mounting surface, and a performance control means for performing performance control, wherein the performance control means is capable of performing a first light-emitting control that causes the plurality of light-emitting elements mounted in the specific mounting area to light up simultaneously in the same color, and a second light-emitting control that causes the plurality of light-emitting elements mounted in the specific mounting area to light up simultaneously in different colors, the second light-emitting control notifies that the possibility of executing a winning game is higher than that of the first light-emitting control, and furthermore, separate from the second light-emitting control, it is possible to perform a third light-emitting control that causes the plurality of light-emitting elements mounted in the specific mounting area to light up simultaneously in different colors, the third light-emitting control is a control that is performed when there is no possibility of executing a winning game. According to the gaming machine described in Solution 10, a white coating is formed on the mounting surface on which multiple light-emitting elements are mounted, thereby improving the reflection efficiency of the mounting surface to the light from the light-emitting elements and suppressing the occurrence of uneven illumination. This prevents a decrease in the visual effect of simultaneously illuminating multiple light-emitting elements mounted in a specific mounting area with different colors. Furthermore, while the system notifies that there is a higher probability of winning a game when the second light-emitting control, which simultaneously illuminates multiple light-emitting elements mounted in a specific mounting area with different colors, is executed, there is no possibility of winning a game when the third light-emitting control, which simultaneously illuminates multiple light-emitting elements mounted in a specific mounting area with different colors, is executed, the system can increase the expectation of winning a game when the second light-emitting control is executed, while simultaneously creating anxiety that the third light-emitting control may be executed, thereby increasing the enjoyment of the game. (See, for example, paragraphs 2921 to 2929, figures 289 to 290, etc.).

(Solution 11)
In the gaming machine described in Solution 10, when a light-emitting element implemented in a specific light-emitting area emits light in a predetermined rainbow pattern by the third control, the player can terminate the emission in the rainbow pattern by operating a predetermined performance control unit. However, when a light-emitting element implemented in a specific light-emitting area emits light in a predetermined rainbow pattern by the second control, the player cannot terminate the emission in the rainbow pattern even if they operate a predetermined performance control unit. According to the gaming machine described in Solution 11, the player can be prompted to operate the performance control unit when a light-emitting element implemented in a specific light-emitting area emits light in a predetermined rainbow pattern, thereby improving the enjoyment of the game when operating the performance control unit.

(Solution 12)
The gaming machine described in Solution 11 is characterized in that, after the rainbow-colored illumination is terminated by the player's operation of a predetermined performance control unit during the execution of the third control, the rainbow-colored illumination is disabled until a specific period of time has elapsed, and the rainbow-colored illumination is enabled after the elapsed period of time. According to the gaming machine described in Solution 11, if the rainbow-colored illumination is terminated by the player's operation of a predetermined performance control unit during the execution of the third control, the rainbow-colored illumination is disabled until a specific period of time has elapsed, thereby preventing the player from overlooking the termination of the rainbow-colored illumination.

(Solution 13)
A gaming machine having a game board formed with a game area through which game balls can flow, performing a lottery based on the fulfillment of starting conditions, and awarding a prize based on the result of the lottery, comprising: a first specific mounting area on which multiple light-emitting elements are mounted and a white coating is formed on the mounting surface thereof; a second specific mounting area on which multiple light-emitting elements are mounted and a dark coating is formed on the mounting surface thereof; and an image display means capable of displaying an image, wherein when a specific performance image is displayed on the image display means, multicolor illumination is possible, in which the multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the first specific mounting area are made to emit light in different colors simultaneously, and the multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the second specific mounting area are capable of emitting monocolor light different from the multicolor illumination, even when multicolor illumination is being performed by the multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the first specific mounting area. According to the gaming machine described in Solution 13, since a white coating is formed on the mounting surface on which multiple light-emitting elements are mounted, the reflection efficiency of the mounting surface to the light of the light-emitting elements is improved, and the occurrence of illumination unevenness can be suppressed. This prevents a decrease in the visual effect caused by simultaneously emitting multiple light-emitting elements of different colors in a first specific mounting area where a white coating is formed on the mounting surface. Furthermore, even when multi-color emission is performed by multiple light-emitting elements mounted in the first specific mounting area, a dark coating is formed on the mounting surface of the second specific mounting area, which allows for monochromatic emission distinct from multi-color emission. As a result, interference caused by the emission of each of the multiple light-emitting elements mounted on the mounting surface of the second specific mounting area can be suppressed, making it possible to clearly emit light from each of the multiple light-emitting elements. (See, for example, paragraphs 2913 to 2916, Figure 288, etc.).

(Solution 14)
A gaming machine having a game board in which a game area is formed that allows game balls to flow down, performing a lottery based on the fulfillment of a starting condition, and awarding a prize based on the result of the lottery, comprising: performance control means for performing control related to performances; a movable body that can operate in a predetermined operating mode; a plurality of specific decorative substrates on which a plurality of light-emitting elements are mounted and on which a white coating is formed on the mounting surface; and a state detection means for detecting the state of the gaming machine, wherein the specific decorative substrates are also provided on the movable body, and the performance control means can operate the movable body in a predetermined operating mode and perform multi-color light emission control in which the plurality of light-emitting elements mounted on the plurality of specific decorative substrates emit light simultaneously in different colors, and when the state detection means detects that a specific state is in place during the execution of the multi-color light emission control, some or all of the plurality of light-emitting elements mounted on the plurality of specific decorative substrates are turned off, while the operation of the movable body in a predetermined operating mode continues. According to the gaming machine described in Solution 14, a white coating is formed on the mounting surfaces of multiple specific decorative substrates on which multiple light-emitting elements are mounted. This improves the light reflection efficiency of the light-emitting elements on the mounting surfaces of the specific decorative substrates, thereby suppressing the occurrence of uneven illumination. This avoids a decrease in the visual effect caused by simultaneously emitting multiple light-emitting elements of different colors on specific mounting substrates on which a white coating is formed. Furthermore, when the state detection means detects that a specific state is being reached during the execution of multi-color light emission control, some or all of the multiple light-emitting elements mounted on the multiple specific decorative substrates are turned off, while the operation of the movable body in a predetermined mode of operation continues. Therefore, even if some or all of the multiple light-emitting elements are turned off because the gaming machine has entered a specific state, the player can determine that the multi-color light emission control is continuing as intended by the continued operation of the movable body in a predetermined mode of operation, thus avoiding misunderstanding or anxiety for the player. (See, for example, paragraphs 2930 to 2942, figures 291 to 292, etc.).

[Golden effect]
Next, we will explain the gold effect. In this example, the gold effect involves displaying some or all of the characters, letters, patterns, etc., shown on the display device 1600 in gold or a color close to gold (a color similar to gold (yellow in this example)), and in conjunction with the gold display on the display device 1600, a number of specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5 (for example, the central decorative board 455 on the top of the door frame top unit 450, the left decorative board 456 on the top of the door frame top, the right decorative board 457 on the top of the door frame top, the upper decorative board 422 on the left side of the door frame of the left side unit 420, and the left side of the door frame of the left side unit 420) The lower decorative substrate 423, the left decorative substrate 273 provided behind the left decorative lens 272 of the left plate, the lower decorative substrate 433 on the right side of the door frame right side unit 430, the right decorative substrate 278 provided behind the right decorative lens 277 of the right plate, the upper decorative substrate 432 on the right side of the door frame right side unit 430, the upper left decorative substrate 3129 for illuminating the upper left logo decorative section 3122 on the back front, the left logo decorative section 3121 on the back, the upper left logo decorative section 3122 on the back, and the left sub-decorative section 3123 on the back, and the lower logo decorative body 3167 on the back A decorative substrate 3173 for the lower front logo decoration, a decorative substrate 3168 for the lower front middle decoration 3161 for the lower front middle decoration, a decorative substrate 3169 for the lower front left inner decoration 3163 for the lower front left inner decoration 3163 for the lower front left outer decoration 3170 for the lower front left outer decoration 3164 for the lower front right inner decoration 3165 for the lower front right inner decoration 3171 for the lower front right outer decoration 3165 for the lower front right outer decoration 3172 for the lower front right outer decoration 3166 for the lower front right outer decoration 3152 for the lower front right logo decoration 3141 for the lower front right The gold-colored illumination is performed by illuminating some or all of the LEDs mounted on the upper right front decorative substrate 3151 (for example, the one used to illuminate the upper logo decoration section 3142) in gold or a color close to gold (a color similar to gold (yellow in this example)). When the gold-colored effect is performed, it indicates that there is a high probability of a jackpot (for example, a jackpot confirmation effect, a high probability of a jackpot (jackpot announcement), a reach (reach announcement), or an effect performed after a reach occurs that suggests a high probability of a jackpot). Furthermore, for some or all of the various decorative substrates on the door frame 3 and game board 5 that are controlled to emit light during the gold-colored effect and on which LEDs are mounted, an insulating coating may be applied to the through-hole lands formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided on the game board 5 to improve the reflectivity with the insulating coating.

Furthermore, the golden animation may always result in a jackpot (100% jackpot probability), or it may be an animation that is performed in both jackpot and miss cases, but has the second highest jackpot probability (for example, a rainbow animation or an animation that displays the background/characters in a different pattern such as a giraffe, zebra, or ladybug, etc., with a higher jackpot probability than the golden animation (for example, an 80-100% jackpot probability). (The golden animation's jackpot probability could be set to, for example, 60%)). In other words, the animation may include animations with a lower jackpot probability than the golden animation, and animations with a higher jackpot probability than the golden animation, or animations with a higher jackpot probability than the golden animation may not be included. Thus, the golden animation is an animation corresponding to a high jackpot probability, and when the golden animation is performed, it can make the player expect a jackpot.

In the following, the golden effect refers to a combination of the golden display on the display device 1600, the golden illumination from the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards on the door frame 3, and the golden illumination from the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards on the game board 5. However, it is also possible to execute any one of these, or any combination thereof.

For example, as shown in Figure 293, when the main control board 1310 receives a variation pattern command to instruct the start of a variation effect (in this example, a variation effect that executes a gold effect) such as a variation display of decorative patterns (Figure 293(A)), the variation display of the left, center, and right decorative patterns is started, making the decorative patterns semi-transparent. At a predetermined notification timing, the display device 1600 displays a treasure chest as a character and text (in this example, "Treasure Chest Found!") (Figure 293(B)). At this time, the decorative patterns are displayed on top of these characters and text (upper layer), but while the characters and text are displayed opaquely, the decorative patterns are displayed semi-transparently and vary rapidly, so as not to obstruct the visibility of the characters and text.

Then, based on the elapsed time since the treasure chest was displayed on the performance display device 1600, a display showing the opening of the treasure chest is shown (Figure 293(C)). At this time, the performance display device 1600 displays a state in which golden light (light of a similar color to gold) is emitted from the treasure chest (gold display), and the LEDs that are mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, and that are positioned in the area corresponding to the light emitted from the treasure chest displayed on the performance display device 1600, emit light in a color similar to gold (gold emission). In this example, the performance display device 1600 displays a state in which the top lid of the treasure chest displayed is gradually rotated, and the amount of light leaking from the treasure chest changes according to the degree to which the treasure chest is open, and the LEDs that are mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, and that are positioned in the area corresponding to the light leaking from the treasure chest, emit light in a color similar to gold (gold emission). In Figure 293(C), in synchronization with the rotation of the treasure chest's lid, the LEDs positioned above the top tray 201 (not limited to all LEDs positioned above the top tray 201, some of the multiple LEDs positioned above the top tray 201 (for example, the LEDs used to illuminate the first rear upper decorative section 3211 where the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged left and right (LEDs mounted on the rear upper first decorative substrate)) may not emit gold light) are illuminated, starting from the left side unit 420 and the right side unit 430 of the door frame. Then, depending on the degree of rotation of the treasure chest's lid, the rear front left decorative unit 3120 and the rear front right decorative unit 3140, the rear front upper right logo decorative section 3142, and the door frame top unit 450 are illuminated in a gold-like color in that order.

In Figure 293(C), the golden display and golden light emission are performed in conjunction with the action of opening the treasure chest, creating the impression that the light leaking from the treasure chest displayed on the display device 1600 gradually spreads outwards. This allows for easy recognition of the relationship between the golden display on the display device 1600 and the golden light emission from the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the game board 5. Even when the color displayed on the display device 1600 by the golden display and the color of the LED light emission are similar but not identical, the golden display and the golden light emission can be perceived as representing the same color.

Next, as shown in Figure 293(D), the display device 1600 shows a gold bar being taken out of the treasure chest and displays the effect of light reflecting off the surface of the gold bar, causing it to emit a golden light (light of a similar color to gold) (gold display). In addition, in response to the golden light emitted from the gold bar displayed on the display device 1600, LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5 surrounding the display device 1600 are made to emit light of a color similar to gold (gold light emission). In Figure 293(D), in addition to the left side unit 420 of the door frame, the right side unit 430 of the door frame, the left front decorative unit 3120 of the back front, the right front decorative unit 3140 of the back front, the upper right logo decorative section 3142 of the back front, and the top unit 450 of the door frame, the LEDs located near the periphery and outer surface of the upper surface of the button body 351 positioned below the upper tray 201, the unit upper cover 312, the left tray decorative body 271, the right tray decorative body 276, and the LEDs provided on the front lens 185 of the handle (not limited to all LEDs positioned below the upper tray 201, some of the LEDs among the multiple LEDs positioned below the upper tray 201 (for example, multiple LEDs mounted on the handle decorative substrate 184 for illuminating the front lens 185) do not emit gold light) are illuminated in a color similar to gold.

Furthermore, the light guide plate 3110 may also be made to emit gold light as described above. For example, in Figure 293(C), when the treasure chest is opened, a gold display and gold light emission may be performed in conjunction with the opening of the treasure chest. In Figure 293(D), when the display shows a gold ingot being taken out of the treasure chest, for example, multiple LEDs 3128g for the light guide plate on the back front left decorative substrate 3128 in the back front left decorative unit 3120, and multiple LEDs for the light guide plate on the back front right first decorative substrate 3148, the back front right second decorative substrate 3149, and the back front right light guide plate decorative substrate 3150 in the back front right decorative unit 3140 may be made to emit gold light or a color close to gold (a color similar to gold (yellow in this example)). This allows for the display of not only the left-right spread of the golden display of the display device 1600 and the golden light emission of the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, but also the front-to-back spread due to the light guide plate 3110 positioned in front of the display device 1600, thereby improving the visual effect of the golden display.

When the golden effect is executed in this way, the golden display on the display device 1600 and the golden illumination from the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards on the door frame 3 and each of the multiple specific decorative boards on the game board 5 (it is also acceptable for only one of the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards on the door frame 3 and each of the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards on the game board 5 to emit golden light are executed in conjunction. Therefore, the relationship between the golden display on the display device 1600 and the golden illumination from the LEDs can be immediately recognized, and a unified effect can be executed throughout the entire pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the golden effect suggests a high probability of a jackpot, so executing the golden effect throughout the entire pachinko machine 1 can increase the player's expectation of a jackpot and prevent a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, after displaying the treasure chest in Figure 293(B), the system may display the state in which the treasure chest has been opened based on the player's actions (such as touching the contact operation part 302 of the performance operation unit 301 or pressing the press operation part 303). In this case, the system may choose not to display the state in which the treasure chest has been opened if the player does not take any action, or to display the state in which the treasure chest has been opened after the operation validity period has elapsed, even if the player does not take any action. In other words, after displaying the treasure chest, the golden effect may be initiated in response to the player's actions, or the golden effect may not be executed if the player does not take any action, or to start the golden effect after the operation validity period has elapsed, even if the player does not take any action.

Furthermore, in this example, the player can determine whether or not a jackpot is likely by operating the press-button 303 or other control parts of the performance control unit 300 during the execution of the golden effect. Specifically, as shown in Figure 294(A), when the golden effect is being executed as a variation effect in a variation display with a high probability of a jackpot, such as when the decorative symbols are in a near-jackpot state, even if the press-button 303 of the performance control unit 300 is pressed at timing t3 during the execution of the golden effect, the golden effect will continue to be executed until timing t4 without ending.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 294(B), if the golden effect is not being performed as a variation display indicating a high probability of winning, such as when the decorative symbols are in a near-win state, and the press operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 is pressed at timing t3 during the execution of the golden effect, the golden effect will end at timing t3 when the press operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 is pressed, and a predetermined effect pattern (for example, a variation display of decorative symbols) will be displayed on the effect display device 1600. The LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 will be controlled to emit light in a predetermined manner (in this example, they will emit white light, but some or all of them may be turned off).

This allows the player to determine the possibility of a jackpot by operating the performance control unit 300 when the golden effect is being performed, and encourages the player to actively press the operation parts of the performance control unit 300, such as the press operation part 303, during the period from timing t2 to timing t4 when the golden effect is being performed. Furthermore, if the player operates the operation parts such as the press operation part 303 during the period from timing t2 to timing t4 when the golden effect is being performed and determines that there is a high probability of a jackpot, the enjoyment of the game can be enhanced. It should be noted that the possibility of a jackpot is not limited to determining the possibility of a jackpot based on whether the golden effect ends or continues when the operation parts such as the press operation part 303 are operated. For example, the system may allow for the determination of whether a jackpot is possible based on whether the golden effect ends or continues when the contact operation unit 302 is touched; whether the golden effect ends or continues when the volume control button 227 is pressed; whether the golden effect ends or continues when the light intensity control button 228 is pressed; or whether the golden effect ends or continues when the handle 195 is rotated and a game ball is launched, etc.

Furthermore, the possibility of a jackpot is not limited to determining whether the golden animation ends or continues when the above-mentioned specific operation unit is operated. Rather, it may be possible to determine whether or not a jackpot is possible when a specific detection means (for example, the first start port sensor 3002, the second start port sensor 2401, the handle touch sensor 192, etc.) among the multiple detection means provided in the pachinko machine 1 detects a ball that has entered the start port (first start port 2002 and second start port 2004) and determines whether or not the golden animation ends or continues when the start port sensor (first start port sensor 3002 and second start port sensor 2401) detects the ball, or when the handle touch sensor 192 detects that the palm or fingers are touching the handle and determines whether or not a jackpot is possible when the golden animation ends or continues. In this case as well, during the period t2 to t4 when the golden effect is being performed, the player can be encouraged to play in a way that allows for detection by the specific detection means. Furthermore, if detection by the specific detection means occurs during the period t2 to t4 when the golden effect is being performed and it is determined that the probability of a big win is high, the enjoyment of the game can be enhanced.

Furthermore, after the golden animation is terminated based on the operation of the press operation unit 303 or other control unit during the execution of the golden animation, the performance display device 1600 may be configured to display performance information unrelated to the golden animation. This allows the player to recognize that the golden animation has ended and to understand that the probability of winning a jackpot is low or that there is no possibility of winning a jackpot. In addition, if the performance display device 1600 displays performance information unrelated to the golden animation after the golden animation is terminated based on the operation of the press operation unit 303 or other control unit, the display of such performance information unrelated to the golden animation may also be configured to be terminated in response to the operation of the press operation unit 303 or other control unit, or the display of such performance information unrelated to the golden animation may be terminated if the press operation unit 303 or other control unit is not operated for a predetermined period of time while the display of such performance information unrelated to the golden animation is running. Furthermore, after the display of performance information unrelated to the golden performance being executed on the performance display device 1600 has ended, the golden performance may be restarted if a predetermined start condition is met (for example, if the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 has not been operated for a predetermined period of time, or if the period of no variation performance in which no variation performance is executed has reached a predetermined period of time). This imprints the luminescence and display patterns of the golden performance in the player's mind, and when the golden performance is executed in a variation performance that is executed thereafter, it creates the expectation that a variation performance with a high probability of winning is being executed, prompting the player to operate the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303. In addition, if the display of performance information unrelated to the golden performance being executed on the performance display device 1600 is configured to end on the condition that the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 has not been operated for a predetermined period of time while the display of performance information unrelated to the golden performance being executed on the performance display device 1600 is running, the predetermined period may be reset (the predetermined period is reset and measured again from 0) based on the fact that the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 was operated before the predetermined period had elapsed. In this case, by repeatedly resetting a predetermined period during which display of performance information unrelated to the gold effect can be performed, and by operating the control unit such as the press operation unit 303 within that predetermined period, it is possible to delay the resumption of the gold effect or prevent the gold effect from being performed at all. This prevents the gold effect from being performed on players who do not wish to experience it, thereby mitigating a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in Figure 294(B), if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed while the golden effect is being executed, the golden effect illumination on the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards on the game board 5 and on each of the multiple specific decorative boards on the door frame 3 will end. Then, after a predetermined delay from the end of the golden effect illumination, the performance display on the performance display device 1600 will end, including the golden effect display mode. This prevents the display content on the performance display device 1600 from suddenly switching, allowing the display content to be switched while retaining the lingering effect of the golden effect display mode.

Furthermore, the system may be configured to output a predetermined sound when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the execution of the gold effect. In this case, after outputting the predetermined sound based on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed, the performance display on the performance display device 1600 may be terminated at a predetermined time (the same period from the end of the gold effect's illumination if the predetermined sound is output at the same time as the end of the gold effect's illumination; a different period from the end of the gold effect's illumination if the predetermined sound is output at a different time) than the timing of outputting the predetermined sound (which may be the same time as or different from the timing of the end of the gold effect's illumination). In this case as well, the sudden switching of the display content of the performance display device 1600 when the predetermined sound is output can be suppressed, allowing the display content to be switched while retaining the lingering effect of the gold effect display.

Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed while the golden effect is being performed, the illumination of the golden effect on the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 may be terminated, and then the illumination of the golden effect on the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 may be reactivated. In this case, the illumination of the golden effect on the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 may be terminated, and then the illumination of the golden effect on the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 may be reactivated before the performance display mode such as the golden effect display mode on the performance display device 1600 is terminated (while the performance display mode such as the golden effect display mode on the performance display device 1600 is continuing). This allows the game to rekindle the interest of players who are disappointed after realizing that the golden light-up effect has ended, indicating a low probability of a jackpot or even the complete absence of a jackpot, and draw their attention back to the golden effect.

Furthermore, as described above, if the light guide plate 3110 is configured to emit gold light, or if it is configured to emit rainbow-colored light, it becomes possible to determine the possibility of a jackpot depending on whether the illumination of the light guide plate 3110 ends or continues when the specific operation unit (press operation unit 303) is operated. Furthermore, it is not limited to cases where the possibility of a big win can be determined by operating a specific operation unit when the light guide plate 3110 is illuminated as a gold or rainbow-colored effect. Rather, when the light guide plate 3110 is illuminated as an effect during a variation display with a high expectation of a big win, such as when the decorative symbols are about to reach, the illumination of the light guide plate 3110 will continue even if the specific operation unit is operated (pressing the pressing operation unit 303). On the other hand, when the light guide plate 3110 is not illuminated as an effect during a variation display with a high expectation of a big win, such as when the decorative symbols are about to reach, the illumination of the light guide plate 3110 may be terminated based on the operation of the specific operation unit (pressing the pressing operation unit 303). In other words, the probability of a big win can be determined not only by operating the specific operation unit (press operation unit 303) when the player operates the gold or rainbow-colored effect, but also by determining whether the luminous decoration by the light guide plate 3110 ends or continues. In this case, the same configuration as the one described above, which allows for the determination of the probability of a big win when the specific operation unit (press operation unit 303) is operated during the gold or rainbow-colored effect, can be adopted (for example, a configuration in which the effect display device 1600 ends displaying the effect at a predetermined time later than the timing when the luminous decoration of the light guide plate 3110 ends, or a configuration in which effect information unrelated to the effect that was being performed is displayed). This makes it possible to determine the probability of a big win by the luminous decoration of the light guide plate 3110, which is provided in overlapping area with the display area of the effect display device 1600 that the player is paying attention to, making it easy for the player to determine the probability of a big win. Furthermore, as described above, the same configuration as that of the decorative substrate KB is applied to each of the following substrates for illuminating the light guide plate 3110: the front left decorative substrate 3128, the front right first decorative substrate 3148, the front right second decorative substrate 3149, the front right decorative substrate 3150 for the light guide plate, the lower left decorative substrate 3174, and the lower right decorative substrate 3175. Therefore, the decrease in reflectivity is suppressed on the LED mounting surface of each substrate, increasing the brightness of the light guide plate 3110, thus making it possible to clearly show the illuminating decoration of the light guide plate 3110 to the player.

Furthermore, if the light guide plate 3110 does not emit gold light during the gold-colored effect, or if the light guide plate 3110 does not emit light as part of the rainbow-colored effect, it may be possible to determine the possibility of a jackpot based on whether or not the light guide plate 3110 is illuminated based on the operation of a specific operation unit (press operation unit 303). For example, if a gold or rainbow effect is being performed as a variation effect in a variation display with a high probability of winning, such as when decorative symbols indicate a winning combination, the light guide plate 3110 will not be illuminated even if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the execution of the gold or rainbow effect. On the other hand, if a gold effect is not being performed as a variation display with a high probability of winning, such as when decorative symbols indicate a winning combination, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the execution of the gold or rainbow effect, the light guide plate 3110, which is positioned in front of the performance display device 1600, may be illuminated in a manner different from the illumination manner of the gold or rainbow effect at the time the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed, thereby obstructing the display of the performance display device 1600 (making it more difficult to see compared to when the light guide plate 3110 is not illuminated). This allows the player to determine the possibility of a jackpot by operating the performance control unit 300 when a gold or rainbow effect is being performed, and encourages the player to actively press the operation parts such as the press operation part 303 of the performance control unit 300 when a gold or rainbow effect is being performed. Furthermore, if the player operates the operation parts such as the press operation part 303 when a gold or rainbow effect is being performed and determines that there is a high probability of a jackpot, the enjoyment of the game can be enhanced. In addition, when a gold effect is not being performed as a variation display with a high probability of a jackpot, such as when decorative symbols are about to reach, the player may operate the operation parts such as the press operation part 303 of the performance control unit 300, and the gold or rainbow effect may be terminated at the time the operation parts such as the press operation part 303 of the performance control unit 300 are operated, or it may be continued without being terminated at the time the operation parts such as the press operation part 303 of the performance control unit 300 are operated. If the golden effect is not being displayed as a variation display indicating a high probability of a big win, such as when decorative patterns indicate a "reach," then if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the execution of the golden or rainbow effect, the light guide plate 3110, positioned in front of the performance display device 1600, will illuminate at the moment the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed, not only to interfere with the display of the performance display device 1600, but also to terminate the golden or rainbow effect at the moment the press operation section 303 or other operation section of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, thereby ensuring that the player is notified.

Furthermore, the possibility of a jackpot may be determined based on whether or not the lower front center decorative element 3161 operates based on the operation of a specific operating unit (pressing operation unit 303). For example, if a golden or rainbow-colored effect is being performed as a variation effect in a variation display with a high probability of winning, such as when decorative symbols are about to reach a winning combination, the back front lower middle decorative body 3161 will not be operated even if the press operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 is pressed during the execution of the golden or rainbow effect. On the other hand, if a golden effect is not being performed as a variation display with a high probability of winning, such as when decorative symbols are about to reach a winning combination, if the press operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 is pressed during the execution of the golden or rainbow effect, the back front lower middle decorative body 3161 may be made visible in front of the effect display device 1600 at the moment the press operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 is pressed, thereby obstructing the display of the effect display device 1600 (either partially or entirely) (making it more difficult to see compared to when the back front lower middle decorative body 3161 is not operating). This allows the player to determine the possibility of a jackpot by operating the performance control unit 300 when a gold or rainbow effect is being performed, and encourages the player to actively press the operation parts such as the press operation part 303 of the performance control unit 300 when a gold or rainbow effect is being performed. Furthermore, if the player operates the operation parts such as the press operation part 303 when a gold or rainbow effect is being performed and determines that there is a high probability of a jackpot, the enjoyment of the game can be enhanced. In addition, if a gold effect is not being performed as a variation display with a high probability of a jackpot, such as when decorative symbols are about to reach, and the player operates the operation parts such as the press operation part 303 of the performance control unit 300, the gold or rainbow effect may be terminated at the time the operation parts such as the press operation part 303 of the performance control unit 300 are operated, or it may be continued without being terminated at the time the operation parts such as the press operation part 303 of the performance control unit 300 are operated. If the golden effect is not being performed as a variation display indicating a high probability of a big win, such as when the decorative pattern becomes a winning combination, and the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the execution of the golden or rainbow effect, the back front lower middle decorative body 3161 will be exposed in front of the performance display device 1600 at the moment the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed, not only obstructing the display of the performance display device 1600, but also ending the golden or rainbow effect at the moment the press operation section 303 or other operation section of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, thereby ensuring that the player is notified. Furthermore, if the golden effect is not being displayed as a variation display indicating a high probability of a big win, such as when the decorative pattern indicates a "reach," the player may operate an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300, and the LEDs mounted on the rear front lower middle decorative board 3168 mounted on the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 may be illuminated accordingly. In this case, the illumination may be performed in a manner different from the illumination patterns of the golden or rainbow effects. This not only exposes the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 in front of the performance display device 1600, but also illuminates the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 in a manner different from the illumination patterns of the golden or rainbow effects, thus ensuring that the player notices it.

Furthermore, in addition to the examples above, the presence or absence of a jackpot can be determined by varying the sound output pattern during the execution of the golden effect. For example, if the golden effect is executed as a variation display with a high probability of a jackpot, such as when decorative symbols are about to reach, the sound output pattern corresponding to that golden effect will be executed. On the other hand, if the golden effect is not executed as a variation display with a high probability of a jackpot, such as when decorative symbols are about to reach, the sound output pattern corresponding to that golden effect may not be executed, and other sound output patterns may be executed, or no sound output may be executed at all. In this case as well, the presence or absence of a jackpot can be determined by the execution of the golden effect and the sound output pattern, and if it is determined that the probability of a jackpot is high, the enjoyment of the game can be enhanced.

In this example, prior to the gold effect, the LEDs that illuminate the first rear upper decorative section 3211, where the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, are controlled to emit light. Specifically, as shown in Figures 294(A) and (B), the CPU of the peripheral control IC in the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command from the main control board 1310 at timing t0 and starts a variation effect such as the variation display of decorative patterns in the effect display device 1600. From the time of timing t1, the CPU controls the first rear upper decorative section 3211, where the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, to be turned off. When timing t1 arrives before the gold effect starts, the first rear upper decorative section 3211, where the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, to emit red light prior to the gold effect, and the gold effect starts when timing t2 arrives. As a way to control the illumination of the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative unit 3210 prior to the gold effect, for example, the start timing of the gold effect may be counted down, or the display may be made to flash and stop at a predetermined illumination pattern (such as a numerical value indicating the probability of a jackpot). Alternatively, a dot matrix display unit may be provided as the first rear upper decorative unit 3211. In this case, the display prior to the gold effect may be a predetermined character (such as "Hot!"), or the dot matrix display unit may be made to move and display predetermined characters repeatedly from right to left.

Furthermore, the red illumination control of the first decorative section 3211 of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 continues even after the gold effect has ended. This increases the expectation of a big win in reach effects and other sequences performed after the gold effect has ended. Thus, by controlling the illumination of the first decorative section 3211 prior to the gold effect and continuing to control its illumination after the gold effect has ended, the expectation of the start of the gold effect can be increased by the illumination control of the first decorative section 3211 performed prior to the gold effect, and the expectation of a big win can also be increased by the illumination control of the first decorative section 3211 after the gold effect has ended.

Furthermore, the light emission control of the rear upper first decorative section 3211 only needs to be started at least prior to the gold effect and continue after the gold effect has ended. It may be started at any timing between the timing t0 when the decorative pattern changes and the timing t2 when the gold effect starts (including starting the light emission control at timing t0), or it may be ended at any timing between the timing t4 when the gold effect ends and the timing t5 when the decorative pattern changes and the display stops (including stopping the light emission control at timing t5). This makes it possible to determine whether or not the decorative pattern changes and the display is being performed by the light emission state of the rear upper first decorative section 3211. Also, even if the decorative pattern changes and the display stops (timing t5), if the decorative pattern changes and the display starts again before a predetermined period has elapsed, the rear upper first decorative section 3211 may be controlled to continue to be lit without being controlled to be turned off. In this case, it is possible to determine that the decorative pattern changes and the display is being performed continuously by the light emission state of the rear upper first decorative section 3211. Furthermore, when the first decorative section 3211 on the upper rear of the display is to be displayed as flashing or moving, the first decorative section 3211 on the upper rear of the display may be displayed as flashing or moving at timing t1 preceding the gold effect, and then the flashing or moving display may be stopped at any timing between timing t2 after the start of the gold effect and timing t5 (including timing t5), and the display content of the first decorative section 3211 on the upper rear of the display may be updated to resume the flashing or moving display when the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the display of the upper rear

Thus, in this example, a high-expectation golden effect is executed, which has a high probability of resulting in a jackpot or a good chance of resulting in a jackpot, and a low-expectation golden effect is executed, which has a low probability of resulting in a jackpot or a good chance of resulting in a jackpot. It should be noted that, as mentioned above, the golden effect is not limited to the synchronized execution of both a golden display and golden light emission; it may also be the execution of only one of the two. In this case, if the high-expectation golden effect is the execution of either the golden display or the golden light emission, even if the player's operation of the control panel is detected during the execution of the high-expectation golden effect, the execution of the high-expectation golden effect will continue (the golden display and golden light emission that were running before the player's operation will continue after the operation). On the other hand, if the low-expectation golden effect is being executed, the execution of the low-expectation golden effect may be terminated if the player's operation of the control panel is detected during the execution of the low-expectation golden effect (the golden display and golden light emission that were running before the player's operation will be terminated). This configuration encourages players to actively participate in the game by manipulating the control panel and other components, thereby preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, during the execution of the high-expectancy gold effect and the low-expectancy gold effect, a sound effect corresponding to the gold effect is output. During the execution of the low-expectancy gold effect, operating the control panel or similar will terminate the low-expectancy gold effect and the output of the sound effect will also cease. On the other hand, during the execution of the high-expectancy gold effect, operating the control panel or similar will not terminate the high-expectancy gold effect; therefore, the output of the sound effect will continue until the high-expectancy gold effect ends. Furthermore, at least some of the sound effects output during high-expectancy golden effects and those output during low-expectancy golden effects may be made different. (For example, a specific golden sound effect may be output during high-expectancy golden effects, while a non-specific golden sound effect (which may be similar overall but differs only partially from the specific golden sound effect, or completely different from the specific golden sound effect) may be output during low-expectancy golden effects; or sound effects may be output during high-expectancy golden effects but not during low-expectancy golden effects. In this case, it may be possible to determine whether a high-expectancy golden effect or a low-expectancy golden effect is being performed based on the sound effect; however, it becomes possible to reliably determine whether a high-expectancy golden effect or a low-expectancy golden effect is being performed based on whether the golden effect ends or continues when the control unit is operated.)

Furthermore, it may be possible to determine whether a high-expectation gold effect or a low-expectation gold effect is being executed based on whether or not specific image information is displayed on the effect display device 1600 after detecting the player's operation. For example, as shown in Figure 295, if an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 is operated while the low-expectation gold effect is being executed (Figure 295(B)), the specific image information 1600a may be displayed for a certain period (e.g., 5 seconds) (Figure 295(D)). On the other hand, if an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 is operated while the high-expectation gold effect is being executed, the specific image information 1600a may not be displayed. By configuring it in this way, it becomes possible to determine whether a low-expectation gold effect or a high-expectation gold effect is being executed based on whether or not the specific image information 1600a is displayed, thereby encouraging player operation, encouraging active participation in the game, and preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, if the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 is operated again while the specific image information 1600a is being displayed, the display period for which the specific image information 1600a can be displayed may be reset (the display period of the specific image information 1600a may be reset and measured again from 0). For example, if the specific image information 1600a is displayed for 5 seconds based on the operation of the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303, if the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 is operated again within the display period of the specific image information 1600a (within 5 seconds after the specific image information 1600a is displayed), the display period of the specific image information 1600a may be extended by displaying the specific image information 1600a for 5 seconds from the moment the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 is operated again. This prevents the player from missing the specific image information 1600a displayed on the display device 1600. Furthermore, even if the display period of the specific image information 1600a has not reached the aforementioned fixed period (e.g., 5 seconds), the display of the specific image information 1600a may be terminated when a predetermined condition is met (for example, when a game ball enters the starting port (either the first starting port 2002 or the second starting port 2004) or when the aforementioned abnormal condition occurs). In this case, it becomes possible to understand that the predetermined condition has been met because the display of the specific image information 1600a terminated before reaching the aforementioned fixed period.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 295(D), the specific image information 1600a can be displayed for a certain period of time (for example, 5 seconds) even after the end of the low-expectancy gold effect. This allows the specific image information 1600a to be displayed even if the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 is operated just before the end of the low-expectancy gold effect. Therefore, the player can be reliably informed that the specific image information 1600a is being displayed, or in other words, that the low-expectancy gold effect was being performed.

Furthermore, in the example described above, the specific image information 1600a is displayed when an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 is operated during the execution of a low-expectancy gold effect. However, after displaying the specific image information 1600a, the specific image information 1600a may be changed based on further operation of the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303. For example, a character is displayed as specific image information 1600a on the effect display device 1600 based on the operation of an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 during the execution of a low-expectancy gold effect (Figure 295(B)). Subsequently, if an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 is operated, the character as specific image information 1600a changes to a form where it expands (gets fatter) (Figure 295(C)), and the body shape of the character as specific image information 1600a is changed gradually in stages (for example, six stages from body shape 1 to body shape 6) in response to the operation of the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 (Figures 295(B) to 295(D)). Thus, in addition to determining whether or not the specific image information 1600a is displayed in response to the operation of the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303, the specific image information 1600a may also be changed in stages in response to the operation of the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303. This ensures that the user is reliably aware that the specific image information 1600a is displayed on the performance display device 1600 during the execution of the low-expectancy gold performance. Furthermore, even if the user recognizes that the low-expectancy gold performance is being executed, the change in the character represented by the specific image information 1600a can mitigate disappointment.

Furthermore, the character as specific image information 1600a may be displayed when any of the multiple operation units is operated. In this case, the character as specific image information 1600a may change to an inflating (fattening) state based on the operation of the first operation unit among the multiple operation units (Figure 295(C)), and the character as specific image information 1600a may change to a shrinking (slimming) state based on the operation of the second operation unit among the multiple operation units (Figure 295(C)). This ensures that the user is reliably aware that the specific image information 1600a is displayed on the performance display device 1600 during the execution of the low-expectation gold performance, and also allows for the mitigation of disappointment by the change in the character as specific image information 1600a even if the user recognizes that the low-expectation gold performance is being executed. Furthermore, even if the character's body shape as specific image information 1600a changes to its maximum value (body shape 6) or minimum value (body shape 1) by operating one of the multiple operation units, the other of the multiple operation units can be used to further change the character's body shape as specific image information 1600a from the maximum value (body shape 6) towards the minimum value (body shape 1), or further change it from the minimum value (body shape 1) towards the maximum value (body shape 6).

Furthermore, when the display device 1600 starts a variable display that executes a high-expectancy golden effect, the specific image information 1600a may be prevented from being displayed based on the operation of the operation unit, such as the press operation unit 303, even before the execution of the high-expectancy golden effect. This increases the player's expectation of a jackpot even before the execution of the high-expectancy golden effect, drawing their attention to the effect and improving the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, when a low-expectation gold effect is being performed, a specific sound may be output in response to the operation of an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 (for example, an electronic sound such as "beep" that is output when an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 is operated, or a sound corresponding to the operation of the specific image information 1600a (for example, a sound such as "beep" in response to changes in the specific image information 1600a, such as gaining or losing weight, as shown in Figures 295(B) to 295(D))). This allows for the output of a specific sound in relation to the display of the specific image information 1600a when a low-expectation gold effect is being performed, thereby notifying the player of changes in the display of the specific image information 1600a and mitigating their disappointment. Furthermore, even when a high-expectation golden effect is being performed, the specific sound described above may be output in response to the operation of the control unit such as the press operation unit 303. In this case, although the specific image information 1600a will not be displayed on the effect display device 1600 even if the control unit such as the press operation unit 303 is operated, the output of the specific sound in response to the operation of the control unit such as the press operation unit 303 allows the player to recognize that the operation of the control unit such as the press operation unit 303 has been reliably received, thereby enhancing the player's enjoyment of the game upon realizing that a high-expectation golden effect is being performed.

Furthermore, when a specific sound is output in response to the operation of an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 (for example, an electronic sound such as "beep" output when the operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 is operated, or a sound corresponding to the operation of the specific image information 1600a (for example, a sound such as "beep" in response to changes in the specific image information 1600a, such as gaining or losing weight, as shown in Figures 295(B) to 295(D))), the specific sound may be output prior to the change in the display of the specific image information 1600a, and then the display of the specific image information 1600a shown on the display device 1600 may be changed. By configuring it in this way, the change in the display of the specific image information 1600a can be notified by a specific sound, allowing the player to recognize it in advance before the display of the specific image information 1600a is changed, thus preventing the player from missing the change in the display of the specific image information 1600a.

Furthermore, when a low-expectation golden effect is being performed, the light emission mode of the LEDs mounted on a specific decorative board capable of performing the golden light emission among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5 may be changed in response to the operation of an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 (for example, changing the light emission color, changing the light emission pattern (interval of flashing, etc.), changing the brightness, etc.). In this case as well, when a low-expectation golden effect is being performed, the light emission mode of the LEDs mounted on the specific decorative board is changed in relation to the display of the specific image information 1600a, so that the player can notice the change in the display of the specific image information 1600a and alleviate the player's disappointment. In this case as well, the light emission mode of the LEDs mounted on the specific decorative board may be changed prior to the change in the display of the specific image information 1600a (for example, changing the light emission color, changing the light emission pattern (interval of flashing, etc.), changing the brightness, etc.). By configuring the system in this way, the change in the display of specific image information 1600a can be notified by a change in the light emission pattern of the LEDs mounted on the specific decorative substrate. This allows the player to recognize the change in the display of specific image information 1600a in advance, thus preventing them from missing the change.

Furthermore, if the specific image information 1600a is displayed based on the operation of an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 during the execution of a low-probability gold-colored animation, the specific image information 1600a may be displayed after the low-probability gold-colored animation, which was being executed based on the operation of the press operation unit 303, has ended. This configuration allows the player to recognize that the low-probability gold-colored animation was being executed not only by the display of the specific image information 1600a, but also by its termination. It also prevents the low-probability gold-colored animation, which has a low chance of winning, from being executed indefinitely, thus reducing the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in the example described above, the specific image information 1600a is not displayed when an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303 is operated during the execution of the high-expectancy golden effect. However, even during the execution of the variable display that performs the high-expectancy golden effect, if an abnormality occurs in the pachinko machine 1, etc. (for example, if the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 is detected (when the opening of the door frame 3 makes it difficult to see the light emitted by the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3), if a vibration sensor (not shown) continuously detects vibration of the game board 5 for a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds) (when it is detected that an action such as hitting the pachinko machine 1 is being performed, or when the vibration of the pachinko machine 1 causes the light emitted by the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, or the display of the effect display device 1600, to blur and become difficult to see), if a detection signal is input from the full-tank detection sensor 154 (when it is detected that the lower tray 202 is full of game balls), or if a detection signal is input from the ball-out detection sensor 574) When specific conditions are met, such as when a minor error occurs (an error with a low probability of cheating, such as when it is detected that there are no game balls in the guidance passage 570a), when a radio wave irradiation cheat is detected (when noise is introduced into the light emission of LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 or game board 5 due to electromagnetic waves, etc., or when noise is introduced into the display of the performance display device 1600), when a magnetic cheat is detected, when a detection signal is input from the second start opening sensor 2401 when the second start opening 2004 is not open, or when a detection signal is input from the big prize opening sensor 2402 when it is not in a big win game state or a small win game state, etc., the specific image information 1600a may be displayed, or after displaying the specific image information 1600a, the display mode of the specific image information 1600a may be changed based on the operation of an operation unit such as the press operation unit 303. This configuration allows players to recognize that their operation of the operation unit, such as the press operation unit 303, has been reliably received, even in situations where specific sounds are difficult to hear. This is achieved through the display of specific image information 1600a and changes in the display mode of specific image information 1600a, thereby enhancing the player's enjoyment of the game when they recognize that a high-expectation golden effect is being executed.

Here, metallic luster such as gold cannot be displayed by a single display element (only one display element) in a display device such as the display device 1600. Therefore, in this example, gold is represented by displaying an image with a yellow effect, which is a color close to gold, on the display device 1600. Specifically, as shown in Figure 296(A), in this example, when displaying gold, which represents metallic luster such as gold, using graphic processing on the display device 1600, yellow characters, letters, patterns, etc. are displayed with gradually varying brightness (gradients), star-shaped, diamond-shaped, radial patterns, etc., which represent luster and are lighter in color than the surroundings (whitish areas), and shadows (dark shadows) are displayed, thereby representing metallic luster and allowing the user to perceive that gold is being displayed even if only the gold display on the display device 1600 is used.

Similarly, in light-emitting devices such as lamps and LEDs, a single light-emitting element (only one light-emitting element) cannot reproduce the color gold. Therefore, gold is expressed by applying an effect to emit yellow light, which is a color close to gold. For example, as shown in Figure 296(B), multiple LEDs emit a common yellow light, but a predetermined number of LEDs emit yellow light with gradually different brightness levels (gradation). Alternatively, instead of emitting all multiple LEDs in the same color (yellow), some LEDs emit white light to create a luminous effect. LEDs placed along the extension of the radial luminous effect displayed on the display device 1600 emit light in a color close to gold, such as yellow, while the others are turned off. LEDs placed along the extension of the radial luminous effect displayed on the display device 1600 emit light with increased brightness (a light yellow, etc.), while LEDs not placed along the extension of the radial luminous effect emit light with decreased brightness (a dark yellow, etc.). By doing so, a metallic luster can be expressed, and the display device 1600 can recognize that gold light is being emitted in relation to the gold display. In addition to these, or as an alternative, the surface mounting surface of the substrate on which the LEDs are mounted may be covered with a lens-cut (multifaceted) component (such as a lens component, or a double lens component consisting of two components, an outer component and an inner component; in this case, the degree of lens cutting (number and size of faces, etc.) of the outer component and the inner component may be made different. By using a double lens component or a double lens with different degrees of lens cutting, the refraction of light becomes irregular, which can improve the sparkling effect.) thereby changing the refractive index of the light from the LEDs. It is possible to create a sparkling effect by diffusing light, or by creating areas where light is concentrated and high brightness, and areas where light is avoided and low brightness, thereby expressing the luster of gold or metal. By arranging such lens-cut components, it is possible to make it appear as if gold light is being emitted. Furthermore, by worsening the visibility behind the component with a lens-cut component, it is possible to make the surface-mounted surface of the circuit board, the electronic components mounted on that surface, and the surface-side markings difficult to see, thereby preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game due to the visibility of this information unrelated to the game. In addition, the boundary between one face of a multifaceted lens-cut component and another face may be arranged to overlap with the surface-side markings, thereby distorting the image seen through the lens-cut component and making the surface-side markings difficult to see. Furthermore, in this example, by activating the golden display on the display device 1600 and activating the golden LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, a synergistic effect is created between the golden display and the golden illumination, allowing players to perceive the golden display and illumination with a high degree of accuracy.

Furthermore, as described above, in this example, among the multiple decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and on which multiple LEDs are mounted, there are specific decorative boards capable of emitting gold light, namely, the upper left decorative board 3129 for emitting light to the upper left logo decorative section 3122 on the back front, the left decorative board 3128 for emitting light to the left logo decorative section 3121 on the back, the upper left logo decorative section 3122 on the back, and the left sub-decorative section 3123 on the back, the lower logo decorative board 3173 for emitting light to the lower logo decorative section 3167 on the back, the lower middle decorative board 3168 for emitting light to the lower middle decorative section 3161 on the back, the lower left inner decorative board 3169 for emitting light to the lower left inner decorative section 3163 on the back, and the lower left outer decorative section 3164 on the back The rear front lower left outer decorative substrate 3170, the rear front lower right inner decorative substrate 3171 for illuminating the rear front lower right inner decorative body 3165, the rear front lower right outer decorative substrate 3172 for illuminating the rear front lower right outer decorative body 3166, the rear front right lower decorative substrate 3152 for illuminating the rear front right logo decorative body 3141, the rear front right upper decorative substrate 3151 for illuminating the rear front upper right logo decorative body 3142, and the rear rear upper first decorative substrate (not shown) on which LEDs are mounted for illuminating the rear rear upper first decorative body 3211 where the five 7-segment display units of the rear rear upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, are all coated with a white solder resist (protective material) on the surface (LED mounting surface) on which multiple LEDs are mounted.

Furthermore, among the multiple decorative substrates provided on the door frame 3 and on which multiple LEDs are mounted, specific decorative substrates capable of emitting the gold light described above—namely, the central decorative substrate 455 on the top of the door frame top unit 450, the left decorative substrate 456 on the top of the door frame top, the right decorative substrate 457 on the top of the door frame top, the upper decorative substrate 422 on the left side of the door frame left side unit 420, the lower decorative substrate 423 on the left side of the door frame left side unit 420, the left decorative substrate 273 provided behind the left decorative lens 272, the lower decorative substrate 433 on the right side of the door frame right side unit 430, the right decorative substrate 278 provided behind the right decorative lens 277, and the upper decorative substrate 432 on the right side of the door frame right side unit 430—are coated with a white solder resist (protective material) on the surface (LED mounting surface) on which multiple LEDs are mounted.

In a specific decorative circuit board provided on the game board 5 or door frame 3, the white solder resist (protective material) coated on the surface on which multiple LEDs are mounted (LED mounting surface) is screen-printed using bright and saturated ink (for example, bright colors such as yellow or yellow-green) to indicate the attributes of the surface-side electronic components, such as letters and symbols (part numbers of electronic components) to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other decorative circuit boards, and areas indicating the position where the electronic components are placed (and may also include the shape of the surface-side electronic components, the size of the surface-side electronic components, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-side electronic components, and the model number of the surface-side electronic components). In other words, on the LED mounting surface of a specific decorative substrate among the multiple decorative substrates provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3 that mount multiple LEDs, a white solder resist (protective material), which is the color with the highest reflectivity, is coated. Furthermore, a surface-side marking area indicating the attributes of the surface-side electronic components (including the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the surface-side electronic components) is screen-printed using inks with high brightness and saturation (for example, bright colors such as yellow or yellow-green) to avoid confusion with other decorative substrates and to prevent confusion with the mounted LEDs and other electronic components.

As described above, the gold effect utilizes LEDs mounted on specific decorative substrates, which are treated with a yellow effect similar to the surface markings to produce a gold glow. By coating the surface of the specific decorative substrate with white solder resist (protective material) and causing the multiple LEDs mounted on this substrate to emit light in the same color as the surface markings formed on the LED mounting surface, not only is the reflective efficiency on the LED mounting surface increased, but the attenuation of light emitted from these multiple LEDs by the surface markings is suppressed. This allows for a clear and high-brightness gold glow, and by using yellow, which has a similar reflectivity to white, the reflectivity on the LED mounting surface can be made nearly uniform. This allows for uniform reflection of light emitted from the LEDs on the LED mounting surface of the specific decorative substrate, suppressing uneven illumination and enhancing the effect of the gold effect, thus preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, among the specific decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3, all decorative boards except the first rear-upper decorative board, which has five 7-segment display units of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 arranged on the left and right, are equipped with full-color LEDs, and emit gold light when the gold effect described above is performed. On the other hand, the first rear-upper decorative board (not shown) among the specific decorative boards is equipped with only single-color emitting LEDs (red in this example), and even when the gold effect is performed, the five 7-segment display units of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 do not emit gold light, and instead display letters, numbers, patterns, etc., in the same emitting color as when the gold effect is not performed (red in this example), thus performing an effect different from the gold effect. In other words, the five 7-segment display units of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 that display letters, numbers, patterns, etc. do not change their emitting color even when the gold effect is performed, so that the information such as letters, numbers, patterns, etc. that are displayed is displayed in a way that is easy for the player to see, and the transmission of incorrect information to the player is suppressed. Furthermore, during the execution of the gold effect, the monochromatic LED mounted on the first rear-upper decorative board among the specific decorative boards may be de-controlled. In this case, the full-color LEDs mounted on the decorative boards other than the first rear-upper decorative board among the specific decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3 can be controlled to illuminate the entire pachinko machine 1 in a unified color (gold light), thereby enhancing the effect.

Furthermore, both single-color LEDs and full-color LEDs may be mounted on the first decorative circuit board on the back. In this case, the single-color LEDs on the first decorative circuit board may emit light in the same color as when the gold effect is not being performed, even during the gold effect, or they may be turned off during the gold effect. Meanwhile, the full-color LEDs on the first decorative circuit board may emit gold light.

In this example, the surface mounting surface (LED mounting surface) on which the LEDs of the specific decorative circuit board installed on the game board 5 and door frame 3 are mounted is coated with white solder resist (protective material). The surface mounting surface (LED mounting surface) on which the LEDs of the specific decorative circuit board are mounted is screen printed using bright and saturated ink (for example, bright colors such as yellow or yellow-green) to indicate the attributes of the surface-side electronic components, such as letters and symbols (part numbers of electronic components) to avoid confusion with other electronic components and decorative circuit boards, and areas indicating the position where the electronic components should be placed (and may also include the shape of the surface-side electronic components, the size of the surface-side electronic components, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-side electronic components, and the model number of the surface-side electronic components). Furthermore, in this example, the back mounting surface (LED-free surface) of the specific decorative circuit boards installed on the game board 5 and door frame 3, where LEDs are not mounted, is coated with white solder resist (protective material). In addition, the aforementioned back-side markings are screen printed on the back mounting surface (LED-free surface) of the specific decorative circuit boards using inks of high brightness and saturation (for example, bright colors such as yellow or yellow-green). As a result, when light is shone from multiple LEDs mounted on other decorative circuit boards (which may be decorative circuit boards other than the specific decorative circuit boards, or other specific decorative circuit boards among multiple specific decorative circuit boards) onto the LED-free surface of the specific decorative circuit board, this shone light can be reflected with high efficiency and used efficiently, suppressing a decrease in light intensity. Furthermore, the back side (non-LED side) of a specific decorative circuit board may be coated with a solder resist (protective material) of a different color (e.g., a dark color such as green or black) than the front side (LED side) where the LEDs are mounted. Alternatively, the markings on the back side may be screen printed using inks with low brightness and saturation (e.g., black or green).

Furthermore, as described above, the game panel 1100 of the game board 5 comprises a transparent, flat panel plate 1110 whose outer circumference is slightly larger than the inner circumference of the frame-shaped front component 1000, and a frame-shaped panel holder 1120 that holds the outer circumference of the panel plate 1110, is attached to the rear side of the front component 1000, and has a back unit 3000 attached to its rear surface. As described above, the front component 1000 is made transparent along with the game panel 1100. This allows the presence of various components positioned behind the game panel 1100 to be visible from the front of the front component 1000 (i.e., the front of the game board 5) through the game panel 1100 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the "transparent game panel 1100").

Furthermore, as described above, the front unit 2000, which is attached to the front of the game panel 1100, consists of a front component 1000 that demarcates the outer periphery of the game area 5a, a game panel 1100 that demarcates the rear end of the game area 5a, a starter unit 2100, a side unit 2200, a side upper left unit 2300, a first attacker unit 2400, a center component 2500, a second attacker unit 2600, a side middle right unit 2700, and a gate member 2800, all of which are formed to be almost entirely transparent. Therefore, for example, as shown in Figure 134, in the normal state, the rear front left decorative unit 3120, rear front right decorative unit 3140, rear front lower central decorative body 3161, rear front lower left inner decorative body 3163, rear front lower left outer decorative body 3164, rear front lower right inner decorative body 3165, rear front lower right outer decorative body 3166, rear front lower logo decorative body 3167, rear rear upper movable decorative body 3210, rear rear left side decorative body 3220, and rear rear right side decorative body 3230 of the rear rear upper decorative unit 3200 can be clearly seen through these, and the performance images displayed on the performance display device 1600 can be clearly seen through the frame of the center mechanism 2500.

For example, in the rear front left decorative unit 3120, transparent decorative elements are arranged behind the transparent game panel 1100: rear front lower center decorative element 3161, rear front lower left inner decorative element 3163, rear front lower left outer decorative element 3164, rear front lower right inner decorative element 3165, and rear front lower right outer decorative element 3166. The rear front left decorative circuit board 3128 is positioned behind these transparent decorative elements. Multiple full-color LEDs capable of emitting multiple colors are mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the rear front left decorative circuit board 3128. Thus, behind the transparent game panel 1100, the transparent decorative elements are arranged in the order of rear front lower center decorative element 3161, rear front lower left inner decorative element 3163, rear front lower left outer decorative element 3164, rear front lower right inner decorative element 3165, and rear front lower right outer decorative element 3166, followed by the rear front left decorative circuit board 3128. On the front surface (front mounting surface) of the front-front left decorative substrate 3128, a white resist layer is formed by applying a white resist liquid to create a white insulating film (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "solidly coated white resist"). On the solidly coated white resist on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the front-front left decorative substrate 3128, a surface-side marking area indicating the part numbers of multiple full-color LEDs and other surface-side electronic components, the area indicating the position where the surface-side electronic components should be placed, and other attributes of the surface-side electronic components (which may also include the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the surface-side electronic components) is printed in yellow (a color similar to the gold color of multiple obstruction nails N (brass is used in this embodiment)) by silkscreen printing.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 137, within the game area 5a of the game board 5, multiple obstacle nails N (in this embodiment, brass is used) that come into contact with the game balls and are gold-colored are embedded in the transparent game panel 1100 in a predetermined gauge arrangement. Therefore, the attractiveness of the multiple gold-colored obstacle nails N can be utilized. In other words, because multiple gold-colored obstacle pins N are embedded on the front of the transparent game panel 1100, the attractiveness of the multiple gold-colored obstacle pins N makes it difficult to see the front surface (front mounting surface) of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128 through the transparent decorative bodies 3161, 3163, 3164, 3165, and 3166 located behind the transparent game panel 1100. This contributes to making it difficult to discern the presence of the yellow (a color similar to the gold of the multiple obstacle pins N) surface-side markings silk-screened on the solid white resist applied to the rear front left decorative substrate 3128.

Similar to the front left decorative unit 3120, the front right decorative unit 3140 also contributes to making the presence of the surface-side markings difficult to discern. In other words, because multiple gold-colored obstacle pins N are planted on the front surface of the transparent game panel 1100, even if the front surface (front mounting surface) of the front right decorative substrate 3151 and the back right lower decorative substrate 3152 of the front right decorative unit 3140 is visible through the transparent decorative bodies, namely the front right logo decorative section 3141 and the front right upper right logo decorative section 3142 of the front right decorative unit 3140, which are positioned behind the transparent game panel 1100, the yellow (similar in color to the gold of the multiple obstacle pins N) surface-side markings silk-screened on the solid white resist applied to the front right upper right decorative substrate 3151 and the back right lower decorative substrate 3152 of the front right decorative unit 3140 contributes to making the presence of the surface-side markings, which are silk-screen printed on the solid white resist applied to the front right upper right decorative substrate 3151 and the back right lower decorative substrate 3152 of the front right decorative unit 3140, difficult to discern.

Furthermore, for example, when the multiple multi-color emitting full-color LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the front-front left decorative substrate 3128 of the front-front left decorative unit 3120 are turned off, the surface-side marking portion formed in a yellow color similar to gold on the white insulating film formed on the surface of the front-front left decorative substrate 3128 will be the front-front lower middle decorative body 3161, the front-front lower left inner decorative body 3163, the front-front lower left outer decorative body 3164, the front-front lower right inner decorative body 3165, and the front front Although the transparent decorative element 3166 (lower right outer decoration) and the transparent game panel 1100 are visible, the white insulating film formed on the surface of the front left decorative substrate 3128 creates a white background. The gold-colored obstacle pins N, positioned in front of the front left decorative substrate 3128 and embedded on the surface of the transparent game panel 1100, naturally guide the player's gaze from the surface of the front left decorative substrate 3128 to the gold-colored obstacle pins N. Therefore, even when the front left decorative substrate 3128 is used as a type of decoration visible to the player, the player's eyes are drawn to the gold-colored obstacle pins N, making it difficult to see the white insulating film formed on the surface of the front left decorative substrate 3128. This prevents the game machine's overall aesthetic from being disrupted. Consequently, a decrease in decorative appeal can be suppressed.

Furthermore, similar to the front left decorative unit 3120, the front right decorative unit 3140 also has the advantage of suppressing a decrease in decorative quality. In other words, when the multiple multi-color emitting full-color LEDs mounted on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the front right upper right decorative substrate 3151 and the front right lower decorative substrate 3152 of the front right decorative unit 3140 are turned off, the surface-side markings formed in a yellow color similar to gold on the white insulating film formed on the surface of the front right upper right decorative substrate 3151 and the front right lower decorative substrate 3152 are made of transparent decorative bodies, namely the front right logo decorative section 3141 and the front right upper right logo decorative section 3142 of the front right decorative unit 3140, and transparent play Although visible through the technique panel 1100, the white insulating film formed on the surfaces of the upper right and lower right decorative substrates 3151 and 3152 creates a white background. This attracts the player's gaze from the surfaces of the upper right and lower right decorative substrates 3151 and 3152 to the golden obstacle nails N embedded in the transparent game panel 1100 positioned in front of them. As a result, even when the upper right and lower right decorative substrates 3151 and 3152 are used as a type of decoration visible to the player, the player's eyes are drawn to the golden obstacle nails N, making it difficult to see the white insulating film formed on the surfaces of the upper right and lower right decorative substrates 3151 and 3152. Therefore, the overall aesthetic of the game machine is less likely to be disrupted. Consequently, a decrease in decorative appeal can be suppressed.

In this example, multiple gold-colored obstacle nails N were planted on the front of the transparent game panel 1100. However, instead, a transparent cell sheet of a predetermined shape could be attached to the front of the game panel 1100, and a gold design (the same color as the gold of the multiple obstacle nails N, or a color close to this gold) could be applied to a part of this cell sheet. By attracting attention with this gold design, for example, the transparent decorative elements of the rear front left decorative unit 3120, specifically the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161, rear front lower left inner decorative element 3163, rear front lower left outer decorative element 3164, rear front lower right inner decorative element 3165, and rear front lower right outer decorative element 3166, located behind the gold design, could be seen in front of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128 of the rear front left decorative unit 3120. Even when the front surface (front mounting surface) is visible, or when the front surface (front mounting surface) of the rear front right decorative substrate 3151 and rear front right lower decorative substrate 3152 of the rear front right decorative unit 3140 is visible through the transparent decorative elements, namely the rear front right logo decorative section 3141 and the rear front right upper logo decorative section 3142, located behind the gold-designed portion, the presence of the yellow (a color similar to the gold color of the designed portion on the cell sheet) surface-side markings silk-screened on the solid white resist of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128 of the rear front left decorative unit 3120 and the rear front right upper decorative substrate 3151 and rear front right lower decorative substrate 3152 of the rear front right decorative unit 3140 may be made less noticeable.

Even in this configuration, when the multiple multi-color emitting full-color LEDs mounted on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the front left decorative substrate 3128 of the front left decorative unit 3120 and on the front right upper decorative substrate 3151 and the front right lower decorative substrate 3152 of the front right decorative unit 3140 are turned off, the surface-side markings formed in a yellow color similar to gold on the white insulating film formed on the surface of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the front right upper decorative substrate 3151, and the front right lower decorative substrate 3152 are made of transparent decorative bodies such as the front lower middle decorative body 3161, the front lower left inner decorative body 3163, the front lower left outer decorative body 3164, the front lower right inner decorative body 3165, and the front lower right outer decorative body 3166 of the front left decorative unit 3120, as well as the front right logo decorative body 3141 and Although the transparent decorative body, the front upper right logo decorative section 3142, and the transparent game panel 1100 make it visible, the white insulating film formed on the surfaces of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the front upper right decorative substrate 3151, and the front lower right decorative substrate 3152 creates a white background. The gold design on the cell sheet attached to the surface of the transparent game panel 1100, which is positioned in front of the surfaces of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the front upper right decorative substrate 3151, and the front lower right decorative substrate 3152, attracts the eye and naturally guides the gaze from the surfaces of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the front upper right decorative substrate 3151, and the front lower right decorative substrate 3152 to the gold design on the cell sheet. As a result, even when the front left decorative board 3128, the front right decorative board 3151, and the front right lower decorative board 3152 are used as a type of decoration visible to the player, the golden design on the cell sheet draws the player's eye, making it difficult to see the white insulating film formed on the surfaces of the front left decorative board 3128, the front right decorative board 3151, and the front right lower decorative board 3152. Therefore, the overall aesthetic of the gaming machine is less likely to be disrupted. Consequently, a decrease in decorative appeal can be suppressed.

Furthermore, obstruction pins may be omitted from the game panel 1100 in front of at least the surface of the 7-segment display units (or the entire surface of the first rear-upper decorative unit 3211) of the first rear-upper decorative unit 3211, where the five 7-segment display units of the rear-upper movable decorative unit 3210 are arranged on the left and right. By configuring it in this way, it is possible to suppress obstruction of the visibility of the 7-segment display units of the first rear-upper decorative unit 3211 by the obstruction pins N, and the information such as characters, numbers, and patterns displayed on the 7-segment display units of the first rear-upper decorative unit 3211 can be made easier for the player to see, thus ensuring that the information displayed on the 7-segment display units is reliably conveyed to the player. In addition, for the first rear-top decorative substrate on which LEDs are mounted to illuminate the first rear-top decorative section 3211, where the five 7-segment display sections of the rear-top movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, at least the surface on which multiple LEDs are mounted (LED mounting surface) may be coated with a dark-colored (black, green, purple, etc.) solder resist (protective agent) (the same solder resist may also be coated on the back side (non-LED mounting surface) where no LEDs are mounted). This suppresses light interference on the surface on which multiple LEDs are mounted (LED mounting surface) of the first rear-top decorative substrate, making it possible to individually distinguish the light emitted from each of the multiple LEDs, and thus clearly display information such as characters, numbers, and patterns on the 7-segment display section. Furthermore, the surface (LED mounting surface) on the upper rear decorative substrate where multiple LEDs are mounted may be provided with opaque partitions (which may be formed integrally with the upper rear decorative section 3211, or may be formed separately from the upper rear decorative section 3211) to partition each of the multiple LEDs and suppress light interference. In this case, the light emitted from each of the multiple LEDs can be more clearly distinguished, so that information such as characters, numbers, and patterns can be clearly displayed on the 7-segment display. In this case, the electronic components other than LEDs on the LED mounting surface may consist only of components with dark-colored (black, green, purple, etc.) exteriors (cases, packages, housings, etc.) (for example, a connector with a green housing). Alternatively, all predetermined electronic components, including the LED element package, may consist only of components with dark-colored (black, green, purple, etc.) exteriors (cases, packages, housings, etc.) (for example, one or more (any combination) of LED elements with black packages or connectors with green housings), while electronic components with white or light-colored exteriors may be mounted on the non-LED mounting surface. In this case, the increase in reflectivity of the LED mounting surface due to the electronic components mounted on the LED mounting surface can be suppressed, and light interference on the LED mounting surface can be suppressed. As a result, information such as characters, numbers, and patterns displayed on the 7-segment display can be clearly displayed, and this information can be reliably conveyed to the player.

Furthermore, the rear upper display unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 has a metallic decorative section 3211a (shaded area in Figure 297) with a golden metallic luster that surrounds the 7-segment display section. This metallic luster of the metallic decorative section 3211a adds a sense of luxury and also enhances brightness by reflecting light emitted from lamps and LEDs surrounding the rear upper first decorative section 3211.

Furthermore, as described above, even when the gold effect is performed, the five 7-segment display sections of the first rear-upper decorative section 3211 of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 do not emit gold light, but instead perform an effect different from the gold effect (displaying characters, numbers, patterns, etc., in the same light color as when the gold effect is not performed (red in this example)). Thus, although the five 7-segment display sections of the first decorative section 3211 on the back upper movable decorative body 3210 do not emit gold light even when a gold effect is performed, the metal decorative section 3211a, which is formed to surround the 7-segment display sections and has a golden metallic luster, is configured to reflect light of a similar color to gold (yellow in this example) emitted from lamps or LEDs provided around the first decorative section 3211. By reflecting this gold-like light (yellow in this example) emitted from lamps or LEDs provided around the first decorative section 3211 onto the metal decorative section 3211a with its golden metallic luster, it becomes easier for the player to perceive that a gold light is being emitted.

The metal decorative portion 3211a is formed by hot stamping a metal foil of a predetermined color (gold in this embodiment). More specifically, first, an intermediate product of the first upper decorative portion 3211 is molded by injection molding of synthetic resin. This intermediate product is then mounted in a predetermined position on a hot stamping device. At this time, a transfer sheet with the desired metal foil and a flat hot plate with an elastic underside, heated to a predetermined temperature, are positioned above the intermediate product. The hot plate is then lowered to a predetermined distance below the upper end of the intermediate product, and the metal foil from the transfer sheet is transferred (foil-stamped) by the heat of the hot plate. This results in the formation of the metal decorative portion 3211a on the first upper decorative portion 3211.

The hot plate of the hot stamping apparatus used to form the metal decorative portion 3211a in this embodiment has elasticity in the portion that contacts the first decorative portion 3211 on the back, which is the transfer destination for the metal foil of the transfer sheet. Therefore, even if the transfer destination (the front surface of the first decorative portion 3211) is not flat but curved, the hot plate can elastically deform along that surface, allowing the metal foil to be transferred (foil-stamped) in good condition even to three-dimensional shapes such as curved surfaces. As a result, the metal decorative portion 3211a can be easily formed without requiring large-scale equipment, compared to forming it by plating or vapor deposition, thus suppressing cost increases. Alternatively, a metal film may be formed on the surface of an intermediate product before the completion of the first decorative portion 3211 by plating or vapor deposition.

Furthermore, in this example, a metallic decorative part (metallic decorative part 3211a) with a golden metallic luster was formed on a decorative body (back upper first decorative part 3211) equipped with a monochromatic LED that does not perform the golden effect while the golden effect is being performed. However, the metallic decorative part with a golden metallic luster may be formed on decorative bodies equipped with full-color LEDs, not just monochromatic LEDs, or on some of the decorative bodies among a group of decorative bodies equipped with full-color LEDs that perform the golden effect while the golden effect is being performed. By forming a metallic decorative part with a golden metallic luster on a decorative body equipped with full-color LEDs, although it does not emit golden light during the golden effect, when the full-color LED provided on the decorative body with the metallic metallic luster is illuminated when other effects are performed, the light is reflected by the metallic decorative part formed around the LED, making it appear as if it is emitting golden light. Therefore, for players who perceive that the golden effect is being performed, their expectation of a big win can be increased, thereby enhancing the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, if some of the decorative elements equipped with full-color LEDs that produce a golden effect have a metallic golden sheen, the light of a similar color to gold (yellow in this example) emitted from lamps or LEDs surrounding the decorative elements with the metallic golden sheen will be reflected off the metallic golden sheen, making it easier for players to perceive that a golden light is being emitted. Additionally, the light of a similar color to gold (yellow in this example) emitted from the full-color LEDs on the decorative elements with the metallic golden sheen will be reflected off the metallic golden sheen by the surrounding LEDs, making it easier for players to perceive that a golden light is being emitted.

Furthermore, in the example described above, a light-emitting effect of a color similar to gold (yellow in this example) is executed during the execution of a gold-colored effect, and a metal decorative part with a golden metallic luster, corresponding to this emitted color, is formed on the decorative body. However, in a gaming machine capable of executing a specific effect controlled by a specific emitted color, a decorative part with a luster of a color corresponding to the specific emitted color (a color that can be recognized as the same, or a similar color (for example, gray and silver)) may be formed on the decorative body. By configuring it in this way, among the multiple types of effects executed in the gaming machine, an effect with special value can be executed by associating a specific emitted color with a specific color that has a luster formed on the decorative part of the decorative body, and the enjoyment of the game can be enhanced by making players infer that there is a high expectation of a big win when a specific effect controlled by a specific emitted color is executed. Furthermore, as described above, when a specific effect is executed, not only are multiple light-emitting devices (lamps, LEDs, etc.) controlled to emit light in a specific color, but some or all of the characters, letters, patterns, etc. displayed on the effect display device 1600 are also displayed in the specific color. Therefore, by linking the characters, letters, patterns, etc. displayed in the specific color on the effect display device 1600 with the multiple light-emitting devices (lamps, LEDs, etc.) emitting light in the specific color, an effect representing the specific color can be executed throughout the entire pachinko machine 1 (even if some parts are different colors). Even if the specific color represented by the effect display device 1600 and the specific color represented by the light-emitting devices are not identical, the relationship can be easily recognized, and the expectation of a big win can be recognized, thereby improving the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in the rear upper display unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000, a metallic decorative part 3211a (shaded area in Figure 297) with a golden metallic luster is formed on the rear upper first decorative part 3211, surrounding the 7-segment display area. Therefore, the attractiveness of the golden metallic decorative part 3211a contributes to making it difficult to discern the presence of the yellow (a color similar to the gold of the multiple obstacle nails N) surface-side markings silk-screened on the solid white resist applied to the rear upper first decorative substrate, even when the front surface (front mounting surface) of the rear upper first decorative substrate can be seen through the rear upper first decorative part 3211.

Furthermore, through-holes, lands, etc., are formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate on the back. Although these through-holes and lands are conspicuous against the white insulating film because the copper foil is exposed, the attractive color (gold) of the metal decorative portion 3211a naturally guides the viewer's gaze from the front surface (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate on the back. This draws the eye to the metal decorative portion 3211a, making the presence of through-holes and lands less noticeable. Therefore, when performing artwork work to route the wiring pattern on the first decorative substrate on the back, the viewer is not constrained by the position, size, or number of through-holes and lands. This increases the freedom in routing the wiring pattern on the first decorative substrate on the back, and contributes to reducing the time required for artwork work.

Furthermore, the front surface (front mounting surface) of the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 provided in the rear front lower display unit 3160 has a metallic decorative part 3161a with a metallic luster, as shown in Figure 297, while the entire surface excluding the metallic decorative part 3161a is made transparent. The metallic decorative part 3161a has a predetermined color (gold in this embodiment), and the surface-side marking area, which allows identification of the multi-color emitting full-color LEDs by silk-screen printing on the white resist solidly coated on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the rear front lower middle decorative substrate 3168, has a yellow color. Therefore, the color of the surface-side marking area (yellow) is similar to the color of the metallic decorative part 3161a (gold).

Furthermore, while multi-color LEDs are not mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the back front lower middle decorative substrate 3168 corresponding to the metal decorative portion 3161a of the back front lower middle decorative body 3161, multi-color LEDs are mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the back front lower middle decorative substrate 3168 corresponding to the transparent area of the back front lower middle decorative body 3161 excluding the metal decorative portion 3161a.

Furthermore, when the multi-color emitting full-color LED is turned off, the white insulating film formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the back front lower middle decorative substrate 3168 can be seen through the transparent area of the back front lower middle decorative body 3161, excluding the metallic decorative part 3161a which has a metallic sheen. However, because the white insulating film formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the back front lower middle decorative substrate 3168 provides a white background, the attractive color (gold) of the metallic decorative part 3161a naturally guides the viewer's gaze from the front surface (front mounting surface) of the back front lower middle decorative substrate 3168 to the metallic decorative part 3161a provided (formed) on the back front lower middle decorative body 3161. As a result, the viewer's eyes are drawn to the metallic decorative part 3161a provided (formed) on the back front lower middle decorative body 3161, making it difficult to see the white insulating film formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the back front lower middle decorative substrate 3168 and the surface-side markings. Therefore, the concept of pachinko machine 1 (game board 5) (i.e., the worldview of pachinko machine 1 (game board 5)) is less likely to be disrupted. Consequently, a decline in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

Furthermore, through-holes, lands, etc., are formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the back front lower middle decorative substrate 3168. Although these through-holes and lands are conspicuous against the white insulating film because the copper foil is exposed, the attractive color (gold) of the metal decorative part 3161a naturally guides the viewer's gaze from the front surface (front mounting surface) of the back front lower middle decorative substrate 3168 to the metal decorative part 3161a provided (formed) on the back front lower middle decorative body 3161. This makes the presence of through-holes, lands, etc., formed on the front surface of the back front lower middle decorative substrate 3168 less noticeable. Therefore, when performing artwork work to route the wiring pattern on the back front lower middle decorative substrate 3168, the artist is not constrained by the position, size, or number of through-holes and lands, increasing the freedom in routing the wiring pattern on the back front lower middle decorative substrate 3168 and contributing to a reduction in the time required for artwork work.

Furthermore, if an abnormality occurs in the pachinko machine 1 while the golden effect is being executed (when the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 is detected (when the opening of the door frame 3 makes it difficult to see the light emitted by the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3), when a vibration sensor (not shown) continuously detects vibration of the game board 5 for a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds) (when it is detected that an action such as hitting the pachinko machine 1 is being performed, or when the vibration of the pachinko machine 1 causes the light emitted by the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, or the display of the effect display device 1600, to blur and become difficult to see), when a detection signal is input from the full-tank detection sensor 154 (when it is detected that the lower tray 202 is full of game balls), when a detection signal is input from the ball-out detection sensor 574 (indicating When minor errors occur, such as when it is detected that there are no game balls in the guide passage 570a (errors that make it unlikely that cheating is taking place), when radio wave irradiation cheating is detected (when noise is introduced into the light emitted by LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards installed on the door frame 3 or game board 5 due to electromagnetic waves, etc., or when noise is introduced into the display of the performance display device 1600), when magnet cheating is detected, when a detection signal is input from the second start opening sensor 2401 when the second start opening 2004 is not open, when a detection signal is input from the big prize opening sensor 2402 when it is not in a big win game state or a small win game state (errors that make it highly likely that cheating is taking place), etc., the specific decorative board installed on the game board 5 is one of the specific decorative boards that emits gold light when the gold effect is executed. (A decorative substrate 3129 for illuminating the upper left logo decoration section 3122 on the front front, a decorative substrate 3128 for illuminating the left logo decoration section 3121 on the front front, the upper left logo decoration section 3122 on the front front, and the left sub-decoration section 3123 on the front front, a decorative substrate 3173 for illuminating the lower logo decoration section 3167 on the front front, a decorative substrate 3168 for illuminating the lower middle decoration section 3161 on the front front, and the interior of the lower left on the front front.) A rear front lower left inner decorative board 3169 for illuminating the decorative body 3163, a rear front lower left outer decorative board 3170 for illuminating the rear front lower left outer decorative body 3164, a rear front lower right inner decorative board 3171 for illuminating the rear front lower right inner decorative body 3165, a rear front lower right outer decorative board 3172 for illuminating the rear front lower right outer decorative body 3166, and a rear front right lower decorative board 3152 for illuminating the rear front right logo decorative part 3141, and the rear The system controls the illumination of multiple LEDs mounted on specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 (such as the front upper right decorative board 3151, which illuminates the front upper right logo decoration section 3142, and the rear front upper right decorative board 3151, which illuminates the front upper right logo decoration section 3142, and the door frame upper right decorative board 457, the door frame upper left decorative board 422, the door frame left side upper decorative board 423, the door frame left side lower decorative board 423, the dish left decorative board 273 located behind the dish left decorative lens 272, the door frame right side lower decorative board 433, the dish right decorative board 278 located behind the dish right decorative lens 277, and the door frame right side upper decorative board 432 of the door frame right side unit 430) in an abnormality notification illumination mode (flashing red light at maximum brightness (light intensity)).

On the other hand, the multiple LEDs mounted on the first rear-upper decorative board (not shown), which is located on the first rear-upper decorative section 3211 of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210, one of the specific decorative boards provided on the game board 5, are designed to continue displaying (either by continuing a predetermined lighting pattern, or by changing the lighting pattern based on the occurrence of an abnormality (for example, by displaying an indication of the type of abnormality)) without turning off even if an abnormality occurs during the execution of the gold effect. In this manner, the game board 5 and door frame 3 are coated with a white solder resist (protective material), and the front mounting surface (LED mounting surface) on which the LEDs of a specific decorative board are mounted has a surface marking section that indicates the attributes of the surface-side electronic components, such as letters and symbols (part numbers of electronic components) to avoid confusion with other decorative boards, and areas indicating the position where the electronic components should be placed (and may also include the shape of the surface-side electronic components, the size of the surface-side electronic components, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-side electronic components, and the model number of the surface-side electronic components). This is screen printed using inks of high brightness and saturation (for example, bright colors such as yellow or yellow-green). In the case of a specific decorative board that mounts LEDs that emit gold light when a gold effect is performed, the gold light emission ends and the LEDs are turned off or controlled to an abnormal state. However, the first decorative board on the back rear upper, which is provided on the first decorative section 3211 on the back rear upper, where the five 7-segment display sections of the back rear upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged on the left and right, continues to display (continues a predetermined lighting pattern until the variation time has elapsed). This allows for the display of game-related information even when an abnormality occurs, enabling players to access this information. Furthermore, in the event of an extremely serious error, such as a malfunction of the main control board 1310 that makes it difficult to continue playing, the lighting patterns of multiple LEDs mounted on the first rear-upper decorative board located on the first rear-upper decorative section 3211 (where the five 7-segment display units of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged horizontally) may be changed to display an indication corresponding to the type of abnormality. Alternatively, the multiple LEDs mounted on the first rear-upper decorative board located on the first rear-upper decorative section 3211 (where the five 7-segment display units of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 are arranged horizontally) may be turned off. In this case, the severity of the abnormality can be immediately determined.

Furthermore, in this example, the light intensity adjustment button 228 can be operated even while the gold effect is being performed. When the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated, the light intensity of the LEDs mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards on the door frame 3 and game board 5 can be changed (adjusted). Specifically, pressing the button marked "+" on the light intensity adjustment button 228 immediately brightens (increases the light intensity) the LEDs on the specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards on the door frame 3 and game board 5, and pressing the button marked "-" immediately dims (decreases the light intensity) the LEDs on the specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards on the door frame 3 and game board 5.

Furthermore, under specific conditions, if the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated, the result of the light intensity adjustment may be reflected at a time delayed from the time the light intensity adjustment button 228 was operated. For example, as shown in Figure 298(A), when a gold effect is being performed as a variation effect in a variation display with a high probability of winning, such as when the decorative pattern is in a near-win state (when a high-expectation gold effect is being performed), if the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated to change from brightness 3 to brightness 4 at timing t'3 while the gold effect is being performed, the light intensity of the LEDs mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5 may not be changed (adjusted) at timing t'3 when the light intensity adjustment button 228 was operated, but rather changed to brightness 4 at timing t'4 when the gold effect ends.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 298(B), if a gold effect is not being performed as a variation effect in a variation display with a high probability of winning, such as when a decorative pattern becomes a "reach" (i.e., a low-probability gold effect is being performed), and the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated to change from brightness 3 to brightness 4 at timing t'3 during the execution of the gold effect, the light intensity of the LEDs mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 may be changed to brightness 4 at timing t'3 when the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated.

Thus, when the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated under specific conditions, by reflecting the result of the light intensity adjustment at a time delayed from the time the button 228 was operated, it becomes possible to determine the state of the gaming machine and whether or not there is a possibility of a jackpot, thereby preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in Figure 298(B), when the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated at timing t'3, and the light intensity of an LED mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5 is to be changed, the low-expectation gold effect may be terminated at timing t'3 when the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated, and the light emission mode of an LED mounted on any of the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5 (which may be all of the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5, or a predetermined number of the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5) may be changed (for example, by lighting it up in white at a constant brightness, emitting it in a different light emission mode than the gold emission, or changing (lengthening) the blinking interval). This makes it easier to adjust the light intensity. In other words, when the LEDs mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 are emitting gold light, the light intensity of the LEDs mounted on that specific decorative board changes over time, making it difficult to grasp the current light intensity, and therefore it cannot be said to be a suitable state for adjusting the light intensity. By ending the low-expectation gold effect at the timing t'3 when the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated, and making the LEDs mounted on any of the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 emit white light at a constant brightness, for example, it becomes easier to grasp the current light intensity and to adjust it to the player's preference. Furthermore, when the low-expectation golden effect ends at timing t'3 when the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated, and the illumination pattern of the LEDs mounted on any of the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 or game board 5 (which may be all of the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 or game board 5, or a predetermined number of the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 or game board 5) is changed, the LEDs mounted on any of the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 or game board 5 (which may be all of the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 or game board 5, or a predetermined number of the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 or game board 5) may be illuminated at the adjusted brightness in response to the operation of the light intensity adjustment button 228. In this case, the player can easily check the adjusted brightness by the illumination of the LEDs mounted on any of the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 or game board 5 and adjust it to their preferred brightness.

Furthermore, as specific conditions under which the results of light intensity adjustment are reflected at a time later than when the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated as described above, any one or any combination of the following may be used: if the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated during the execution of a high-expectancy gold performance or during the execution of a low-expectancy performance, the results of light intensity adjustment are reflected after the end of the high-expectancy gold performance or low-expectancy gold performance; if the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated during the execution of a specific reach performance, the results of light intensity adjustment are reflected after the end of the specific reach performance; if the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated during the occurrence of any of the above-mentioned abnormal conditions (not limited to all abnormal conditions, but may be limited to specific abnormal conditions (for example, when the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 is detected)), the results of light intensity adjustment are reflected after the end of the abnormal condition; if the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated during the execution of a setting change process, the results of light intensity adjustment are reflected after the end of the setting change process; and so on. In this case as well, by adjusting the timing of the light intensity adjustment, it becomes possible to determine the state of the gaming machine and the likelihood of a jackpot, thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in this example, the volume control button 227 can be operated even while the gold effect is being performed. When the volume control button 227 is operated, the volume of the music, voices, sound effects, and other effects sounds output from the top-center speaker and top-side speaker of the door frame 3, and the bass-heavy main frame speaker 622 of the main frame 4, can be changed (adjusted). Specifically, pressing the button marked "+" on the volume control button 227 immediately increases the volume of the music, voices, sound effects, and other effects sounds output from the top-center speaker and top-side speaker of the door frame 3, and the bass-heavy main frame speaker 622 of the main frame 4. Pressing the button marked "-" immediately decreases the volume of the music, voices, sound effects, and other effects sounds output from the top-center speaker and top-side speaker of the door frame 3, and the bass-heavy main frame speaker 622 of the main frame 4.

Furthermore, under specific conditions, if the volume control button 227 is operated, the result of the volume adjustment may be reflected at a delay from the timing of the operation of the volume control button 227. For example, as shown in Figure 299(A), when a gold effect is being performed as a variation effect in a variation display with a high probability of winning, such as when decorative symbols indicate a "reach" (when a high-expectation gold effect is being performed), if the volume control button 227 is operated to change from volume 3 to volume 4 at timing t"3 while the gold effect is being performed, the volume of the music, voice, sound effects, etc., output from the top center speaker and top side speaker of the door frame 3 and the main frame speaker 622 for bass of the main frame 4 may not be changed (adjusted) at timing t"3 when the volume control button 227 was operated. Instead, the volume may be changed to volume 4 at timing t"4 when the gold effect ends, or at timing t"5 when the variation effect ends.

On the other hand, as shown in Figure 299(B), if a gold effect is not being performed as a variation effect in a variation display with a high probability of winning, such as when decorative symbols indicate a "reach" (i.e., a low-probability gold effect is being performed), and the volume control button 227 is operated to change from volume 3 to volume 4 at timing t"3 while the gold effect is being performed, the volume of the music, voice, sound effects, and other effects sounds output from the top center speaker and top side speakers of the door frame 3, and the main frame speaker 622 for bass frequencies of the main frame 4, may be changed to volume 4 at timing t"3 when the volume control button 227 is operated.

In this way, when the volume control button 227 is operated under specific conditions, the result of the volume adjustment is reflected at a time delayed from the time the volume control button 227 was operated. This allows for the determination of the game machine's state and the possibility of a jackpot, thereby preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in Figure 299(B), when the volume control button 227 is operated at timing t"3, and the volume of the sound for performances such as music, voice, and sound effects output from the top center speaker and top side speaker of the door frame 3 and the main frame speaker 622 for bass of the main frame 4 is changed, the low-expectation gold performance may be terminated at timing t"3 when the volume control button 227 is operated. This makes it easier to adjust the volume. In other words, when the LEDs mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 are emitting gold light, it is difficult for the player to concentrate on adjusting the volume and adjust it to their preferred volume, and it is difficult to grasp the current volume because the sound for performances changes over time, so it is not a suitable state for volume adjustment. When the volume control button 227 is operated at timing t"3, the low-expectation golden effect is terminated, and the LEDs mounted on one of the multiple decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 or game board 5 are illuminated in white at a constant brightness, for example, or the sound for the effect is silenced. This makes it easier for the player to concentrate on adjusting the volume and to adjust it to their preferred level. Furthermore, when the low-expectation golden effect is terminated and the sound for the effect is silenced at timing t"3 when the volume control button 227 is operated, a confirmation sound may be output at the adjusted volume in response to the operation of the volume control button 227. In this case, the confirmation sound allows the player to confirm the adjusted volume and makes it easier to adjust it to their preferred level.

Furthermore, as specific conditions under which the results of volume adjustment are reflected at a time delayed from the timing when the volume adjustment button 227 is operated as described above, any one or any combination of the following may be used: if the volume adjustment button 227 is operated during the execution of a high-expectancy gold performance or during the execution of a low-expectancy performance, the results of volume adjustment are reflected after the end of the high-expectancy gold performance or low-expectancy gold performance; if the volume adjustment button 227 is operated during the execution of a specific reach performance, the results of volume adjustment are reflected after the end of the specific reach performance; if the volume adjustment button 227 is operated during the occurrence of any of the above-mentioned abnormal conditions (not limited to all abnormal conditions, but may be limited to specific abnormal conditions (for example, when the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 is detected)), the results of volume adjustment are reflected after the end of the abnormal condition; if the volume adjustment button 227 is operated during the execution of a setting change process, the results of volume adjustment are reflected after the end of the setting change process; and so on. In this case as well, by adjusting the timing of the volume adjustment, it becomes possible to determine the state of the gaming machine and whether or not there is a chance of a jackpot, thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, the above example shows a system that can determine whether or not there is a possibility of a jackpot depending on whether the gold effect ends or continues when a specific operation unit (for example, the press operation unit 303, the contact operation unit 302, the volume control button 227, the light intensity control button 228, the handle 195, etc.) among the multiple operation units provided on the pachinko machine 1 is operated, or when a specific detection means (for example, the first start port sensor 3002, the second start port sensor 2401, the handle touch sensor 192, etc.) among the multiple detection means provided on the pachinko machine 1 is detected. In a variation performance such as the display of changing patterns, a display prompting the operation of the performance operation unit 350 (operation prompt display, for example, "Press the button!") is displayed, and if the performance operation unit 350 is operated within a predetermined valid period after the display is shown, a button performance that changes the display content of the performance display device 1600 (display mode (appearance of a character, change of background color, change of display color, etc.)) is not performed, if the first specific operation unit (for example, the press operation unit 303, the contact operation unit 302, etc.) among the multiple operation units provided in the pachinko machine 1 is operated, or if the multiple detection hands provided in the pachinko machine 1 are operated When detection is made by the first specific detection means (e.g., first start port sensor 3002, second start port sensor 2401, handle touch sensor 192, etc.) in the stage, the light emission mode (one or more of the following: light emission color, brightness, light emission pattern, flashing interval, switching between on and off states, etc.) of the first specific light emission means (e.g., LED 364a of the decorative circuit board 364 in the button) provided in the pachinko machine 1 changes, or when the second specific operation unit (e.g., volume control button 227, light intensity control button 228, handle 195, etc.) among the multiple operation units provided in the pachinko machine 1 is operated, When a second specific detection means (e.g., a general prize entry sensor 3001, a gate sensor 2801, etc.) among the multiple detection means provided in the pachinko machine 1 detects something, the presence or absence of a potential jackpot may be determined based on whether or not the light emission pattern (one or more of the following: light emission color, brightness, light emission pattern, flashing interval, switching between on and off states, etc.) of the first specific light emission means (e.g., the LED on the upper left decorative circuit board 3129 on the back of the game board 5, or the LED on the central decorative circuit board 455 on the top of the door frame 3) changes.

For example, if the operation part such as the press operation part 303 is pressed while the high-expectation gold effect described above is being executed, the light emission pattern of the LED 364a on the decorative board 364 inside the button will not be changed (change in light emission pattern will not be permitted). On the other hand, if the operation part such as the press operation part 303 is pressed a predetermined number of times (either once or multiple times) while the low-expectation gold effect is being executed, the LED 364a on the decorative board 364 inside the button will change from an lit state to an off state or from an off state to an lit state (change in light emission pattern will be permitted), and the central part of the upper surface 351a of the button body 351, i.e., the press operation part 303, will change from an lit state to an off state or from an off state to an lit state. (Light emission color, brightness, light emission pattern, blinking interval, lit state) If the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated while the high-expectancy golden effect described above is being performed, the light emission pattern of the golden-emitting LED mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 will not be changed (changes in the light emission pattern will not be permitted). On the other hand, if the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated while the low-expectancy golden effect is being performed, the brightness of the golden-emitting LED mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 will be changed from before the operation (changes in the light emission pattern will be permitted) (one or more of the light emission color, brightness, light emission pattern, flashing interval, switching between lit and unlit states may be changed). In this case, the button press operation unit 303 may be pressed a predetermined number of times (either once or multiple times) during the execution of the low-expectation gold effect to change the LED 364a of the button's decorative board 364 from the lit state to the off state, and then the button press operation unit 303 may be pressed a predetermined number of times (either once or multiple times) to change the LED 364a of the button's decorative board 364 from the off state to the lit state. Alternatively, each time the button press operation unit 303 is pressed a predetermined number of times (either once or multiple times), the button's decorative board 3 The LEDs 364a of the 64 may be alternately switched between an illuminated state and an off state. Alternatively, if the LEDs 364a of the decorative circuit board 364 of the button are not pressed for a predetermined period after being switched from an illuminated state to an off state, the LEDs 364a of the decorative circuit board 364 of the button may be returned to an illuminated state. Furthermore, the brightness may be changed in steps according to the operation of the light intensity adjustment button 228 (pressing the "+" side changes the brightness towards brightness 6, and pressing the "-" side changes it towards brightness 1).

Furthermore, the system is not limited to changing the light emission pattern of an LED or other light-emitting element provided on the press-operation unit 303 when the press-operation unit 303 or other operation unit is operated. It may also change the light emission pattern of LEDs or other light-emitting elements arranged around the press-operation unit 303 or other operation unit. When configured in this way to change the light emission pattern of light-emitting elements arranged around the operation unit, the change in the light emission pattern of the light-emitting elements can be visually confirmed even when the operation unit is covered by the player's hand. Moreover, the operation unit is not limited to those operated by press or rotation; for example, it may be a lever-shaped operation unit, a trigger-shaped operation unit, or a touch panel where operation is performed by touch.

Furthermore, it is sufficient that the above-mentioned high-expectancy gold effect and low-expectancy gold effect, etc., are executed at the timing of pressing the operation unit 303, etc. When the operation unit 303, etc., is pressed, the brightness of the gold-emitting LED mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5 may be changed after the low-expectancy gold effect has finished. In other words, while the low-expectancy gold effect allows for a change in the emission pattern of the LED mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5 when the operation unit 303, etc., is operated, the change in the emission pattern of the LED mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and game board 5 is not limited to occurring during the execution of the low-expectancy gold effect, but may also occur after the low-expectancy gold effect has finished.

Furthermore, the outer decorative substrate 320 of the performance control unit 350, the annular outer decorative substrate 355 of the button, and the inner decorative substrate 364 of the button are coated with white solder resist (protective material) on their front mounting surfaces (the surfaces on which multiple LEDs are mounted, the LED mounting surfaces). On the white solder resist coated on the front mounting surfaces, a surface-side notation area is screen-printed using inks with high brightness and saturation (for example, yellow or yellow-green) to indicate the attributes of the surface-side electronic components, such as letters and symbols (part numbers of electronic components) to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other decorative substrates, and areas indicating the position where the electronic components should be placed. (This may also include the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the surface-side electronic components.)

On the other hand, the substrate on which the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 are provided has a dark-colored (green or black, etc.) solder resist (protective material) coated on the front mounting surface (the surface on which the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 are provided). Furthermore, on the dark-colored solder resist coated on the front mounting surface, a surface-side marking area is screen printed using white ink to indicate the attributes of the surface-side electronic components, such as letters and symbols (part numbers of electronic components) to avoid confusion with mounted electronic components and other decorative substrates, and areas indicating the position where the electronic components will be placed (and may also include the shape of the surface-side electronic components, the size of the surface-side electronic components, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-side electronic components, and the model number of the surface-side electronic components). Thus, in this example, by making the solder resist and surface markings of the substrate on which the first specific light-emitting means, which is provided in the first specific operation unit and changes the light-emitting pattern when the first specific operation unit is operated, is mounted differently from those of the substrate on which the second specific operation unit is provided, it becomes easy to distinguish whether the substrate is one on which the first specific light-emitting means, which changes the light-emitting pattern when operated, is mounted, or one on which the second specific operation unit, which changes the light-emitting pattern of an LED mounted on a specific substrate without the second specific operation unit, is mounted when operated. Furthermore, multiple LEDs may be mounted on the surface of the substrate on which the volume control button 227 and the light intensity adjustment button 228 are provided. In this case, even when the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated, the brightness of the multiple LEDs mounted on the surface of the substrate on which the volume control button 227 and the light intensity adjustment button 228 are provided may not change, and they may always emit light at a constant brightness.

Furthermore, on the front (front mounting surface) of the outer peripheral decorative substrate 320, the annular button outer decorative substrate 355, and the button inner decorative substrate 364 provided on the performance operation unit 350, where the LEDs are mounted, a white insulating film with the highest reflectivity may be formed over substantially the entire area, including a portion of the through-holes. Specifically, the outer peripheral portion of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 may be covered with a white resist as an insulating film, extending from the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHHD1 of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 toward the center of the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1. In this case, the area of the exposed copper foil on the front (front mounting surface) side land KRDx1 on the front (front mounting surface) where the LEDs of the outer peripheral decorative substrate 320, the annular button outer decorative substrate 355, and the button inner decorative substrate 364 provided on the performance operation unit 350 can be kept small, and the reflectivity of the front (front mounting surface) KBx where the LEDs of the outer peripheral decorative substrate 320, the annular button outer decorative substrate 355, and the button inner decorative substrate 364 are mounted can be made uniform, thereby suppressing the occurrence of uneven light emission, and the performance operation unit 3 In addition to efficiently illuminating the LEDs on the outer decorative substrate 320 of the performance operation unit, the annular outer decorative substrate 355 of the button, and the inner decorative substrate 364 of the button, which are provided on the 50, the white insulating film formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) where the LEDs of the outer decorative substrate 320 of the performance operation unit, the annular outer decorative substrate 355 of the button, and the inner decorative substrate 364 of the button are mounted, allows them to emit the colors as designed. Therefore, it becomes possible to reliably determine whether the golden performance has ended or not based on the operation of the performance operation unit 300 during the execution of the golden performance. In other words, it becomes possible to reliably determine the switching (end, start) of the light-emitting performance and whether the light-emitting performance is continuing. As a result, it becomes possible to reliably determine whether a performance with a high probability of winning is being executed. Furthermore, by covering the outer periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 with a white resist as an insulating film, from the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHHD1 towards the center of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1, the proportion of the rear (back mounting surface) land KRDy1 covered by the white resist (insulating film) can be increased compared to the case where the inner periphery of the front (front mounting surface) land KRDx1 is covered with the white resist (insulating film) from the center towards the outer circumference of the outer diameter KTHHD1. Therefore, uniformity of the rear (back mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate can be achieved. Note that this example illustrates a configuration in which an insulating film is applied to the through-hole land according to the first embodiment described above. However, the above effects and advantages can be achieved by employing any of the configurations for applying an insulating film to the through-hole land according to the first to fourth embodiments.

Furthermore, if a specific operating unit (for example, the press operation unit 303, the contact operation unit 302, the volume control button 227, the light intensity control button 228, the handle 195, etc.) among the multiple operating units provided on the pachinko machine 1 is operated during the execution of a movable performance that operates a movable decorative body, or if a specific detection means (for example, the first start port sensor 3002, the second start port sensor 2401, the handle touch sensor 192, etc.) among the multiple detection means provided on the pachinko machine 1 detects something, it may be possible to determine whether or not there is a possibility of a jackpot depending on whether the movable performance ends or continues. For example, if a high-probability or likely-to-be-winning movable performance is being executed (for example, when the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 has moved from an elevated position to a lowered position that covers a part of the front of the performance display device 1600), and a specific operation unit (for example, the press operation unit 303, the contact operation unit 302, the volume control button 227, the light intensity control button 228, the handle 195, etc.) among the multiple operation units provided on the pachinko machine 1 is operated, or if a detection is made by a specific detection means (for example, the first start port sensor 3002, the second start port sensor 2401, the handle touch sensor 192, etc.) among the multiple detection means provided on the pachinko machine 1, the high-probability movable performance will not be terminated. During the execution of a low-probability movable animation that has a low probability of resulting in a jackpot or is unlikely to result in a jackpot (for example, when the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 moves from its raised position to a lowered position that covers a portion of the front of the animation display device 1600), if a specific operation unit (e.g., the press operation unit 303, the contact operation unit 302, the volume control button 227, the light intensity control button 228, the handle 195, etc.) among the multiple operation units provided on the pachinko machine 1 is operated, or if a specific detection means (e.g., the first start port sensor 3002, the second start port sensor 2401, the handle touch sensor 192, etc.) among the multiple detection means provided on the pachinko machine 1 detects something, the low-probability movable animation may be terminated. In this case, if a low-probability movable animation is being executed, operating a specific operation unit or detecting something by a specific detection means will change the state so that the front of the animation display device 1600 is open, thus ensuring that the player is aware that a low-probability movable animation is being executed.

Furthermore, the above example shows a pachinko machine 1 in which, when the press operation unit 303 is pressed, the light emission pattern of the LED 364a on the decorative substrate 364 inside the press operation unit 303 is changed. However, the example is not limited to this, and includes an operation unit (for example, the press operation unit 303, the contact operation unit 302, the volume control button 227, the light intensity control button 228, the handle 195, etc.) equipped with a specific operation unit (for example, the press operation unit 303) The device may also change the light emission mode (one or more of the following: light emission color, brightness, light emission pattern, blinking interval, switching between on and off states, etc.) of a light-emitting element (for example, an LED mounted on any of the outer peripheral decorative substrate 320 of the performance operation unit 300, the outer decorative substrate 355 of the buttons, the inner decorative substrate 364 of the buttons, etc.) provided on the performance operation unit 300, or a light-emitting element (for example, an LED mounted on any of the left decorative substrate 273 of the turntable, the right decorative substrate 278 of the turntable, the decorative substrate 184 of the handle, the lower front inner decorative substrate 3168, etc.) provided in the vicinity of a specific operation unit. Specifically, when the press operation unit 303 is pressed during the execution of a high-expectancy gold effect, the light emission mode of the LEDs mounted on the outer peripheral decorative substrate 320, the outer button decorative substrate 355, and the inner button decorative substrate 364, which are provided on the effect operation unit 300 equipped with the press operation unit 303, will not change. On the other hand, when the press operation unit 303 is pressed a predetermined number of times (either once or multiple times) during the execution of a low-expectancy gold effect, the light emission mode (one or more of the following may be changed: light emission color, brightness, light emission pattern, blinking interval, switching between on and off states, etc.) of the LEDs mounted on any of the outer peripheral decorative substrate 320, the outer button decorative substrate 355, and the inner button decorative substrate 364, which are provided on the effect operation unit 300 equipped with the press operation unit 303, may be changed from an on state to an off state. In other words, when a specific operation unit is operated, the light emission mode of an LED placed near that specific operation unit may be changed to determine whether or not there is a possibility of a jackpot.

Furthermore, although the above example described a gold-colored effect, this technological concept is not limited to this. It also includes a concept in which, in a substrate on which a light-emitting element is mounted on the front mounting surface, the front mounting surface is coated with a white solder resist (protective material), a light-colored (yellow, yellow-green, light blue, etc.) surface-side marking area is formed on the white solder resist, and the light-emitting element mounted on the front mounting surface emits light in the same or similar light-emitting color as the color of the surface-side marking area (for example, yellow light-emitting color for a yellow surface-side marking area, gold light-emitting color for a yellow surface-side marking area, yellow-green light-emitting color for a yellow-green surface-side marking area, yellow light-emitting color for a yellow-green surface-side marking area, gold light-emitting color for a yellow-green surface-side marking area) during the execution of this effect, the presence or absence of a possibility of a jackpot can be determined by whether or not the light-emitting pattern of the light-emitting element changes when a specific operation part (for example, a push operation part 303, a contact operation part 302, a volume control button 227, a light intensity control button 228, a handle 195, etc.) among the multiple operation parts provided on the pachinko machine 1 is operated. In other words, by coating the surface on which the light-emitting element is mounted with white solder resist, it is possible to maintain a high reflectivity of the surface. Furthermore, by forming the surface markings with ink of the same or similar color as the light-emitting element, the reflectivity of the surface markings themselves is increased, suppressing a decrease in reflectivity on the surface. Additionally, when the light-emitting element is illuminated, the surface markings blend in with the light-emitting color, making them less conspicuous and less visible to the player. This enhances the reflectivity of the surface and allows players to determine the possibility of a jackpot without displaying unnecessary information to the player.

Furthermore, while examples of high-expectancy and low-expectancy gold effects have been given, the gold display shown on the effect display device 1600 when a high-expectancy gold effect is performed (high-expectancy gold display) and the gold light emitted by the LEDs mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 (high-expectancy gold light), and the gold display shown on the effect display device 1600 when a low-expectancy gold effect is performed (low-expectancy gold display) and the gold light emitted by the LEDs mounted on a specific decorative board among the multiple decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 (low-expectancy gold light), are not limited to cases where one or both of the display mode and the light emission mode are identical, but may also be cases where a part of one or both of the display mode and the light emission mode are identical (common), or where the colors (display color, light emission color) of one or both of the display mode and the light emission mode are identical or similar (common). For example, the display content may differ between high-expectancy gold display and low-expectancy gold display, but at least a portion of the display content may include gold common to both. Similarly, the emission patterns may differ between high-expectancy gold emission and low-expectancy gold emission, but at least a portion may include yellow emission common to both. In other words, this technical concept is applicable as long as the high-expectancy gold effect and the low-expectancy gold effect have at least a portion of their common characteristics.

Furthermore, the multiple specific decorative boards on which each of the multiple LEDs that emit gold light during the execution of the gold effect described above are mounted, and the multiple specific decorative boards on which each of the multiple LEDs that emit a predetermined light color during the execution of the rainbow effect described above are mounted, may be composed of the same decorative board (the multiple specific decorative boards on which each of the multiple LEDs that emit gold light during the execution of the gold effect emit a predetermined light color during the execution of the rainbow effect), or they may be composed of multiple decorative boards that are partially or entirely different. If the specific decorative boards include decorative boards that perform both the gold effect and the rainbow effect, the light emission effects from the LEDs mounted on these decorative boards become more diverse, thereby improving the enjoyment of the game.

[Information display]
Next, we will explain a modified example using an information display. In recent years, the number of players has decreased significantly, and attracting new players has become an urgent task. However, the games themselves have become more complex than before, and there is a risk that new players will be put off by them. Below, we will explain a modified example that includes an information display that shows information related to the game.

In this example, by operating the control unit 301 or other control units, an information display unit using a dot matrix display unit is provided in place of the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative unit 3210 described above. The information display unit of the rear upper movable decorative unit 3210 can be switched between a state that displays information related to the game (game information display mode) and a state that executes game effects (game effect mode). In addition, in this example, the display content of the information display unit of the rear upper movable decorative unit 3210 can be switched by operating the control means during a specific period. For example, control that switches the display content when an operation unit such as the performance operation unit 301 is operated while a customer waiting demo performance is being executed, and control that switches the display of the information display on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 to display (start) information related to the game based on the operation of an operation means that can only be operated by a game store employee (for example, when the RAM clear switch provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 is pressed or when the setting key switch 1311a is operated (for example, when the setting key cylinder is rotated from its initial position in an ON operation, or when the setting key cylinder is rotated counterclockwise to return it from the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that has been turned ON in an OFF operation, etc.), and performance The display device 1600 may implement one or any combination of the following control methods: 1) When an operation unit such as the performance operation unit 301 is operated while a variation performance is in progress, the information display on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 is hidden, and the display content is switched after the variation performance in which the operation unit 301 was operated ends; or 2) When an operation unit such as the performance operation unit 301 is operated while a variation performance is in progress, the display content is not switched during the variation performance, and the currently running mode (game information display mode, game performance mode) is continued to display according to each mode, and the display content is switched after the variation performance in which the operation unit 301 was operated ends.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 300(A) to (C), in the state where game-related information is displayed (game information display mode), the information display on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 displays game-related information such as "Big Win," "Left Shot ←," and "Right Shot →." As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, during the time-saving mode (low probability time-saving state (also called time-saving state), high probability time-saving state (also called probability-changing state)), the player is expected to aim for the entry of the game ball into the second start opening 2004 (so-called "right shot"). Also, during the time-saving mode, the second start opening 2004 is frequently opened, making it easier to achieve start-up wins (entering the first start opening 2002 and the second start opening 2004) than during normal play (low probability non-time-saving state (also called normal state), high probability non-time-saving state), thus creating a favorable situation for the player. However, if a player does not aim to get the game ball into the second starting opening 2004 (so-called "right-handed shooting") during the time-saving mode, they will not be able to enjoy this advantageous state. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, as shown in Figure 300(C), the information display on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 displays "Right-handed shooting →" as an instruction for the player to aim to get the game ball into the second starting opening 2004 (so-called "right-handed shooting") during the time-saving mode. This prevents the player from being unable to enjoy the advantageous state even during the time-saving mode, and ensures that the player is not disadvantaged.

On the other hand, during normal play (low probability non-time-saving state (also called normal state), high probability non-time-saving state), the game is designed to aim for the ball to enter the first start opening 2001 (so-called "left-handed shooting"). Furthermore, during normal play, the second start opening 2004 is rarely opened, and the period during which it is open is extremely short compared to time-saving states. Therefore, there is a risk of disadvantage to players who aim for the ball to enter the second start opening 2004 during normal play. For this reason, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, as shown in Figure 300(B), the information display on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 displays "Left-handed ←" as an instruction for players to aim for the ball to enter the first start opening 2001 during normal play. This prevents disadvantage to players during normal play.

Thus, in this modified pachinko machine 1, the information displayed on the dot matrix of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 instructs the player to shoot to the left (shooting the game ball to the left of the center mechanism 2500) or to the right (shooting with enough force to contact the impact part 1006 that protrudes inward from the outer rail 1001 which forms part of the periphery of the game area 5a), and also notifies the player of a jackpot and instructs them to aim for the ball to enter the large prize opening 2005. This ensures that neither experienced nor inexperienced players are disadvantaged.

Furthermore, the information display unit may also be used as a dedicated display unit for displaying information related to the game, in which case the information displayed may be switched when the operating means is operated during a specific period. In addition, the information related to the game may include information for guiding the game (right-hand play, left-hand play, etc.) as shown in Figures 300(B) and (C) above, information regarding the results of the variation performance lottery (first special lottery result, second special lottery result) (jackpot, miss, probability variation jackpot, time reduction jackpot, etc.) as shown in Figure 300(A), setting information related to the probability of winning or losing (setting value of pachinko machine 1 set in the setting change process, the probability of a jackpot occurring for the number of variation performances actually executed, etc.), and the number of game balls collected by the out port 1008 ( The number of game balls launched into the game area 5a and collected by the out-out port 1008, and the number of game balls that entered the specific prize-winning devices (one or any combination of the first start port 2002, second start port 2004, big prize port 2005, general prize port 2001, etc. (all of them are also acceptable), for example, the number of game balls that entered the first start port 2002 and the second start port 2004), may be any combination of these.

In this example, the information display is configured to be installed inside the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002, but it may also be installed outside the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002. This increases the design flexibility in the area inside the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002, allowing for the installation of structures and movable parts to enhance decorative appeal and performance effects. Furthermore, while the above-described modification uses a dot matrix display, information related to the game may be displayed using a 7-segment display instead of a dot matrix display. Additionally, an information display may be provided not only for new players but also for pachinko parlor staff; in this case, the information display may be placed on the back side of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, a single-color LED may be mounted on the first decorative circuit board on the back of the information display unit. This allows the information display unit of the back-up movable decorative unit 3210 to emit light in a different color (in this example, red; however, any other color (such as blue) that is distinguishable from the gold and rainbow-colored illumination and clearly indicates the information display's content) during the execution of the gold and rainbow-colored effects. This ensures that the information displayed on the information display unit is reliably communicated to the player, even during the execution of the gold and rainbow-colored effects.

Furthermore, since the information display in this example displays important information related to the game as described above, a dark-colored insulating film (e.g., green, black, purple, navy blue, etc.) is formed (resist treatment) on the surface of the first decorative substrate on the back of the information display (the same color insulating film may be formed on the back mounting surface where the LEDs are not mounted, or an insulating film of a different color from the front may be formed on the back) in order to make the displayed content clear. This suppresses light interference on the front mounting surface of the first decorative substrate on the back where the LEDs are mounted, making it possible to independently see the light from each of the multiple LEDs, and thus enabling the information display to clearly display various information. Furthermore, while a light-colored (white in this example) insulating film is formed on the surface of the substrate on which the LEDs that perform the gold-colored or rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations are installed, a dark-colored (e.g., green, black, purple, navy blue, etc.) insulating film is formed on the surface of the first rear-upper decorative substrate provided on the information display of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210, which displays important information for players and pachinko parlor staff. (The same insulating film may also be formed on the back mounting surface where no LEDs are mounted, or an insulating film of a different color from the surface may be formed on the back.) Therefore, if a malfunction occurs in the LED's light emission, it becomes easy to determine whether or not an LED plays an important role based on the color of the insulating film formed on the surface of the substrate.

Furthermore, on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate on the back, where the LEDs are mounted, the part number corresponding to each LED and the attributes of the electronic component, such as the area indicating the position where the LED should be placed (and may also include the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the electronic component), are silk-screen printed in white paint (not limited to white, yellow, black, etc.). The area occupied by the surface-side markings (the area silk-screen printed in white paint (not limited to white, yellow, black, etc.)) on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate on the back, where the LEDs are mounted, is smaller than the area occupied by the resist (a dark-colored insulating film (e.g., green, black, purple, navy blue, etc.)). Therefore, the reflective efficiency on the front surface (front mounting surface) where the LEDs are mounted on the first decorative substrate can be made nearly uniform, similar to the case where only resist is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) where the LEDs are mounted on the first decorative substrate. This suppresses the occurrence of uneven light emission and prevents a decrease in the effect of suppressing interference between the light emitted from each of the mounted LEDs.

Furthermore, the surface-side markings silk-screened on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate on the back where the LEDs are mounted may be arranged to group identical electronic components together. For example, one surface-side marking such as "LED1-5" may be provided for the five LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate on the back. In this case, compared to the case where a surface-side marking is provided for each electronic component, it is possible to reduce the proportion of the surface-side markings on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate where the LEDs are mounted, thereby making the reflection efficiency on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate where the LEDs are mounted more uniform. Furthermore, the front side markings on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate (rear upper) where the LEDs are mounted may not be silk-screen printed. In this case, the back side markings may be formed on the back mounting surface where the LEDs are not mounted using silk-screen printing, foil-cut characters, mask-cut characters, etc. Alternatively, the front side markings may be formed on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate (rear upper) where the LEDs are mounted using foil-cut characters, mask-cut characters, etc.

Furthermore, the electronic components other than LEDs on the LED mounting surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate may be limited to those with dark-colored (black, green, purple, etc.) exteriors (cases, packages, housings, etc.) (for example, connectors with green housings). Alternatively, all predetermined electronic components, including the LED element packages, may be limited to those with dark-colored (black, green, purple, etc.) exteriors (cases, packages, housings, etc.) (for example, one or more (any combination) of LED elements with black packages and connectors with green housings), while electronic components with white or light-colored exteriors may be mounted on the non-LED mounting surface. This suppresses the improvement in reflectivity of the LED mounting surface due to the electronic components mounted on the LED mounting surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate, and also suppresses light interference on the LED mounting surface. Therefore, the information such as characters, numbers, and patterns displayed on the five 7-segment display units of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 can be clearly displayed, ensuring that this information is reliably conveyed to the player.

Furthermore, as described above, if an abnormality occurs in the pachinko machine 1 during the execution of the gold or rainbow-colored effects (for example, if the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 is detected (when the opening of the door frame 3 makes it difficult to see the light emitted by the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3), if a vibration sensor (not shown) continuously detects vibration of the game board 5 for a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) (when it is detected that an action such as hitting the pachinko machine 1 is being performed, or when the vibration of the pachinko machine 1 causes the light emitted by the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, or the display of the effect display device 1600, to blur and become difficult to see), if a detection signal is received from the full-tank detection sensor 154 (when it is detected that the lower tray 202 is full of game balls), or if a detection signal is received from the ball-out detection sensor 574 (when it is detected that there are no game balls in the guidance passage 570a, etc., indicating that fraudulent activity is being performed) In the event of minor errors (such as errors with a low probability of being detected), serious errors (such as when electromagnetic radiation is detected (when noise is introduced into the light emission of LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards installed on the door frame 3 or game board 5, or when noise is introduced into the display of the performance display device 1600), when magnetic cheating is detected, when a detection signal is input from the second start port sensor 2401 when the second start port 2004 is not open, or when a detection signal is input from the big prize port sensor 2402 when the game is not in a big win or small win state), the system is configured to turn off multiple LEDs installed on the game board 5 that perform the light emission decoration of the gold effect (gold light emission) or the rainbow effect during the execution of the gold effect or rainbow effect, and to control the light emission of the LEDs installed on the door frame 3 in an abnormal notification light emission mode (flashing red light emission at maximum brightness (light intensity)).

On the other hand, the information display on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 is designed to continue displaying without turning off even if an abnormality occurs during the execution of the gold or rainbow effect. In this way, a specific decorative substrate (coated with white solder resist (protective material) and mounted on the front mounting surface (LED mounting surface) of the specific decorative substrate, which is provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3 and performs the gold effect illumination (gold illumination) and rainbow effect illumination during the execution of the gold effect and rainbow effect, has been installed. The front mounting surface (LED mounting surface) of the specific decorative substrate has letters and symbols (part numbers of electronic components) to avoid confusion with the mounted electronic components and other decorative substrates, and attributes of the surface-side electronic components such as areas indicating the position of the electronic components (furthermore, the shape of the surface-side electronic components, the size of the surface-side electronic components, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-side electronic components, and the type of the surface-side electronic components) LEDs mounted on the surface (which may include formulas) are screen printed using bright and highly saturated inks (for example, bright colors such as yellow or yellow-green) and when an abnormality occurs, the gold-colored illumination (gold illumination) or rainbow-colored illumination (rainbow illumination) of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (LEDs mounted on the rear upper first decorative substrate on which a dark-colored (for example, green, black, purple, navy blue, etc.) insulating film is formed) continue to display even when an abnormality occurs (they continue a predetermined lighting pattern until the fluctuation time has elapsed). This allows information related to the game to be displayed and known even when an abnormality occurs. Furthermore, if an extremely serious error occurs, such as a malfunction in the main control board 1310, making it difficult to continue playing, the lighting pattern of multiple LEDs mounted on the first rear-upper decorative board on the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210's information display may be changed to indicate the type of malfunction, or the multiple LEDs mounted on the first rear-upper decorative board on the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210's information display may be turned off. In this case, the severity of the malfunction can be immediately determined.

Furthermore, depending on the type of abnormality, the information display on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 may be changed to either continue displaying or turn off and hide the information display. For example, if a minor error occurs as described above, the information display on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 may continue displaying, while if a serious error occurs as described above, the information display may be turned off and hidden. This makes it possible to determine the degree of the abnormality.

Furthermore, as described above, when the gold and rainbow effects are executed, the LEDs that provide the gold and rainbow light-emitting decorations are controlled by the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 through a steady-state peripheral control process performed approximately every 33.3 ms. In contrast, the LEDs on the first rear-upper decorative board provided on the information display of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 are controlled by the main control MPU of the main control board 1310 through a main control-side timer interrupt process performed approximately every 4 ms. In this way, compared to the case where the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the LED that performs gold light emission based on the control signal from the main control board 1310, the display content of the information display on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 can be updated at a shorter cycle. Even if a malfunction occurs and the information display on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 displays content different from what should be displayed, the display content can be updated immediately (after 4ms) to change it back to the original display content, thus preventing any disadvantage to the player. In other words, for the information display on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 that displays important (highly important) information related to the game, the control signal is output at a shorter cycle than the LED that performs gold light emission decoration (gold light emission) or rainbow light emission decoration in response to variable effects such as gold effects and rainbow effects, and the LED's light emission pattern is updated. Therefore, even if a malfunction occurs in the display content of the information display on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, it can be immediately changed back to the normal display content, preventing any disadvantage to the player due to the display of content different from what should be displayed. Furthermore, if the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the information display of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 based on a control signal from the main control board 1310, a communication error may occur between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510, potentially causing malfunctions in the information displayed on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210's information display. However, in this example, by having the main control board 1310 directly control the information display of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, malfunctions in the information displayed on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210's information display are less likely to occur compared to the case where the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the information display of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, thereby minimizing disadvantages to the player.

Furthermore, while various decorative circuit boards, which are installed on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 and perform gold and rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations (gold light emission) and rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations when the gold and rainbow-colored effects are executed, are mounted on decorative bodies (cases, covers, etc.) made of translucent materials, the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (cases, covers, etc.), on which the rear upper first decorative circuit board, installed on the information display unit that does not perform gold and rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations (gold light emission) and rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations when the gold and rainbow-colored effects are executed, is mounted, may be made of a non-translucent material. In this case, it becomes possible to determine whether or not LEDs, which play an important role, are mounted depending on whether or not the decorative body (cases, covers, etc.) on which the circuit boards are mounted is translucent.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 301, the first rear upper decorative substrate, which is provided on the information display that does not emit gold light when gold light is being emitted, may be firmly housed in a rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (which may also be a case or cover). For example, the rear upper movable decorative body 3210a, which covers the surface (LED mounting surface) of the rear upper first decorative substrate of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (which may also be a case or cover), and the rear upper movable decorative body 3210b, which covers the back surface (non-LED mounting surface) of the rear upper first decorative substrate, may be firmly bonded together by welding or the like, so that the rear upper first decorative substrate cannot be removed without destroying a part of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210. On the other hand, decorative elements (which may include cases or covers) that are installed on the door frame 3 or game board 5 and contain various decorative circuit boards that illuminate the gold or rainbow effects during the execution of the gold or rainbow effects may be designed so that the decorative circuit boards can be removed without damaging any part of the decorative elements. In this way, in the information display unit that shows important information, the rear upper first decorative circuit board cannot be removed without damaging a part of the rear upper movable decorative element 3210 (which may also include cases or covers), thus preventing physical damage to the LEDs and other light-emitting means that play an important role. On the other hand, for LEDs and other light-emitting means (less important than those in the information display unit) that are installed on the door frame 3 or game board 5 and illuminate the gold or rainbow effects during the execution of the gold or rainbow effects without displaying important information, the light-emitting means can be replaced without damaging the decorative elements (which may also include cases or covers), thus facilitating maintenance.

Furthermore, in this example, the surface of the first rear upper decorative substrate (LED mounting surface) is covered only by the rear upper movable decorative body 3210a, and the rear upper movable decorative body 3210a that covers the surface of the first rear upper decorative substrate (LED mounting surface) and the rear upper movable decorative body 3210b that covers the back surface of the first rear upper decorative substrate (LED non-mounted surface) are in contact on the back side of the first rear upper decorative substrate. In other words, the joint between the rear upper movable decorative body 3210a and the rear upper movable decorative body 3210b is configured to be on the back side of the first rear upper decorative substrate. Therefore, even if light enters from the joint between the rear upper movable decorative body 3210a and the rear upper movable decorative body 3210b, the entry of light into the surface of the first rear upper decorative substrate is suppressed. Furthermore, it is sufficient that the configuration ensures that the joint between the rear upper movable decorative body 3210a and the rear upper movable decorative body 3210b does not face the front side of the rear upper first decorative substrate. Even if the configuration ensures that the rear upper movable decorative body 3210a and the rear upper movable decorative body 3210b abut between the front and back surfaces of the rear upper first decorative substrate (i.e., the joint between the rear upper movable decorative body 3210a and the rear upper movable decorative body 3210b is located on the side surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate), the above-described effects can still be achieved.

Furthermore, interference suppression means may be formed inside the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (which may be a case or cover, etc.) on which the rear upper first decorative substrate provided on the information display is mounted, to suppress interference of light emitted by each of the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear upper first decorative substrate. For example, as shown in Figure 301(B), multiple through-holes may be formed inside the rear upper movable decorative body 3210a that abuts the surface (LED mounting surface) of the rear upper first decorative substrate, and the surface (LED mounting surface) of the rear upper first decorative substrate may be partitioned so that one LED is positioned inside each of these multiple through-holes. This restricts the direction of light propagation from each of the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear upper first decorative substrate, suppressing interference with light emitted from LEDs mounted adjacent to the surface (LED mounting surface) of the rear upper first decorative substrate, making it easier to individually distinguish the light emission colors of the multiple light-emitting means. In addition, since it is possible to clearly distinguish between lit LEDs and unlit LEDs in the information display, information can be displayed clearly on the information display.

Furthermore, the rear upper movable decorative body 3210b, which covers the back surface (the side without LEDs) of the rear upper first decorative substrate of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, may be formed to have only minimal openings. For example, as shown in Figure 301(B), the rear upper movable decorative body 3210b, which covers the back surface (the side without LEDs) of the rear upper first decorative substrate, may be formed with only an opening for a connector for connecting electrical wiring to the rear upper first decorative substrate. This suppresses light from entering the through-hole formed in the rear upper movable decorative body 3210a from the back side of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, thereby suppressing the display of incorrect information on the information display and improving the reliability of the information displayed on the information display.

Furthermore, as described above, if an abnormality occurs, multiple LEDs on the game board 5, which are mounted on a specific decorative board and perform the gold and rainbow light-up decorations for the gold and rainbow effects, will be turned off, while the information display will continue to illuminate at its normal brightness. This reduces the brightness inside the game window during an abnormality, making the illumination from the information display stand out and making the information displayed easier to see. Furthermore, in the event of an abnormality, the LEDs mounted on the door frame 3, which are responsible for the gold and rainbow light effects during the execution of the gold and rainbow effects, are controlled to emit light in an abnormality notification mode (flashing red light at maximum brightness). However, because the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (which may also be a case or cover) has interference suppression means to suppress interference between the light emitted by each of the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear upper first decorative board, it is easy to distinguish the emission state of each of the multiple LEDs mounted on the rear upper first decorative board, even when the LEDs on the door frame 3 are controlled to emit light in an abnormality notification mode (flashing red light at maximum brightness).

Furthermore, in this example, the front mounting surface of the first decorative substrate on the back is coated with a dark-colored solder resist (forming a dark-colored insulating film). Therefore, even if light emitted from the LED located within the through-hole leaks outside the through-hole, light diffusion can be suppressed.

In the above embodiments (including all embodiments with modifications), a white solder resist (protective material) is coated on the surface (LED mounting surface) of a specific decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs are mounted. On this white solder resist (protective material), a surface-side marking area is screen printed using yellow ink to indicate the attributes of the surface-side electronic components, such as letters or symbols (part numbers of electronic components) to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other decorative substrates, and areas indicating the position where the electronic components are placed (and may also include the shape of the surface-side electronic components, the size of the surface-side electronic components, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-side electronic components, and the model number of the surface-side electronic components). The multiple LEDs mounted on the specific decorative substrate are shown to emit light in a color similar to the yellow of the surface-side marking area to create a golden effect (gold emission). However, this technical concept can be applied to other effects as well. For example, the surface-side marking area may be screen printed using yellow-green ink, and the multiple LEDs mounted on the specific decorative substrate may emit light in a color similar to the yellow-green of the surface-side marking area to create a golden effect. In other words, this technological concept can be applied to any effect where the light emitted by multiple LEDs mounted on a specific decorative substrate is similar in color to the color of the markings on the surface.

Furthermore, for electronic components other than LEDs mounted on a specific decorative substrate, the markings on the front side may be omitted, or the markings on the back side may be provided on the back mounting surface where LEDs are not mounted. Furthermore, on the front mounting surface of a specific decorative substrate where multiple LEDs are mounted, only electronic components having white (including beige, ivory, cream, off-white, and other colors considered (similar) to white) or light-colored exteriors (cases, packages, housings, etc.) may be mounted (for example, one or more (any combination) of LED elements with white packages or connectors with white housings) (including cases where only LED elements with white packages are mounted and no other electronic components are mounted), while on the back mounting surface where multiple LEDs are not mounted, at least electronic components without white or light-colored exteriors may be mounted (for example, resistors with black exteriors, circuits that control the light emission of multiple LEDs (for example, constant current drive circuits), capacitors with brown exteriors, connectors with housings of a color other than white (such as light blue or yellow)). (This is not limited to cases where only electronic components without white or light-colored exteriors are placed on the back surface, but may also include cases where one or both of electronic components without white or light-colored exteriors and electronic components with white or light-colored exteriors are placed.) This suppresses the decrease in reflective efficiency on the surface where the LEDs are mounted, thereby increasing the light output of specific decorative substrates. This allows for uniform illumination of the gold and rainbow-colored effects, resulting in more impactful and engaging visuals, and ultimately enhancing the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, the package color of the multiple LEDs mounted on the specific decorative substrate may be white (including colors that are recognized as (similar to) white, such as beige, ivory, cream, ecru, and off-white). In this case, the reduction in reflectivity due to the exterior color of the LEDs themselves mounted on the specific decorative substrate can be suppressed, thereby increasing the light output of the specific decorative substrate. Alternatively, the specific decorative substrate may include a first specific decorative substrate on which both multiple LEDs having white packages and a connector having a white housing are mounted on one surface, and a second specific decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs having white packages are mounted on one surface and a connector having a housing of a different color from white (for example, light blue or yellow) is mounted on the other surface. In this case, connectors with white housings that have a high effect in suppressing the reduction in reflectivity (high reflectivity) are mounted on the same surface as the LED mounting surface (the LED mounting surface, also called the front mounting surface). Conversely, connectors with housings other than white (which may reduce reflectivity) that have a low effect in suppressing the reduction in reflectivity (they may reduce reflectivity, or have housings of other colors besides white, which have high reflectivity (close to white)) are mounted on a different surface from the LED mounting surface (the non-LED mounting surface, also called the back mounting surface). This allows for maintaining high reflective efficiency on the LED mounting surface. It should be noted that this technical concept does not exclude the mounting of electronic components with white exteriors, such as connectors with white housings, on the non-LED mounting surface. By mounting electronic components with white exteriors on the non-LED mounting surface, the reduction in reflective efficiency on the LED mounting surface due to electronic components other than LEDs can be suppressed. Therefore, high reflective efficiency on the LED mounting surface can be maintained, allowing for efficient use of LED light emission and suppressing a decrease in light output.

Furthermore, the above example shows that all specific decorative substrates on which LEDs that perform gold-colored or rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations are mounted are coated with white solder resist (protective material) on their surface. However, this is not limited to this example. Some of the specific decorative substrates on which LEDs that perform gold-colored or rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations are mounted may be coated with a solder resist (protective material) of a color other than white (e.g., green or black) on their surface. Alternatively, all or some of the specific decorative substrates on which LEDs that perform gold-colored or rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations are mounted may be coated with white solder resist (protective material) only on the surface where the LEDs are mounted (forming a white insulating film), while the back surface where the LEDs are not mounted may be coated with a solder resist (protective material) of a color other than white (e.g., a dark color such as green or black) (forming an insulating film other than white). Furthermore, if the boards connected to the specific decorative board by a harness (other boards such as relay boards, driver boards, and decorative boards on which LEDs are mounted) have the same configuration as the connected specific decorative board, that is, the surface of the specific decorative board is coated with white solder resist (protective material), and the surface markings indicating the attributes of the surface-side electronic components (which may also include the shape of the surface-side electronic components, the size of the surface-side electronic components, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-side electronic components, and the model number of the surface-side electronic components) are screen printed using bright and saturated inks (for example, bright colors such as yellow or yellow-green) to avoid confusion with mounted electronic components and other decorative boards, then the boards connected to the specific decorative board by a harness (other boards such as relay boards, driver boards, and decorative boards on which LEDs are mounted) may also be coated with white solder resist (protective material) and the surface markings may be screen printed using bright and saturated inks (for example, bright colors such as yellow or yellow-green). In other words, the game board 5 contains a mix of circuit boards coated with white solder resist (protective material) and circuit boards coated with green solder resist (protective material). Therefore, for example, if a malfunction occurs in a specific decorative circuit board and the harness or connections of that board need to be checked, the circuit board connected to that specific decorative circuit board can be quickly identified because it is coated with the same color solder resist (protective material) as the decorative circuit board, or its surface markings are screen-printed using the same color ink. This ensures that the connected circuit board is not mistaken for another circuit board (a circuit board coated with green solder resist (protective material)).

Furthermore, connectors with the same colored casing may be used for both the specific decorative board and the board connected by the harness. In this case, the board connected to the specific decorative board can be identified by the color of the connector's casing, allowing for quick detection of the connected board. Additionally, connectors mounted on the front mounting surface (the side facing the front of the gaming machine) of the boards connected to the specific decorative board by the harness (such as relay boards, driver boards, and decorative boards with LEDs) may also have a white casing. Connectors with casings of a different color may be mounted on the back mounting surface (the side facing the rear of the gaming machine) of the boards connected to the specific decorative board by the harness (this does not exclude cases where connectors with a white casing are mounted on the side without LEDs). This allows for more accurate and quicker detection of the boards connected to the specific decorative board, and also suppresses a decrease in reflective efficiency on the front mounting surface of the boards connected to the specific decorative board by the harness, enabling efficient use of light emission from LEDs and other light-emitting elements in the gaming machine and suppressing a decrease in light intensity.

In the example above, an information display visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1 was shown. However, the example is not limited to this; an information display visible only from the back of the pachinko machine 1 may also be placed on the back of the pachinko machine 1. In this case, the information display may show information for pachinko parlor staff regarding the game machine (number of jackpots, error status, number of prize balls paid out, number of balls played, number of balls entered into designated prize slots (this may display the total number of balls entered into all prize slots, or each of multiple prize slots individually, or grouped by a predetermined number (including one))). Furthermore, even when an information display is placed on the back of the pachinko machine 1, it may be controlled in the same way as the information display visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, it may continue to illuminate even when an abnormality occurs).

Furthermore, since the back of the pachinko machine 1 either does not have any light-emitting elements that perform light-emitting effects, or has fewer light-emitting elements compared to the front of the pachinko machine 1, when an information display is placed on the back of the pachinko machine 1, the visibility of the information display is less likely to be obstructed by other light-emitting elements, and the darkened interior of the island equipment makes the display content easier to see compared to when the information display is placed on the front of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, if an information display is placed on the back side of the pachinko machine 1, this information display does not perform any light effects and only displays information to amusement store staff or other persons separate from the players. Therefore, the color of the light is not particularly important, and the amount of light does not need to be very high to allow amusement store staff or other persons to recognize the information. For this reason, a white insulating film is formed on the LED mounting surface of the multiple specific decorative boards that perform the rainbow-colored and gold-colored effects described above, and some or all of the front (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 of the LED mounting surface are covered with a white insulating film. In contrast, a dark-colored insulating film such as green or black may be formed on the LED mounting surface of the rear upper first decorative board of the information display placed on the back side of the pachinko machine 1. Alternatively, in addition to or separately from this, all of the front (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 of the LED mounting surface may not be covered with an insulating film. This allows LEDs mounted on the rear upper first decorative substrate, which has a dark insulating coating, to stand out when illuminated in a dark island facility. Furthermore, because the reflectivity is not excessively high, it prevents glare, ensuring that information displayed on the information display is reliably conveyed. Additionally, the dark insulating coating on the rear upper first decorative substrate makes it difficult to identify the wiring pattern formed on the substrate when placed in a dark island facility, thereby improving security.

Furthermore, while the above example shows a dark-colored (e.g., green, black, purple, navy blue, etc.) insulating film formed on the surface of the first decorative substrate on the back of the information display, it is also possible to form a light-colored (white, yellow, etc.) insulating film on a part of the surface of the first decorative substrate on the back (either the LED mounting surface or the back mounting surface without LEDs, or a part of the LED mounting surface or a part of the back mounting surface) or on the entire surface (both the LED mounting surface and the back mounting surface).

Furthermore, the system may include multiple information displays. In this case, the configuration of the back-rear-top first decorative substrates provided for each information display may be identical, or the configuration of the back-rear-top first decorative substrates may differ for some of the information displays. For example, a dark-colored (e.g., green, black, purple, navy blue, etc.) insulating film may be formed on part or all of the surface of the first back-rear-top first decorative substrate provided for the first information display, and a light-colored (e.g., white, yellow, etc.) insulating film may be formed on part or all of the surface of the second back-rear-top first decorative substrate provided for the second information display, thereby differentiating the configuration of the back-rear-top first decorative substrates provided for the information displays. In this case, the configuration of the back-rear-top first decorative substrates can be varied according to the application and function of the information display, enabling effective light emission according to the application and function.

Furthermore, when multiple information displays are provided, the configuration of the notation section, which indicates the attributes of the surface-side electronic components (including the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the surface-side electronic components), may be made identical for all of them to avoid confusion with mounted electronic components and other decorative substrates. Alternatively, the configuration of the notation section may be made different for some of the information displays. For example, the system may include multiple information displays, such as an information display with a first decorative substrate on the back that is not formed on either the LED mounting surface or the back mounting surface, and an information display with a first decorative substrate on the back that has a notation section formed on at least one of the LED mounting surface or the back mounting surface. In this case as well, the configuration of the first decorative substrate on the back can be varied according to the application and function of the information display, enabling effective illumination according to the application and function.

Furthermore, a board management number may be formed on either the LED mounting surface or the back mounting surface of the first decorative substrate on the back of the information display, or a board management number may not be formed on either the LED mounting surface or the back mounting surface of the first decorative substrate on the back of the information display. If a board management number is formed, it becomes possible to identify the first decorative substrate on the back of the information display during manufacturing, etc., which helps to suppress errors during component mounting. If a board management number is not formed, it becomes more difficult to realize that it is the first decorative substrate on the back of the information display. If a board management number is not formed, the product management number may be engraved or otherwise provided on one or both the inside and outside of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, which serves as the case for housing the rear upper first decorative board. In this case, even if the board surface of the rear upper first decorative board is visually inspected, it becomes difficult to identify what function the board has. On the other hand, if the product management number is engraved on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 housing the rear upper first decorative board, it is possible to confirm the engraving during the manufacturing process to determine that the rear upper first decorative board is housed there, thus preventing installation errors.

Furthermore, when multiple information displays are provided, the configurations related to the board management number (such as the configuration related to the first decorative board on the back and the configuration related to the movable decorative body 3210 on the back) may all be identical, or the configurations related to the board management number may be different for some of the information displays. For example, a first information display may be provided, which includes a first decorative board on the back and rear where the board management number is formed on either the LED mounting surface or the back mounting surface, or both; and a second information display may be provided, which includes a second decorative board on the back and rear where the board management number is not formed on either the LED mounting surface or the back mounting surface.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned "off state," all LEDs mounted on the first decorative circuit board on the back of the information display may be controlled to be off, or some or all of the LEDs may be turned on (some may be turned on and the rest blinking, some may blink and the rest off, or some may be turned on and the rest off). Also, if multiple information displays are provided, the control state of all information displays in the "off state" may be the same, or the control state may be different for some of the information displays. For example, a first information display may be provided with a first decorative circuit board on the back where all mounted LEDs are controlled to be off in the "off state," and a second information display may be provided with a second decorative circuit board on the back where some or all of the mounted LEDs are controlled to be on in the "off state."

[Split game board]
The pachinko machine 1 is a frame composed of a door frame 3 and a main body frame 4. By removing the game board 5 attached to the main body frame 4 and attaching a new game board 5 to the main body frame 4, the pachinko machine 1 can be changed to a different specification. The game board 5 attached to the main body frame 4, as described above, is equipped with a plate-shaped game panel 1100 that demarcates the rear end of the game area 5a, and various units and components are attached to the front and back of this plate-shaped game panel 1100. By dividing the plate-shaped game panel 1100 and attaching various units and components to each, it is possible to easily consider combinations of designs and appearances during the development stage, and it is also possible to accommodate changes in the number and arrangement of various prize winning holes provided on the game board 5, the shape of decorative components, the shape of the game area 5a, etc.

A completely new type of game board 5A (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "divided game board 5A," where "A" indicates the A specification) is described with reference to Figures 302 to 304, in which a plate-shaped game panel 1100 is divided and various units and components are attached to each of them. Figure 302 is a schematic front view (a) of the divided game board and a schematic rear view (b) of the divided game board. Figure 303 is a rear perspective view (a) of the divided game board as seen from the lower left rear before the right game board and left game board constituting the divided game board are combined, and a rear perspective view (b) of the divided game board as seen from the lower left rear. Figure 304 is a schematic front view of the divided game board after the decoration of the divided game board in Figure 302(a) has been changed. Note that Figures 302 to 304 omit various units and components that correspond to the various units and components that are attached to the game board 5 as already explained in Figure 129, etc.

The divided game board 5A is composed of the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, which are formed by dividing the front component 1000, which demarcates the outer periphery of the game area 5a and has an outer shape that is roughly rectangular when viewed from the front, and the plate-shaped game panel 1100, which is attached to the rear side of the front component 1000 and demarcates the rear end of the game area 5a, into two parts in the left-right direction. The left game board 5AL has a length of approximately three-quarters of the left-right distance dimension of the divided game board 5A, while the right game board 5AR has a length of approximately one-quarter of the left-right distance dimension of the divided game board. The right side of the left game board 5AL and the left side of the right game board 5AR, which are joined together, have an interlocking structure, with the right side of the left game board 5AL being formed in a convex shape and the right game board 5AR being formed in a concave shape. After joining the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR, the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR are fastened together by passing a bolt (not shown) through a connecting member (not shown) on each side from one end to the other. This ensures that the surfaces of the game area 5a where the game balls roll automatically become flush (i.e., no steps or gaps are created), thus fixing the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR together.

The split game board 5A is constructed by combining the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, and then fastening them together by passing a bolt (not shown) through connecting members (not shown) provided on each of the left and right game boards 5AL and 5AR from one end to the other, thereby fixing the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR in place and mounting the split game board 5A to the main frame 4. However, the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR may also be configured to be fixed to the main frame 4 individually. Even in this case, the surfaces of the game area 5a where the game balls roll, which is the connecting portion between the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, automatically become flush (i.e., no steps are created) so that the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are fixed to the main frame 4.

The left-side game board 5AL has a function display unit 1400, which can display the game status using LEDs based on control signals from the main control board 1310, located on the front (surface) of the upper left region of the front component 1000. In contrast, the left-side game board 5AL has a sub-function display unit 2250 (referred to as the "fourth symbol"), which can display the game status using LEDs based on control signals from the peripheral control board 1510, located on the lower left side of the inner rail 1002 of the front component 1000 and protruding toward the game area 5a. Although the sub-function display unit 2250 was located on the lower left side of the inner rail 1002 of the front component 1000 and protruding toward the game area 5a, it may instead be located on any of the units or components that make up the above-described front unit 2000. Furthermore, the game status displayed on the sub-function display unit 2250 may include at least the first special symbol display and/or the second special symbol display displayed on the function display unit 1400, and the game information displayed on the function display unit 1400 may be displayed in a predetermined light emission pattern, or it may be displayed in a light emission pattern similar to that of the game information displayed on the function display unit 1400.

The left-side game board 5AL has a plate-shaped front component 1000 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "left-side front component 1000L") and a plate-shaped game panel 1100 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "left-side game panel 1100L") positioned on the back side of the left-side front component 1000L. The right-side game board 5AR has a plate-shaped front component 1000 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "left-side front component 1000R") and a plate-shaped game panel 1100 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "right-side game panel 1100R") positioned on the back side of the right-side front component 1000R. The aforementioned back unit 3000 is positioned on the back side of the divided game board 5A, that is, on the back side of the left-side game panel 1100L and the right-side game panel 1100R. When viewing the split game board 5A from the front, the right side (facing the right game panel 1100R) of the back box 3010 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "left back box 3010L") of the back unit 3000 located behind the left game panel 1100L on the left game board 5AL is open (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "right opening of left back box 3010L"). Similarly, the left side (facing the left game panel 1100L) of the back box 3010 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "right back box 3010R") of the back unit 3000 located behind the right game panel 1100R on the right game board 5AR is open (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "left opening of right back box 3010R").

Behind the left rear box 3010L are the aforementioned detachable display device 1600, a peripheral control unit 1500 housing the aforementioned peripheral control board 1510, a main control unit 1300 housing the aforementioned main control board 1310, and a left drive board unit 1700L (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "left drive board unit 1700L") housing various other boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to the various display units housed in the left rear box 3010L, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.). The main control board 1310 is equipped with the aforementioned setting key switch 1311a, which allows switching and confirmation of the setting values of the pachinko machine 1.

Behind the right rear box 3010R is the right drive board unit 1700R (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "right drive board unit 1700R"), which houses various circuit boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to various performance units housed in the right rear box 3010R, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.).

Thus, in the split game board 5A, the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510, which are boards on which microprocessors are mounted, are located at the rear of the left game board 5AL, while the drive board that drives the decorative board on which various LEDs are mounted, the drive motor and drive solenoid, etc., of the various performance units housed in the right rear box 3010R is located at the rear of the right game board 5AR. In other words, the split game board 5A is composed of the left game board 5AL, which has a microprocessor mounted on it, and the right game board 5AR, which does not have a microprocessor mounted on it. Furthermore, while the front of the right-side game board 5AR is equipped only with the control targets of the peripheral control board 1510 (e.g., movable parts on the game board side) to execute game effects, the front of the left-side game board 5AL is equipped not only with the control targets of the peripheral control board 1510 (e.g., sub-function display unit 2250) but also with the control targets of the main control board 1310 (function display unit 1400) to display information directly related to the progress of the game (information regarding wins and losses, information regarding the type of jackpot, etc.). Thus, the right-side game board 5AR is configured to have only a board without a microprocessor mounted on the rear and only the control targets of the peripheral control board 1510 on the front, making it easier to modify the right-side game board 5AR in response to changes in design, specifications, etc.

Furthermore, in addition to the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510 mentioned above, the left-side game board 5AL is equipped with a panel relay board 1710, a general prize entry sensor 3001, a first start entry sensor 3002, a second start entry sensor 2401, a gate sensor 2801, a large prize entry sensor 2402, a special prize entry sensor 2601, a V prize entry sensor 3003, a losing entry sensor 3004, a start entry solenoid 2412, an attacker solenoid 2414, a special prize entry solenoid 2612, a V distribution solenoid 3007, a magnetic sensor 1050, a base monitor 1310h, and the like. In other words, in this example, even if the right-side game board 5AR is not connected to the left-side game board 5AL, or if the combination of the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR is deemed incompatible, it is possible to run the game using only the left-side game board 5AL.

[Drawer Connector]
As described above, the left drive board unit 1700L, located at the rear of the left rear box 3010L, houses various relay boards. Among these various relay boards, the left game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW is located at the upper rear of the left rear box 3010L, near the right opening of the left rear box 3010L, and has two left game board drawer connectors LDRW mounted vertically. The two left game board drawer connectors LDRW are of the convex type. The left game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW is electrically connected to the peripheral control board 1510 either via various relay boards or directly. Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 is electrically connected to various relay boards, and via the relay boards, or directly, to the drive boards that drive decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted, drive motors and drive solenoids, etc., which are attached to the various performance units in the left drive board unit 1700L, and is also electrically connected to the sub-function display unit 2250.

Furthermore, as described above, the right-side drive board unit 1700R, located behind the right-side rear box 3010R, houses various relay boards. Of these relay boards, the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW is located on the upper rear side of the right-side rear box 3010R, near the left-side opening. This relay board has two left-side game board drawer connectors LDRW and LDRW mounted on the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW, corresponding to the RDRW and LDRW connectors on the RDRW and LDRW connectors on the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW. The two right-side game board drawer connectors RDRW and RDRW are of the concave type. The drive boards that drive the decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted, the drive motors, and the drive solenoids, which are attached to the various performance units in the right-side drive board unit 1700R, are electrically connected to the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW via the various relay boards, or directly.

Below the left rear box 3010L of the left-side game board 5AL, in the center of the lower edge of the divided game board 5A, which is formed by combining the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR, a lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW is positioned, on which two lower game board drawer connectors UDRW are mounted in the left-right direction. The two lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW are of the convex type. The lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW is electrically connected to the peripheral control board 1510 via various relay boards or directly. On the front surface of the main frame 4, at positions corresponding to the two lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW provided on the left rear box 3010L of the left-side game board 5AL, two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) are provided on a main frame side relay board (not shown). The two drawer connectors on the main frame are of the recessed type. Various circuit boards provided on the door frame 3 (decorative circuit boards and various relay circuit boards located on the tray unit 200, the left side unit 420, the right side unit 430, and the top unit 450 of the door frame; these relay circuit boards include those that relay detection signals from various sensors of the performance control unit 300 of the tray unit 200) are electrically connected to the drawer connectors on the main frame.

This section describes drawer connectors such as the left-side game board drawer connector LDRW (convex type), the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW (concave type), the lower game board drawer connector UDRW (convex type), and the main frame side drawer connector (concave type). The left-side game board drawer connector LDRW (convex type) and the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW (concave type) are connectors that automatically establish an electrical connection between the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR simply by joining them together. The lower-side game board drawer connector UDRW (convex type) and the main frame side drawer connector (concave type) are connectors that automatically establish an electrical connection between the main frame 4 and the split game board 5A simply by attaching the split game board 5A to the main frame 4.

[Drawer connector for left-side game board, drawer connector for right-side game board]
When the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are combined, the left game board drawer connectors LDRW, LDRW, which are mounted on the left game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left game board 5AL (which are convex type), are guided and fitted into the right game board drawer connectors RDRW, RDRW, which are mounted on the right game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right game board 5AR (which are concave type). As a result, each terminal of the left game board drawer connectors LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left game board 5AL is electrically connected to each terminal of the right game board drawer connectors RDRW, RDRW, which are mounted on the right game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right game board 5AR.

When the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are combined, the terminals of the left game board drawer connector LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left game board 5AL and the terminals of the right game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW mounted on the right game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right game board 5AR are electrically connected, thereby forming control signal lines that transmit various control signals between the peripheral control board 1510 located behind the left back box 3010L of the left game board 5AL and the various boards located behind the right back box 3010R of the right game board 5AR, and also, left A ground (GND) line is formed in which the ground (GND, circuit ground) of various control boards and other various boards located behind the left rear box 3010L of the side game board 5AL is electrically connected to the ground (GND, circuit ground) of various boards located behind the right rear box 3010R of the right game board 5AR. Furthermore, various power lines are formed to supply various power sources (DC power sources such as +5V, +12V, +24V) to various boards located behind the right rear box 3010R of the right game board 5AR via the various control boards and/or other various boards located behind the left rear box 3010L of the left game board 5AL.

Furthermore, mounting through-holes are formed in the insulating outer casings of the left-side game board drawer connectors LDRW and LDRW, and in the insulating outer casings of the right-side game board drawer connectors RDRW and RDRW. The left-side game board 5AL, on which the left-side game board drawer connectors LDRW and LDRW are mounted, has through-holes provided at positions corresponding to the insulating mounting through-holes of the left-side game board drawer connectors LDRW and LDRW. Similarly, the right-side game board 5AR, on which the right-side game board drawer connectors RDRW and RDRW are mounted, has through-holes provided at positions corresponding to the insulating mounting through-holes of the right-side game board drawer connectors RDRW and RDRW.

When mounting the left-side game board drawer connectors LDRW, LDRW onto the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left-side game board 5AL, first insert the terminals of the left-side game board drawer connectors LDRW, LDRW from the mounting side of the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW into the through-holes for terminals formed on the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left-side game board 5AL, toward the soldering side of the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW, and solder the terminals of the left-side game board drawer connectors LDRW, LDRW that protrude from the soldering side to the land portion of the through-hole for terminals. Then, rivets are inserted into the mounting through-holes formed in the insulating outer casing of the left-side game board drawer connector LDRW, and the ends of the rivets are crimped, causing the rivets to plastically deform. As a result, the left-side game board drawer connector LDRW is fixed to the through-hole land portion of the terminals by soldering the terminals of the left-side game board drawer connector LDRW, and further fixed to the left-side game board 5AL's drawer connector relay board 5ALLDRW by rivet crimping.

By fixing them in this manner, when joining the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR, the load generated when the left-side game board drawer connector LDRW (convex type) is guided and fitted into the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW (concave type) prevents the land portions of the through-holes to which the terminals of the left-side game board drawer connector LDRW are soldered from the base material of the left-side game board 5AL's drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW.

When mounting the right-side game board drawer connectors RDRW, RDRW on the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right-side game board 5AR, the same procedure as when mounting the left-side game board drawer connectors LDRW, LDRW on the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left-side game board 5AL, is followed by connecting each terminal of the right-side game board drawer connectors RDRW, RDRW of the right-side game board 5AR to the right side of the right-side game board 5AR. The right-side game board 5AR is inserted from the mounting side of the right-side game board 5AR into the through-holes for terminals formed on the game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW, and the terminals of the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW that protrude from the soldering side are soldered to the land portion of the through-hole for terminals. Then, rivets are inserted into the mounting through-holes formed in the insulating outer casing of the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW, and the ends of the rivets are crimped, causing the rivets to plastically deform. As a result, the drawer connectors RDRW, RDRW for the right-side game board are fixed to the through-hole land portion of the terminals by soldering each terminal of the RDRW, RDRW, and further, the insulating outer casing of the RDRW, RDRW is fixed to the right-side game board 5AR's drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW by rivet crimping.

By fixing them in this manner, when joining the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR, the load generated when the left-side game board drawer connector LDRW (convex type) is guided and fitted into the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW (concave type) prevents the land portions of the through-holes to which the terminals of the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW are soldered from the base material of the right-side game board 5AR's right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW.

[Lower game board drawer connector, main frame side drawer connector]
When the split game board 5A is mounted on the main frame 4, the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the left game board 5AL (which is a convex type), are guided and fitted into two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4 (which is a concave type), and the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the left game board 5AL and the terminals of the two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4 are electrically connected.

By mounting the split game board 5A onto the main frame 4, the terminals of the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW, which is mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the left game board 5AL, and the terminals of two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4 are electrically connected. This connects the peripheral control board 1510 located behind the left back box 3010L of the left game board 5AL to various boards provided on the door frame 3 (decorative boards and various relay boards provided on the tray unit 200, door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, door frame top unit 450). The various relay boards receive signals from various sensors of the performance operation unit 300 of the tray unit 200. This includes a relay for control signals that transmit detection signals and various information. A control signal line is formed to transmit various control signals to ( ). Furthermore, a ground (GND) line is formed that electrically connects the ground (GND, circuit ground) of various control boards and other various boards located behind the left rear box 3010L of the left-side game board 5AL to the ground (GND, circuit ground) of the power supply board 630 provided on the main frame 4. Additionally, various power lines are formed to supply various power sources (DC power sources such as +5V, +12V, +24V) generated by the power supply board 630 provided on the main frame 4 to the various control boards and other various boards located behind the left rear box 3010L of the left-side game board 5AL.

Furthermore, by mounting the split game board 5A onto the main frame 4, the terminals of the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW, mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the left game board 5AL, and the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4 are electrically connected. This forms a control signal line that transmits various control signals between the main control board 1310, located behind the left rear box 3010L of the left game board 5AL, and the payout control board 633 provided on the main frame 4.

Furthermore, mounting through-holes are formed in the insulating outer casing of the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, and in the insulating outer casing of the main frame side drawer connector. The lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the left game board 5AL, on which the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW and UDRW are mounted, has through-holes at positions corresponding to the insulating mounting through-holes of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW and UDRW. Additionally, the main frame side relay board (not shown), on which the main frame side drawer connector is mounted, has through-holes at positions corresponding to the insulating mounting through-holes of the main frame side drawer connector.

Here, for example, when mounting the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW onto the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the left game board 5AL, first, the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW are inserted from the mounting surface of the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW towards the soldering surface of the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW into the through-holes for terminals formed on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the left game board 5AL, and the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW that protrude from the soldering surface are soldered to the land portion of the through-hole for terminals. Then, rivets are inserted into the mounting through-holes formed in the insulating outer casing of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW and UDRW, and the ends of the rivets are crimped, causing the rivets to plastically deform. As a result, the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW and UDRW are fixed to the through-hole land portion of the terminals by soldering their respective terminals, and furthermore, the insulating outer casing of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW and UDRW is fixed to the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the left game board 5AL by rivet crimping.

By fixing it in this manner, when the divided game board 5A is attached to the main frame 4, the load generated when the lower game board drawer connector UDRW (convex type) is guided and fitted into the main frame side drawer connector (concave type) prevents the lower game board drawer connector UDRW and the land portions of the through-holes to which the terminals of the UDRW are soldered from the base material of the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the left game board 5AL.

In this embodiment, the main control board 1310, which is equipped with a main control MPU 1310a (a microprocessor), transmits various commands to the control board equipped with the microprocessor, including a self-identification code (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "ID") that can identify itself. In other words, the various commands from the main control board 1310 are composed of an ID. To put it another way, in this embodiment, the main control MPU 1310a transmits various commands containing the ID to the control board equipped with the microprocessor, allowing the microprocessor on the receiving control board to determine the compatibility (integrity) of the combination between the main control board 1310 and the receiving control board.

The main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 are electrically connected via an electrical harness with connectors at both ends, and various commands are transmitted in a unidirectional direction from the main control board 1310 to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 extracts IDs from the received commands and determines whether the combination of the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 is compatible (matched). This determination is performed in the received command analysis process of step S1022 in the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing during the peripheral control unit's power-on processing, as shown in Figure 265.

In step S1022, during the received command analysis process, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 is incompatible (inconsistent). In this case, it passes the received command as a command to be displayed as a notification to the warning process in step S1024 of the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing during the power-on process of the peripheral control unit, as shown in Figure 265. In the warning process of step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the peripheral control IC's RAM, thereby setting a process to stop the progress of the effects.

As described above, the main control board 1310 can only transmit data in one direction to the peripheral control board 1510. Therefore, the peripheral control board 1510 cannot obtain a judgment result regarding the compatibility (consistency) of the combination between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510, and the game proceeds without resolution.

In contrast, the connection between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is achieved by electrically connecting the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the left game board 5AL when the split game board 5A is mounted on the main frame 4, to the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4. Through these drawer connectors, various commands are transmitted bidirectionally between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. The payout control MPU of the payout control board 633 extracts IDs from the received commands and determines whether the combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is compatible (matches). This determination is performed in the command analysis process of step S560 in the payout control main processing of the payout control power-on processing shown in Figure 263.

In the command analysis process of step S560, the dispensing control MPU of the dispensing control board 633 determines that the combination of the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633 is incompatible (inconsistent). It then sets information indicating that the combination of the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633 is incompatible (inconsistent) in the state information storage area of the built-in dispensing control RAM, and sets information to stop the dispensing operation in the output information storage area of the built-in dispensing control RAM. This information is then passed to the LED display data creation process in step S564 of the dispensing control main process during the power-on process of the dispensing control unit shown in Figure 263, and to the command transmission process in step S566 of the dispensing control main process during the power-on process of the dispensing control unit shown in Figure 263. In step S564, during the LED display data creation process, the dispensing control MPU of the dispensing control board 633 creates display data (for example, display data showing the letter "H") to be displayed on the error LED indicator of the dispensing control board 633 as an indication of non-conformity (inconsistency), and sets it as LED display information in the output information storage area of the built-in RAM of the dispensing control. In step S566, during the command transmission process, it creates a non-conformity command (inconsistency command) to convey the non-conformity (inconsistency), and transmits it to the main control board 1310. Furthermore, in step S548, during the port output process of the main processing of the dispensing control unit in the power-on processing of the dispensing control unit shown in Figure 263, the dispensing control MPU of the dispensing control board 633 stops the dispensing operation of the dispensing motor 584 and outputs display data (for example, the letter "H") to be displayed on the error LED indicator.

As described above, the main control board 1310 receives various commands bidirectionally between the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633. Therefore, the dispensing control board 633 can determine the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633, and transmits this determination result as a command to the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510 analyzes the received command result in step S1022 of the peripheral control unit steady-state processing during the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 265. If this determination result is incompatible (inconsistent), the warning process in step S1024 of the peripheral control unit steady-state processing during the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 265 is set to notify the system of this inconsistency. At this point, the system may either continue the performance as is or set to stop the performance.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 receives the judgment result from the payout control board 633 regarding the compatibility (inconsistency) of the combination between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. If the received judgment result indicates incompatibility (inconsistency), the game may continue as is or be stopped.

In the game board 5A shown in Figures 302 and 303, the A specification is composed of a left game board 5AL and a right game board 5AR. When changing from the A specification of the divided game board 5A to the A2 specification (where the shape of the decorative members and the shape of the game area 5a on the right game board differ from those of the A specification, but the various data and programs required for the main control board 1310 and peripheral control board 1510 are the same as those in the various ROMs, and it is simply a matter of redecorating the right game board), to create game board 5A2, as shown in Figure 304, game board 5A2 consists of a left game board 5AL and a right game board 5A2R. The A2 specification is a redecoration of the right game board in the A specification, and the left game board 5AL from the A specification can be used in common. Therefore, it is only necessary to replace the right game board 5AR of the A specification with the right game board 5A2R of the A2 specification (i.e., only the right game board needs to be replaced).

Furthermore, various components that can be used in common across various specifications, such as the main control board 1310, the peripheral control board 1510, and other various boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to various performance units housed in the left rear box 3010L, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.), may be arranged on the left game board 5AL. Specifically, various data and programs required for the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 can be arranged on the left game board 5AL because they can be implemented by changing the contents of various ROMs. In addition, prize winning slots whose arrangement and number are fixed regardless of the specifications are arranged on the left game board 5AL. Furthermore, decorative components and game area 5a whose shapes can be used in common regardless of the specifications are arranged on the left game board 5AL. Furthermore, other various circuit boards that can be used in common regardless of specifications (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards with various LEDs mounted on them that are attached to various performance units housed in the left rear box 3010L, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.) are placed on the left game board 5AL.

In contrast, parts that depend on the specifications may be placed on the right-hand game board 5AR. Specifically, the prize winning slots that depend on the specifications will be placed on the right-hand game board 5AR. Furthermore, the shapes of the decorative elements and the shapes of the game area 5a that depend on the specifications will be placed on the right-hand game board 5AR.

[Self-identification code for the right-hand game board in a split game board]
As mentioned above, the split game board employs a configuration in which the left game board and the right game board are combined, and a microprocessor is installed in the left game board, while a microprocessor is not installed in the right game board.

However, while such split game boards allow for simple combination of the left and right game boards, human error can occur, such as workers assembling the split game boards mistakenly assembling an incorrect (incompatible) combination of the left and right game boards. If such an incompatible (incompatible) split game board is installed in the main frame 4 of a pachinko machine 1 in a gaming hall and a player plays, for example, the overall design uniformity of the pachinko machine may be lost, potentially reducing the player's enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, it is undesirable for a pachinko machine different from the specifications submitted to the application agency and approved to be installed in the gaming hall. Additionally, if, due to human error, decorative components corresponding to the old game board are not replaced with those corresponding to the new game board, the overall uniformity of the game machine may be lost, potentially reducing the player's enjoyment of the game.

[ID output circuit]
Therefore, in this embodiment, the right-side game board 5AR (right-side game board 5A2R) is equipped with an ID output circuit that can output a self-identification code (ID) that can identify itself to the left-side game board 5AL. The ID output circuit will be described here with reference to Figure 305. Figure 305 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the ID output circuit.

The right-side game board 5AR is equipped with an ID output circuit IDC that can identify itself. This ID output circuit IDC may be mounted on a dedicated circuit board located behind the right-side game board 5AR, or it may be mounted on one of the various relay boards, or it may be mounted together with LEDs mounted on a decorative board, or it may be mounted together with electronic components mounted on other boards.

The ID output circuit IDC is mainly composed of the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa. The parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa is an electronic component that is mainly composed of multiple flip-flop circuits (eight flip-flop circuits) and can be integrated into a chip for daisy-chain connection. It has eight ID setting terminals (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H) that can set the ID (i.e., there are eight parallel input terminals that can set the ID with an 8-bit width), a CK terminal into which the ID acquisition clock signal is input, a non-inverting QH terminal that takes the information set in the eight ID setting terminals A to H and outputs it serially as serial data without inversion, an inverting QH terminal (shown as a solid line above the letter "Q" in the diagram) that takes the information set in the eight ID setting terminals A to H, inverts it and outputs it serially as serial data, and a CK terminal that prohibits the input of the clock signal. It primarily consists of the INH terminal, the S/inverting L terminal (shown as a solid line above the letter "L" in the diagram), which switches between a shift operation based on the ID acquisition clock signal input to the CK terminal and a parallel operation in which each flip-flop circuit acquires information set at the eight ID setting terminals A through H, the SI terminal into which serial data is input, the power supply terminal Vcc into which control power is supplied, and the GND terminal which is electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground).

The parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa has its power supply terminal Vcc electrically connected to +5V, and its GND terminal, CK INT terminal, and SI terminal electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground). The non-inverting QH terminal is left unconnected, and the inverting QH terminal outputs the serial data converted from the parallel data (ID) set in the eight ID setting terminals as an ID code signal.

The S/Inverting L terminal receives the SH/LD switching signal from outside the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa. When the logic of the SH/LD switching signal is parallel operation logic (logic electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground): LOW), each flip-flop circuit in the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa captures and stores (holds) the information set at the eight ID setting terminals A through H at that moment. However, when the logic of the SH/LD switching signal is shift operation logic (logic electrically connected to +5V: HI), which is the inverted parallel operation logic, and the CK INT terminal is electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground), the circuit performs sequential shift operations on the captured information at the rising edge of the ID acquisition clock signal input to the CK terminal.

The SH/LD switching signal input to the S/inverting L terminal may be output from the peripheral control board 1510, or from a delay circuit provided together with the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa. This delay circuit is implemented on the board as part of the ID output circuit IDC, coexisting with the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa. For a predetermined time after the pachinko machine is powered on, the SH/LD switching signal logic is set to parallel operation logic. After this predetermined time has elapsed, the circuit switches from parallel operation logic to shift operation logic.

In this embodiment, the "predetermined time" is set to, for example, 30 milliseconds. When the pachinko machine is powered on and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 starts the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 265, the initial setup processing in step S1000, followed by the current time information acquisition processing in step S1002, is completed within this predetermined time. This is because the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 needs to acquire an ID code signal from the output of the ID acquisition clock signal in the ID determination processing described later, and determine the compatibility (consistency) between the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR.

When the SH/LD switching signal input to the S/Inverting L terminal is configured to be output from the peripheral control board 1510, the peripheral control board 1510 can adjust the timing of when it starts to acquire the information set in the eight ID setting terminals from terminal A to terminal H. This allows for verification (malfunction testing) of the parallel operation of the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCa. However, it is necessary to provide a transmission path for the SH/LD switching signal from the peripheral control board 1510 to the S/Inverting L terminal of the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCa.

In contrast, when the SH/LD switching signal input to the S/inverting L terminal is configured to be output from a delay circuit, the period during which each flip-flop circuit of the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCa starts to acquire the information set at the eight ID setting terminals from terminal A to terminal H is limited to a predetermined time (for example, 30 milliseconds) from the time the pachinko machine is powered on. As a result, the peripheral control board 1510 cannot verify the parallel operation of the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCa (defect check), and there is no need to provide a path for transmitting the SH/LD switching signal from the peripheral control board 1510 to the S/inverting L terminal of the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCa. When transmitting various control signals via a drawer connector, there is a limit to the number of terminals on the drawer connector, so it is necessary to reduce the number of control signals as much as possible. When the SH/LD switching signal input to the S/inverting L terminal is configured to be output from the delay circuit, it is not necessary to provide a transmission path for the SH/LD switching signal from the peripheral control board 1510 to the S/inverting L terminal of the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCa. Therefore, this contributes to reducing the number of control signals transmitted via the drawer connector.

In this embodiment, the eight ID setting terminals of the right-side game board 5AR are electrically connected to +5V at terminals A, B, C, and D, while terminals E, F, G, and H are electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground). In other words, the ID of the right-side game board 5AR, when represented with an 8-bit width with terminal A as the most significant bit and terminal H as the least significant bit, becomes 11110000B (where the letter "B" represents a binary number), and when represented in hexadecimal, it becomes F0H (where the letter "H" represents a hexadecimal number). In contrast, the eight ID setting terminals of the right-side game board 5A2R shown in Figure 304 are electrically connected to +5V at terminals A, B, C, D, and H, while terminals E, F, and G are electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground). In other words, the ID of the right-side game board 5A2R, when represented as an 8-bit width with terminal A as the most significant bit and terminal H as the least significant bit, becomes 11110001B (where the letter "B" represents a binary number), and when represented as a hexadecimal number, it becomes F1H (where the letter "H" represents a hexadecimal number). Thus, the IDs of the right-side game board 5AR and the right-side game board 5A2R are pre-set to be different. In this embodiment, although the A and A2 specifications of the split game board 5A differ in the shape of the decorative members on the right-hand game board and the shape of the game area 5a, as described above, the various data and programs required for the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510 are the same as those in the various ROMs. Since the right-hand game board can be redecorated, the combination of the left-hand game board 5AL and the right-hand game board 5AR is compatible (aligned), and the combination of the left-hand game board 5AL and the right-hand game board 5A2R is also compatible (aligned).

Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the S/inverting L terminal is electrically connected to +5V, the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa operates as an 8-bit shift register because each flip-flop circuit shifts sequentially on the rising edge of the ID acquisition clock signal input to the CK terminal (i.e., the information input to terminal A → information input to terminal B → information input to terminal C → information input to terminal D → information input to terminal E → information input to terminal F → information input to terminal G → information input to terminal H → and then shifts one bit at a time from the non-inverting QH terminal and inverting QH terminal to output the ID code signal as serial data).

By combining the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR, as described above, the terminals of the left-side game board drawer connector LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left-side game board 5AL and the terminals of the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW mounted on the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right-side game board 5AR are electrically connected, thereby forming control signal lines that transmit various control signals between the peripheral control board 1510 located behind the left-side back box 3010L of the left-side game board 5AL and the various boards located behind the right-side back box 3010R of the right-side game board 5AR. As a result, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and an ID acquisition clock signal is input from the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL, the ID output circuit IDC provided on the right game board 5AR can transmit an ID code signal that allows it to identify itself based on this input ID acquisition clock signal to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL, via the terminals of the right game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW mounted on the right game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right game board 5AR and the terminals of the left game board drawer connector LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left game board 5AL. Therefore, the loss of overall design uniformity in the pachinko machines can be prevented, thus mitigating the decline in players' enjoyment of the game. Further explanation of this determination will follow later.

Furthermore, the ID output circuit IDC provided on the right-side game board 5AR can transmit an ID code signal to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL via a drawer connector formed by the terminals of the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW mounted on the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right-side game board 5AR, and the terminals of the left-side game board drawer connector LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left-side game board 5AL. However, instead of this, the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW and the left-side game board drawer connector of the left-side game board 5AL can be used to transmit an ID code signal to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL. The connector relay board 5ALDRW may be electrically connected via an electrical harness with connectors at both ends, thereby transmitting the ID code signal from the ID output circuit IDC on the right-side game board 5AR to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL. Alternatively, the board on which the ID output circuit IDC is mounted and the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL may be directly electrically connected via an electrical harness with connectors at both ends, thereby transmitting the ID code signal from the ID output circuit IDC on the right-side game board 5AR to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL.

Furthermore, the ID acquisition clock signal and SH/LD switching signal to the ID output circuit IDC provided on the right-side game board 5AR, and the ID code signal from the ID output circuit IDC provided on the right-side game board 5AR, may be transmitted via one of the two drawer connectors, or they may be distributed and transmitted through both drawer connectors.

[Detection signal from a photosensor that detects the position of various movable parts on the right-side game board]
Next, when the right-side game board 5AR is equipped with various movable parts, the detection signals from the photosensor that detect the positions (original position and operating position) of the various movable parts will be explained with reference to Figure 306. Figure 306 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a photosensor information serial output circuit.

The detection signals from the photosensor that detects the positions (original position and operating position) of various movable parts on the right-side game board 5AR are aggregated in the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO, as shown in Figure 306. The photosensor information serial output circuit PSO mainly consists of a parallel-to-serial conversion circuit PSOa. This parallel-to-serial conversion circuit PSOa in the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO is the same circuit as the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC described above. Therefore, explanations of each terminal, the parts with identical circuit configurations, and the operation are omitted here.

The detection signals from the photosensors that detect the positions (original and operating positions) of the various movable parts on the right-side game board 5AR are input to eight input terminals: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H (i.e., there are eight parallel input terminals that can be set with an 8-bit width ID). If the number of photosensors that detect the positions (original and operating positions) of the various movable parts on the right-side game board 5AR is less than eight, the number of input terminals corresponding to the missing number will be electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground).

The inverting QH terminal (shown as a solid line above the letter "Q" in the diagram) receives the information set in the eight input terminals A through H, inverts it, and outputs it serially as serial data. It is electrically connected to the SI terminal of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit IDCa of the ID output circuit IDC mentioned above. In other words, the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit PSOa and the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit IDCa of the ID output circuit IDC are daisy-chained together.

The S/Inverting L terminal (shown as a solid line above the letter "L" in the diagram) switches between a shift operation based on the ID acquisition clock signal input to the CK terminal and a parallel operation in which each flip-flop circuit acquires information set at the eight input terminals A through H. The SH/LD switching signal from the peripheral control board 1510 is input to this terminal. The SH/LD switching signal is input to the S/Inverting L terminal of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit PSOa of the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO, as well as the S/Inverting L terminal of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit IDCa of the ID output circuit IDC.

In the right-side game board 5AR, when the S/inverted L terminal of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit PSOa of the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO and the S/inverted L terminal of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit IDCa of the ID output circuit IDC are electrically connected to +5V, the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit PSOa of the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO and the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit IDCa of the ID output circuit IDC have their respective flip-flop circuits shift sequentially on the rising edge of the ID acquisition clock signal input to the CK terminal. (In other words, the information input to terminal A → information input to terminal B → information input to terminal C → information input to terminal D → information input to terminal E → information input to terminal F → information input to terminal G → information input to terminal H → and the ID code signal is output as serial data by shifting one bit at a time from the non-inverting QH terminal and the inverting QH terminal.) Therefore, it operates as a 16-bit shift register, consisting of an 8-bit shift register by the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit PSOa of the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO, and an 8-bit shift register by the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit IDCa of the ID output circuit IDC.

By combining the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR, as described above, the terminals of the left-side game board drawer connector LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left-side game board 5AL and the terminals of the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW mounted on the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right-side game board 5AR are electrically connected, thereby forming control signal lines that transmit various control signals between the peripheral control board 1510 located behind the left-side back box 3010L of the left-side game board 5AL and the various boards in the right-side game board 5AR. As a result, from the perspective of the peripheral control board 1510, which is located behind the left rear box 3010L of the left-side game board 5AL, the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit IDCa of the ID output circuit IDC in the right-side game board 5AR becomes the preceding 8-bit shift register, and the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit PSOa of the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO in the right-side game board 5AR becomes the succeeding 8-bit shift register. In other words, the peripheral control board 1510 receives, one bit at a time, as serial data, first the contents held by each flip-flop of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit PSOa of the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO in the right-side game board 5AR, which becomes the succeeding 8-bit shift register, followed by the contents held by each flip-flop of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit PSOa of the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO in the right-side game board 5AR, which becomes the succeeding 8-bit shift register.

The ID output circuit IDC and the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO, both located on the right-side game board 5AR, transmit an ID code signal that allows the right-side game board 5AR to identify itself, and a detection signal that detects the position of various movable parts on the right-side game board 5AR, as a single serial signal, a photo and an ID code signal, to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL. This signal is transmitted via a drawer connector formed by the right-side game board 5AR's drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW and the left-side game board LDRW terminals on the left-side game board 5ALDRW. The peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL acquires photo and ID code signals by outputting an ID acquisition clock signal at a predetermined timing, allowing it to determine the compatibility (consistency) between the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR, and to determine the positions of various movable parts. The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, for example, at a predetermined timing, in the movable part information acquisition process of step S1106 in the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267, sets and outputs the logic of the SH/LD switching signal to enable parallel operation, then serial operation, and then outputs an ID acquisition clock signal to acquire photo and ID code signals, allowing it to determine the compatibility (consistency) between the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR, and to determine the positions of various movable parts.

Furthermore, the ID output circuit IDC provided on the right-side game board 5AR can transmit photo and ID code signals to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL via a drawer connector formed by the terminals of the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW mounted on the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right-side game board 5AR, and the terminals of the left-side game board drawer connector LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left-side game board 5AL. However, instead of this, the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW and The left-side game board 5AL and the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW may be electrically connected via electrical wiring (harness) with connectors at both ends, and the photo and ID code signals may be transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL. Alternatively, the board on which the ID output circuit IDC provided on the right-side game board 5AR is mounted and the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL may be directly electrically connected via electrical wiring (harness) with connectors at both ends, and the photo and ID code signals may be transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL.

Furthermore, by electrically connecting the inverted QH terminal of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit PSOa of the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO in the right-side game board 5AR and the SI terminal of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit IDCa of the ID output circuit IDC, it operates as a 16-bit shift register as described above. The photo and ID code signals are configured as serial signals containing information from the detection signals from the photosensor that detects the positions (original position and operating position) of various movable parts provided in the right-side game board 5AR, and the ID information of the right-side game board 5AR. The terminals of the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW, which are mounted on the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right-side game board 5AR, and the left-side game board drawer connector, which is mounted on the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left-side game board 5AL Previously, the data was transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL via a drawer connector using the terminals of LDRW and LDRW. Alternatively, the inverted QH terminal of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit PSOa of the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO and the SI terminal of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit IDCa of the ID output circuit IDC in the right-side game board 5AR could be configured as separate serial systems. This data could then be transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL via a drawer connector using the terminals of the RDRW and RDRW drawer connectors mounted on the right-side game board 5AR's drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW, and the terminals of the LDRW and LDRW drawer connectors mounted on the left-side game board 5ALDRW's drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW.

[Self-identification code when the right-side game board is further divided]
Here, we will explain the ID output circuit in the case where the right-side game board 5AR is further divided into an upper and lower section, consisting of an upper right game board 5ART and a lower right game board 5ARU, with reference to Figure 307. Figure 307 is a circuit diagram showing an example of multiple ID output circuits.

The right-side game board 5AR can be assembled by combining the upper right-side game board 5ART and the lower right-side game board 5ARU. After combining the upper right-side game board 5ART and the lower right-side game board 5ARU, the right-side game board 5AR is fixed together by tightening bolts (not shown) through connecting members (not shown) provided on each of the upper right-side game board 5ART and the lower right-side game board 5ARU from one end to the other. This ensures that the surfaces of the game area 5a where the game balls roll, which is the connection point between the upper right-side game board 5ART and the lower right-side game board 5ARU, automatically become flush (i.e., no steps are created).

Furthermore, the right-side game board 5AR is fixed to the right-side game board 5ART and the right-side game board 5ARU by fastening them together with connecting members (not shown) provided on the right-side game board 5ART and the right-side game board 5ARU, with bolts (not shown) passing from one end to the other. After that, the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR are combined. The left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are fixed together by fastening connecting members (not shown) provided on each of the game boards (5AL and 5AR) from one end to the other using bolts (not shown), and the divided game board 5A is then mounted on the main frame 4. However, the left game board 5AL, the upper right game board 5ART, and the lower right game board 5ARU may each be individually fixed to the main frame 4. Even in this case, the surfaces of the game area 5a where the game balls roll, which are the connecting portions between the left game board 5AL, the upper right game board 5ART, and the lower right game board 5ARU, automatically become flush (i.e., no steps are created) as the left game board 5AL, the upper right game board 5ART, and the lower right game board 5ARU are fixed to the main frame 4.

The upper right game board 5ART has a right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW on which the aforementioned right-side game board drawer connectors RDRW, RDRW are mounted. The two right-side game board drawer connectors RDRW, RDRW are of the concave type. Furthermore, the upper right game board 5ART also has a right-side game board drawer connector relay board on which two upper-side game board drawer connectors (not shown) are mounted. These two upper-side game board drawer connectors are of the convex type. The decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted, the drive motors, and the drive solenoids, etc., which are attached to the various performance units in the upper right game board 5ART, are electrically connected to the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW either via various relay boards or directly.

The lower right game board 5ARU has a lower right game board drawer connector relay board, which is mounted on a position corresponding to the two upper right game board drawer connectors located on the upper right game board drawer connector relay board (not shown). The two lower right game board drawer connectors are of the concave type. The decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted, the drive motors, and the drive solenoids attached to the various performance units in the lower right game board 5ARU are electrically connected to the lower right game board drawer connector relay board (not shown) via various relay boards, or directly.

The two upper-right game board drawer connectors (convex type) and the two lower-right game board drawer connectors (concave type), not shown in the diagram, are connectors that automatically electrically connect the upper-right game board 5ART and the lower-right game board 5ARU simply by joining them together.

When the upper right game board 5ART and the lower right game board 5ARU are combined, the two drawer connectors for the upper right game board, which are convex type and mounted on the upper right game board drawer connector relay board of the upper right game board 5ART, are guided and fitted into the two drawer connectors for the lower right game board, which are concave type and mounted on the lower right game board drawer connector relay board of the lower right game board 5ARU. This electrically connects the terminals of the two drawer connectors on the upper right game board 5ART to the terminals of the two drawer connectors on the lower right game board drawer connector relay board of the lower right game board 5ARU. This electrical connection forms control signal lines that transmit various control signals between the various circuit boards in the upper right game board 5ART and the various circuit boards in the lower right game board 5ARU. It also forms a ground (GND) line that electrically connects the ground (GND, circuit ground) of the various circuit boards in the upper right game board 5ART to the ground (GND, circuit ground) of the various circuit boards in the lower right game board 5ARU. Furthermore, it forms various power lines that supply various power sources (DC power sources such as +5V, +12V, +24V) to the various circuit boards in the lower right game board 5ARU via the various circuit boards in the upper right game board 5ART.

The insulating outer casings of the two upper-right game board drawer connectors and the two lower-right game board drawer connectors, similar to the right-side game board drawer connectors RDRW and RDRW described above, each have mounting through-holes. Rivets are inserted into these mounting through-holes, and the ends of the rivets are crimped. The rivets then undergo plastic deformation, fixing the two upper-right game board drawer connectors to the upper-right game board drawer connector relay board of the upper-right game board 5ART, and the two lower-right game board drawer connectors to the lower-right game board drawer connector relay board of the lower-right game board 5ARU.

By fixing them in this manner, when the upper right game board 5ART and the lower right game board 5ARU are joined together, the load generated when the upper right game board drawer connector (convex type) is guided and fitted into the lower right game board drawer connector (concave type) prevents the soldered terminals of the through-holes of the upper right game board drawer connector from peeling off from the base material of the upper right game board 5ART's drawer connector relay board. Similarly, the soldered terminals of the lower right game board drawer connector from the soldered terminals of the through-holes of the lower right game board drawer connector from the base material of the lower right game board 5ARU's drawer connector relay board.

The upper right game board 5ART is provided with an ID output circuit IDCT that can identify itself, and the lower right game board 5ARU is provided with an ID output circuit IDCU that can identify itself. The ID output circuit IDCT of the upper right game board 5ART may be mounted on a dedicated circuit board that only it has on it, located behind the upper right game board 5ART, or it may be mounted on one of the various relay boards of the upper right game board 5ART, or it may be mounted together with LEDs mounted on the decorative board of the upper right game board 5ART, or it may be mounted together with electronic components mounted on other boards of the upper right game board 5ART. The ID output circuit IDCU of the lower right game board 5ARU may be mounted on a dedicated circuit board located behind the lower right game board 5ARU, or it may be mounted on one of the various relay boards of the lower right game board 5ARU, or it may be mounted together with LEDs mounted on the decorative board of the lower right game board 5ARU, or it may be mounted together with electronic components mounted on other boards of the lower right game board 5ARU.

The ID output circuits IDCT and IDCU have the same circuit configuration as the ID output circuit IDC described above, and a detailed explanation will be omitted, but they are mainly composed of parallel serial conversion circuits IDCTa and IDCUa, respectively. The ID output circuit IDCT of the upper right game board 5ART is the same as the ID output circuit IDC described above, and the ID of the upper right game board 5ART, when represented in an 8-bit width with terminal A as the most significant bit and terminal H as the least significant bit, is 11110000B (the letter "B" represents a binary number), and when represented in hexadecimal, it is F0H (the letter "H" represents a hexadecimal number). In contrast, the ID of the lower right game board 5ARU, when represented as an 8-bit number with terminal A as the most significant bit and terminal H as the least significant bit, is 11111000B (where the letter "B" represents a binary number), and when represented in hexadecimal, it is F8H (where the letter "H" represents a hexadecimal number).

The parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART is identical to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa of the ID output circuit IDC mentioned above, except that the SI terminal is not electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground). Therefore, a detailed explanation is omitted. When the upper right game board 5ART and the lower right game board 5ARU are combined, the CK terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa is automatically electrically connected via a drawer connector consisting of two (not shown) drawer connectors (convex type) for the upper right game board 5ART and two (not shown) drawer connectors (concave type) for the lower right game board 5ARU, as described above. Through this drawer connector, the CK terminal and S/inverting L terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa on the upper right game board 5ART are electrically connected, respectively, and the ID acquisition clock signal from the peripheral control board 1510 is input.

The S/inverted L terminal of the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU receives the SH/LD switching signal from the delay circuit in the lower right game board 5ARU. In other words, the S/inverted L terminal of the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART receives the SH/LD switching signal from the delay circuit in the upper right game board 5ART, while the S/inverted L terminal of the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU receives the SH/LD switching signal from the delay circuit in the lower right game board 5ARU. Thus, the S/inverted L terminals of parallel serial conversion circuits IDCTa and IDCUa each receive SH/LD switching signals from separate delay circuits. The delay circuits in the upper right game board 5ART and the lower right game board 5ARU, as described above, are designed to operate the SH/LD switching signal logic in parallel mode for a predetermined time after the pachinko machine is powered on. After this predetermined time has elapsed, the logic switches from parallel operation to shift operation.

Alternatively, the SH/LD switching signal from the delay circuit in the upper right game board 5ART may be input to the S/inverting L terminal of the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU via drawer connectors consisting of two drawer connectors (convex type) for the upper right game board 5ART (not shown) and two drawer connectors (concave type) for the lower right game board 5ARU (not shown). Furthermore, the SH/LD switching signal from the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL is transmitted to the upper right game board 5ART via a drawer circuit consisting of the terminals of the left game board drawer connector LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left game board 5AL, and the terminals of the right game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW mounted on the right game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right game board 5AR. The signal is input to the S/inverting L terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa, and furthermore, it may be input to the S/inverting L terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa on the lower right game board 5ARU via drawer connectors formed by two drawer connectors (convex type) for the upper right game board 5ART (not shown) and two drawer connectors (concave type) for the lower right game board 5ARU (not shown).

The parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU has its SI terminal electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground), and its inverted QH terminal is electrically connected to the SI terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART via a drawer connector consisting of two upper right game board drawer connectors (convex type) (not shown) in the upper right game board 5ART and two lower right game board drawer connectors (concave type) (not shown) in the lower right game board 5ARU. In other words, the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU and the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART are daisy-chained.

With the S/inverting L terminal electrically connected to +5V, the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART and the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU have their respective flip-flop circuits shift sequentially on the rising edge of the ID acquisition clock signal input to the CK terminal (that is, the information input to terminal A → the information input to terminal B → the information input to terminal C) The information input to terminal D is then transferred to terminal E, then to terminal F, then to terminal G, then to terminal H. Because the ID code signal is output as serial data by shifting one bit at a time from the non-inverting QH and inverting QH terminals, this results in a 16-bit shift register consisting of an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART and an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU.

By combining the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR (that is, by combining the left-side game board 5AL, the upper-right game board 5ART, and the lower-right game board 5ARU), as described above, the terminals of the left-side game board drawer connector LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left-side game board 5AL and the terminals of the right-side game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW mounted on the right-side game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the upper-right game board 5ART are electrically connected, thereby forming control signal lines that transmit various control signals between the peripheral control board 1510 located behind the left-side back box 3010L of the left-side game board 5AL and the various boards in the upper-right game board 5ART and the various boards in the lower-right game board 5ARU. As a result, from the perspective of the peripheral control board 1510, which is located behind the left rear box 3010L of the left-side game board 5AL, the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART becomes the preceding 8-bit shift register, and the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU becomes the succeeding 8-bit shift register. In other words, the peripheral control board 1510 receives serial data one bit at a time, sequentially, containing the contents held by each flip-flop of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU, which becomes the succeeding 8-bit shift register, following the contents held by each flip-flop of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the upper right game board 5ART, which becomes the preceding 8-bit shift register.

The ID output circuit IDCT provided on the upper right game board 5ART and the ID output circuit IDCU provided on the lower right game board 5ARU can transmit an ID code signal to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and an ID acquisition clock signal is input from the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL via the terminals of the right game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW mounted on the right game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the upper right game board 5ART and the terminals of the left game board drawer connector LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left game board drawer connector relay board 5ALLDRW of the left game board 5AL. This ID code signal allows the ID code to identify itself based on the input ID acquisition clock signal. The peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL can acquire an ID code signal by outputting an ID acquisition clock signal at a predetermined timing, and can determine the compatibility (consistency) between the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game board 5AR.

Furthermore, the ID output circuit IDCT provided on the upper right game board 5ART can transmit an ID code signal to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL via a drawer connector formed by the terminals of the right game board drawer connector RDRW, RDRW mounted on the right game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right game board 5AR, and the terminals of the left game board drawer connector LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left game board 5AL. However, instead, the right game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW and the left game board drawer connector relay board of the left game board 5AL... Alternatively, the 5ALDRW may be electrically connected via an electrical harness with connectors at both ends, allowing the ID code signal from the ID output circuit IDCT on the upper right game board 5ART to be transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL. Alternatively, the board on which the ID output circuit IDCT on the upper right game board 5ART is mounted and the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL may be directly electrically connected via an electrical harness with connectors at both ends, allowing the ID code signal from the ID output circuit IDCT on the upper right game board 5ART to be transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL.

Furthermore, the ID output circuit IDCU, provided on the lower right game board 5ARU, transmits the ID code signal to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL via a first drawer connector formed by the terminals of the two lower right game board drawer connectors mounted on the lower right game board drawer connector relay board of the lower right game board 5ARU and the terminals of the two upper right game board drawer connectors mounted on the upper right game board drawer connector relay board of the upper right game board 5ART, and via a second drawer connector formed by the terminals of the right game board drawer connectors RDRW, RDRW mounted on the right game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right game board 5AR and the terminals of the left game board drawer connectors LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left game board drawer connector relay board 5ALDRW of the left game board 5AL. While transmission is possible, alternatively, the ID code signal may be transmitted from the ID output circuit IDCU on the lower right game board 5ARU to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL via an electrical harness with connectors at both ends between the lower right game board drawer connector relay board and the left game board 5ALDRW. Alternatively, the board on which the ID output circuit IDCU on the lower right game board 5ARU is mounted and the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL may be directly electrically connected via an electrical harness with connectors at both ends, allowing the ID code signal to be transmitted from the ID output circuit IDCU on the lower right game board 5ARU to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL.

Furthermore, although the first and second drawer connectors each consist of two drawer connectors, the ID acquisition clock signal and SH/LD switching signal to the ID output circuit IDCT provided on the upper right game board 5ART and the ID output circuit IDCU provided on the lower right game board 5ARU, and the ID code signals from the ID output circuit IDCT provided on the upper right game board 5ART and the ID output circuit IDCU provided on the lower right game board 5ARU, may be transmitted via one of the two drawer connectors in the first drawer connector, or distributed and transmitted to both drawer connectors. Similarly, the signals may be transmitted via one of the two drawer connectors in the second drawer connector, or distributed and transmitted to both drawer connectors.

When combining the upper right game board and the lower right game board, the upper right game board 5ART should be combined with the lower right game board 5ARU. However, if the upper right game board 5ART is combined with another lower right game board that is not compatible (aligned), the left game board 5AL and the upper right game board 5ART are compatible (aligned). As a result, the various LEDs on the upper right game board 5ART will change their illumination pattern as the performance progresses, but the various LEDs on the other lower right game board that is not compatible (aligned) with the upper right game board 5ART will turn off (all off). Alternatively, when combining the upper right and lower right game boards, specifically when combining the upper right game board 5ART with the lower right game board 5ARU, if the upper right game board 5ART is not compatible (aligned) with another lower right game board, even if the left game board 5AL and the upper right game board 5ART are compatible (aligned), the various LEDs on the upper right game board 5ART, and the various LEDs on the other lower right game board that is not compatible (aligned) with the upper right game board 5ART, may be turned off (all LEDs turned off).

[ID determination process]
In this embodiment, the performance control unit 300 provided on the door frame 3 may be replaceable to match the specifications of the divided game board. In this case, the performance control unit 300 may be treated as a component of the game board 5. That is, the game frame side component, which consists of the outer frame 2, the door frame 3 and the main body frame 4, is provided with a game board side component, which consists of a game board 5 equipped with a microprocessor and a performance control unit 300 not equipped with a microprocessor, in a state that allows for easy attachment and detachment (for example, in a state where it can be attached and detached without using tools such as a screwdriver). Various LEDs are provided on the game board 5 and the performance control unit 300, and are driven by various LED drivers.

In contrast, the door frame units (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units"), such as the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the plate unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450, which are installed on the door frame 3, are installed in a state that makes them difficult to attach or detach (for example, they are screwed in with screws and are difficult to attach or detach without using tools such as a screwdriver) and are not replaced (or may be made not replaceable) according to the specifications of the divided game board. They are used in common with any divided game board specification, regardless of the specifications of the divided game board. Various LEDs are installed on the divided game board and the door frame units and are driven by various LED drivers. Here, the combinations of the performance operation unit installed on the door frame 3 and the divided game board that are suitable (compatible) as pachinko machine A and the combinations that are suitable (compatible) as pachinko machine B will be explained with reference to Figures 308 and 309. Figure 308 is a table showing the compatibility (matching)/incompatibility (mismatching) of combinations, and Figure 309 is a flowchart showing an example of the power-on processing for the peripheral control unit that can perform ID determination. The power-on processing for the peripheral control unit in Figure 309 performs almost the same processing as the power-on processing for the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 265, and in Figure 309, steps that perform the same processing are shown with the same names and step numbers. Detailed explanations of the same names and step numbers are omitted. Furthermore, in the following description, the door frame units such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, which are provided on the door frame 3, are shown as not being replaced (or not being replaceable) in accordance with the specifications of the split game board. However, instead of the above-mentioned performance operation unit 300, or in addition to the performance operation unit 300, a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) provided on the door frame 3, such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, may be treated as a component of the game board 5. In other words, the game board side component may be composed of the game board 5 equipped with a microprocessor and the performance operation unit 300 and/or a specific door frame unit that is not equipped with a microprocessor.

Here, the aforementioned ID output circuit is provided, which allows the performance control unit 300 to identify itself as a unit that can be replaced according to the specifications of the split game board. The ID used for pachinko machine A is 00110000B in binary (where "B" represents a binary number) and 30H in hexadecimal (where "H" represents a hexadecimal number) (hereinafter, the performance control unit used for pachinko machine A will be referred to as "performance control unit 300A"). The ID used for pachinko machine B is 00110001B in binary (where "B" represents a binary number) and 31H in hexadecimal (where "H" represents a hexadecimal number) (hereinafter, the performance control unit used for pachinko machine B will be referred to as "performance control unit 300B").

In the configuration of the split game boards in pachinko machine A, the settings are configured as specification A (for example, a type with a setting key, or one that is not a so-called "sweet" type), and the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR described above are compatible (matched). In the configuration of the split game boards in pachinko machine B, the settings are configured as specification B, which is different from specification A (for example, one without a setting key, or one that is a so-called "sweet" type), and the new left game board 5BL and the right game board 5AR described above are compatible (matched).

In that case, as a combination of the performance control unit installed in the door frame 3 of pachinko machine A and the divided game board, the left game board 5AL is compatible (matches) with the combination of the right game board 5AR and the performance control unit 300A, as shown in Figure 308(a). Similarly, as a combination of the performance control unit installed in the door frame 3 of pachinko machine B and the divided game board, the left game board 5BL is compatible (matches) with the combination of the right game board 5AR and the performance control unit 300B, as shown in Figure 308(b). Furthermore, the door frame units, such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, which are installed on the door frame 3, are not replaced according to the specifications of the split game board, as described above. They are used in common with any split game board specification, regardless of the specific split game board specification. Therefore, as shown in Figures 308(a) and (b), the combination of the left game board 5AL and the door frame unit is not subject to compatibility (alignment) in specification A, nor is the combination of the left game board 5BL and the door frame unit subject to compatibility (alignment) in specification B.

The peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL acquires IDs from ID code signals transmitted from each ID output circuit at a predetermined timing after power-on, and determines whether the combination of the performance operation unit provided in the door frame 3 and the divided game board is compatible (matched). Specifically, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and the peripheral control unit power-on processing begins, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 performs the initial setting processing in step S1000, followed by the current time information acquisition processing in step S1002, as shown in Figure 309. Subsequently, the peripheral control IC 1510a performs the ID determination processing in step S1003. In this ID determination processing, in order to acquire the ID of the right-side game board and the ID of the performance operation unit, it outputs an ID acquisition clock signal (an ID acquisition clock signal exclusive to the right-side game board) to the right-side game board and an ID acquisition clock signal (an ID acquisition clock signal exclusive to the performance operation unit) to the performance operation unit. The peripheral control IC 1510a then acquires the ID code signal from the right-side game board (an ID code signal specifically for the right-side game board) and the ID code signal from the performance control unit (an ID code signal specifically for the performance control unit) via separate serial systems. It then determines (compares) the combination of the split game boards (i.e., the combination of the right-side game board (a board without a microprocessor) and the left-side game board (the peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310, both equipped with microprocessors) by referring to a combination table (Figure 308) pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM. It also determines (compares) the combination of the performance control unit and the split game boards by referring to a combination table (Figure 308) pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM.

Furthermore, in this ID determination process, the determination (comparison) of the combination of the split game board (i.e., the combination of the right-side game board (the board without a microprocessor) and the left-side game board (the peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310 with a microprocessor)) and the determination (comparison) of the combination of the performance operation unit and the split game board may be performed multiple times (for example, five times). In this case, if three consecutive matches (matches) are obtained as the determination result, the process proceeds as a match (match). Conversely, if three consecutive matches (matches) are not obtained as the determination result, the process proceeds as a mismatch (inconsistency).

In the ID determination process of step S1003, if the determination result for the combination of the divided game boards is incompatible (inconsistent), that is, if the determination result for the combination of the right-side game board (a board without a microprocessor) and the left-side game board (a peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310 with a microprocessor) is incompatible (inconsistent), the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 passes a command classified as a notification display to the warning process of step S1024 in the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing during the peripheral control unit power-on process. In the warning process of step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the peripheral control IC's RAM, thereby setting various processes related to the effects.

Furthermore, in the ID determination process of step S1003, if the determination result for the combination of the performance operation unit and the split game board is found to be incompatible (inconsistent), the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 passes a command classified as a notification display to the warning process of step S1024 in the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing during the peripheral control unit's power-on processing. In the warning process of step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the peripheral control IC's RAM, thereby setting various processes related to the performance.

Since the peripheral control board 1510 needs to receive various commands from the main control board 1310, when the pachinko machine is powered on, the peripheral control board 1510 is configured to complete startup before the main control board 1310's system starts up. For this reason, if the combination of the performance operation unit and the split game board is incompatible (incompatible), even if the combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is incompatible (incompatible), the configuration in which the performance operation unit and the split game board are incompatible (incompatible) will take precedence until a command indicating this is received. Subsequently, when the peripheral control board 1510 receives a command indicating that the combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is incompatible (incompatible), it will prioritize the configuration in which the combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is incompatible (incompatible) over the configuration in which the performance operation unit and the split game board are incompatible (incompatible). The combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is such that the main control board 1310 is placed on the split game board, while the payout control board 633 is placed on the main frame 4, and the split game board is mounted on the main frame 4. In other words, it is a combination of the split game board and the main frame.

Furthermore, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 previously performed the ID determination process only once when power was supplied (including cases where power was restored after a power outage or after a momentary power outage), before the start of the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing in the peripheral control unit power-on processing. However, to allow the ID determination process to be performed at any time, it may be modified to perform it as part of the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing in the peripheral control unit power-on processing (for example, performing the ID determination process as step S1012 following the 1ms interrupt timer activation process in step S1010, followed by the performance operation unit monitoring process in step S1014). This would allow the peripheral control IC 1510a to verify the combination of the performance operation unit and the split game board multiple times at any desired time.

Furthermore, when the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 outputs an SH/LD switching signal (which may be composed of an SH/LD switching signal dedicated to the right game board and an SH/LD switching signal dedicated to the performance operation unit, or one SH/LD switching signal may be split into two signals and input to the right game board and the performance operation unit respectively) to the right game board and the performance operation unit, in the ID determination process, first, the logic of the SH/LD switching signal is set to parallel operation logic for a predetermined time (a sufficient time for the parallel serial conversion circuit of the ID output circuit in the right game board and the parallel serial conversion circuit of the ID output circuit in the performance operation unit to acquire and store (hold) the information set to the eight ID setting terminals by parallel operation, for example, 2 milliseconds), and this predetermined time After a certain period, the system switches from parallel operation logic to shift operation logic. It then outputs an ID acquisition clock signal (a clock signal specifically for the right-side game board) to the right-side game board and an ID acquisition clock signal (a clock signal specifically for the performance control unit) to the performance control unit. The ID code signal from the right-side game board (an ID code signal specifically for the right-side game board) and the ID code signal from the performance control unit (an ID code signal specifically for the performance control unit) are acquired via separate serial systems. The system then determines the combination of the split game boards (i.e., the combination of the right-side game board (a board without a microprocessor) and the left-side game board (a peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310 equipped with a microprocessor)), and also determines the combination of the performance control unit and the split game boards.

Next, returning to Figure 308, we will explain the state, behavior, and countermeasures of the pachinko machine based on the compatibility (alignment)/incompatibility (incompatibility) of the combination of the performance control unit and the divided game board, and the combination of the divided game board and the main frame. The door frame units, such as the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450, which are provided on the door frame 3, are not replaced according to the specifications of the divided game board, as described above. They are used commonly regardless of the specifications of the divided game board, and therefore have no effect on the compatibility (alignment)/incompatibility (incompatibility) of the combination of the performance control unit and the divided game board, and the combination of the divided game board and the main frame.

This section explains the details of pachinko machine A. The details of pachinko machine B are identical to those of pachinko machine A and are therefore omitted except for a few parts (in Figure 308(c), the symbols for pachinko machine A are followed by the symbols for pachinko machine B in parentheses).

The combination of the divided game boards in pachinko machine A, and the combination of the divided game boards and the performance operation unit in pachinko machine A, are determined in the ID determination process at step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. The combination of the divided game board 5A and the main frame is determined in the command analysis process at step S560 of the payout control unit main processing of the payout control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 263. In other words, the combination of the divided game boards in pachinko machine A, and the combination of the divided game boards and the performance operation unit in pachinko machine A, are determined by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 located on the divided game board, while the combination of the divided game board 5A and the main frame is determined by the payout control MPU of the payout control board 633 provided on the main frame 4 on which the divided game board is mounted. The determination result made by the payout control MPU of the payout control board 633 is transmitted as a command to the peripheral control board 1510 via the main control board 1310. Therefore, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 stores information on whether the combination of divided game boards in pachinko machine A and the combination of divided game boards and the performance operation unit in pachinko machine A are compatible (matched), and information on whether the combination of divided game board 5A and the main frame is compatible (matched).

In the combination of the split game board and the performance control unit in pachinko machine A, it is set as specification A (for example, a type with a setting key, or one that is not a so-called "sweet digital" type), and the split game board 5A, which consists of the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, is suitable (compatible), and the combination of the split game board and the performance control unit in pachinko machine A, which consists of the split game board 5A and the performance control unit 300A, is suitable (compatible). Furthermore, the combination of the split game board in pachinko machine B, and the combination of the split game board and the performance control unit in pachinko machine B, are set to the B specification (for example, those without setting keys, or so-called "sweet" type machines). The split game board combination that is compatible (matches) is split game board 5B, which consists of the left game board 5BL and the right game board 5AR. The combination of the split game board and the performance control unit in pachinko machine B that is compatible (matches) is split game board 5B and performance control unit 300B.

As shown in Figure 308(c), there are 10 possible states of the pachinko machine, ranging from state 1 to state 10, depending on the combination of the performance control unit 300A and the divided game board 5A, and the combination of the divided game board 5A and the main frame, resulting in compatibility (alignment) or incompatibility (misalignment).

State 1: Normal. Combination of split game boards: The left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are composed of a compatible (harmonious) state.
Combination of split game board and performance control unit: The split game board 5A and the performance control unit 300A are configured and in a compatible (harmonious) state.
Combination of the split game board and the main frame: The combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is in a compatible (matched) state.
Behavior of the pachinko machine during the error: Normal operation (no error handling performed).
Solution: None, as it is functioning normally.

Status 2: ID Error 1 (Incompatibility (mismatch) of the right-side game board)
Combination of split game boards: The left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not combined, resulting in a non-conforming (incompatible) state.
Combination of split game board and performance control unit: The split game board 5A and the performance control unit 300A are configured and in a compatible (harmonious) state.
Combination of the split game board and the main frame: The combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is in a compatible (matched) state.
Pachinko machine behavior during an error: Error response 1 (ID error 1 response).
Solution: After shutting off the power, replace it with a compatible ID part (matched ID part).

Status 3: ID Error 2 (Incompatibility (mismatch) of the performance control unit)
Combination of split game boards: The left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are combined and in a compatible (aligned) state.
Combination of split game board and performance control unit: The split game board 5A and the performance control unit 300A are not combined, resulting in a mismatch (incompatibility).
Combination of the split game board and the main frame: The combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is in a compatible (matched) state.
Pachinko machine behavior during an error: Error response 2 (ID error 2 response).
Solution: Replace with a compatible ID part (matching ID part) (replacement is possible even while the power is on).

Condition 4: ID Error 3 (Incompatibility (mismatch) between the main control board and the dispensing control board)
Combination of split game boards: The left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are combined and in a compatible (harmonious) state.
Combination of split game board and performance control unit: The split game board 5A and the performance control unit 300A are configured and in a compatible (harmonious) state.
Combination of the split game board and the main frame: The combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is incompatible (incompatible).
Pachinko machine behavior during an error: Error response 3 (ID error 3 response).
Solution: After shutting off the power, replace it with a compatible ID part (matched ID part).

Condition 5: ID Error 4 (Incompatibility (mismatch) of the right-side game board + Incompatibility (mismatch) of the performance control unit)
Combination of split game boards: The left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not combined, resulting in a non-conforming (incompatible) state.
Combination of split game board and performance control unit: The split game board 5A and the performance control unit 300A are not combined, resulting in a mismatch (incompatibility).
Combination of the split game board and the main frame: The combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is in a compatible (matched) state.
Pachinko machine behavior during an error: Error response 4.
Solution: After shutting off the power, replace it with a compatible ID part (matched ID part).

Condition 6: ID Error 1, 3 (Incompatibility (mismatch) of the right-side game board + Incompatibility (mismatch) between the main control board and the payout control board)
Combination of split game boards: The left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not combined, resulting in a non-conforming (incompatible) state.
Combination of split game board and performance control unit: The split game board 5A and the performance control unit 300A are configured and in a compatible (harmonious) state.
Combination of the split game board and the main frame: The combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is incompatible (incompatible).
Pachinko machine behavior during an error: Error response 5.
Solution: After shutting off the power, replace it with a compatible ID part (matched ID part).

Condition 7: ID Error 2, 3 (Incompatibility (mismatch) of the performance control unit + Incompatibility (mismatch) between the main control board and the payout control board)
Combination of split game boards: The left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are combined and in a compatible (aligned) state.
Combination of split game board and performance control unit: The split game board 5A and the performance control unit 300A are not combined, resulting in a mismatch (incompatibility).
Combination of the split game board and the main frame: The combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is incompatible (incompatible).
Pachinko machine behavior during an error: Error response 6.
Solution: After shutting off the power, replace it with a compatible ID part (matched ID part).

Status 8: Disconnection Error 1 (Connection to the right-side game board could not be confirmed)
Combination of split game boards: No ID code signal input from the right game board 5AR (the input of the ID code signal from the right game board 5AR could not be confirmed), and a malfunction such as a short circuit or break occurred in the transmission path that transmits various signals, making it impossible to confirm the connection.
Combination of split game board and performance control unit: The split game board 5A and the performance control unit 300A are configured and in a compatible (harmonious) state.
Combination of the split game board and the main frame: The combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is in a compatible (matched) state.
Pachinko machine behavior during an error: Error response 7.
Solution: Check the connection after turning off the power.

Status 9: Disconnection Error 2 (Unable to confirm connection with the performance control unit)
Combination of split game boards: The left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are combined and in a compatible (aligned) state.
Combination of split game board and performance control unit: No ID code signal input from performance control unit 300A (inability to confirm input of ID code signal from performance control unit 300A), resulting in a state where connection cannot be confirmed due to malfunctions such as short circuits or disconnections in the transmission path that transmits various signals.
Combination of the split game board and the main frame: The combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is in a compatible (matched) state.
Pachinko machine behavior during an error: Error response 8.
Solution: Check the connection after turning off the power.

Status 10: Disconnection Error 3 (Connection to the right-side game board could not be confirmed + Connection to the performance control unit could not be confirmed)
Combination of split game boards: No ID code signal input from the right game board 5AR (the input of the ID code signal from the right game board 5AR could not be confirmed), and a malfunction such as a short circuit or break occurred in the transmission path that transmits various signals, making it impossible to confirm the connection.
Combination of split game board and performance control unit: No ID code signal input from performance control unit 300A (inability to confirm input of ID code signal from performance control unit 300A), resulting in a state where connection cannot be confirmed due to malfunctions such as short circuits or disconnections in the transmission path that transmits various signals.
Combination of the split game board and the main frame: The combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is in a compatible (matched) state.
Pachinko machine behavior during an error: Error response 9.
Solution: Check the connection after turning off the power.

Next, regarding the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error as shown in Figure 308(c), we will explain error responses 1 to 9 separately, divided into cases where there is no magnetic detection (so-called magnetic cheating) when the power is turned on (including recovery from a power outage and recovery from a momentary power outage; the same applies hereinafter), when the performance progresses after the power is turned on (for example, when the performance progresses based on the entry of game balls into various prize slots), or when the machine is waiting for customers (for example, when a demonstration is being performed or when the image is stopped), and cases where there is magnetic detection (magnetic cheating) when the performance progresses after the power is turned on (for example, when the performance progresses based on the entry of game balls into various prize slots), or when the machine is waiting for customers (for example, when a demonstration is being performed or when the image is stopped).Specific examples 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 310 to 312, and specific examples 2 will be explained with reference to Figures 313 to 315. Figure 310 is a table showing various error handling methods (Specific Example 1) at power-on, Figure 311 is a table showing various error handling methods (Specific Example 1) without magnetic detection during the progress of performances or while waiting for customers after power-on, and Figure 312 is a table showing various error handling methods (Specific Example 1) with magnetic detection during the progress of performances or while waiting for customers after power-on. Furthermore, Figure 313 is a table showing various error handling methods (Specific Example 2) at power-on, Figure 314 is a table showing various error handling methods (Specific Example 2) without magnetic detection during the progress of performances or while waiting for customers after power-on, and Figure 315 is a table showing various error handling methods (Specific Example 2) with magnetic detection during the progress of performances or while waiting for customers after power-on. Various ID errors (including individual ID errors such as ID Error 1, ID Error 2, and ID Error 3 shown in Figure 308(c), as well as combinations thereof) cause a greater disruption to gameplay than various disconnection errors (disconnection error 1, disconnection error 2, and disconnection error 3 shown in Figure 308(c)). Furthermore, while magnetic detection resolves after a certain period of time, ID errors and disconnection errors do not resolve even after a certain period of time.

Furthermore, the items listed in the upper row of the tables in Figures 310 to 315 are as follows: "Error Response Number" corresponds to Error Response 1 to Error Response 9 as shown in Figure 308(c) for the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error; "Sound" indicates the type of sound emitted from the various speakers installed in the pachinko machine; "Various LEDs of the Door Frame Unit (Various LEDs related to effects (Various decorative LEDs))" indicates the type of light emission of various LEDs (Various LEDs related to effects (Various decorative LEDs)) installed in the door frame unit, such as the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, which are installed in the door frame 3; and "Various LEDs of the Game Board (Various LEDs related to effects (Various decorative LEDs))" refers to the various LEDs (Various LEDs related to effects (Various decorative LEDs)) installed in the game board (divided game board). This indicates the light emission mode. "Performance Display Device" indicates the display mode of the performance display device 1600 installed on the game board (divided game board). "Sub-Performance Display Device" is installed separately from the performance display device 1600 on the game board (divided game board) or door frame unit, and indicates the display mode of the sub-performance display device. "Function Display Unit" indicates the display mode of the function display unit 1400 installed on the game board (divided game board). "Sub-Function Display Unit" indicates the display mode of the sub-function display unit 2250 installed on the game board (divided game board). "Game Board Side Movable Body (Performance-Related Movable Body)" indicates the operation of various movable bodies (performance-related movable bodies) installed on the game board (divided game board). "Door Frame Side" indicates the operation of various movable bodies installed on the door frame unit.

Of the items mentioned above, "sound," "various LEDs on the door frame unit (various LEDs related to effects (various decorative LEDs))," "various LEDs on the game board (various LEDs related to effects (various decorative LEDs))," "effect display device," "sub-effect display device," "sub-function display unit," "game board side movable body (movable body related to effects)," and "game frame side movable body" are controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 installed on the game board (divided game board), while the "function display unit" is controlled by the main control board 1310 installed on the game board (divided game board). Furthermore, if a sub-effect display device is not installed in the pachinko machine, the content displayed on the sub-effect display device is displayed on the effect display device 1600 installed on the game board (divided game board).

Furthermore, as described above, the door frame unit is equipped with a performance control unit 300 on the plate unit 200. Some performance control units 300 do not have the aforementioned ID output circuit; that is, they do not have an ID for self-identification and are used in common across all specifications. In such cases, when the performance control unit 300 is equipped with a movable body such as the performance control section 301, the movable body provided on the performance control unit 300 is treated as part of the "game frame side movable body," and various LEDs (e.g., multiple LEDs 320a, LED 355a, LED 364a, etc.) mounted on various decorative boards provided on the performance control unit 300 (e.g., the performance control section outer periphery decorative board 320, the button outer decorative board 355, the button inner decorative board 364, etc.) are treated as part of the "various LEDs of the door frame unit."

In Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response) and Error Response 7, "movable parts on the game board" refers to the various movable parts provided on the left game board, while in Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response) and Error Response 8, it refers to the various movable parts provided on the left game board and/or the various movable parts provided on the right game board.

As shown in Figure 308(c), when errors occur in the pachinko machine, errors 1 through 9 must be addressed. To resolve these various errors, the main frame 4 must be opened from the outer frame 2, or the door frame 3 from the main frame 4. Although the pachinko machine 1 is in a state where the door is open, it prioritizes notifying errors 1 through 9 and therefore does not announce that the door is open.

Furthermore, when the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310 determines that the checksum value in step S30 of the main control side power-on processing shown in Figure 255 does not match when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1, it performs the error display processing in step S33 of the same processing as a RAM error in the main control's built-in RAM, and then restarts. Even after restarting, the contents of the main control's built-in RAM are not updated at all, and the process proceeds again to the error display processing in step S33 based on the determination in step S30, leading to repeated restarts and a state where gameplay is stopped.

In a state where such a RAM error occurs, even if error responses 1 to 9 occur as shown in Figure 308(c), only a notification (error display) indicating that a RAM error has occurred is given. However, as shown in Figure 308(c), no notification indicating that error responses 1 to 9 have occurred is given.

To prevent repeated restarts, it is necessary to insert the setting key into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and turn it ON. Then, while pressing the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d on the payout control board 633, operate the power switch 630a on the power supply board 630 to power on the pachinko machine 1. This operation causes the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310 to perform the setting change process in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing, clear the entire RAM area in step S38, and then proceed with the game using the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257. Because the setting key is an important key, only a limited number of people, including the manager of the pachinko hall, are permitted to possess it, and this is limited to 2-3 people.

When the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 starts up by, for example, displaying "Power Restoring" on a black background on the display device 1600. At this time, "Setting" may be displayed after "Power Restoring," or "Setting" may be displayed instead of "Power Restoring." In this case, when the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 starts the setting change process in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing, it needs to send a setting change start command as main-peripheral serial data to the peripheral control board 1510 to indicate that the setting change has started.

The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, after the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 has finished the setting change process in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing, that is, after receiving a setting change command from the main control board 1310, will, as a trigger, issue a notification to indicate if any of the error responses 1 to 9 shown in Figure 308(c) have occurred in the pachinko machine during an error. In other words, even if errors 1 to 9 occur as shown in Figure 308(c) during an error in the pachinko machine, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 can change the start time of the error notification by operating the setting key held by a limited number of people in the gaming hall. This is possible if the setting key is inserted into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and the main control MPU 1310a performs the setting change processing in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing (until a predetermined period has elapsed until this setting change processing is completed, in other words, until the setting change command from the main control board 1310 is received (analyzed)).

[Specific example 1: When power is turned on]
First, regarding the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error shown in Figure 308(c) when the power is turned on, Error Response 1 to Error Response 9 will be explained with reference to Figure 310.
[Error handling 1 (ID error 1 handling)]
Audio: After the startup music ends, an announcement saying "Please call an attendant" will be played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound seven times. This audio pattern will be repeated.
Door frame unit LEDs: Turn off (all off).
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Performance display device: Displays the message "Power restoration in progress" and "Please wait" on a black background, and displays the image from the performance once the startup music finishes.
Sub-display device: Simultaneously with the start of the startup music, the message "Game board ID error" is displayed on a predetermined background image.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Turn off (all lights off).
Game board side movable parts: No movement such as returning to original position (not functioning).
Movable parts on the game frame side: No movement such as returning to the original position (not functioning).

[Error handling 2 (ID error 2 handling)]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-effect display device: Simultaneously with the start of the startup music, it displays the message "Effect Operation Button ID Error" on a predetermined background image.
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling)]
Audio: After the startup music ends, an announcement saying "Please call an attendant" will be played, followed by two predetermined error alert sounds. This audio pattern will be repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-display device: Simultaneously with the start of the startup music, a notification message "Main Payout ID Error" is displayed on a predetermined background image, indicating an inconsistency between the main control board installed in the game board (split game board) and the payout control board installed in the main frame 4 on which the game board (split game board) is mounted.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Game board side movable parts: Performs actions such as returning to the original position (operation).
Movable parts on the game frame side: Performs actions such as returning to the original position (operation).

[Error handling 4]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-display device: Simultaneously with the start of the startup music, the notification text "Game board ID error" and "Performance operation button ID error" are displayed on a predetermined background image (this is a combination of the contents of Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 response) and Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 response) (Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 response) + Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 response))).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error handling 5]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Sub-display device: Simultaneously with the start of the startup music, the notification text "Main Pay ID Error" and "Game Board ID Error" are displayed on a predetermined background image (this is a combination of the content of Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response) and Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response) (Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response) + Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response))).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error handling 6]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Sub-effect display device: Simultaneously with the start of the startup music, the notification text "Main payment ID error" and "Effect operation button ID error" are displayed on a predetermined background image (this is a combination of the contents of Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 response) and Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 response) (Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 response) + Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 response))).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response).
Movable part on the game frame side: Same as Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response).

[Error Handling 7]
Audio: After the startup music ends, an announcement saying "Game board not connected" is played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound four times. This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
Various LEDs on the game board: Flash red.
The display device shows the following messages on a black background: "Power restoration in progress" and "Please wait a moment," and "The game board cable has not been inserted" and "Please cut off the power before inserting the cable." Once the startup music finishes, it displays the image from the game's special effects.
Sub-display device: Simultaneously with the start of the startup music, the message "Game board not connected" is displayed on a predetermined background image.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Turn off (all lights off).
Game board side movable parts: No movement such as returning to original position (not functioning).
Movable parts on the game frame side: No movement such as returning to the original position (not functioning).

[Error Handling 8]
Audio: After the startup music ends, an announcement saying "The performance control unit is not connected" is played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound four times. This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
Various LEDs on the game board: Flash red.
Performance display device: Displays the message "Power restoration in progress" and "Please wait" on a black background, and the message "Cable for performance control unit detected not inserted" and "Please cut off the power before inserting the cable" and then displays the image from the performance when the startup music finishes.
Sub-effect display device: Simultaneously with the start of the startup music, it displays the message "Performance control unit not connected" on a predetermined background image.
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).

[Error handling 9]
Audio: After the startup music ends, a first announcement sound saying "Game board is not connected" is played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound four times. Then, a second announcement sound saying "Performance control unit is not connected" is played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound four times. This audio pattern is repeated (combining the content of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red (same as Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Various LEDs on the game board: Flash red (same as Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Performance display device: Displays the message "Power restoration in progress" and "Please wait" on a black background, and the message "The game board cable has not been inserted" and "The performance control unit cable has not been inserted" and "Please cut off the power before inserting the cable" are displayed. When the startup music finishes, it displays the image from the performance (combining the contents of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Sub-display device: Simultaneously with the start of the startup music, the device displays the notification text "Game board not connected" and "Display operation unit not connected" on a predetermined background image (this is a combination of the contents of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).

[Specific example 1: Cases where magnetic detection (so-called magnetic cheating) is not involved during the progress of the performance after power-on or while waiting for customers]
Next, regarding the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error as shown in Figure 308(c) when there is no magnetic detection (so-called magnetic cheating) during the progression of the performance after power-on (for example, when the performance progresses based on the entry of game balls into various prize slots) or while waiting for customers (for example, when a demonstration is being performed or when a still image is displayed), error responses 1 to 9 will be explained with reference to Figure 311.

[Error handling 1 (ID error 1 handling)]
The system plays an announcement saying, "Please call an attendant," followed by a predetermined error alert sound seven times. This sequence of voice messages is repeated.
Door frame unit LEDs: Turn off (all off).
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Performance display device: Displays the message "Please wait a moment" on images during performances (such as images displayed during the progress of a performance, the same applies hereinafter) or on images while customers are waiting (such as images displayed during the progress of a demonstration, the same applies hereinafter).
Sub-display device: Displays the message "Game board ID error" on the image during a performance or while waiting for customers.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Turn off (all lights off).
Game board side movable parts: No action such as returning to the original position (not operating). However, if the parts are operating in conjunction with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, in addition to the progress of the performance, they may stop or return to the original position at the point when this error occurs.
Movable parts on the game frame: No action such as returning to the original position (not operating). However, if the parts are operating in conjunction with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, in addition to the progress of the performance, they may stop or return to the original position at the point when this error occurs.

[Error handling 2 (ID error 2 handling)]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-effect display device: Displays the message "Effect operation button ID error" on the image during an effect or while waiting for customers.
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling)]
The system plays an announcement saying, "Please call an attendant," followed by a predetermined error alert sound twice. This sequence of voice messages is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-display device: Displays the message "Main Payout ID Error" on the image during a performance or while the player is waiting, indicating an inconsistency between the main control board installed in the game board (split game board) and the payout control board installed in the main frame 4 on which the game board (split game board) is mounted.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Designated LEDs light up (when waiting for customers: off (all LEDs off)).
Game board side movable parts: In addition to the progression of the performance, they move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).
Movable parts on the game frame: In addition to the progression of the game's effects, they also move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).

[Error handling 4]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-display device: Displays the notification text "Game board ID error" and "Display operation button ID error" on the image during a performance or while waiting for a customer (this is a combination of the content of Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 response) and Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 response) (Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 response) + Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 response))).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error handling 5]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Sub-display device: Displays the notification text "Main payment ID error" and "Game board ID error" on the image during the performance or while waiting for customers (this is a combination of the contents of Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 response) and Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 response) (Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 response) + Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 response))).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error handling 6]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Sub-display device: Displays the notification text "Main payment ID error" and "Display operation button ID error" on the image during a performance or while waiting for customers (this is a combination of the contents of Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 response) and Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 response) (Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 response) + Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 response))).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response).
Movable part on the game frame side: Same as Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response).

[Error Handling 7]
Audio: An announcement stating "Game board not connected" is played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound four times. This sequence of audio messages is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
Various LEDs on the game board: Flash red.
Performance display device: Displays the following message on the image during performances or while the player is waiting: "The game board cable has not been inserted" or "Please cut off the power before inserting the cable."
Sub-display device: Displays the message "Game board not connected" on the image during a performance or while waiting for customers.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Game board side movable parts: No action such as returning to the original position (not operating). However, if the parts are operating in conjunction with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, in addition to the progress of the performance, they may stop or return to the original position at the point when this error occurs.
Movable parts on the game frame: No action such as returning to the original position (not operating). However, if the parts are operating in conjunction with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, in addition to the progress of the performance, they may stop or return to the original position at the point when this error occurs.

[Error Handling 8]
Audio: An announcement stating "The performance control unit is not connected" is played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound four times. This sequence of audio messages is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
Various LEDs on the game board: Flash red.
Performance display device: Displays the following message on the image during a performance or while the audience is waiting: "The performance control unit cable has not been inserted" or "Please cut off the power before inserting the cable."
Sub-effect display device: Displays the message "Effect operation unit not connected" on the image during an effect or while waiting for customers.
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).

[Error handling 9]
Audio: The first announcement sound, "Game board is not connected," is played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound four times. Then, the second announcement sound, "Performance control unit is not connected," is played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound four times. This audio pattern is repeated (combining the content of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: (Same as Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Various LEDs on the game board: (Same as Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Performance display device: Displays notification text such as "The game board cable has not been inserted" or "The performance control unit cable has not been inserted" on the image during a performance or while the player is waiting (this is a combination of the contents of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Sub-display device: Displays the notification text "Game board not connected" or "Display operation unit not connected" on the image during a performance or while the player is waiting (this is a combination of the contents of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).

[Specific Example 1: Cases involving magnetic detection (magnet-based cheating) during the progress of the performance or while waiting for customers after power-on]

Next, we will explain error responses 1 to 9, as shown in Figure 308(c), regarding the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error when magnetic detection (magnet cheating) is involved, either during the progression of the performance after power-on (for example, when the performance progresses based on the entry of game balls into various prize slots) or while waiting for customers (for example, when a demonstration is being performed or when a still image is displayed), with reference to Figure 312. Note that when magnetic detection (the act of magnetic cheating) ceases, the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error (error responses 1 to 9) without magnetic detection (magnet cheating) during the progression of the performance after power-on (for example, when the performance progresses based on the entry of game balls into various prize slots) or while waiting for customers (for example, when a demonstration is being performed or when a still image is displayed), as shown in Figure 311.

[Error handling 1 (ID error 1 handling)]
The system plays an announcement saying, "Please call an attendant," followed by a predetermined error alert sound three times. This sequence of voice messages is repeated.
Door frame unit LEDs: Turn off (all off).
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Performance display device: Displays images during performances (such as images displayed during the progress of a performance, the same applies hereinafter) or images while customers are waiting (such as images displayed during the progress of a demonstration, the same applies hereinafter).
Sub-display device: Displays notification text such as "Magnet detected" or "Game board ID error" on the image during a performance or while waiting for customers.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Turn off (all lights off).
Game board side movable parts: No action such as returning to the original position (not operating). However, if the parts are operating in conjunction with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, in addition to the progress of the performance, they may stop or return to the original position at the point when this error occurs.
Movable parts on the game frame: No action such as returning to the original position (not operating). However, if the parts are operating in conjunction with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, in addition to the progress of the performance, they may stop or return to the original position at the point when this error occurs.

[Error handling 2 (ID error 2 handling)]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-effect display device: Displays notification text such as "Magnet detected" or "Effect operation button ID error" on the image during an effect or while waiting for customers.
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling)]
The system plays an announcement saying, "Please call an attendant," followed by a predetermined error alert sound twice. This sequence of voice messages is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-display device: When an image is displayed during a performance or while waiting for a customer, the device displays the message "Main Payout ID Error" and the message "Magnet Detected" on the image, indicating an inconsistency between the main control board installed in the game board (split game board) and the payout control board installed in the main frame 4 on which the game board (split game board) is mounted.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Designated LEDs light up (when waiting for customers: off (all LEDs off)).
Game board side movable parts: In addition to the progression of the performance, they move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).
Movable parts on the game frame: In addition to the progression of the game's effects, they also move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).

[Error handling 4]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-display device: Displays notification text such as "Magnet detected,""Game board ID error," and "Display operation button ID error" on the image during a performance or while waiting for a customer (this is a combination of the content of Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 response) and Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 response) (Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 response) + Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 response))).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error handling 5]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Sub-display device: Displays notification text such as "Main Pay ID Error,""Game Board ID Error," and "Magnet Detected" on the image during a performance or while waiting for a customer (this is a combination of the content of Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response) and Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response) (Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response) + Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response))).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error Handling 6]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Sub-display device: Displays notification text such as "Main payment ID error,""Display operation button ID error," and "Magnet detection" on the image during a performance or while waiting for customers (this is a combination of the contents of Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 response) and Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 response) (Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 response) + Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 response))).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response).
Movable part on the game frame side: Same as Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response).

[Error Handling 7]
Audio: An announcement stating "Game board not connected" is played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound four times. This sequence of audio messages is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
Various LEDs on the game board: Flash red.
Performance display device: Displays the following message on the image during performances or while the player is waiting: "The game board cable has not been inserted" or "Please cut off the power before inserting the cable."
Sub-display device: Displays notification text such as "Magnet detected" or "Game board not connected" on the image during a performance or while waiting for customers.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Game board side movable parts: No action such as returning to the original position (not operating). However, if the parts are operating in conjunction with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, in addition to the progress of the performance, they may stop or return to the original position at the point when this error occurs.
Movable parts on the game frame: No action such as returning to the original position (not operating). However, if the parts are operating in conjunction with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, in addition to the progress of the performance, they may stop or return to the original position at the point when this error occurs.

[Error Handling 8]
Audio: An announcement stating "The performance control unit is not connected" is played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound four times. This sequence of audio messages is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
Various LEDs on the game board: Flash red.
Performance display device: Displays the following message on the image during a performance or while the audience is waiting: "The performance control unit cable has not been inserted" or "Please cut off the power before inserting the cable."
Sub-effect display device: Displays notification text such as "Magnet detected" or "Effect operation unit not connected" on the image during the performance or while waiting for customers.
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).

[Error handling 9]
Audio: An announcement stating "The game board is not connected" is played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound four times. Then, an announcement stating "The performance control unit is not connected" is played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound four times. This audio pattern is repeated (combining the content of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: (Same as Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Various LEDs on the game board: (Same as Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Performance display device: Displays notification text such as "The game board cable has not been inserted" or "The performance control unit cable has not been inserted" on the image during a performance or while the player is waiting (this is a combination of the contents of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Sub-effect display device: Displays notification text such as "Magnet detected,""Game board not connected," or "Effect operation unit not connected" on the image during an effect or while waiting for a customer (this is a combination of the contents of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).

[Specific example 2: When power is turned on]
Next, regarding the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error shown in Figure 308(c) when the power is turned on, error responses 1 to 9 will be explained with reference to Figure 313.
[Error handling 1 (ID error 1 handling)]
Audio: When the power is turned on, there is no startup music and the system is silent. Then, a predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying, "A connection error has occurred with the game board. Please turn off the power and check the game board." This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Display device: After displaying "Power Restoring" on a black background, it displays the following notification text: "Game board error occurred,""Errornumber:,""Game board connection error," and "Please turn off the power and check the game board," and displays an image of the game board connection error section of the pachinko machine lit up.
Sub-display device: Displays a black background.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Turn off (all lights off).
Game board side movable parts: Perform actions such as returning to their original position and advancing the effects (operation).
Movable parts on the game frame side: No movement such as returning to the original position (not functioning).

[Error handling 2 (ID error 2 handling)]
Audio: When the power is turned on, there is no startup music and the system is silent. Then, a predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying, "A connection error has occurred with the performance control unit. Please turn off the power and check the performance control unit." This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Performance display device: After displaying "Power Restoring" on a black background, it displays notification text such as "Performance operation unit error occurred,""Errornumber:","Performance operation unit connection error," and "Please turn off the power and check the performance operation unit," and displays an image of the performance operation unit connection error area of the pachinko machine lit up.
Sub-effect display device: Simultaneously with the start of the startup music, it displays the message "Effect Operation Button ID Error" on a predetermined background image.
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling)]
Audio: When the power is turned on, there is no startup music and the system is silent. Then, a predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying, "Please call an attendant." This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Display device: After displaying "Power Restoring" on a black background, it displays notification text such as "Main payout error occurred,""Errornumber:,""Main payout connection error," and "Please turn off the power and check the main control and payout control" indicating an incompatibility between the main control board in the game board (split game board) and the payout control board in the main frame 4 in which the game board (split game board) is mounted, and displays an image indicating that the game board and frame cannot be combined.
Sub-display device: Displays a black background.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Game board side movable parts: Performs actions such as returning to the original position (operation).
Movable parts on the game frame side: Performs actions such as returning to the original position (operation).

[Error handling 4]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error handling 5]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Sub-display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error Handling 6]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Sub-display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response).
Movable part on the game frame side: Same as Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response).

[Error Handling 7]
Audio: When the power is turned on, there is no startup music and the system is silent. Then, a predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying "The game board is not connected." This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash white.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Performance display device: After displaying "Power Restoring" on a black background, it switches to displaying an image from the performance (such as an image displayed during the progress of the performance, the same applies below), and displays the notification text "Error number:" and "Game board not connected error".
Sub-effect display device: Displays images during the performance.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Turn off (all lights off).
Game board side movable parts: Performs actions such as returning to the original position (operation).
Movable parts on the game frame side: No movement such as returning to the original position (not functioning).

[Error Handling 8]
Audio: When the power is turned on, there is no startup music and the system is silent. Then, a predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying, "The performance control unit is not connected." This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash white.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Performance display device: After displaying "Power Restoring" on a black background, it switches to the image used during the performance and displays the notification text "Error Number:" and "Performance Operation Unit Not Connected Error".
Sub-effect display device: Displays images during the performance.
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).

[Error handling 9]
Audio: When the power is turned on, there is no startup music and the system is muted. Then, a predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying "The game board is not connected." This is followed by another predetermined error notification sound, and then an announcement saying "The performance control unit is not connected" (this is a combination of the contents of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash white (same as Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Various LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off) (Same as Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Performance display device: After displaying "Power Restoring" on a black background, it switches to the image shown during the performance, displays the notification text "Error number:" and "Game board unconnected error", and then displays the notification text "Error number:" and "Performance operation unit unconnected error" (this is a combination of the contents of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Sub-effect display device: Displays the image during the effect (combines the contents of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).

Furthermore, if the performance control unit 300 is not provided with any ID for self-identification and can be used in common with any specification, in specific example 2: Error response 1 to error response 6 when power is turned on, the various LEDs on the door frame unit are flashing red, so the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the performance control unit are also flashing red. However, only some of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the performance control unit (various LEDs mounted on one of the various decorative boards, or specific LEDs among the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards) may be turned off (all turned off), or all of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the performance control unit may be turned off (all turned off). Furthermore, in specific example 2: Error handling 7 to error handling 9 during power-on, the various LEDs on the door frame unit blink white. Therefore, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards in the performance control unit also blink white. However, it is possible to turn off only some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards in the performance control unit (the LEDs mounted on one of the decorative boards, or specific LEDs among the LEDs mounted on the decorative boards), or to turn off all of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards in the performance control unit. In other words, if only some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards in the performance control unit (the LEDs mounted on one of the decorative boards, or specific LEDs among the LEDs mounted on the decorative boards) are turned off (all turned off), the restriction of turning off (all turned off) does not apply to the other LEDs on the various decorative boards in the performance control unit, excluding those partially turned off (the LEDs mounted on one of the decorative boards, or specific LEDs among the LEDs mounted on the decorative boards).

[Specific example 2: Cases where magnetic detection (so-called magnetic cheating) is not involved during the progress of the performance after power-on or while waiting for customers]
Next, regarding the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error as shown in Figure 308(c) when there is no magnetic detection (so-called magnetic cheating) during the progression of the performance after power-on (for example, when the performance progresses based on the entry of game balls into various prize slots) or while waiting for customers (for example, when a demonstration is being performed or when the screen is still), error responses 1 to 9 will be explained with reference to Figure 314.

[Error handling 1 (ID error 1 handling)]
Audio: A predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying, "A connection error has occurred with the game board. Please turn off the power and check the game board." This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Display device: Displays the following notification text on a black background: "Game board error occurred,""Errornumber:,""Game board connection error," and "Please turn off the power and check the game board," and displays an image of the pachinko machine with the game board connection error area lit up.
Sub-display device: Displays a black background.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Designated LEDs light up (when waiting for customers: off (all LEDs off)).
Game board side movable parts: In addition to the progression of the performance, they move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).
Movable parts on the game frame: No action such as returning to the original position (not operating). However, if the parts are operating in conjunction with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, in addition to the progress of the performance, they may stop or return to the original position at the point when this error occurs.

[Error handling 2 (ID error 2 handling)]
Audio: A predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying, "A connection error has occurred with the performance control unit. Please turn off the power and then check the performance control unit." This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Performance display device: Displays notification text on a black background that reads "Performance control unit error occurred,""Errornumber:,""Performance control unit connection error," and "Please turn off the power and check the performance control unit," and displays an image of the performance control unit connection error section of the pachinko machine illuminated.
Sub-display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling)]
Audio: A predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying, "Please call an attendant." This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Display device: On a black background, it displays notification text such as "Main payout error occurred,""Errornumber:,""Main payout connection error," and "Please turn off the power and check the main control and payout control," indicating that the combination of the main control board installed in the game board (split game board) and the payout control board installed in the main frame 4 into which the game board (split game board) is mounted is incompatible, and also displays an image of the incompatible combination of the game board and frame.
Sub-display device: Displays a black background.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Designated LEDs light up (when waiting for customers: off (all LEDs off)).
Game board side movable parts: In addition to the progression of the performance, they move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).
Movable parts on the game frame: In addition to the progression of the game's effects, they also move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).

[Error handling 4]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error handling 5]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Sub-display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error Handling 6]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Sub-display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response).
Movable part on the game frame side: Same as Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response).

[Error Handling 7]
Audio: The sound effects are played, along with a predetermined error notification sound played once, followed by an announcement saying "The game board is not connected." This audio sequence is repeated along with the sound effects.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash white.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Performance display device: Displays images during performances (such as images displayed during the progress of a performance, the same applies hereinafter) or images while customers are waiting (such as images displayed during the progress of a demonstration, the same applies hereinafter).
Sub-display device: Displays images during performances or while customers are waiting.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Designated LEDs light up (when waiting for customers: off (all LEDs off)).
Game board side movable parts: In addition to the progression of the performance, they move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).
Movable parts on the game frame: In addition to the progression of the game's effects, they also move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).

[Error Handling 8]
Audio: The sound effects are played, along with a predetermined error notification sound played once, followed by an announcement saying, "The performance control unit is not connected." This audio sequence is repeated along with the sound effects.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash white.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Performance display device: Displays images during performances or while customers are waiting.
Sub-display device: Displays images during performances or while customers are waiting.
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).

[Error handling 9]
Audio: The system plays a sound effect, a predetermined error notification sound once, an announcement saying "The game board is not connected," followed by another predetermined error notification sound once, and then an announcement saying "The performance control unit is not connected." This audio pattern is repeated along with the sound effect (combining the contents of Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: (Same as Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Various LEDs on the game board: (Same as Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Display device: (Same as Error Handling 7 and Error Handling 8 (Error Handling 7 + Error Handling 8)).
Sub-display device: (Same as Error Response 7 and Error Response 8 (Error Response 7 + Error Response 8)).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).

Furthermore, if the performance control unit 300 is not provided with an ID for self-identification and the performance control unit 300 can be used in common with any specification, in specific example 2: Error response 1 to error response 6 when power is turned on (without magnetic trick), the various LEDs on the door frame unit are flashing red, so the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the performance control unit are also flashing red. However, only some of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the performance control unit (various LEDs mounted on one of the various decorative boards, or specific LEDs among the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards) may be turned off (all turned off), or all of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the performance control unit may be turned off (all turned off). Furthermore, in specific example 2: Error response 7 to error response 9 when there is no power-on (magnetic trick), the various LEDs on the door frame unit are blinking white, so the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards in the performance operation unit are also blinking white. However, it is also possible to turn off (turn off all) only some of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards in the performance operation unit (various LEDs mounted on one of the various decorative boards, or specific LEDs among the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards), or to turn off (turn off all) all of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards in the performance operation unit. In other words, if only some of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards in the performance operation unit (various LEDs mounted on one of the various decorative boards, or specific LEDs among the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards) are turned off (turn off all), the restriction of turning off (turning off all) does not apply to the other various LEDs other than some of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards in the performance operation unit (various LEDs mounted on one of the various decorative boards, or specific LEDs among the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards).

[Specific Example 2: Cases involving magnetic detection (magnet-based cheating) during the progress of the performance or while waiting for customers after power-on]

Next, we will explain error responses 1 to 9, as shown in Figure 308(c), regarding the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error when magnetic detection (magnet cheating) is involved, either during the progression of the performance after power-on (for example, when the performance progresses based on the entry of game balls into various prize slots) or while waiting for customers (for example, when a demonstration is being performed or when a still image is displayed), with reference to Figure 315. Note that when magnetic detection (the act of magnetic cheating) ceases, the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error (error responses 1 to 9) without magnetic detection (magnet cheating) during the progression of the performance after power-on (for example, when the performance progresses based on the entry of game balls into various prize slots) or while waiting for customers (for example, when a demonstration is being performed or when a still image is displayed), as shown in Figure 314.

[Error handling 1 (ID error 1 handling)]
Audio: A predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying, "A connection error has occurred with the game board. Please turn off the power and check the game board." This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Display device: Displays the following notification text on a black background: "Game board error occurred,""Errornumber:,""Game board connection error," and "Please turn off the power and check the game board," and displays an image of the pachinko machine with the game board connection error area lit up.
Sub-display device: Displays a black background.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Designated LEDs light up (when waiting for customers: off (all LEDs off)).
Game board side movable parts: In addition to the progression of the performance, they move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).
Movable parts on the game frame: No action such as returning to the original position (not operating). However, if the parts are operating in conjunction with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, in addition to the progress of the performance, they may stop or return to the original position at the point when this error occurs.

[Error handling 2 (ID error 2 handling)]
Audio: A predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying, "A connection error has occurred with the performance control unit. Please turn off the power and then check the performance control unit." This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-display device: Displays notification text on a black background that reads "Display operation unit error occurred,""Errornumber:,""Display operation unit connection error," and "Please turn off the power and check the display operation unit," and displays an image of the display operation unit connection error section of the pachinko machine illuminated.
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling)]
Audio: A predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying, "Please call an attendant." This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Display device: On a black background, it displays notification text such as "Main payout error occurred,""Errornumber:,""Main payout connection error," and "Please turn off the power and check the main control and payout control," indicating that the combination of the main control board installed in the game board (split game board) and the payout control board installed in the main frame 4 into which the game board (split game board) is mounted is incompatible, and also displays an image indicating that the game board and frame cannot be combined.
Sub-display device: Displays a black background.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Designated LEDs light up (when waiting for customers: off (all LEDs off)).
Game board side movable parts: In addition to the progression of the performance, they move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and also move to return to their original position (movement).
Movable parts on the game frame: In addition to the progression of the game's effects, they also move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).

[Error handling 4]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error handling 5]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Sub-display device: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 1 (ID Error 1 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response).

[Error Handling 6]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 3 (ID Error 3 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 3 (ID Error 3 Handling).
Sub-display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 2 (ID Error 2 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 2 (ID Error 2 Response).

[Error Handling 7]
Audio: A predetermined error notification sound is played once, followed by an announcement saying, "Magnetic sensor error." This audio pattern is repeated.
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Flash red.
All LEDs on the game board: Turn off (all off).
Performance display device: Displays images during the performance (such as images displayed during the progress of the performance, the same applies hereinafter) or images while waiting for customers (such as images displayed during the progress of the demonstration, the same applies hereinafter), and displays the notification text "Error number:" and "Magnetic sensor error".
Sub-display device: Displays images during performances or while customers are waiting.
Function display unit: The designated LED lights up.
Sub-function display unit: Designated LEDs light up (when waiting for customers: off (all LEDs off)).
Game board side movable parts: In addition to the progression of the performance, they move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).
Movable parts on the game frame: In addition to the progression of the game's effects, they also move in accordance with the progress of demonstrations while customers are waiting, and they also move to return to their original position (movement).

[Error Handling 8]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-display unit: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).

[Error handling 9]
Audio: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Various LEDs on the door frame unit: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Various LEDs on the game board: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Display device: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-display unit: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Sub-function display unit: Same as Error Handling 7 (ID Error 7 Handling).
Game board side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).
Game frame side movable part: Same as Error Response 7 (ID Error 7 Response).

Furthermore, if the performance control unit 300 is not provided with an ID for self-identification and the performance control unit 300 can be used in common with any specification, in specific example 2: Error response 1 to error response 9 when power is turned on (without magnetic trick), the various LEDs on the door frame unit are flashing red, so the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the performance control unit are also flashing red. However, only some of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the performance control unit (various LEDs mounted on one of the various decorative boards, or specific LEDs among the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards) may be turned off (all turned off), or all of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards of the performance control unit may be turned off (all turned off). In other words, if only some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards in the performance control unit (specific LEDs mounted on one of the decorative circuit boards, or specific LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit boards) are turned off (all turned off), then the restriction of turning off (all turned off) does not apply to the other LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards in the performance control unit, excluding those specific LEDs.

Furthermore, in the error responses 7, 8, and 9 in Figures 310 to 315, corresponding to states 8: unconnected error 1, 9: unconnected error 2, and 10: unconnected error 3 in Figure 308(c), the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, as another example, provides various LED drivers that drive various LEDs and various electrical drive source drivers that drive various electrical drive sources (for example, solenoid drive circuits and motor drive circuits) that are located on the right-side game board 5AR and the performance operation unit 300A (300B) where connection confirmation is not possible, each time, You may choose to send no-operation data (data to turn off various LEDs, data to stop electrical drive sources), or to send no-operation data (data to turn off various LEDs, data to stop electrical drive sources) only once when a disconnection error occurs, or to include reset data (data to reset various LED drivers, data to reset various electrical drive source drivers (e.g., solenoid drive circuits, motor drive circuits, etc.)) in the transmitted data to reset the various LED drivers and various electrical drive source drivers.

[Combination of game board and door frame]
As described above, the door frame 3 is fitted with door frame units such as the left door frame unit 420, the right door frame unit 430, the plate unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units"). The door frame units are designed according to a unified concept. The relationship between the game board 5 and the door frame 3 must be one that has been submitted to and approved by the application agency. However, when the game board 5 is attached to the main frame 4, human error may result in the relationship (combination) between the game board 5 and the door frame 3 being different from that which has been submitted to and approved by the application agency. In this case, a pachinko machine with specifications different from those submitted to and approved by the application agency may be installed in the amusement hall, which is undesirable.

Therefore, in this embodiment, one of the decorative substrates provided in the door frame unit (hereinafter referred to as the "frame-side decorative substrate") is given a self-identification code (ID) that can identify itself, and an ID comparison circuit is provided that can determine the compatibility (matching) of the combination of the game board 5 and the door frame unit and output the determination result. Here, the ID comparison circuit will be described with reference to Figure 316. Figure 316 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the ID comparison circuit. Note that since there are compatible (matching) and incompatible (incompatible) combinations of the game board 5 and the door frame unit, a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) may be treated as a component of the game board 5. In other words, the game board component installed on the main frame 4 consists of a game board 5 equipped with a microprocessor and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) that is not equipped with a microprocessor. The game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, and the specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is mounted on a door frame 3 that is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable. To put it another way, the game board component, consisting of the outer frame 2, door frame 3, and main frame 4, is equipped with a game board 5 equipped with a microprocessor and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) that is not equipped with a microprocessor. Various LEDs are provided on the game board 5 and the specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units), and are driven by various LED drivers.

[Various lines formed between the game board and the door frame]
First, to briefly explain the various lines formed between the game board 5 and the door frame 3, in the lower central part of the back box 3010 of the game board 5 shown in Figure 132, etc., there is a lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW on which two lower game board drawer connectors UDRW are mounted in the left-right direction (not shown). The two lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW are of the convex type. The lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW is electrically connected to the peripheral control board 1510 via various relay boards or directly. On the front surface of the main frame 4, at positions corresponding to the two lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW provided on the back box 3010 of the game board 5, there are two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) on a main frame side relay board (not shown). The two main frame side drawer connectors are of the concave type. Various circuit boards provided on the door frame 3 (decorative circuit boards and various relay circuit boards provided on the tray unit 200, the left side unit 420 of the door frame, the right side unit 430 of the door frame, and the top unit 450 of the door frame. The relay circuit boards include those that relay detection signals from various sensors of the performance control unit 300 of the tray unit 200) are electrically connected to the drawer connector on the main frame side.

When the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW (a convex type), are guided and fitted into two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4 (a concave type). This electrically connects the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5 to the terminals of the two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4.

The game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, and the terminals of the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5, are electrically connected to the terminals of two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) which are mounted on the main frame side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4. Through these drawer connectors, the peripheral control board 1510 located behind the back box 3010 of the game board 5 and various boards provided on the door frame 3 (decorative boards and various relay boards provided on the tray unit 200, door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, door frame top unit 450. The various relay boards include the performance operation unit 300 of the tray unit 200. This includes relaying control signals that transmit detection signals and various information from various sensors. A control signal line is formed that transmits various control signals. Furthermore, a ground (GND) line is formed that electrically connects the ground (GND, circuit ground) of various control boards and other various boards located behind the back box 3010 of the game board 5 to the ground (GND, circuit ground) of the power supply board 630 provided on the main frame 4. In addition, various power lines are formed that supply various power sources (DC power sources such as +5V, +12V, +24V) created by the power supply board 630 provided on the main frame 4 to various control boards and other various boards located behind the back box 3010 of the game board 5. Furthermore, various power lines supplying various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V) generated by the power supply board 630 located on the main frame 4, as well as a ground (GND) line electrically connected to the ground (GND, circuit ground) of the power supply board 630, are formed on the door frame 3 via electrical wiring. These power lines supply various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V) generated by the power supply board 630 located on the main frame 4.

Furthermore, when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, the terminals of the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW, mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5, and the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4 are electrically connected. This creates a control signal line that transmits various control signals between the main control board 1310, located behind the back box 3010 of the game board 5, and the payout control board 633 provided on the main frame 4, via this drawer connector.

Furthermore, mounting through-holes are formed in the insulating outer casing of the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, and in the insulating outer casing of the main frame side drawer connector. The lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW, on which the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW and UDRW are mounted, has through-holes at positions corresponding to the insulating mounting through-holes of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW and UDRW. Additionally, the main frame side relay board (not shown), on which the main frame side drawer connector is mounted, has through-holes at positions corresponding to the insulating mounting through-holes of the main frame side drawer connector.

[ID comparison circuit]
As shown in Figure 316, the ID comparison circuit WIDC provided on the frame-side decorative board WKB as one of the decorative boards provided on a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is mainly composed of an LED driver WIDCa and an 8-bit digital comparator circuit WIDCb (hereinafter referred to as "comparator circuit WIDCb").

The LED driver WIDCa has 24 output channels electrically connected to LED elements, and each channel is a sink-type constant current drive circuit capable of supplying a constant current. The maximum output current is set by an output current setting circuit WIDCc, located outside the LED driver WIDCa. The LED driver WIDCa is assigned a self-identification code (ID) for self-identification, and an address setting circuit WIDCd, located outside the LED driver WIDCa, sets the ID to one of the settings between 1 and 64.

The output current setting circuit WIDCc is electrically connected to the Rx1, Rx2, and Rx3 terminals, which are the maximum output current setting terminals of the LED driver WIDCa. By electrically connecting predetermined resistors to each terminal, the maximum output current of each output channel can be set. In other words, in this embodiment, the maximum output current is set by the hardware configuration, and it is not possible to change the maximum output current by software (program).

The address setting circuit WIDCd is electrically connected to the ID1, ID2, and ID3 terminals of the LED driver WIDCa, which are the ID setting terminals. The voltage applied to each terminal sets one of the setting values from setting value 1 to setting value 64. In other words, in this embodiment, the ID of the LED driver WIDCa is set by the hardware configuration, and it is not possible to change the ID of the LED driver WIDCa by software (program).

In this embodiment, the ID of the LED driver WIDCa is set to value 64. This is because, in addition to the door frame unit, the LED drivers are also implemented on various decorative boards and other boards on the game board 5, and the number of LED drivers changes depending on the model. Therefore, in program development, it is necessary to prevent confusion between the LED driver WIDCa of the ID comparison circuit WIDC and other LED drivers. For this reason, the ID of the LED driver WIDCa is always fixed to value 64 for the frame-side decorative board WKB on which the ID comparison circuit WIDC is provided.

The RST terminal (reset) and GND terminal (ground) of the LED driver WIDCa are electrically connected to the ground (GND, circuit ground) of the frame-side decorative board WKB, and the Vcc terminal (power supply) is electrically connected to +5V. Of the 24 output terminals of the LED driver WIDCa, OUT0 to OUT23, eight output terminals, OUT0 to OUT7, output to the comparator circuit WIDCb, while the remaining 16 output terminals, OUT8 to OUT23, are either unconnected or electrically connected to the LED elements. For a single-color LED, one LED element is packaged and its cathode terminal is electrically connected to one output terminal. For a full-color LED, three LED elements (red, green, and blue) are packaged and their respective cathode terminals are electrically connected to the three corresponding output terminals. +12V is electrically connected to the anode terminal of the LED element. Alternatively, a resistor may be inserted between the cathode terminal of the LED element and the output terminal of the LED driver WIDCa (i.e., one end of the resistor is electrically connected to the cathode terminal of the LED element, and the other end of this resistor is electrically connected to the output terminal of the LED driver WIDCa) to suppress heat generation from the LED element.

The LED driver WIDCa's SDA terminal receives light emission information signals, which are serial data from the peripheral control board 1510 located in the game board 5. This data is input via the drawer connectors. The game board 5 is mounted in the main frame 4, and the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW terminals are electrically connected to the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW mounted on the game board 5. The connection is also made to the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame-side relay board (not shown) in the main frame 4. The peripheral control board 1510 has multiple serial communication lines electrically connected to it. In other words, the peripheral control board 1510 is electrically connected to multiple serial communication lines for transmitting or receiving various serial data to and from various boards and door units within the game board 5.

The SCLK terminal, which is the clock signal input terminal of the LED driver WIDCa, receives a clock signal for transmitting light emission information signals from the peripheral control board 1510 equipped on the game board 5. This signal is input via the drawer connectors, by electrically connecting the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW (not shown) of the game board 5 when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, with the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4.

The light emission information signal input to the SDA terminal of the LED driver WIDCa, based on the light emission information clock signal input to the SCLK terminal of the LED driver WIDCa, consists of an ID code indicating which LED driver the light emission information signal is for and light emission data indicating the LED's light emission mode. When the ID code included in the light emission information signal matches the ID set by the address setting circuit WIDCd, the LED driver captures the light emission data included in the signal and controls the light emission mode of the various LEDs electrically connected to the 24 output terminals (OUT0 to OUT23) based on this captured light emission data. However, when the ID code included in the light emission information signal does not match the ID set by the address setting circuit WIDCd, the LED driver discards the light emission data included in the signal and maintains the light emission mode of the various LEDs electrically connected to the 24 output terminals (OUT0 to OUT23) based on the previously captured light emission data.

As described above, the light emission information signal for the LED driver WIDCa consists of an ID code and light emission data. The light emission data includes the ID of the frame-side decorative substrate WKB. In other words, the light emission data consists of information compared by the comparator circuit WIDCb using signals output from the eight output terminals, OUT0 to OUT7, and information output from the sixteen output terminals, OUT8 to OUT23.

The signals output from the eight output terminals (OUT0 to OUT7) of the LED driver WIDCa are input to the eight input terminals (P0 to P7) of the comparator circuit WIDCb, respectively. The eight setting terminals (Q0 to Q7) of the comparator circuit WIDCb correspond one-to-one with the eight input terminals (P0 to P7) of the comparator circuit WIDCb, serving as the primary reference points.

In this embodiment, the eight reference setting terminals, Q0 to Q7, are represented as an 8-bit width, with Q0 being the most significant bit and Q7 being the least significant bit. This results in 11110000B (where "B" represents a binary number), and in hexadecimal, it becomes F0H (where "H" represents a hexadecimal number).

The inverting G terminal (shown as a solid line above the letter "G" in the diagram), which is the enable terminal of the comparator circuit WIDCb, and the GND terminal, which is the ground terminal of the comparator circuit WIDCb, are electrically connected to the ground (GND, circuit ground) of the frame-side decorative board WKB. The Vcc terminal, which is the power supply terminal of the comparator circuit WIDCb, is electrically connected to +5V.

The comparator circuit WIDCb outputs the ID enable signal logic to enabled logic (logic LOW) from the output terminal, the inverted P=Q terminal (shown as a solid line above the letter "P=Q" in the diagram), when the logic of the signals input to the eight input terminals P0 to P7 (the signals to be compared) matches the logic set to the eight reference setting terminals Q0 to Q7. Conversely, when the logic of the signals input to the eight input terminals P0 to P7 (the signals to be compared) does not match the logic set to the eight reference setting terminals Q0 to Q7, the output terminal, the inverted P=Q terminal, outputs the ID enable signal logic to disabled logic (logic HI), which is the inverse of the enabled logic (logic LOW).

Thus, when the logic of the ID valid signal is set to valid logic, it can convey a determination that the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is compatible (matches). Conversely, when the logic of the ID valid signal is set to invalid logic, it can convey a determination that the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is not compatible (matches).

The ID activation signal output from the inverting P=Q terminal of the comparator circuit WIDCb is transmitted from the frame-side decorative board WKB via electrical wiring (harness) to the relay board TKB located on the dish unit 200 of the door frame 3. The light emission information signal and light emission information clock signal from the peripheral control board 1510, input to the frame-side decorative board WKB, are transmitted to other frame-side decorative boards via electrical wiring (harness).

[Intermediate circuit board installed in the dish unit]
Next, with reference to Figure 317, we will describe the relay board TKB, which is provided in the dish unit 200 of the door frame 3, to which the ID activation signal output from the inverting P=Q terminal of the comparator circuit WIDCb in the frame-side decorative substrate WKB is input via electrical wiring (harness). Figure 317 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the circuit of the relay board provided in the dish unit.

The relay board TKB, installed on the tray unit 200 of the door frame 3, is equipped with a door frame-side information output circuit TOC that receives detection signals from various sensors installed on the performance operation unit 300 mounted on the tray unit 200 of the door frame 3, and detection signals from various sensors installed on other units of the door frame 3 (for example, if a movable body is installed on the door frame 3, detection signals from a photosensor that detects the original position and moving position of the movable body, and detection signals from a distance measuring sensor that detects the player's actions (such as holding a hand over or waving a hand) on the door frame 3).

The door frame-side information output circuit TOC is primarily composed of two parallel-to-serial conversion circuits, TOCa and TOCb. The parallel-to-serial conversion circuits IDCa and TOCb are mainly composed of multiple flip-flop circuits (eight flip-flop circuits) and are integrated into a single chip. They are identical electronic components to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa of the ID output circuit IDC shown in Figure 305, etc.

The door frame side information output circuits TOCa and TOCb have eight input terminals: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H (i.e., eight 8-bit wide parallel input terminals), a CK terminal for receiving the information acquisition clock signal, a non-inverting QH terminal that takes the information input to the eight input terminals A through H and outputs it serially as serial data without inversion, an inverting QH terminal (shown as a solid line above the letter "Q" in the diagram) that takes the information set to the eight input terminals A through H, inverts it, and outputs it serially as serial data, and a CK terminal that prohibits the input of the clock signal. It primarily consists of the INH terminal, the S/inverting L terminal (shown as a solid line above the letter "L" in the diagram), which switches between a shift operation based on the information acquisition clock signal input to the CK terminal and a parallel operation in which each flip-flop circuit acquires information set at the eight input terminals A through H, the SI terminal into which serial data is input, the power supply terminal Vcc into which control power is supplied, and the GND terminal which is electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground).

The eight input terminals A through H of the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa, and four of the eight input terminals A through D of the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCb, receive detection signals from various sensors provided on the performance control unit 300 mounted on the plate unit 200 of the door frame 3, and detection signals from various sensors provided on other units of the door frame 3, respectively. Three of the eight input terminals E through G of the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCb are unused terminals and are electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground) (these three input terminals E through G of the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCb may also be electrically connected to +5V). The remaining input terminal H of the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCb receives the ID activation signal from the frame-side decorative board WKB.

The parallel-to-serial conversion circuits IDCa and IDCb have their power supply terminal Vcc electrically connected to +5V, their GND terminal and CK INT terminal electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground), and the non-inverting QH terminal left unconnected.

The IDCa parallel-to-serial conversion circuit has its SI terminal electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground), and outputs serial data converted from parallel data input to its eight input terminals via the inverting QH terminal.

The parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCb has its SI terminal electrically connected to the inverting QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa. It outputs serial data, converted from parallel data input to the eight input terminals, through the inverting QH terminal.

The S/Inverting L terminal receives an information acquisition switching signal from outside the parallel-serial conversion circuits IDCa and IDCb. When the logic of the information acquisition switching signal is parallel operation logic (logic electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground): LOW), each flip-flop circuit in the parallel-serial conversion circuits IDCa and IDCb acquires and stores (holds) the information input to the eight input terminals A through H at that time. However, when the logic of the information acquisition switching signal is shift operation logic (logic electrically connected to +5V: HI), which is the inverse of parallel operation logic, and the CK INT terminal is electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground), the acquired information is sequentially shifted on the rising edge of the information acquisition clock signal input to the CK terminal.

The two parallel-serial conversion circuits TOCa and TOCb are electrically connected, with the inverted QH terminal of parallel-serial conversion circuit TOCa and the SI terminal of parallel-serial conversion circuit TOCb. As a result, the flip-flop circuits of the two parallel-serial conversion circuits IDCa and IDCb sequentially shift on the rising edge of the information acquisition clock signal input to the CK terminal (that is, the information input to terminal A → information input to terminal B → information input to terminal C → information input to terminal D → information input to terminal E → information input to terminal F → information input to terminal G → information input to terminal H → and the serial data is output by shifting one bit at a time from the non-inverted QH terminal and the inverted QH terminal). This results in the parallel-serial conversion circuit TOCa acting as an 8-bit shift register and the parallel-serial conversion circuit TOCb acting as an 8-bit shift register, totaling 16 bits. Consequently, the door frame side information signal is output as serial data from the inverted QH terminal of parallel-serial conversion circuit TOCb to the peripheral control board 1510.

The clock signal and switching signal for information acquisition from the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 provided in the game board 5 are transmitted to the relay board TKB provided in the tray unit 200 of the door frame 3 via these drawer connectors. This is done by electrically connecting the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5 when the game board 5 is mounted in the main frame 4, with the terminals of two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4. Furthermore, the door frame-side information signal from the door frame-side information output circuit TOC of the relay board TKB, which is provided on the tray unit 200 of the door frame 3, is transmitted to the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 equipped on the game board 5 via these drawer connectors. This is achieved by electrically connecting the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5, with the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4.

The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the performance operation unit information acquisition process of step S1108 in the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267, sets and outputs the logic of the information acquisition switching signal input to the S/inverting L terminal, thereby switching between parallel operation and serial operation, and then outputs an information acquisition clock signal. This allows it to acquire information signals from the door frame side, understand the player's operations and the operation of movable parts (performance parts) on the performance operation unit 300 mounted on the plate unit 200 of the door frame 3, understand the operation of movable parts (performance parts) and the player on other units of the door frame 3, and obtain a judgment result regarding the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units).

The timing for obtaining the judgment result regarding the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) may be as follows: It may be performed only the first time after power-on during the aforementioned performance operation unit information acquisition process; or it may be performed continuously or intermittently during the aforementioned performance operation unit information acquisition process after power-on. By continuously or intermittently obtaining the judgment result regarding the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) during the aforementioned performance operation unit information acquisition process after power-on, it is possible to confirm whether or not the transmission path from the peripheral control board 1510 to the frame-side decorative board WKB is affected by noise based on the difference in judgment results.

Furthermore, regarding the timing for obtaining the determination result regarding the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units), the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may perform the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, only during the first power-on.

Furthermore, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is not compatible (inconsistent), it will perform error response 1 (ID error 1 response) as shown in Figures 310 to 312, or Figures 313 to 315.

Thus, because the light emission data that indicates the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) includes the ID of the frame-side decorative board WKB, it becomes unnecessary to provide dedicated terminals for transmitting the ID of the frame-side decorative board WKB to the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5, and to the terminals of the two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4.

Furthermore, the terminals of the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW, mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5, and the terminals of the two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4, are provided with extra unused terminals so as to accommodate the specifications of the game board 5. However, even if a terminal is unused in one specification of the game board 5, all terminals may be used in other specifications of the game board 5. In such cases, increasing the number of terminals on the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5 would necessitate increasing the number of terminals on the two (not shown) main frame-side drawer connectors mounted on the main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4. This would necessitate replacing the main frame 4 (in reality, the entire frame of the outer frame 2, door frame 3, and main frame 4), resulting in increased costs. Furthermore, the convenience of electrically connecting the terminals of the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5 to the terminals of the two (not shown) main frame-side drawer connectors mounted on the main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4, regardless of the game board's specifications, would be lost.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the light emission data that indicates the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) includes the ID of the frame-side decorative substrate WKB. This eliminates the need to increase the number of terminals on the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay substrate 5ALUDRW of the game board 5, and the number of terminals on the two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame-side relay substrate (not shown) of the main frame 4.

Alternatively, the clock signal for acquiring information and the clock signal for emitting information may be transmitted using a common transmission line (the transmission line for the door frame side clock signal) among the transmission lines electrically connected between the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5 and the terminals of the two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4. In this case, the peripheral control IC 1510a outputs a control signal to the hardware-based clock signal switching circuit on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW or on the peripheral control board 1510 to transmit either the clock signal for acquiring information or the clock signal for emitting information to the common transmission line (the transmission line for the door frame side clock signal). This helps to suppress an increase in the number of terminals between the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW terminals mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5, and the two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4.

As shown in Figure 308, the compatibility (consistency) of combinations of split game boards and the compatibility (consistency) of combinations of split game boards and performance operation buttons is determined by a microprocessor called peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510, based on an 8-bit wide ID sent to the peripheral control IC 1510a. In contrast, as shown in Figure 316, the compatibility (consistency) of combinations of game board 5 and specific door frame units (one or more of the door frame units) is determined by an ID comparison circuit WIDC, which is composed of an LED driver WIDCa and a comparator circuit WIDCb on the frame-side decorative board WKB, and does not have a microprocessor implemented on it.

[A configuration that does not transmit information about the compatibility (integrity) of the combination of the game board and the door frame unit to the peripheral control board.]
Regarding the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) as described above, a circuit without a microprocessor called the ID comparison circuit WIDC, which consists of an LED driver WIDCa and a comparator circuit WIDCb on the frame-side decorative substrate WKB, determines the compatibility (consistency), and outputs the determination result as an ID valid signal to the relay substrate TKB provided on the plate unit 200 of the door frame 3. On this relay substrate TKB, the signal is serialized along with other information as a door frame-side information signal. This door frame side information signal is transmitted to the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 provided in the game board 5 via the drawer connectors. This is done by electrically connecting the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5 when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, with the terminals of two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4. Alternatively, the ID valid signal may be output to another frame side decorative board instead of to the relay board TKB provided on the tray unit 200 of the door frame 3. In other words, the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) may not be transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510. Figure 318 shows a circuit that is an example of a modified version of Figure 316. Figure 318 is basically the same as the circuit in Figure 316, differing in that it has multiple LED drivers with external address setting circuits and output current setting circuits, and the output destination of the ID activation signal is different. The differences will be explained here. Note that parts identical to those in Figure 316 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The frame-side decorative board WKB has LED drivers WIDCaa to WIDCana (multiple LED drivers) in addition to the LED driver WIDCaa. The light emission information signal and light emission information clock signal from the peripheral control board 1510 are input to the frame-side decorative board WKB via these drawer connectors, by electrically connecting the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5 when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, with the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4. The light emission information signal and light emission information clock signal from the peripheral control board 1510, which are input to the frame-side decorative substrate WKB, are input to the SDA terminal and SCLK terminal of each LED driver of LED driver WIDCa and LED drivers WIDCaa to WIDCan (multiple LED drivers), and are further transmitted to subsequent frame-side decorative substrates. Each LED driver WIDCa and LED drivers WIDCaa to WIDCan (multiple LED drivers) is assigned a unique self-identification code (ID) without duplication.

As described above, the RST terminal of the LED driver WIDCa is electrically connected to the ground (GND, circuit ground) of the frame-side decorative board WKB. In contrast, the RST terminals of LED drivers WIDCaa to WIDCan (multiple LED drivers) receive the ID enable signal from the inverted P=Q terminal of the comparator circuit WIDCb, and this signal is then transmitted to subsequent frame-side decorative boards. When the logic of the ID enable signal is set to enable logic (logic LOW), as described above, it indicates that the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is compatible (matched). Conversely, when the logic of the ID enable signal is set to invalid logic (logic HI), as described above, it indicates that the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is not compatible (matched).

In other words, if the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is not compatible (matched) and the logic of the ID valid signal is set to invalid logic (logic HI), the voltage applied to the RST terminal of the LED drivers WIDCaa to WIDCan (multiple LED drivers) is raised to the logic HI side, resetting the LED drivers WIDCaa to WIDCan (multiple LED drivers), and also resetting the LED drivers provided on the subsequent frame-side decorative board. In contrast, if the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is compatible (matched) and the logic of the ID activation signal is set to the active logic (logic LOW), the voltage applied to the RST terminal of the LED drivers WIDCaa to WIDCan (multiple LED drivers) is lowered to the logic LOW side, releasing the reset state of the LED drivers WIDCaa to WIDCan (multiple LED drivers), and simultaneously releasing the reset state of the LED drivers provided on the subsequent frame-side decorative board.

As a result, if the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is not compatible (matched), the LED drivers WIDCaa to WIDCan (multiple LED drivers) are reset, and the LED drivers provided on the subsequent frame-side decorative board are also reset, so that the LED elements controlled by each LED driver are turned off. The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 cannot obtain a judgment result regarding the compatibility (matching) of the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units), but even if the performance is progressing, the door frame unit can prevent the progress of the lighting performance by the door frame unit. Furthermore, if the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is not compatible (matches), the door frame unit will light up. This allows staff members of the gaming hall, as well as workers installing the game board 5 into the main frame 4, to be notified whether the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is compatible (matches).

[Replacing the LED driver with a serial-to-parallel conversion circuit]
Next, we will explain the case where the LED driver WIDCa, which constitutes the ID comparison circuit WIDC provided on the frame-side decorative substrate WKB shown in Figure 316, is replaced with a serial-parallel conversion circuit, with reference to Figure 319. Figure 319 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the case where the LED driver, which constitutes the ID comparison circuit provided on the frame-side decorative substrate shown in Figure 316, is replaced with a serial-parallel conversion circuit. In Figure 319, the various terminals of the serial-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa' are indicated by the same reference numerals as the LED driver WIDCa in Figure 316 if they have the same function. Here, we will mainly explain the serial-parallel conversion circuit, and some explanations of parts with the same reference numerals as the LED driver WIDCa will be omitted. In Figure 316, the 24 output terminals OUT0 to OUT23 of the LED driver WIDCa are constant current outputs whose maximum current is set by the output current setting circuit WIDCc, whereas the 8 output terminals OUT0 to OUT7 of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa' are not constant current outputs whose maximum current is set by the output current setting circuit WIDCc, but are defined by the absolute maximum output current rating of the logic IC.

The WIDCa' serial-to-parallel conversion circuit is an electronic component primarily composed of multiple flip-flop circuits (eight flip-flop circuits), integrated into a single chip for daisy-chain connection. It converts (restores) externally input serial data into parallel data and outputs it through eight output terminals, OU0 to OUT7.

The SDA terminal, which is the serial data input terminal of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa', receives the light emission information signal, which is serial data from the peripheral control board 1510 equipped on the game board 5. This signal is input via the drawer connectors, by electrically connecting the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW (not shown) of the game board 5 when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, with the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4.

The SCLK terminal, which is the clock signal input terminal of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa', receives a clock signal for light emission information, which is used to transmit light emission information signals from the peripheral control board 1510 equipped on the game board 5. This signal is input via the drawer connectors, by electrically connecting the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW (not shown) of the game board 5 when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, with the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4.

The latch signal input terminal of the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa' is input via the drawer connectors, through which the latch signal from the peripheral control board 1510 on the game board 5 is electrically connected. This connection is made between the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, and the terminals of two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame side relay board (not shown) on the main frame 4. Each flip-flop circuit in the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa' performs a sequential shift operation on the rising edge of the light emission information clock signal input to the SCLK terminal with respect to the information (serial data) acquired from the SDA terminal when the logic of the latch signal is parallel operation logic (logic electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground): LOW). This shift operation is then output from the SO terminal, which is the serial data output terminal, to subsequent serial-to-parallel conversion circuits daisy-chained with this serial-to-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa' (for example, other serial-to-parallel conversion circuits provided in the serial-to-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa', or subsequent serial-to-parallel conversion circuits daisy-chained on other frame-side decorative boards). However, when the logic of the latch signal is shift operation logic (logic electrically connected to +5V: HI), which is the inverse of the parallel operation logic, the information acquired at this point (information compared by the comparator circuit WIDCb) is converted into parallel data and output from the eight output terminals, OUT0 to OUT7.

The inverted G terminal (shown as a solid line above the letter "G" in the diagram), which is the enable terminal of the serial-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa', is electrically connected to the ground (GND, circuit ground) of the frame-side decorative board WKB. The inverted CLR terminal (shown as a solid line above the letter "CLR" in the diagram), which is the reset terminal of the serial-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa', is electrically connected to +5V.

The light emission information signal input to the SDA terminal of the serial-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa', based on the light emission information clock signal input to the SCLK terminal of the serial-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa', consists of light emission data. For the light emission data for the serial-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa', the information compared by the comparator circuit WIDCb is output as light emission data from the peripheral control board 1510. The light emission data for the serial-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa' is output from the peripheral control board 1510 following the light emission data for the subsequent serial-parallel conversion circuits daisy-chained with the serial-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa'. Furthermore, if the subsequent serial-parallel conversion circuits daisy-chained with the serial-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa' drive an electrical drive source (solenoid, stepping motor) in addition to emitting various LEDs, the drive data for the electrical drive source is output as light emission data from the peripheral control board 1510. In other words, the light emission information signal output from the peripheral control board 1510 includes not only light emission data for various LEDs, but also information compared by the comparator circuit WIDCb, and may also include drive data for the electrical drive source.

The latch signal, the clock signal for light emission information, and the light emission information signal from the SO terminal, which is the daisy-chain connection terminal of the serial-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa', are transmitted from this frame-side decorative board WKB to other frame-side decorative boards. If a subsequent serial-parallel conversion circuit is daisy-chained to this frame-side decorative board WKB along with the serial-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa', the latch signal and the clock signal for light emission information are input to both the serial-parallel conversion circuit WIDCa' and the subsequent serial-parallel conversion circuit's SO terminal is input to the SDA terminal, which is the serial data input terminal. The light emission information signal from the SO terminal of this subsequent serial-parallel conversion circuit is then output to other frame-side decorative boards.

Thus, by replacing the LED driver WIDCa, which constitutes the ID comparison circuit WIDC on the frame-side decorative substrate WKB, with a serial-to-parallel conversion circuit, it becomes necessary to include an ID code in the light emission information signal that indicates which LED driver is being used.

[Configuration in which each unit of the door frame unit is assigned a self-identification code]
In Figures 316 and 317, the door frame 3 is equipped with door frame units (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units") such as the left door frame unit 420, the right door frame unit 430, the plate unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450, as described above. One of the decorative boards (hereinafter referred to as "frame-side decorative board") provided on a specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) is given a self-identifying code (ID) that can identify itself, and an ID comparison circuit WIDC is provided that can determine the compatibility (matching) of the combination of the game board 5 and the specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units) and output the determination result. In other words, one ID comparison circuit WIDC is provided for each specific door frame unit (one or more of the door frame units). Here, we will explain, with reference to Figures 320 and 321, a configuration in which each door frame unit, which is subject to judgment regarding compatibility (matching) with the game board 5, is assigned a self-identification code (ID). Figure 320 is a schematic diagram showing the general allocation of each unit, and Figure 321 is a circuit diagram showing an example of the ID output circuit in each unit. In the following description, all door frame units (in this example, the left door frame unit 420, the right door frame unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the top door frame unit 450) are assigned a self-identification code (ID) as they are all subject to judgment regarding compatibility (matching) with the game board 5. However, some parts of the door frame units (for example, the left door frame unit 420 and the tray unit 200) may not be subject to judgment regarding compatibility with the game board 5. In this case, the parts of the door frame units that are not subject to judgment regarding compatibility with the game board 5 (for example, the left door frame unit 420 and the tray unit 200) may not be assigned a self-identification code (ID), and only the door frame units that are subject to judgment regarding compatibility with the game board 5 (for example, the right door frame unit 430 and the top door frame unit 450) may be assigned a self-identification code (ID).

The door frame unit consists of a left side unit 420, a right side unit 430, a tray unit 200, and a top unit 450. Each unit can be attached to and detached from the door frame 3, allowing for design changes and modifications to accommodate different game specifications. The relationship between the game board 5 and the door frame 3 must, as described above, be one that has been submitted to and approved by the application agency. However, human error during the replacement of the door frame unit may result in the relationship (combination) between the game board 5 and the door frame 3 differing from that approved by the application agency. This would mean that a pachinko machine with specifications different from those approved by the application agency would be installed in the gaming hall, which is undesirable.

Therefore, one configuration can be considered in which one of the decorative circuit boards provided in each unit of the door frame unit is equipped with a self-identification code (ID) that can identify itself, and an ID comparison circuit is provided that can determine the compatibility (matching) of the combination of the game board 5 and the door frame unit and output the determination result.

Here, as shown in Figure 320, the door frame unit is divided into four units, Units A through D: the tray unit 200 as Unit A, the right side unit 430 as Unit B, the top unit 450 as Unit C, and the left side unit 420 as Unit D.

One of the decorative circuit boards included in Unit A (hereinafter referred to as "frame-side decorative circuit board A") is equipped with a parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UAa that has an ID output circuit capable of identifying itself.

One of the decorative circuit boards included in Unit B (hereinafter referred to as "frame-side decorative circuit board B") is equipped with a parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBa that has an ID output circuit capable of identifying itself.

One of the decorative circuit boards included in Unit C (hereinafter referred to as "frame-side decorative circuit board C") is equipped with a parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCaa that has an ID output circuit capable of identifying itself.

One of the decorative circuit boards included in Unit D (hereinafter referred to as "frame-side decorative circuit board D") is equipped with a parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UDa that has an ID output circuit capable of identifying itself.

The parallel-serial conversion circuits UAa to UDa of the ID output circuits provided on frame-side decorative substrates A to D are identical to the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC shown in Figure 305. Therefore, explanations of each terminal, the parts with identical circuit configurations, and their operation are omitted here.

The ID setting terminals of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UAa, located on the frame-side decorative substrate A, have terminals A, B, C, D, E, F, and G electrically connected to +5V, while terminal H is electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground). Therefore, the ID of frame-side decorative substrate A (i.e., the ID of Unit A, which is the dish unit 200) is represented as 11111110B (where "B" represents a binary number) when expressed as an 8-bit width with terminal A as the most significant bit and terminal H as the least significant bit. In hexadecimal, this becomes FEH (where "H" represents a hexadecimal number).

The ID setting terminals of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBa, located on the frame-side decorative board B, have terminals A, B, C, D, E, and F electrically connected to +5V, while terminals G and H are electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground). Therefore, the ID of the frame-side decorative board B (i.e., the ID of Unit B, which is the right-side unit 430 of the door frame) is represented as 11111100B (where "B" represents a binary number) when expressed as an 8-bit number with terminal A as the most significant bit and terminal H as the least significant bit. In hexadecimal, this becomes FCH (where "H" represents a hexadecimal number).

The ID setting terminals of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCaa, located on the frame-side decorative substrate C, have terminals A, B, C, D, and E electrically connected to +5V, while terminals F, G, and H are electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground). Therefore, the ID of the frame-side decorative substrate C (i.e., the ID of Unit C, which is the door frame top unit 450) is represented as 11111000B (where "B" represents a binary number) when expressed as an 8-bit number with terminal A as the most significant bit and terminal H as the least significant bit. In hexadecimal, this becomes F8H (where "H" represents a hexadecimal number).

The ID setting terminals of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UDa, located on the frame-side decorative board D, have terminals A, B, C, and D electrically connected to +5V, while terminals E, F, G, and H are electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground). Therefore, the ID of the frame-side decorative board D (i.e., the ID of Unit D, which is the left-side unit 420 of the door frame) is represented as 11110000B (where "B" represents a binary number) when expressed as an 8-bit number with terminal A as the most significant bit and terminal H as the least significant bit, and as F0H (where "H" represents a hexadecimal number) when expressed in hexadecimal.

The S/inverting L terminal (shown as a solid line above the letter "L" in the diagram) of the parallel serial conversion circuits UAa to UDa of the ID output circuits on the frame-side decorative boards A to D is configured to perform a shift operation based on the conformance judgment clock signal input to the CK terminal of the parallel serial conversion circuits UAa to UDa of the ID output circuits on the frame-side decorative boards A to D, and each flip-flop circuit of the parallel serial conversion circuits UAa to UDa of the ID output circuits on the frame-side decorative boards A to D is configured to connect to the eight input terminals from A to H. The system switches between parallel operation to acquire the information being received, and a switching signal for suitability determination from the peripheral control board 1510 is input via the drawer connectors. This is done by electrically connecting the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW (when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4), with the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4.

The SI terminal of the parallel-serial conversion circuit UDa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board D, which is part of the door frame left side unit 420 (Unit D), is electrically connected to the ground (GND, circuit ground) of the frame-side decorative board D. The inverted QH terminal of the parallel-serial conversion circuit UDa on the frame-side decorative board D, which is part of the ID output circuit, is electrically connected to the SI terminal of the parallel-serial conversion circuit UCaa on the frame-side decorative board C, which is part of the ID output circuit on the door frame top unit 450 (Unit C). (This connection may be made via electrical wiring (harness) or via a drawer connector.) As a result, the parallel-serial conversion circuit UDa on the frame-side decorative board D, which is part of the door frame left side unit 420 (Unit D), and the parallel-serial conversion circuit UCaa on the frame-side decorative board C, which is part of the ID output circuit, are daisy-chained together.

The inverted QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCaa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board C of the door frame top unit 450 (Unit C) and the SI terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board B of the door frame right side unit 430 (Unit B) are electrically connected (this connection may be made via electrical wiring (harness) or via a drawer connector). As a result, the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCaa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board C of the door frame top unit 450 (Unit C) and the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board B of the door frame right side unit 430 (Unit B) are daisy-chained together.

The inverted QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board B of Unit B, which is the right side unit 430 of the door frame, and the SI terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UAa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board A of Unit A, which is the tray unit 200, are electrically connected (this connection may be made via electrical wiring (harness) or via a drawer connector). As a result, the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board B of Unit B, which is the right side unit 430 of the door frame, and the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UAa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board A of Unit A, which is the tray unit 200, are daisy-chained together.

Thus, the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UDa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board D of Unit D (the left side unit of the door frame 420) is daisy-chained to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board C of Unit C (the top unit of the door frame 450), the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board B of Unit B (the right side unit of the frame 430), and finally to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UAa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board A of Unit A (the dish unit 200).

The four flip-flop circuits in the parallel-serial conversion circuits UAa to UDa sequentially shift on the rising edge of the conformance judgment clock signal input to the CK terminal (that is, the information input to terminal A → information input to terminal B → information input to terminal C → information input to terminal D → information input to terminal E → information input to terminal F → information input to terminal G → information input to terminal H → and the serial data is output by shifting one bit at a time from the non-inverting QH terminal and inverting QH terminal). Therefore, the parallel-serial conversion circuit UAa has an 8-bit shift register, the parallel-serial conversion circuit UBa has an 8-bit shift register, and the parallel... The 8-bit shift register provided by the parallel serial conversion circuit UCa and the 8-bit shift register provided by the parallel serial conversion circuit UDa operate as a 32-bit shift register. The ID code signal is sent as serial data from the inverted QH terminal of the parallel serial conversion circuit UAa. This signal is then electrically connected to the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW (when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4), and to the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4. This connection then transmits the signal to the peripheral control board 1510.

As described above, the plate unit 200 is equipped with the performance operation unit 300. Therefore, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the performance operation unit information acquisition process of step S1108 in the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267, sets and outputs the logic of the compatibility determination switching signal input to the S/inverted L terminal, thereby switching between parallel and serial operation. After outputting the compatibility determination clock signal, it acquires the ID code signal and obtains a determination result regarding the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and the door frame unit.

The timing for obtaining the judgment result regarding the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and the door frame unit may be limited to the first time after power-on, during the aforementioned performance operation unit information acquisition process, or it may be performed continuously or intermittently during the aforementioned performance operation unit information acquisition process after power-on. By continuously or intermittently obtaining the judgment result regarding the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and the door frame unit during the aforementioned performance operation unit information acquisition process after power-on, it is possible to confirm whether or not noise is affecting the transmission path from the peripheral control board 1510 to the frame-side decorative board WKB, based on whether the judgment result differs.

Furthermore, regarding the timing for obtaining the judgment result on the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and the door frame unit, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may perform the ID judgment process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, only during the first power-on.

Furthermore, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines, based on the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and the door frame unit, that the combination of the game board 5 and the door frame unit is not compatible (consistent), it may perform error response 1 (ID error 1 response) as shown in Figures 310 to 312 or Figures 313 to 315 on the entire door frame unit, or it may perform error response 1 (ID error 1 response) as shown in Figures 310 to 312 or Figures 313 to 315 on the unit of the door frame unit that is not compatible (consistent) (for example, Unit A to Unit D, followed by Unit C (door frame top unit 450)).

[A configuration in which each unit of the door frame unit is equipped with both a self-identification code and a manufacturer's identification code.]
Furthermore, the door frame 3 can be configured to be used in common by multiple manufacturers. In this case, if the self-identification code (ID) assigned to each unit of the door frame unit by one manufacturer happens to match the self-identification code (ID) assigned to each unit of the door frame unit by another manufacturer, when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, the control board may determine that the relationship (combination) between the game board 5 and the door frame 3 is different from that which was submitted to the application agency for approval, even though it is different from that which was submitted to the application agency for approval. In this case, a pachinko machine whose specifications are different from those submitted to the application agency for approval may be installed in the amusement hall, which is undesirable.

Therefore, we can consider a configuration in which each unit of the door frame unit is given a manufacturer identification code (manufacturer identification value) in addition to a self-identification code (ID), and an ID comparison circuit is provided that can determine the compatibility (matching) of the combination of the game board 5 and the door frame unit and output the determination result. Here, a configuration in which each unit of the door frame unit is given a manufacturer identification code (manufacturer identification value) and a self-identification code (ID) will be explained with reference to Figure 322. Figure 322 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a circuit in which the ID output circuit in each unit of Figure 321 further includes a manufacturer identification code (manufacturer identification value). Figure 322 is basically the same circuit as the parallel serial conversion circuits UAa to UDa of the ID output circuits provided on the frame-side decorative boards A to D in Figure 321, and here, the explanation of each terminal, the parts of the circuit configuration that are the same, and the explanation of operation will be omitted.

The parallel-serial conversion circuits UAa to UDa of the ID output circuits on each of the frame-side decorative substrates A to D are followed by parallel-serial conversion circuits UAap to UDap. These parallel-serial conversion circuits UAap to UDap are set with a manufacturer identification code (manufacturer identification value).

Specifically, the ID setting terminals of the parallel-serial conversion circuits UAap to UDap, which are located after the parallel-serial conversion circuits UAa to UDa of the ID output circuits provided on each of the frame-side decorative boards A to D, are electrically connected to terminals A, B, C, and E +5V, while terminals D, F, G, and H are electrically connected to ground (GND, circuit ground). In other words, the manufacturer identification code (i.e., the manufacturer identification code (manufacturer identification value)) of frame-side decorative boards A to D, when represented as an 8-bit width with terminal A as the most significant bit and terminal H as the least significant bit, becomes 11101000B (where the letter "B" represents a binary number), and when represented in hexadecimal, it becomes E8H (where the letter "H" represents a hexadecimal number).

The S/inverting L terminal (shown as a solid line above the letter "L" in the diagram) of the parallel serial conversion circuits UAa to UDa and the subsequent parallel serial conversion circuits UAap to UDap of the ID output circuit provided on the frame-side decorative substrates A to D is used for a shift operation based on the conformance judgment clock signal input to the CK terminal of the parallel serial conversion circuits UAa to UDa and the subsequent parallel serial conversion circuits UAap to UDap of the ID output circuit provided on the frame-side decorative substrates A to D, and the subsequent parallel serial conversion circuits UAa to UDa Each flip-flop circuit from Aap to UDap switches between parallel operation and parallel operation, receiving information set at the eight input terminals from terminal A to terminal H. A switching signal for suitability determination from the peripheral control board 1510 is input via the drawer connectors, which are electrically connected to the terminals of the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW, mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, and to the terminals of two main frame side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4.

The SI terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UDap, which is the downstream of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board D of Unit D, which is the left side unit 420 of the door frame, is electrically connected to the ground (GND, circuit ground) of the frame-side decorative board D. The inverted QH terminal of this downstream parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UDap is electrically connected to the SI terminal of the preceding parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UDa. The inverted QH terminal of this preceding parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UDa is electrically connected to the SI terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCap, which is the downstream of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCaa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board C of Unit C, which is the top unit 450 of the door frame (this may be electrically connected via electrical wiring (harness) or via a drawer connector). As a result, the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UDap, located on the frame-side decorative board D of Unit D (the left side unit of the door frame 420), is daisy-chained to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UDa, located on the frame-side decorative board D of Unit D (the left side unit of the door frame 420), and then to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCap, located on the frame-side decorative board C of Unit C (the top unit of the door frame 450).

The inverted QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCap, which is the downstream of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board C of Unit C, which is the top unit of the door frame 450, is electrically connected to the SI terminal of the preceding parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCa. The inverted QH terminal of this preceding parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCa is electrically connected to the SI terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBap, which is the downstream of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board B of Unit B, which is the right side unit of the door frame 430 (this may be electrically connected via electrical wiring (harness) or via a drawer connector). As a result, the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCap, located downstream of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board C of the door frame top unit 450 (Unit C), is daisy-chained to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCaa, located upstream of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board C of the door frame top unit 450 (Unit C), and then to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBap, located downstream of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board B of the door frame right side unit 430 (Unit B).

The inverted QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBap, which is the downstream of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board B of Unit B, which is the right side unit 430 of the door frame, is electrically connected to the SI terminal of the preceding parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBa. The inverted QH terminal of this preceding parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBa is electrically connected to the SI terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UAap, which is the downstream of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UAa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board A of Unit A, which is the dish unit 200 (this may be electrically connected via electrical wiring (harness) or via a drawer connector). As a result, the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBap, located downstream of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board B of Unit B (the right side unit 430 of the door frame), is daisy-chained to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UBa, located upstream of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board B of Unit B (the right side unit 430 of the door frame), and then to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UAap, located downstream of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UAa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board A of Unit A (the dish unit 200).

The inverted QH terminal of the parallel serial conversion circuit UAap, which is the downstream of the parallel serial conversion circuit UAa of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative substrate A of Unit A (which is part of the dish unit 200), is electrically connected to the SI terminal of the preceding parallel serial conversion circuit UAa. This results in a daisy-chain connection between the parallel serial conversion circuit UAap (the downstream of the parallel serial conversion circuit UAa on the frame-side decorative substrate A of Unit A) and the parallel serial conversion circuit UAa (the upstream of the parallel serial conversion circuit UAa on the frame-side decorative substrate A of Unit A).

Thus, the following parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UDap, located on the frame-side decorative board D of Unit D, which is the left side unit of the door frame, is transmitted to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UDa, located on the frame-side decorative board D of Unit D, which is the left side unit of the door frame, then to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCap, located on the frame-side decorative board C of Unit C, which is the top unit of the door frame, then to the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit UCa, located on the frame-side decorative board C of Unit C, which is the top unit of the door frame, and finally to the Uni, located on the right side unit of the door frame, 430. The following are daisy-chained together: UBap, the downstream parallel-to-serial converter of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board B of tB; UBa, the upstream parallel-to-serial converter of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board B of Unit B, which is the right-side door frame unit 430; UAap, the downstream parallel-to-serial converter of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board A of Unit A, which is the plate unit 200; and UAa, the upstream parallel-to-serial converter of the ID output circuit on the frame-side decorative board A of Unit A, which is the plate unit 200.

The eight flip-flop circuits of the parallel serial conversion circuits UAap, UAa, UBap, UBa, UCap, UCa, UDap, and UDa are sequentially shifted on the rising edge of the conformance judgment clock signal input to the CK terminal (that is, the information input to terminal A → information input to terminal B → information input to terminal C → information input to terminal D → information input to terminal E → information input to terminal F → information input to terminal G → information input to terminal H → non-inverting QH terminal and inverting QH terminal are shifted one bit at a time to output serial data). Therefore, the 8-bit shift register by the parallel serial conversion circuit UAap, the 8-bit shift register by the parallel serial conversion circuit UAa, the 8-bit shift register by the parallel serial conversion circuit UBap, and the 8-bit shift register by the parallel serial conversion circuit UBa The shift register operates as a 64-bit shift register, consisting of an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-serial conversion circuit UCap, an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-serial conversion circuit UCaa, an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-serial conversion circuit UDap, and an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-serial conversion circuit UDa. The ID code signal is output as serial data from the inverted QH terminal of the parallel-serial conversion circuit UAa. This signal is electrically connected to the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW (when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4), and to the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on the main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4. The signal is then output to the peripheral control board 1510 via these drawer connectors.

[ID Error Detection Switch]
Of the left game board 5AL and right game board 5AR that constitute the split game board 5A shown in Figure 302, the peripheral control board 1510 of the left game board 5AL acquires an ID from the ID code signal transmitted from each ID output circuit at a predetermined timing after power is turned on, and determines whether the combination of the performance operation unit provided on the door frame 3 and the split game board is compatible (matched). This determination result can be triggered by the pressing operation part of the ID error determination switch being pressed. Figure 323 is a schematic front view (a) of the split game board provided with the ID error determination switch, and a schematic rear view (b) of the split game board provided with the ID error determination switch. In Figures 323(a) and (b), the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as those in Figures 302(a) and (b), and detailed explanations are omitted.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 in Figure 302(b) differs from the main control board 1310 in Figure 323(b) in that it is provided with a setting switch 1311a, while the main control board 1310 in Figure 323(b) does not have a setting switch. Additionally, the main control board 1310 in Figure 302(b) does not have an ID error detection switch, while the main control board 1310 in Figure 323(b) is provided with an ID error detection switch 1310v.

The ID error detection switch 1310v, located on the main control board 1310, has its pressable operation part exposed (not shown) from the cover of the main control board box 1320. When an employee of a gaming hall or other staff member presses the pressable operation part of the ID error detection switch 1310v, a detection signal from the ID error detection switch 1310v is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310.

The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 repeatedly performs the main control side main processing shown in Figure 256 and the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257 when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and the system of the main control board 1310 is started.

The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, in the switch input processing of step S104 in the main control-side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257, determines that the press operation part of the ID error determination switch 1310v has been pressed based on the detection signal from the ID error determination switch 1310v (specifically, the logic of the detection signal from the ID error determination switch 1310v has operation logic and non-operation logic; when operation logic is input, the main control MPU 1310a determines that the press operation part of the ID error determination switch 1310v has been pressed, and when non-operation logic, which is the inverse of operation logic, is input, it determines that the press operation part of the ID error determination switch 1310v has not been pressed). When it determines that the press operation part of the ID error determination switch 1310v has been pressed, it sends an ID error determination result notification start command to the peripheral control board 1510 in the peripheral control board command transmission processing of step S120 in the main control-side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257, to start notifying the ID error determination result.

The peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 repeatedly performs the following processes when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and the peripheral control board 1510's system is activated: the peripheral control steady-state processing shown in Figure 309 during the peripheral control power-on processing, the peripheral control V-blank signal interrupt processing shown in Figure 266, and the peripheral control 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267 (if there is a command from the main control board 1310, the peripheral control command reception interrupt processing shown in Figure 268 is also performed).

The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 performs the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. In this ID determination process, in order to obtain the ID of the right-side game board and the ID of the performance operation unit, it outputs an ID acquisition clock signal (an ID acquisition clock signal exclusive to the right-side game board) to the right-side game board and an ID acquisition clock signal (an ID acquisition clock signal exclusive to the performance operation unit) to the performance operation unit. The peripheral control IC 1510a then acquires the ID code signal from the right-side game board (an ID code signal specifically for the right-side game board) and the ID code signal from the performance control unit (an ID code signal specifically for the performance control unit) via separate serial systems. It then determines (compares) the combination of the split game boards (i.e., the combination of the right-side game board (a board without a microprocessor) and the left-side game board (the peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310, both equipped with microprocessors) by referring to a combination table (Figure 308) pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM. It also determines (compares) the combination of the performance control unit and the split game boards by referring to a combination table (Figure 308) pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM.

The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 receives the ID error judgment result notification start command from the main control board 1310 in the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing shown in Figure 268. When it analyzes the received command in the received command analysis processing of step S1022 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, it uses this as a trigger to start notifying the ID error judgment result. In the ID judgment processing of step S1003, if the judgment result for the combination of the divided game boards is incompatible (inconsistent), that is, if the judgment result for the combination of the right game board (a board without a microprocessor) and the left game board (a peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310 with a microprocessor) is incompatible (inconsistent), it passes a command classified as notification display to the warning processing of step S1024 in the peripheral control unit steady-state processing of the peripheral control unit power-on processing. As a result, in the warning processing of step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) the screen generation schedule data, the light emission pattern generation schedule data, the sound generation schedule data, and the electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the RAM of the peripheral control IC, thereby setting various processes related to the performance. The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 then notifies that the corresponding error has occurred, as shown in Figure 308(c) for the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error, from error response 1 to error response 9. When the judgment result for the combination of divided game boards is compliant (inconsistent), the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error shown in Figure 308(c) is normal operation (no error response), and since there is "none" as a countermeasure, there is no special notification mode for normal operation (no error response). In other words, in the event of normal operation (no error handling), no notification is issued, and the special notification sound does not play from the speaker.

Thus, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 performs the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 based on the determination result for the combination of divided game boards, unless it receives the ID error determination result notification start command from the main control board 1310 in the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing shown in Figure 268 and analyzes it in the received command analysis processing in step S1022 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, it cannot pass the command to be classified as a notification display to the warning processing in step S1024 of the peripheral control unit steady-state processing of the peripheral control unit power-on processing, and therefore cannot start notifying the ID error determination result. In other words, even if errors 1 through 9 occur, until the ID error judgment result notification start command is received (analyzed) from the main control board 1310, the start time of the error notification can be changed by pressing the ID error judgment switch 1310v by an employee of the gaming hall or other staff member.

Furthermore, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 receives the ID error judgment result notification start command from the main control board 1310 in the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing shown in Figure 268. When it analyzes the received command in the received command analysis processing of step S1022 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, it uses this as a trigger to start notifying the ID error judgment result. In the ID judgment processing of step S1003, if the judgment result for the combination of the performance operation unit and the divided game board is incompatible (inconsistent), it passes the command to be classified as notification display to the warning processing of step S1024 in the peripheral control unit steady-state processing of the peripheral control unit power-on processing. As a result, in the warning processing of step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) the screen generation schedule data, the light emission pattern generation schedule data, the sound generation schedule data, and the electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the RAM of the peripheral control IC, thereby setting various processes related to the performance. The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 then notifies that the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error shown in Figure 308(c) corresponds to error response 1 to error response 9. When the judgment result for the combination of the performance operation unit and the split game board is correct (matched), the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error shown in Figure 308(c) is normal operation (no error response), and since there is "none" as a countermeasure, there is no special notification mode for normal operation (no error response). In other words, in the event of normal operation (no error handling), no notification is issued, and the special notification sound does not play from the speaker.

Thus, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 performs the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, it cannot receive the ID error determination result notification start command from the main control board 1310 in the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing shown in Figure 268, and analyze it in the received command analysis processing in step S1022 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. Therefore, it cannot pass the command classified as a notification display to the warning processing in step S1024 of the peripheral control unit steady-state processing in the peripheral control unit power-on processing, and thus cannot start notifying the ID error determination result.

Although the main control board 1310 is equipped with an ID error detection switch 1310v, the ID error detection switch 1310v can be replaced by a setting key switch 1311a, which can switch and confirm the setting values of the pachinko machine 1. In this case, the setting key switch 1311a shown in Figure 302(b) is provided, and the ID error judgment result notification start command from the main control board 1310 is not sent to the peripheral control board 1510. However, after inserting a setting key into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and turning it ON, the power switch 630a on the power supply board 630 is operated while pressing the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d on the payout control board 633 to turn on the power of the pachinko machine 1, thereby starting the setting change process in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing. Based on the fact that the setting key inserted into the setting key switch 1311a has been turned OFF, the transmission information (setting change command) set in step S236 is transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 as main frequency serial data in the peripheral control board transmission command transmission process in step S238 of the setting change process. When the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 receives a setting change command from the main control board 1310, it triggers a notification indicating that error responses 1 to 9, as shown in Figure 308(c), have occurred in the pachinko machine during an error. Because the setting key is a critical key, only a limited number of people, including the manager of the amusement hall, are permitted to possess it, and this is limited to 2-3 people.

Specifically, after inserting a setting key into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 (as shown in Figure 302(b)) and turning it ON, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on by pressing the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d on the payout control board 633 while operating the power switch 630a on the power supply board 630. The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 then transmits the transmission information (setting change command) set in step S236 of the peripheral control board transmission command transmission process (step S238 in the setting change process shown in Figure 258) as main peripheral serial data to the peripheral control board 1510. This setting change command communicates the changed setting value and the completion of setting value storage. Upon receiving the setting change command, the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 recognizes it as receiving an ID error judgment result notification start command, and proceeds with the process of starting the notification of the ID error judgment result.

The main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 performs the setting change process in step S37 during the main control power-on processing, then clears the entire RAM area in step S38, and subsequently performs the main control main processing and the main control timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257.

When the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 starts up by, for example, displaying "Power Restoring" on a black background on the display device 1600. At this time, "Setting" may be displayed after "Power Restoring," or "Setting" may be displayed instead of "Power Restoring." In this case, when the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 starts the setting change process in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing, it needs to send a setting change start command as main peripheral serial data to the peripheral control board 1510 to indicate that the setting change has started.

The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 receives an ID error judgment result notification start command after the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 has finished the setting change process in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing, that is, after receiving a setting change command from the main control board 1310. This triggers the notification of any errors occurring, such as those shown in Figure 308(c), specifically errors 1 to 9, in the pachinko machine's behavior during an error. In other words, even if errors 1 to 9 occur as shown in Figure 308(c) during an error in the pachinko machine, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 will not issue a notification to the effect of errors 1 to 9 if the setting key is inserted into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and the main control MPU 1310a performs the setting change process in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing (until a predetermined period has elapsed until this setting change process is completed, in other words, until the setting change command from the main control board 1310 is received (analyzed)). Therefore, until the setting change command from the main control board 1310 is received (analyzed), the start time of the error notification, which would otherwise indicate the occurrence of errors 1 to 9, can be changed by operating the setting key held by a limited number of people in the gaming hall.

In contrast, if, after inserting a setting key into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and turning it ON, the power switch 630a on the power supply board 630 is operated to turn on the power of the pachinko machine 1 without pressing the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d on the payout control board 633, the setting change processing in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing is not performed, and the entire RAM area in step S38 is not cleared, and then the main control side main processing and the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257 are performed. When the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 starts up by, for example, displaying "Power Restoring" on a black background on the performance display device 1600, and if error responses 1 to 9 have occurred as shown in Figure 308(c) of the error behavior of the pachinko machine, it provides notification to that effect. In other words, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 can notify the user if, even when the setting key is inserted into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 does not perform the setting change process in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing, then error responses 1 to 9, as shown in Figure 308(c), have occurred in the pachinko machine during an error.

In other words, even if the setting key is inserted into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310 is turned ON, if the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310 does not perform the setting change processing in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing, the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 may be unable to notify the system that errors 1 to 9 have occurred as shown in Figure 308(c) until a predetermined period has elapsed (until the setting change command from the main control board 1310 is received (analyzed)), or it may be able to notify the system regardless of the predetermined period.

In this way, when the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310, which is the operating unit, is operated, a notification can be issued according to the determination result of the compatibility between the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR. This allows for immediate detection of a mismatch between the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, and prevents the execution of incomplete effects when the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are mismatched. Therefore, a decline in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

[Summary A]
A0:
A gaming machine comprising a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main body frame provided on the outer frame so as to be openable and closable, and a door frame provided on the main body frame so as to be openable and closable, and a game board side component detachably provided on the game frame side component, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. The first game board side component is composed of a plurality of boards, including a performance control board equipped with a microprocessor that executes game performances. The second game board side component includes a specific board that is not equipped with a microprocessor. The specific board includes an eigenvalue that can identify it as the second game board side component, and an eigenvalue transmission means that transmits the eigenvalue to the performance control board as a signal. The performance control board can compare the eigenvalue transmitted from the eigenvalue transmission means with an eigenvalue it possesses. The first game board side component and the second game board side component are each individually fixed to the game frame side component.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 comprises an outer frame 2, which is a game frame component; a door frame 3 that can open and close the front of the outer frame 2; a main frame 4 that can open and close the door frame 3 and is also attached to the outer frame 2; and a divided game board 5A, shown in Figure 302, which is a game board component. The divided game board 5A consists of a left game board 5AL, which is a first game board component, and a right game board 5AR, which is a second game board component. The left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, is composed of multiple boards, including a peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board equipped with a peripheral control IC 1510a, a microprocessor capable of executing game performances (a main control unit 1300 that houses the main control board 1310, and a left-side drive board unit 1700L (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "left-side drive board unit 1700L") that houses various other boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to various performance units housed in the left-side back box 3010L, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.). The right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board, includes one specific circuit board (one of the right-side drive board unit 1700R (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "right-side drive board unit 1700R") that houses various circuit boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to various performance units housed in the right-side back box 3010R, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.)) that do not have a microprocessor. One of the various circuit boards, which is the specific circuit board, includes a self-identification code (ID), which is a unique value that identifies it as the right-side game board 5AR, a component of the second game board, and an ID output circuit IDC (shown in Figure 305), which is a unique value transmission means that transmits the self-identification code (ID), which is a unique value, to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board.

The peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board, is configured to compare the self-identification code (ID), which is an intrinsic value transmitted from the ID output circuit IDC (an intrinsic value transmission means), with its own intrinsic values (a combination table pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM (Figure 308)), during the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309.

The left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are each individually and detachably attached to the main frame 4, which is the game frame component.

Thus, a self-identification code (ID), which is an eigenvalue that can identify the right game board 5AR (the second game board component) from the ID output circuit IDC, which is an eigenvalue transmission means provided in the right game board 5AR (the second game board component), is transmitted as a signal to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board provided in the left game board 5AL (the first game board component). As a result, the peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board, can determine the compatibility (matching) of the combination of the left game board 5AL (the first game board component) and the right game board 5AR (the second game board component). This allows for immediate detection of inconsistencies between the left-side game board 5AL (the first game board component) and the right-side game board 5AR (the second game board component). This prevents the execution of incomplete gameplay due to these inconsistencies, thus mitigating a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game.

A1:
The game board side component comprises an outer frame, a main frame that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a door frame that is openable and closable on the main frame, and a game board side component that is detachably provided on the game frame side component. The game board side component consists of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. The first game board side component includes a plurality of boards, including a sub-control board equipped with a microprocessor capable of executing game effects. The second game board side component includes a board that is not equipped with a microprocessor, an eigenvalue that indicates that it is the second game board side component, and an eigenvalue transmission means for transmitting the eigenvalue. Furthermore, the first game board side component and the second game board side component are electrically connected and fixed to the game frame side component. The eigenvalue transmission means can transmit to the sub-control board using serial communication. The eigenvalue transmission means is electrically connected to the sub-control board of the first game board side component. The sub-control board can compare the eigenvalues from the eigenvalue transmission means with the eigenvalues it possesses.

Specifically, for example, it comprises a main frame 4, which is a game frame-side component, and a divided game board 5A as shown in Figure 302, which is a game board-side component. The divided game board 5A is composed of a left game board 5AL, which is a first game board-side component, and a right game board 5AR, which is a second game board-side component. The left game board 5AL, which is the first game board-side component, comprises a plurality of boards, including a peripheral control board 1510, which is a sub-control board equipped with a peripheral control IC 1510a, which is a microprocessor capable of executing game effects (a main control unit 1300 that houses the main control board 1310, and a left drive board unit 1700L (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "left drive board unit 1700L") that houses various other boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to various effect units housed in the left back box 3010L, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.). The right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board, comprises a circuit board that does not have a microprocessor (a right-side drive board unit 1700R (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "right-side drive board unit 1700R") which houses various circuit boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to various performance units housed in the right-side back box 3010R, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.), a self-identification code (ID) which is a unique value that identifies it as the right-side game board 5AR, and an ID output circuit IDC shown in Figure 305, which is a unique value transmission means for transmitting the self-identification code (ID), which is a unique value.

Furthermore, the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are electrically connected and fixed to the main body frame 4, which is the game frame component.

The ID output circuit IDC, which is the unique value transmission means, can transmit data to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a sub-control board, using serial communication. The ID output circuit IDC is electrically connected to the peripheral control board 1510, which is the sub-control board of the left-side game board 5AL, a component of the first game board. The peripheral control board 1510 can compare the self-identification code (ID), which is the unique value from the ID output circuit IDC, with its own unique values (a combination table pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM (Figure 308)), during the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309.

Thus, the ID output circuit IDC, which is a unique value transmission means provided in the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, transmits a self-identification code (ID), a unique value that indicates it is the right-side game board 5AR, to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a sub-control board provided in the left-side game board 5AL, the first game board component, using serial communication. Therefore, the peripheral control board 1510, which is a sub-control board, can determine the compatibility (matching) of the combination of the left-side game board 5AL, the first game board component, and the right-side game board 5AR, the second game board component. This allows for immediate detection of inconsistencies between the left-side game board 5AL (the first game board component) and the right-side game board 5AR (the second game board component). This prevents the execution of incomplete gameplay due to these inconsistencies, thus mitigating a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game.

A2:
Furthermore, the serial communication signals include eigenvalues and signals related to game effects generated in the second game board component. The system also includes a first serial communication means for transmitting and receiving signals between the main control board and the payout control board, and a second serial communication means for transmitting and receiving signals between the first game board component and the second game board component. If the comparison judgment in the first serial communication means is false, balls will not be dispensed. If the comparison judgment in the second serial communication means is false, the decorative effects of the second game board component will not be performed.

Specifically, for example, the photo and ID code signals in Figure 306, which are serial communication signals, include a unique value, a self-identification code (ID), and signals related to game effects generated in the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component (detection signals from the photosensor that detects the position of various movable parts, which are input to the photosensor information serial output circuit PSO in Figure 306). Furthermore, it includes a first serial communication means for transmitting and receiving signals between the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, and a second serial communication means for transmitting and receiving signals between the left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component.

If the comparison determination by the first serial communication means is false, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 transmits various commands to the control board equipped with a microprocessor, including a self-identification code (ID) that can identify itself. Therefore, in the command analysis process of step S560 in the main processing of the payout control unit when the power is turned on to the payout control unit shown in Figure 263, if the payout control MPU of the payout control unit 633 determines that the combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control unit 633 is incompatible (inconsistent), it sets information indicating that the combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control unit 633 is incompatible (inconsistent) in the state information storage area of the built-in payout control RAM, and also sets information to stop the payout operation in the output information storage area of the built-in payout control RAM. As a result, the payout of game balls will not be performed. In other words, if the combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 is incompatible (incompatible) due to an operator error, even if the player can play the game and proceed with the game, the payout operation will be stopped, preventing the player from receiving game balls. This allows the player to be informed that there is some kind of malfunction with the pachinko machine, and the player can also inform the staff of the pachinko hall or other personnel that the machine is not dispensing game balls. This contributes to the early detection of the incompatible (incompatible) combination of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633.

If the comparison determination by the second serial communication means is false, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, acquires the ID code signal from the right game board (an ID code signal exclusive to the right game board), and determines (compares) the combination of the divided game boards (i.e., the combination of the right game board (a board without a microprocessor) and the left game board (a peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310 with a microprocessor) by referring to the combination table (Figure 308) stored in advance in the peripheral control ROM. If it determines that there is a mismatch (inconsistency), it passes a command classified as notification display as error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315, which corresponds to state 2: ID error 1 in Figure 308(c), to the warning process of step S1024 in the peripheral control unit steady-state processing of the peripheral control unit power-on processing. In the warning processing of step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the RAM of the peripheral control IC, thereby setting various processes related to the effects. As a result, the various LEDs of the split game board 5A (various LEDs of the game board) turn off and the decorative effects of the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are not performed. In other words, if the combination of the left and right game boards constituting the split game board 5A is incompatible (inconsistent) due to a worker's error, when the pachinko machine is powered on, the various LEDs on the split game board 5A (various LEDs on the game board) will turn off, and the decorative effects of the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, will cease. Therefore, this contributes to the early detection of the incompatible (inconsistent) combination of the left and right game boards.

A3:
Furthermore, if a RAM error and an ID error occur simultaneously, only the RAM error will be notified, and the ID error will not be notified. Also, LED errors in the decorative unit will not be notified. Specifically, if a RAM error in the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 and state 2: ID error 1 in Figure 308(c) (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315) occur simultaneously, only a notification indicating that a RAM error has occurred will be given, while a notification indicating that state 2: ID error 1 in Figure 308(c) (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315) has occurred will not be given. This is because if a RAM error occurs in the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the game progress by the main control MPU 1310a will be forcibly stopped. To notify the system of this, even if state 2: ID error 1 (Error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315) in Figure 308(c) occurs, the RAM error in the main control built-in RAM, which is the most critical error, will be notified with the highest priority, regardless of the occurrence of other errors.

If a normal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, no notification is given. However, if an abnormal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, the notification method may be changed when the state changes. In the case of an abnormality, the notification method is changed when it becomes normal. Specifically, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 does not give a notification if it determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID (applicable method in the same figure: none). However, if it determines that the state is 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), i.e., an abnormal ID, the notification for this error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is maintained. The corrective method in Figure (c): after power-off and replacement with a compliant ID product, if the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, then the notification will no longer be given. In other words, if the combination of the left and right game boards is determined to be normal within a predetermined period after power-on, and a normal ID is determined, the system will not subsequently check the state of the combination of the left and right game boards. Even if the combination of the left and right game boards becomes incompatible (inconsistent), the system will not issue a notification indicating an abnormal ID due to the incompatibility (inconsistency). By limiting the determination of the combination of the left and right game boards to a predetermined period after power-on, this contributes to reducing the processing load on the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 for the progression of the game's effects.

Except for some notifications, the notification will be terminated. Specifically, for example, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the ID is abnormal, in state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), as shown in Figure 308(c), then it will save the information as history information in the built-in RAM of a real-time clock IC (not shown) mounted on the peripheral control board 1510. In this case, it will be saved linked to the date and time. Then, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off, the correct combination of the left and right game boards is installed in the main frame 3, and when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on again, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c). In this case, for example, the history "ID abnormal" may be displayed on the performance display device or sub-performance display device, or this history may be displayed for a predetermined period or until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off. The performance will proceed while the history is displayed.

Once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again. Specifically, for example, to return from an abnormal state to a normal state, the game board must be removed and corrected. At this time, the power to the pachinko machine is shut off, cutting off the power supply to the peripheral control board. The game board must then be reinstalled, and the pachinko machine's power must be turned back on. Once the pachinko machine is powered on and power is supplied to the peripheral control board, the ID of the performance operation unit (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "ID confirmation") can be verified by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. Therefore, if the ID confirmation by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, and the notification process that continues until the pachinko machine's power is shut off are performed at the time of power-on, then further control of ID confirmation and notification processing is not required thereafter.

In other words, while the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, at any given time (when the system of the pachinko machine 1 has finished starting up and is ready to proceed with the game and the effects), the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes shown in Figure 267. Furthermore, when the effect operation unit is attached to or detached from the tray unit 200 of the door frame 4, if an effect operation unit that has been determined to have a normal ID at least once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is replaced with another effect operation unit that has an abnormal ID (or, if an effect operation unit with an abnormal ID is replaced with an effect operation unit with a normal ID, and then determined to have a normal ID once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is returned to the effect operation unit with an abnormal ID), the effect will continue to progress and no notification will be given that the effect operation unit has an abnormal ID, even if the combination of the effect operation unit and the divided game board is actually incompatible (inconsistent). Therefore, once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again.

A4:
The first game board component and the second game board component are electrically connected by connectors. Specifically, the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are electrically connected via drawer connectors, where the terminals of the right game board drawer connectors RDRW, RDRW mounted on the right game board drawer connector relay board 5ARDRW of the right game board 5AR and the terminals of the left game board drawer connectors LDRW, LDRW mounted on the left game board drawer connector relay board 5ALLDRW of the left game board 5AL are connected. This drawer connector allows for automatic electrical connection between the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, simply by joining them together.

[Summary B]
B0:
A gaming machine comprising a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main body frame provided on the outer frame so as to be openable and closable, and a door frame provided on the main body frame so as to be openable and closable, and a game board side component detachably provided on the game frame side component, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component and is fixed to the game frame side component. The first game board side component is composed of a plurality of boards including a performance control board equipped with a microprocessor that executes the performance of the game. The second game board side component includes a specific board that is not equipped with a microprocessor. The specific board includes an eigenvalue that can identify it as the second game board side component, and an eigenvalue transmission means for transmitting the eigenvalue as a signal to the performance control board. The performance control board is capable of notifying the first error, which occurs when it fails to receive an eigenvalue from the second game board component within a predetermined time, and the second error, which occurs when the eigenvalue transmitted from the second game board component is not a predetermined value.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 comprises a main frame 4, which is the game frame side component, and a divided game board 5A shown in Figure 302, which is the game board side component. The divided game board 5A is composed of a left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and a right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component, and is fixed to the main frame 4, which is the game frame side component. The left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, is composed of multiple boards, including a peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board equipped with a peripheral control IC 1510a, a microprocessor capable of executing game performances (a main control unit 1300 that houses the main control board 1310, and a left-side drive board unit 1700L (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "left-side drive board unit 1700L") that houses various other boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to various performance units housed in the left-side back box 3010L, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.). The right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board, is equipped with a specific circuit board that does not have a microprocessor. This specific circuit board is one of several circuit boards (for example, various relay circuit boards, decorative circuit boards with various LEDs mounted on them, drive circuit boards for driving motors and drive solenoids, etc., housed in the right-side back box 3010R). This right-side drive circuit board unit 1700R (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "right-side drive circuit board unit 1700R") is housed in this unit. This specific circuit board is equipped with a self-identification code (ID), which is a unique value that identifies it as the right-side game board 5AR, and an ID output circuit IDC (shown in Figure 305), which is a unique value transmission means for transmitting the self-identification code (ID) to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control circuit board.

The peripheral control board 1510, which is the performance control board, is configured to notify the following: Error Response 7 shown in Figures 310 to 315, which occurs when the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 fails to receive the self-identification code (ID), a unique value, from the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, within a predetermined time (the ID determination process in step S1003 of the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit in Figure 309). Error Response 1 shows the first error, state 8: unconnected error 1, as shown in Figure 308(c). Error Response 1 shows the second error, state 2: ID error 1, as shown in Figures 310 to 315, which occurs when the self-identification code (ID), a unique value, received from the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, is not a predetermined value.

In other words, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, as error response 7 in Figures 310 to 315, which corresponds to the first error, state 8: unconnected error 1 in Figure 308(c), passes a command classified as a notification display to the warning processing step S1024 in the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing during the peripheral control unit's power-on processing. In the warning processing step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the peripheral control IC's RAM, thereby setting various processing related to the effects.

The second error, State 2: ID Error 1 in Figure 308(c), is represented by a command classified as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response) in Figures 310 to 315, which is then passed to the warning processing step S1024 in the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing during the peripheral control unit's power-on processing. In the warning processing step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the peripheral control IC's RAM, thereby setting various processing related to the effects.

Thus, a self-identification code (ID), which is an eigenvalue that can identify the right game board 5AR (the second game board component), is transmitted from the ID output circuit IDC, which is an eigenvalue transmission means provided in the right game board 5AR (the second game board component), to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board provided in the left game board 5AL (the first game board component). Therefore, the peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board, operates within a predetermined time (the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 operates as shown in the peripheral control unit of Figure 309). In the power-on processing step S1003 (ID determination process), if the unique value, the self-identification code (ID), cannot be received, the first error, state 8: unconnected error 1 in Figure 308(c), can be generated, resulting in error response 7 shown in Figures 310 to 315. If the unique value, the self-identification code (ID), is received within a predetermined time but is not a predetermined value, the second error, state 2: ID error 1 in Figure 308(c), can be generated, resulting in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) shown in Figures 310 to 315. This allows for immediate detection of inconsistencies between the left game board 5AL (the first game board component) and the right game board 5AR (the second game board component), preventing the execution of incomplete gameplay due to these inconsistencies. Therefore, a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

B1:
The system comprises a game frame side component and a game board side component. The game board side component consists of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. The first game board side component includes a plurality of boards, including a sub-control board equipped with a microprocessor capable of executing game effects. The second game board side component includes a board without a microprocessor, an eigenvalue that indicates it is the second game board side component, and an eigenvalue transmission means for transmitting the eigenvalue. Furthermore, the first game board side component and the second game board side component are electrically connected and fixed to the game frame side component. The first game board side component includes a first error that occurs if it fails to receive an eigenvalue from the second game board side component within a predetermined time, and a second error that occurs if it receives an eigenvalue from the second game board side component that is not a predetermined value.

Specifically, for example, it comprises a main frame 4, which is a game frame-side component, and a divided game board 5A as shown in Figure 302, which is a game board-side component. The divided game board 5A is composed of a left game board 5AL, which is a first game board-side component, and a right game board 5AR, which is a second game board-side component. The left game board 5AL, which is the first game board-side component, comprises a plurality of boards, including a peripheral control board 1510, which is a sub-control board equipped with a peripheral control IC 1510a, which is a microprocessor capable of executing game effects (a main control unit 1300 that houses the main control board 1310, and a left drive board unit 1700L (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "left drive board unit 1700L") that houses various other boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to various effect units housed in the left back box 3010L, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.). The right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board, comprises a circuit board that does not have a microprocessor (a right-side drive board unit 1700R (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "right-side drive board unit 1700R") which houses various circuit boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to various performance units housed in the right-side back box 3010R, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.), a self-identification code (ID) which is a unique value that identifies it as the right-side game board 5AR, and an ID output circuit IDC shown in Figure 305, which is a unique value transmission means for transmitting the self-identification code (ID), which is a unique value.

Furthermore, the left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are electrically connected and fixed to the main frame 4, which is the game frame component. The process of attaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4 and the process of attaching the door frame unit to the door frame 3, which is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, are separate processes. Therefore, when attaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4, human error may result in the relationship (combination) between the game board 5 and the door frame unit not being compatible (matching).

The left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, is equipped with error response 7 shown in Figures 310 to 315, which results in a first error, state 8: unconnected error 1, as shown in Figure 308(c), if it fails to receive the self-identification code (ID), which is a unique value, from the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, within a predetermined time (the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is subjected to the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing in Figure 309). It also includes error response 1 shown in Figures 310 to 315 (ID error 1 response), which results in a second error, state 2: ID error 1, as shown in Figure 308(c), if it receives the self-identification code (ID), which is a unique value, from the right-side game board 5AR, but it is not a predetermined value.

The peripheral control IC 1510a of the left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, specifically the peripheral control board 1510, passes a command classified as a notification display to the warning processing step S1024 of the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing during power-on processing. This command corresponds to error response 7 in Figures 310 to 315, which is the first error, state 8: disconnection error 1 in Figure 308(c). In the warning processing step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the peripheral control IC's RAM, thereby setting various processes related to the game's presentation.

The second error, State 2: ID Error 1 in Figure 308(c), is represented by a command classified as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response) in Figures 310 to 315, which is then passed to the warning processing step S1024 in the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing during the peripheral control unit's power-on processing. In the warning processing step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the peripheral control IC's RAM, thereby setting various processing related to the effects.

Thus, the ID output circuit IDC, which is a unique value transmission means provided in the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, transmits a self-identification code (ID), a unique value that indicates that it is the right-side game board 5AR, to the left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component. Therefore, the left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, performs the following steps within a predetermined time (the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 performs the step in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309). If the unique value, the self-identification code (ID), is not received during the ID determination process of S1003, a first error, state 8: unconnected error 1 in Figure 308(c), can be generated, resulting in error response 7 shown in Figures 310 to 315. Furthermore, if the unique value, the self-identification code (ID), received within a predetermined time is not a predetermined value, a second error, state 2: ID error 1 in Figure 308(c), can be generated, resulting in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) shown in Figures 310 to 315. This allows for immediate detection of inconsistencies between the left game board 5AL (the first game board component) and the right game board 5AR (the second game board component), preventing the execution of incomplete gameplay due to these inconsistencies. Therefore, a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

B2:
Furthermore, the second type of error (ID error), which includes various ID errors (including individual ID errors such as ID error 1, ID error 2, and ID error 3 shown in Figure 308(c), as well as combinations thereof), is more disruptive to gameplay than the first type of error (disconnection error), which includes various disconnection errors (disconnection error 1, disconnection error 2, and disconnection error 3 shown in Figure 308(c)).

Furthermore, while the third error (magnetic detection) resolves after a certain period of time, the first error (disconnection error) and the second error (ID error) do not resolve even after a certain period of time has elapsed. In these various error notifications, the third error (magnetic detection) detects and reports the act of so-called magnetic tampering, and therefore resolves after a certain period of time has elapsed since detection. In contrast, the first error (disconnection error) and the second error (ID error) are due to operator errors. For the first error (disconnection error), the fitting of structural components and the connection of drawer connectors must be carefully checked after the power is cut off. Similarly, for the second error (ID error), the part must be replaced with a compliant ID part after the power is cut off. Therefore, these errors do not resolve even after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, when the second error (ID error) occurs, the decorative effects of the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, will not be performed. This is because the second error (ID error) is a worker's error, and the combination of the left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, is incompatible (inconsistent). Performing the decorative effects of the right-side game board 5AR in this state could cause the right-side game board 5AR to malfunction electrically.

Furthermore, even if a third error (magnetic detection) occurs at the same time as a second error (ID error), the warning sound for the second error (ID error) remains. In other words, even if a third error (magnetic detection) occurs at the same time as a second error (ID error), as shown in Figures 312 and 315, the audio in Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response) repeatedly plays the error notification sound and announcement sound. This is because the third error (magnetic detection) detects and reports the act of so-called magnetic fraud, and resolves itself after a certain period of time has elapsed. In contrast, the second error (ID error) is a worker error, and since a second error (ID error) requires replacement with a compliant ID product after power is cut off, the warning sound for the second error (ID error) remains even after a certain period of time has elapsed.

B3:
Furthermore, if a RAM error and an ID error occur simultaneously, only the RAM error will be notified, and the ID error will not be notified. Also, LED errors in the decorative unit will not be notified. Specifically, if a RAM error in the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 and state 2: ID error 1 in Figure 308(c) (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315) occur simultaneously, only a notification indicating that a RAM error has occurred will be given, while a notification indicating that state 2: ID error 1 in Figure 308(c) (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315) has occurred will not be given. This is because if a RAM error occurs in the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the game progress by the main control MPU 1310a will be forcibly stopped. To notify the system of this, even if state 2: ID error 1 (Error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315) in Figure 308(c) occurs, the RAM error in the main control built-in RAM, which is the most critical error, will be notified with the highest priority, regardless of the occurrence of other errors.

If a normal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, no notification is given. However, if an abnormal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, the notification method may be changed when the state changes. In the case of an abnormality, the notification method is changed when it becomes normal. Specifically, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 does not give a notification if it determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID (applicable method in the same figure: none). However, if it determines that the state is 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), i.e., an abnormal ID, the notification for this error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is maintained. The corrective method in Figure (c): after power-off and replacement with a compliant ID product, if the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, then the notification will no longer be given. In other words, if the combination of the left and right game boards is determined to be normal within a predetermined period after power-on, and a normal ID is determined, the system will not subsequently check the state of the combination of the left and right game boards. Even if the combination of the left and right game boards becomes incompatible (inconsistent), the system will not issue a notification indicating an abnormal ID due to the incompatibility (inconsistency). By limiting the determination of the combination of the left and right game boards to a predetermined period after power-on, this contributes to reducing the processing load on the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 for the progression of the game's effects.

Except for some notifications, the notification will be terminated. Specifically, for example, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the ID is abnormal, in state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), as shown in Figure 308(c), then it will save the information as history information in the built-in RAM of a real-time clock IC (not shown) mounted on the peripheral control board 1510. In this case, it will be saved linked to the date and time. Then, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off, the correct combination of the left and right game boards is installed in the main frame 3, and when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on again, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c). In this case, for example, the history "ID abnormal" may be displayed on the performance display device or sub-performance display device, or this history may be displayed for a predetermined period or until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off. The performance will proceed while the history is displayed.

Once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again. Specifically, for example, to return from an abnormal state to a normal state, the game board must be removed and corrected. At this time, the power to the pachinko machine is shut off, cutting off the power supply to the peripheral control board. The game board must then be reinstalled, and the pachinko machine's power must be turned back on. Once the pachinko machine is powered on and power is supplied to the peripheral control board, the ID of the performance operation unit (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "ID confirmation") can be verified by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. Therefore, if the ID confirmation by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, and the notification process that continues until the pachinko machine's power is shut off are performed at the time of power-on, then further control of ID confirmation and notification processing is not necessary thereafter.

In other words, while the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, at any given time (when the system of the pachinko machine 1 has finished starting up and is ready to proceed with the game and the effects), the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes shown in Figure 267. Furthermore, when the effect operation unit is attached to or detached from the tray unit 200 of the door frame 4, if an effect operation unit that has been determined to have a normal ID at least once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is replaced with another effect operation unit that has an abnormal ID (or, if an effect operation unit with an abnormal ID is replaced with an effect operation unit with a normal ID, and then determined to have a normal ID once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is returned to the effect operation unit with an abnormal ID), the effect will continue to progress and no notification will be given that the effect operation unit has an abnormal ID, even if the combination of the effect operation unit and the divided game board is actually incompatible (inconsistent). Therefore, once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again.

B4:
In the event of a third error (magnetic detection), the sub-function display unit 2250, which is the fourth symbol, will change by lighting up a predetermined LED. Specifically, in the event of a third error (magnetic detection), if various ID errors occur (including individual ID errors such as ID error 1, ID error 2, and ID error 3 shown in Figure 308(c), as well as combinations thereof), the sub-function display unit 2250, which is the fourth symbol, will change by lighting up a predetermined LED, as shown in Figures 312 and 315. In other words, even in the event of a third error (magnetic detection), if various ID errors occur (including individual ID errors such as ID error 1, ID error 2, and ID error 3 shown in Figure 308(c), as well as combinations thereof), the predetermined LED of the sub-function display unit 2250 will light up and change, allowing the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 to continue the performance.

During a second error (ID error), the decorative sound effect will not play even if the symbols change. Specifically, when various ID errors (including individual ID errors such as ID Error 1, ID Error 2, and ID Error 3 shown in Figure 308(c), as well as combinations thereof) occur, as shown in Figures 311 and 314, even if the game progresses and the symbols displayed by the function display unit 1400 change, the error notification sound and announcement sound will play repeatedly, and the decorative sound effect will not play. This is because a second error (ID error) is a work error by the operator, and if it is a second error (ID error), the part must be replaced with a compliant ID part after the power is cut off, so the decorative sound effect will not play, and the warning sound for the second error (ID error) will remain.

The third error (magnetic detection), which is a magnetic sensor error, resolves after a certain period of time. However, the error of the right-side game board 5AR not being installed (i.e., not being connected) and the ID error of the right-side game board 5AR as a decorative unit do not resolve even after a certain period of time. These error notifications work differently: the magnetic sensor error detects and reports the act of so-called magnetic cheating, and therefore resolves after a certain period of time has elapsed since detection. In contrast, the not-connection error and ID error are due to operator errors. For the not-connection error, the fitting of structural components and the connection of the drawer connector must be carefully checked after the power is cut off. Similarly, for the ID error, the part must be replaced with a compatible ID part after the power is cut off. Therefore, these errors do not resolve even after a certain period of time has elapsed.

[Summary C]
C0:
The game machine comprises a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main body frame that can be opened and closed on the outer frame, and a door frame that can be opened and closed on the main body frame, and a game board side component that can be detachably attached to the game frame side component, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a plurality of second game board side components and is fixed to the game frame side component. The first game board side component is composed of a plurality of circuit boards including a performance control board equipped with a microprocessor that executes game performances. The second game board side component includes a specific circuit board that does not have a microprocessor. The specific circuit board includes an eigenvalue that can identify it as a second game board side component, and an eigenvalue transmission means for transmitting the eigenvalue to the performance control board. Each of the plurality of second game board side components has a different eigenvalue, and if it is determined that the eigenvalue of at least one second game board side component is not a predetermined value, the power-on operation of the plurality of second game board side components will be in a manner different from the normal operation.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 comprises a main frame 4, which is the game frame side component, and a divided game board 5A as shown in Figure 302, which is the game board side component. The divided game board 5A is composed of a left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and a plurality of right game boards 5AR (upper right game board 5ART and lower right game board 5ARU in Figure 307), which are second game board side components, and is fixed to the main frame 4, which is the game frame side component. The left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, is composed of multiple boards, including a peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board equipped with a peripheral control IC 1510a, a microprocessor capable of executing game performances (a main control unit 1300 that houses the main control board 1310, and a left-side drive board unit 1700L (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "left-side drive board unit 1700L") that houses various other boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to various performance units housed in the left-side back box 3010L, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.). The right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board, is equipped with a specific circuit board that does not have a microprocessor. This specific circuit board is one of several circuit boards (for example, various relay circuit boards, decorative circuit boards with various LEDs mounted on them for use in various performance units housed in the right-side back box 3010R, drive circuit boards for driving drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.) housed in the right-side drive circuit board unit 1700R (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "right-side drive circuit board unit 1700R"). This specific circuit board is equipped with a self-identification code (ID), which is a unique value that identifies it as the right-side game board 5AR, and an ID output circuit IDCT of the upper right-side game board 5ART and IDCU of the lower right-side game board 5ARU, which constitute the right-side game board 5AR in Figure 307. These are unique value transmission means for transmitting the self-identification code (ID) to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board.

The door frame 3, which is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, is fitted with door frame units such as the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units").

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 307, the right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board, consists of multiple upper-right game boards 5ART and lower-right game boards 5ARU, each having a different unique value. The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, that the self-identification code (ID of upper-right game board 5ART: 11110000B, ID of lower-right game board 5ARU: 11111000B), which is the unique value of at least one of the upper-right game board 5ART and lower-right game board 5ARU, is not a predetermined value. If the connection is interrupted, the system will enter state 2: ID error 1 as shown in Figure 308(c), corresponding to error response 1 (ID error 1 response) as shown in Figures 310 and 313. The power-on operation of the right-side game board 5AR, which is one of the multiple components of the second game board, will differ from the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.). As a result, the various LEDs on the divided game board 5AR (the various LEDs on the game board) will turn off, and the right-side game board 5AR, which is one of the components of the second game board, will turn off.

In this manner, the ID output circuits IDCT and IDCU, which are unique value transmission means provided in the right-side game board 5ART and the right-side game board 5ARU, which constitute the right-side game board 5AR, respectively, transmit signals from these circuits to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board provided in the left-side game board 5AL, a first-side game board component. These circuits transmit signals to the peripheral control board 1510. If it is determined that the self-identification code (ID of upper right game board 5ART: 11110000B, ID of lower right game board 5ARU: 11111000B), which is the unique value of at least one of the multiple second game board components, is not a predetermined value, then the system will enter state 2: ID error 1 as shown in Figure 308(c), which corresponds to error response 1 (ID error 1 response) as shown in Figures 310 and 313, and the power-on operation of the right game board 5AR, which is one of the multiple second game board components, will be different from the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.) (lights off). This allows for immediate detection of inconsistencies between the left-side game board 5AL (the first game board component) and the right-side game boards 5AR (multiple second game board components) (including inconsistencies in the combination of the upper right-side game board 5ART and the lower right-side game board 5ARU). This prevents the execution of incomplete gameplay when the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game boards 5AR (multiple second game board components) are inconsistent (including inconsistencies in the combination of the upper right-side game board 5ART and the lower right-side game board 5ARU). Therefore, a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

C1:
The game board side component comprises an outer frame, a main frame that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a door frame that is openable and closable on the main frame, and a game board side component that is detachably attached to the game frame side component. The game board side component consists of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. The first game board side component includes a plurality of circuit boards, including a sub-control board equipped with a microprocessor capable of executing game effects. The second game board side component includes a circuit board that is not equipped with a microprocessor, an eigenvalue that indicates that it is the second game board side component, and an eigenvalue transmission means for transmitting the eigenvalue. Furthermore, the first game board side component and the second game board side component are electrically connected and fixed to the game frame. The second game board component consists of multiple parts, each with different unique values. If it is determined that the unique value of at least one of the second game board component parts is not a predetermined value, the power-on operation of the second game board component will be different from the normal operation.

Specifically, for example, it comprises a main frame 4, which is a game frame-side component, and a divided game board 5A as shown in Figure 302, which is a game board-side component. The divided game board 5A is composed of a left game board 5AL, which is a first game board-side component, and a right game board 5AR, which is a second game board-side component. The left game board 5AL, which is the first game board-side component, comprises a plurality of boards, including a peripheral control board 1510, which is a sub-control board equipped with a peripheral control IC 1510a, which is a microprocessor capable of executing game effects (a main control unit 1300 that houses the main control board 1310, and a left drive board unit 1700L (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "left drive board unit 1700L") that houses various other boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to various effect units housed in the left back box 3010L, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.). The right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board, includes a circuit board that does not have a microprocessor (a right-side drive board unit 1700R (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "right-side drive board unit 1700R") which houses various circuit boards (for example, various relay boards, decorative boards on which various LEDs are mounted and attached to various performance units housed in the right-side back box 3010R, drive boards that drive drive motors and drive solenoids, etc.), a self-identification code (ID) which is a unique value that identifies it as the right-side game board 5AR, a component of the second game board, and an ID output circuit IDCT of the upper right-side game board 5ART and an ID output circuit IDCU of the lower right-side game board 5ARU, which constitute the right-side game board 5AR in Figure 307, which are unique value transmission means for transmitting the self-identification code (ID).

Furthermore, the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are electrically connected and fixed to the main body frame 4, which is the game frame. The door frame 3, which is supported by the main body frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, is fitted with door frame units (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units") such as the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450. The process of attaching the game board 5 to the main body frame 4 and the process of attaching the door frame units to the door frame 3, which is supported by the main body frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, are separate processes. Therefore, when the game board 5 is attached to the main body frame 4, it is possible that, due to human error, the relationship (combination) between the game board 5 and the door frame units may not be compatible (match).

Furthermore, the right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board, consists of multiple components, as shown in Figure 307, comprising an upper-right game board 5ART and a lower-right game board 5ARU, each having a different unique value. The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, determines if the self-identification code (ID of upper-right game board 5ART: 11110000B, ID of lower-right game board 5ARU: 11111000B), which is the unique value of at least one of the upper-right game board 5ART and the lower-right game board 5ARU, is not a predetermined value. If this is determined, the system will be in state 2: ID error 1 as shown in Figure 308(c), corresponding to error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 and 313. The power-on operation of the right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board, will differ from the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.). As a result, the various LEDs on the split game board 5AR (the various LEDs on the game board) will turn off, and the right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board, will turn off.

In this manner, the right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the right-side game board 5AR, is configured to transmit a self-identification code (ID), which is a unique value indicating that it is the right-side game board 5AR, to the left-side game board 5AL, which is the first-side game board component, from the ID output circuit IDCT and ID output circuit IDCU, which are unique value transmission means provided in the right-side game board 5ART and lower-side game board 5ARU, respectively. If it is determined that the self-identification code (ID of upper right game board 5ART: 11110000B, ID of lower right game board 5ARU: 11111000B), which is the unique value of at least one of the multiple second game board components, is not a predetermined value, then the system will enter state 2: ID error 1 as shown in Figure 308(c), which corresponds to error response 1 (ID error 1 response) as shown in Figures 310 and 313, and the power-on operation of the right game board 5AR, which is one of the multiple second game board components, will be different from the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.) (lights off). This allows for immediate detection of inconsistencies between the left-side game board 5AL (the first game board component) and the right-side game boards 5AR (multiple second game board components) (including inconsistencies in the combination of the upper right-side game board 5ART and the lower right-side game board 5ARU). This prevents the execution of incomplete gameplay when the left-side game board 5AL and the right-side game boards 5AR (multiple second game board components) are inconsistent (including inconsistencies in the combination of the upper right-side game board 5ART and the lower right-side game board 5ARU). Therefore, a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

C2:
Furthermore, if it is determined that the unique value of at least one component on the second game board side is not a predetermined value, the power-on operation will also differ from the normal operation in other components on the second game board side whose unique values are determined to be normal. Specifically, if, for example, the self-identification code (ID) of the upper right game board 5ART does not match the value for the upper right game board 5ART (judgment value for the upper right game board), even if the self-identification code (ID) of the lower right game board 5ARU matches the value for the lower right game board 5ARU (judgment value for the lower right game board), the power-on operation of the upper right game board 5ART will turn off the various LEDs of the upper right game board 5ART that differ from the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.), and the power-on operation of the lower right game board 5ARU will turn off the various LEDs of the lower right game board 5ARU that differ from the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.). Furthermore, for example, if the self-identification code (ID) of the lower right game board 5ARU does not match the value for the lower right game board 5ARU (judgment value for the lower right game board), even if the self-identification code (ID) of the upper right game board 5ART matches the value for the upper right game board 5ART (judgment value for the upper right game board), the power-on operation of the lower right game board 5ARU will turn off the various LEDs of the lower right game board 5ARU that differ from the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.), and the power-on operation of the upper right game board 5ART will turn off the various LEDs of the upper right game board 5ART that differ from the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.).

In other words, if the self-identification code (ID) of either the upper right game board 5ART or the lower right game board 5ARU does not match a predetermined value (predetermined value: determination for the upper right game board or determination for the lower right game board), it indicates a worker error resulting in a mismatch (incompatibility) between the left game board 5AL and either the upper right or lower right game board. This requires replacing the faulty ID with a compatible one after power is cut off, thus deviating from normal operation.

Furthermore, if it is determined that the self-identification code (ID) of at least one of the upper right game board 5ART and the lower right game board 5ARU (ID of upper right game board 5ART: 11110000B, ID of lower right game board 5ARU: 11111000B) is not a predetermined value, then the system will enter state 2: ID error 1 as shown in Figure 308(c), which corresponds to error response 1 (ID error 1 response) as shown in Figures 310 and 313. In this case, the power-on operation of the right game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board, will be different from the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.), and the various LEDs of the divided game board 5AR (various LEDs of the game board) will turn off. However, if, for example, the self-identification code (ID) of the upper right game board 5ART is not the right If the value for the upper game board 5ART does not match the value for the upper right game board 5ART (judgment value for the upper right game board), the power-on operation for the upper right game board 5ART will be to turn off the various LEDs of the upper right game board 5ART which differ from the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.), while the power-on operation for the lower right game board 5ART will be to the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.). If the self-identification code (ID) of the lower right game board 5ARU does not match the value for the lower right game board 5ARU (judgment value for the lower right game board), the power-on operation for the lower right game board 5ARU will be to turn off the various LEDs of the lower right game board 5ARU which differ from the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.), while the power-on operation for the upper right game board 5ARU will be to the normal operation (lighting, blinking, gradation lighting, etc.). This way, you can communicate which parts are non-conforming (inconsistent) and which parts are conforming (consistent).

The left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, is equipped with error response 7 shown in Figures 310 to 315, which results in a first error, state 8: unconnected error 1, as shown in Figure 308(c), if it fails to receive the self-identification code (ID), which is a unique value, from the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, within a predetermined time (the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is subjected to the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing in Figure 309). It also includes error response 1 shown in Figures 310 to 315 (ID error 1 response), which results in a second error, state 2: ID error 1, as shown in Figure 308(c), if it receives the self-identification code (ID), which is a unique value, from the right-side game board 5AR, but it is not a predetermined value.

The peripheral control IC 1510a of the left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, specifically the peripheral control board 1510, passes a command classified as a notification display to the warning processing step S1024 of the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing during power-on processing. This command corresponds to error response 7 in Figures 310 to 315, which is the first error, state 8: disconnection error 1 in Figure 308(c). In the warning processing step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the peripheral control IC's RAM, thereby setting various processes related to the game's presentation.

The second error, State 2: ID Error 1 in Figure 308(c), is represented by a command classified as Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response) in Figures 310 to 315, which is then passed to the warning processing step S1024 in the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing during the peripheral control unit's power-on processing. In the warning processing step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) screen generation schedule data, light emission pattern generation schedule data, sound generation schedule data, and electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the peripheral control IC's RAM, thereby setting various processing related to the effects.

Thus, the left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, can generate error response 7 in Figures 310 to 315, resulting in a first error, state 8: unconnected error 1 in Figure 308(c), if it fails to receive the unique value, the self-identification code (ID), within a predetermined time (the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 undergoes ID determination processing in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing in Figure 309). It can also generate error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315, resulting in a second error, state 2: ID error 1 in Figure 308(c), if the self-identification code (ID) received within the predetermined time is not a predetermined value.

Furthermore, the second type of error (ID error), which includes various ID errors (including individual ID errors such as ID Error 1, ID Error 2, and ID Error 3 shown in Figure 308(c), as well as combinations thereof), has a greater impact on gameplay than the first type of error (disconnection error), which includes various disconnection errors (disconnection error 1, disconnection error 2, and disconnection error 3 shown in Figure 308(c)).

Furthermore, while the third error (magnetic detection) resolves after a certain period of time, the first error (disconnection error) and the second error (ID error) do not resolve even after a certain period of time has elapsed. In these various error notifications, the third error (magnetic detection) detects and reports the act of so-called magnetic tampering, and therefore resolves after a certain period of time has elapsed since detection. In contrast, the first error (disconnection error) and the second error (ID error) are due to operator errors. For the first error (disconnection error), the fitting of structural components and the connection of drawer connectors must be carefully checked after the power is cut off. Similarly, for the second error (ID error), the part must be replaced with a compliant ID part after the power is cut off. Therefore, these errors do not resolve even after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Furthermore, when the second error (ID error) occurs, the decorative effects of the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, will not be performed. This is because the second error (ID error) is a worker's error, and the combination of the left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right-side game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, is incompatible (inconsistent). Performing the decorative effects of the right-side game board 5AR in this state could cause the right-side game board 5AR to malfunction electrically.

Furthermore, even if a third error (magnetic detection) occurs at the same time as a second error (ID error), the warning sound for the second error (ID error) remains. In other words, even if a third error (magnetic detection) occurs at the same time as a second error (ID error), as shown in Figures 312 and 315, the audio in Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response) repeatedly plays the error notification sound and announcement sound. This is because the third error (magnetic detection) detects and reports the act of so-called magnetic fraud, and resolves itself after a certain period of time has elapsed. In contrast, the second error (ID error) is a worker error, and since a second error (ID error) requires replacement with a compliant ID product after power is cut off, the warning sound for the second error (ID error) remains even after a certain period of time has elapsed.

C3:
Furthermore, if a RAM error and an ID error occur simultaneously, only the RAM error will be notified, and the ID error will not be notified. Also, LED errors in the decorative unit will not be notified. Specifically, if a RAM error in the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 and state 2: ID error 1 in Figure 308(c) (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315) occur simultaneously, only a notification indicating that a RAM error has occurred will be given, while a notification indicating that state 2: ID error 1 in Figure 308(c) (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315) has occurred will not be given. This is because if a RAM error occurs in the main control built-in RAM of the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the game progress by the main control MPU 1310a will be forcibly stopped. To notify the system of this, even if state 2: ID error 1 (Error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315) in Figure 308(c) occurs, the RAM error in the main control built-in RAM, which is the most critical error, will be notified with the highest priority, regardless of the occurrence of other errors.

If a normal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, no notification is given. However, if an abnormal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, the notification method may be changed when the state changes. In the case of an abnormality, the notification method is changed when it becomes normal. Specifically, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 does not give a notification if it determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID (applicable method in the same figure: none). However, if it determines that the state is 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), i.e., an abnormal ID, the notification for this error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is maintained. The corrective method in Figure (c): after power-off and replacement with a compliant ID product, if the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, then the notification will no longer be given. In other words, if the combination of the left and right game boards is determined to be normal within a predetermined period after power-on, and a normal ID is determined, the system will not subsequently check the state of the combination of the left and right game boards. Even if the combination of the left and right game boards becomes incompatible (inconsistent), the system will not issue a notification indicating an abnormal ID due to the incompatibility (inconsistency). By limiting the determination of the combination of the left and right game boards to a predetermined period after power-on, this contributes to reducing the processing load on the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 for the progression of the game's effects.

Except for some notifications, the notification will be terminated. Specifically, for example, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the ID is abnormal, in state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), as shown in Figure 308(c), then it will save the information as history information in the built-in RAM of a real-time clock IC (not shown) mounted on the peripheral control board 1510. In this case, it will be saved linked to the date and time. Then, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off, the correct combination of the left and right game boards is installed in the main frame 3, and when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on again, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c). In this case, for example, the history "ID abnormal" may be displayed on the performance display device or sub-performance display device, or this history may be displayed for a predetermined period or until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off. The performance will proceed while the history is displayed.

Once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again. Specifically, for example, to return from an abnormal state to a normal state, the game board must be removed and corrected. At this time, the power to the pachinko machine is shut off, cutting off the power supply to the peripheral control board. The game board must then be reinstalled, and the pachinko machine's power must be turned back on. Once the pachinko machine is powered on and power is supplied to the peripheral control board, the ID of the performance operation unit (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "ID confirmation") can be verified by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. Therefore, if the ID confirmation by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, and the notification process that continues until the pachinko machine's power is shut off are performed at the time of power-on, then further control of ID confirmation and notification processing is not necessary thereafter.

In other words, while the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, at any given time (when the system of the pachinko machine 1 has finished starting up and is ready to proceed with the game and the effects), the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes shown in Figure 267. Furthermore, when the effect operation unit is attached to or detached from the tray unit 200 of the door frame 4, if an effect operation unit that has been determined to have a normal ID at least once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is replaced with another effect operation unit that has an abnormal ID (or, if an effect operation unit with an abnormal ID is replaced with an effect operation unit with a normal ID, and then determined to have a normal ID once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is returned to the effect operation unit with an abnormal ID), the effect will continue to progress and no notification will be given that the effect operation unit has an abnormal ID, even if the combination of the effect operation unit and the divided game board is actually incompatible (inconsistent). Therefore, once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again.

[Summary D]
D0:
The game machine comprises a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main body frame provided on the outer frame so as to be openable and closable, and a door frame provided on the main body frame so as to be openable and closable, and a game board side component being detachably provided on the game frame side component, wherein the game board side component consists of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. The first game board side component includes a performance control board capable of performing game effects and serial communication for sending and receiving signals to and from the outside. The second game board side component includes a light-emitting element, a decoration driving means capable of driving the light-emitting element and receiving decoration data from serial communication, a second ID code uniquely assigned to the decoration driving means, and a first ID code uniquely assigned to the decoration driving means. At least one of the serial communication lines connected to the performance control board is configured such that the first ID code and the second ID code are included in the serial communication data.

Specifically, for example, the system comprises a main frame 4 as a game frame component and a game board 5 as a game board component. The door frame 3, which is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, is fitted with door frame units (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units") such as a left door frame side unit 420, a right door frame side unit 430, a tray unit 200, and a door frame top unit 450. Because there are compatibility (matching) and incompatibility (mismatching) in the combination of the game board 5 and the door frame units, the door frame units may be treated as components of the game board 5. In other words, the game board component provided on the main frame 4 consists of a game board 5, which is a first game board component on which a microprocessor is mounted, and a specific door frame unit (a combination of one or more (or all) of the door frame units) which is a second game board component on which a microprocessor is not mounted. The game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, and the door frame units are mounted on the door frame 3, which is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable. In this case, where the door frame unit is treated as a component of the game board 5, the game board 5 consists of a first game board component, the game board 5, and a second game board component, a specific door unit. The first game board component, the game board 5, includes a peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board capable of executing game effects and performing serial communication for sending and receiving signals to and from the outside. The second game board component, the specific door unit, includes various LEDs that are light-emitting elements, an LED driver WIDCa mounted on the frame-side decorative board WKB (Figure 316), which drives the various LEDs and receives decorative data from serial communication, a uniquely assigned first ID code, and a second ID code uniquely assigned to the LED driver WIDCa mounted on the frame-side decorative board WKB (Figure 316).

The LED driver WIDCa, mounted on the frame-side decorative substrate WKB, which is a decorative driving means, has a uniquely assigned first ID code, which is a setting value 64 set by the address setting circuit WIDCd, mounted on the frame-side decorative substrate WKB as shown in Figure 316. A specific door unit, which is a second game board component, has an 8-bit information: 11110000B, in which the eight setting terminals Q0 to Q7 of the comparator circuit WIDCb, mounted on the frame-side decorative substrate WKB as shown in Figure 316, which is a uniquely assigned second ID code, are electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground). There are multiple serial communication lines connected to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board (for example, between the peripheral control board 1510 and various boards in the game board 5, or between the peripheral control board 1510 and the door frame unit). At least one of the serial communication lines connected to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board, contains in its serial communication data a setting value 64 set by the address setting circuit WIDCd implemented on the frame-side decorative board WKB, which is a first ID code (an ID code that indicates the LED driver WIDCa included in the light emission information signal for the LED driver WIDCa), and 8 bits of information where the eight setting terminals Q0 to Q7 of the comparator circuit WIDCb implemented on the frame-side decorative board WKB, which is a second ID code, are electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground) (information that is compared by the comparator circuit WIDCb by signals output from the eight output terminals OUT0 to OUT7 of the LED driver WIDCa included in the light emission information signal for the LED driver WIDCa). In other words, within the serial communication line (i.e., within the serial communication data) that transmits the light emission data instructing the LED light emission pattern, which is decorative data for a specific door frame unit that is a component of the second game board, the following are included: the first ID code is the ID of the LED driver WIDCa (ID code that instructs the LED driver WIDCa: setting value 64), and the second ID code is the ID of the frame-side decorative board WKB (8-bit information where the eight setting terminals of the comparator circuit WIDCb, terminals Q0 to Q7, are electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground): 11110000B).

Thus, in at least one serial communication line connected to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board, the serial communication data includes a setting value 64, which is a first ID code uniquely assigned to the LED driver WIDCa, and a second ID code 11110000B, which is a second game board component uniquely assigned to the door unit. Therefore, in addition to the serial communication line that transmits light emission data instructing the light emission patterns of various LEDs, which are decorative data, the LED driver WIDCa... This eliminates the need to provide separate serial communication lines for transmitting the first ID code (setting value 64), which is uniquely assigned to the first game board, and the second ID code (11110000B), which is uniquely assigned to a specific door frame unit, which is a component of the second game board. This allows the compatibility (consistency) of the combination between the first game board component (game board 5) and the second game board component (specific door frame unit) to be handled by the second game board component (specific door frame unit). As a result, any inconsistency between the first game board component (game board 5) and the second game board component (specific door frame unit) can be immediately detected, preventing the execution of incomplete gameplay due to this inconsistency. Therefore, a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

D1:
The game board side component comprises an outer frame, a main frame that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a door frame that is openable and closable on the main frame, and a game board side component that is detachably attached to the game frame side component. The game board side component comprises a light-emitting element and a decorative driver that drives the light-emitting element. The game board side component consists of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. The first game board side component includes a sub-control board that executes game effects and performs serial communication for sending and receiving signals to and from the outside. The second game board side component includes a decorative driver that receives decorative data from serial communication. The decorative driver has a uniquely assigned first ID code. The second game board side component has a uniquely assigned second ID code. There are multiple serial communication lines connected to the sub-control board. The serial communication line that transmits decorative data to the second game board component includes a first ID code and a second ID code.

Specifically, for example, the system comprises a main frame 4, which is a component on the game frame side, and a game board 5, which is a component on the game board side. The door frame 3, which is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, is fitted with door frame units (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units") such as a left door frame side unit 420, a right door frame side unit 430, a tray unit 200, and a top door frame unit 450. Since there are compatibility (matching) and incompatibility (mismatching) in combinations of the game board 5 and specific door frame units (combinations of one or more (or all) of the door frame units), specific door frame units may be treated as components of the game board 5. In other words, the game board side components provided on the main frame 4 consist of a game board 5, which is a first game board side component on which a microprocessor is mounted, and a specific door frame unit, which is a second game board side component on which a microprocessor is not mounted. The game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, and the specific door frame unit is mounted on a door frame 3 that is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable. Here, in the case where the specific door frame unit is treated as a component of the game board 5, the game board 5 consists of the game board 5, which is the first game board side component, and the door unit, which is the second game board side component. The game board 5 and the specific door frame unit are equipped with various LEDs, which are light-emitting elements, and LED drivers, which are decorative drivers that drive the various LEDs, which are light-emitting elements. The game board 5, which is the first game board side component, is equipped with a peripheral control board 1510, which is a sub-control board that can perform serial communication for executing game effects and sending and receiving signals to and from the outside. The door unit, which is a component of the second game board, is equipped with an LED driver WIDCa, which is mounted on the frame-side decorative board WKB shown in Figure 316. WIDCa is a decorative driver that receives light emission data from serial communication, which instructs the LED's light emission mode. The LED driver WIDCa, mounted on the frame-side decorative board WKB, has a uniquely assigned first ID code, which is a setting value 64 set by the address setting circuit WIDCd, also mounted on the frame-side decorative board WKB shown in Figure 316. The door unit, which is a component of the second game board, has an 8-bit information: 11110000B, where the eight setting terminals Q0 to Q7 of the comparator circuit WIDCb, also mounted on the frame-side decorative board WKB shown in Figure 316, are electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground). There are multiple serial communication lines connected to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a sub-control board (for example, between the peripheral control board 1510 and various boards within the game board 5, or between the peripheral control board 1510 and the door frame unit). The serial communication line that transmits light emission data instructing the light emission pattern of an LED, which is decorative data for a specific door frame unit that is a component of the second game board, contains a setting value 64 set by the address setting circuit WIDCd implemented on the frame-side decorative board WKB, which is the first ID code (an ID code that instructs the LED driver WIDCa included in the light emission information signal for the LED driver WIDCa), and 8 bits of information where the eight setting terminals Q0 to Q7 of the comparator circuit WIDCb implemented on the frame-side decorative board WKB, which is the second ID code, are electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground) respectively (information that is compared by the comparator circuit WIDCb by signals output from the eight output terminals OUT0 to OUT7 of the LED driver WIDCa, which is included in the light emission information signal for the LED driver WIDCa). In other words, the serial communication line that transmits the light emission data instructing the LED light emission pattern, which is decorative data for a specific door frame unit that is a component of the second game board, contains the following as a first ID code: the ID of the LED driver WIDCa (ID code that instructs the LED driver WIDCa: setting value 64), and the ID of the frame-side decorative board WKB as a second ID code (8-bit information where the eight setting terminals of the comparator circuit WIDCb, terminals Q0 to Q7, are electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground): 11110000B).

Thus, the LED driver WIDCa, which is a decorative driver that drives various LEDs that are light-emitting elements in the door unit, which is a component of the second game board, has a first ID code, which is a setting value 64, that is uniquely assigned to the LED driver WIDCa, which is a decorative driver, and a second ID code, which is uniquely assigned to the door unit, which is a component of the second game board, 11110000B, that is uniquely assigned to the door unit, which is a component of the second game board. These are included in the serial communication line that transmits the light emission data that instructs the light emission patterns of the various LEDs, which are decorative data, to the door unit, which is a component of the second game board. In addition to the serial communication line for sending data, it is no longer necessary to provide separate serial communication lines connected to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a sub-control board, for transmitting the setting value 64, which is a first ID code uniquely assigned to the LED driver WIDCa, which is a decorative driver, and the second ID code 11110000B, which is a second ID code uniquely assigned to a specific door frame unit, which is a second game board component. This eliminates the need to provide separate serial communication lines connected to the peripheral control board 1510, which is a sub-control board. As a result, the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5, which is a first game board component, and the specific door frame unit, which is a second game board component, can be checked at the specific door frame unit, which is a second game board component. This makes it possible to immediately determine if there is an inconsistency between the game board 5, which is a first game board component, and the specific door frame unit, which is a second game board component, and prevents the execution of incomplete effects when the game board 5, which is a first game board component, and the specific door frame unit, which is a second game board component, are inconsistent. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the decline in players' interest in the game.

D2:
Furthermore, in serial communication between the first game board component and the second game board component, a second ID code is provided (included) within the data area that decorates the light-emitting element, and a decoration driver is used as a second ID code expansion means for expanding (restoring) the second ID code from the serial signal into a parallel signal. Specifically, in serial communication between the first game board component, the game board 5, and the second game board component, a specific door frame unit, the light emission data, which is a data area for decorating various LEDs that are light-emitting elements and instructs the light emission mode of the LEDs, includes (includes) the ID of the frame-side decorative board WKB (8 bits of information where the eight setting terminals of the comparator circuit WIDCb, terminals Q0 to Q7, are electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground): 11110000B) as a second ID code expansion means, and the LED driver WIDCa, which is implemented on the frame-side decorative board WKB, which is a decorative driver, is used to expand (restore) the second ID code 11110000B from the serial signal into a parallel signal. As a result, there is no need to provide a dedicated second ID code expansion means on the frame-side decorative substrate WKB to expand (restore) the second ID code 11110000B into a parallel signal. Instead, the LED driver WIDCa that drives the various LEDs can be used directly as the second ID code expansion means and output to the comparator circuit WIDCb.

Furthermore, although the first game board component and the second game board component are electrically connected, they are each independently fixed to the game frame component. Specifically, the game board 5, which is the first game board component, and the specific door frame unit, which is the second game board component, are electrically connected, but they are each independently fixed to the main frame 4, which is the game frame component. In other words, the process of attaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4 and the process of attaching the specific door frame unit to the door frame 3, which is supported on the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, are separate processes. Therefore, when attaching the game board 5 to the main frame 4, it is possible that, due to human error, the relationship (combination) between the game board 5 and the specific door frame unit may not be compatible (match).

D3:
Furthermore, serial signals from the sub-control board and serial signals to the sub-control board communicate using the same domain as various data related to game performance. Specifically, the light emission information signal, which is a serial signal from the peripheral control board 1510 (which is the sub-control board) to the frame-side decorative board WKB in a specific door frame unit shown in Figure 316, and the door frame-side information signal, which is a serial signal from the relay board TKB provided on the plate unit 200 in a specific door frame unit shown in Figure 317 to the peripheral control board 1510 (which is the sub-control board), share the same domain as various data related to game performance. This communication takes place via the drawer connectors, as the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4 and the terminals of the lower game board drawer connectors UDRW, UDRW, which are mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5, are electrically connected to the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (not shown) mounted on a main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4. As a result, existing serial lines can be used as is for the drawer connector, and without increasing the number of drawer connectors, the peripheral control board 1510, which is a sub-control board, can transmit an ID for determining the authenticity of the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit, and can also receive the determination result for the specific door frame unit.

In a system capable of determining the compatibility (matching) of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit as shown in Figures 316 and 317, if a normal ID is determined within a predetermined period after power-on, no notification is given. However, if an abnormal ID is determined within a predetermined period after power-on, the notification method may be changed when the state changes. In the case of an abnormality, the notification method is changed when it becomes normal. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the performance operation unit information acquisition process in step S1108 of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267 (only the first time after power-on), or in the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, does not make a notification if it determines that state 1 in Figure 308(c) is normal, i.e., a normal ID (applicable method in the same figure: none). However, if it determines that state 2 in Figure 308(c) is ID error 1 (error response 1 in Figures 310 to 315 (ID error 1 response)), i.e., an abnormal ID, the notification for this error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is maintained. In the countermeasure in Figure 308(c): after power-off and replacement with a compliant ID product, if it determines that state 1 in Figure 308(c) is normal, i.e., a normal ID, the notification will no longer be made. In other words, if the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit is determined to be normal within a predetermined period after power-on, and a normal ID is determined, the system will not subsequently check the state of the combination of the game board 5 and the specific door frame unit. Even if the combination of the game board 5 and the specific door frame unit becomes incompatible (inconsistent), the system will not issue a notification indicating an abnormal ID due to the incompatibility (inconsistency). This limits the determination of the combination of the game board 5 and the specific door frame unit to a predetermined period after power-on, thereby contributing to a reduction in the processing load on the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 for the progression of the game's effects.

Except for some notifications, the notification will be terminated. Specifically, for example, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the ID is abnormal, in state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), as shown in Figure 308(c), then it will save the information as history information in the built-in RAM of a real-time clock IC (not shown) mounted on the peripheral control board 1510. In this case, it will be saved linked to the date and time. Then, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off, the correct combination of the left and right game boards is installed in the main frame 3, and when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on again, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c). In this case, for example, the history "ID abnormal" may be displayed on the performance display device or sub-performance display device, or this history may be displayed for a predetermined period or until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off. The performance will proceed while the history is displayed.

Once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again. Specifically, for example, to return from an abnormal state to a normal state, the game board must be removed and corrected. At this time, the power to the pachinko machine is shut off, cutting off the power supply to the peripheral control board. The game board must then be reinstalled, and the pachinko machine's power must be turned back on. Once the pachinko machine is powered on and power is supplied to the peripheral control board, the ID of the performance operation unit (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "ID confirmation") can be verified by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. Therefore, if the ID confirmation by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, and the notification process that continues until the pachinko machine's power is shut off are performed at the time of power-on, then further control of ID confirmation and notification processing is not necessary thereafter.

In other words, while the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, at any given time (when the system of the pachinko machine 1 has finished starting up and is ready to proceed with the game and the effects), the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes shown in Figure 267. Furthermore, when the effect operation unit is attached to or detached from the tray unit 200 of the door frame 4, if an effect operation unit that has been determined to have a normal ID at least once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is replaced with another effect operation unit that has an abnormal ID (or, if an effect operation unit with an abnormal ID is replaced with an effect operation unit with a normal ID, and then determined to have a normal ID once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is returned to the effect operation unit with an abnormal ID), the effect will continue to progress and no notification will be given that the effect operation unit has an abnormal ID, even if the combination of the effect operation unit and the divided game board is actually incompatible (inconsistent). Therefore, once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again.

D4:
A separate serial communication means transmits the result of the truth/false determination. Specifically, while the peripheral control board 1510 outputs to the frame-side decorative board WKB via a serial communication line (serial communication line for light emission information signals) that transmits light emission data instructing the LED light emission mode to the LED driver WIDCa of the frame-side decorative board WKB in the door unit as light emission information signals, the ID valid signal from the comparator circuit WIDCb of the frame-side decorative board WKB is input to the door frame-side information output circuit TOC of the relay board TKB provided on the dish unit 200 of the door frame 4, and is output from the door frame-side information output circuit TOC to the peripheral control board 1510 via a serial communication line (a serial communication line for door frame-side information signals that is a different system from the serial communication line for light emission information signals) that transmits the serialized door frame-side information signal together with detection signals from various sensors such as the performance operation unit 300. In other words, the ID validity signal from the comparator circuit WIDCb of the frame-side decorative substrate WKB, which is the result of the truth/false determination, is transmitted via a serial communication line for door frame-side information signals, which is a different serial communication means from the serial communication line for light emission information signals.

The first ID code uses the last configurable number. Specifically, the setting value 64 is set as the ID of the LED driver WIDCa on the frame-side decorative board WKB in the door unit. This is because, in addition to specific door frame units, LED drivers are also implemented on various decorative boards and other boards on the game board 5, and the number of LED drivers changes depending on the model. Therefore, in program development, it is necessary to prevent confusion between the LED driver WIDCa of the ID comparison circuit WIDC and other LED drivers. For this reason, the ID of the LED driver WIDCa is always fixed to setting value 64 for the frame-side decorative board WKB where the ID comparison circuit WIDC is provided.

The LEDs are driven by a decorative driver used in the second ID code expansion means. Specifically, in serial communication between the game board 5, which is the first game board component, and a specific door frame unit, which is the second game board component, the light emission data, which is a data area for decorating various LEDs that are light-emitting elements and instructs the light emission mode of the LEDs, includes (includes) the ID of the frame-side decorative board WKB (8 bits of information where the eight setting terminals Q0 to Q7 of the comparator circuit WIDCb are electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground): 11110000B) as the second ID code expansion means, which expands (restores) the second ID code 11110000B into a parallel signal from the serial signal, uses the LED driver WIDCa, which is mounted on the frame-side decorative board WKB, and the decorative driver uses this LED driver WIDCa. This eliminates the need to provide a dedicated second ID code decomposition means on the frame-side decorative substrate WKB to decompose (restore) the second ID code, 11110000B, into a parallel signal. Instead, the LED driver WIDCa, which drives the various LEDs, can be used directly as the second ID code decomposition means and output to the comparator circuit WIDCb. Furthermore, the LED driver WIDCa can control the illumination of various LEDs based on the illumination data, by electrically connecting them to the other output terminals (16 output terminals) that are not electrically connected to the eight input terminals of the comparator circuit WIDCb.

The drawer connector is divided into a main connector and a sub-connector. Specifically, the clock signal for acquiring information and the switching signal for acquiring information from the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 installed in the game board 5 are transmitted to the relay board TKB provided on the tray unit 200 of the door frame 3 via this drawer connector. This is done by electrically connecting the terminals of the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW (main connector or sub-connector) which is mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW of the game board 5 when the game board 5 is mounted on the main frame 4, with the terminals of two main frame side drawer connectors (sub-connector or main connector) which are mounted on a main frame side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4. Furthermore, the door frame-side information signal from the door frame-side information output circuit TOC of the relay board TKB, which is provided on the tray unit 200 of the door frame 3, is transmitted to the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 equipped with the game board 5 via these drawer connectors. This is achieved by electrically connecting the terminals of the lower game board drawer connector UDRW, UDRW, which is mounted on the lower game board drawer connector relay board 5ALUDRW (main or sub connector) of the game board 5, with the terminals of two main frame-side drawer connectors (sub or main connector) mounted on a main frame-side relay board (not shown) of the main frame 4.

If the status changes from false (incompatible) to true (compatible), the game becomes playable (noise countermeasure). Specifically, for example, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the performance operation unit information acquisition process of step S1108 in the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267, sets the logic of the information acquisition switching signal input to the S/inverting L terminal and outputs it to switch between parallel operation and serial operation, and then outputs an information acquisition clock signal to acquire information signals from the door frame side, thereby grasping the player's operation and the operation of the movable body (performance body) on the performance operation unit 300 mounted on the plate unit 200 of the door frame 3, grasping the operation of the movable body (performance body) and the player on other units of the door frame 3, and obtaining a judgment result on the compatibility (compatibleness) of the combination of the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit. Thus, if the judgment result regarding the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and the specific door frame unit changes from false (incompatible) to true (compatible), that is, if the change result is reversed, it is assumed that the combination of the game board 5 and the specific door frame unit is compatible (compatible), but that a part of the door frame side information signal (the part indicating the compatibility (consistency) of the combination of the game board 5 and the specific door frame unit) has been distorted due to the influence of noise, and the performance proceeds as if the combination of the game board 5 and the specific door frame unit is compatible (compatible).

While the system is in a false, non-compliant (inconsistent) state, data indicating that the LEDs are not lit is transmitted to the decorative unit. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 transmits light emission data to the various LED drivers that causes the various LEDs on the game board (divided game board) (various LEDs related to effects (various decorative LEDs)) and/or the various LEDs on a specific door frame unit (various LEDs related to effects (various decorative LEDs)) to turn off (all turn off).

If the false mismatch (inconsistency) is resolved, LED illumination data is transmitted to the decorative unit. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 transmits illumination data to the various LED drivers so that the various LEDs of the game board (divided game board) (various LEDs related to the effects (various decorative LEDs)) and/or the various LEDs of a specific door frame unit (various LEDs related to the effects (various decorative LEDs)) illuminate in a manner that corresponds to the progression of the effects.

[Summary E]
E1:
The game board side component comprises an outer frame, a main frame that can be opened and closed on the outer frame, and a door frame that can be opened and closed on the main frame, and a game board side component provided on the game board side component, the game board side component comprising a first game board side component and a second game board side component, and further comprising a consistency determination means for determining the consistency between the first game board side component and the second game board side component, and an operation unit provided on the first game board side component, and when the operation unit is operated, notification can be performed according to the determination result of the consistency determination means.

Specifically, for example, it comprises a main frame 4, which is a game frame side component, and a divided game board 5A, shown in Figure 302, which is a game board side component provided on the main frame 4, which is a game frame side component. The divided game board 5A, which is a game board side component, is composed of a left game board 5AL, shown in Figure 302, which is a first game board side component, and a right game board 5AR, shown in Figure 302, which is a second game board side component. It further comprises an ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, which is a consistency determination means for determining the consistency between the left game board 5AL, which is a first game board side component, and the right game board 5AR, which is a second game board side component, and an ID error determination switch 1310v of the main control board 1310, which is an operation unit provided on the left game board 5AL, which is a first game board side component, shown in Figure 323. When the ID error determination switch 1310v on the main control board 1310, which is the operation unit, is operated, notification can be performed according to the determination result of the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, which is the matching determination means.

When the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and an employee of the gaming hall presses the press operation part of the ID error judgment switch 1310v on the main control board 1310, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 receives a detection signal from the ID error judgment switch 1310v in the switch input processing of step S104 in the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257 (specifically, the logic of the detection signal from the ID error judgment switch 1310v has operation logic and non-operation logic, and when operation logic is input, the main control MPU 1310a receives an ID error When the press operation section of the error detection switch 1310v is determined to have been pressed, and a non-operation logic (the inverted operation logic) is input, the press operation section of the ID error detection switch 1310v is determined to have not been pressed. Based on this, when the press operation section of the ID error detection switch 1310v is determined to have been pressed, an ID error detection result notification start command is sent to the peripheral control board 1510 in the peripheral control board command transmission process of step S120 in the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257, to start notifying the ID error detection result.

When the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 performs the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. In this ID determination process, in order to obtain the ID of the right-side game board and the ID of the performance operation unit, it outputs an ID acquisition clock signal (a clock signal for acquiring an ID specifically for the right-side game board) to the right-side game board and an ID acquisition clock signal (a clock signal for acquiring an ID specifically for the performance operation unit) to the performance operation unit. The peripheral control IC 1510a then acquires the ID code signal from the right-side game board (an ID code signal specifically for the right-side game board) and the ID code signal from the performance control unit (an ID code signal specifically for the performance control unit) via separate serial systems. It then determines (compares) the combination of the split game boards (i.e., the combination of the right-side game board (a board without a microprocessor) and the left-side game board (the peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310, both equipped with microprocessors) by referring to a combination table (Figure 308) pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM. It also determines (compares) the combination of the performance control unit and the split game boards by referring to a combination table (Figure 308) pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM.

The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 receives an ID error judgment result notification start command from the main control board 1310 in the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing shown in Figure 268. When it analyzes the received command in the received command analysis processing of step S1022 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, it uses this as a trigger to start notifying the ID error judgment result. If the judgment result determined in the ID judgment processing of step S1003 is non-compliant (inconsistent), it passes a command classified as notification display to the warning processing of step S1024 in the peripheral control unit steady-state processing of the peripheral control unit power-on processing. As a result, in the warning processing of step S1024, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 reads (extracts) the screen generation schedule data, the light emission pattern generation schedule data, the sound generation schedule data, and the electrical drive source schedule data from the peripheral control ROM and sets them in the RAM of the peripheral control IC, thereby setting various processes related to the performance. The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 then notifies that the corresponding error has occurred, as shown in Figure 308(c) for the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error, from error response 1 to error response 9.

In this way, when the press operation section of the ID error judgment switch 1310v provided on the main control board 1310, which is the operation unit, is pressed, notification can be executed according to the determination result of the consistency between the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component. This allows for immediate detection of a mismatch between the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, preventing the execution of incomplete effects when the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are mismatched. Therefore, a decline in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

E2:
In the event of an ID error or disconnection error, the start time for error notification can be changed by pressing the ID error judgment switch 1310v. Specifically, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 performs the judgment result for the combination of divided game boards in the ID judgment process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, if it does not receive the ID error judgment result notification start command from the main control board 1310 in the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing shown in Figure 268 and analyze it in the received command analysis processing of step S1022 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, it will not be possible to pass the command classified as a notification display to the warning processing of step S1024 in the peripheral control unit steady-state processing of the peripheral control unit power-on processing, and will not be able to start notifying the ID error judgment result. In other words, until the command to start notifying the ID error judgment result is received (analyzed) from the main control board 1310, even if errors 1 to 9 have occurred, the start time for informing that fact can be changed by pressing the press operation part of the ID error judgment switch 1310v by an employee of the gaming hall or other staff member.

ID errors and disconnection errors can be detected at any time after power-on. Specifically, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 performs the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 based on the determination result for combinations of split game boards, etc., the ID error determination result notification start command from the main control board 1310 is received in the peripheral control unit command reception interrupt processing shown in Figure 268 by pressing the ID error determination switch 1310v by an employee of the game store, and unless it is analyzed in the received command analysis processing in step S1022 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, the command to be classified as a notification display cannot be passed to the warning processing in step S1024 of the peripheral control unit steady-state processing of the peripheral control unit power-on processing, and the notification of the ID error determination result cannot be started. In other words, staff members at the amusement hall can become aware of ID errors or disconnection errors at any time after powering on the pachinko machine 1 (at any time after the pachinko machine 1's system has finished starting up).

The peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510, when error responses 1 to 9 are not occurring as shown in Figure 308(c) for the pachinko machine's behavior during an error, i.e., when the pachinko machine is operating normally (no error response), the corresponding action is "none," and therefore there is no special notification behavior for normal operation (no error response). In other words, when operating normally (no error response), no notification is given, and no special notification sound is emitted from the speaker.

When the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and the press operation section of the ID error judgment switch 1310v on the main control board 1310 is pressed, this may trigger a notification sound (for example, a "beep") to be emitted from the speaker via control by the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510.

Furthermore, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and the setting key is inserted into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and turned ON, this may trigger a notification sound (for example, "beep beep") to be emitted from the speaker via control by the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510. In addition, if the setting is changed by pressing the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d on the payout control board 633, a notification sound (for example, "beep," which may be the same sound as the notification sound emitted when the setting key is inserted into the setting key switch 1311a and turned ON) may be emitted from the speaker via control by the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 each time the press operation part of the RWM switch 633d is pressed.

E3:
A predetermined self-identification code (ID) is assigned to the right-side game board 5AR via hardware (a hardware circuit). Specifically, the eight ID setting terminals of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC shown in Figure 305, which is provided on the right-side game board 5AR, are electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground) to assign the ID setting value (11110000B).

The ID assigned to the right-side game board 5AR by hardware (by a hardware circuit) is compared with the judgment ID code, and if they match, an effective signal is output. Specifically, the ID code signal output from the inverted QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC of the right-side game board 5AR (Figure 305) is input to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL (Figure 303). The peripheral control board 1510 obtains the ID of the right-side game board 5AR from this input ID code signal and makes a judgment (comparison) by referring to the combination table (Figure 308) that is pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM, which is the judgment ID code. The combination of the divided game boards is determined in the ID judgment process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing (Figure 309). If the combination of the split game boards is compatible (matches), and provided that the other IDs shown in Figure 308(c) are also compatible, the state becomes 1: Normal, and the door frame units (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units") such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 installed on the door frame 3, and the split game board 5A, proceed with the performance. The peripheral control board 1510 outputs, for example, a control signal to light up a predetermined LED in the sub-function display unit 2250 of the split game board 5A, as an effective signal to proceed with the performance.

The ID assigned to the right-side game board 5AR by hardware (a hardware circuit) is compared with the judgment ID code, and if they are not the same, the valid signal is not output. Specifically, the ID code signal output from the inverted QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC of the right-side game board 5AR (Figure 305) is input to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL (Figure 303). The peripheral control board 1510 obtains the ID of the right-side game board 5AR from this input ID code signal and makes a judgment (comparison) by referring to the combination table (Figure 308) that is pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM, which is the judgment ID code. The combination of the divided game boards is determined in the ID judgment process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing (Figure 309). If the combination of the split game boards is not compatible (matched), the peripheral control board 1510, for example, when it reaches state 2: ID error 1 as shown in Figure 308(c), will, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on as shown in Figure 311, not output a control signal to light a predetermined LED on the sub-function display unit 2250 of the split game board 5A as an active signal to proceed with the performance, and will instead turn off (turn off all) the sub-function display unit 2250.

There are cases where operating the control unit at any time after power-on does not result in notification (if it is a valid ID). Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is configured not to notify that it is operating normally (no error response) if, as shown in Figure 308(c), error responses 1 to 9 have not occurred in the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error, that is, if the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error, as shown in Figure 308(c), is normal operation (no error response), and the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 is performing the setting change processing in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing (until a predetermined period has elapsed until this setting change processing is completed). In other words, if the system operates normally (without error handling), it will not send a notification.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to detect valid IDs, ID errors, and disconnection errors at any time after power-on, that is, the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error as shown in Figure 308(c)—normal operation (no error handling), ID errors such as error handling 1 to error handling 9, and disconnection errors—was determined by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, which is a predetermined period after power-on. However, it may be configured to detect these errors at any time after power-on. Specifically, valid IDs, ID errors, and disconnection errors may be determined by the ID determination process in the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267. Valid IDs, ID errors, and disconnection errors related to the performance operation unit may be determined in the performance operation unit information acquisition process in step S of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267. In any case, if the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error as shown in Figure 308(c) is normal operation (no error handling), the response method is "none," and therefore there is no special notification method for normal operation (no error handling). In other words, if the system is functioning normally (without error handling), it will not notify you of this.

If the ID is determined to be legitimate, no notification will be issued even if the control unit is operated afterward. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, will not issue a notification if it determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c) (applicable method in the same figure: none). In other words, if the combination of the left and right game boards is determined to be normal within a predetermined period after power-on, and a normal ID is determined, the system will not subsequently check the state of the combination of the left and right game boards. Even if a setting key is inserted into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and the ON operation is performed at this time, the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310 is performing the main control side main processing in the main control side power-on processing shown in Figure 256 and the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257. Therefore, it cannot perform the setting change processing in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing. Consequently, the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 cannot notify that normal operation (no error handling) is occurring.

If an abnormal ID is detected, the notification will continue until the ID becomes normal. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines that the ID is not normal (abnormal ID), specifically state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), and therefore the notification for error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is maintained until the product is replaced with a suitable ID after power-off, as shown in Figure 308(c). This notification makes it difficult to play games while the combination of the left and right game boards is incompatible (mismatched).

If a normal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, no notification is given. However, if an abnormal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, the notification method may be changed when the state changes. In the case of an abnormality, the notification method is changed when it becomes normal. Specifically, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 does not give a notification if it determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID (applicable method in the same figure: none). However, if it determines that the state is 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), i.e., an abnormal ID, the notification for this error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is maintained. The corrective method in Figure (c): after power-off and replacement with a compliant ID product, if the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, then the notification will no longer be given. In other words, if the combination of the left and right game boards is determined to be normal within a predetermined period after power-on, and a normal ID is determined, the system will not subsequently check the state of the combination of the left and right game boards. Even if the combination of the left and right game boards becomes incompatible (inconsistent), the system will not issue a notification indicating an abnormal ID due to the incompatibility (inconsistency). By limiting the determination of the combination of the left and right game boards to a predetermined period after power-on, this contributes to reducing the processing load on the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 for the progression of the game's effects.

Except for some notifications, the notification will be terminated. Specifically, for example, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the ID is abnormal, in state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), as shown in Figure 308(c), then it will save the information as history information in the built-in RAM of a real-time clock IC (not shown) mounted on the peripheral control board 1510. In this case, it will be saved linked to the date and time. Then, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off, the correct combination of the left and right game boards is installed in the main frame 3, and when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on again, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c). In this case, for example, the history "ID abnormal" may be displayed on the performance display device or sub-performance display device, or this history may be displayed for a predetermined period or until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off. The performance will proceed while the history is displayed.

Once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again. Specifically, for example, to return from an abnormal state to a normal state, the game board must be removed and corrected. At this time, the power to the pachinko machine is shut off, cutting off the power supply to the peripheral control board. The game board must then be reinstalled, and the pachinko machine's power must be turned back on. Once the pachinko machine is powered on and power is supplied to the peripheral control board, the ID of the performance operation unit (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "ID confirmation") can be verified by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. Therefore, if the ID confirmation by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, and the notification process that continues until the pachinko machine's power is shut off are performed at the time of power-on, then further control of ID confirmation and notification processing is not necessary thereafter.

In other words, while the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, at any given time (when the system of the pachinko machine 1 has finished starting up and is ready to proceed with the game and the effects), the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes shown in Figure 267. Furthermore, when the effect operation unit is attached to or detached from the tray unit 200 of the door frame 4, if an effect operation unit that has been determined to have a normal ID at least once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is replaced with another effect operation unit that has an abnormal ID (or, if an effect operation unit with an abnormal ID is replaced with an effect operation unit with a normal ID, and then determined to have a normal ID once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is returned to the effect operation unit with an abnormal ID), the effect will continue to progress and no notification will be given that the effect operation unit has an abnormal ID, even if the combination of the effect operation unit and the divided game board is actually incompatible (inconsistent). Therefore, once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again.

E4:
In case of mismatch, an abnormality is notified on the LCD. Specifically, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is incompatible (mismatched), for example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) at power-on shown in Figure 310, the performance display device 1600 displays the notification text "Power restoration in progress" and "Please wait" on a black background, and when the startup music ends, it displays an image of the performance (for example, when the performance progresses based on the game balls entering the various prize slots). Then, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 311, the performance display device 1600 displays the notification text "Please wait" on an image of the performance (for example, when the performance progresses based on the game balls entering the various prize slots) or an image of the waiting time (for example, when a demonstration is being performed or when a stopped image is displayed).

In the event of inconsistency, control by the performance control means will not be performed. Specifically, for example, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which is the performance control means, determines in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309 that the combination of the left and right game boards is incompatible (inconsistent), then, for example, in the error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 311, the various LEDs of the specific door frame unit controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, and the various LEDs of the game board, will be turned off (all turned off), and the movable parts on the game board side and the movable parts on the game frame side, which are controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, will not perform any actions such as returning to their original positions (no operation).

In case of mismatch, an abnormality will be announced by voice. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, will determine that the combination of the left and right game boards is incompatible (mismatched). For example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) at power-on shown in Figure 310, after the startup music ends, an announcement sound saying "Please call an attendant" will be played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound seven times. This voice pattern will be repeated. Then, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 311, an announcement sound saying "Please call an attendant" will be played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound seven times. This voice pattern will be repeated.

In case of mismatch, the lamps on the door frame (which may be lamps provided on decorative members that are removable or lamps provided on decorative members that are not removable) will light up in an abnormal state. Specifically, the door frame 3, which is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, is fitted with door frame units such as the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units"). In the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control board 1510 power-on process shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is incompatible (mismatched), for example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 313, the various LEDs on the door frame unit will blink red in an abnormal state. Furthermore, the various LEDs in the door frame unit may be provided not only on the various units (various decorative members) that are detachable from the door frame 3, but also on the various decorative members that are attached to and fixed to the door frame 3.

If there are multiple components on the second game board side, all of the components on the second game board side will not be driven unless at least one of them has a valid ID. Specifically, if the right game board 5AR, which is a component on the second game board side, is further divided into an upper and lower part, and consists of the upper right game board 5ART and the lower right game board 5ARU as shown in Figure 307, the upper right game board 5ART is provided with an ID output circuit IDCT that can identify itself, and the lower right game board 5ARU is provided with an ID output circuit IDCU that can identify itself. The parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART and the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU are daisy-chained together, and operate as a 16-bit shift register consisting of an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART and an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU. The peripheral control board 1510 receives, one bit at a time, as serial data, following the contents held by each flip-flop in the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU, which is the subsequent 8-bit shift register. The peripheral control board 1510 can acquire the ID code signal and determine the compatibility (inconsistency) between the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR. In a combination of the upper right game board and the lower right game board, if the upper right game board 5ART is to be combined with another lower right game board that is incompatible (inconsistent) with the upper right game board 5ART, then even if the left game board 5AL and the upper right game board 5ART are compatible (inconsistent), the various LEDs on the upper right game board 5ART, and the various LEDs on the other lower right game board that is incompatible (inconsistent) with the upper right game board 5ART, will be turned off (all LEDs turned off).

[Summary F]
F1:
The system comprises a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main frame that can be opened and closed on the outer frame, and a door frame that can be opened and closed on the main frame; a game board side component provided on the game frame side component and having a first game board side component and a second game board side component; a consistency determination means for determining consistency between the first game board side component and the second game board side component; a lottery means for executing a lottery process based on the fulfillment of lottery conditions; and a plurality of display units for displaying the lottery results of the lottery means. If a mismatch is determined by the consistency determination means, the display of the lottery results on some of the plurality of display units is restricted.

Specifically, for example, the main frame 4, which is a game frame side component; the divided game board 5A of Figure 302, which is a game board side component provided on the main frame 4, which is a game frame side component and has the left game board 5AL of Figure 302, which is a first game board side component, and the right game board 5AR of Figure 302, which is a second game board side component; and step S1 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit of Figure 309, which is a consistency determination means for determining the consistency between the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component. The system includes an ID determination process (003), a special symbol and special electric mechanism control process in step S114 of the main control-side timer interrupt process (Figure 257), which is a lottery means that executes a lottery process based on the fulfillment of the lottery conditions, and a plurality of display units that display the lottery results of the special symbol and special electric mechanism control process, which is the lottery means: a function display unit 1400 (Figure 302) controlled by the main control board 1310 and a sub-function display unit 2250 (Figure 302) controlled by the peripheral control board 1510. If the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on process (Figure 309), which is the consistency determination means, determines that there is a mismatch, the display of the lottery results on the sub-function display unit 2250 (controlled by the peripheral control board 1510), which is one of the plurality of display units, the function display unit 1400 (controlled by the main control board 1310 and the sub-function display unit 2250) controlled by the peripheral control board 1510, is restricted. For example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on as shown in Figure 311, the function display unit 1400 controlled by the main control board 1310 lights up a predetermined LED, while the sub-function display unit 2250 controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 turns off (all lights off). If it is determined that the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are incompatible, the display of the lottery result on either or both of the sub-function display unit 2250 and the performance display device 1600 controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 may be restricted. In this case, the display of the lottery result may be restricted by turning off the sub-function display unit 2250, stopping the flashing light emission and making it emit light in a predetermined emission mode (e.g., all lights on), turning off the performance display device 1600, or displaying notification characters (e.g., "Please call an attendant") on the performance display device 1600 to cover the display of the changing decorative patterns.

Thus, if there is a mismatch between the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, the display of the lottery results in the sub-function display unit 2250 controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 is restricted. This is because the sub-function display unit 2250, which is controlled by the peripheral control board 1510, is one of several display units that display the lottery results for the special symbols and special electric mechanism control processing in step S114 of the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257, which is the lottery means. This allows for immediate detection of inconsistencies between the left-side game board 5AL (the first game board component) and the right-side game board 5AR (the second game board component). This prevents the execution of incomplete gameplay due to these inconsistencies, thus mitigating a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

F2:
The system further includes connection determination means for determining the connection status of the second game board component, and even if the connection determination means determines that the second game board component is not connected, the display of the lottery results on the multiple display units is not restricted.

Specifically, the system further includes an ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, which is a connection determination means for determining the connection status of the right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board side. (In other words, the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 functions as a consistency determination means for determining the consistency between the left-side game board 5AL, which is a component of the first game board side, and the right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board side.) It has the function of a connection determination means for determining the connection status with the right-side game board 5AR, which is a component. Even if the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing, which is the connection determination means, determines that the right-side game board 5AR, which is a component of the second game board, is in an unconnected state, the display of the lottery results on the multiple display units, namely the function display unit 1400 controlled by the main control board 1310 and the sub-function display unit 2250 controlled by the peripheral control board 1510, is not restricted. For example, in the error response 7 after power-on in Figure 311 (state 8 in Figure 308(c): unconnected error, connection with the right-side game board 5AR cannot be confirmed), the function display unit 1400 controlled by the main control board 1310 lights up a predetermined LED, and the sub-function display unit 2250 controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 lights up a predetermined LED.

The first game board component comprises a game control means for controlling the progress of the game, and an effect control means for controlling the effects based on signals from the game control means. The game control means controls a first display unit among a plurality of display units to display the lottery results, and the effect control means controls a second display unit among a plurality of display units to display the lottery results. If an inconsistency is detected by the consistency determination means, the display of the lottery results on the second display unit controlled by the effect control means is restricted, while the display of the lottery results on the first display unit controlled by the game control means is not restricted.

Specifically, the left-side game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, comprises a main control board 1310, which is a game control means for controlling the progress of the game, and a peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control means for controlling the performance based on signals (various commands) from the main control board 1310, which is the game control means. The main control board 1310, which is the game control means, comprises a plurality of display units: a function display unit 1400 controlled by the main control board 1310 and a sub-function display unit 2 controlled by the peripheral control board 1510. The peripheral control board 1510, which is a display unit of the peripheral control board 1510, controls the first display unit of the sub-function display unit 2250, which is controlled by the peripheral control board 1510, which is a display unit of the 250, to display the lottery results of the special symbols and special electric mechanism control process in step S114 of the main control side timer interrupt processing in Figure 257. The peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control means, controls the function display unit 1400, which is a sub-function display unit controlled by the peripheral control board 1510, which is a multi-display unit, which is controlled by the main control board 1310. The sub-function display unit 2250, which is the second display unit of the sub-function display unit 2250 controlled by the peripheral control board 1510, which is a part of the display unit 2250, is controlled to receive a command sent in the peripheral control board command transmission process of step S120 in the main control side timer interrupt process of Figure 257, which is the main control side timer interrupt process of Figure 257, regarding the lottery result of the special symbol and special electric prize control process in step S114, and displays the lottery result based on this received command. If an inconsistency is determined by the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on process of Figure 309, which is the consistency determination means, the display of the lottery result on the sub-function display unit 2250, which is the second display unit controlled by the peripheral control board 1510, which is the performance control means, is restricted, while the display of the lottery result on the function display unit 1400, which is the first display unit controlled by the main control board 1310, which is the game control means, is not restricted. For example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on as shown in Figure 311, the sub-function display unit 2250 controlled by the peripheral control board 1510 turns off (all lights off), while the function display unit 1400 controlled by the main control board 1310 illuminates a predetermined LED.

F3:
A predetermined self-identification code (ID) is assigned to the right-side game board 5AR via hardware (a hardware circuit). Specifically, the eight ID setting terminals of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC shown in Figure 305, which is provided on the right-side game board 5AR, are electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground) to assign the ID setting value (11110000B).

The ID assigned to the right-side game board 5AR by hardware (by a hardware circuit) is compared with the judgment ID code, and if they match, an effective signal is output. Specifically, the ID code signal output from the inverted QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC of the right-side game board 5AR (Figure 305) is input to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL (Figure 303). The peripheral control board 1510 obtains the ID of the right-side game board 5AR from this input ID code signal and makes a judgment (comparison) by referring to the combination table (Figure 308) that is pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM, which is the judgment ID code. The combination of the divided game boards is determined in the ID judgment process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing (Figure 309). If the combination of the split game boards is compatible (matches), and provided that the other IDs shown in Figure 308(c) are also compatible, the state becomes 1: Normal, and the door frame units (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units") such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 installed on the door frame 3, and the split game board 5A, proceed with the performance. The peripheral control board 1510 outputs, for example, a control signal to light up a predetermined LED in the sub-function display unit 2250 of the split game board 5A, as an effective signal to proceed with the performance.

The ID assigned to the right-side game board 5AR by hardware (a hardware circuit) is compared with the judgment ID code, and if they are not the same, the valid signal is not output. Specifically, the ID code signal output from the inverted QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC of the right-side game board 5AR (Figure 305) is input to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL (Figure 303). The peripheral control board 1510 obtains the ID of the right-side game board 5AR from this input ID code signal and makes a judgment (comparison) by referring to the combination table (Figure 308) that is pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM, which is the judgment ID code. The combination of the divided game boards is determined in the ID judgment process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing (Figure 309). If the combination of the split game boards is not compatible (matched), the peripheral control board 1510, for example, when it reaches state 2: ID error 1 as shown in Figure 308(c), will, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on as shown in Figure 311, not output a control signal to light a predetermined LED on the sub-function display unit 2250 of the split game board 5A as an active signal to proceed with the performance, and will instead turn off (turn off all) the sub-function display unit 2250.

There are cases where operating the control unit at any time after power-on does not result in notification (if it is a valid ID). Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is configured not to notify that it is operating normally (no error response) if, as shown in Figure 308(c), error responses 1 to 9 have not occurred in the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error, that is, if the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error, as shown in Figure 308(c), is normal operation (no error response), and the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 is performing the setting change processing in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing (until a predetermined period has elapsed until this setting change processing is completed). In other words, if the system operates normally (without error handling), it will not send a notification.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to detect valid IDs, ID errors, and disconnection errors at any time after power-on, that is, the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error as shown in Figure 308(c)—normal operation (no error handling), ID errors such as error handling 1 to error handling 9, and disconnection errors—was determined by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, which is a predetermined period after power-on. However, it may be configured to detect these errors at any time after power-on. Specifically, valid IDs, ID errors, and disconnection errors may be determined by the ID determination process in the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267. Valid IDs, ID errors, and disconnection errors related to the performance operation unit may be determined in the performance operation unit information acquisition process in step S of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267. In any case, if the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error as shown in Figure 308(c) is normal operation (no error handling), the response method is "none," and therefore there is no special notification method for normal operation (no error handling). In other words, if the system is functioning normally (without error handling), it will not send a notification.

If the ID is determined to be legitimate, no notification will be issued even if the control unit is operated afterward. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, will not issue a notification if it determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c) (applicable method in the same figure: none). In other words, if the combination of the left and right game boards is determined to be normal within a predetermined period after power-on, and a normal ID is determined, the system will not subsequently check the state of the combination of the left and right game boards. Even if a setting key is inserted into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and the ON operation is performed at this time, the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310 is performing the main control side main processing in the main control side power-on processing shown in Figure 256 and the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257. Therefore, it cannot perform the setting change processing in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing. Consequently, the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 cannot notify that normal operation (no error handling) is occurring.

If an abnormal ID is detected, the notification will continue until the ID becomes normal. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines that the ID is not normal (abnormal ID), specifically state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), and therefore the notification for error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is maintained until the product is replaced with a suitable ID after power-off, as shown in Figure 308(c). This notification makes it difficult to play games while the combination of the left and right game boards is incompatible (mismatched).

If a normal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, no notification is given. However, if an abnormal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, the notification method may be changed when the state changes. In the case of an abnormality, the notification method is changed when it becomes normal. Specifically, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 does not give a notification if it determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID (applicable method in the same figure: none). However, if it determines that the state is 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), i.e., an abnormal ID, the notification for this error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is maintained. The corrective method in Figure (c): after power-off and replacement with a compliant ID product, if the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, then the notification will no longer be given. In other words, if the combination of the left and right game boards is determined to be normal within a predetermined period after power-on, and a normal ID is determined, the system will not subsequently check the state of the combination of the left and right game boards. Even if the combination of the left and right game boards becomes incompatible (inconsistent), the system will not issue a notification indicating an abnormal ID due to the incompatibility (inconsistency). By limiting the determination of the combination of the left and right game boards to a predetermined period after power-on, this contributes to reducing the processing load on the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 for the progression of the game's effects.

Except for some notifications, the notification will be terminated. Specifically, for example, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the ID is abnormal, in state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), as shown in Figure 308(c), then it will save the information as history information in the built-in RAM of a real-time clock IC (not shown) mounted on the peripheral control board 1510. In this case, it will be saved linked to the date and time. Then, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off, the correct combination of the left and right game boards is installed in the main frame 3, and when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on again, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c). In this case, for example, the history "ID abnormal" may be displayed on the performance display device or sub-performance display device, or this history may be displayed for a predetermined period or until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off. The performance will proceed while the history is displayed.

Once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again. Specifically, for example, to return from an abnormal state to a normal state, the game board must be removed and corrected. At this time, the power to the pachinko machine is shut off, cutting off the power supply to the peripheral control board. The game board must then be reinstalled, and the pachinko machine's power must be turned back on. Once the pachinko machine is powered on and power is supplied to the peripheral control board, the ID of the performance operation unit (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "ID confirmation") can be verified by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. Therefore, if the ID confirmation by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, and the notification process that continues until the pachinko machine's power is shut off are performed at the time of power-on, then further control of ID confirmation and notification processing is not necessary thereafter.

In other words, while the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, at any given time (when the system of the pachinko machine 1 has finished starting up and is ready to proceed with the game and the effects), the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes shown in Figure 267. Furthermore, when the effect operation unit is attached to or detached from the tray unit 200 of the door frame 4, if an effect operation unit that has been determined to have a normal ID at least once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is replaced with another effect operation unit that has an abnormal ID (or, if an effect operation unit with an abnormal ID is replaced with an effect operation unit with a normal ID, and then determined to have a normal ID once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is returned to the effect operation unit with an abnormal ID), the effect will continue to progress and no notification will be given that the effect operation unit has an abnormal ID, even if the combination of the effect operation unit and the divided game board is actually incompatible (inconsistent). Therefore, once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again.

F4:
In case of mismatch, an abnormality is notified on the LCD. Specifically, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is incompatible (mismatched), for example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) at power-on shown in Figure 310, the performance display device 1600 displays the notification text "Power restoration in progress" and "Please wait" on a black background, and when the startup music ends, it displays an image of the performance (for example, when the performance progresses based on the game balls entering the various prize slots). Then, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 311, the performance display device 1600 displays the notification text "Please wait" on an image of the performance (for example, when the performance progresses based on the game balls entering the various prize slots) or an image of the waiting time (for example, when a demonstration is being performed or when a stopped image is displayed).

In the event of inconsistency, control by the performance control means will not be performed. Specifically, for example, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which is the performance control means, determines in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 that the combination of the left and right game boards is incompatible (inconsistent), then, for example, in the error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 311, the various LEDs on the door frame unit and the various LEDs on the game board, which are controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, will be turned off (all LEDs turned off), and the movable parts on the game board side and the movable parts on the game frame side, which are controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, will not perform any actions such as returning to their original positions (no operation).

In case of mismatch, an abnormality will be announced by voice. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, will determine that the combination of the left and right game boards is incompatible (mismatched). For example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) at power-on shown in Figure 310, after the startup music ends, an announcement sound saying "Please call an attendant" will be played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound seven times. This voice pattern will be repeated. Then, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 311, an announcement sound saying "Please call an attendant" will be played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound seven times. This voice pattern will be repeated.

In case of mismatch, the lamps on the door frame (which may be lamps provided on decorative members that are removable or lamps provided on decorative members that are not removable) will light up in an abnormal state. Specifically, the door frame 3, which is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, is fitted with door frame units such as the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units"). In the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control board 1510 power-on process shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is incompatible (mismatched), for example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 313, the various LEDs on the door frame unit will blink red in an abnormal state. Furthermore, the various LEDs in the door frame unit may be provided not only on the various units (various decorative members) that are detachable from the door frame 3, but also on the various decorative members that are attached to and fixed to the door frame 3.

If there are multiple components on the second game board side, all of the components on the second game board side will not be driven unless at least one of them has a valid ID. Specifically, if the right game board 5AR, which is a component on the second game board side, is further divided into an upper and lower part, and consists of the upper right game board 5ART and the lower right game board 5ARU as shown in Figure 307, the upper right game board 5ART is provided with an ID output circuit IDCT that can identify itself, and the lower right game board 5ARU is provided with an ID output circuit IDCU that can identify itself. The parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART and the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU are daisy-chained together, and operate as a 16-bit shift register consisting of an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART and an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU. The peripheral control board 1510 receives, one bit at a time, as serial data, following the contents held by each flip-flop in the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU, which is the subsequent 8-bit shift register. The peripheral control board 1510 can acquire the ID code signal and determine the compatibility (inconsistency) between the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR. In a combination of the upper right game board and the lower right game board, if the upper right game board 5ART is to be combined with another lower right game board that is incompatible (inconsistent) with the upper right game board 5ART, then even if the left game board 5AL and the upper right game board 5ART are compatible (inconsistent), the various LEDs on the upper right game board 5ART, and the various LEDs on the other lower right game board that is incompatible (inconsistent) with the upper right game board 5ART, will be turned off (all LEDs turned off).

[Summary G]
G1:
The system comprises a game frame side component having a movable decorative body that is driven in a predetermined manner, a game board side component provided on the game frame side component and having a first game board side component and a second game board side component, a consistency determination means for determining consistency between the first game board side component and the second game board side component, and a plurality of light-emitting elements provided on the second game board side component, wherein the illumination of the plurality of light-emitting elements provided on the second game board side component is restricted when a mismatch is determined by the consistency determination means, and although the movable decorative body provided on the game frame side component is not subject to determination by the consistency determination means, its driving is restricted if it is determined that the first game board side component and the second game board side component are mismatched.

Specifically, for example, a game board is mounted on the main frame 4, and the door frame 3, which is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, is fitted with door frame units (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units") such as the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450. The tray unit 200 is equipped with a performance operation unit 300. The performance operation unit 300 includes the performance operation section 301 shown in Figure 52 and is a movable decorative body that operates in a predetermined manner. The game frame side component, consisting of the door frame 3 and the main frame 4, includes, as the game board side component, a game board and a performance operation unit 300 equipped with a performance operation section 301, which is a movable decorative body that operates in a predetermined manner.

Furthermore, the system includes a game board component, the divided game board 5A shown in Figure 302, which is provided on the main frame 4, the game frame component, and has a first game board component, the left game board 5AL shown in Figure 302, and a second game board component, the right game board 5AR shown in Figure 302; an ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, which is a consistency determination means for determining the consistency between the left game board 5AL, the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, the second game board component; and various LEDs, which are multiple light-emitting elements, provided on the right game board 5AR, the second game board component.

This performance control unit 300 is not equipped with any ID for self-identification and can be used in common with any specification. It is equipped with a movable body such as the performance control section 301 shown in Figure 52. The movable body such as the performance control section 301 provided on the performance control unit 300 is treated as part of the "game frame side movable body" shown in Figures 310 to 315.

If a mismatch is determined by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing, which is the consistency determination means, the emission of various LEDs, which are multiple light-emitting elements provided on the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component, is restricted. The performance operation unit 300, which is a movable decorative element provided on the door frame 3, which is the game frame side component, is not subject to determination by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing, which is the consistency determination means, but if it is determined that the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component, are mismatched, the drive is restricted. For example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) at power-on in Figure 310, the movable body on the game frame side does not perform any action such as returning to its original position (no operation). Furthermore, if it is determined that the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are incompatible, the control of the movable decorative element (in this example, the performance operation unit 300) provided on the door frame 3, which is the game frame component, should be in a different manner than when it is determined that the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are compatible. For example, some or all of the movable decorative elements provided on the door frame 3, which is the game frame component, may be driven in a specific driving manner (such as rotating at a constant speed), or some or all of the movable decorative elements provided on the door frame 3, which is the game frame component, may be controlled so that they are not driven.

Thus, if the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are inconsistent, the drive of the performance operation unit 300, which is a movable decorative element provided on the door frame 3, a game frame component that is not subject to determination by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing (which is the consistency determination means), is restricted. This allows for immediate detection of the inconsistency between the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, preventing the execution of incomplete performances due to the inconsistency. Therefore, a decline in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

G2:
If the alignment determination means determines alignment within a predetermined period after power-on, the driving of the movable decorative body will not be restricted even if misalignment occurs later. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines the alignment between the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. If it determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is compatible (aligned), it does not determine the compatibility (alignment) between the left game board and the right game board at all thereafter. Even if the combination of the left game board and the right game board becomes incompatible (misaligned), the driving of the performance operation unit 300, which is the movable decorative body, will not be restricted and will operate. In other words, the performance operation unit 301 will be driven and operated in a predetermined operating mode (in accordance with the progress of the performance).

If the consistency determination means determines that there is a mismatch within a predetermined period from power-on, the restriction on the movable decorative body is released based on the determination that consistency has been achieved. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines the consistency between state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), that is, the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component, and determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is inconsistent. If a mismatch is detected, the notification for Error Response 1 (ID Error 1 Response) is maintained. The corrective action shown in Figure (c) is as follows: after power cut-off and replacement with a compatible ID part, the system returns to State 1 in Figure 308(c): normal. This means the system determines the compatibility between the left game board 5AL (the first game board component) and the right game board 5AR (the second game board component). If the combination of the left and right game boards is determined to be compatible (matched), the notification is deactivated.

G3:
A predetermined self-identification code (ID) is assigned to the right-side game board 5AR via hardware (a hardware circuit). Specifically, the eight ID setting terminals of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC shown in Figure 305, which is provided on the right-side game board 5AR, are electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground) to assign the ID setting value (11110000B).

The ID assigned to the right-side game board 5AR by hardware (by a hardware circuit) is compared with the judgment ID code, and if they match, an effective signal is output. Specifically, the ID code signal output from the inverted QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC of the right-side game board 5AR (Figure 305) is input to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL (Figure 303). The peripheral control board 1510 obtains the ID of the right-side game board 5AR from this input ID code signal and makes a judgment (comparison) by referring to the combination table (Figure 308) that is pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM, which is the judgment ID code. The combination of the divided game boards is determined in the ID judgment process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing (Figure 309). If the combination of the divided game boards is compatible (matches), and provided that the other IDs shown in Figure 308(c) are also compatible, the state becomes 1: Normal, and the door frame units (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units") such as the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, and the divided game board 5A, which are installed on the door frame 3, proceed with the performance. The peripheral control board 1510 outputs, for example, a control signal to the performance operation unit 300, which drives the performance operation section 301 to operate in a predetermined manner, as an effective signal to proceed with the performance.

The ID assigned to the right-side game board 5AR by hardware (a hardware circuit) is compared with the judgment ID code, and if they are not the same, the valid signal is not output. Specifically, the ID code signal output from the inverted QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC of the right-side game board 5AR (Figure 305) is input to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL (Figure 303). The peripheral control board 1510 obtains the ID of the right-side game board 5AR from this input ID code signal and makes a judgment (comparison) by referring to the combination table (Figure 308) that is pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM, which is the judgment ID code. The combination of the divided game boards is determined in the ID judgment process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing (Figure 309). If the combination of the divided game boards is not compatible (matched), the peripheral control board 1510, for example, when it reaches state 2: ID error 1 as shown in Figure 308(c), does not output a control signal as an effective signal to proceed with the performance, instead of driving and operating the movable body on the game frame side in a predetermined manner, as shown in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on in Figure 310. Instead, it does not perform any action such as returning the movable body on the game frame side to its original position (it does not operate).

There are cases where operating the control unit at any time after power-on does not result in notification (if it is a valid ID). Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is configured not to notify that it is operating normally (no error response) if, as shown in Figure 308(c), error responses 1 to 9 have not occurred in the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error, that is, if the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error, as shown in Figure 308(c), is normal operation (no error response), and the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 is performing the setting change processing in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing (until a predetermined period has elapsed until this setting change processing is completed). In other words, if the system operates normally (without error handling), it will not notify you of this.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to detect valid IDs, ID errors, and disconnection errors at any time after power-on, that is, the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error as shown in Figure 308(c)—normal operation (no error handling), ID errors such as error handling 1 to error handling 9, and disconnection errors—was determined by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, which is a predetermined period after power-on. However, it may be configured to detect these errors at any time after power-on. Specifically, valid IDs, ID errors, and disconnection errors may be determined by the ID determination process in the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267. Valid IDs, ID errors, and disconnection errors related to the performance operation unit may be determined in the performance operation unit information acquisition process in step S of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267. In any case, if the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error as shown in Figure 308(c) is normal operation (no error handling), the response method is "none," and therefore there is no special notification method for normal operation (no error handling). In other words, if the system is functioning normally (without error handling), it will not notify you of this.

If the ID is determined to be legitimate, no notification will be issued even if the control unit is operated afterward. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, will not issue a notification if it determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c) (applicable method in the same figure: none). In other words, if the combination of the left and right game boards is determined to be normal within a predetermined period after power-on, and a normal ID is determined, the system will not subsequently check the state of the combination of the left and right game boards. Even if a setting key is inserted into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and the ON operation is performed at this time, the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310 is performing the main control side main processing in the main control side power-on processing shown in Figure 256 and the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257. Therefore, it cannot perform the setting change processing in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing. Consequently, the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 cannot notify that normal operation (no error handling) is occurring.

If an abnormal ID is detected, the notification will continue until the ID becomes normal. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines that the ID is not normal (abnormal ID), specifically state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), and therefore the notification for error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is maintained until the product is replaced with a suitable ID after power-off, as shown in Figure 308(c). This notification makes it difficult to play games while the combination of the left and right game boards is incompatible (mismatched).

If a normal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, no notification is given. However, if an abnormal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, the notification method may be changed when the state changes. In the case of an abnormality, the notification method is changed when it becomes normal. Specifically, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 does not give a notification if it determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID (applicable method in the same figure: none). However, if it determines that the state is 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), i.e., an abnormal ID, the notification for this error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is maintained. The corrective method in Figure (c): after power-off and replacement with a compliant ID product, if the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, then the notification will no longer be given. In other words, if the combination of the left and right game boards is determined to be normal within a predetermined period after power-on, and a normal ID is determined, the system will not subsequently check the state of the combination of the left and right game boards. Even if the combination of the left and right game boards becomes incompatible (inconsistent), the system will not issue a notification indicating an abnormal ID due to the incompatibility (inconsistency). By limiting the determination of the combination of the left and right game boards to a predetermined period after power-on, this contributes to reducing the processing load on the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 for the progression of the game's effects.

Except for some notifications, the notification will be terminated. Specifically, for example, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the ID is abnormal, in state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), as shown in Figure 308(c), then it will save the information as history information in the built-in RAM of a real-time clock IC (not shown) mounted on the peripheral control board 1510. In this case, it will be saved linked to the date and time. Then, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off, the correct combination of the left and right game boards is installed in the main frame 3, and when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on again, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on process shown in Figure 309, determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c). In this case, for example, the history "ID abnormal" may be displayed on the performance display device or sub-performance display device, or this history may be displayed for a predetermined period or until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off. The performance will proceed while the history is displayed.

Once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again. Specifically, for example, to return from an abnormal state to a normal state, the game board must be removed and corrected. At this time, the power to the pachinko machine is shut off, cutting off the power supply to the peripheral control board. The game board must then be reinstalled, and the pachinko machine's power must be turned back on. Once the pachinko machine is powered on and power is supplied to the peripheral control board, the ID of the performance operation unit (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "ID confirmation") can be verified by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. Therefore, if the ID confirmation by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, and the notification process that continues until the pachinko machine's power is shut off are performed at the time of power-on, then further control of ID confirmation and notification processing is not necessary thereafter.

In other words, while the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, at any given time (when the system of the pachinko machine 1 has finished starting up and is ready to proceed with the game and the effects), the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes shown in Figure 267. Furthermore, when the effect operation unit is attached to or detached from the tray unit 200 of the door frame 4, if an effect operation unit that has been determined to have a normal ID at least once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is replaced with another effect operation unit that has an abnormal ID (or, if an effect operation unit with an abnormal ID is replaced with an effect operation unit with a normal ID, and then determined to have a normal ID once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is returned to the effect operation unit with an abnormal ID), the effect will continue to progress and no notification will be given that the effect operation unit has an abnormal ID, even if the combination of the effect operation unit and the divided game board is actually incompatible (inconsistent). Therefore, once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again.

G4:
In case of mismatch, an abnormality is notified on the LCD. Specifically, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is incompatible (mismatched), for example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) at power-on shown in Figure 310, the performance display device 1600 displays the notification text "Power restoration in progress" and "Please wait" on a black background, and when the startup music ends, it displays an image of the performance (for example, when the performance progresses based on the game balls entering the various prize slots). Then, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 311, the performance display device 1600 displays the notification text "Please wait" on an image of the performance (for example, when the performance progresses based on the game balls entering the various prize slots) or an image of the waiting time (for example, when a demonstration is being performed or when a stopped image is displayed).

In the event of inconsistency, control by the performance control means will not be performed. Specifically, for example, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which is the performance control means, determines in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 that the combination of the left and right game boards is incompatible (inconsistent), then, for example, in the error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 311, the various LEDs on the door frame unit and the various LEDs on the game board, which are controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, will be turned off (all LEDs turned off), and the movable parts on the game board side and the movable parts on the game frame side, which are controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, will not perform any actions such as returning to their original positions (no operation).

In case of mismatch, an abnormality will be announced by voice. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, will determine that the combination of the left and right game boards is incompatible (mismatched). For example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) at power-on shown in Figure 310, after the startup music ends, an announcement sound saying "Please call an attendant" will be played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound seven times. This voice pattern will be repeated. Then, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 311, an announcement sound saying "Please call an attendant" will be played, followed by a predetermined error notification sound seven times. This voice pattern will be repeated.

In case of mismatch, the lamps on the door frame (which may be lamps provided on decorative members that are removable or lamps provided on decorative members that are not removable) will light up in an abnormal state. Specifically, the door frame 3, which is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, is fitted with door frame units such as the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units"). In the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control board 1510 power-on process shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is incompatible (mismatched), for example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 313, the various LEDs on the door frame unit will blink red in an abnormal state. Furthermore, the various LEDs in the door frame unit may be provided not only on the various units (various decorative members) that are detachable from the door frame 3, but also on the various decorative members that are attached to and fixed to the door frame 3.

If there are multiple components on the second game board side, all of the components on the second game board side will not be driven unless at least one of them has a valid ID. Specifically, if the right game board 5AR, which is a component on the second game board side, is further divided into an upper and lower part, and consists of the upper right game board 5ART and the lower right game board 5ARU as shown in Figure 307, the upper right game board 5ART is provided with an ID output circuit IDCT that can identify itself, and the lower right game board 5ARU is provided with an ID output circuit IDCU that can identify itself. The parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART and the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU are daisy-chained together, and operate as a 16-bit shift register consisting of an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART and an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU. The peripheral control board 1510 receives, one bit at a time, as serial data, following the contents held by each flip-flop in the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU, which is the subsequent 8-bit shift register. The peripheral control board 1510 can acquire the ID code signal and determine the compatibility (inconsistency) between the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR. In a combination of the upper right game board and the lower right game board, if the upper right game board 5ART is to be combined with another lower right game board that is incompatible (inconsistent) with the upper right game board 5ART, then even if the left game board 5AL and the upper right game board 5ART are compatible (inconsistent), the various LEDs on the upper right game board 5ART, and the various LEDs on the other lower right game board that is incompatible (inconsistent) with the upper right game board 5ART, will be turned off (all LEDs turned off).

[Summary H]
H1:
The system comprises a game board side component having multiple frame light-emitting means, a game board side component provided on the game board side component having a first game board side component and a second game board side component, a consistency determination means for determining consistency between the first game board side component and the second game board side component, and multiple board light-emitting means provided on the second game board side component. When the consistency determination means determines that there is a mismatch, the system restricts the illumination of the multiple board light-emitting means provided on the second game board side component. Although the multiple frame light-emitting means provided on the game board side component are not subject to determination by the consistency determination means, at least some of their illumination is restricted when it is determined that there is a mismatch between the first game board side component and the second game board side component.

Specifically, for example, a game board is mounted on the main frame 4, and the door frame 3, which is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, is fitted with door frame units (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units") such as the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450. The tray unit 200 is equipped with a performance operation unit 300. The performance operation unit 300 is provided with various decorative circuit boards (for example, the performance operation unit outer periphery decorative circuit board 320, the button outer decorative circuit board 355, the button inner decorative circuit board 364, etc.) on which various LEDs (for example, multiple LEDs 320a, LED 355a, LED 364a, etc.) shown in Figure 53 are mounted. The game frame side component, consisting of a door frame 3 and a main body frame 4, includes a game board side component, which comprises a game board and a performance operation unit 300 having multiple frame light-emitting means, such as various LEDs (for example, multiple LEDs 320a, 355a, 364a, etc.).

Furthermore, the system includes a divided game board 5A, a game board component in Figure 302, which is provided on the main frame 4, a game frame component, and has a left game board 5AL in Figure 302, which is a first game board component, and a right game board 5AR in Figure 302, which is a second game board component; an ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing in Figure 309, which is a consistency determination means for determining the consistency between the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component; and various LEDs, which are multiple board light-emitting means provided on the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component (for example, various LEDs mounted on decorative substrates in various performance units housed in the right back box 3010R located behind the right game board 5AR).

This performance control unit 300 is not provided with any ID for self-identification and can be used in common with any specification. It is equipped with various decorative substrates (e.g., the performance control unit outer perimeter decorative substrate 320, the button outer decorative substrate 355, the button inner decorative substrate 364, etc.) on which various LEDs (e.g., multiple LEDs 320a, 355a, 364a, etc.) are mounted, as shown in Figure 53. The various LEDs (e.g., multiple LEDs 320a, 355a, 364a, etc.) mounted on the various decorative substrates provided on the performance control unit 300 are treated as part of the "various LEDs of the door frame unit" shown in Figures 310 to 315.

If a mismatch is determined by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing, which is a consistency determination means, the emission of various LEDs mounted on decorative substrates in various performance units housed in the right rear box 3010R, which is a plurality of board light-emitting means provided on the right game board 5AR, which is a second game board side component, is restricted. Although various LEDs (for example, multiple LEDs 320a, LED 355a, LED 364a, etc.) mounted on various decorative substrates in the performance operation unit 300, which is a plurality of frame light-emitting means provided on the door frame 3, which is a game frame side component, are not subject to determination by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing, which is a consistency determination means, if a mismatch is determined between the left game board 5AL, which is a first game board side component, and the right game board 5AR, which is a second game board side component, the emission of at least some of them (for example, LED 364a) is restricted. For example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) when the power is turned on in Figure 313, the various LEDs on the door frame unit blink red, but only some of the LEDs (for example, LED 364a) among the various LEDs (for example, multiple LEDs 320a, LED 355a, LED 364a, etc.) mounted on the various decorative boards in the performance operation unit 300 are turned off (all are turned off). Furthermore, if it is determined that the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are incompatible, the mode of controlling the emission of various LEDs (for example, multiple LEDs 320a, LED 355a, LED 364a, etc.) mounted on various decorative substrates of the performance operation unit 300, which is a plurality of frame light-emitting means provided on the door frame 3, which is the game frame component, is different from the mode of control when it is determined that the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are compatible. For example, some or all of the LEDs (e.g., multiple LEDs 320a, LED 355a, LED 364a, etc.) mounted on various decorative substrates of the performance operation unit 300, which is a component of the door frame 3 that is part of the game frame, may be turned off, or some or all of the LEDs (e.g., multiple LEDs 320a, LED 355a, LED 364a, etc.) mounted on various decorative substrates of the performance operation unit 300, which is a component of the game frame, may be made to light up in a specific pattern (e.g., flashing red).

Thus, when the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are incompatible, the illumination of some of the various LEDs (for example, LED 364a) mounted on the various decorative substrates of the performance operation unit 300, which is the frame illumination means, is restricted. These LEDs are not subject to determination by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing, which is the compatibility determination means. This allows for immediate detection of the incompatibility between the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, preventing the execution of incomplete performances due to the incompatibility. Therefore, a decrease in the enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

H2:
If the alignment determination means determines alignment within a predetermined period after power-on, the illumination of the frame illumination means will not be restricted even if misalignment occurs later. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines the alignment between the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on process shown in Figure 309. If it determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is compatible (aligned), it does not determine the compatibility (alignment) between the left game board and the right game board at all thereafter. Even if the combination of the left game board and the right game board becomes incompatible (misaligned), the illumination of the various LEDs (for example, multiple LEDs 320a, LED 355a, LED 364a, etc.) mounted on the various decorative substrates of the performance operation unit 300, which is the frame illumination means, will not be restricted. In other words, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative substrates of the performance operation unit 300, which is the frame light-emitting means, will light up in a predetermined light-emitting pattern (in accordance with the progress of the performance).

If the consistency determination means determines that there is a mismatch within a predetermined period from power-on, the restrictions on the disc light-emitting means and frame light-emitting means are released based on the determination that consistency has been achieved. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines the consistency between state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 313 to 315), that is, the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component, and determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is incompatible (mismatched), then the notification of this error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is issued (implemented on the decorative board of the various performance units housed in the right back box 3010R, which is located behind the right game board 5AR, which is the disc light-emitting means). Various LEDs on the game board are turned off (all turned off), while some of the LEDs (e.g., LED 364a) on the various decorative circuit boards of the frame-illuminating performance control unit 300 (e.g., multiple LEDs 320a, LED 355a, LED 364a, etc.) are turned off (all turned off). The countermeasure shown in Figure (c): After power cut-off and replacement with a compatible ID part, the system determines the consistency between the left game board 5AL (the first game board component) and the right game board 5AR (the second game board component). If it determines that the combination of the left and right game boards is compatible (matched), the notification is canceled.

Once a matched state is achieved, even if a mismatched state occurs again before the power is cut off, the illumination of the board light-emitting means and the frame light-emitting means will not be restricted. Specifically, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control control unit power-on process shown in Figure 309, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines the match between the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component. If it determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is compatible (matched), it does not determine the compatibility (match) between the left game board and the right game board at all thereafter. Even if the combination with the side game board becomes incompatible (inconsistent), the various LEDs mounted on the decorative boards of the various performance units housed in the right-side back box 3010R, which is positioned behind the right-side game board 5AR (the game board illumination means), will not have their illumination restricted as the LEDs of the game board. Similarly, the illumination of the various LEDs (for example, multiple LEDs 320a, 355a, 364a, etc.) mounted on the decorative boards of the performance operation unit 300 (the frame illumination means) will not be restricted. In other words, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative boards of the various performance units housed in the right-side back box 3010R, which is positioned behind the right-side game board 5AR (the game board illumination means), will illuminate in a predetermined illumination pattern (in accordance with the progression of the performance), and the various LEDs mounted on the decorative boards of the performance operation unit 300 (the frame illumination means) will also illuminate in a predetermined illumination pattern (in accordance with the progression of the performance).

H3:
A predetermined self-identification code (ID) is assigned to the right-side game board 5AR via hardware (a hardware circuit). Specifically, the eight ID setting terminals of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC shown in Figure 305, which is provided on the right-side game board 5AR, are electrically connected to +5V or ground (GND, circuit ground) to assign the ID setting value (11110000B).

The ID assigned to the right-side game board 5AR by hardware (by a hardware circuit) is compared with the judgment ID code, and if they match, an effective signal is output. Specifically, the ID code signal output from the inverted QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC of the right-side game board 5AR (Figure 305) is input to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL (Figure 303). The peripheral control board 1510 obtains the ID of the right-side game board 5AR from this input ID code signal and makes a judgment (comparison) by referring to the combination table (Figure 308) that is pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM, which is the judgment ID code. The combination of the divided game boards is determined in the ID judgment process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing (Figure 309). If the combination of the divided game boards is compatible (matches), and provided that the other IDs shown in Figure 308(c) are compatible, the state becomes 1: Normal, and the door frame units (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units") such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, and the divided game board 5A, which are installed on the door frame 3, proceed with the performance. The peripheral control board 1510 outputs, for example, a control signal to the performance operation unit 300 that causes various LEDs (e.g., multiple LEDs 320a, LED 355a, LED 364a, etc.) mounted on the various decorative boards of the performance operation unit 300 to emit light in a predetermined pattern, as an effective signal to proceed with the performance.

The ID assigned to the right-side game board 5AR by hardware (a hardware circuit) is compared with the judgment ID code, and if they are not the same, the valid signal is not output. Specifically, the ID code signal output from the inverted QH terminal of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa in the ID output circuit IDC of the right-side game board 5AR (Figure 305) is input to the peripheral control board 1510 of the left-side game board 5AL (Figure 303). The peripheral control board 1510 obtains the ID of the right-side game board 5AR from this input ID code signal and makes a judgment (comparison) by referring to the combination table (Figure 308) that is pre-stored in the peripheral control ROM, which is the judgment ID code. The combination of the divided game boards is determined in the ID judgment process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing (Figure 309). If the combination of the divided game boards is not compatible (matched), the peripheral control board 1510, for example, when state 2: ID error 1 as shown in Figure 313(c) occurs, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on as shown in Figure 313, does not output a control signal to the performance operation unit 300 for the illumination of some of the various LEDs (for example, multiple LEDs 320a, LED 355a, LED 364a, etc.) mounted on the various decorative boards of the performance operation unit 300, as an effective signal to proceed with the performance. Instead, it turns off the illumination of this portion (for example, LED 364a) (all off).

There are cases where operating the control unit at any time after power-on does not result in notification (if it is a valid ID). Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is configured not to notify that it is operating normally (no error response) if, as shown in Figure 308(c), error responses 1 to 9 have not occurred in the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error, that is, if the behavior of the pachinko machine during the error, as shown in Figure 308(c), is normal operation (no error response), and the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 is performing the setting change processing in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing (until a predetermined period has elapsed until this setting change processing is completed). In other words, if the system operates normally (without error handling), it will not notify you of this.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to detect valid IDs, ID errors, and disconnection errors at any time after power-on, that is, the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error as shown in Figure 308(c)—normal operation (no error handling), ID errors such as error handling 1 to error handling 9, and disconnection errors—was determined by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, which is a predetermined period after power-on. However, it may be configured to detect these errors at any time after power-on. Specifically, valid IDs, ID errors, and disconnection errors may be determined by the ID determination process in the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267. Valid IDs, ID errors, and disconnection errors related to the performance operation unit may be determined in the performance operation unit information acquisition process in step S of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 267. In any case, if the behavior of the pachinko machine during an error as shown in Figure 308(c) is normal operation (no error handling), the response method is "none," and therefore there is no special notification method for normal operation (no error handling). In other words, if the system is functioning normally (without error handling), it will not notify you of this.

If the ID is determined to be legitimate, no notification will be issued even if the control unit is operated afterward. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, will not issue a notification if it determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c) (applicable method in the same figure: none). In other words, if the combination of the left and right game boards is determined to be normal within a predetermined period after power-on, and a normal ID is determined, the system will not subsequently check the state of the combination of the left and right game boards. Even if a setting key is inserted into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and the ON operation is performed at this time, the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310 is performing the main control side main processing in the main control side power-on processing shown in Figure 256 and the main control side timer interrupt processing shown in Figure 257. Therefore, it cannot perform the setting change processing in step S37 of the main control side power-on processing. Consequently, the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 cannot notify that normal operation (no error handling) is occurring.

If an abnormal ID is detected, the notification will continue until the ID becomes normal. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines that the ID is not normal (abnormal ID), specifically state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), and therefore the notification for error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is maintained until the product is replaced with a suitable ID after power-off, as shown in Figure 308(c). This notification makes it difficult to play games while the combination of the left and right game boards is incompatible (mismatched).

If a normal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, no notification is given. However, if an abnormal ID is determined to be present within a predetermined period after power-on, the notification method may be changed when the state changes. In the case of an abnormality, the notification method is changed when it becomes normal. Specifically, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 does not give a notification if it determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c) (applicable method in the same figure: none). However, if it determines that the state is 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 313 to 315), i.e., an abnormal ID, the notification for this error response 1 (ID error 1 response) is maintained. The corrective method in Figure 308(c): after power-off and replacement with a compliant ID product, if the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c), the notification will no longer be given. In other words, if the combination of the left and right game boards is determined to be normal within a predetermined period after power-on, and a normal ID is determined, the system will not subsequently check the state of the combination of the left and right game boards. Even if the combination of the left and right game boards becomes incompatible (inconsistent), the system will not issue a notification indicating an abnormal ID due to the incompatibility (inconsistency). By limiting the determination of the combination of the left and right game boards to a predetermined period after power-on, this contributes to reducing the processing load on the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 for the progression of the game's effects.

Except for some notifications, the notification will be terminated. Specifically, for example, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the power-on processing of the peripheral control unit shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the ID is abnormal, in state 2: ID error 1 (error response 1 (ID error 1 response) in Figures 310 to 315), as shown in Figure 308(c), then it will save the information as history information in the built-in RAM of a real-time clock IC (not shown) mounted on the peripheral control board 1510. In this case, it will be saved linked to the date and time. Then, the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off, the correct combination of the left and right game boards is installed in the main frame 3, and when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on again, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, determines that the state is 1: normal, i.e., a normal ID, as shown in Figure 308(c). In this case, for example, the history "ID abnormal" may be displayed on the performance display device or sub-performance display device, or this history may be displayed for a predetermined period or until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is shut off. The performance will proceed while the history is displayed.

Once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again. Specifically, for example, to return from an abnormal state to a normal state, the game board must be removed and corrected. At this time, the power to the pachinko machine is shut off, cutting off the power supply to the peripheral control board. The game board must then be reinstalled, and the pachinko machine's power must be turned back on. Once the pachinko machine is powered on and power is supplied to the peripheral control board, the ID of the performance operation unit (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "ID confirmation") can be verified by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309. Therefore, if the ID confirmation by the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, and the notification process that continues until the pachinko machine's power is shut off are performed at the time of power-on, then further control of ID confirmation and notification processing is not necessary thereafter.

In other words, while the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, at any given time (when the system of the pachinko machine 1 has finished starting up and is ready to proceed with the game and the effects), the ID determination process in step S1003 of the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes shown in Figure 267. Furthermore, when the effect operation unit is attached to or detached from the tray unit 200 of the door frame 4, if an effect operation unit that has been determined to have a normal ID at least once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is replaced with another effect operation unit that has an abnormal ID (or, if an effect operation unit with an abnormal ID is replaced with an effect operation unit with a normal ID, and then determined to have a normal ID once in the ID determination process that is repeatedly performed as one of the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processes is returned to the effect operation unit with an abnormal ID), the effect will continue to progress and no notification will be given that the effect operation unit has an abnormal ID, even if the combination of the effect operation unit and the divided game board is actually incompatible (inconsistent). Therefore, once the system returns to normal, the notification method will not change even if it becomes abnormal again.

H4:
In case of mismatch, an abnormality is notified on the LCD. Specifically, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on process shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is incompatible (mismatched), for example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) at power-on shown in Figure 313, the display device 1600 displays "Power Restoring" on a black background, followed by notification characters such as "Game board error occurred,""Errornumber:,""Game board connection error," and "Please turn off the power and check the game board," and displays an image with the game board connection error part of the pachinko machine lit up. Then, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 314, the display device 1600 displays notification characters such as "Game board error occurred,""Errornumber:,""Game board connection error," and "Please turn off the power and check the game board," on a black background, and displays an image with the game board connection error part of the pachinko machine lit up.

In the event of inconsistency, control by the performance control means will not be performed. Specifically, for example, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which is the performance control means, determines in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309 that the combination of the left and right game boards is incompatible (inconsistent), then, for example, in the error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 314, the various LEDs on the door frame unit controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 will blink red, the various LEDs on the game board will turn off (all off), and the movable parts on the game frame side controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 will not perform any actions such as returning to their original position (no operation).

In case of mismatch, an abnormality will be announced by voice. Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control unit power-on processing shown in Figure 309, will determine that the combination of the left and right game boards is incompatible (mismatched). For example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) at power-on shown in Figure 313, the startup music at power-on will be muted, followed by a predetermined error notification sound once, and then an announcement sound stating, "A game board connection error has occurred. Please turn off the power and check the game boards." This voice pattern will be repeated. Then, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 314, a predetermined error notification sound will be played once, followed by an announcement sound stating, "A game board connection error has occurred. Please turn off the power and check the game boards." This voice pattern will be repeated.

In case of mismatch, the lamps on the door frame (which may be lamps provided on decorative members that are removable or lamps provided on decorative members that are not removable) will light up in an abnormal state. Specifically, the door frame 3, which is supported by the main frame 4 so as to be openable and closable, is fitted with door frame units such as the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "door frame units"). In the ID determination process of step S1003 in the peripheral control board 1510 power-on process shown in Figure 309, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the left game board and the right game board is incompatible (mismatched), for example, in error response 1 (ID error 1 response) after power-on shown in Figure 313, the various LEDs on the door frame unit will blink red in an abnormal state. Furthermore, the various LEDs in the door frame unit may be provided not only on the various units (various decorative members) that are detachable from the door frame 3, but also on the various decorative members that are attached to and fixed to the door frame 3.

If there are multiple components on the second game board side, all of the components on the second game board side will not be driven unless at least one of them has a valid ID. Specifically, if the right game board 5AR, which is a component on the second game board side, is further divided into an upper and lower part, and consists of the upper right game board 5ART and the lower right game board 5ARU as shown in Figure 307, the upper right game board 5ART is provided with an ID output circuit IDCT that can identify itself, and the lower right game board 5ARU is provided with an ID output circuit IDCU that can identify itself. The parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART and the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU are daisy-chained together, and operate as a 16-bit shift register consisting of an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCTa in the upper right game board 5ART and an 8-bit shift register by the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU. The peripheral control board 1510 receives, one bit at a time, as serial data, following the contents held by each flip-flop in the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCUa in the lower right game board 5ARU, which is the subsequent 8-bit shift register. The peripheral control board 1510 can acquire the ID code signal and determine the compatibility (inconsistency) between the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR. In a combination of the upper right game board and the lower right game board, if the upper right game board 5ART is to be combined with another lower right game board that is incompatible (inconsistent) with the upper right game board 5ART, then even if the left game board 5AL and the upper right game board 5ART are compatible (inconsistent), the various LEDs on the upper right game board 5ART, and the various LEDs on the other lower right game board that is incompatible (inconsistent) with the upper right game board 5ART, will be turned off (all LEDs turned off).

[Layout of the circuit board on which the ID output circuit IDC is mounted]
In the above embodiment, the ID output circuit IDC, which mainly consists of a parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa having eight flip-flop circuits for generating a self-identification code (ID), may be mounted on a dedicated board on which only the ID output circuit IDC is mounted, located behind the right-side game board 5AR; it may be mounted on one of the various relay boards; it may be mounted together with LEDs mounted on a decorative board; or it may be mounted together with electronic components mounted on other boards. However, it may also be mounted on a decorative board housed in the right-side back box 3010R of the back unit 3000; or it may be mounted on a decorative board provided in the door frame unit. Below, an embodiment will be described in which the ID output circuit IDC is mounted on a decorative board on which various LEDs, etc. are mounted, the decorative board is housed in the right-side back box 3010R of the back unit 3000, and the ID output circuit IDC is located behind the right-side game panel 1100R. When mounting the ID output circuit IDC on the decorative board provided in the door frame unit, it may be mounted on any of the above-mentioned multiple decorative boards (the upper decorative board 422 and lower decorative board 423 on the left side of the door frame unit 420, and the upper decorative board 432 and lower decorative board 433 on the right side of the door frame unit 430).

Figure 324 is a schematic exploded perspective view from the front (the front side of the pachinko machine 1 with the right game board 5AR fixed to the main frame 4), after disassembling the right game board 5AR into the right game panel 1100R and the right back box 3010R of the back unit 3000. As shown in Figure 324, in the configuration in which the decorative circuit board 4100 on which the ID output circuit IDC is mounted is housed in the back box 3010 of the back unit 3000, and the ID output circuit IDC is mounted to the rear of the right game panel 1100R, the decorative circuit board 4100 is mounted to the right back box 3010R such that the ID output circuit IDC, which includes a parallel serial conversion circuit IDCa that generates a self-identification code (ID) and various LEDs 4120 mounted on its surface (front, front mounting surface), faces the front of the pachinko machine 1. The decorative circuit board 4100 may be attached, for example, to the rear of the right-side game panel 1100R within the right-side back box 3010R via fixing members such as screws or pins, or it may be attached to the rear of the right-side game panel 1100R within the right-side back box 3010R via engaging portions formed on both the decorative circuit board 4100 and the right-side back box 3010R.

Furthermore, as described above, the right game panel 1100R and the right front component 1000R of the right game board 5AR are made transparent, so that the surface (front, surface mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board 4100 can be seen from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 when the right game board 5AR is fixed to the main frame. Alternatively, a cover (which may be made opaque or translucent by attaching a sticker, by using resin materials such as opaque or translucent resin, or by coloring, painting, printing, etc.) may be provided between the right game panel 1100R and the decorative circuit board 4100, in which at least a portion is made opaque or translucent. In this case, it is possible to prevent the player from seeing the ID output circuit IDC, LEDs, and other electronic components mounted on the surface (front, surface mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board 4100, thereby preventing the world view of the pachinko machine 1 from being disrupted and reducing the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, when mounting the ID output circuit IDC on the decorative substrate of the door frame unit, a cover may be provided on the front of the surface (front, surface mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100, at least partially opaque or translucent. This cover may be formed by applying a sticker, using opaque or translucent resin materials, or by coloring, painting, printing, etc. In this case as well, it is possible to suppress the visibility of the ID output circuit IDC, LEDs, and other electronic components mounted on the surface (front, surface mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 to the player, thereby preventing the world view of the pachinko machine 1 from being disrupted and reducing the enjoyment of the game.

On at least the surface (front, front mounting surface) (or both the front (front, front mounting surface) and back (rear surface) of the decorative substrate 4100), a light-colored resist is formed by a light-colored coating over the entire area, excluding pads, through-holes, lands, etc., to which electronic components such as the ID output circuit IDC, each LED 4120, and connectors are soldered. In this embodiment, the light-colored resist is a white resist, and the white resist is formed by a white coating (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "solidly coated white resist") formed by applying a white resist liquid. The light-colored resist may also be a yellow or pink resist. Furthermore, a light-colored resist may be formed on at least a portion of the exposed copper foil, such as lands, on the surface (front, front mounting side) of the decorative substrate 4100. In this case, the copper foil, such as lands, becomes less noticeable, preventing the visual impact of the copper foil from disrupting the world view of the pachinko machine 1 and reducing the enjoyment of the game. It also allows for uniformity of reflectivity on the surface (front, front mounting side) of the decorative substrate 4100, suppressing uneven illumination and improving the visual effect. Additionally, a light-colored resist may be formed on a portion of the exposed copper foil, such as lands, on the back (rear) side of the decorative substrate 4100. In this case, uniformity of reflectivity on the back (rear) side of the decorative substrate 4100 can be achieved, enabling uniform reflection when the decorative substrate 4100 functions as a reflector for other decorative substrates on which LEDs are mounted.

Furthermore, on the surface (front, front mounting side) of the decorative substrate 4100, near the mounted ID output circuit IDC and various LEDs 4120 and other surface-side electronic components, a surface-side marking area indicating the part number of the surface-side electronic component, an area indicating the position where the surface-side electronic component should be placed (and possibly including the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the surface-side electronic component) is printed by silk screen printing on a solid white resist using a light-colored yellow paint that is less conspicuous against white. Note that if the light-colored resist is yellow or pink, the surface-side marking area may be printed by silk screen printing using a different color of paint—white, yellow, or pink—from the resist.

Here, we will explain the reason for using white as the resist liquid color and yellow as the silk screen printing ink. First, the reflectivity of a color increases as it approaches white, while decreasing as it approaches black. For example, the reflectivity of yellow is very close to that of white compared to red, and the reflectivity of red is very far from that of white compared to that of yellow. While yellow's reflectivity is lower than that of white, it still has a high reflectivity. Therefore, in a combination of white and red, if the background is white, the red will stand out, and if the surface-side markings (backside markings) are red, the red surface-side markings (red backside markings relative to the white resist) will stand out. Conversely, in a combination of white and yellow (the configuration of this embodiment), if the background is white, the yellow will not stand out, and if the surface-side markings (backside markings) are yellow, the yellow surface-side markings (yellow backside markings relative to the white resist) will be less noticeable.

Furthermore, since the pachinko machine 1 is illuminated brilliantly by the lighting effects of multiple LEDs and other light-emitting parts mounted on each decorative circuit board, the multiple LEDs 4120 mounted on the front (surface) of the decorative circuit board 4100 are, for example, multi-color LEDs, and the lighting patterns change in various ways when they are lit (illuminated) and turned off. For this reason, as described above, a white resist is formed on the front (surface) of the decorative circuit board 4100 by applying a white resist liquid to the entire area except for the pads, through-holes, lands, etc. to which the multiple LEDs are soldered, forming a white resist (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "solid white resist"). In addition, a surface-side marking area that makes it possible to identify the multi-color LEDs is printed on this solid white resist using yellow paint by silk printing. This makes the yellow surface-side marking area less noticeable against the white resist when the multi-color LEDs are turned off, and information unrelated to the game is not visible to the player. In addition to preventing the world view of the pachinko machine 1 from being disrupted and the enjoyment of playing from decreasing due to visibility, the combination of a highly reflective solid white resist and a surface-side marking printed by silk-screen printing with yellow paint that has a reflectivity very close to that of white, when the multi-color emitting full-color LED is lit (illuminated), allows for the maintenance of high reflectivity on the surface (front, surface mounting side) of the decorative substrate 4100. Furthermore, by using a combination of resist and surface-side marking with similar reflectivity, the reflectivity on the front (surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 can be made uniform, suppressing the occurrence of uneven illumination and improving the visual effect.

On the back (rear) side of the decorative substrate 4100, although not shown in the illustration, a back-side marking area is printed by silkscreen printing on a solid white resist using a light yellow paint that is less conspicuous against white. This area indicates the part number of the back-side electronic component, an area indicating the position where the back-side electronic component should be placed, and other attributes of the back-side electronic component (which may also include the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the back-side electronic component). Note that if the light-colored resist is yellow or pink, the back-side marking area may be printed using a different color of paint—white, yellow, or pink—from the resist.

Furthermore, the surface markings formed on the front (surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 are not limited to those applied to the LED mounting surface by screen printing using ink of a high brightness and saturation color (for example, yellow). They may also be formed by creating foil-cut characters (that is, characters made from copper foil wiring patterns in the layer where the wiring pattern is formed (copper plane), and then cutting out the surrounding copper foil to form the markings), and then coating the surface of these foil-cut characters with white solder resist (protective material) that is coated on the LED mounting surface to form the markings. Alternatively, they may be formed as white resist-cut characters using two coats of white resist (after coating the entire LED mounting surface with white solder resist (first layer), characters and symbols to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other electronic components or other decorative substrates are masked, and the entire area excluding these is coated again with white solder resist (second layer), thereby forming the masked area, i.e., characters and symbols, as white resist-cut characters), and the markings may also be formed on the front of the decorative substrate 4100. On the back surface where LEDs and other electronic components are mounted, the part numbers of the electronic components mounted on the (front surface), the areas indicating the positions where these electronic components are placed, and other attributes of the electronic components (which may also include the shape of the electronic components, the size of the electronic components, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the electronic components, and the model number of the electronic components) may be formed on the back surface where LEDs are not mounted by screen printing using ink of a predetermined color (including not only colors with high brightness and saturation but also colors with low brightness and saturation), foil stamping, white resist stamping using a two-coat white resist, etc. Furthermore, the surface-side markings become less conspicuous, and are not visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1. This prevents the player from seeing information unrelated to the game, thus preventing the game's atmosphere from being disrupted and reducing the enjoyment of the game. It also suppresses the decrease in reflectivity on the front (surface) of the decorative circuit board 4100 on which the LEDs are mounted, and ensures uniform reflectivity on the front (surface) of the decorative circuit board 4100 on which the LEDs are mounted. This suppresses uneven illumination and improves the visual effect.

A partition cover 4130 is attached to the surface (front, front mounting side) of the decorative substrate 4100. The partition cover 4130 divides the surface (front, front mounting side) of the decorative substrate 4100 into multiple areas, and as shown in Figure 324, multiple openings are formed to separate the ID output circuit IDC from various electronic components such as LEDs 4120. That is, only the ID output circuit IDC is mounted in the specific area of the decorative substrate 4100 partitioned by the partition cover 4130, and other electronic components are mounted in areas of the decorative substrate 4100 other than the specific area partitioned by the partition cover 4130. In the example shown in Figure 324, the partition cover 4130 divides the surface (front, front-mount side) of the decorative substrate 4100 into three regions. The ID output circuit (IDC) is mounted in a specific region (the central region in Figure 324), and multiple LEDs 4120 are mounted in each of the other two regions. However, the number of regions to be partitioned is not limited to the above, as long as the partition cover 4130 divides the surface (front, front-mount side) of the decorative substrate 4100 into regions where only the ID output circuit (IDC) is mounted and regions where other electronic components are mounted.

In this case, if there is unauthorized access to the decorative board 4100 on which the ID output circuit IDC is implemented, there is a risk that the effects performed by the decorative board 4100 may not be executed properly, and this inability to perform the effects properly may reduce the enjoyment of the game. The partition cover 4130 of this embodiment covers the surface (front, surface mounting side) of the decorative substrate 4100 and separates the ID output circuit IDC, which includes the parallel serial conversion circuit IDCa that generates a self-identification code (ID), from other electronic components (various LEDs 4120, etc.). This makes it easier to find the electronic component to be checked (in this case, the ID output circuit ICD) when the decorative substrate 4100 is accessed illegally while the power to the pachinko machine 1 is on and the decorative substrate 4100 cannot perform normal effects, or when investigating whether or not there has been any illegal activity while the power to the pachinko machine 1 is off. Therefore, it becomes possible to quickly identify the ID output circuit IDC mounted on the decorative substrate 4100, restore the self-identification code (ID) generated by the ID output circuit IDC to a normal state so that the decorative substrate 4100 can perform normal effects, or determine whether or not there has been any illegal activity with the ID output circuit IDC, thereby contributing to improved security. In this way, it becomes easier to find the electronic component that needs to be checked when investigating whether or not fraud has occurred (in this case, the ID output circuit ICD). Therefore, it becomes possible to determine whether or not there is a risk that the decorative board 4100 has been accessed illegally before the power of the pachinko machine 1 is turned on, preventing the decorative board 4100 from performing its effects normally, and to return the self-identification code (ID) generated by the ID output circuit IDC to a normal state. Alternatively, if the decorative board 4100 has been accessed illegally while the power of the pachinko machine 1 is turned on, preventing the decorative board 4100 from performing its effects normally, the self-identification code (ID) generated by the ID output circuit IDC can be immediately returned to a normal state. Furthermore, if the CPU of the peripheral control IC 1510a mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 is configured to constantly determine whether the self-identification code (ID) generated by the ID output circuit IDC is normal or not (for example, by executing the ID determination process each time the peripheral control unit 1ms timer interrupt processing is executed), then when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on and unauthorized access to the decorative board 4100 occurs, preventing the decorative board 4100 from performing normal effects, the self-identification code (ID) generated by the ID output circuit IDC can be restored to a normal state, immediately restoring the decorative board 4100 to a state where it can perform effects normally. This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game due to the inability to perform effects normally on the decorative board 4100.

Furthermore, the partition cover 4130 in this example has an opening that exposes the ID output circuit IDC mounted on the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100. Therefore, when the mounting state of the right-side game panel 1100R and the right-side front component 1000R and the right-side back box 3010R, which are provided in front of the decorative substrate 4100, is released, the ID output circuit IDC can be operated to set the self-identification code (ID) without removing the partition cover 4130 from the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100. Also, because the ID output circuit IDC is positioned on the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100, separated from other electronic components (various LEDs 4120, etc.), the ID output circuit IDC can be easily identified when the decorative substrate 4100 is viewed from the surface (front, front mounting surface) side. Furthermore, it is sufficient to form an opening in the partition cover 4130 that exposes at least a portion of the ID output circuit IDC (such as a switch for setting the self-identification code (ID)) mounted on the surface (front, surface-mount side) of the decorative substrate 4100. Other electronic components (in this example, the LED 4120) may be covered by the partition cover 4130, or at least a portion of the other electronic components (in this example, the LED 4120) may be exposed by forming an opening in the partition cover 4130. Additionally, when the LED 4120 is used as another electronic component, forming an opening in the partition cover 4130 that exposes a portion of the LED 4120 (for example, the light-emitting element of the LED 4120) allows the light emitted from the LED 4120 to be projected forward onto the pachinko machine 1 without being reduced by the partition cover 4130, thus enabling the execution of effects with increased light intensity.

Furthermore, the partition cover 4130 in this example is formed from an opaque material (e.g., PP, opaque or semi-transparent), and although the surface (front, surface-mount side) of the decorative substrate 4100 cannot be seen through the partition cover 4130, electronic components such as the ID output circuit IDC and various LEDs 4120 can be visually inspected through the openings formed in the partition cover.

Furthermore, the partition cover 4130 may be formed from a transparent material (for example, a colorless or colored transparent material such as PS or PET) so that the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 can be seen through the partition cover 4130. In this case as well, an opening may be formed in the partition cover 4130 that exposes at least a part of the ID output circuit IDC (such as a switch for setting the self-identification code (ID)) mounted on the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100, while covering the rest. Other electronic components (LED 4120 in this example) may be covered by the partition cover 4130, or an opening may be formed in the partition cover 4130 that exposes at least a part of the other electronic components (LED 4120 in this example) (for example, the light-emitting element of LED 4120). This allows the partition cover 4130 to protect electronic components such as the ID output circuit IDC and various LEDs 4120, preventing unauthorized access and enhancing security. Furthermore, because the partition cover 4130 is made of a transparent material, the light emitted from the LEDs 4120 can be projected onto the front of the pachinko machine 1 without being reduced as much as possible by the partition cover 4130, enabling the execution of effects with increased light intensity. In addition, when the partition cover 4130 is made of a transparent material, a partition wall extending from the back surface of the partition cover 4130 toward the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 may be formed around all or part of the ID output circuit IDC to separate the area on the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 where the ID output circuit IDC is mounted from other areas. Alternatively, printing, stickers, etc., may be applied to the surface of the partition cover 4130 to surround all or part of the area where the ID output circuit IDC is mounted. Furthermore, while the above effects can be achieved even when the partition cover 4130 is made of colored transparency, making it colorless and transparent improves the light transmittance of the various LEDs 4120 and the visibility of the ID output circuit IDC compared to when it is made of colored transparency. It also suppresses the emphasis of a specific color of light (the same color as the partition cover 4130) by the partition cover 4130, allowing all light-emitting colors to emit under the same conditions and achieving uniform illumination without unevenness.

Furthermore, the decorative circuit board 4100, on which various LEDs 4120 are mounted, is positioned so that its surface (front, surface mounting side) faces the front of the pachinko machine 1 (the front side of the pachinko machine 1) when the right-side game board 5AR is fixed to the main frame 4 (so that its surface (front, surface mounting side) faces the player). The ID output circuit IDC and various LEDs 4120 mounted on the surface (front, surface mounting side) of the decorative circuit board 4100 are also positioned to face the front of the pachinko machine 1 (facing the player).

As described above, if there is unauthorized access to the decorative circuit board 4100 corresponding to the new right-side game board 5AR, there is a risk that the effects provided by the decorative circuit board 4100 may not be executed properly, and this inability to execute the effects properly may reduce the enjoyment of the game. In this embodiment, the decorative circuit board 4100 is arranged so that its surface (front, surface mounting surface) faces the front of the pachinko machine 1 (facing the player), and the ID output circuit IDC and various LEDs 4120 mounted on the surface (front, surface mounting surface) of the decorative circuit board 4100 are also arranged so that they face the front of the pachinko machine 1 (facing the player). Therefore, anyone attempting to perform unauthorized access to the decorative circuit board 4100 (ID output circuit IDC, various LEDs, etc.) will access it from the front side of the pachinko machine 1, making it easier to detect unauthorized access as it will be more visible to the island equipment and employees of the gaming hall during the unauthorized access. This prevents unauthorized external access to the ID output circuit (IDC), thereby preventing the decorative circuit board 4100 from failing to perform its effects correctly and thus mitigating the decline in gameplay enjoyment caused by the inability to perform the effects correctly.

In this example, the configuration makes it difficult to access the decorative circuit board 4100 from the back side of the pachinko machine 1. Specifically, a plate-shaped member is positioned behind the decorative circuit board 4100 on the right-side game board 5AR where the decorative circuit board 4100 is installed. The plate-shaped member of the right-side game board 5AR is attached along part or all of the outer surface of the back surface member (rear member) of the back box 3010 of the back unit 3000 in which the decorative circuit board 4100 is housed. The plate-shaped member of the right-side game board 5AR increases the strength of the back box 3010 against external impacts and reduces the processability of the back box 3010, such as forming an opening in the back surface member (rear member) of the back box 3010. For example, it can prevent unauthorized access to the decorative circuit board 4100 housed inside the back box 3010 by forming an opening in the back surface member (rear member) of the back box 3010. This prevents unauthorized external access to the ID output circuit IDC from causing the decorative circuit board 4100 to malfunction, thereby suppressing the decline in gameplay enjoyment caused by the malfunction of the decorative circuit board 4100. Furthermore, the plate-shaped member of the right-side game board 5AR is preferably made of metal, for example, an alloy such as aluminum or iron, in order to increase the strength of the back box 3010 against external impacts and to avoid reducing the processability of the back box 3010, such as by forming an opening in the back surface (rear surface) of the back box 3010.

Furthermore, the metal plate-shaped member of the right-side game board 5AR only needs to be positioned behind the decorative circuit board 4100 and overlapping it in at least a portion. It may be attached along part or all of the inner surface of the back panel (rear panel) of the back box 3010 of the back unit 3000 that houses the decorative circuit board 4100. Alternatively, part or all of the back panel (rear panel) of the back box 3010 of the back unit 3000 may be made of metal. Similar to the case where it is attached along part or all of the outer surface of the back panel (rear panel) of the back unit 3010, this increases the strength of the back box 3010 against external impacts, while reducing the processability of the back box 3010, such as creating an opening in the back panel (rear panel). This prevents unauthorized access to the ID output circuit IDC from the outside, which could prevent the decorative circuit board 4100 from performing its effects correctly, thus suppressing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game due to the inability to perform the decorative circuit board 4100's effects correctly.

Furthermore, as described above, a white resist is formed on the surface (front, front mounting side) of the decorative substrate 4100. The LEDs 4120 mounted on the surface (front, front mounting side) of the decorative substrate 4100 have white packages (not limited to white, but including off-white, beige, and other colors similar to white). In addition, on the surface (front, front mounting side) of the decorative substrate 4100, near the mounted ID output circuit IDC and various LEDs 4120 and other surface-side electronic components, a surface-side marking area indicating the part number of the surface-side electronic component, an area indicating the position where the surface-side electronic component should be placed, and other attributes of the surface-side electronic component (which may also include the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the surface-side electronic component) is printed by silk-screen printing on a solid white resist using a light yellow paint that is less conspicuous against the white. In contrast, the ID output circuit IDC has a dark-colored exterior (in this embodiment, black; however, it is not limited to black; other colors with high contrast against white, such as navy blue or purple, may also be used) (it is sufficient for the majority of the exterior to be dark; however, it may also have a light-colored exterior in part, or light-colored lettering (such as a model number) on part of the exterior). Furthermore, among the multiple electronic components mounted on the decorative substrate 4100, electronic components with dark-colored exteriors other than the ID output circuit IDC, such as resistors and capacitors, are mounted on the back side of the decorative substrate 4100.

Therefore, on the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 on which the white resist is formed, the ID output circuit IDC, which has a dark exterior with high contrast (brightness/darkness), can be easily identified, for example, by visual inspection. In other words, the decorative circuit board 4100 is configured to employ a low-contrast combination excluding the ID output circuit IDC on its surface (front, front-mount surface). Therefore, when the surface of the decorative circuit board 4100 is visually inspected, the ID output circuit IDC becomes more prominent. This directs attention to the ID output circuit IDC, making it easier to identify. Consequently, if there is unauthorized external access to the ID output circuit IDC, preventing the decorative circuit board 4100 from performing its effects correctly, employees of the gaming hall can easily visually identify the dark-colored ID output circuit IDC from its surface and immediately determine whether unauthorized access occurred. This allows for correction of the ID output circuit IDC in the event of unauthorized access, thereby mitigating the decline in gaming enjoyment caused by the inability of the decorative circuit board 4100 to perform its effects correctly.

Furthermore, while the electronic components with dark-colored casings (such as resistors and capacitors) among the multiple electronic components mounted on the decorative substrate 4100, excluding the ID output circuit IDC, are configured to be mounted on the back surface (rear surface, back mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100, it is sufficient to configure the system so that, at least among the areas of the surface (front surface, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 partitioned by the partition cover 4130, electronic components with dark-colored casings different from the ID output circuit IDC are not placed in the area where the ID output circuit IDC is located. In fact, electronic components with dark-colored casings separate from the ID output circuit IDC may be placed in areas where the ID output circuit IDC is not located. Furthermore, while the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 partitioned by the partition cover 4130 is shown as being divided into areas where only the ID output circuit IDC is placed and areas where the ID output circuit IDC is not placed, it is also possible to place an electronic component with an exterior color that has low contrast with the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100, separate from the ID output circuit IDC, in the area where the ID output circuit IDC is mounted. In this case as well, the ID output circuit IDC can still be made conspicuous. Alternatively, the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 partitioned by the partition cover 4130 may be divided into areas where only the ID output circuit IDC is placed and areas where multiple types of electronic components other than the ID output circuit IDC are placed. In this case as well, the placement of only the ID output circuit IDC differentiates it from other areas, making it easy to identify the area where the ID output circuit IDC is placed and the ID output circuit IDC itself.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the partition cover 4130 is formed in the same white color as the resist formed on the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100. Therefore, in addition to the resist formed on the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100, the surface-side markings, and the LED 4120 mounted on the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100, the partition cover 4130 also has a low contrast with the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100. As a result, only the ID output circuit IDC has a high contrast with the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100. Therefore, when the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 is visually inspected, the ID output circuit IDC stands out, making it easy to identify the ID output circuit IDC. Furthermore, the entire compartment cover 4130 is not limited to being a color with low contrast (white, yellow, off-white, beige, etc.) with the surface (front, front-mount surface) of the decorative substrate 4100. It is sufficient if the surface of the decorative substrate 4100 (the side facing forward of the pachinko machine 1) is a color with low contrast to the surface of the decorative substrate 4100 (front, front-mount surface). The compartment cover 4130 may be colored, painted, or printed with a color with low contrast (white, yellow, off-white, beige, etc.) to white, or a sticker with a color with low contrast (white, yellow, off-white, beige, etc.) may be attached. Also, even if the compartment cover 4130 is made colorless and transparent, the color of the surface (front, front-mount surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 remains visible. Therefore, the area of the surface (front, front-mount surface) of the decorative substrate 4100, including the compartment cover 4130, excluding the ID output circuit IDC, can be made with a low-contrast combination.

Here, on the surface (front, mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100, where the area excluding the ID output circuit IDC is a combination of light colors with low contrast, the ID output circuit IDC, which has a black exterior and high contrast on the surface (front, mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100, may be visible to the player, potentially disrupting the world view of the pachinko machine 1 and reducing the enjoyment of the game. In this embodiment, by mounting the ID output circuit IDC on the same surface as the various LEDs 4120 on the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100, the light emitted by the various LEDs 4120 makes it difficult to directly view the surface (front, front mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100. Therefore, the ID output circuit IDC can be made less conspicuous, and the disruption of the world view of the pachinko machine 1 and the reduction in enjoyment of the game, caused by the player seeing information unrelated to the game, can be suppressed.

[Another embodiment of the parallel-to-serial conversion circuit IDCa that generates a self-identification code (ID)]
In the above embodiment, a parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa was exemplified as an eigenvalue generation unit that generates an eigenvalue that can identify the right-side game board 5AR, and it was explained that a self-identification code (ID) pre-set in the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa is transmitted as a signal from the ID output circuit IDC to the peripheral control board 1510. However, the eigenvalue generation unit of the present invention is not limited to the form of the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa, and may be configured as, for example, a switch mechanism using at least one DIP switch mounted on a decorative board 4100 attached to the right-side game board 5AR, or as a photosensor mechanism in which a self-identification code (ID) is mechanically set when the right-side game board 5AR is assembled.

Figure 325 is a schematic perspective view from the front of a portion of the right rear box 3010R of the rear unit 3000 of the right-side game board 5AR. As shown in Figure 325, the switch mechanism has at least one DIP switch mounted on the decorative circuit board 4100 of the right-side game board 5AR. In this embodiment, the switch mechanism has two DIP switches 4110A and 4110B. DIP switch 4110A is a rotary switch that allows setting a binary value by rotating the operating part, and in this embodiment, DIP switch 4110A can be set to a value from 0 to 15. DIP switch 4110B is an on/off switch that can be switched on or off by operating the operating part. The switch mechanism of this embodiment includes a DIP switch 4110A that can be set to a value from 0 to 15, and a DIP switch 4110B that can be switched on or off. By operating the operating sections of each DIP switch 4110A and 4110B, 32 different self-identification codes (IDs) can be generated. The self-identification codes (IDs) are preset by operating the operating sections of each DIP switch 4110A and 4110B.

The self-identification code (ID) generated by the above-described switch mechanism is transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 via the ID output circuit IDC. Therefore, in the configuration using the above-described switch mechanism, similar to the configuration in this embodiment where the self-identification code (ID) is pre-set to the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa, human errors such as the old left-side game board 5AL remaining in place instead of being replaced with the new right-side game board 5AR are suppressed. This prevents the loss of overall uniformity in the game machine in the event of human error, thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, in the configuration using the above-described switch mechanism, the self-identification code (ID) can be easily set by operating the DIP switches 4110A and 4110B.

Figure 326 is a schematic exploded perspective view from the front, showing a portion of the right-side game board 5AR disassembled into the right-side game panel 1100R and the right-side back box 3010R. As shown in Figure 326, the photosensor mechanism has at least one photosensor 4110C mounted on the decorative substrate 4100 of the right-side game board 5AR, and a shielding portion 4110C4 attached to the right-side game panel 1100R of the right-side game board 5AR that can block the light guide of the photosensor 4110C. The photosensor mechanism of this embodiment has three photosensors 4110C and two shielding portions 4110C4. The photosensor 4110C, for example, has a light-emitting unit 4110C2 that emits light and a light-receiving unit 4110C3 that receives the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 4110C2. Its on/off state is switched depending on whether the light-receiving unit 4110C3 receives the light emitted from the light-emitting unit 4110C2. In this embodiment of the photosensor mechanism, three photosensors 4110C are mounted side-by-side on the surface (front, surface mounting surface) of the decorative substrate 4100 of the right-side game board 5AR. Each photosensor 4110C is turned on when the light-receiving unit 4110C3 is receiving light. In this embodiment of the photosensor mechanism, eight different self-identification codes (IDs) can be generated by switching the on/off states of the three photosensors 4110C.

The shielding portion 4110C4 can be attached to the back surface of the right-side game panel 1100R at a position facing each photosensor 4110C. It extends from the back surface of the right-side game panel 1100R between the light-emitting portion 4110C2 and the light-receiving portion 4110C3 of the opposing photosensor 4110C, and has a shielding member that blocks the light emitted from the light-emitting portion 4110C2 from being received by the light-receiving portion 4110C3. In this embodiment, the shielding portion 4110C4 is attached at a position facing the two photosensors 4110C on both sides, excluding the center, of the three photosensors 4110C mounted side by side on the decorative substrate 4100 of the right-side game board 5AR. Furthermore, if the shielding portion 4110C4 is not provided, a self-identification code (ID) will be generated in which all three photosensors 4110C are turned on. However, since all three photosensors 4110C will also be turned on if the right-side game panel 1100R is not attached to the right-side game board 5AR, it is preferable not to use a self-identification code (ID) that turns on all three photosensors 4110C.

The self-identification code (ID) generated by the above-described photosensor mechanism is transmitted to the peripheral control board 1510 via the ID output circuit IDC. Therefore, in the configuration using the above-described photosensor mechanism, similar to the configuration in this embodiment where the self-identification code (ID) is pre-set to the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa, human errors such as the old left-side game board 5AL remaining in place instead of being replaced with the new right-side game board 5AR are suppressed. This prevents the loss of overall uniformity in the game machine in the event of human error, thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, in the configuration using the above-described photosensor mechanism, it is difficult to change the mounting position of the shielding portion 4110C4 attached to the right-side game panel 1100R. Therefore, it is difficult to easily change the setting of the self-identification code (ID), thus preventing unauthorized alteration of the self-identification code (ID).

[Summary A1]
The game machine comprises a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main body frame provided on the outer frame so as to be openable and closable, and a door frame provided on the main body frame so as to be openable and closable, and a game board side component provided on the game frame side component having a first game board side component and a second game board side component, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. The first game board side component includes a performance control board equipped with a microprocessor that executes game performances. The second game board side component includes an eigenvalue generation means capable of generating an eigenvalue that can identify it as the second game board side component, an eigenvalue transmission unit that transmits the eigenvalue generated by the eigenvalue generation means to the performance control board as a signal, and a specific board on which a plurality of electronic components are provided. The eigenvalue generation means is provided on the first board surface side of the specific board, and the performance control board is capable of performing an unconnected notification process that notifies that it is in an unconnected state when there is no input of an eigenvalue from the eigenvalue transmission unit. The second game board component has a partitioning section that divides the first substrate surface of a specific substrate into a specific region including the region where the eigenvalue generation means is provided, and a non-specific region not including the region where the eigenvalue generation means is provided.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 comprises a main frame 4, which is the game frame side component, and a divided game board 5A fixed to the main frame 4 shown in Figure 302, which is the game board side component. The divided game board 5A is composed of a left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and a right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component. The left game board 5AL is composed of multiple boards (for example, a main control board 1310 housed in the main control unit 1300) including a peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board that executes game performances by mounting a peripheral control IC 1510a, which is a microprocessor on which a CPU, RAM, VDP, sound source, serial ATA controller, and various I/O interfaces are integrated on a single semiconductor chip. The right-side game board 5AR comprises a parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa, which is a means for generating a self-identification code (ID) that is a unique value that identifies it as the right-side game board 5AR; an ID output circuit IDC, which is a signal transmission unit that transmits the self-identification code (ID) generated by the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa to the peripheral control board 1510; and a specific board (decorative board 4100 on which various electronic components such as LEDs 4120 are mounted) on the first board surface, which includes the parallel-serial conversion circuit IDCa and the IDC output circuit IDC.

The peripheral control board 1510 can perform disconnection notification processing (e.g., power-on error response 7 described above) to notify that the system is disconnected (e.g., power-on state 8 described above) when there is no input of a self-identification code (ID) from the ID output circuit IDC (e.g., in the case of disconnection error 1 described above during power-on). The right-side game board 5AR has a partition cover 4130 which is a partition separating the ID output circuit IDC from other electronic components (various LEDs 4120, etc.) among the multiple electronic components mounted on the first board surface of the decorative board 4100.

Thus, when there is no input of a self-identification code (ID) from the ID output circuit IDC (for example, in the case of the unconnected error 1 at power-on described above), it is possible to execute an unconnected notification process (for example, the power-on state 8 described above) that notifies that the system is in an unconnected state (for example, the power-on state 8 described above). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the execution of incomplete effects when the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are unconnected, thereby suppressing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game. The partition cover 4130 covers the first board surface of the decorative board 4100 and separates the ID output circuit IDC, which generates a self-identification code (ID), from other electronic components (various LEDs 4120, etc.). Therefore, it is possible to suppress unauthorized access to the ID output circuit IDC from the outside and prevent the execution of unauthorized effects, thereby suppressing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, since the compartment cover 4130 has an opening, when the right-side game panel 1100R and the right-side front component 1000R are disassembled from the right-side back box 3010R, the ID output circuit IDC and various LEDs 4120 and other electronic components are visible through the opening, even when the compartment cover 4130 is attached to the front of the right-side game panel 1100R. In addition, because the ID output circuit IDC is separated from other electronic components (such as the various LEDs 4120), the ID output circuit IDC can be easily identified.

[Summary A2]
The game machine comprises a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main body frame provided on the outer frame so as to be openable and closable, and a door frame provided on the main body frame so as to be openable and closable, and a game board side component provided on the game frame side component having a first game board side component and a second game board side component, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. The first game board side component includes a performance control board equipped with a microprocessor that executes game performances. The second game board side component includes an eigenvalue generation means capable of generating an eigenvalue that can identify it as the second game board side component, an eigenvalue transmission unit that transmits the eigenvalue generated by the eigenvalue generation means to the performance control board as a signal, and a specific board on which a plurality of electronic components are provided. The eigenvalue generation means is provided on the first board surface side of the specific board, and the performance control board is capable of performing an unconnected notification process that notifies that it is in an unconnected state when there is no input of an eigenvalue from the eigenvalue transmission unit. The specific circuit board is positioned so that its first surface faces forward towards the front of the gaming machine.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 comprises a main frame 4, which is the game frame side component, and a divided game board 5A fixed to the main frame 4 as shown in Figure 302, which is the game board side component. The divided game board 5A is composed of a left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and a right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component. The left game board 5AL is composed of multiple boards (for example, a main control board 1310 housed in the main control unit 1300) including a peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board that executes game performances by mounting a peripheral control IC 1510a, which is a microprocessor on which a CPU, RAM, VDP, sound source, serial ATA controller, and various I/O interfaces are integrated on a single semiconductor chip. The right-side game board 5AR comprises a parallel serial circuit IDCa, which is an eigenvalue generation means for generating a self-identification code (ID), a unique value that identifies it as the right-side game board 5AR; an ID output circuit IDC (Figure 305), which is an eigenvalue transmission unit that transmits the self-identification code (ID) generated by the parallel serial circuit IDCa to the peripheral control board 1510; and a specific board (decorative board 4100 on which various LEDs 4120 are mounted) on the first board surface, on which multiple electronic components (various LEDs 4120, etc.) including the ID output circuit IDC are mounted.

The peripheral control board 1510 can perform disconnection notification processing (e.g., power-on error response 7 described above) to notify that the system is disconnected (e.g., power-on state 8 described above) when there is no input of a self-identification code (ID) from the ID output circuit IDC (e.g., in the case of disconnection error 1 described above during power-on). The decorative board 4100 on which the various LEDs 4120 are mounted is positioned so that its first board surface faces forward of the pachinko machine 1.

Thus, when there is no input of a self-identification code (ID) from the ID output circuit IDC (for example, in the case of the power-on disconnection error 1 described above), a disconnection notification process (for example, the power-on state 8 described above) can be executed to notify that the system is in a disconnection state (for example, the power-on state 8 described above). This prevents the execution of incomplete effects when the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are disconnected, thereby suppressing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, since the decorative circuit board 4100 on which the various LEDs 4120 are mounted is positioned so that its first circuit board surface faces the front of the pachinko machine 1, it facilitates the detection of unauthorized access to the ID output circuit IDC from the outside through the island equipment of the gaming hall and visual inspection by employees. This suppresses unauthorized access to the ID output circuit IDC from the outside, prevents the execution of fraudulent effects due to unauthorized access to the ID output circuit IDC from the outside, and prevents a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game.

[Summary A3]
The game machine comprises a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main body frame provided on the outer frame so as to be openable and closable, and a door frame provided on the main body frame so as to be openable and closable, and a game board side component provided on the game frame side component having a first game board side component and a second game board side component, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. The first game board side component includes a performance control board equipped with a microprocessor that executes game performances. The second game board side component includes an eigenvalue generation means capable of generating an eigenvalue that can identify it as the second game board side component, an eigenvalue transmission unit that transmits the eigenvalue generated by the eigenvalue generation means to the performance control board as a signal, and a specific board on which a plurality of electronic components are provided. The eigenvalue generation means is provided on the first board surface side of the specific board, and the performance control board is capable of performing an unconnected notification process that notifies that it is in an unconnected state when there is no input of an eigenvalue from the eigenvalue transmission unit. A light-colored white resist is formed on the first substrate surface of a specific substrate, and the eigenvalue generating means provided on the side of the first substrate surface where the white resist is formed has a dark exterior.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 comprises a main frame 4, which is the game frame side component, and a divided game board 5A fixed to the main frame 4 as shown in Figure 302, which is the game board side component. The divided game board 5A is composed of a left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and a right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component. The left game board 5AL is composed of multiple boards (for example, a main control board 1310 housed in the main control unit 1300) including a peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board that executes game performances by mounting a peripheral control IC 1510a, which is a microprocessor on which a CPU, RAM, VDP, sound source, serial ATA controller, and various I/O interfaces are integrated on a single semiconductor chip. The right-side game board 5AR comprises a parallel serial circuit IDCa, which is an eigenvalue generation means for generating a self-identification code (ID), a unique value that identifies it as the right-side game board 5AR; an ID output circuit IDC (Figure 305), which is an eigenvalue transmission unit that transmits the self-identification code (ID) generated by the parallel serial circuit IDCa to the peripheral control board 1510; and a specific board (decorative board 4100 on which various LEDs 4120 are mounted) on the first board surface, on which multiple electronic components (various LEDs 4120, etc.) including the ID output circuit IDC are mounted.

The peripheral control board 1510 can perform disconnection notification processing (e.g., power-on error response 7 described above) to notify that the system is disconnected (e.g., power-on state 8 described above) when there is no input of a self-identification code (ID) from the ID output circuit IDC (e.g., in the case of disconnection error 1 described above during power-on). The first substrate surface of the decorative substrate 4100 on which the various LEDs 4210 are mounted has a white resist formed as a light color, and the ID output circuit IDC has a black exterior as a dark color.

Thus, when there is no input of a self-identification code (ID) from the ID output circuit IDC (for example, in the case of the power-on disconnection error 1 described above), a disconnection notification process (for example, the power-on state 8 described above) can be executed to notify that the system is in a disconnection state (for example, the power-on error response 7 described above). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the execution of incomplete effects when the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are disconnected, thereby suppressing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, since a white resist is formed on the first board surface of the decorative substrate 4100 and the exterior of the ID output circuit IDC is black, even if there is unauthorized access to the ID output circuit IDC from the outside and unauthorized effects are executed as a result of the unauthorized access, the black ID output circuit IDC can be easily identified, for example, by a game hall employee visually, relative to the white decorative substrate 4100. By correcting the ID output circuit IDC, the execution of unauthorized effects can be suppressed, thereby suppressing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game.

[Summary B1]
A gaming machine comprising: a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main frame that can be opened and closed on the outer frame, and a door frame that can be opened and closed on the main frame; and a game board side component provided on the game frame side component and having a first game board side component and a second game board side component, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. The first game board side component includes a performance control board equipped with a microprocessor that executes game performances. The second game board side component includes an eigenvalue generation means capable of generating an eigenvalue that can be identified as the second game board side component, an eigenvalue transmission unit that transmits the eigenvalue generated by the eigenvalue generation means to the performance control board as a signal, and a specific board on which a plurality of electronic components are provided. The eigenvalue generation means is provided on the first board surface side of the specific board, and the performance control board is capable of performing an abnormal connection notification process that notifies the system of an abnormal connection state when the eigenvalue input from the eigenvalue transmission unit is not a preset value. The second game board side component has a partitioning section that divides the first board surface of the specific board into a specific region including the region where the eigenvalue generation means is provided, and a non-specific region not including the region where the eigenvalue generation means is provided.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 comprises a main frame 4, which is the game frame side component, and a divided game board 5A fixed to the main frame 4 as shown in Figure 302, which is the game board side component. The divided game board 5A is composed of a left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and a right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component. The left game board 5AL is composed of multiple boards (for example, a main control board 1310 housed in the main control unit 1300) including a peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board that executes game performances by mounting a peripheral control IC 1510a, which is a microprocessor on which a CPU, RAM, VDP, sound source, serial ATA controller, and various I/O interfaces are integrated on a single semiconductor chip. The right-side game board 5AR comprises a parallel serial circuit IDCa, which is an eigenvalue generation means for generating a self-identification code (ID), a unique value that identifies it as the right-side game board 5AR; an ID output circuit IDC (Figure 305), which is an eigenvalue transmission unit that transmits the self-identification code (ID) generated by the parallel serial circuit IDCa to the peripheral control board 1510; and a specific board (decorative board 4100 on which various LEDs 4120 are mounted) on the first board surface, on which multiple electronic components (various LEDs 4120, etc.) including the ID output circuit IDC are mounted.

The peripheral control board 1510 can execute an abnormal connection notification process (e.g., the power-on error response 1 described above) to notify that an abnormal connection state (e.g., the power-on state 2 described above) is occurring when the self-identification code (ID) input from the ID output circuit IDC is not a preset value (e.g., the ID error 1 described above during power-on). The right-side game board 5AR has a partition cover 4130, which is a partition separating the ID output circuit IDC from other electronic components (various LEDs 4120, etc.) among the multiple electronic components mounted on the first board surface of the decorative board 4100.

Thus, when the self-identification code (ID) input from the ID output circuit IDC is not a preset value (for example, in the case of ID error 1 at power-on described above), an abnormal connection notification process (for example, state 2 at power-on described above) can be executed to notify that an abnormal connection state is in place (for example, state 2 at power-on described above). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the execution of incomplete effects when the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are in an abnormal connection state, thereby suppressing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game. The partition cover 4130 covers the first board surface of the decorative board 4100 and separates the ID output circuit IDC, which includes the parallel serial circuit IDCa that generates the self-identification code (ID), from other electronic components (various LEDs 4120, etc.). Therefore, it is possible to suppress unauthorized access to the ID output circuit IDC from the outside and prevent the execution of unauthorized effects, thereby suppressing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, since the compartment cover 4130 has an opening, when the right-side game panel 1100R and the right-side front component 1000R are disassembled from the right-side back box 3010R, the ID output circuit IDC and various LEDs 4120 and other electronic components are visible through the opening, even when the compartment cover 4130 is attached to the front of the right-side game panel 1100R. In addition, because the ID output circuit IDC is separated from other electronic components (such as the various LEDs 4120), the ID output circuit IDC can be easily identified.

[Summary B2]
A gaming machine comprising: a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main frame that can be opened and closed on the outer frame, and a door frame that can be opened and closed on the main frame; and a game board side component provided on the game frame side component and having a first game board side component and a second game board side component, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. The first game board side component includes a performance control board equipped with a microprocessor that executes game performances. The second game board side component includes an eigenvalue generation means capable of generating an eigenvalue that can be identified as the second game board side component, an eigenvalue transmission unit that transmits the eigenvalue generated by the eigenvalue generation means to the performance control board as a signal, and a specific board on which a plurality of electronic components are provided. The eigenvalue generation means is provided on the first board surface side of the specific board, and the performance control board is capable of performing an abnormal connection notification process that notifies the system of an abnormal connection state if the eigenvalue input from the eigenvalue transmission unit is not a preset value. The specific board is positioned so that its first board surface faces forward towards the gaming machine.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 comprises a main frame 4, which is the game frame side component, and a divided game board 5A fixed to the main frame 4 as shown in Figure 302, which is the game board side component. The divided game board 5A is composed of a left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and a right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component. The left game board 5AL is composed of multiple boards (for example, a main control board 1310 housed in the main control unit 1300) including a peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board that executes game performances by mounting a peripheral control IC 1510a, which is a microprocessor on which a CPU, RAM, VDP, sound source, serial ATA controller, and various I/O interfaces are integrated on a single semiconductor chip. The right-side game board 5AR comprises a parallel serial circuit IDCa, which is an eigenvalue generation means for generating a self-identification code (ID), a unique value that identifies it as the right-side game board 5AR; an ID output circuit IDC (Figure 305), which is an eigenvalue transmission unit that transmits the self-identification code (ID) generated by the parallel serial circuit IDCa to the peripheral control board 1510; and a specific board (decorative board 4100 on which various LEDs 4120 are mounted) on the first board surface, on which multiple electronic components (various LEDs 4120, etc.) including the ID output circuit IDC are mounted.

The peripheral control board 1510 can execute an abnormal connection notification process (e.g., power-on state 2 described above) to notify that an abnormal connection state (e.g., power-on state 2 described above) is occurring when the self-identification code (ID) input from the ID output circuit IDC is not a preset value (e.g., in the case of ID error 1 described above during power-on). The decorative board 4100 on which the various LEDs 4120 are mounted is positioned so that its first board surface faces the front of the pachinko machine 1.

In this way, if the self-identification code (ID) input from the ID output circuit IDC is not a preset value (for example, in the case of ID error 1 at power-on described above), an abnormal connection notification process (for example, state 2 at power-on described above) can be executed to notify that an abnormal connection state is in place (for example, state 2 at power-on described above). Therefore, it is possible to prevent incomplete performances from being executed when the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are abnormally connected, thereby suppressing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, since the decorative circuit board 4100 on which the various LEDs 4120 are mounted is positioned so that its first circuit board surface faces the front of the pachinko machine 1, it facilitates the detection of unauthorized access to the ID output circuit IDC from the outside through the island equipment of the gaming hall and visual inspection by employees. This suppresses unauthorized access to the ID output circuit IDC from the outside, prevents the execution of fraudulent effects due to unauthorized access to the ID output circuit IDC from the outside, and prevents a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game.

[Summary B3]
A gaming machine comprising: a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main frame that can be opened and closed on the outer frame, and a door frame that can be opened and closed on the main frame; and a game board side component provided on the game frame side component and having a first game board side component and a second game board side component, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. The first game board side component includes a performance control board equipped with a microprocessor that executes game performances. The second game board side component includes an eigenvalue generation means capable of generating an eigenvalue that can be identified as the second game board side component, an eigenvalue transmission unit that transmits the eigenvalue generated by the eigenvalue generation means to the performance control board as a signal, and a specific board on which a plurality of electronic components are provided. The eigenvalue generation means is provided on the first substrate surface side of a specific substrate, and the performance control board is capable of performing abnormal connection notification processing to notify that an abnormal connection state is in effect if the eigenvalue input from the eigenvalue transmission unit is not a preset value. A light-colored white resist is formed on the first substrate surface of the specific substrate, and the eigenvalue generation means provided on the first substrate surface side where the white resist is formed has a dark exterior.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 comprises a main frame 4, which is the game frame side component, and a divided game board 5A fixed to the main frame 4 as shown in Figure 302, which is the game board side component. The divided game board 5A is composed of a left game board 5AL, which is the first game board side component, and a right game board 5AR, which is the second game board side component. The left game board 5AL is composed of multiple boards (for example, a main control board 1310 housed in the main control unit 1300) including a peripheral control board 1510, which is a performance control board that executes game performances by mounting a peripheral control IC 1510a, which is a microprocessor on which a CPU, RAM, VDP, sound source, serial ATA controller, and various I/O interfaces are integrated on a single semiconductor chip. The right-side game board 5AR comprises a parallel serial circuit IDCa, which is an eigenvalue generation means for generating a self-identification code (ID), a unique value that identifies it as the right-side game board 5AR; an ID output circuit IDC (Figure 305), which is an eigenvalue transmission unit that transmits the self-identification code (ID) generated by the parallel serial circuit IDCa to the peripheral control board 1510; and a specific board (decorative board 4100 on which various LEDs 4120 are mounted) on the first board surface, on which multiple electronic components (various LEDs 4120, etc.) including the ID output circuit IDC are mounted.

The peripheral control board 1510 can execute an abnormal connection notification process (e.g., power-on state 2 described above) to notify that an abnormal connection state (e.g., power-on state 2 described above) exists when the self-identification code (ID) input from the ID output circuit IDC is not a preset value (e.g., in the case of ID error 1 described above during power-on). The first substrate surface of the decorative substrate 4100 on which the various LEDs 4120 are mounted has a white resist formed as a light color, and the ID output circuit IDC has a black exterior as a dark color.

In this way, if the self-identification code (ID) input from the ID output circuit IDC is not a preset value (for example, in the case of ID error 1 at power-on described above), an abnormal connection notification process (for example, state 2 at power-on described above) can be executed to notify that an abnormal connection state is in place (for example, state 2 at power-on described above). Therefore, it is possible to prevent incomplete performances from being executed when the left game board 5AL, which is the first game board component, and the right game board 5AR, which is the second game board component, are abnormally connected, thereby suppressing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, since a white resist is formed on the first substrate surface of the decorative substrate 4100 and the exterior of the ID output circuit IDC is black, even if there is unauthorized access to the ID output circuit IDC from the outside and unauthorized effects are executed as a result of the unauthorized access, the black ID output circuit IDC can be easily identified from the white decorative substrate 4100 by, for example, visual inspection by an employee of the gaming hall. By modifying the ID output circuit IDC, the execution of unauthorized effects can be deterred, and the decline in the player's enjoyment of the game can be suppressed.

[Settings change and ID error on split game board]
Next, the combination of the split game boards 5A (that is, the combination of the right game board 5AR (which has only a board without a microprocessor) and the left game board 5AL (which has a peripheral control board 1510 and a main control board 1310 with a microprocessor, and a board without a microprocessor)) is incompatible (incompatible or incompatible state. In this example, the right game board 5AR, which has an ID different from the regular ID, is connected to the left game board 5AL, which has the regular ID) or the right game board 5AR This section describes an example of behavior when changing setting values in an unconnected state (unconnected state. In this example, regardless of whether the right game board 5AR has a valid ID or not, the right game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left game board 5AL, which has a valid ID) when there is no input of an ID code signal from the left game board 5AR (the input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR cannot be confirmed) and malfunctions such as short circuits or open circuits occur in the transmission path that transmits various signals. For comparison, this section also describes an example of behavior when changing setting values in a matched state (matched state) when the combination of split game boards 5A (i.e., the combination of the right game board 5AR (a board without a microprocessor) and the left game board 5AL (a peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310 with a microprocessor)) is matched (aligned). Figure 327 shows an example of the behavior when changing the setting value when the split game board 5A, which consists of the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, is compatible (aligned). Figure 328 shows an example of the behavior when changing the setting value when the combination of split game boards 5A is incompatible (inconsistent). Figure 331 shows an example of the behavior when changing the setting value when the right game board 5AR is not connected.

[Changing the setting value when compliance is achieved]
As shown in Figure 327, when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 displays "power on" on the performance display device 1600 for a predetermined period of time to notify that power has been supplied to the pachinko machine 1. Meanwhile, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, and the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 are turned off. Furthermore, as described above, when the predetermined conditions for permission to change the setting value are met when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1 (in this example, when a setting key is inserted into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and turned ON, and then the power switch 630a on the power supply board 630 is operated while pressing the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f to turn on the power supply board 630), a setting change process (step S37) is executed by the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310 after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, making it possible to select and determine the setting value. Furthermore, some or all of the LEDs on the decorative board provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, as well as the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, the LEDs on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR, and the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 may also be lit in a predetermined manner, which makes it easier to determine when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 has started.

Furthermore, when the setting change process begins, a setting change start command is sent to the peripheral control board 1510 to indicate that the setting value change is starting. Upon receiving the setting change start command, the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 displays a setting change notification (in this example, "Setting Change in Progress") on the display device 1600 (this may be displayed until the setting change process is completed, or it may be displayed for a certain period before the display ends). It also repeatedly outputs a setting change notification sound (an announcement voice saying "Setting Change in Progress" and a warning sound such as "ding-dong") from various speakers at a predetermined volume (this may be the maximum configurable volume, or the default volume adjusted by the volume control switch on the peripheral control board 1510). (This may be output repeatedly until the setting change process is completed, or it may be output repeatedly a certain number of times (e.g., 5 times) or for a certain period (e.g., 30 seconds) before the output stops).

Furthermore, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 illuminates various LEDs (some or all) on the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) and various LEDs (some or all) mounted on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR in a setting change notification illumination pattern corresponding to the setting change (in this example, the various LEDs on the door frame unit and the right-side game board 5AR are illuminated in the same color, and the illumination color is switched in a short period of time). (The illumination may be kept in the setting change notification illumination pattern until the setting change process is completed, or it may be kept in the setting change notification illumination pattern for a certain period of time, after which the setting change notification illumination pattern is terminated and the lights are turned off or illuminated in a different illumination pattern.) This notifies that a setting value change process is being executed, and allows for immediate detection if the setting value has been changed fraudulently.

Furthermore, the volume of the setting change notification sound output from the various speakers during the setting change process cannot be adjusted using the volume control button 227. As mentioned above, players can adjust the volume output from the various speakers by operating the volume control button 227, but the volume of the setting change notification sound output during the setting change process cannot be adjusted by the player even by operating the volume control button 227. Therefore, during the setting change process, the setting change notification sound can be output at a predetermined volume, reliably informing players that a setting change is taking place through the audio output from the various speakers. This allows for immediate detection of fraudulent setting changes, thus deterring unauthorized changes to setting values.

Furthermore, the setting change notification illumination pattern, which occurs during the setting change process, cannot be adjusted using the light intensity adjustment button 228. As mentioned above, while players can adjust the light intensity (brightness) of some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228, the setting change notification illumination pattern, which occurs during the setting change process, cannot be adjusted by the player even by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228. Therefore, during the setting change process, the LEDs on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A are controlled to emit light at a predetermined light intensity (brightness) to perform the setting change notification illumination pattern. This reliably communicates that a setting change has been made, allowing for immediate detection of fraudulent setting changes and thus deterring unauthorized changes to setting values.

Furthermore, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards provided on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A are divided into two types: LEDs that are subject to brightness adjustment when the brightness adjustment button 228 is operated during normal operation (game mode) (dimmable LEDs), and LEDs that are never subject to brightness adjustment even when the brightness adjustment button 228 is operated, regardless of whether it is during normal operation (game mode) (non-dimmable LEDs). For example, the LEDs that display information related to wins and losses, such as the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 provided on the left game board 5AL, are non-dimmable LEDs, while most of the various LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 are dimmable LEDs, with the exception of the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250. Furthermore, some of the various LEDs provided on the right-side game board 5AR and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may be non-dimmable LEDs. In this case, brightness can be adjusted based on the non-dimmable LEDs, making it easier to adjust to the desired brightness.

Furthermore, in this example of pachinko machine 1, when the volume control button 227 is operated during normal operation (game mode), a scale corresponding to the current volume is displayed on the display device 1600, and a confirmation sound (e.g., "Volume changed.") corresponding to the operation of the volume control button 227 is output from various speakers at the volume set according to the operation of the volume control button 227. Similarly, when the light intensity control button 222 is operated during normal operation (game mode), a scale corresponding to the current light intensity (brightness) is displayed on the display device 1600, and a confirmation sound (e.g., "Brightness changed.") corresponding to the operation of the light intensity control button 222 is output from various speakers at the volume set according to the operation of the volume control button 227. The scales displayed on the display device 1600 are provided to correspond to the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 222, respectively, and the scales are changed by operating the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 222 while the scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness) is displayed.

On the other hand, while the setting change process is running, operating the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 will not display a scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness) on the display device 1600, nor will it output a confirmation sound in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228. Furthermore, because the display device 1600 does not display a scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness), the scale will not change even if the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is operated multiple times. Therefore, the visibility of the setting change notification display on the display device 1600 is not obstructed by the scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness), and the setting change notification sound is not made difficult to hear due to the confirmation sound in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228. This allows for immediate detection of any unauthorized setting changes.

Furthermore, while the example shows a display device 1600 that shows a scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness) adjusted based on the operation of the volume control button 227 and the light intensity adjustment button 222, the system is not limited to the above example. For example, the system could also indicate the degree of volume or light intensity adjustment based on the operation of the volume control button 227 and the light intensity adjustment button 222 through changes in color or character (such as equipment enhancement, height changes, or body shape changes).

Furthermore, during the setting change process, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board located on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, and the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 located on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 are all turned off. In other words, in this example of pachinko machine 1, although the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR constitute a split game board 5A, during the setting change, all the various LEDs located on the left game board 5AL are turned off regardless of whether they are controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 or by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, while only the various LEDs located on the right game board 5AR and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 are lit. In this way, while the setting change process is being executed, the various LEDs provided on the split game board 5A, specifically the LEDs on the left game board 5AL and the LEDs on the right game board 5AR, emit light in different patterns. This creates a sense of unease for anyone viewing the pachinko machine 1, allowing them to immediately realize that the setting change process is being performed. Furthermore, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board, function display unit 1400, and sub-function display unit 2250 of the left-side game board 5AL may be illuminated with a different notification light pattern (e.g., flashing red light) when a setting change occurs, compared to the various LEDs on the door frame unit and the right-side game board 5AR. Alternatively, one or both of the LEDs on the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250, which display information regarding wins and losses, may be illuminated with a notification light pattern when a setting change occurs. In this case, the light patterns of the LEDs on the right-side game board 5AR and the LEDs on the left-side game board 5AL can be made different, allowing the player to immediately notice that a setting change process is being performed.

Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 stores the determined setting value in a specific area of the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a, based on the setting value determination operation (in this example, the OFF operation which returns the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 to its initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF)), and transmits a setting change command to the peripheral control board 1510 to notify it that the setting change process has ended.

Furthermore, once the setting value determination operation is performed, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 performs a power-on operation check for a predetermined period (for example, 60 seconds). Specifically, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 controls various LEDs, excluding the LEDs in the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding wins and losses (such as various LEDs mounted on the decorative board on the left game board 5AL, various LEDs mounted on the decorative board on the right game board 5AR, and various LEDs in the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame 3)), and performs a power-on operation check to confirm whether the LEDs can be lit normally and whether the movable parts can be operated normally by driving the drive motors and drive solenoids.

In this example, the movable parts that operate by driving drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the performance control board 1510 include, for example, the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, and the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3. In the above power-on operation check, the peripheral control IC 1510a drives the drive motor and drive solenoid, etc., to move the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 from the raised position to the lowered position while keeping the rear upper first decorative part 3211 facing forward, and then rotate it around the axis in the left-right direction. After that, the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 is moved from the lowered position to the raised position while keeping the rear upper first decorative part 3211 facing forward. The rear lower performance unit 3300 moves the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 from a retracted position that does not cover the front of the performance display device 1600. The system is configured to perform the following confirmation operations: move the unit 1600 to an appearance position that covers the front of the unit, then move it to a retracted position; move the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160 from its normal standby position to an elevated position in front of the performance display device 1600, then rotate it around its front-rear axis, and then move it back to the standby position; drive the vibration motor 356 to vibrate the performance operation unit 301 and then stop it; and drive the operation button lifting drive motor 367 to lift and lower the performance operation unit 301 relative to the performance operation unit cover unit 310. Furthermore, at this time, the LEDs that illuminate the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000, the LEDs that illuminate the rear left movable decorative body 3301 of the rear lower performance unit 3300 (LEDs 3311a to 3314a mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314), the LEDs that illuminate the rear right movable decorative body 3302 (LEDs 3321a to 3324a mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear right movable decorative boards 3321 to 3324), the LEDs that illuminate the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, and the multiple LEDs 320a for illuminating the upper part (unit upper cover 312) of the performance operation unit cover unit 310 of the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3, are each controlled in a predetermined illumination pattern.

Furthermore, in this example, during the power-on operation check, all LEDs except for the LED of the sub-function display unit 2250, which displays information regarding success or failure among the various LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, are lit in a predetermined light emission pattern (light emission pattern during power-on operation check). Alternatively, during the power-on operation check, the LED of the sub-function display unit 2250 may also be lit to confirm whether or not there is an abnormality. Similarly, the LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, excluding the LED of the sub-function display unit 2250, are not all lit; some may be left unlit. The drive motors and drive solenoids controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 are not all driven; some may be left undriven. Furthermore, when executing the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), some or all of the LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding wins and losses (such as the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, and the various LEDs of the door frame unit (such as the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3) may be illuminated in a light emission mode that indicates that the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM has been cleared except for a specific area (for example, a RAM clear notification light emission mode), rather than being illuminated in a predetermined light emission mode (light emission mode when checking operation at power-on). Furthermore, in this example, during power-on operation verification, all drive motors and drive solenoids controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 are configured to be driven. However, some of the drive motors and drive solenoids controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may be left undriven.

When the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a finishes the setting change process, it sends a setting change command to the peripheral control board 1510 and starts a process (step S38) to clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area. Furthermore, when the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 receives a setting change command from the main control MPU 1310a, that is, when the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 starts a process (step S38) to clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 changes the LEDs (various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc. provided on the door frame 3) to a predetermined light emission pattern (light emission pattern when power is turned on to check operation, in this example white-purple). The system lights up (indicated by a light), and simultaneously drives a drive motor, drive solenoid, etc., controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 to operate the movable body in a predetermined operating mode (the operating mode used for power-on operation confirmation), thereby performing a power-on operation confirmation. At the same time, a RAM clear notification sound (an announcement voice saying "Memory has been cleared." and a warning sound such as "ding-dong") is repeatedly output from various speakers at a predetermined volume (which may be the maximum volume that can be set, or the default volume adjusted by the volume adjustment switch provided on the peripheral control board 1510). (This output may be repeated until the process of clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area and the power-on operation confirmation are completed, or it may be repeated a certain number of times (for example, 5 times) or for a certain period of time (for example, 30 seconds) before stopping the output.) On the other hand, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 displays the performance display device 1600 with the performance mode, i.e., decorative patterns and background images during normal operation (game mode), and does not notify the user that the main control's built-in RAM is being cleared except for a specific area. Furthermore, if the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the system may display "Door Open" as a door-open abnormality notification display mode until the main frame 4 is closed. The door-open abnormality notification display mode can be any combination of letters, numbers (e.g., error codes), marks, etc., depending on the error content.

Furthermore, the performance display device 1600 may also be configured to notify that the entire area of the built-in RAM for the main control has been cleared except for a specific area. In this case, only the notification that the entire area of the built-in RAM for the main control has been cleared except for a specific area may be executed without displaying decorative symbols or background images during normal operation (when the game is ready to play). Alternatively, both the display of performance elements (decorative symbols, background images during normal operation (when the game is ready to play), etc.) and the notification that the entire area of the built-in RAM for the main control has been cleared except for a specific area may be executed. If both the display of performance elements (decorative symbols, background images during normal operation (when the game is ready to play), etc.) and the notification that the entire area of the built-in RAM for the main control has been cleared except for a specific area may be executed, the notification that the entire area of the built-in RAM for the main control has been cleared except for a specific area may be displayed on a higher layer that overlaps with the display of performance elements (decorative symbols, background images during normal operation (when the game is ready to play), etc.). Furthermore, the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, which displays information regarding the success or failure of various LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, and the LEDs of the function display unit 1400, which is controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, may be configured to emit light in a manner that indicates the clearing of all areas except a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM, or in a manner that indicates operation confirmation upon power-on.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, if a power-on operation check is performed after the setting change process is completed, that is, if a power-on operation check is performed that involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), then until the power-on operation check is completed (excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that displays information related to wins and losses among the various LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 (various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL and various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, and the door frame unit (door frame 3) The various LEDs on the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., are lit in a predetermined light emission pattern (light emission pattern during power-on operation check, in this example they light up in white-purple), and the drive motors and drive solenoids controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 are driven to operate the movable body in a predetermined operating pattern (operating pattern during power-on operation check). The volume cannot be adjusted by the volume control button 227 until the lighting in the predetermined light emission pattern and operation in the predetermined pattern are completed. As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, the volume output from the various speakers can be adjusted by operating the volume control button 227, but the volume of the RAM clear notification sound output in the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM, excluding a specific area, which is executed after the setting change process is completed, cannot be adjusted by operating the volume control button 227. Therefore, when the process of clearing the entire RAM area of the main control's built-in RAM, excluding a specific area, is initiated, a RAM clear notification sound can be output at a predetermined volume. This ensures that the clearing of the main control's built-in RAM is reliably communicated through the audio output from various speakers, allowing for immediate detection of unauthorized clearing. Furthermore, even if the unauthorized change in settings goes unnoticed, the subsequent process of clearing the entire RAM area of the main control's built-in RAM, excluding a specific area, will alert the system to the possibility of unauthorized clearing and subsequent setting changes, thus deterring unauthorized changes to settings.

Similarly, if a power-on operation check is performed after the setting change process is completed, that is, if a power-on operation check is performed that involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), then the power-on operation check will be performed from the end of the setting change process until the power-on operation check is completed (excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information related to wins and losses among the various LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 (various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL and various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, and the door frame unit (provided on the door frame 3) The various LEDs on the left side unit 420 of the door frame, the right side unit 430 of the door frame, the plate unit 200, and the top unit 450 of the door frame, etc., are lit in a predetermined light emission pattern (light emission pattern during power-on operation check, in this example they light up in white-purple), and the drive motors and drive solenoids controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 are driven to operate the movable body in a predetermined operating pattern (operating pattern during power-on operation check). The light emission pattern cannot be adjusted by the light intensity adjustment button 228 until the lighting in the predetermined light emission pattern and operation in the predetermined pattern are completed. Therefore, when the power-on operation check is initiated, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards installed on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A can be controlled to emit light at a predetermined brightness level. This reliably signals that power has been supplied to the pachinko machine 1, allowing for immediate detection of any fraudulent activity, such as the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 being cut off and then restored to change a setting value. Furthermore, even if the fraudulent change in the setting value goes unnoticed, the subsequent power-on operation can recognize that power to the pachinko machine 1 was fraudulently started, and consequently, that a biased setting change may have occurred. This helps to deter fraudulent changes to the setting value.

Furthermore, if a power-on operation check is performed after the setting change process is completed, that is, if a power-on operation check is performed that involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), then the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 will not display scales corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness) on the display device 1600 until the power-on operation check is completed after the setting change process is finished. Also, since the display device 1600 does not display scales corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness), the scales will not change even if the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 are operated multiple times. Furthermore, even if a power-on operation check is performed after the setting change process is completed, once the process of clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38) is completed and the interrupt permission setting (step S52) is performed, the ball launcher 540 is enabled to launch game balls, and the detection of game balls at the various receiving ports (first start port 2002, first start port 2002, big prize port 2005, general prize port 2001, gate 2003) is enabled, making it possible to play the game. In this example, the display device 1600 does not display scales corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness) until the power-on operation check is complete, and the scales do not change even if the volume adjustment button 227 or light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated multiple times. This prevents the visibility of part or all of the display of the performance on the display device 1600 (decorative patterns, background images during normal operation (when playable), etc.) from being obstructed by scales corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness), making it easier to determine whether the display device 1600 is functioning correctly as part of the power-on operation check. In other words, during normal operation (when playable), operating the volume control button 227 or the brightness control button 228 causes the display device 1600 to display a scale corresponding to the current volume or brightness, superimposed on the display of the performance elements (decorative symbols, background image during normal operation, etc.). While the scale can be changed by operating the volume control button 227 or brightness control button 228 multiple times, during the power-on operation check to verify whether the display of the display device 1600 is functioning correctly, the display device 1600 does not display the scale corresponding to the current volume or brightness. This is to avoid interfering with the verification of whether the performance elements (decorative symbols, background image during normal operation, etc.) are being displayed correctly.

On the other hand, if a power-on operation check is performed after the setting change process is completed, that is, if a power-on operation check is performed that involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), then a special confirmation sound (e.g., "beep") different from the normal sound (e.g., "beep") is output at a predetermined volume (a different volume from the volume set according to the operation of the volume control button 227) in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228, until the power-on operation check is completed. However, while the normal confirmation sound is output at a volume changed by the volume control button 227 (the volume of the confirmation sound changes when the volume control button 227 is operated), the special confirmation sound output during the power-on operation check is output at a predetermined volume (the volume does not change even when the volume control button 227 is operated). This makes it easy to determine whether the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 are functioning correctly as part of the power-on operation check, and the output of a dedicated confirmation sound makes it easy to understand that a process (step S38) is being executed to clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area.

After the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a completes the process of clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), and the interrupt enable setting (step S52) is performed, the ball launcher 540 becomes capable of launching game balls, and the LED illumination control of the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250, which display information regarding wins and losses, is started. In this way, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, the ball launcher 540 does not launch game balls while the setting value change process (step S37) is being executed. Furthermore, it is sufficient to have the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250 in a state where their illumination can be controlled. This is not limited to immediately illuminating one or both of the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 or the sub-function display unit 2250 in a predetermined manner based on the ball launching device 540 enabling the launch of game balls. Alternatively, one or both of the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 or the sub-function display unit 2250 may be illuminated in the illumination pattern for special symbol variation display or variation performance based on the fulfillment of the start condition for variation display (i.e., a game ball entering the start gate (first start gate 2002 or one of the first start gate 2002 and the second start gate 2004)). Alternatively, after the termination of an illumination pattern indicating an abnormal state, the LEDs may be illuminated in the illumination pattern for special symbol variation display or variation performance, or they may be set to a state where their illumination can be controlled to the illumination pattern for special symbol variation display or performance.

Furthermore, when the main frame 4 is closed after the setting change process is completed and the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter, the main control board 1310a performs a process (step S38) to clear all areas of the main control built-in RAM except for a specific area, and the power-on operation check is completed and the illumination pattern at the time of the power-on operation check and the operation pattern at the time of the power-on operation check are changed. Based on the completion of the operation (if the operation mode for power-on operation check is configured to end earlier than the operation mode for power-on operation check, this may be based on the completion of the operation mode for power-on operation check; or if the operation mode for power-on operation check is configured to end later than the operation mode for power-on operation check, this may be based on the completion of the operation mode for power-on operation check), the various LEDs on the door frame unit and the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR are controlled to emit light in a critical abnormality notification mode, while the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left-side game board 5AL are controlled to be turned off. Then, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since closing the main frame 4 (for example, 60 seconds, which in this example is longer than the period from when the power-on operation check by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 starts until the power-on operation check ends), the control of the illumination of the various LEDs on the door frame unit and the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR for the critical abnormality notification, and the control of the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL for turning off, are terminated, and illumination control becomes possible in the same way as during game mode, with illumination modes corresponding to the game state (illumination modes during performances). Furthermore, it is sufficient that, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since closing the main frame 4, the various LEDs of the door frame unit (the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the plate unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3), the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, and the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL are made capable of controlling the illumination of the LEDs of the door frame unit (the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the plate unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3), the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, and the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL are made capable of controlling the illumination of the LEDs immediately after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since closing the main frame 4. This is not limited to illuminating some or all of the various LEDs installed. It may also involve illuminating some or all of the various LEDs in the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3), the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the right-side game board 5AR, and the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the left-side game board 5AL, in the illumination pattern used during the variation display based on the fulfillment of the start condition (when a game ball enters the start opening (either the first start opening 2002 or one of the first start opening 2002 and the second start opening 2004)). Alternatively, it may involve illuminating in the illumination pattern used during the variation display after the end of an illumination pattern indicating an abnormal state, or setting the illumination to a state where it can be controlled to the illumination pattern used during the performance.

As described above, in this example, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on, the main body frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a to perform the first ON operation, and the predetermined setting value change permission condition is met when the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is pressed. In other words, the setting change process is performed with the main body frame 4 open relative to the outer frame 2, and the main body frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed when the setting change process is completed.

Furthermore, in this example, when the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 during normal operation (game mode), a door open notification sound (an announcement saying "The door is open." and a warning sound such as "ding-dong") is repeatedly output from various speakers at a predetermined volume (which may be the maximum configurable volume or the default volume adjusted by the volume adjustment switch on the peripheral control board 1510) for a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds; in this example, this period is shorter than the time required for power-on operation check), or the output is stopped when the main frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed (however, if the main frame 4 is continuously open relative to the outer frame 2, the output may be stopped after a certain number of repeated outputs (for example, 5 times), or the output may be stopped when the main frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed). The output may be stopped after a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds; however, this period may be shorter than the period from the start of the process of clearing the entire area of the built-in RAM of the main control except for a specific area (step S38) and the power-on operation check by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 until both the process of clearing the entire area of the built-in RAM of the main control except for a specific area (step S38) and the power-on operation check are completed) has elapsed since closing the main frame 4 which was open to frame 2. In addition, the output may be stopped when a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds. However, this period may be shorter than the period from the start of the process of clearing the entire area of the built-in RAM of the main control except for a specific area (step S38) and the power-on operation check by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510) until both the process of clearing the entire area of the built-in RAM of the main control except for a specific area (step S38) and the power-on operation check are completed) has elapsed since closing the main frame 4 which was open to frame 2. The critical malfunction notification light emission mode is terminated when the main body frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, is closed by repeatedly controlling the light emission mode in a changing mode (high-speed flashing mode), and a predetermined period of time (for example, 60 seconds, in this example, longer than the period from the start of the process of clearing the entire area of the main control built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38) and the power-on operation check by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 until both the process of clearing the entire area of the main control built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38) and the power-on operation check are completed) has elapsed (the critical malfunction notification light emission mode may be terminated when the main body frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, is closed, or the critical malfunction notification light emission mode may be terminated when it is repeatedly executed a certain number of times (for example, 5 times) or for a certain period of time (for example, 30 seconds) after the main body frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, is closed, or the outer frame When the main frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, is closed, the critical abnormality notification illumination mode ends and the system repeatedly switches to a semi-critical abnormality notification illumination mode (a mode in which the lights switch between maximum brightness red and off for a long period of time (e.g., 2 seconds) (a slow flashing mode)). The semi-critical abnormality notification illumination mode may also end after a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds) has elapsed since the start of the semi-critical abnormality notification illumination mode, or after a predetermined number of repetitions (e.g., 10 times). Furthermore, when the critical abnormality notification illumination mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification illumination mode if the illumination control switches from the critical abnormality notification mode to the semi-critical abnormality notification mode) ends (when the main frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, is closed), the system controls the illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board on the left-side game board 5AL in an illumination mode appropriate to the game situation.

On the other hand, while the setting change process is being executed, the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, but the output of door opening notification sounds from various speakers and the control of the light emission pattern for serious abnormality notification, which would occur due to the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2, are not performed. In other words, if the predetermined setting value change permission conditions are met when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1, the output of door opening notification sounds from various speakers and the control of the light emission pattern for serious abnormality notification, which would occur due to the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2, are not performed, and the output of setting change notification sounds from various speakers and the control of the light emission pattern for setting change notification are performed. Furthermore, in this example, even while the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a is performing a process (step S38) to clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, which is executed after the setting change process is completed, and while the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is performing a power-on operation check, the output of door opening notification sounds from various speakers and the light emission control of the critical abnormality notification mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the light emission control is performed to switch to the semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode) are not performed. Therefore, when a setting change process is executed, after the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a clears all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), and the peripheral control board 1510's peripheral control IC 1510a completes the power-on operation check, the system can output door-opening notification sounds from various speakers and control the illumination of critical abnormality notification patterns (including the semi-critical abnormality notification pattern if illumination control is performed after the critical abnormality notification pattern).

Furthermore, if the setting change process is completed after closing the main frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, that is, if the main frame 4 is closed during the execution of the setting change process and the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter, the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a will not perform the process of clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), and the peripheral control board 1510's peripheral control IC 1510a will not perform the output of door-open notification sounds from various speakers and the critical abnormality notification light emission mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification light emission mode if the light emission control is performed to switch to a semi-critical abnormality notification light emission mode after the critical abnormality notification light emission mode) after the completion of the power-on operation check. However, normally, when deciding to change the setting value, the manager of the amusement hall or similar establishment performs the operation to change the setting value while the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 from the front side of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, after the setting change process is complete, the main frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed.

Furthermore, when the elapsed time since the main frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2 reaches a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds; in this example, this is shorter than the time required for power-on operation confirmation), or when the main frame 4, which is open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed, the output of the door opening notification sound from the various speakers stops, and the system becomes capable of outputting sound during performances (output of performance sounds based on the fulfillment of the start conditions for the variable display (when a game ball enters the start opening (first start opening 2002 or one of the first start opening 2002 and the second start opening 2004)). Therefore, normally, when a setting change process is performed, the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a clears all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), and the peripheral control board 1510's peripheral control IC 1510a performs a power-on operation. After the operational check is complete, if the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 and the elapsed time since opening the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 has not reached a predetermined period, both the output of door-open notification sounds from various speakers due to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 and the illumination control of the critical malfunction notification mode (including the semi-critical malfunction notification mode if illumination control is performed after the critical malfunction notification mode) are executed. If the main frame 4 that was open relative to the outer frame 2 is closed, or if the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 and the elapsed time since opening the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 has not reached a predetermined period, only the illumination control of the critical malfunction notification mode due to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 is executed.

Furthermore, in this example, when the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board provided on the right-hand game board 5AR of the divided game board 5A are illuminated in a critical abnormality notification mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the illumination control is performed to a semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode), the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board provided on the left-hand game board 5AL are kept off. Therefore, it is possible to easily make a viewer aware that an abnormality has occurred (in this case, that the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2). Furthermore, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR may have a critical abnormality notification emission pattern (if the emission control is performed after the critical abnormality notification emission pattern, it may include a semi-critical abnormality notification emission pattern, or it may not include a semi-critical abnormality notification emission pattern. In other words, when the emission control is performed in the critical abnormality notification emission pattern, the LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left-side game board 5AL that are controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may also emit light in a predetermined emission pattern, and when the emission control is performed in the semi-critical abnormality notification emission pattern, the LEDs may continue to emit light in the predetermined emission pattern, or when the emission control is performed in the semi-critical abnormality notification emission pattern, the LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left-side game board 5AL that are controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may also emit light in a predetermined emission pattern, and when the emission control is performed in the semi-critical abnormality notification emission pattern, the LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left-side game board 5AL that are controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may also emit light in a predetermined emission pattern. Regarding the LEDs, they may be configured to terminate their predetermined emission mode and then be controlled to emit light in a manner appropriate to the game situation (e.g., the emission mode during special effects) in the same manner as during normal operation (when the game is ready to play). In synchronization with the emission in this manner, the LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the left-hand game board 5AL, which are controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, may also be configured to emit light in a predetermined emission mode. In this case, they may emit light in a different emission mode than the critical abnormality notification emission mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification emission mode if the emission control switches to a semi-critical abnormality notification emission mode after the critical abnormality notification emission mode). For example, they may emit light in red at a predetermined brightness (which may be maximum brightness, or a brightness lower than the maximum brightness, and may be such that the brightness cannot be adjusted by the brightness adjustment button 228) (for example, by lighting up (not flashing) red). Even in this case, it is easy for anyone who sees it to notice that an abnormality has occurred.

Furthermore, the volume of the door opening notification sound output from the various speakers due to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 cannot be adjusted using the volume control button 227. As described above, players can adjust the volume output from the various speakers by operating the volume control button 227, but the volume of the door opening notification sound output from the various speakers due to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 cannot be adjusted by the player even if they operate the volume control button 227. Therefore, when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2, a door opening notification sound can be output at a predetermined volume. Even without visually inspecting the pachinko machine 1, the sound output from various speakers will alert the user that the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2. This allows for immediate detection of the open main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, thus preventing fraudulent activities such as illegally inserting game balls into the ball entry points (starting points (first starting point 2002, second starting point 2004), large prize entry point 2005, general prize entry point 2001, etc.) or replacing the circuit board with a fraudulent one.

Furthermore, the critical abnormality notification illumination pattern (including the semi-critical abnormality notification illumination pattern if the illumination is controlled to a semi-critical abnormality notification illumination pattern after the critical abnormality notification illumination pattern) which is controlled due to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, cannot be adjusted by the light intensity adjustment button 228. As described above, players can adjust the light intensity (brightness) of the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards provided on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A by operating the volume adjustment button, but the critical abnormality notification illumination pattern (including the semi-critical abnormality notification illumination pattern if the illumination is controlled to a semi-critical abnormality notification illumination pattern if the illumination is controlled to a semi-critical abnormality notification illumination pattern after the critical abnormality notification illumination pattern) which is controlled due to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 cannot be adjusted by the player even if they operate the light intensity adjustment button 228. Therefore, when the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the LEDs on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A are controlled to emit light at a predetermined amount (luminance) to enable the serious malfunction notification illumination mode. Even when the main frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed, the LEDs on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A are controlled to emit light at a predetermined amount (luminance) until a predetermined period (for example, 60 seconds) has elapsed, enabling the serious malfunction notification illumination mode (or the semi-serious malfunction notification illumination mode if the illumination control is performed after the serious malfunction notification illumination mode). In some cases, the system can reliably communicate that an abnormality has occurred with respect to the outer frame 2 (in this case, that the main frame 4 is open, or that the main frame 4 was open), by using a quasi-serious abnormality notification light emission mode. Therefore, if the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, it can immediately alert the user, thus preventing fraudulent activities such as illegally inserting game balls into the ball entry points (starting points (first starting point 2002, second starting point 2004), large prize entry point 2005, general prize entry point 2001, etc.) or replacing the circuit board with a fraudulent one. Even if the user does not notice that the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the system can alert them to the possibility that fraudulent activity may have occurred.

Furthermore, when the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the display device 1600 displays scales corresponding to the current volume and light intensity (brightness) based on the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228, but no confirmation sound is output in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228. Therefore, when the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 and the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is operated, after the severe abnormality notification flashing pattern (or the semi-severe abnormality notification flashing pattern if the flashing control is performed to a semi-severe abnormality notification flashing pattern after the severe abnormality notification flashing pattern) that is executed due to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 has finished, the flashing control is performed to the light intensity (brightness) corresponding to the operation of the light intensity control button 228, and after the output of the door opening notification sound that is executed due to the opening of the main frame 4 has stopped, the output is performed to the volume corresponding to the operation of the volume control button 227. This allows for pre-adjustment of volume and light intensity (brightness) during variable effects without depriving the user of the opportunity to adjust volume and light intensity (brightness) even when the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2. It also prevents the confirmation sound corresponding to the operation of the volume adjustment button 227 and light intensity adjustment button 228 from making the door opening notification sound difficult to hear. Furthermore, it immediately alerts the user if the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, preventing unauthorized entry into the ball entry slots (start slots (first start slot 2002, second start slot 2004), grand prize slot 2005, general prize slots). This can suppress the occurrence of fraudulent activities such as inserting game balls into the machine (e.g., 2001) or replacing the circuit board with an illegal one. Furthermore, when the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the display indicator 1600 may not display scales corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness) based on the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228. In this case, it is possible to suppress the display of the display indicator 1600 being obscured by the scales corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness), thus preventing obstruction of visibility.

On the other hand, during the period when the setting change process is being executed, during the process of clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, and during the period when the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is performing power-on operation checks, the output of the door open notification sound caused by the opening of the main frame 4 and the illumination control in the critical abnormality notification mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if illumination control is performed in the semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode) are not executed. This allows for immediate detection if the setting change process is being executed illegally or if the setting value is being changed illegally and the process of clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area is executed, thereby improving security.

Furthermore, in this example, the light emission control for the critical abnormality notification mode is initiated based on the fact that the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2. The period from when the main frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed until the critical abnormality notification mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the light emission control is changed to a semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode) is terminated is longer than the period during which the process of clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area and the power-on operation check by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 are performed. Therefore, after the main frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2 when the setting change process is completed, is closed, and after the period in which the process of clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area and the power-on operation check by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is completed, various LEDs on the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 etc. provided on the door frame 3) and various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right side game board 5AR are turned off. The ED switches from the RAM clear notification mode to the serious abnormality notification illumination mode (or the semi-serious abnormality notification illumination mode if illumination control is performed after the serious abnormality notification illumination mode), and then, after the period since the main body frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, was closed reaches a predetermined period, the serious abnormality notification illumination mode (or the semi-serious abnormality notification illumination mode if illumination control is performed after the serious abnormality notification illumination mode) ends and illumination control in the game mode (illumination mode during performance) begins. In this way, by continuing to use the critical abnormality notification flashing pattern (or the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing pattern if the flashing control switches from the critical abnormality notification flashing pattern to the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing pattern) even after the game mode has been entered after the setting change process has been executed, it becomes possible to ensure that the critical abnormality notification flashing pattern (or the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing pattern if the flashing control switches from the critical abnormality notification flashing pattern to the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing pattern) is not overlooked when the main frame 4 is illegally opened relative to the outer frame 2, thereby improving security. In this case, even when in game mode, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250 that do not perform light control in the critical abnormality notification mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the light control is performed after the critical abnormality notification mode) are kept in a state where light control is possible. However, it is not limited to lighting one or both, or some or all, of the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250 when in game mode. It is also possible to maintain an off state or a predetermined lighting mode until the start condition for the variable display is met (when a game ball enters the starting port (either the first starting port 2002 or one of the first starting port 2002 and the second starting port 2004) is met, and then control the light of the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250 in a predetermined light-emitting mode based on the meeting of the variable display start condition.

[Changing setting values in case of non-compliance]
Next, we will explain an example of the behavior when changing the setting values while the combination of the split game board 5A (that is, the combination of the right game board 5AR (a board without a microprocessor) and the left game board 5AL (a peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310 with a microprocessor)) is incompatible (incompatible) state (incompatible state), referring to Figure 328. Note that below, we will only explain the parts that differ from the compatible state, and will not provide redundant explanations.

As shown in Figure 328, if the ID determination process (step S1003) performed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 does not output control signals to the various LEDs and other electronic components mounted on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR. The electronic components mounted on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR are then set to a non-driven state (for example, the various LEDs are turned off), regardless of whether or not a setting change is in progress.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible during the ID determination process (step S1003), it does not notify that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible until the setting change process is completed (until a setting change command is received from the main control MPU 1310a). That is, during the execution of the setting change process, the various LEDs (some or all) of the display device 1600, various speakers, and door frame units (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all provided on the door frame 3) are controlled in the same manner as when the setting change process is performed when the combination is compatible (they may be completely identical, or almost all may be identical with only some differences).

Then, once the setting change process is complete, the main control MPU 1310a sends a setting change command to the peripheral control board 1510 and starts a process (step S38) to clear the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM, excluding a specific area. When the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 receives the setting change command, that is, when the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 starts the process (step S38) to clear the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM, excluding a specific area, it controls various speakers and various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, dish unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) to the main control when appropriate. The control is performed in the same manner as when the built-in RAM is cleared (step S38) (it may be completely identical, or almost entirely identical with only a few differences). Meanwhile, the display device 1600 does not display decorative patterns or the background image used during normal operation (when playable). Instead, it displays an abnormal background image (e.g., black) across the entire screen, along with the message "Right side game board incompatible error occurred" as a non-conforming error notification, to indicate that the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible.

Furthermore, the non-conformity error notification display mode in the performance display device 1600 is a static image that does not change over time, and continues until the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off. Even if the conditions for starting a variable display are met (a game ball enters the starting gate (first starting gate 2002 or one of the first starting gate 2002 and the second starting gate 2004)), and the variable display of a special symbol is started in the function display unit 1400 or the variable display of the fourth symbol is started in the sub-function display unit 2250, the performance display device 1600 continues to display the non-conformity error notification display mode and does not perform variable displays such as the variable display of decorative symbols. The non-conformity error notification display method can be any method appropriate to the error content, and may be one or any combination of letters, numbers (e.g., error codes), marks, etc. During the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), the display device 1600 is configured to notify that the combination of the split game boards 5A is non-conformity in a static manner, regardless of the passage of time. This allows notification of the non-conformity of the split game boards 5A combination without interfering with the verification process during the power-on operation check.

Furthermore, in the power-on operation check performed in parallel with the process of clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), not only is the power-on operation check not performed for the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on the right-side game board 5AR and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which have been determined to be unsuitable, but the power-on operation check is also not performed for the movable body that performs the power-on operation check (the rear upper display unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the split game board 5A). The operation check at power-on is also not performed for the drive motors and drive solenoids that drive the performance operation unit 301, which is located on the door frame unit and is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), among other movable decorative elements (such as the movable decorative element 3210, the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and rear right movable decorative element 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, and the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 located on the door frame 3, etc.

Specifically, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then even if the power-on operation check is started, the control to illuminate the LEDs on the right-hand game board 5AR, which was determined to be incompatible, in the same illumination pattern as during the power-on operation check, and the control to operate the movable parts in the same operation pattern as during the power-on operation check, will not be performed (no control signal will be output to the right-hand game board 5AR), or it will not be possible to perform these actions (a control signal will be output, but no control signal will be input to the right-hand game board 5AR). In addition, the control to drive the drive motor and drive solenoid provided on the plate unit 200 (in this example, the performance operation unit 300), which is provided on the door frame 3 and is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), and to operate the performance operation section 301 provided on the performance operation unit 300 will not be performed.

In other words, if the right-side game board 5AR is in a non-conforming state, there is a risk that some or all of the movable parts provided on the door frame unit, which are not subject to ID judgment, may also be deemed non-conforming. Therefore, when a control signal is input from the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, there is a risk that the movable parts may operate in a manner different from their intended operation. To this end, some or all of the movable parts provided on the right-side game board 5AR, which has been determined to be non-conforming, and on the door frame unit, which is not subject to ID judgment in the ID judgment process (step S1003), and which are operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, are not driven. This prevents damage to the movable parts or door frame unit, as well as failure of the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc. that operate the movable parts, due to the movable parts operating in a manner different from their intended operation. However, even in this case, LEDs provided on the door frame unit that are not subject to ID determination (for example, multiple LEDs 320a for illuminating the upper part (unit upper cover 312) of the performance operation unit cover unit 310 of the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3) are controlled in the same predetermined illumination pattern as in the case of compliance. This makes it possible to determine that the power-on operation check has been performed correctly.

Furthermore, as described above, the game board side component may be configured to include the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit among the door frame units. In this case, the specific door frame unit is subject to ID determination, and if it is determined to be non-compliant in the ID determination process (step S1003), then some or all of the movable parts that are provided on the door frame units that are not subject to ID determination (non-specific door frame units) and operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may also be deactivated. In addition to this, or separately, if there are multiple specific door frame units (for example, the right door frame) If a side unit 430 and a door frame top unit 450 are present, and a part of them (for example, one of the right side unit 430 and the door frame top unit 450) is determined to be non-compliant, then all movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on the specific door frame unit and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may be deactivated. Alternatively, all movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on all door frame units, including the specific door frame unit and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, may be deactivated.

On the other hand, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL, which is equipped with a peripheral control board 1510 on which a peripheral control IC 1510a that performs ID determination processing (step S1003) is mounted (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and the rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) operate in the same way as usual (when it is determined that the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible) when the operation check at power-on starts. Furthermore, the LEDs mounted on the circuit boards provided in the movable parts of the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, which are located on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A) are controlled to emit light in the same manner as when the power is turned on and operation is confirmed. In other words, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is in a non-conforming state, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) are operated in the same manner as when the operation is confirmed at power-on, and the LEDs provided on the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL are controlled to emit light in the same manner as when the operation is confirmed at power-on. This makes it easy to identify the game board (in this case, the left-side game board 5AL) on which the peripheral control board 1510 of the divided game board 5A is provided. Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is in a non-conforming state, the LEDs mounted on the circuit boards provided on the movable parts of the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) will not be controlled to emit light in the same way as when the power is turned on and the operation is confirmed, and the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AL is in a non-conforming state. If it is determined that the game board 5AR is not connected, the LEDs mounted on the circuit boards of the movable parts provided on the left game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative element 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and rear right movable decorative element 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, etc., provided on the left game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A) may be controlled to emit light in the same manner as when the power is turned on and the operation is confirmed, thereby making it possible to determine whether the right game board 5AR is in an incompatible state or whether the right game board 5AR is not connected.

Furthermore, in this example, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the control process (step S1003) does not drive the drive motor or drive solenoid mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 of the door frame unit (the plate unit 200 in this example), which is not subject to ID determination, to operate the performance operation unit 301. However, the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 are controlled in the same way as usual (when the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be compatible) during the power-on operation check. In other words, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible when the power-on operation check is performed after the setting change process, the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 will be controlled to emit light in the same way as when the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be compatible, as they would be during the power-on operation check. Note that the performance operation unit 300 may also be a specific door frame unit subject to ID determination. In this case, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that a specific door frame unit other than the performance operation unit 300 or a combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the control to operate the performance operation unit 301 by driving the drive motor or drive solenoid mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 will not be performed, while the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 will be controlled to emit light in the same way as during the power-on operation check.

Furthermore, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game board 5A is incompatible, the ID determination process (step S1003) may choose not to control the illumination of some of the LEDs mounted on some of the multiple LEDs mounted on multiple boards provided on the door frame unit that are not subject to ID determination, or some of the multiple LEDs mounted on one board, to the illumination pattern used during power-up operation confirmation. Similarly, some movable parts may not be operated in the same manner as during power-up operation confirmation (for example, power-up operation confirmation may be omitted for some or all of the LEDs provided on the decorative board provided on the door frame unit and the drive motors, drive solenoids, LEDs, etc., provided on the movable parts provided on the door frame unit).

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the right-side game board 5AR, which was determined to be incompatible, and some or all of the movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., which are provided on the door frame unit not subject to ID determination and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, may be prevented from being driven until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off or until the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be compatible. In this case, the movable parts may operate in a manner different from their intended operation, preventing damage to the movable parts or the door frame unit, and preventing failure of the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc. that operate the movable parts.

Furthermore, the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM, excluding a specific area, by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 (step S38), and the power-on operation check by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 are completed (the LED illumination pattern for the power-on operation check ends and is turned off or illuminated in a predetermined illumination pattern, and the operation pattern for the power-on operation check of the movable body ends and is in a standby state (stopped (housed) in a predetermined standby position), thus completing the power-on operation check). Furthermore, if the system is configured so that the operation pattern during power-on operation check ends earlier than the illumination pattern during power-on operation check, the power-on operation check will end when the illumination pattern during power-on operation check ends. If the system is configured so that the operation pattern during power-on operation check ends later than the illumination pattern during power-on operation check, the power-on operation check will end when the operation pattern during power-on operation check ends (the movable body stops (is housed) in the standby position after operating in the operation pattern during power-on operation check).

Then, after the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas except a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM (step S38), is completed and the machine enters game mode, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in addition to displaying the non-conformity error notification display mode on the performance display device 1600, repeatedly outputs a game board non-conformity notification sound (an announcement voice saying "A right-side game board non-conformity error has occurred. Turn off the power and check." and a warning sound such as "ding-dong") from various speakers at a predetermined volume (which may be the maximum volume that can be set, or the default volume adjusted by the volume adjustment switch provided on the peripheral control board 1510) until the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off (it may also be set to repeatedly output for a certain number of times (e.g., 5 times) or for a certain period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) before stopping the output), and the door The various LEDs (some or all) of the frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame 3) are repeatedly controlled to emit light in a critical abnormality notification pattern (in this example, a pattern where the LEDs switch between maximum brightness red illumination and extinguishing in a short time (e.g., 0.5 seconds) (high-speed flashing pattern)). At the same time, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the left-side game board 5AL are controlled to an extinguished state. Meanwhile, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400, which is located on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, which is located on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, are kept in a state where they can be controlled to emit light in the same manner as when the system is functioning correctly (they may be illuminated in a predetermined pattern).

Furthermore, the game board mismatch notification sound is not a single, intermittent output of the same sound (e.g., "beep"), but rather consists of multiple sounds with different pitches, and is repeatedly controlled between a muted state and an output state. Also, the critical abnormality notification light pattern is not fixed in a lit state, but repeatedly controlled between a lit state and an off state, changing the light intensity. In other words, the various speakers and LEDs are designed to notify that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is mismatched in a dynamic manner, with changes in pitch, volume, and light intensity over time. This makes it easier to notice the mismatch in the combination of the divided game boards 5A once the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas except a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM (step S38), is completed and a game mode that does not require further checks begins.

Thus, in this example, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent) and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, when changing the setting value, after the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas except a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM after the setting change process is completed (step S38), the system immediately notifies that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible without issuing an abnormal notification corresponding to the opening of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2. In other words, when the setting change process is completed and the game mode is entered, the main frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2, and regardless of whether the elapsed time since the main frame 4 was opened to the outer frame 2 has reached a predetermined period, the system outputs a game board incompatible notification sound without outputting a door opening notification sound. Furthermore, when the settings change process is completed and the game mode is entered, the system controls the illumination to a critical malfunction notification pattern. However, this is not due to the main frame 4 being opened relative to the outer frame 2, but rather because the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible. Therefore, when the settings change process is completed and the game mode is entered, the system always controls the illumination to a critical malfunction notification pattern, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds) has elapsed since the main frame 4 was closed.

Furthermore, even if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible (inconsistent), the conditions for starting the variable display are met (even if a game ball enters the starting port (first starting port 2002 or one of the first starting port 2002 and the second starting port 2004)), the display device 1600, various speakers, various LEDs on the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200 and door frame top unit 450 etc. provided on door frame 3), and decorative boards provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 will not be displayed. The system is designed to notify of an abnormality without executing the various LED fluctuation effects implemented in the system. Meanwhile, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250, once the interrupt permission setting (step S52) is enabled after the setting change process (step S37), are controlled to emit light in a predetermined pattern based on the fulfillment of the fluctuation display start condition (a game ball entering the starting gate (either the first starting gate 2002 or one of the first starting gate 2002 and the second starting gate 2004)), enabling the display of information related to winning or losing.

Furthermore, the volume of the game board incompatibility notification sound output from the various speakers cannot be adjusted using the volume control button 227. As mentioned above, players can adjust the volume output from the various speakers by operating the volume control button 227, but the volume of the game board incompatibility notification sound output when the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible (inconsistent) cannot be adjusted by the player even by operating the volume control button 227. Therefore, when the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible (inconsistent), the game board incompatibility notification sound can be output at a predetermined volume. This ensures that the incompatibility of the combination of the divided game boards 5A is reliably communicated through the audio output from the various speakers, thus preventing disadvantages to the player and preventing the game from proceeding in a manner unintended by the designer.

Furthermore, when the game board mismatch notification sound is emitted, it is impossible to adjust the light intensity (brightness) using the light intensity adjustment button 228. As described above, while the player can adjust the light intensity of the LEDs on the door frame 3 and the various decorative circuit boards on the divided game board 5A by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228, the light intensity (brightness) of the critical abnormality notification flashing pattern, which is controlled when the combination of the divided game boards 5A is mismatched, cannot be adjusted by the player even by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228. Therefore, when the combination of the divided game boards 5A is mismatched, the system can control the flashing pattern to a predetermined light intensity (brightness) for the critical abnormality notification. This ensures that the critical abnormality notification flashing pattern reliably communicates the mismatch, preventing disadvantages to the player and preventing the game from proceeding in a way unintended by the designer.

Furthermore, when the game board incompatibility notification sound is output, the display device 1600 will not display scales corresponding to the current volume or brightness even if the volume control button 227 or light intensity control button 228 is operated. Also, because the display device 1600 does not display scales corresponding to the current volume or brightness, the scales will not change even if the volume control button 227 or light intensity control button 228 is operated multiple times. Therefore, the visibility of part or all of the incompatibility error notification display on the display device 1600 is prevented from being obstructed by scales corresponding to the current volume or brightness, and the fact that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible (inconsistent) can be reliably communicated.

Furthermore, when the game board incompatibility notification sound is output, the confirmation sounds corresponding to the operation of the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 are also not output. Therefore, the confirmation sounds corresponding to the operation of the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 can prevent the game board incompatibility notification sound from becoming difficult to hear, and ensure that the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible (incompatible).

Furthermore, even if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent) and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400, which is provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, which is provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, that display information regarding wins and losses, are not turned off, but are controlled to emit light in the same way as in normal times (when play is possible). In other words, by notifying the player that the game will not start if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible (inconsistent), the system prevents the game from being disadvantaged or proceeding in a way unintended by the designer. However, if the game does start with an incompatible (inconsistent) combination of the divided game boards 5A, the LEDs displaying information about wins and losses are controlled to allow the game to continue without disadvantageing the player.

Furthermore, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent) and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then the LEDs of the function display unit 1400, which is provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, which is provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, will be affected. It is sufficient that at least one of the LEDs displaying the information is controlled to emit light in the same way as during normal operation (when the game is ready to play). For example, the LED of the sub-function display unit 2250, which is provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, may be kept off or illuminated in a manner unrelated to the fulfillment of the start condition, even when the start condition is met (when a game ball enters the start opening (either the first start opening 2002 or one of the first start opening 2002 and the second start opening 2004)), without any light emission control.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible in the ID determination process (step S1003), the timing of the light emission control in the critical abnormality notification light emission mode and the output timing of the game board incompatibility notification sound differ depending on whether or not the setting value is changed, and whether or not a specific area is cleared from the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM (the area of the main control's built-in RAM excluding the specific area) according to the incompatible (mismatched) state of the divided game boards 5A.

Specifically, if neither the setting value change nor the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM (excluding a specific area) is performed, and the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible (inconsistent), then, based on the commencement of power supply to the pachinko machine 1, the display device 1600 will display "power on" for a predetermined period of time. Then, when the power-on operation check begins, the following will be initiated: illumination control of various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) in a critical abnormality notification pattern, and the output of a game board incompatible notification sound from various speakers.

On the other hand, when either a setting value change or a process to clear the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM excluding the specific area), if the combination of the split game board 5A is incompatible (inconsistent), the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a will perform a process to clear the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), and the peripheral control board 1510's peripheral control IC 1510a will perform a power-on operation check. Without initiating the illumination control of various LEDs (some or all) of unit 450, etc., in a critical abnormality notification pattern, or the output of a game board incompatibility notification sound from various speakers, the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a clears all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), and after the peripheral control board 1510's peripheral control IC 1510a completes the power-on operation check, the door frame unit's various LEDs (some or all) illuminate in a critical abnormality notification pattern corresponding to the right-side game board 5AR being in a non-compliant state, and the output of a game board incompatibility notification sound from various speakers is initiated.

Thus, even if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, by changing the setting value or clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM (all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area)), the timing of the light emission control in the critical abnormality notification light emission mode and the output timing of the game board incompatibility notification sound can be changed depending on whether or not the setting value is changed, or whether or not a specific area is cleared from the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM (a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM (an area of the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM excluding a specific area)), thereby prioritizing the notification of highly important information and suppressing the occurrence of malfunctions and fraudulent activities. In other words, since unauthorized changes to setting values or the clearing of the main control's built-in RAM could cause damage to the amusement parlor, the system prioritizes notifying the unauthorized changes to setting values or the clearing of the main control's built-in RAM over notifying the system that the combination of split game boards 5A is incompatible (inconsistent). This helps prevent the escalation of damage.

Furthermore, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the timing for displaying the abnormal background image (for example, black) and the incompatible error notification display on the performance display device 1600 is the same regardless of whether or not the setting value is changed, and whether or not the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM is cleared except for a specific area (a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM (the area of the main control's built-in RAM excluding a specific area)). Specifically, at the same time that the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a clears all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), and the peripheral control board 1510's peripheral control IC 1510a starts power-on operation verification, the display device 1600 displays an abnormal background image (e.g., black) and a non-conforming error notification display. This allows for prioritizing the execution of high-priority notifications while also enabling the display device 1600 to notify and address other notifications. Furthermore, the timing of the display of the abnormal background image (e.g., black) and the non-conforming error notification display on the display device 1600 may differ depending on whether or not the setting value is changed, or whether or not the main control's built-in RAM is cleared except for a specific area (a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM excluding the specific area). In this case, high-priority information can be notified in order, enabling sequential action, thus ensuring that each piece of information is reliably communicated and addressed.

Furthermore, in this example, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be in a compatible (matched) state, and after the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible in the ID determination process (step S1003), the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 does not execute the ID determination process (step S1003). Therefore, even if the combination of the divided game boards 5AR becomes incompatible (unmatched) after the execution of the ID determination process (step S1003), no notification (game board incompatible notification sound, incompatible error notification display mode, serious abnormality notification light mode, etc.) corresponding to the incompatible state of the right game board 5AR is executed. Therefore, LEDs (various LEDs on the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3), various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, and LEDs on the sub-function display unit 2250), as well as drive motors and drive solenoids, performance display devices 1600, and various speakers, which are provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, are controlled in the same manner as when the right game board 5AR is installed. Furthermore, the peripheral control board 1510 outputs a control signal assuming that the right game board 5AR with a valid ID is installed, and the LEDs, drive motors, drive solenoids, etc. provided on the divided game board 5AR are driven based on this control signal. However, if the arrangement configuration of the non-compliant split game board 5AR differs from that of the compliant right-side game board 5AR, the LEDs, drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., installed on the non-compliant split game board 5AR may operate in a manner different from the design (a manner different from the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., installed on the right-side game board 5AR, decorative circuit board, decorative body, etc., which have a valid ID, and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510).

In this example, in the pachinko machine 1, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched). If the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then even if an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, door frame opening switch, etc., which receive detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the execution of the setting change process, the detection is invalidated (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed).

Specifically, as shown in Figure 329, even if an abnormal magnetic field is generated during the execution of the setting change process and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the system is configured to discard the detection signal without executing an abnormality notification based on the detection of an abnormal magnetic field. In other words, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the execution of the setting change process, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is ignored (either the input of the detection signal is not checked, or even if the input of the detection signal is checked, the processing based on that input is not executed), and after the completion of the setting change process, control is executed as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, if, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) during the power-on operation check performed after the completion of the setting change process, that is, if an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means during the power-on operation check, which involves a process to clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), the detection by the abnormality detection means is invalid (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not performed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is performed, but the processing based on the detection (notification, etc.) is not performed).

Specifically, as shown in Figure 330, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the execution of the power-on operation check performed after the completion of the setting change process, the detection signal is discarded without executing an abnormality notification based on the detection of an invalid magnetism. In other words, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the power-on operation check performed after the setting change process is completed, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is ignored, and control continues as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, if, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) during the game mode after the completion of the power-on operation check, the detection by the abnormality detection means is invalid (either the process to check whether or not a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether or not a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (notification, etc.) is not executed).

Specifically, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (incompatible) and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the game mode after the power-on operation check is completed, the detection signal is discarded without executing an abnormality notification based on the detection of an invalid magnetism. In other words, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the game mode after the power-on operation check is completed, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is ignored, and control continues as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310.

Thus, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then even if an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means (for example, sensors and switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, such as a magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, and door frame opening switch), an abnormality notification will not be issued.

In other words, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed to be in a non-conforming state, the game may proceed in a manner unintended by the designer, potentially causing harm to the arcade and the players. Furthermore, since it deviates from the original specifications, it may lead to a loss of player trust. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the game is stopped. For this reason, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed to be in a non-conforming state, notification is given with priority over notifications caused by abnormality detection means (for example, sensors and switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, such as the magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, and door frame opening switch). This prevents the game from being stopped and minimizes harm to the arcade and the players.

Furthermore, some LEDs may be controlled to emit light in different patterns depending on the type of abnormality detection means. For example, when a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, one or both of the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 may be turned off (making light emission control impossible).

Furthermore, the system is not limited to determining whether the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible only when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1. It may also be configured so that the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 periodically (for example, constantly, each time the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing is executed) determines whether the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible after power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1. In this case, since notification can be given if the combination of divided game boards 5A becomes incompatible after power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1, the occurrence of disadvantages can be suppressed.

Furthermore, even if an ID determination process is performed periodically to determine whether the combination of split game boards 5A is compliant, the ID determination process may not be performed during the execution of the setting change process. Similarly, even if the ID determination process is performed during the execution of the setting change process and determines that the combination of split game boards 5A is incompatible, notification regarding the incompatible state of the right-side game board 5AR may not be provided during the execution of the setting change process.

Furthermore, if an ID determination process is performed periodically to determine whether the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compliant, the system may initiate notification (game board compliant notification sound, compliant error notification display mode, serious abnormality notification light mode, etc.) corresponding to the compliant state of the right-side game board 5AR based on the determination that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compliant, and then terminate the notification corresponding to the compliant state of the right-side game board 5AR based on the determination that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compliant. Alternatively, the system may initiate notification corresponding to the compliant state of the right-side game board 5AR based on the determination that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compliant after the ID determination process has determined that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compliant.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible, and the ID determination process is performed during the power-on operation check after the setting change process or before the setting change process starts, and it is determined that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then, similar to the case where the system determines whether the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible only when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1, the display device 1600 will display a notification that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible during the power-on operation check, while various Regarding the speakers and the various LEDs on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all located on the door frame 3), it is possible to configure the system so that, without outputting a game board incompatibility notification sound or illuminating a critical malfunction notification light pattern to indicate an incompatible combination of the divided game boards 5A, the system outputs a game board incompatibility notification sound and illuminates a critical malfunction notification light pattern when the power-on operation check is completed and the system enters game mode.

Furthermore, even if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the divided game board 5A is compatible, if an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the execution of the setting change process, the detection may be considered invalid (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the process based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed). Therefore, even after the setting change process, abnormality notifications based on detections during the setting change process by the abnormality detection means may not be executed.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible, and during the power-on operation check after the setting change process, the combination of the divided game boards 5A is found to be incompatible, and an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full-tank detection sensor 154, a ball-out detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects this, the performance display device 1600, various speakers, and various LEDs on the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) may be configured to notify that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, prioritizing this notification over notification of detection by the abnormality detection means. Notification of detection by the abnormality detection means may then be given only when the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be compatible.

[Changing settings when disconnected]
Next, we will explain an example of the behavior when changing the setting value in an unconnected state (unconnected state) where the right game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left game board 5AL, due to the absence of an ID code signal input from the right game board 5AR (the input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR cannot be confirmed) and malfunctions such as short circuits or open circuits occur in the transmission path that transmits various signals. Please refer to Figure 331. In the following, we will only explain the parts that differ from the conforming and non-conforming cases, and will not provide redundant explanations.

As shown in Figure 331, in the ID determination process (step S1003) executed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, that is, if the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, then the control signal from the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is not input to the various LEDs and other electronic components mounted on the decorative board of the right-side game board 5AR. Therefore, the electronic components mounted on the decorative board of the right-side game board 5AR will be in a non-driven state (for example, the various LEDs will be turned off) regardless of whether or not a setting change is being made. Note that if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may choose not to output a control signal to the various LEDs and other electronic components mounted on the decorative board of the right-side game board 5AR.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, it does not notify that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected until the setting change process is completed. That is, during the execution of the setting change process, the various LEDs (some or all) of the performance display device 1600, various speakers, and door frame units (such as the left-side unit 420, right-side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all provided on the door frame 3) are controlled in the same manner as when the setting change process was performed upon successful completion (they may be completely identical, or almost entirely identical with only some differences).

Then, once the setting change process is completed and the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 starts the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the various speakers and the various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, the door frame right side unit 430, the dish unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) in the same manner as when the process of clearing the main control's built-in RAM (step S38) is executed (they may be completely identical, or almost all of them may be identical with only some differences). Furthermore, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 displays the performance display device 1600 in the same manner as during normal operation (decorative patterns, background images during normal operation, etc.), and also displays "Right side game board disconnection error occurred" as a disconnection error notification on the performance display device 1600 to notify that the right side game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left side game board 5AL.

Thus, when the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, and the power-on operation check is performed after the setting change process (step S37) is completed, the various LEDs such as the top center speaker and top side speakers on the door frame 3, the left side unit 420, the right side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the top unit 450 of the door frame, and the main frame speaker 622 on the main frame 4 are controlled in the same manner as when the process to clear the main control's built-in RAM (step S38) is performed when the above conditions are met (they may be completely identical, or almost entirely identical with only some differences), so as notifying that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected.

On the other hand, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, then when the power-on operation check is performed after the setting change process (step S37) is completed, the display device 1600 provided on the left-side game board 5AL displays "Right-side game board unconnected error occurred" as an unconnected error notification display, thereby notifying that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected.

In other words, during the power-on operation check, which involves the execution of a process (step S38) by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 to clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, the various speakers and LEDs provided on the door frame 3 and main body frame 4 as frame-side display means do not notify that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, while the display device 1600 provided on the left-side game board 5AL as a game board-side display means does not notify that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected. At this time, the various speakers and LEDs provided on the door frame 3 and main body frame 4 are notified that the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 is executing a process (step S38) to clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area. Although only the display device 1600 is shown as a game board-side display means, the game board-side display means also include the various LEDs provided on the left-side game board 5AL. Furthermore, while the various LEDs on the left-side game board 5AL do not notify that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected during the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas except a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 (step S38), the display device 1600 does not notify that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected. Therefore, the entire left-side game board 5AL (game board-side display means), including the display device 1600, is configured to notify that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected. In other words, a portion of the game board-side display means is configured to notify that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected.

Here, if the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 performs a process (step S38) to clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, there is a risk that an unauthorized setting change process (step S37) may be executed, or the game state before power restoration may be unauthorizedly reset, causing disadvantage to the player or the amusement parlor. Also, since the door frame 3 and the main body frame 4 are arranged around the divided game board 5A, they can be easily seen even from a distance from the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, regardless of whether the setting change process (step S38) has been executed or not, if the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 performs a process (step S38) to clear the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, various speakers and LEDs provided on the door frame 3 and the main body frame 4 notify the staff that the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 has performed a process (step S38) to clear the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, thereby notifying the staff that an unauthorized setting change process (step S37) has been performed or that the game state before power restoration has been reset, thereby suppressing the occurrence of fraudulent activity. Furthermore, the display means on the board side may include display means other than the various speakers and LEDs described above. For example, display devices may be provided on the door frame 3 and the main body frame 4. In this case, during the power-on operation check, which involves the execution of a process (step S38) by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 to clear the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, the display devices provided on the door frame 3 and the main body frame 4 may also be configured to notify that the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a is executing the process (step S38) to clear the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, without notifying that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected. Alternatively, neither the fact that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected nor the fact that the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a is executing the process (step S38) to clear the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area may be notified.

On the other hand, the left-side game board 5AL is equipped with game board-side display means such as a display device 1600 that attracts the player's attention during gameplay, various movable parts, and various LEDs. During the power-on operation check, it is confirmed whether the game board-side display means can be driven normally. In other words, if the operation of the game board-side display means is checked at a position close to the pachinko machine 1, even if only the display device 1600 indicates that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, the operator can easily notice that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected. Furthermore, regarding the game board-side display means other than the display device 1600, it is possible to confirm whether they can be driven normally by controlling them in the same manner as when the process of clearing the main control's built-in RAM (step S38) is executed (it may be completely identical, or almost entirely identical with only some differences), without informing the operator that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected. This ensures that the effects are executed without malfunction when the game is played.

Furthermore, the disconnection error notification display mode in the performance display device 1600 is a static image that does not change over time and continues until the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off. However, when the conditions for starting a variation display are met (a game ball enters the starting gate (first starting gate 2002 or one of the first starting gate 2002 and the second starting gate 2004)), the variation display of the special symbol is started in the function display unit 1400 or the variation display of the fourth symbol is started in the sub-function display unit 2250, the performance display device 1600 displays the disconnection error notification mode and performs variation effects such as the variation display of decorative symbols. The notification display method can be any method appropriate to the error content, and may include a combination of letters and numbers (e.g., an error code) or a mark. During the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), the display device 1600 displays a static notification, regardless of the passage of time, indicating that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left-side game board 5AL. This allows the notification that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left-side game board 5AL to be displayed without interfering with the verification process during the power-on operation check.

Furthermore, in the power-on operation check performed in parallel with the process of clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), not only is the power-on operation check not performed for the drive motor, drive solenoid, etc., provided on the right-side game board 5AR and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which are determined to be in an unconnected state, but the power-on operation check is not performed for the movable body (rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the split game board 5A) which performs the power-on operation check. The drive motors and drive solenoids that drive the performance operation unit 301, which is located on the door frame unit and is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), are also configured not to perform an operation check when the power is turned on. (Examples include the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, and the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 located on the door frame 3, etc.)

Furthermore, as described above, the game board side component may be configured to include the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit among the door frame units. In this case, the specific door frame unit is subject to ID determination, and if it is determined to be in an unconnected state in the ID determination process (step S1003), then some or all of the movable parts that are provided on the door frame units that are not subject to ID determination (non-specific door frame units) and operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may also be deactivated. In addition to this, or separately, if there are multiple specific door frame units (for example, the right door frame) If, in the case of a side unit 430 and a door frame top unit 450, it is determined that a part of it (for example, one of the right side unit 430 and the door frame top unit 450) is not connected, then all movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on a specific door frame unit and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may be deactivated. Alternatively, all movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on all door frame units, including a specific door frame unit and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, may be deactivated.

Specifically, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, then even if the power-on operation check is started, the control to illuminate the LEDs on the right-side game board 5AR (which was determined to be not connected) in the same illumination pattern as during the power-on operation check, and the control to operate the movable parts in the same operation pattern as during the power-on operation check, will not be performed (no control signal will be output to the right-side game board 5AR), or it will not be possible to perform these actions (a control signal will be output, but no control signal will be input to the right-side game board 5AR). In addition, the control to drive the drive motor and drive solenoid provided on the plate unit 200 (in this example, the performance operation unit 300), which is provided on the door frame 3 and is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), and to operate the performance operation section 301 provided on the performance operation unit 300 will not be performed.

In other words, if the right-side game board 5AR is not connected, there is a risk that some or all of the movable parts provided on the door frame unit, which are not subject to ID determination, may also be poorly connected. This could cause the control signal output from the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 to change into a signal different from the intended one due to noise, etc., and the movable parts to operate in an abnormal manner. Therefore, some or all of the movable parts provided on the door frame unit and operated by the drive motor or drive solenoid controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which are not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), are not driven. This prevents damage to the movable parts or the door frame unit due to the movable parts operating in an unintended manner, and also prevents failure of the drive motor or drive solenoid that operates the movable parts. However, even in this case, LEDs provided on the door frame unit that are not subject to ID determination (for example, multiple LEDs 320a for illuminating the upper part (unit upper cover 312) of the performance operation unit cover unit 310 of the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3) are controlled in the same predetermined illumination pattern as in the case of compliance. This makes it possible to determine that the power-on operation check has been performed correctly.

On the other hand, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL, which is equipped with a peripheral control board 1510 on which a peripheral control IC 1510a that performs ID determination processing (step S1003) is mounted (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and the rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) operate in the same way as usual (when it is determined that the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible) when the operation check at power-on starts. Furthermore, LEDs mounted on the circuit boards provided on the movable parts of the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) are controlled to emit light in the same manner as when the power is turned on and the operation is confirmed. In other words, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is not connected, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, all located on the left-side game board 5AL of the split game board 5A) are operated in the same manner as during the power-on operation check, and the LEDs provided on the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL are controlled to emit light in the same manner as during the power-on operation check. This makes it easy to identify the game board (in this case, the left-side game board 5AL) on which the peripheral control board 1510 is located.

Furthermore, in this example, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, the control process (step S1003) does not drive the drive motor or drive solenoid mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 of the door frame unit (the plate unit 200 in this example), which is not subject to ID determination, to operate the performance operation unit 301. However, the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 are controlled in the same way as usual (when the combination of split game boards 5A is determined to be compatible) during the power-on operation check. In other words, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected when the power-on operation check is performed after the setting change process, the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided on the performance operation unit 300 will be controlled to emit light in the same manner as when the combination of the split game boards 5A is determined to be compatible, as in the case where the power-on operation check was performed.

Furthermore, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, the ID determination process (step S1003) may choose not to control the illumination of some of the LEDs mounted on some of the multiple LEDs mounted on multiple boards provided on the door frame unit that are not subject to ID determination, or some of the LEDs mounted on one board, to the illumination pattern used during power-on operation confirmation. Similarly, some movable parts may not be operated in the same manner as during power-on operation confirmation (for example, power-on operation confirmation may be omitted for some or all of the LEDs provided on the decorative board provided on the door frame unit and the drive motors, drive solenoids, LEDs, etc., provided on the movable parts provided on the door frame unit).

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the split game board 5A is not connected, the right-side game board 5AR, which was determined to be unconnected, and some or all of the movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, may be prevented from being driven until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off, or until the combination of split game boards 5A is determined to be compatible, not just during the power-on operation check. In this case, the movable parts may be operated in a manner different from their intended operation, preventing damage to the movable parts or the door frame unit, and preventing failure of the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc. that operate the movable parts.

Furthermore, if the main frame 4 is closed after the setting change process is completed and the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter, the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a clears the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 completes the power-on operation check (the LED's illumination pattern during the power-on operation check ends and turns off or illuminates in a predetermined illumination pattern, and the movable body's operation pattern during the power-on operation check ends and enters a standby state (stopped in a predetermined standby position) (housed) The power-on operation check is completed when the system is in the specified state. If the system is configured to terminate the operation mode during the power-on operation check earlier than the illumination mode during the power-on operation check, the power-on operation check is completed when the illumination mode ends. If the system is configured to terminate the operation mode during the power-on operation check later than the illumination mode during the power-on operation check, the power-on operation check is completed when the operation mode during the power-on operation check ends (the movable body stops (is housed) in the standby position after operating in the operation mode during the power-on operation check).

Then, after the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), is completed and the machine enters game mode, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in addition to displaying the disconnection error notification on the performance display device 1600, repeatedly outputs a game board disconnection notification sound (an announcement voice saying "The right game board is not connected." and a warning sound such as "ding-dong") from various speakers at a volume adjusted by the volume adjustment button 227 until the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off (the output may be stopped after a certain number of times (e.g., 5 times) or a certain period (e.g., 30 seconds)), and the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420 and the door frame right side unit provided on the door frame 3) also outputs a sound at a volume adjusted by the volume adjustment button 227 from various speakers until the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off. The various LEDs (some or all) of the door unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., are repeatedly controlled to emit light in a critical malfunction notification mode (or a semi-critical malfunction notification mode if the light emission control is performed after the critical malfunction notification mode). Meanwhile, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the left-side game board 5AL are controlled to be off. At the same time, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400, which is located on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, which is located on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, are made capable of emission control in the same manner as when the system is functioning correctly (they may be illuminated in a predetermined manner).

Furthermore, the notification sound for unconnected game boards is not a single, intermittent sound (e.g., "beep"), but rather consists of multiple sounds with different pitches, and is repeatedly controlled between silent and on states. Also, the critical malfunction notification light pattern is not fixed in a lit state, but repeatedly controlled between lit and off states, changing the light intensity. In other words, various speakers and LEDs are designed to notify the right game board 5AR of the fact that it is not electrically connected to the left game board 5AL in a dynamic manner, with changes in pitch, volume, and light intensity over time. This makes it easier to notice that the right game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left game board 5AL when the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), is completed and a game mode that does not require further checks has started.

Furthermore, the various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, dish unit 200, and top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3) whose illumination is controlled due to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, will continue to emit a critical abnormality warning light (or a semi-critical abnormality warning light if the illumination control is changed from a critical abnormality warning light to a semi-critical abnormality warning light) until a predetermined period (for example, 60 seconds) has elapsed since the main frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, was closed. Furthermore, in this example, the period from closing the main frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, until the termination of the light emission control for the serious abnormality notification mode is set to be longer than the period required to perform the power-on operation check. Therefore, if the main frame 4 is closed after the setting change process is completed, regardless of whether the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter, once the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), is completed and the game mode is started, the light emission control is performed to the serious abnormality notification mode caused by the main frame 4 being open to the outer frame 2, without being controlled to the minor abnormality notification mode (a mode that switches between turning on and off at maximum brightness in a short time (e.g., 0.5 seconds) (high-speed flashing mode)) caused by the right game board 5AR not being electrically connected. Furthermore, after a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds) has elapsed since closing the main frame 4, which was previously open to the outer frame 2, the light emission control changes to a minor abnormality notification mode due to the right-side game board 5AR not being electrically connected. This minor abnormality notification mode continues until the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off.

Furthermore, the period from closing the main frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, until the termination of the light emission control for the serious abnormality notification mode may be shorter than the period required to perform the power-on operation check. In this case, if the main frame 4 is closed after the setting change process is completed and the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter, the light emission control may be changed to a minor abnormality notification mode caused by the right-side game board 5AR not being electrically connected, instead of a serious abnormality notification mode caused by the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2 when the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), is completed and the game mode is started. Even in this case, after the setting change process is completed and the main frame 4 is closed, if the time elapsed since the main frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2 has not reached a predetermined period, the illumination will not be controlled to a minor abnormality notification illumination mode due to the main frame 4 being opened relative to the outer frame 2, but rather to a major abnormality notification illumination mode due to the main frame 4 being opened relative to the outer frame 2. If a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds) has elapsed since the main frame 4 was closed relative to the outer frame 2, the illumination will change to a minor abnormality notification illumination mode due to the right game board 5AR being not electrically connected.

Furthermore, in this example, even when the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, and the light emission control for minor malfunction notification and the output of a game board disconnection notification sound are being performed, if the main body frame 4, which was closed to the outer frame 2, is opened, the notification caused by the right-side game board 5AR not being electrically connected (light emission control for minor malfunction notification and output of a game board disconnection notification sound) is terminated, and a notification caused by the main body frame 4 being opened to the outer frame 2 (light emission control for serious malfunction notification and output of a door open notification sound) is performed. After a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the main body frame 4 was opened to the outer frame 2, the output of the door open notification sound is stopped and the output of the game board disconnection notification sound is started again. After a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds) has elapsed since the main body frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, was closed, the light emission control for serious malfunction notification is terminated and the light emission control for minor malfunction notification is started again. In this way, the notification that the main frame 4 has been opened takes precedence over the notification that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, thus deterring fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, in this example, the output period for the door open notification sound is shorter than the period required for power-on operation confirmation. Therefore, if the main frame 4 is opened at the start of the setting change process and closed at the end of the setting change process, and the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter, the door open notification sound will not be output, and instead, the game board unconnected notification sound will be output. Note that the output period for the door open notification sound may be longer than the time required for power-on operation confirmation. If the main frame 4 is closed after the end of the setting change process and remains closed thereafter, or even if the output period for the door open notification sound is shorter than the time required for power-on operation confirmation, if the main frame 4 is closed after the end of the setting change process and then opened again, the elapsed time from when the main frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2 when the power-on operation confirmation, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), is completed and the game mode is started is predetermined. If the period has not been reached, a door open notification sound may be output, and a game board unconnected notification sound may be output based on whether the elapsed time since the main frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2 has reached a predetermined period. Alternatively, when the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), is completed and the game mode is started, if the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, a game board unconnected notification sound may be output without outputting a door open notification sound, regardless of whether the elapsed time since the main frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2 has reached a predetermined period. Furthermore, when the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), is completed and the game mode is started, if the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, or if the elapsed time since the main body frame 4 was closed after being open relative to the outer frame 2 has not reached a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds), even if the elapsed time since the main body frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2 has reached a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds), the game board disconnection notification sound may not be output until the main body frame 4 is closed or until the light emission control of the critical abnormality notification light emission mode caused by the main body frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2 is terminated.

In this example, if the setting value is changed while the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected and no ID code signal is input, and the main frame 4 is closed after the setting change process is completed, and the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter, various speakers will emit an abnormal notification corresponding to the disconnected state of the right-side game board 5AR. At the same time, various LEDs (some or all) on the door frame unit (the left door frame side unit 420, the right door frame side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) will emit an abnormal notification corresponding to the opening of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2. In other words, while various speakers, LEDs on the door frame unit, and LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the right-side game board 5AR each trigger abnormality notifications, the causes of these abnormalities differ (for the speakers, the abnormality notification is triggered by disconnection; for the LEDs on the door frame unit and the LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the right-side game board 5AR, the abnormality notification is triggered by the main frame 4 being opened relative to the outer frame 2).

Furthermore, the notification sound emitted from various speakers when the right-side game board 5AR is not connected, unlike the setting change notification sound, RAM clear notification sound, door open notification sound, and game board incompatibility notification sound, can be adjusted in volume using the volume control button 227. In other words, since the disconnection of the right-side game board 5AR poses little risk of causing harm to players or arcades and is not an emergency, volume adjustment using the volume control button 227 is made possible. However, the volume control button 227 may also be disabled for the notification sound emitted from various speakers when the right-side game board 5AR is not connected. In this case, the notification sound can be output at a predetermined volume, reliably informing players that the right-side game board 5AR is not connected, thus preventing any harm to players.

Furthermore, during the period when the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected and the system is controlled to emit a minor abnormality warning light, it is not possible to adjust the light intensity (brightness) using the light intensity adjustment button 228. As described above, players can adjust the light intensity (brightness) of some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards provided on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228, but the minor abnormality warning light emission mode, which is activated when the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, cannot be adjusted by the player even if they operate the light intensity adjustment button 228. Therefore, when the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A are controlled to emit light at a predetermined brightness level, enabling a minor abnormality notification illumination pattern. This minor abnormality notification illumination pattern indicates that some kind of abnormality has occurred, allowing players to see the divided game board 5A and realize that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, thus preventing any disadvantage to the player.

Furthermore, when the game board disconnection notification sound is output, the display device 1600 will display scales corresponding to the current volume and light intensity (brightness) levels in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228. Therefore, it is possible to recognize that the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is effective, and the displayed scales allow the user to understand the level of volume and light intensity (brightness). Also, as mentioned above, in the minor abnormality notification flashing mode, light intensity (brightness) adjustment using the light intensity control button 228 is impossible. However, even when the flashing mode is controlled for security purposes, the opportunity to adjust the light intensity (brightness) is not taken away. It is also possible to choose not to display scales corresponding to the current volume and light intensity (brightness) levels on the display device 1600 when the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is operated while the game board disconnection notification sound is output.

Furthermore, if the game board disconnection notification sound is output, confirmation sounds corresponding to the operation of the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 are also output. Therefore, the confirmation sounds corresponding to the operation of the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 allow the user to recognize that the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is effective, and the volume of the confirmation sound allows the user to determine the volume after operating the volume control button 227. Note that if the game board disconnection notification sound is output, the confirmation sounds corresponding to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 may be disabled.

As described above, the critical abnormality notification flashing mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode if the flashing mode is controlled to a semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode after the critical abnormality notification flashing mode) which is controlled due to the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2, cannot have its light intensity adjusted by the light intensity adjustment button 228. Furthermore, in this example, from the time the main frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed until the flashing control of the critical abnormality notification flashing mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode if the flashing mode is controlled to a semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode after the critical abnormality notification flashing mode) is terminated, the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38) and the power-on operation check by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 are started. Because the duration is longer than the time it takes for both processes to complete, when executing the setting change process, after the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a clears all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38) and the peripheral control board 1510's peripheral control IC 1510a completes the power-on operation check, the light emission control for a critical abnormality notification (or a semi-critical abnormality notification if the light emission control switches to a semi-critical abnormality notification after the critical abnormality notification) is executed, due to the main frame 4 being opened relative to the outer frame 2.

In other words, when the right-side game board 5AR is not connected and a setting change process is performed, after closing the main frame 4 which was open to the outer frame 2, the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a clears all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), and the peripheral control board 1510's peripheral control IC 1510a checks the operation when power is turned on. At the same time, an alert sound indicating that the game board is not connected is output from various speakers, and a critical malfunction alert light pattern (critical malfunction alert) is emitted due to the main frame 4 being open to the outer frame 2. When the light emission control switches from the normal illumination mode to the semi-serious abnormality notification illumination mode, the illumination control for the semi-serious abnormality notification illumination mode is executed. While the volume of the game board disconnection notification sound output from various speakers can be adjusted using the volume adjustment button 227, the light intensity of the serious abnormality notification illumination mode (including the semi-serious abnormality notification illumination mode when the light emission control switches from the serious abnormality notification illumination mode to the semi-serious abnormality notification illumination mode) which is activated due to the main body frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2, cannot be adjusted using the light intensity adjustment button 228.

Therefore, when the right-side game board 5AR is not connected and the setting change process is executed, after closing the main frame 4 which was open relative to the outer frame 2, the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, excluding a specific area (step S38), and the power-on operation check by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 are completed, the system can control the illumination to a predetermined brightness level for a critical abnormality notification illumination pattern (or a semi-critical abnormality notification illumination pattern if the illumination control is to switch from a critical abnormality notification illumination pattern to a semi-critical abnormality notification illumination pattern), preventing the setting change notification illumination pattern from being missed during the execution of the setting change process, or missing a specific area of the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM. Even if the RAM clear notification is missed during the execution of the clearing process (step S38) excluding a specific area and the power-on operation check, the subsequent visibility of the critical error notification light pattern (or the semi-critical error notification light pattern if the light emission control switches to a semi-critical error notification light pattern after the critical error notification light pattern) allows the user to realize that a setting change process or a process to clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38) may have been performed. Meanwhile, to avoid causing discomfort to the player, the volume can be adjusted using the volume control button 227 to indicate that the right-side game board 5AR, which poses a low risk of disadvantage to the player or the arcade, is not connected.

Furthermore, if the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 and the light emission control is set to a critical abnormality notification mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the light emission control is set to a semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode), the display device 1600 may display a scale corresponding to the volume and light intensity (brightness) based on the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228, and the scale may be changed when the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 222 is operated while the scale is displayed. Alternatively, if the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 and the light emission control is set to a critical abnormality notification mode, the volume control may be set to a critical abnormality notification mode. Even if the volume control button 227 or the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated, the performance display device 1600 may not display a scale corresponding to the volume or light intensity (brightness). Instead, when the main frame 4 is closed to the outer frame 2 and the light emission control is set to the critical abnormality notification mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the light emission control is set to the semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode), the performance display device 1600 may display a scale corresponding to the volume or light intensity (brightness) based on the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity adjustment button 228. Furthermore, the scale may be changed when the volume control button 227 or the light intensity adjustment button 222 is operated while the scale is displayed. In this case, after the critical abnormality notification mode light emission control and the output of the door opening notification sound have finished, the performance sound output and light emission effects may be executed at the volume and light intensity (brightness) corresponding to the scale changed based on the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity adjustment button 222.

Furthermore, when the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 and the light emission control is set to a critical abnormality notification mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the light emission control is set to a semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode), a confirmation sound may be output at a volume set according to the operation of the volume control button 227 based on the operation of the volume control button 227. Alternatively, when the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 and the light emission control is set to a critical abnormality notification mode, a confirmation sound may not be output even if the volume control button 227 or light intensity control button 228 is operated. However, when the main body frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2 and the light emission control is set to a critical abnormality notification mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the light emission control is set to a semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode), a confirmation sound may be output based on the operation of the volume control button 227 or light intensity control button 228. Furthermore, if the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2, resulting in the light emission being controlled to a critical abnormality notification mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the light emission control is performed to a semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode), the device may, based on the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228, perform both the display of a scale corresponding to the volume and light intensity (brightness) on the display device 1600 and the output of a confirmation sound, or perform only one of these actions.

In this case, based on the operation of the light intensity adjustment button 228, a scale corresponding to the light intensity (brightness) is displayed on the display device 1600. Furthermore, even if the scale is changed by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228, the light intensity (brightness) of the critical abnormality notification flashing mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode if the flashing control is performed to the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode after the critical abnormality notification flashing mode) does not change. On the other hand, the minor abnormality flashing mode, which is executed after the flashing control of the critical abnormality notification flashing mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode if the flashing control is performed to the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode after the critical abnormality notification flashing mode) is completed, is flashed with the light intensity (brightness) changed according to the operation of the light intensity adjustment button 228. In this example, if the setting change process is executed with the right-side game board 5AR disconnected, and the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), is completed and the game mode is started, and the main frame 4 is closed to the outer frame 2, then the system is controlled to emit light in the critical abnormality notification mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the system controls the emission to emit light in the semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode), during the emission control of the critical abnormality notification mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the system controls the emission to emit light in the semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode), the amount of light (luminance) of the emission mode that will be controlled after the critical abnormality notification mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the system controls the emission to emit light in the semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode) is adjusted. This allows the system to prevent players from being deprived of the opportunity to adjust the light intensity (brightness) even when the light emission is controlled to the critical abnormality notification mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the light emission control is switched from the critical abnormality notification mode to the semi-critical abnormality notification mode), thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in the case of an unconnected state where no ID code signal is input from the right-side game board 5AR, even if the conditions for starting the variation display are met (a game ball enters the starting port (first starting port 2002 or one of the first starting port 2002 and the second starting port 2004)), the variation display will not be executed by various speakers, various LEDs on the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on door frame 3), or various LEDs mounted on the decorative board on the left-side game board 5AL, which is controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510. Instead, the system will notify that an abnormality has occurred.

Furthermore, if the period from closing the main frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, until the end of the critical abnormality notification flashing mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode if the flashing control is performed to a semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode after the critical abnormality notification flashing mode) is shorter than the period from the start of the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38) and the power-on operation check by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 until both the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38) and the power-on operation check are completed, then if the main frame 4 is closed after the completion of the setting change process and the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter, then the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit provided on door frame 3) The various LEDs (some or all) of unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., are not controlled to emit light in a manner indicating a serious malfunction caused by the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2. Instead, as soon as the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), is completed and the game mode starts, the LEDs are controlled to emit light in a manner indicating a minor malfunction corresponding to the right-side game board 5AR being disconnected. This allows the system to immediately notify that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected by the LED emission pattern as soon as the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), is completed and the game mode starts.

Furthermore, even in the case of an unconnected state where no ID code signal is input from the right-side game board 5AR, after the power-on operation check is performed, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400, which is provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, which is provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, that display information regarding wins and losses, will not be turned off, but will continue to light up in the same way as during normal operation (when the game is ready to play). In other words, when there is no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, the system notifies the player that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, thereby preventing the game from proceeding in a way unintended by the designer. However, even if the game starts in a disconnected state without an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, the LED displaying information regarding wins and losses is controlled to allow the game to proceed as normal, thus preventing any disadvantage to the player.

Furthermore, in this example, the right-side game board 5AR is not equipped with ball entry points (starting points (first starting point 2002, second starting point 2004), big prize entry point 2005, general prize entry point 2001, etc.) or gates 2003, etc., and these are configured to be provided only on the left-side game board 5AL. Therefore, even if the game is played in an unconnected state without input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, there is little risk of causing disadvantage to the player. In other words, if the split game board 5A does not have a right-side game board 5AR and only has a left-side game board 5AL, nothing is provided in the part corresponding to the right-side game board 5AR, and although there is a risk of causing disadvantage to the player by playing the game, it is possible to easily recognize that an abnormality has occurred by sight. A player who detects an anomaly should avoid playing. On the other hand, if the split game board 5A has both a right-side game board 5AR and a left-side game board 5AL, but the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected due to a connection problem, it is difficult to visually recognize that an anomaly has occurred. Therefore, the player will continue playing, but since the right-side game board 5AR does not have ball entry points or gates that affect the player's interests, the risk of causing the player any disadvantage is low. Thus, the state in which the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected poses a lower risk of causing the player any disadvantage compared to the state in which it is deemed non-compliant. Therefore, although the disconnection is indicated, the game can proceed as if it were compliant.

Furthermore, the right-side game board 5AR is not equipped with any detection means, such as a magnetic sensor 1050 for detecting fraudulent activity, in addition to the ball entry point and gate 2003; all of these are provided on the left-side game board 5AL. In other words, electronic components related to the profits of players and amusement parlors (general prize entry sensor 3001, first start entry sensor 3002, second start entry sensor 2401, gate sensor 2801, big prize entry sensor 2402, special prize entry sensor 2601, V prize entry sensor 3003, losing entry sensor 3004, magnetic sensor 1050, start entry solenoid 2412, attacker solenoid 2414, special prize entry solenoid 2612, V distribution solenoid 3007, etc.) and ball entry points (general prize entry 2001, first start entry 2002, gate 2003, second start entry 2004, big prize entry 2005, etc.), gate 2003, etc. are all located on the left side of the game board 5AL. Therefore, even if fraudulent activity occurs while the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected and no ID code signal is input, the detection means provided on the left-side game board 5AL can detect the fraudulent activity, preventing any financial loss to the gaming establishment.

Furthermore, in the unconnected state where there is no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, it is sufficient that at least one of the LEDs that display information regarding wins and losses—the LED of the function display unit 1400 on the left-side game board 5AL, controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and the LED of the sub-function display unit 2250 on the left-side game board 5AL, controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510—is controlled to emit light in the same way as in normal operation (when the game is ready to play). For example, even when the start condition is met (a game ball enters the start gate (first start gate 2002 or one of the first start gate 2002 and the second start gate 2004)), the LED of the sub-function display unit 2250 on the left-side game board 5AL may be kept off or illuminated in a manner unrelated to the meeting of the start condition without any light emission control.

Furthermore, in this example, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the right-side game board 5AR is in an unconnected state during the ID determination process (step S1003), the timing of the light emission control in the minor abnormality notification light emission mode and the output timing of the game board unconnected notification sound differ depending on whether or not the setting value is changed, and whether or not a specific area is cleared from the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM (a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM (the area of the main control's built-in RAM excluding the specific area)) according to the unconnected state of the right-side game board 5AR.

Specifically, in the case of an unconnected state where no ID code signal is input from the right-side game board 5AR, and neither the setting value change nor the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM (the area of the main control's built-in RAM excluding the specific area)) is performed, the display device 1600 will display "power on" for a predetermined period of time based on the commencement of power supply to the pachinko machine 1, and then the power-on operation check will be initiated. During the execution of the power-on operation check, the various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) will be controlled to emit a minor abnormality notification light, and the output of an unconnected game board notification sound will be initiated from various speakers. In other words, at the time of power-on and operation check, the system starts flashing a minor abnormality notification pattern due to the absence of an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, resulting in the output of a game board disconnection notification sound from various speakers.

On the other hand, in the case of an unconnected state where no ID code signal is input from the right-side game board 5AR, when either a setting value change or a process to clear the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM (the area of the main control's built-in RAM excluding the specific area)) is performed, the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a performs the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), and the peripheral control board 1510's peripheral control IC 1510a performs the power-on operation check, during which the system is considered unconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, resulting in the emission control in a minor abnormality notification emission mode and the output of an unconnected game board notification sound from various speakers. Without initiating power-on, the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a performs a process (step S38) to clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area. At the timing after the peripheral control board 1510's peripheral control IC 1510a completes its power-on operation check (in this example, at the timing of starting the game mode, a game board disconnection notification sound is output due to the lack of input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, resulting in a disconnected state; after starting the game mode, the minor abnormality notification light control begins), the system starts light control in a minor abnormality notification light mode due to the lack of input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, and outputs a game board disconnection notification sound from various speakers.

In this way, even when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started and there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR (in a disconnected state), the timing of the light emission control in the minor abnormality notification mode and the output timing of the game board disconnection notification sound can be differed depending on whether or not the setting value is changed, or whether or not a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM is cleared (excluding a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM). This allows for prioritizing the notification of highly important information and suppressing malfunctions and fraudulent activities. In other words, since fraudulent changes to the setting value or the clearing of the main control's built-in RAM could cause damage to the pachinko parlor, prioritizing notification of fraudulent changes to the setting value or the clearing of the main control's built-in RAM over notification of a disconnected state (no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR) helps prevent the escalation of damage.

Furthermore, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started and there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, resulting in an unconnected state, the timing at which the performance display device 1600 displays "Right-side game board unconnected error occurred" as an unconnected error notification display is the same regardless of whether or not the setting value is changed, and whether or not the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM is cleared except for a specific area (a predetermined area of the main control's built-in RAM (the area of the main control's built-in RAM excluding the specific area)). In other words, the performance display device 1600 displays "Right-side game board unconnected error occurred" as an unconnected error notification display at the timing when the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 clears the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), or when the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 starts checking the operation when power is turned on. This allows for prioritizing the execution of notifications of high importance, while also enabling the performance display device 1600 to notify and address other notifications. Furthermore, the timing of the "Right-side game board disconnection error" display in the display device 1600 may also be varied depending on whether the setting value is changed or whether a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM is cleared (excluding a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM). In this case, information of high importance can be notified in order and addressed sequentially, ensuring that each piece of information is reliably conveyed and addressed.

As described above, in this example, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be compatible (matched), and after the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible in the ID determination process (step S1003), the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 does not execute the ID determination process (step S1003). Therefore, even if there is no input of an ID code signal from the divided game board 5AR after the execution of the ID determination process (step S1003), the above-mentioned notifications (game board disconnection notification sound, disconnection error notification display mode, minor abnormality notification light mode, etc.) are not executed. Therefore, at least the LEDs provided in parts other than the right-side game board 5AR and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 (such as the various LEDs on the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame provided on the door frame 3), the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, and the LEDs on the sub-function display unit 2250), the drive motors and drive solenoids, the performance display device 1600, and various speakers, all controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a, are controlled in the same manner as when the right-side game board 5AR is adapted.

In this example, in the pachinko machine 1, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is in an unconnected state, then even if an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the execution of the setting change process, the detection is invalidated (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed).

Specifically, as shown in Figure 332, even if an abnormal magnetic field is generated during the execution of the setting change process and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the system is designed to discard the detection signal without executing an abnormality notification based on the detection of an abnormal magnetic field. That is, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, if a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the execution of the setting change process, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is ignored, and control is executed as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 after the completion of the setting change process.

Thus, in this example, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is in an unconnected state with no input of an ID code signal, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is in an unconnected state, and if an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the execution of the setting change process, then after the completion of the setting change process, the notification caused by the unconnected state with no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR is given priority over the abnormality notification caused by the detection means. In other words, even if fraudulent activity occurs during a non-playable state before gameplay can begin, such as during the execution of a settings change process, the risk of disadvantage occurring when gameplay mode is activated is low. However, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, resulting in a disconnected state, there is a risk of disadvantage occurring when gameplay is executed after gameplay mode is activated. Therefore, if both detection by the abnormality detection means and a disconnected state (no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR) occur during the execution of the settings change process, the notification resulting from the disconnected state (no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR) is prioritized after the completion of the settings change process, thereby preventing the occurrence of disadvantage.

On the other hand, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means (for example, sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, such as the magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, door frame opening switch, etc.) during the power-on operation check performed after the setting change process is completed, that is, when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means during the power-on operation check, which involves a process (step S38) to clear all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area, the detection by the abnormality detection means is considered valid, however, for some abnormality notifications, the abnormality notification is not given during the power-on operation check, but only after the power-on operation check is completed.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 333, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected in the ID determination process (step S1003), and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the execution of the power-on operation check performed after the completion of the setting change process, then during the execution of the power-on operation check, the various LEDs of the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) will not be controlled to emit light in a critical abnormality notification pattern due to the detection of an unauthorized magnetism, nor will a magnetic detection notification sound (for example, "Magnetic detection error occurred.") be repeatedly output from the various speakers.

After the power-on operation check is complete, the various LEDs on the door frame unit (including the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all located on door frame 3) are controlled to illuminate in a critical abnormality warning mode due to the detection of an unauthorized magnetic field, and a magnetic field detection warning sound is output from the various speakers. The abnormality warning due to the detection of an unauthorized magnetic field is terminated after a predetermined period has elapsed since the detection of the unauthorized magnetic field. When the abnormality warning due to the detection of an unauthorized magnetic field has terminated, and no other abnormalities have been detected, the various LEDs on the door frame unit (including the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all located on door frame 3) are controlled to illuminate in a minor abnormality warning mode due to the right-side game board 5AR being disconnected, and a game board disconnection warning sound is repeatedly output from the various speakers.

Thus, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the power-on operation check performed after the setting change process is completed, then control of the various LEDs and speakers of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) continues as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Based on the completion of the power-on operation check, an abnormality notification is executed due to the detection of an unauthorized magnetic field.

In other words, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected in the ID determination process (step S1003), and an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full-tank detection sensor 154, a ball-out detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the power-on operation check performed after the setting change process is completed, then the abnormality notification caused by the detection by the abnormality detection means takes priority over the notification caused by the disconnected state due to the lack of an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR after the power-on operation check is completed.

In other words, since the game mode starts immediately after the power-on operation check is completed, there is a possibility that similar fraudulent activity may occur in game mode as well. On the other hand, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR and the system is in a disconnected state, the likelihood of suffering a disadvantage compared to fraudulent activity is lower. Therefore, if both detection by the abnormality detection means and a disconnected state (no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR) occur during the power-on operation check, the notification resulting from the detection by the abnormality detection means after the completion of the power-on operation check (or, in some cases, during the power-on operation check) is given priority, thereby suppressing the occurrence of disadvantages.

Furthermore, if, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the right-side game board 5AR is considered unconnected because there is no input of an ID code signal, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is unconnected, and during the execution of the power-on operation check, an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball-out detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc.) receives a detection signal to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. When detection is made by the sensors or switches, the various LEDs and speakers of the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, the door frame right side unit 430, the plate unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) will issue an abnormality notification when the power-on operation check is completed. However, the display device 1600 will issue an abnormality notification (for example, displaying "Magnetic Error Occurred" as a magnetic detection error notification) when detection is made by the abnormality detection means. In other words, when the detection signal from the anomaly detection means is input to the main control board 1310 (or when the value of the magnetic cheat counter reaches its upper limit), the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 sends a command to the peripheral control board 1510 to instruct the start of anomaly notification (for example, a magnetic cheat notification command, which is classified as a notification display indicating that radio wave irradiation cheating is occurring). Upon receiving this command to instruct the start of anomaly notification (magnetic cheat notification command), the peripheral control IC of the peripheral control board 1510 starts control related to anomaly notification. Furthermore, even if an anomaly notification resulting from detection by the anomaly detection means is displayed on the performance display device 1600, an anomaly notification resulting from the right-side game board 5AR being disconnected (disconnection error notification display mode) is also displayed on the performance display device 1600. That is, if both detection by the anomaly detection means and the right-side game board 5AR being disconnected occur simultaneously, the performance display device 1600 displays an anomaly notification for each anomaly.

Furthermore, while the magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, bulb depletion detection sensor 574, and door frame release switch are shown as abnormality detection means, the sensors and switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 may be configured so that for some sensors and switches, even if a detection signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the power-on operation check or after the setting change process is completed (including during the power-on operation check and in game mode), the display device 1600 does not receive an abnormality notification. Alternatively, for all sensors and switches, even if a detection signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the power-on operation check or after the setting change process is completed (including during the power-on operation check and in game mode), the display device 1600 may not receive an abnormality notification.

Furthermore, even if, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) during the game mode after the power-on operation check is completed, that is, when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means during the game mode, the detection by the abnormality detection means is still valid. However, unlike when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means during the power-on operation check, an abnormality notification is made at the timing when the abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means.

Specifically, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in its ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the game mode after the power-on operation check is completed, then at the timing of the input of the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050, an abnormality notification caused by detection by the abnormality detection means is performed on the performance display device 1600 and on the various LEDs and speakers of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3).

In other words, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and a detection signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 from an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310), then the abnormality notification caused by the detection by the abnormality detection means is prioritized over the notification caused by the disconnected state due to the lack of an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR.

Therefore, in a game mode where there is a high risk of disadvantages due to fraudulent activity, if both detection by the anomaly detection means and a disconnected state (no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR) occur, the notification resulting from the detection by the anomaly detection means will be given priority, thereby suppressing the occurrence of disadvantages.

Furthermore, the determination of whether the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible is not limited to only when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started. Alternatively, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may periodically (for example, each time the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing is executed) determine whether the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible after power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started. In this case, since the system can notify the system when there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR after power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of disadvantages.

Furthermore, even if an ID determination process is performed periodically to determine whether the combination of split game boards 5A is compatible, the ID determination process may not be performed during the execution of the setting change process. Similarly, even if the ID determination process is performed during the execution of the setting change process and it determines that there is no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, indicating an unconnected state, the notification indicating that the right-side game board 5AR is unconnected may not be issued during the execution of the setting change process.

Furthermore, when performing an ID determination process to periodically determine whether the combination of split game boards 5A is compatible, the system may initiate notification (game board disconnection notification sound, disconnection error notification display, minor abnormality notification light display, etc.) corresponding to the disconnection of the right-side game board 5AR based on the determination that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR. After this notification is initiated, the system may terminate the notification corresponding to the disconnection of the right-side game board 5AR based on the determination that the combination of split game boards 5A is compatible. Alternatively, the system may initiate notification corresponding to the disconnection of the right-side game board 5AR based on the determination that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR after the ID determination process has determined that the combination of split game boards 5A is compatible.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of split game boards 5A is compatible, and the ID determination process is performed during the power-on operation check after the setting change process or before the setting change process starts, and it is determined that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR, then, similar to the case where the system determines whether the combination of split game boards 5A is compatible only when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1, the display device 1600 will display a notification during the power-on operation check indicating that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR and that it is in an unconnected state, while various... Regarding the LEDs on the Peeker and the door frame unit (including the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3), it is possible to configure the system so that, when the operation check at power-on is complete and the game-ready state is established, the system does not output a game board disconnection notification sound or illuminate in a minor abnormality notification pattern to indicate that there is no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR and therefore no connection is established. Instead, when the system is powered on and the game-ready state is established, it may be configured so that the system outputs a game board disconnection notification sound and illuminates in a minor abnormality notification pattern to indicate that there is no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR and therefore no connection is established.

Furthermore, even if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the divided game board 5A is compatible, if an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the execution of the setting change process, the detection may be considered invalid (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the process based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed). Therefore, even after the setting change process, abnormality notifications based on detections during the setting change process by the abnormality detection means may not be executed.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the split game boards 5A is compatible, and the right-side game board 5AR is found to be disconnected during the power-on operation check after the setting change process, and an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full-tank detection sensor 154, a ball-out detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input a detection signal to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects this abnormality, the performance display device 1600 will report both that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected (no ID code signal input) and that an abnormality detection means has detected the abnormality during the power-on operation check. While displaying information, the various speakers and LEDs on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 on the door frame 3) may not notify that there is no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR and that an abnormality has been detected. Instead, when the power-on operation check is complete and the game mode starts, the various speakers and door frame unit may prioritize notifying that an abnormality has been detected by the abnormality detection means over notifying that there is no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR and that the system is disconnected.

Thus, in this example, when the setting change process is executed, the pachinko machine 1 is controlled to three game states after power is turned on: a first game state during the execution of the setting change process, a second game state during the power-on operation check, and a third game state as the game mode after the power-on operation check is completed. Furthermore, in the first game state, even if the right-side game board 5AR is not connected or the combination of split game boards 5A is deemed incompatible, the system does not notify the player that the right-side game board 5AR is not connected due to the lack of an ID code signal input or that the combination of split game boards 5A is incompatible. In other words, during the first game state, the display device 1600, various speakers, and various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) are not controlled in a manner that indicates an unconnected state due to the lack of ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, or that the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible.

Furthermore, during the second game state following the first game state, various speakers and various LEDs (some or all) on the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) are not controlled in a manner that indicates that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR and that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible. On the other hand, the performance display device 1600 is controlled in a manner that indicates that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR and that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible. Furthermore, if, during the second game state, there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR (i.e., it is disconnected), the display device 1600 will only display text information to indicate that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR. If the combination of split game boards 5A is incompatible, the display device 1600 will display both text and image information to indicate that the combination of split game boards 5A is incompatible. Thus, in the second game state, the display device 1600 alone will indicate that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR (i.e., it is disconnected) or that the combination of split game boards 5A is incompatible. However, the intensity of the notification will vary depending on the degree of disadvantage. This makes it easier to notice when the combination of split game boards 5A is incompatible, which results in a higher degree of disadvantage compared to when there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR (i.e., it is disconnected).

Furthermore, during the third game state following the end of the first and second game states, in addition to the display device 1600, various speakers and various LEDs (some or all) on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3) are controlled in a manner that indicates an unconnected state due to the lack of ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, or that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible.

In other words, the first game state is a period during which work is performed to change the setting values, and since this determines the game performance (such as the likelihood of winning), the worker needs to concentrate and work carefully. Therefore, even if the right game board 5AR is disconnected or the combination of split game boards 5A is deemed incompatible, the system does not notify that the right game board 5AR is disconnected (no ID code signal input) or that the combination of split game boards 5A is incompatible, so as not to interfere with the work of changing the setting values. Furthermore, in the first game state, the system not only fails to notify the user of the disconnected state (no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR) and the incompatible combination of the split game boards 5A, but also fails to notify the user of other abnormalities (for example, when detection signals are input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, such as the magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, and door frame opening switch, or when a situation arises where detection is possible even though no actual detection has occurred (for example, when vibration is occurring but the vibration sensor is disabled and does not detect vibration)).

Furthermore, the second game state following the first game state is a period for confirming whether it is possible to light up the LEDs normally and whether it is possible to drive the drive motors and drive solenoids to operate the movable parts normally. Although this requires concentration as it involves confirmation work, it does not determine the game performance, so only notifications that do not interfere with the confirmation work (such as notifications on the display device 1600 as in this example) are provided, and attention-grabbing notifications such as flashing LEDs or outputting notification sounds from various speakers are not provided. In the second game state, it is possible to confirm whether the various LEDs can light up normally by repeatedly controlling the illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards provided on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A to a special illumination mode that is executed only in the second game state. Furthermore, in the second game state, the display device 1600 only notifies that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR and that the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible, and does not notify the various speakers or the various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200 and door frame top unit 450 etc. provided on the door frame 3), and does not notify other abnormalities (for example, the magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, bulb depletion detection sensor 574, door frame open switch etc.) When a detection signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the control board 1310 by a sensor or switch, or when a situation arises where detection is possible even though no actual detection has occurred (for example, when vibration is occurring but the vibration sensor is disabled and therefore not detecting the vibration), the notification is only sent via the display device 1600, and the various speakers and the various LEDs (some or all) on the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) are notified.

Furthermore, since the third game state, which occurs after the first and second game states have ended, does not involve any verification work or work to determine game performance, the system uses the display device 1600, various speakers, and various LEDs (some or all) on the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) to notify the operator that the ID code signal from the right game board 5AR is not being received and that the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible.

In other words, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, as the game state changes from the first game state to the second game state, and then to the third game state, the level of notification for the unconnected state (no ID code signal input from the right game board 5AR) and the incompatible combination of the split game boards 5A are changed. In the first game state, no notification is given; in the second game state, a weak notification is given; and in the third game state, a strong notification is given. This allows for appropriate notification depending on the game state and the work situation.

Furthermore, in the second game state, as described above, special behaviors not performed in the first and third game states are output when the performance operation unit 300, which is an operating means located on the front side of the pachinko machine 1, is operated, such as the performance operation unit 301, volume control switch, and light intensity control switch. Specifically, special sounds are output from various speakers based on the operation of the volume control switch or light intensity control switch, the light emission color of various LEDs is changed based on the operation of the performance operation unit 301, volume control switch, or light intensity control switch, and a specific display is shown on the performance display device 1600 based on a specific operation (for example, pressing the volume control switch and light intensity control switch simultaneously for a predetermined period) performed on the performance operation unit 301, volume control switch, or light intensity control switch. This makes it possible to confirm whether the performance operation unit 301, volume control switch, light intensity control switch, etc. of the performance operation unit 300, which is an operating means located on the front side of the pachinko machine 1, are able to accept operation normally.

[Confirmation of settings and ID error on split game board]
Next, we will explain an example of the behavior when displaying the setting value confirmation when the combination of split game boards 5A (i.e., the combination of the right game board 5AR (a board without a microprocessor) and the left game board 5AL (a peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310 equipped with a microprocessor)) is incompatible (incompatible state, incompatible state) or when there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR (it is not possible to confirm the input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR), resulting in a short circuit or open circuit in the transmission path that transmits various signals, and the right game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left game board 5AL (unconnected state). For comparison, we will also explain an example of the behavior when displaying the setting value confirmation when the combination of split game boards 5A (i.e., the combination of the right game board 5AR (a board without a microprocessor) and the left game board 5AL (a peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310 equipped with a microprocessor)) is in compatible (compatible state). Figure 334 shows an example of the behavior when the split game board 5A, which consists of the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, is compatible (matches) and the setting value is displayed. Figure 335 shows an example of the behavior when the split game board 5A combination is incompatible (mismatches) and the setting value is displayed. Figure 338 shows an example of the behavior when the right game board 5AR is not connected and the setting value is displayed. Below, only the parts that differ from when the setting change process is performed will be explained, and redundant explanations will not be provided.

[Confirmation display of setting values when applicable]
As shown in Figure 334, when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 will send a "power" signal to the performance display device 1600 for a predetermined period of time.
The display shows "on" to indicate that power has been turned on to the pachinko machine 1. Meanwhile, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board located on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board located on the right game board 5AR, and the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 located on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 are turned off. Furthermore, as described above, when the predetermined conditions for permitting the display of the set value are met when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1 (in this example, when the power is turned on by operating the power switch 630a on the power supply board 630 without pressing the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f after inserting the setting key into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and turning it ON), the main control MPU 1310a on the main control board 1310a performs a setting value confirmation display process (step S28) after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, and the current set value stored in a specific area of the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a (the value set among setting values 1 to setting values 6 at the time the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON for the first time) is displayed on the setting display unit 1310g (or the base monitor 1310h which also functions as a setting display unit).

Furthermore, when the setting value confirmation display process begins, a setting value confirmation display start command is sent to the peripheral control board 1510 to indicate that the setting value confirmation display will begin. Upon receiving this command, the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 displays a setting confirmation notification (in this example, "Setting Confirmation in Progress") on the display device 1600 (this may be displayed until the setting value confirmation display process is completed, or it may be displayed for a certain period before the display ends). It also repeatedly outputs a setting value confirmation notification sound (an announcement voice saying "Setting Confirmation in Progress" and a warning sound such as "Ding-dong") from various speakers at a predetermined volume (this may be the maximum configurable volume, or the default volume adjusted by the volume control switch on the peripheral control board 1510). (This may be output repeatedly until the setting value confirmation display process is completed, or it may be output repeatedly a certain number of times (e.g., 5 times) or for a certain period (e.g., 30 seconds) before the output stops).

Furthermore, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the illumination of various LEDs (some or all) on the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) and various LEDs (some or all) mounted on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR to illuminate in a setting confirmation notification illumination pattern when the setting value confirmation is displayed (in this example, the various LEDs on the door frame unit and the right-side game board 5AR are switched between blue and white illumination in a short period of time). (The setting confirmation notification illumination pattern may be kept lit until the setting value confirmation display process is completed, or the setting confirmation notification illumination pattern may be terminated and the LEDs turned off or illuminated in a different illumination pattern after illuminating for a certain period of time.) This notifies that the setting value confirmation display is being performed, allowing for immediate detection if the setting value has been checked fraudulently.

As described above, in this example, the predetermined setting value display permission condition is met when, after inserting a setting key into the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 and turning it ON, the power switch 630a on the power supply board 630 is operated to turn on the power of the pachinko machine 1 without pressing the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f. That is, the setting value confirmation display process is executed with the main body frame 4 open relative to the outer frame 2, and the main body frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed when the setting value confirmation display process is completed.

However, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, the output of door opening notification sounds from various speakers and the control of the light emission pattern for serious malfunction notification, which are caused by the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, are not performed. In other words, if the predetermined setting value display permission conditions are met when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1, the output of door opening notification sounds from various speakers and the control of the light emission pattern for serious malfunction notification, which are caused by the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, are not performed. Instead, the setting value confirmation display notification sound is output from various speakers, and the light emission pattern for setting confirmation notification is controlled. Therefore, after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, the output of door opening notification sounds from various speakers and the control of the light emission pattern for serious malfunction notification (including the semi-serious malfunction notification light emission pattern if the light emission control proceeds to a semi-serious malfunction notification light emission pattern after the serious malfunction notification light emission pattern) become possible.

Furthermore, if the setting value confirmation display process is terminated after the main frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed, that is, if the main frame 4 is closed while the setting value confirmation display process is running and the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter, the output of door-open notification sounds from various speakers and the serious abnormality notification flashing patterns (including the semi-serious abnormality notification flashing pattern if the flashing control is performed to a semi-serious abnormality notification flashing pattern after the serious abnormality notification flashing pattern) caused by the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2 will not be executed after the setting value confirmation display process is terminated. However, normally, when the setting value is to be confirmed and displayed, the manager of the amusement hall or similar person will operate the machine from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 with the main frame 4 open relative to the outer frame 2 to confirm and display the setting value, so the operation to close the main frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, is performed after the setting value confirmation display process is terminated. Furthermore, as described above, if the main frame 4, which is open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed, or if the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 and the elapsed time since the main frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2 has reached a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds; in this example, this period is shorter than the time required for power-on operation check), the output of the door open notification sound is stopped, and the system is silenced. Therefore, normally, when the setting value confirmation display process is executed, after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, if the elapsed time since the main frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2 has not reached the predetermined period, both the output of the door open notification sound from various speakers due to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 and the light emission control of the critical abnormality notification mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification light emission mode if the light emission control is performed after the critical abnormality notification light emission mode) are executed. If the elapsed time since the main frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2 has reached the predetermined period, only the light emission control of the critical abnormality notification mode due to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 is executed.

Furthermore, the volume of the setting value confirmation notification sound output from the various speakers during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process cannot be adjusted using the volume control button 227. As mentioned above, players can adjust the volume output from the various speakers by operating the volume control button 227, but the volume of the setting value confirmation notification sound output during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process cannot be adjusted by the player even by operating the volume control button 227. Therefore, during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, the setting value confirmation notification sound can be output at a predetermined volume, and the sound output from the various speakers reliably communicates that the setting value confirmation display is being performed. This allows for immediate detection of the setting value confirmation display, thus deterring fraudulent confirmation of the setting value.

Furthermore, the setting confirmation notification light pattern, which is displayed during the setting value confirmation process, cannot be adjusted using the light intensity adjustment button 228. As mentioned above, while players can adjust the light intensity (brightness) of some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228, the setting confirmation notification light pattern, which is displayed during the setting value confirmation process, cannot be adjusted by the player even by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228. Therefore, during the setting value confirmation display process, the LEDs on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A are controlled to emit light at a predetermined light intensity (brightness) to perform the setting confirmation notification light pattern. This reliably communicates that the setting value has been confirmed, allowing for immediate detection of fraudulent setting value confirmations and thus deterring fraudulent confirmations.

Furthermore, while the setting value confirmation display process is running, operating the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 will not display a scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness) on the display device 1600. No confirmation sound will be output in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228. Since the display device 1600 does not display a scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness), the scale will not change even if the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is operated multiple times. Therefore, the visibility of the setting confirmation notification on the display device 1600 will not be obstructed by the scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness). The confirmation sound in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 will not make the setting value confirmation display notification sound difficult to hear. This allows for immediate detection of any fraudulent setting value confirmation display.

Furthermore, while the setting value confirmation display process is being executed, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, and the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 are turned off. In other words, in this example of pachinko machine 1, although the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR constitute a divided game board 5A, during setting confirmation, all LEDs on the left game board 5AL are turned off regardless of whether they are controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 or by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510. Only the LEDs on the right game board 5AR that are controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 are illuminated.

In this way, while the setting value confirmation display process is being executed, the various LEDs provided on the split game board 5A, specifically the LEDs on the left game board 5AL and the LEDs on the right game board 5AR, emit light in different patterns. This creates a sense of unease for anyone viewing the pachinko machine 1, allowing them to immediately notice that the setting value confirmation display process is being executed. Furthermore, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board, function display unit 1400, and sub-function display unit 2250 of the left-side game board 5AL may be illuminated in a different light emission pattern than the various LEDs on the door frame unit and the right-side game board 5AR (for example, illuminated in red at a predetermined brightness (which may be maximum brightness, a brightness lower than maximum brightness, or a brightness that cannot be adjusted by the light intensity adjustment button 228) (without flashing)). Alternatively, one or both of the LEDs on the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250, which display information regarding wins and losses, may be illuminated in a setting confirmation notification light emission pattern. In this case as well, the light emission patterns of the LEDs on the right-side game board 5AR and the LEDs on the left-side game board 5AL can be made different, making it possible to immediately notice that the setting value confirmation display process is being executed.

Furthermore, based on the completion of the setting value confirmation display operation (in this example, the OFF operation which returns the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a on the main control board 1310 to its initial position (i.e., the rotation position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF)), the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 hides the setting value stored in the dedicated setting value area in a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM displayed on the setting display unit 1310g (or the base monitor 1310h, which also functions as a setting display unit), and sends a setting value confirmation display completion command to the peripheral control board 1510 to notify that the setting value confirmation display process has ended.

Furthermore, when the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 receives a command from the main control MPU 1310a to end the display of the set value confirmation, it performs a power-on operation check to confirm whether the drive motor and drive solenoid controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 can be driven in a predetermined manner to perform normal lighting and operation. During the power-on operation check, the LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding wins and losses (such as the LEDs mounted on the decorative board on the left game board 5AL, the LEDs mounted on the decorative board on the right game board 5AR, and the LEDs of the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame 3), are illuminated in a predetermined light emission pattern (the light emission pattern during the power-on operation check). However, when the setting value confirmation display process is executed, the LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding wins and losses, are illuminated in a predetermined light emission pattern (the light emission pattern during the power-on operation check) only if the light emission control for the critical abnormality notification pattern caused by the opening of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 is not performed.

As described above, the light emission control for the critical abnormality notification light emission mode resulting from the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 is not executed after the end of the setting value confirmation display process if the main frame 4 is closed during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process and the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter. In other words, if the main frame 4 is closed during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process and the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter, the LEDs (various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, and the door frame unit), excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding win/loss, which are controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, are lit in a predetermined light emission mode (light emission mode during power-on operation confirmation). If the main unit frame 4 is closed after the setting value confirmation display process is completed, the system controls the illumination to a critical malfunction notification light pattern, which indicates that the main unit frame 4 has been opened relative to the outer frame 2. After a predetermined period has elapsed since closing the main unit frame 4 (for example, 60 seconds, which in this example is longer than the period from the start to the end of the power-on operation check by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510), the critical malfunction notification light pattern is terminated, and the system starts the illumination control to a light pattern appropriate to the game state (the light pattern used during special effects), similar to the normal state (when the game is ready to play).

Furthermore, after the setting value confirmation display process is completed, the performance display device 1600 displays the performance mode (decorative patterns, background image during normal play (when playable state) etc.), and when the power-on operation confirmation is completed, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250, which display information regarding wins and losses, light up in a predetermined light-emitting pattern, or the light-emitting pattern during the performance mode (flashing for a predetermined period of time and then lighting up in a predetermined light-emitting pattern) is controlled based on the condition for starting the variation display being met (a game ball enters the starting gate (first starting gate 2002 or one of the first starting gate 2002 and the second starting gate 2004)). Also, as described above, in this example, the output period of the door opening notification sound is the power-on operation confirmation period. Because the time required for confirmation is shorter than the time required for confirmation, if the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2 when the setting value confirmation display process starts, and the main frame 4 remains open relative to the outer frame 2 when the setting value confirmation display process ends, the elapsed time since the main frame 4 was opened has already reached the predetermined time (e.g., 30 seconds). Therefore, even if the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 when the setting value confirmation display process ends, no door opening notification sound will be output from the various speakers, and the system will be in a state where sound output during the performance (output of performance sound based on the fulfillment of the start condition for the variable display (output of performance sound based on the start opening (first start opening 2002 or one of the first start opening 2002 and the second start opening 2004))) can be executed.

Furthermore, once the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 completes the setting value confirmation display process (step S28) and the interrupt permission setting (step S52) is performed, the ball launcher 540 becomes capable of launching game balls, and the LED illumination control of the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250, which display information regarding wins and losses, is started. In this way, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, the ball launcher 540 does not launch game balls while the setting value confirmation display process (step S28) is being executed. Furthermore, it is sufficient to have the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250 in a state where their illumination can be controlled. This is not limited to immediately illuminating one or both of the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 or the sub-function display unit 2250 in a predetermined manner based on the ball launching device 540 enabling the launch of game balls. Alternatively, one or both of the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 or the sub-function display unit 2250 may be illuminated in the illumination pattern for special symbol variation display or variation performance based on the fulfillment of the start condition for variation display (i.e., a game ball entering the start gate (first start gate 2002 or one of the first start gate 2002 and the second start gate 2004)). Alternatively, after the termination of an illumination pattern indicating an abnormal state, the LEDs may be illuminated in the illumination pattern for special symbol variation display or variation performance, or they may be set to a state where their illumination can be controlled to the illumination pattern for special symbol variation display or performance.

[Confirmation display of setting values in case of non-compliance]
Next, we will explain an example of the behavior when the setting value confirmation display is performed when the combination of the split game board 5A (that is, the combination of the right game board 5AR (a board without a microprocessor) and the left game board 5AL (a peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310 equipped with a microprocessor)) is incompatible (incompatible) (incompatible state), with reference to Figure 335. In the following, we will only explain the parts that differ from when the setting change process is performed or when the setting value confirmation display process is performed when it is compatible, and will not provide redundant explanations.

As shown in Figure 335, if the ID determination process (step S1003) executed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 does not output control signals to the various LEDs and other electronic components mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR. The electronic components mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR are then deactivated (for example, the various LEDs are turned off) regardless of whether the set value confirmation display is currently active. Furthermore, in this example, if the ID determination process (step S1003) executed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL are also turned off regardless of whether the set value confirmation display is currently active.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, it does not notify that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible until the setting value confirmation display process is completed (until the setting value confirmation display completion command is received from the main control MPU 1310a), but instead notifies that the setting value confirmation display process is being executed. That is, while the setting value confirmation display process is being executed, the performance display device 1600 displays a setting confirmation notification (in this example, "Setting Confirmation in Progress") (this may be displayed until the setting value confirmation display process is completed, or it may be displayed for a certain period of time and then the display may be terminated), and the setting value confirmation display notification sound (an announcement voice saying "Setting Confirmation in Progress" and a warning sound such as "Ding dong") is played at a predetermined volume (this may be the maximum volume that can be set, or the default volume that can be adjusted by the volume adjustment switch provided on the peripheral control board 1510). The speaker is repeatedly outputting (this may be done until the setting value confirmation display process is completed, or it may be done after a certain number of times (e.g., 5 times) or a certain period (e.g., 30 seconds) of repeated output before stopping). The various LEDs on the door frame unit are controlled to emit light in the setting confirmation notification pattern when the setting value is confirmed. Meanwhile, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit boards on the right-hand game board 5AR and the left-hand game board 5AL, the LEDs on the function display unit 1400, and the LEDs on the sub-function display unit 2250 are kept off.

Then, when the setting value confirmation display process is completed, the main control MPU 1310a sends a setting value confirmation display completion command to the peripheral control board 1510. When the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 receives the setting value confirmation display completion command, it repeatedly outputs a game board incompatibility notification sound (an announcement voice saying "A right-side game board incompatibility error has occurred. Turn off the power and check." and a warning sound such as "ding-dong") from various speakers at a predetermined volume (which may be the maximum configurable volume or the default volume adjusted by the volume adjustment switch provided on the peripheral control board 1510) until the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off. Along with a device that repeatedly outputs an output a certain number of times (for example, 5 times) or for a certain period of time (for example, 30 seconds) before stopping the output, the various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) are repeatedly controlled to emit light in a critical abnormality notification pattern (in this example, a pattern that switches between turning on and off red at maximum brightness in a short time (for example, 0.5 seconds) (high-speed flashing pattern)). Furthermore, the performance display device 1600 does not display decorative patterns or background images during normal times (when playable), but instead displays a background image for abnormal times (for example, black) and the message "Right side game board incompatible error occurred" as an incompatible error notification pattern on the performance display device 1600 to notify that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible. Meanwhile, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit boards on the right-side game board 5AR and the left-side game board 5AL, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400, and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 are continuously controlled to be off.

Furthermore, the game board mismatch notification sound is not a single, intermittent output of the same sound (e.g., "beep"), but rather consists of multiple sounds with different pitches, and is repeatedly controlled between a muted state and an output state. Also, the critical abnormality notification light pattern is not fixed in a lit state, but repeatedly controlled between a lit state and an off state, changing the light intensity. In other words, the various speakers and LEDs are designed to notify that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is mismatched in a dynamic manner, with changes in pitch, volume, and light intensity over time. This makes it easier to notice the mismatch in the combination of the divided game boards 5A when the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas except a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM (step S38), is completed and a game mode that does not require further checks is started.

Furthermore, once the power-on operation check by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is completed and the game mode is started, the output of the game board non-conformity notification sound, the control of the light emission mode of the door frame unit for serious abnormality notification, and the display mode of the performance display device 1600 for non-conformity error notification will continue, while the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 will set the LEDs of the function display unit 1400, which is provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, which is provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, to a state in which they can be controlled to emit light in the same way as when they are conforming (they may also be lit in a predetermined manner). In other words, based on the condition for starting the variable display being met (a game ball entering the starting gate (either the first starting gate 2002 or both the first starting gate 2002 and the second starting gate 2004)), the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250 are blinked in a predetermined manner, and then illuminated in a predetermined light emission pattern to display information regarding the win or loss.

Furthermore, the non-conformity error notification display mode in the performance display device 1600 is a static image that does not change over time, and continues until the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off. Even if the conditions for starting a variable display are met (a game ball enters the starting gate (first starting gate 2002 or one of the first starting gate 2002 and the second starting gate 2004)), and the variable display of a special symbol is started in the function display unit 1400 or the variable display of the fourth symbol is started in the sub-function display unit 2250, the performance display device 1600 continues to display the non-conformity error notification display mode and does not perform variable displays such as the variable display of decorative symbols. The non-conformity error notification display method in 00 can be any method appropriate to the error content, and may include a combination of letters and numbers (e.g., an error code) or a mark. In this way, during the execution of the power-on operation check, which does not involve clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38) after the setting value confirmation display process, the display device 1600 is configured to notify that the combination of the split game boards 5A is non-conformity in a static manner that does not change regardless of the passage of time. This allows notification of the non-conformity of the split game boards 5A combination without interfering with the verification work during the power-on operation check.

Thus, in this example, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent) and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible in the ID determination process (step S1003), the system immediately notifies that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible without issuing an abnormality notification corresponding to the opening of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process. In other words, after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, the system outputs a game board incompatible notification sound without outputting a door opening notification sound, regardless of whether the elapsed time since the main frame 4 was opened to the outer frame 2 has reached a predetermined period. Furthermore, although the system controls the illumination to a serious abnormality notification illumination pattern after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, this is not caused by the opening of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, but rather by the incompatible combination of the divided game boards 5A. Therefore, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds) has elapsed since closing the main unit frame 4 after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, the light emission control is always set to the critical abnormality notification emission mode.

Furthermore, even if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible (inconsistent), the conditions for starting the variable display are met (even if a game ball enters the starting port (first starting port 2002 or one of the first starting port 2002 and the second starting port 2004)), the display device 1600, various speakers, various LEDs on the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200 and door frame top unit 450 etc. provided on door frame 3), and decorative boards provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 will not be displayed. The system is designed to notify of an abnormality without executing the various LED fluctuation effects implemented in the system. Meanwhile, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250, once the interrupt permission setting (step S52) is enabled after the setting change process (step S37), are controlled to emit light in a predetermined pattern based on the fulfillment of the fluctuation display start condition (a game ball entering the starting gate (either the first starting gate 2002 or one of the first starting gate 2002 and the second starting gate 2004)), enabling the display of information related to winning or losing.

Furthermore, when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent) and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the system is configured to notify that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible (inconsistent) at the same time, regardless of whether or not the setting value confirmation display is performed. Specifically, regardless of whether or not the setting value confirmation display is performed, when the power-on operation check is performed, the system is configured to initiate the following: light emission control of various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) in a critical abnormality notification light emission mode, output of a game board incompatible notification sound from various speakers, and the timing of displaying an abnormal background image (for example, black) and an incompatible error notification display mode on the performance display device 1600. This allows for the sequential notification and action of high-priority information (in this case, notification that the setting value confirmation display is being executed), ensuring that each piece of information is reliably communicated and addressed. Furthermore, the timing of the illumination control of various LEDs (some or all) on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 on the door frame 3) in the critical abnormality notification illumination pattern, the output of the game board non-conformity notification sound from various speakers, and the timing of the display of the abnormal background image (e.g., black) and non-conformity error notification pattern on the display device 1600 may be adjusted depending on whether or not the setting value confirmation display is being performed.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, if the ID determination process (step S1003) executed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the volume cannot be adjusted using the volume control button 227 when the power-on operation check is performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, that is, when only the power-on operation check is performed without the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38). As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, it is possible to adjust the volume output from various speakers by operating the volume control button 227, but the volume of the game board incompatibility notification sound output after the completion of the setting change process cannot be adjusted by operating the volume control button 227. Therefore, once the setting value confirmation and display process is complete, a predetermined volume of a game board non-conformity notification sound can be output. This ensures that the combination of the split game board 5A is reliably communicated through the sound output from various speakers, thus preventing any disadvantage to players or arcades.

Similarly, if the ID determination process (step S1003) performed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then when the power-on operation check is performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, that is, when only the power-on operation check is performed without the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), the light intensity (brightness) cannot be adjusted by the light intensity adjustment button 228. As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, it is possible to adjust the light intensity (brightness) of the LEDs on the door frame 3 and the various decorative boards provided on the divided game boards 5A by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228, but the critical abnormality notification flashing pattern, which is controlled to emit light after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, cannot be adjusted by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228. Therefore, once the setting value confirmation display process is complete, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards installed on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A can be controlled to emit light at a predetermined light intensity (brightness). This ensures that the combination of the divided game board 5A is clearly indicated by the illumination pattern, thus preventing any disadvantage to players or arcades.

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) performed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible, when the power-on operation check is performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, that is, when only the power-on operation check is performed without the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), the scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness) will not be displayed on the performance display device 1600 even if the volume control button 227 or light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated. Also, because the scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness) is not displayed on the performance display device 1600, the scale will not change even if the volume control button 227 or light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated multiple times. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the obstruction of visibility of part or all of the incompatible error notification display mode on the performance display device 1600 by the scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness), and to reliably convey that the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible.

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) performed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible, when the power-on operation check is performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, that is, when only the power-on operation check is performed without the process of clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), confirmation sounds corresponding to the operation of the volume control button 227 and the light intensity adjustment button 228 are not output. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the difficulty in hearing the game board incompatibility notification sound due to confirmation sounds corresponding to the operation of the volume control button 227 and the light intensity adjustment button 228, and to reliably communicate that the combination of split game boards 5A is incompatible.

In this example, in the pachinko machine 1, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then even if an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, the detection is invalidated (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed).

Specifically, as shown in Figure 336, even if an abnormal magnetic field is generated during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the system is designed to discard the detection signal without executing an abnormality notification based on the detection of an abnormal magnetic field. That is, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible in the ID determination process (step S1003), and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is ignored, and control is executed as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process.

Furthermore, if, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) during the execution of the power-on operation check performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, that is, if an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means during the execution of the power-on operation check without the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), the detection by the abnormality detection means is invalid (either the process of checking whether or not a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process of checking whether or not a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (notification, etc.) is not executed).

Specifically, as shown in Figure 337, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the execution of the power-on operation check performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, the detection signal is discarded without executing an abnormality notification based on the detection of an invalid magnetism. In other words, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the power-on operation check performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is ignored, and control continues as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, if, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) during the game mode after the completion of the power-on operation check, the detection by the abnormality detection means is invalid (either the process to check whether or not a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether or not a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (notification, etc.) is not executed).

Specifically, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (incompatible) and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the game mode after the power-on operation check is completed, the detection signal is discarded without executing an abnormality notification based on the detection of an invalid magnetism. In other words, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the game mode after the power-on operation check is completed, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is ignored, and control continues as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310.

Thus, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then even if an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means (for example, sensors and switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, such as a magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, and door frame opening switch), an abnormality notification will not be issued.

In other words, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed to be in a non-conforming state, the game may proceed in a manner unintended by the designer, potentially causing harm to the arcade and the players. Furthermore, since it deviates from the original specifications, it may lead to a loss of player trust. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the game is stopped. For this reason, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed to be in a non-conforming state, notification is given with priority over notifications caused by abnormality detection means (for example, sensors and switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, such as the magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, and door frame opening switch). This prevents the game from being stopped and minimizes harm to the arcade and the players.

Furthermore, some LEDs may be controlled to emit light in different patterns depending on the type of abnormality detection means. For example, when a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, one or both of the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 may be turned off (making light emission control impossible).

Furthermore, as described above, in this example, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed to be in a compatible (matched) state, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible. In this case, even if the combination of the divided game boards 5AR subsequently becomes incompatible (mismatched), no notification (game board incompatible notification sound, incompatible error notification display mode, serious abnormality notification light mode, etc.) corresponding to the incompatible state of the right-side game board 5AR will be executed. However, this is not limited to determining whether the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible only when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started. The peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may periodically (for example, always determined each time the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing is executed) after power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started to determine whether the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible. In this case, since it becomes possible to notify the system that the combination of the divided game boards 5A has become incompatible after power supply to the pachinko machine 1 has started, the occurrence of disadvantages can be suppressed.

Furthermore, even if an ID determination process is performed periodically to determine whether the combination of split game boards 5A is compliant, the ID determination process may not be performed during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process. Similarly, even if the ID determination process is performed during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process and determines that the combination of split game boards 5A is incompatible, the notification indicating that the right-side game board 5AR is in an incompatible state may not be displayed during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible, and the ID determination process is performed during the power-on operation check after the setting value confirmation display process or before the setting value confirmation display process starts, and it is determined that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then, similar to the case where the compatibility of the divided game boards 5A is determined only when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1, the system may also be configured to notify the effect display device 1600, various speakers, and various LEDs on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame, all provided on the door frame 3) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible during the power-on operation check.

Furthermore, even if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the divided game board 5A is compatible, if an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, the detection may be considered invalid (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the process based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed). Therefore, even after the setting value confirmation display process, abnormality notification based on detection by the abnormality detection means during the setting value confirmation display process may not be executed.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible, and if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is found to be incompatible during the power-on operation check after the setting value confirmation display process, and if an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects this, the display device 1600, various speakers, and various LEDs on the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) may be configured to prioritize notification of the incompatible combination of the divided game boards 5A over notification of detection by the abnormality detection means. Notification of detection by the abnormality detection means may then be given when the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be compatible.

Furthermore, in the power-on operation check performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process (after receiving the setting value confirmation display completion command from the main control MPU 1310a), not only is the power-on operation check not performed for the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on the right-side game board 5AR and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which have been determined to be non-compliant, but the power-on operation check is also not performed for the movable body that performs the power-on operation check (the back of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the back unit 3000 provided on the split game board 5A). The drive motors and drive solenoids that drive the performance operation unit 301 (such as the upper rear movable decorative body 3210, the lower rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the lower rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the lower rear performance unit 3300, the lower front center decorative body 3161 of the lower front performance unit 3160, and the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3) that are not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003) are also configured not to perform operation checks when the power is turned on.

Specifically, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then even if the power-on operation check is started, the control to illuminate the LEDs on the right-hand game board 5AR, which was determined to be incompatible, in the same illumination pattern as during the power-on operation check, and the control to operate the movable parts in the same operation pattern as during the power-on operation check, will not be performed (no control signal will be output to the right-hand game board 5AR), or it will not be possible to perform these actions (a control signal will be output, but no control signal will be input to the right-hand game board 5AR). In addition, the control to drive the drive motor and drive solenoid provided on the plate unit 200 (in this example, the performance operation unit 300), which is provided on the door frame 3 and is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), and to operate the performance operation section 301 provided on the performance operation unit 300 will not be performed.

In other words, if the right-side game board 5AR is in a non-conforming state, there is a risk that some or all of the movable parts provided on the door frame unit, which are not subject to ID judgment, may also be deemed non-conforming. Therefore, when a control signal is input from the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, there is a risk that the movable parts may operate in a manner different from their intended operation. To prevent this, some or all of the movable parts provided on the right-side game board 5AR, which has been determined to be non-conforming, and the door frame unit, which is not subject to ID judgment in the ID judgment process (step S1003), and which are operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, are not driven. This prevents damage to the movable parts or door frame unit, and prevents failure of the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc. that operate the movable parts.

Furthermore, as described above, the game board side component may be configured to include the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit among the door frame units. In this case, the specific door frame unit is subject to ID determination, and if it is determined to be non-compliant in the ID determination process (step S1003), then some or all of the movable parts that are provided on the door frame units that are not subject to ID determination (non-specific door frame units) and operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may also be deactivated. In addition to this, or separately, if there are multiple specific door frame units (for example, the right door frame) If a side unit 430 and a door frame top unit 450 are present, and a part of them (for example, one of the right side unit 430 and the door frame top unit 450) is determined to be non-compliant, then all movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on the specific door frame unit and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may be deactivated. Alternatively, all movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on all door frame units, including the specific door frame unit and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, may be deactivated.

On the other hand, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL, which is equipped with a peripheral control board 1510 on which a peripheral control IC 1510a that performs ID determination processing (step S1003) is mounted (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and the rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) operate in the same way as usual (when it is determined that the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible) when the operation check at power-on starts. Furthermore, the LEDs mounted on the circuit boards provided in the movable parts of the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided in the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) are not controlled to emit light in the same way as when the power is turned on and the operation is confirmed. In other words, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is in a non-conforming state, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, all located on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A) are operated in the same manner as during the power-on operation check. However, the LEDs provided on the movable parts on the left-side game board 5AL are not controlled to emit light in the same manner as during the power-on operation check; instead, they remain off while operating in the same manner as during the power-on operation check. This makes it easy to identify the game board (in this case, the left-side game board 5AL) on which the peripheral control board 1510 of the divided game board 5A is located.

Furthermore, in this example, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game board 5A is incompatible, the ID determination process (step S1003) does not control the drive motor or drive solenoid mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 of the door frame unit (plate unit 200 in this example), which is not subject to ID determination, to operate the performance operation unit 301. In addition, the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 are not controlled to emit light in the same way as when the power is turned on and the operation is confirmed. In other words, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible when the power-on operation check is performed after the completion of the setting confirmation display process, then the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 will be controlled to emit light in a critical abnormality notification pattern due to the incompatible combination of the divided game boards 5A. Note that the performance operation unit 300 may also be a specific door frame unit targeted for ID determination. Even in this case, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that a specific door frame unit other than the performance operation unit 300 or a combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the control to operate the performance operation unit 301 by driving the drive motor or drive solenoid mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 will not be performed, and the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 may be controlled to emit light in a critical abnormality notification pattern instead of the emission pattern used during the power-on operation check.

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the right-side game board 5AR, which was determined to be incompatible, and some or all of the movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., which are provided on the door frame unit not subject to ID determination and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, may be prevented from being driven until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off or until the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be compatible. In this case, the movable parts may operate in a manner different from their intended operation, preventing damage to the movable parts or the door frame unit, and preventing failure of the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc. that operate the movable parts.

[Display confirmation of settings when not connected]
Next, we will explain an example of the behavior when displaying the setting value confirmation in an unconnected state (unconnected state) where the right game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left game board 5AL, such as when there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR (it is not possible to confirm the input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR) and a malfunction such as a short circuit or open circuit occurs in the transmission path that transmits various signals, with reference to Figure 338. In the following, we will only explain the parts that differ from when the setting change process is performed or when the setting value confirmation display process is performed in the case of compliance or non-compliance, and will not provide redundant explanations.

As shown in Figure 338, in the ID determination process (step S1003) executed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR, that is, if the right game board 5AR is not electrically connected, the control signal from the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is not input to the various LEDs and other electronic components mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR. Therefore, the electronic components mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR will be in a non-driven state (for example, the various LEDs will be turned off) regardless of whether or not the set value confirmation display is in progress. Note that if it is determined in the ID determination process (step S1003) that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may not output a control signal to the various LEDs and other electronic components mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR. Furthermore, in this example, if the ID determination process (step S1003) performed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started determines that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR, then the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL are turned off, regardless of whether or not the set value confirmation display is currently active.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR, it will not notify that the right game board 5AR is not electrically connected until the setting value confirmation display process is completed (until the setting value confirmation display completion command is received from the main control MPU 1310a), and will instead notify that the setting value confirmation display process is being executed. That is, while the setting value confirmation display process is being executed, the performance display device 1600 will display a setting confirmation notification (in this example, "Setting Confirmation in Progress") (this may be displayed until the setting value confirmation display process is completed, or it may be displayed for a certain period of time and then the display may be terminated), and the setting value confirmation display notification sound (an announcement voice saying "Setting Confirmation in Progress" and a warning sound such as "Ding dong") will be played at a predetermined volume (this may be the maximum volume that can be set, or the default volume that can be adjusted by the volume adjustment switch provided on the peripheral control board 1510). The speaker is repeatedly outputting (this may be done until the setting value confirmation display process is completed, or it may be done after a certain number of times (e.g., 5 times) or a certain period (e.g., 30 seconds) of repeated output before stopping). The various LEDs on the door frame unit are controlled to emit light in the setting confirmation notification pattern when the setting value is confirmed. Meanwhile, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit boards on the right-hand game board 5AR and the left-hand game board 5AL, the LEDs on the function display unit 1400, and the LEDs on the sub-function display unit 2250 are kept off.

Then, when the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 receives a setting value confirmation display completion command from the main control MPU 1310a indicating that the setting value confirmation display process has been completed, it repeatedly outputs a game board disconnection notification sound (an announcement voice saying "The right game board is not connected." and a warning sound such as "ding-dong") from various speakers at a volume adjusted by the volume adjustment button 227 until the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off (it may also be repeated for a certain number of times (e.g., 5 times) or for a certain period of time (e.g., 30 seconds) before stopping the output). 0. Various LEDs (some or all) of the right side unit 430 of the door frame, the tray unit 200, and the top unit 450 of the door frame, etc., are repeatedly controlled to emit light in a serious abnormality notification mode (or a semi-serious abnormality notification mode if the emission control is to switch to a semi-serious abnormality notification mode after the serious abnormality notification mode) due to the main body frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2. After a predetermined period (for example, 60 seconds) has elapsed since the main body frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, was closed, the emission control is switched to a minor abnormality notification mode (a mode in which the light is switched between turning on and off at maximum brightness in a short time (for example, 0.5 seconds) (high-speed flashing mode)) due to the right game board 5AR not being electrically connected. Furthermore, regarding the performance display device, in addition to displaying the performance (normal) state (decorative patterns, background image during normal play, etc.) on the performance display device 1600, as in the compliant version, the performance display device 1600 also displays "Right Game Board Unconnected Error Occurred" as an unconnected error notification display, notifying that the right game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left game board 5AL. The various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit boards provided on the right game board 5AR and the left game board 5AL, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400, and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 are continuously controlled to be off.

Furthermore, the notification sound for unconnected game boards is not a single, intermittent sound (e.g., "beep"), but rather consists of multiple sounds with different pitches, and is repeatedly controlled between silent and on states. Also, the critical malfunction notification light pattern is not fixed in a lit state, but repeatedly controlled between lit and off states, changing the light intensity. In other words, various speakers and LEDs are designed to notify the right game board 5AR of the fact that it is not electrically connected to the left game board 5AL in a dynamic manner, with changes in pitch, volume, and light intensity over time. This makes it easier to notice that the right game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left game board 5AL when the power-on operation check, which involves clearing all areas of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), is completed and a game mode that does not require further checks is started.

Furthermore, the disconnection error notification display mode in the performance display device 1600 is a static image that does not change over time and continues until the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off. However, when the conditions for starting a variable display are met (when a game ball enters the starting gate (first starting gate 2002 or one of the first starting gate 2002 and the second starting gate 2004)), the variable display of special symbols is started in the function display unit 1400 or the variable display of the fourth symbol is started in the sub-function display unit 2250, the performance display device 1600 displays the disconnection error notification mode and performs variable effects such as the variable display of decorative symbols. The display format can be anything that corresponds to the error content, and may include a combination of letters and numbers (e.g., an error code) or a mark. During the power-on operation check, which does not involve clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), the display device 1600 displays a static message, regardless of the passage of time, indicating that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left-side game board 5AL. This allows the system to notify the system that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left-side game board 5AL without interfering with the verification process during the power-on operation check.

Furthermore, as described above, the period from closing the main body frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, until the termination of the critical malfunction notification illumination mode is set to be longer than the period required for power-on operation confirmation. Therefore, if the main body frame 4 is closed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, the critical malfunction notification illumination mode will continue to be controlled even after the game mode starts, regardless of whether the main body frame 4 remains closed afterward. After a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds) has elapsed since closing the main body frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, the critical malfunction notification illumination mode will terminate and the illumination will switch to the minor malfunction notification mode.

As described above, the light intensity of the critical malfunction notification light pattern (including the semi-critical malfunction notification light pattern if the light pattern is controlled to a semi-critical malfunction notification light pattern after the critical malfunction notification light pattern) and the minor malfunction notification light pattern (caused by the right-side game board 5AR not being electrically connected) cannot be adjusted using the light intensity adjustment button 228. Therefore, even after the setting value confirmation display process is completed and the game mode is started, it remains impossible to adjust the light intensity using the light intensity adjustment button 228.

In other words, when the setting value confirmation display process is executed with the right-side game board 5AR disconnected, after the setting value confirmation display process is completed, a game board disconnection notification sound is output from various speakers, and a serious malfunction notification light pattern (or a semi-serious malfunction notification light pattern if the light control is to switch from the serious malfunction notification light pattern to a semi-serious malfunction notification light pattern) is executed due to the main body frame 4 being open to the outer frame 2. The volume of the game board disconnection notification sound output from various speakers can be adjusted using the volume control button 227. Although it is possible to adjust the light intensity, the light intensity cannot be adjusted using the light intensity adjustment button 228 for the critical abnormality notification light emission mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification light emission mode if the light emission control proceeds to a semi-critical abnormality notification light emission mode after the critical abnormality notification light emission mode) which is controlled due to the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2, and for the minor abnormality notification light emission mode which is controlled after the critical abnormality notification light emission mode (caused by the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2) has finished, and because the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected.

Therefore, when the right-side game board 5AR is not connected and the setting value confirmation display process is executed, after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, the system can control the illumination to a predetermined brightness level for the critical abnormality notification illumination pattern (or the semi-critical abnormality notification illumination pattern if the illumination control is performed after the critical abnormality notification illumination pattern). Even if the setting value confirmation notification illumination pattern is missed during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, the critical abnormality notification illumination pattern (or the semi-critical abnormality notification illumination pattern if the illumination control is performed after the critical abnormality notification illumination pattern) becomes visible after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, allowing players to realize that the setting value confirmation display process may have been performed. Meanwhile, to avoid causing discomfort to players, the system allows volume adjustment via the volume control button 227 when the right-side game board 5AR is not connected, which poses a low risk of causing disadvantage to players or the arcade.

Furthermore, during the light emission control of the minor abnormality notification mode, if the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is operated, the display device 1600 may be configured to either display a scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness), or to output a confirmation sound based on the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228, or both.

Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 338, the output period for the door open notification sound (30 seconds in this example) elapses before the setting value confirmation display process is completed. However, if the setting value confirmation display process is completed before the output period for the door open notification sound elapses, the door open notification sound will be output after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process until the output period for the door open notification sound is reached. Once the output period for the door open notification sound has elapsed, the game board disconnection notification sound will be output. Additionally, if the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, or if the elapsed time since the main body frame 4 was closed after being open relative to the outer frame 2 has not reached a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds), the game board disconnection notification sound may not be output until the main body frame 4 is closed or until the light emission control of the critical abnormality notification light emission mode resulting from the main body frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2 is completed, even if the elapsed time since the main body frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2 has reached a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds).

Thus, in this example, when displaying the setting value confirmation in an unconnected state (without input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR), if the main frame 4 is closed after the setting value confirmation display process is completed and the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter, different notification sounds are output from various speakers to the outer frame 2 depending on the elapsed time since the main frame 4 was opened. Meanwhile, the various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) are configured to display an abnormal notification corresponding to the opening of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, taking precedence over the abnormal notification corresponding to the unconnected state of the right-side game board 5AR.

In other words, various speakers, various LEDs on the door frame unit, and various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the right-side game board 5AR each perform abnormality notification, but depending on the elapsed time since the main frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2, there are cases where a common abnormality (an abnormality in which the main frame 4 was opened relative to the outer frame 2) is notified, and cases where different abnormalities (for the various speakers, an abnormality caused by disconnection, and for the various LEDs on the door frame unit and the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the right-side game board 5AR, an abnormality caused by the main frame 4 being opened relative to the outer frame 2) are notified. Therefore, if, for example, the setting value is displayed in a short time due to fraudulent activity, and the setting value verification process is completed relatively quickly after the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2, the various LEDs on the door frame unit will be controlled to illuminate in a critical abnormality notification pattern, and a door opening notification sound will be output from various speakers. This will reliably inform the outer frame 2 that the main frame 4 has been opened and that the setting value may have been displayed fraudulently. On the other hand, if the setting value is displayed legitimately by the manager of the gaming hall, the opening of the main frame 4 can be notified to the outer frame 2 simply by controlling the various LEDs on the door frame unit to illuminate in a critical abnormality notification pattern.

Furthermore, even in the case of an unconnected state where no ID code signal is input from the right-side game board 5AR, after the power-on operation check is performed, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400, which is provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, which is provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, that display information regarding wins and losses, will not be turned off, but will continue to light up in the same way as during normal operation (when the game is ready to play). In other words, when there is no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, the system notifies the player that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, thereby preventing the game from proceeding in a way unintended by the designer. However, even if the game starts in a disconnected state without an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, the LED displaying information regarding wins and losses is controlled to allow the game to proceed as normal, thus preventing any disadvantage to the player.

Furthermore, in this example, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is in a disconnected state, the timing of the light emission control in the minor abnormality notification light emission mode and the output timing of the game board disconnection notification sound differ depending on whether or not the set value confirmation display is performed.

Specifically, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR and the system is in an unconnected state, and the setting value confirmation display is not executed, then, based on the commencement of power supply to the pachinko machine 1, the display device 1600 will display "power on" for a predetermined period of time, after which the power-on operation check will be initiated. During the execution of this power-on operation check, the system will start light control in a minor abnormality notification light pattern and output of an unconnected game board notification sound from various speakers, due to the unconnected state resulting from the lack of input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR. In other words, at the timing of initiating the power-on operation check, the system will start light control in a minor abnormality notification light pattern and output of an unconnected game board notification sound from various speakers, due to the unconnected state resulting from the lack of input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR.

On the other hand, when the system is in an unconnected state with no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR and the setting value confirmation display is to be executed, the system does not initiate the light control in the minor abnormality notification light pattern and the output of the game board unconnected notification sound from various speakers at the timing when the power-on operation check begins, due to the unconnected state with no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR. Instead, it initiates the light control in the minor abnormality notification light pattern and the output of the game board unconnected notification sound from various speakers at a timing after the power-on operation check has started (in this example, the game board unconnected notification sound is output after the power-on operation check has started but before the game mode has started, and the light control in the minor abnormality notification light pattern begins when the power-on operation check has finished and the game mode has started).

Thus, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 begins, even if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR (indicating an unconnected state), the timing of the light emission control in the minor abnormality notification mode and the output timing of the game board unconnected notification sound differ depending on whether or not the setting value confirmation display is performed. Therefore, it is possible to prioritize the notification of highly important information and suppress the occurrence of malfunctions and fraudulent activities. In other words, since fraudulent display of the setting value confirmation could cause damage to the amusement parlor, this system prioritizes notification of the unconnected state (no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR) over notification of the fraudulent display of the setting value confirmation, thereby preventing the escalation of damage caused by such fraudulent display.

Furthermore, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated and there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, resulting in an unconnected state, the timing of the display of "Right-side game board unconnected error" on the performance display device 1600 as an unconnected error notification is the same regardless of whether or not a confirmation of the set value is displayed. That is, the display of "Right-side game board unconnected error" on the performance display device 1600 is set to display at the same time that the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 begins checking the operation when power is turned on. This allows for prioritizing the execution of high-priority notifications while also enabling the performance display device 1600 to notify and address other notifications. Alternatively, the timing of the display of "Right-side game board unconnected error" on the performance display device 1600 may differ depending on whether or not a confirmation of the set value is displayed. In this case, high-priority information can be notified in order and addressed sequentially, ensuring that each piece of information is reliably communicated and addressed.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, if the ID determination process (step S1003) performed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR and that the machine is in an unconnected state, then the volume can be adjusted using the volume control button 227 after the setting value confirmation display process is completed. However, if a door-open notification sound is output after the setting value confirmation display process is completed, the volume can be adjusted using the volume control button 227 after the output of the door-open notification sound stops. In other words, if a door-open notification sound is output after the setting value confirmation display process is completed, the volume cannot be adjusted using the volume control button 227 while the door-open notification sound is being output, but it can be adjusted using the volume control button 227 during the period when the game board unconnected notification sound is being output after the output of the door-open notification sound stops. This makes it possible to adjust the volume of the sound effects output during the variation effect in advance.

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) performed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that there is no connection and no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, then when the power-on operation check is performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, that is, when only the power-on operation check is performed without the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), the light intensity (brightness) cannot be adjusted by the light intensity adjustment button 228. As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, it is possible to adjust the light intensity (brightness) of the LEDs on the door frame 3 and the various decorative boards provided on the divided game board 5A by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228, however, the critical abnormality notification flashing pattern, which is controlled due to the opening of the main body frame 4 to the outer frame 2 after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, cannot be adjusted by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228. Therefore, once the setting value confirmation display process is complete, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A can be controlled to emit light at a predetermined light intensity (brightness). This ensures that the system reliably indicates an unconnected state with no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, thus preventing any disadvantage to players or arcades. Furthermore, if the system does not switch to a critical malfunction notification emission mode after the setting value confirmation display process is complete, or if the critical malfunction notification emission mode is completed during the power-on operation check, the light intensity (brightness) can be adjusted using the light intensity adjustment button 228 even during the power-on operation check. In other words, if the system switches to a minor malfunction notification emission mode after the critical malfunction notification emission mode is completed, the light intensity (brightness) can be adjusted using the light intensity adjustment button 228 for the minor malfunction notification emission mode.

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) performed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that there is no connection and no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, then when the power-on operation check is performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, that is, when only the power-on operation check is performed without the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), operating the volume control button 227 or the light intensity adjustment button 228 will display a scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness) on the display device 1600, and a confirmation sound corresponding to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity adjustment button 228 will be output. Therefore, the display of the scale and the output of the confirmation sound corresponding to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity adjustment button 228 will allow the user to recognize that the volume or light intensity (brightness) has been changed. Furthermore, after either or both of the following have been completed—the illumination control for the critical abnormality notification light pattern resulting from the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, and the output of the door opening notification sound—it may be possible to display a scale corresponding to the current volume and light intensity (brightness), and to output a confirmation sound in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228.

In this example, in the pachinko machine 1, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is in an unconnected state, then even if an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, the detection is invalidated (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed).

Specifically, as shown in Figure 339, even if an abnormal magnetic field is generated during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the system is designed to discard the detection signal without executing an abnormality notification based on the detection of an abnormal magnetic field. That is, if, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected because no ID code signal is input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected in the ID determination process (step S1003), and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is ignored, and control is executed as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 was input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process.

Thus, in this example, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is in an unconnected state with no input of an ID code signal, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is in an unconnected state, and an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, then after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, the notification caused by the unconnected state with no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR is given priority over the abnormality notification caused by the detection by the abnormality detection means. In other words, even if fraudulent activity occurs during a non-playable state before gameplay can begin, such as during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, the probability of a disadvantage occurring after the game mode starts is low. However, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, resulting in an unconnected state, the probability of a disadvantage occurring after the game mode starts and gameplay is executed is high. Therefore, if both the detection by the abnormality detection means and the unconnected state (no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR) occur during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, the notification resulting from the unconnected state (no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR) after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process is prioritized to prevent the occurrence of a disadvantage.

On the other hand, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means (for example, sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, such as a magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, door frame opening switch, etc.) during the power-on operation check performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, that is, when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means during the power-on operation check without the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38), the detection by the abnormality detection means is considered valid, and an abnormality notification is made at the timing when the abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 340, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the power-on operation check performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, then, at the timing of the input of the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050, an abnormality notification caused by detection by the abnormality detection means is performed on the performance display device 1600 and on the various LEDs and speakers of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3).

Then, when the abnormality notification caused by the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 ends, and if no other abnormalities are detected, the various LEDs on the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) are controlled to emit light in a minor abnormality notification pattern indicating that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and a game board disconnection notification sound is repeatedly output from the various speakers.

Thus, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the power-on operation check performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, then, at the moment the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input, an abnormality notification caused by the input of the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is performed by various LEDs on the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame, etc., provided on the door frame 3), various speakers, and the performance display device 1600.

In other words, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full-tank detection sensor 154, a ball-out detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the power-on operation check performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process, then the abnormality notification caused by the detection means takes priority over the notification caused by the disconnection due to the lack of an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR.

In other words, while the probability of harm occurring during the power-on operation check is low even if fraudulent activity takes place, the probability of similar fraudulent activity occurring in game mode is high because the game mode starts immediately after the power-on operation check is completed. On the other hand, if there is no input of the ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR and the system is in a disconnected state, the probability of harm occurring is lower compared to when fraudulent activity occurs. Therefore, if both an abnormality detection by the abnormality detection means and a disconnected state (no input of the ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR) occur during the power-on operation check, the notification resulting from the detection by the abnormality detection means is given priority, thereby suppressing the occurrence of harm.

Furthermore, while the magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, bulb depletion detection sensor 574, and door frame release switch are shown as abnormality detection means, the system may be configured so that even if a detection signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the display device 1600 does not receive an abnormality notification, even if a detection signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the power-on operation check or after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process (including during the power-on operation check and in game mode). Alternatively, the system may be configured so that even if a detection signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the power-on operation check or after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process (including during the power-on operation check and in game mode), the display device 1600 does not receive an abnormality notification.

Furthermore, if, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) during the game mode after the power-on operation check is completed, that is, when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means during the game mode, the detection by the abnormality detection means is also considered valid, and an abnormality notification is made at the timing when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means, similar to when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means during the execution of the power-on operation check.

Specifically, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in its ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the game mode after the power-on operation check is completed, then at the timing of the input of the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050, an abnormality notification caused by detection by the abnormality detection means is performed on the performance display device 1600 and on the various LEDs and speakers of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3).

In other words, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and a detection signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 from an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310), then the abnormality notification caused by the detection by the abnormality detection means is prioritized over the notification caused by the disconnected state due to the lack of an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR.

Therefore, in game modes where there is a high probability of disadvantages occurring due to fraudulent activity, if both detection by the anomaly detection means and a disconnected state (no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR) occur, the notification resulting from the detection by the anomaly detection means will be prioritized, thereby suppressing the occurrence of disadvantages.

As described above, in this example, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the combination of divided game boards 5A is determined to be in a compatible (matched) state, and after the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible in the ID determination process (step S1003), even if there is no input of an ID code signal from the divided game board 5AR thereafter, no notification (game board disconnection notification sound, disconnection error notification display, minor abnormality notification light display, etc.) corresponding to the disconnection state is not executed. However, the determination of whether the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible is not limited to when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, but the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may periodically (for example, each time the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing is executed) after power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started to determine whether the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible. In this case, since the system can notify the user when the ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR is not received after power supply to the pachinko machine 1 has started, thus preventing any disadvantages from occurring.

Furthermore, even if an ID determination process is performed periodically to determine whether the combination of split game boards 5A is compatible, the ID determination process may not be performed during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process. Similarly, even if the ID determination process is performed during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process and it determines that there is no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, indicating an unconnected state, the notification indicating that the right-side game board 5AR is unconnected may not be displayed during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the split game boards 5A is compatible, and the ID determination process is performed during the power-on operation check after the setting value confirmation display process or before the setting value confirmation display process starts, and it is determined that there is no connection due to the lack of an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, then, similar to the case where the system determines whether the combination of the split game boards 5A is compatible only when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1, the system may prioritize notification of detection by the abnormality detection means (the display device 1600, various speakers, and various LEDs on the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc.)) over notification of incompatible combination of split game boards 5A. The notification of incompatible combination of split game boards 5A may then be performed only after the notification of detection by the abnormality detection means has finished.

Furthermore, even if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the divided game board 5A is compatible, if an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, the detection may be considered invalid (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the process based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed). Therefore, even after the setting value confirmation display process, abnormality notification based on detection by the abnormality detection means during the setting value confirmation display process may not be executed.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the split game boards 5A is compatible, and the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected during the power-on operation check after the setting value confirmation display process, and an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full-tank detection sensor 154, ball-out detection sensor 574, door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality, the performance display device 1600, various speakers, and various LEDs on the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) may be configured to notify that an abnormality detection means has detected an abnormality, prioritizing this notification over notification that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected. The notification of the abnormality detection means detection may then be followed by notification that the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible.

Furthermore, in the power-on operation check performed after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process (after receiving the setting value confirmation display completion command from the main control MPU 1310a), not only is the power-on operation check not performed for the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on the right-side game board 5AR and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which are determined to be in an unconnected state, but the power-on operation check is also not performed for the movable body that performs the power-on operation check (the rear upper performance unit 320 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the split game board 5A). The drive motors and drive solenoids that drive the performance operation unit 301, which is located on the door frame unit and is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), are also configured not to perform an operation check when the power is turned on. (Examples include the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of unit 0, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, and the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 located on the door frame 3, etc.)

Specifically, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, then even if the power-on operation check is started, the control to illuminate the LEDs on the right-side game board 5AR (which was determined to be disconnected) in the same illumination pattern as during the power-on operation check, and the control to operate the movable parts in the same operation pattern as during the power-on operation check, will not be performed (no control signal will be output to the right-side game board 5AR) or it will not be possible to perform these actions (a control signal will be output, but no control signal will be input to the right-side game board 5AR). In addition, the control to drive the drive motor and drive solenoid provided on the plate unit 200 (in this example, the performance operation unit 300), which is provided on the door frame 3 and is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), and to operate the performance operation section 301 provided on the performance operation unit 300 will not be performed.

In other words, if the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, there is a risk that some or all of the movable parts provided on the door frame unit, which are not subject to ID determination, may also be disconnected. This could cause the control signal output from the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 to change into a different signal due to noise, potentially causing the movable parts to operate in an abnormal manner. Therefore, to prevent the movable parts of the right-side game board 5AR, which is determined to be disconnected, and the door frame unit, which is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), from being driven by the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, or some or all of the movable parts, are not driven. This prevents the movable parts from operating in an abnormal manner, which could lead to damage to the movable parts or door frame unit, or failure of the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc. that operate the movable parts.

Furthermore, as described above, the game board side component may be configured to include the game board 5 and a specific door frame unit among the door frame units. In this case, the specific door frame unit is subject to ID determination, and if it is determined to be in an unconnected state in the ID determination process (step S1003), then some or all of the movable parts that are provided on the door frame units that are not subject to ID determination (non-specific door frame units) and operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may also be deactivated. In addition to this, or separately, if there are multiple specific door frame units (for example, the right door frame) If, in the case of a side unit 430 and a door frame top unit 450, it is determined that a part of it (for example, one of the right side unit 430 and the door frame top unit 450) is not connected, then all movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on a specific door frame unit and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may be deactivated. Alternatively, all movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on all door frame units, including a specific door frame unit and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, may be deactivated.

On the other hand, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL, which is equipped with a peripheral control board 1510 on which a peripheral control IC 1510a that performs ID determination processing (step S1003) is mounted (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and the rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) operate in the same way as usual (when it is determined that the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible) when the operation check at power-on starts. Furthermore, the LEDs mounted on the circuit boards provided in the movable parts of the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided in the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) are not controlled to emit light in the same way as when the power is turned on and the operation is confirmed. In other words, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, all located on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A) are operated in the same manner as during the power-on operation check. However, the LEDs provided on the movable parts on the left-side game board 5AL are not controlled to emit light in the same manner as during the power-on operation check; instead, they remain off while operating in the same manner as during the power-on operation check. This makes it easy to identify the game board (in this case, the left-side game board 5AL) on which the peripheral control board 1510 of the divided game board 5A is located.

Furthermore, in this example, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not connected, the ID determination process (step S1003) does not control the drive motor or drive solenoid mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 of the door frame unit (plate unit 200 in this example), which is not subject to ID determination, to operate the performance operation unit 301. In addition, the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 are not controlled to emit light in the same manner as when the power is turned on and the operation is confirmed. In other words, if the power-on operation check is performed after the setting confirmation display process is completed, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not connected, then the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the performance operation unit 300 are controlled to emit light in either a serious abnormality notification mode caused by the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2, or a minor abnormality notification mode caused by the right-side game board 5AR being not connected. Furthermore, the performance control unit 300 may be a specific door frame unit targeted for ID determination. Even in this case, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that a specific door frame unit other than the performance control unit 300 or the right-side game board 5AR is not connected, the control to operate the performance control unit 301 by driving the drive motor or drive solenoid mounted on the circuit board of the performance control unit 300 will not be performed. Additionally, the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board of the performance control unit 300 may not be controlled to emit light in the same manner as during power-on operation confirmation, but rather to emit light in a manner indicating a serious malfunction due to the main frame 4 being open to the outer frame 2, or a manner indicating a minor malfunction due to the right-side game board 5AR being unconnected.

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, the right-side game board 5AR, which is determined to be disconnected, and some or all of the movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., which are provided on the door frame unit not subject to ID determination and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, may be kept from being driven until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off or until the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be suitable. In this case, the movable parts may operate in a manner different from their intended operation, preventing damage to the movable parts or the door frame unit, and preventing failure of the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc. that operate the movable parts.

Furthermore, the above example of setting changes and ID errors in the split game board involved a setting change process that clears all areas except a specific area from the entire RAM of the main control's built-in RAM. That is, it showed a process where, after the setting change process, the setting value change permission condition is met when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, and the process of clearing all areas except a specific area from the entire RAM of the main control's built-in RAM is executed. However, this is not the only example. Even in cases where the setting value change permission condition is not met when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on, and the process of clearing all areas except a specific area from the entire RAM of the main control's built-in RAM is performed, such as when the setting key is not inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a and the first ON operation is not performed, but only the press operation part of the RAM clear switch 1310f is pressed, the system may be controlled in the same state as the above example.

[Summary A]
A gaming machine comprising: a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main body frame provided on the outer frame so as to be openable and closable, and a door frame provided on the main body frame so as to be openable and closable; a game board side component detachably provided on the game frame side component; a lottery means for performing a lottery based on the fulfillment of lottery conditions; a setting determination state control means for controlling the lottery means to a setting determination state in which setting information related to the lottery can be determined; a performance control board for controlling the performance of the game; and a magnetic detection sensor capable of detecting magnetism, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component, The performance control board includes a disconnection notification means capable of notifying when the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected, and a magnetic detection abnormality notification means capable of notifying when the magnetic detection sensor detects magnetism. Even if the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected and the magnetic detection sensor detects magnetism within a predetermined period after the start of power supply to the game machine, the disconnection notification means and the magnetic detection abnormality notification means will not provide notification during the setting determination state.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment consists of a frame-shaped outer frame 2 installed on the island equipment (not shown) of a gaming hall, a door frame 3 that can open and close the front of the outer frame 2, and a main frame 4 that can open and close the door frame 3 and is also attached to the outer frame 2. The gaming frame side component includes a detachable split gaming board 5A, consisting of a left gaming board 5AL and a right gaming board 5AR.

Furthermore, the left-side game board 5AL is equipped with multiple magnetic sensors 1050 for detecting any improperly acting magnetism within the game area 5a. It also includes a main control board 1310 with a main control MPU 1310a, which serves as a lottery means for executing a win determination process (step S305) based on the entry of a game ball into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004, and a setting determination state control means for executing a setting change process to control the system to a setting determination state (the state from when the setting value change permission condition is met until the setting value change termination condition is met) where the setting values related to the lottery can be determined.

Furthermore, the system has the function of controlling the performance display device 1600, various speakers (top center speaker, top side speaker, main frame speaker of the main frame 4, etc.), various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3), various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, and various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR to execute game performances, and as an unconnected notification means, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right game board 5AR is in an unconnected state, the performance display device 1600 will display an unconnected error notification, or various speakers will output a game board unconnected notification sound, or the door frame unit (door frame left side provided on the door frame 3) The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control IC 1510a which has the following functions: controlling the illumination of various LEDs in the unit (such as the unit 420, the right side unit 430 of the door frame, the tray unit 200, and the top unit 450 of the door frame) to a minor abnormality notification illumination mode; and, as a magnetic detection abnormality notification means, receiving a magnetic fraud notification command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, which is classified as a notification display indicating that radio wave irradiation fraud is occurring, causing the performance display device 1600 to display a magnetic detection error notification mode, outputting a magnetic detection notification sound from various speakers, and controlling the illumination of various LEDs in the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420 of the door frame, the right side unit 430 of the door frame, the tray unit 200, and the top unit 450 of the door frame, etc., provided on the door frame 3) to a serious abnormality notification illumination mode.

Furthermore, even if the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not connected and the magnetic sensor 1050 is detecting magnetism during a predetermined period after the start of power supply to the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the period from when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started until the setting change process is started, the period from when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started until the setting change process is completed, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is configured not to issue notifications via the disconnection notification means and the magnetic detection abnormality notification means.

In other words, even if the magnetic sensor 1050 detects magnetism or the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not electrically connected before the setting change process starts or during the execution of the setting value change process, the situation is not such that the game can be started, so the risk of causing harm to the amusement parlor is low. Furthermore, the setting change process is performed based on the operation of the amusement parlor staff, and if a notification is issued by the disconnection notification means or the magnetic detection abnormality notification means while the setting change process has started and the operation to determine the setting value is being performed, attention may be diverted to the notification, potentially leading to an error in the setting value determination operation. If the setting value determination operation is incorrect and an unintended setting value is determined, it may cause harm to the amusement parlor and the players. According to the above invention, when the setting value change process is being executed, the operator can concentrate on the setting value determination operation, preventing the unintended setting value from being determined by mistake, and thus preventing harm to the amusement parlor and the players.

Furthermore, even if the magnetic sensor 1050 detects magnetism before the setting value change process starts or during the execution of the setting value change process, if the magnetism is no longer detected before the setting value change process ends, it means that the magnetism was detected only when the conditions were not suitable for starting the game, and the risk of causing harm to the amusement parlor is low. On the other hand, if the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not electrically connected before the setting value change process starts or during the execution of the setting value change process, there is a high possibility that the disconnection will continue even after the execution of the setting value change process. If the game starts in such a state, the game may proceed with behavior not intended by the designer, which could cause harm to the amusement parlor and the players. Therefore, if, within a predetermined period after the start of power supply to the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the period from the start of power supply to the pachinko machine 1 until the start of the setting change process, the period from the start of power supply to the pachinko machine 1 until the end of the setting change process, the period from the start of the setting change process until the end of the setting change process, etc.), the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not connected and the magnetic sensor 1050 detects magnetism, then after the end of the setting change process, only the disconnection notification means may be used to notify, or the notification by the disconnection notification means may be given priority over the notification by the magnetic detection abnormality notification means.

[Summary B]
A gaming machine comprising: a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main body frame provided on the outer frame so as to be openable and closable, and a door frame provided on the main body frame so as to be openable and closable; a game board side component detachably provided on the game frame side component; a lottery means for performing a lottery based on the fulfillment of lottery conditions; a setting determination state control means for controlling the lottery means to a setting determination state in which setting information related to the lottery can be determined; a performance control board for controlling the performance of the game; and a magnetic detection sensor capable of detecting magnetism, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component, and the performance control board is composed of the first game board side component and the second game board side component The system includes a connection determination means for determining whether or not a connection is made, a disconnection notification means that can notify when the connection determination means determines that the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected, and a magnetic detection abnormality notification means that can notify when the magnetic detection sensor detects magnetism. If the connection determination means determines that the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected, and the magnetic detection sensor detects magnetism within a specific period after the end of the setting determination state, then both the disconnection notification means and the magnetic detection abnormality notification means are limited in function to provide notification.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment consists of a frame-shaped outer frame 2 installed on the island equipment (not shown) of a gaming hall, a door frame 3 that can open and close the front of the outer frame 2, and a main frame 4 that can open and close the door frame 3 and is also attached to the outer frame 2. The gaming frame side component includes a detachable split gaming board 5A, consisting of a left gaming board 5AL and a right gaming board 5AR.

Furthermore, the left-side game board 5AL is equipped with multiple magnetic sensors 1050 for detecting any improperly acting magnetism within the game area 5a. It also includes a main control board 1310 with a main control MPU 1310a, which serves as a lottery means for executing a win determination process (step S305) based on the entry of a game ball into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004, and a setting determination state control means for executing a setting change process to control the system to a setting determination state (the state from when the setting value change permission condition is met until the setting value change termination condition is met) where the setting values related to the lottery can be determined.

Furthermore, the system has a function to control the performance display device 1600, various speakers (top center speaker, top side speakers, main frame speaker of the main frame 4, etc.), various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3), various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, and various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR to execute game performances; a connection determination means that performs an ID determination process (step S1003); and an unconnected notification means that, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right game board 5AR is in an unconnected state, the performance display device 1600 displays an unconnected error notification, outputs an unconnected game board notification sound from the various speakers, and the door frame unit The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control IC 1510a that has the following functions: controlling the illumination of various LEDs in the door frame units (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all located on the door frame 3) to a minor abnormality notification illumination mode; and, as a magnetic detection abnormality notification means, receiving a magnetic fraud notification command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, which is classified as a notification display indicating that radio wave irradiation fraud is occurring, causing the performance display device 1600 to display a magnetic detection error notification mode, outputting magnetic detection notification sounds from various speakers, and controlling the illumination of various LEDs in the door frame units (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all located on the door frame 3) to a major abnormality notification illumination mode.

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is in an unconnected state and is not electrically connected, and if, within a specific period after the setting change process (for example, within the execution period of the power-on operation check), the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 receives a magnetic cheating notification command, which is classified as a notification display indicating that radio wave irradiation cheating is being performed, based on a detection signal input from the magnetic sensor 1050, the performance display device 1600 displays an unconnected error notification display mode and a magnetic detection error notification mode, while not outputting game board unconnected notification sounds or magnetic detection notification sounds from the various speakers, and not controlling the illumination of the various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 etc. provided on the door frame 3) to a minor abnormality notification illumination mode or a major abnormality notification illumination mode. In other words, the notification is made by limiting some of the functions of the disconnection notification means and the magnetic detection anomaly notification means.

In other words, if the magnetic sensor 1050 detects magnetism within a specific period after the completion of the setting change process (for example, during the execution period of the power-on operation check), or if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not electrically connected, the situation is not such that the game can be started. Although there is little risk of the game shop suffering any loss, the remaining time until the situation is such that the game can be started is short. Therefore, a warning is issued only on the performance display device 1600, and warnings are not issued on the various speakers or the various LEDs on the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, the door frame right side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3). Furthermore, the power-on operation check is crucial for verifying whether the pachinko machine 1 operates as intended by the designer. However, if notifications are issued by the disconnection notification means or the magnetic detection anomaly notification means during this power-on operation check, attention may be diverted to these notifications, potentially causing abnormal behavior to be overlooked. Overlooking such abnormal behavior could result in disadvantages for the amusement parlor and players. According to the above invention, concentration on the power-on operation check is possible, preventing the overlooking of abnormal behavior and thus avoiding disadvantages for the amusement parlor and players.

Furthermore, if the notification period for the magnetic detection anomaly notification means remains after a specific period has elapsed following the completion of the setting change process (for example, the execution period for power-on operation checks), the restricted function may be released and notification may be performed. Also, while the detection of magnetism by the magnetic sensor 1050 may indicate that fraudulent activity directly related to the prize payout of game balls is occurring, the possibility of fraudulent activity directly related to the prize payout of game balls is low when the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not electrically connected. Therefore, in this case, the restricted function of the magnetic detection anomaly notification means may be released and notification may be performed, while the unconnected notification means may remain restricted. After the notification period for the magnetic detection anomaly notification means has elapsed, the restricted function of the unconnected notification means may be released and notification may be performed. In other words, notification by the magnetic detection anomaly notification means may be given priority over notification by the unconnected notification means.

[Summary C]
A gaming machine comprising: a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main body frame provided to the outer frame so as to be openable and closable, and a door frame provided to the main body frame so as to be openable and closable; a game board side component detachably provided to the game frame side component; a lottery means for performing a lottery based on the fulfillment of lottery conditions; a setting confirmation state control means for controlling the lottery means to a setting confirmation state in which setting information related to the lottery can be confirmed; a performance control board for controlling the performance of the game; and a magnetic detection sensor capable of detecting magnetism, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component. Furthermore, the performance control board includes a disconnection notification means capable of notifying when the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected, and a magnetic detection abnormality notification means capable of notifying when the magnetic detection sensor detects magnetism. Even if the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected and the magnetic sensor detects magnetism within a predetermined period after the start of power supply, the disconnection notification means and the magnetic detection abnormality notification means will not provide notification during the setting confirmation state.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment consists of a frame-shaped outer frame 2 installed on the island equipment (not shown) of a gaming hall, a door frame 3 that can open and close the front of the outer frame 2, and a main frame 4 that can open and close the door frame 3 and is also attached to the outer frame 2. The gaming frame side component includes a detachable split gaming board 5A, consisting of a left gaming board 5AL and a right gaming board 5AR.

Furthermore, the left-side game board 5AL is equipped with multiple magnetic sensors 1050 for detecting any improperly acting magnetism within the game area 5a. It also includes a main control board 1310 with a main control MPU 1310a, which serves as a lottery means for executing a win determination process (step S305) based on the entry of a game ball into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004, and a setting confirmation state control means for executing a setting confirmation display process to control the system to a setting confirmation state (the state from when the setting value display permission condition is met until the setting value display termination condition is met) where the setting values related to the lottery can be confirmed.

Furthermore, the system has the function of controlling the performance display device 1600, various speakers (top center speaker, top side speaker, main frame speaker of the main frame 4, etc.), various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3), various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, and various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR to execute game performances, and as an unconnected notification means, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right game board 5AR is in an unconnected state, the performance display device 1600 will display an unconnected error notification, or various speakers will output a game board unconnected notification sound, or the door frame unit (door frame left side provided on the door frame 3) The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control IC 1510a which has the following functions: controlling the illumination of various LEDs in the unit (such as the unit 420, the right side unit 430 of the door frame, the tray unit 200, and the top unit 450 of the door frame) to a minor abnormality notification illumination mode; and, as a magnetic detection abnormality notification means, receiving a magnetic fraud notification command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, which is classified as a notification display indicating that radio wave irradiation fraud is occurring, causing the performance display device 1600 to display a magnetic detection error notification mode, outputting a magnetic detection notification sound from various speakers, and controlling the illumination of various LEDs in the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420 of the door frame, the right side unit 430 of the door frame, the tray unit 200, and the top unit 450 of the door frame, etc., provided on the door frame 3) to a serious abnormality notification illumination mode.

Furthermore, even if the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not connected and the magnetic sensor 1050 is detecting magnetism during a predetermined period after the start of power supply to the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the period from when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started until the start of the setting value confirmation display process, the period from when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started until the end of the setting value confirmation display process, the period from when the setting value confirmation display process is started until the end of the setting value confirmation display process, etc.), the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is configured not to issue notifications via the disconnection notification means and the magnetic detection abnormality notification means.

In other words, even if the magnetic sensor 1050 detects magnetism or the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not electrically connected before the setting value confirmation display process starts or during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, the situation is not such that the game can be started, so the risk of harm to the amusement parlor is low. Furthermore, the setting value confirmation display process is performed based on the operation of the amusement parlor staff, and if a notification is issued by the disconnection notification means or the magnetic detection abnormality notification means while the setting value confirmation display process is started and the operation to determine the setting value is being performed, attention may be diverted to the notification, potentially leading to an error in confirming the setting value. If the setting value is incorrectly confirmed and a setting value different from the intended one is recognized, it may cause harm to the amusement parlor and the player. According to the above invention, when the setting value confirmation display process is being executed, it is possible to concentrate on confirming the setting value, preventing the recognition of an incorrect setting value, and thus avoiding harm to the amusement parlor and the player.

Furthermore, even if the magnetic sensor 1050 detects magnetism before the setting value confirmation display process starts or during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, if the magnetism is no longer detected before the end of the setting value confirmation display process, it means that the magnetism was detected only when the conditions were not right for the game to start, and there is little risk of causing harm to the amusement parlor. On the other hand, if the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not electrically connected before the setting value confirmation display process starts or during the execution of the setting value confirmation display process, there is a high possibility that the disconnection will continue even after the execution of the setting value confirmation display process. If the game starts in such a state, the game may proceed with behavior not intended by the designer, which could cause harm to the amusement parlor and the players. Therefore, if, within a predetermined period after the start of power supply to the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the period from the start of power supply to the pachinko machine 1 until the start of the setting value confirmation display process, the period from the start of power supply to the pachinko machine 1 until the end of the setting value confirmation display process, the period from the start of the setting value confirmation display process until the end of the setting value confirmation display process, etc.), and the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not connected, and the magnetic sensor 1050 is detecting magnetism, then after the end of the setting value confirmation display process, only notification by the disconnection notification means may be performed, or notification by the disconnection notification means may be given priority over notification by the magnetic detection abnormality notification means.

[Summary D]
A gaming machine comprising: a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main frame that can be opened and closed on the outer frame, and a door frame that can be opened and closed on the main frame; a game board side component detachably provided on the game frame side component; a lottery means for performing a lottery based on the fulfillment of lottery conditions; a setting confirmation state control means for controlling the lottery means to a setting confirmation state in which setting information related to the lottery can be confirmed; a performance control board for controlling the performance of the game; and a magnetic detection sensor capable of detecting magnetism, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component, and the performance control board is connected to the first game board side component and the second game board side component. The system includes a connection determination means for determining whether or not a connection is made, a disconnection notification means that can notify when the connection determination means determines that the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected, and a magnetic detection abnormality notification means that can notify when the magnetic detection sensor detects magnetism. If the connection determination means determines that the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected, and the magnetic detection sensor detects magnetism within a specific period after the end of the setting confirmation state, the function of the disconnection notification means is restricted to provide notification, while the function of the magnetic abnormality notification means is not restricted to provide notification.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment consists of a frame-shaped outer frame 2 installed on the island equipment (not shown) of a gaming hall, a door frame 3 that can open and close the front of the outer frame 2, and a main frame 4 that can open and close the door frame 3 and is also attached to the outer frame 2. The gaming frame side component includes a detachable split gaming board 5A, consisting of a left gaming board 5AL and a right gaming board 5AR.

Furthermore, the left-side game board 5AL is equipped with multiple magnetic sensors 1050 for detecting any improperly acting magnetism within the game area 5a. It also includes a main control board 1310 with a main control MPU 1310a, which serves as a lottery means for executing a win determination process (step S305) based on the entry of a game ball into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004, and a setting confirmation state control means for executing a setting confirmation display process to control the system to a setting confirmation state (the state from when the setting value display permission condition is met until the setting value display termination condition is met) where the setting values related to the lottery can be confirmed.

Furthermore, the system has a function to control the performance display device 1600, various speakers (top center speaker, top side speakers, main frame speaker of the main frame 4, etc.), various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3), various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, and various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR to execute game performances; a connection determination means that performs an ID determination process (step S1003); and an unconnected notification means that, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right game board 5AR is in an unconnected state, the performance display device 1600 displays an unconnected error notification, outputs an unconnected game board notification sound from the various speakers, and the door frame unit The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control IC 1510a that has the following functions: controlling the illumination of various LEDs in the door frame units (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all located on the door frame 3) to a minor abnormality notification illumination mode; and, as a magnetic detection abnormality notification means, receiving a magnetic fraud notification command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, which is classified as a notification display indicating that radio wave irradiation fraud is occurring, causing the performance display device 1600 to display a magnetic detection error notification mode, outputting magnetic detection notification sounds from various speakers, and controlling the illumination of various LEDs in the door frame units (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all located on the door frame 3) to a major abnormality notification illumination mode.

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, and within a specific period after the setting value confirmation display process (for example, within the execution period of the power-on operation check), a detection signal is input from the magnetic sensor 1050, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 sends a magnetic cheating notification command to the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which is classified as a notification display indicating that radio wave irradiation cheating is being performed. When a signal is received, the display device 1600 displays both a disconnection error notification and a magnetic detection error notification. However, the various speakers only output a magnetic detection notification sound, without outputting a disconnection notification sound for the game board. Furthermore, the various LEDs on the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) are controlled to emit light only in a severe abnormality notification mode, without controlling them to emit light in a minor abnormality notification mode. In other words, the disconnection notification means emits a notification with some of its functions restricted, while the magnetic detection abnormality notification means emits a notification without any function restrictions.

In other words, if the magnetic sensor 1050 detects magnetism within a specific period after the completion of the setting value confirmation display process (for example, within the execution period of the power-on operation check), or if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not electrically connected, the game cannot be started. Although the risk of loss to the amusement parlor is low, the remaining time until the game can be started is short, and if the magnetic sensor 1050 detects magnetism, it could be considered fraudulent activity directly related to the prize balls awarded. While there is a possibility that fraudulent activity is taking place, if the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not electrically connected, the likelihood of fraudulent activity directly affecting the prize payout is low. Therefore, while warnings are issued by both the disconnection notification means and the magnetic detection anomaly notification means, the magnetic detection anomaly notification means, which notifies of the possibility of fraudulent activity directly affecting the prize payout, is not restricted in its function. In other words, the notification by the magnetic detection anomaly notification means is given priority over the notification by the disconnection notification means.

Furthermore, since power-on operation verification is crucial for confirming whether the pachinko machine 1 operates as intended by the designer, it may be possible to perform power-on operation verification with some functions restricted even when a magnetic detection anomaly notification is being issued. For example, the LEDs may be controlled to emit light in the manner specified during power-on operation verification, while the movable parts may not be operated in the manner specified during power-on operation verification. Alternatively, the movable parts may be operated in the manner specified during power-on operation verification, while the LEDs may not be controlled to emit light in the manner specified during power-on operation verification. This allows for the execution of power-on operation verification, even with some functions restricted, thereby preventing the oversight of abnormal behavior and avoiding disadvantages to amusement parlors and players.

[Summary E]
A gaming machine comprising: a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main body frame provided to the outer frame so as to be openable and closable, and a door frame provided to the main body frame so as to be openable and closable; a game board side component detachably provided to the game frame side component; a light-emitting unit capable of emitting light in a predetermined light-emitting manner; a sound output unit capable of producing a predetermined sound output; and a performance control board for controlling the performance of the game, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component, and the performance control board notifies of a specific light-emitting unit among the light-emitting units when the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected. The system includes a disconnection notification means capable of emitting light in a specific mode and outputting a disconnection notification sound from the sound output unit, a volume changing means capable of changing the volume of the sound output unit in response to a first operation, and a brightness changing means capable of changing the brightness of the specific light-emitting unit in response to a second operation. When the disconnection notification means is outputting the disconnection notification sound, the volume of the disconnection notification sound can be changed in response to the first operation. On the other hand, when the specific light-emitting unit is emitting light in the disconnection notification mode, even if the second operation is performed, the brightness of the disconnection notification mode will not be changed and the unit will emit light at a constant brightness.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment consists of a frame-shaped outer frame 2 installed on the island equipment (not shown) of a gaming hall, a door frame 3 that can open and close the front of the outer frame 2, and a main frame 4 that can open and close the door frame 3 and is also attached to the outer frame 2. The gaming frame side component includes a detachable split gaming board 5A, consisting of a left gaming board 5AL and a right gaming board 5AR.

Furthermore, the left-side game board 5AL is equipped with multiple magnetic sensors 1050 for detecting magnetic fields acting improperly within the game area 5a. It also features various LEDs as light-emitting elements in the door frame unit (including the left-side door frame unit 420, right-side door frame unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, all located on the door frame 3), various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the left-side game board 5AL, and various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the right-side game board 5AR. It also includes various speakers as sound output elements (such as the top center speaker, top side speakers, and the main frame speaker on the main frame 4).

Furthermore, the system has the function of controlling the performance display device 1600, various speakers (top center speaker, top side speaker, main frame speaker of the main frame 4, etc.), various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3), various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, and various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR to execute game performances. As a means of notifying disconnected, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right game board 5AR is in a disconnected state, the performance display device 1600 will display a disconnected error notification, or various speakers will output a game board disconnected notification sound, or the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 4 provided on the door frame 3) will be used as a specific light-emitting part. The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control IC 1510a which has the following functions: 20. A function to control the illumination of various LEDs in the door frame right side unit 430, the tray unit 200, and the door frame top unit 450, etc., to a minor abnormality notification illumination pattern; a function to adjust the volume of various speakers (top center speaker, top side speaker, and main frame speaker of the main frame 4, etc.) in response to the operation of the volume adjustment button 227 as a volume adjustment means; and a function to adjust the brightness of various LEDs in the door frame units (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3), various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, and various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, in response to the operation of the light intensity adjustment button 228 as a brightness adjustment means.

Furthermore, when a game board disconnection notification sound is output from various speakers, the volume of the game board disconnection notification sound can be changed by operating the volume adjustment button 227. However, if the various LEDs of the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, all located on the door frame 3) are controlled to emit light in a minor abnormality notification mode, even if the light intensity adjustment button 228 is operated, the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, all located on the door frame 3) will emit light at a predetermined constant brightness without changing its brightness.

In other words, even when the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not electrically connected, the volume of the game board disconnection notification sound output from the various speakers can be adjusted. However, the brightness of the minor abnormality notification flashing patterns of the various LEDs on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 6 nit 200, and door frame top unit 450, all located on the door frame 3) cannot be changed. This prevents excessive discomfort to the player, while allowing the player to be aware that the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not electrically connected through the flashing pattern control of the minor abnormality notification flashing patterns of the various LEDs on the door frame unit.

[Summary F]
A gaming machine comprising: a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main frame that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a door frame that is openable and closable on the main frame; a game board side component that is detachably provided on the game frame side component; a lottery means that performs a lottery based on the fulfillment of lottery conditions; a setting determination state control means that controls the lottery means to a setting determination state in which setting information related to the lottery can be determined; and a performance control board that controls the performance of the game, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component, and the performance control board is composed of the first game board side component The system includes a connection determination means for determining whether the first game board side component and the second game board side component are connected, and a disconnection notification means that can notify when the connection determination means determines that the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected, wherein the disconnection notification means can notify at a first timing after the end of the setting determination state, and can notify at a second timing later than the first timing, which is stronger than the first notification.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment consists of a frame-shaped outer frame 2 installed on the island equipment (not shown) of a gaming hall, a door frame 3 that can open and close the front of the outer frame 2, and a main frame 4 that can open and close the door frame 3 and is also attached to the outer frame 2. The gaming frame side component includes a detachable split gaming board 5A, consisting of a left gaming board 5AL and a right gaming board 5AR.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 includes a main control MPU 1310a which serves as a lottery means for executing a win determination process (step S305) based on the entry of a game ball into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004, and a setting determination state control means for executing a setting change process to control the system to a setting determination state (the state from when the setting value change permission condition is met until the setting value change termination condition is met) in which the setting values related to the lottery can be determined.

Furthermore, the system has a function to control the performance display device 1600, various speakers (top center speaker, top side speakers, main frame speaker of the main frame 4, etc.), various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3), various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, and various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR to execute game performances, and a connection determination means that performs ID determination processing (step S1003). The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control IC 1510a that has the following functions: displaying a disconnection error notification on the performance display device 1600 when the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected; outputting a game board disconnection notification sound from various speakers; and controlling the illumination of various LEDs on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all provided on the door frame 3) to a minor abnormality notification illumination mode.

Then, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, at the first timing after the setting change process (for example, when the power-on operation check starts), the display device 1600 will display a disconnection error notification, while the various speakers will not output a game board disconnection notification sound. Without controlling the illumination of the various LEDs (such as the 450) to a minor abnormality notification pattern, at a second timing after the setting change process (for example, when the power-on operation check is completed), the display device 1600 displays a disconnection error notification pattern, outputs a disconnection notification sound from the various speakers, and controls the illumination of the various LEDs of the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all provided on the door frame 3) to a minor abnormality notification pattern.

In other words, if it is determined that the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR are not electrically connected after the setting change process is completed, the game cannot be started, and therefore the risk of loss to the pachinko parlor is low. However, because the remaining time until the game can be started is short, a first notification is issued at the first timing, only on the performance display device 1600, to warn the user. The various speakers and LEDs on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame, which are provided on the door frame 3) do not warn the user. Furthermore, the power-on operation check is important for confirming whether the pachinko machine 1 operates as intended by the designer. If a notification is issued by the disconnection notification means during the execution of this power-on operation check, the user's attention may be drawn to the notification, and if abnormal behavior occurs that is different from the normal behavior, there is a risk of missing the abnormal behavior. Overlooking unusual behavior could result in disadvantages for both the amusement parlor and the players. According to the above invention, it is possible to concentrate on checking the operation at power-on, thus preventing the oversight of abnormal behavior and avoiding disadvantages for the amusement parlor and the players.

Furthermore, if the connection status does not improve after the first timing using the display of the performance display device 1600 to issue a warning, a second notification is issued at the second timing, using the display of the performance display device 1600 in addition to the output of various speakers and the illumination of various LEDs on the door frame unit. This allows the notification to be gradually strengthened according to the degree of risk of harm, thereby suppressing the occurrence of harm. In other words, when the situation is not such that gameplay can begin (e.g., during power-on operation checks), the risk of harm to the arcade is low, so a first notification is issued using only the performance display device 1600. When the situation is such that gameplay can begin (e.g., after power-on operation checks are completed), the risk of harm to the arcade is high, so a second notification is issued using multiple notification means (performance means), including the display of the performance display device 1600 in addition to the output of various speakers and the illumination of various LEDs on the door frame unit. This allows the notification to be gradually strengthened to issue a warning, thereby suppressing the occurrence of harm.

[Summary G]
A gaming machine comprising: a game frame side component having an outer frame, a main body frame provided to the outer frame so as to be openable and closable, and a door frame provided to the main body frame so as to be openable and closable; a game board side component detachably provided to the game frame side component; a lottery means for performing a lottery based on the fulfillment of lottery conditions; a setting determination state control means for controlling the lottery means to a setting determination state in which setting information related to the lottery can be determined; a light-emitting unit capable of emitting light in a predetermined light-emitting manner; a display unit capable of displaying an image; a movable unit that operates in a predetermined manner; and a performance control board that controls the light-emitting unit, the display unit and the movable unit, wherein the game board side component is composed of a first game board side component and a second game board side component, and the performance control board is composed of the first game board side component and the second game board side component The system includes connection determination means for determining whether or not the first game board side component and the second game board side component are connected, unconnected notification means which can display a notification display mode on the display unit when the connection determination means determines that the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected, and can also make a specific light-emitting unit among the light-emitting units emit light in a notification emission mode, and drive control means which can operate the movable unit in a specific mode after the end of the setting determination state, wherein when the connection determination means determines that the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected, the notification display mode is displayed while the movable unit is operating in the specific mode, while the notification emission mode is not emitted while the movable unit is operating in the specific mode.

Specifically, for example, the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment consists of a frame-shaped outer frame 2 installed on the island equipment (not shown) of a gaming hall, a door frame 3 that can open and close the front of the outer frame 2, and a main frame 4 that can open and close the door frame 3 and is also attached to the outer frame 2. The gaming frame side component includes a detachable split gaming board 5A, consisting of a left gaming board 5AL and a right gaming board 5AR.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 is equipped with a main control MPU 1310a which serves as a lottery means that performs a win determination process (step S305) based on the entry of a game ball into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004, and a setting determination state control means that performs a setting change process to control the system to a setting determination state (the state from when the setting value change permission condition is met until the setting value change termination condition is met) in which setting values related to the lottery can be determined. Furthermore, the light-emitting section includes various LEDs in the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame, all provided on the door frame 3), various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board provided on the left game board 5AL, and various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board provided on the right game board 5AR. The display section includes a performance display device, and the movable section includes movable bodies provided on the left game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, all provided on the left game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A).

Furthermore, the following LEDs are mounted on the decorative circuit board provided on the left game board 5AL, and on the decorative circuit board provided on the right game board 5AR, and on the left game board 5AL The system has a function to control movable parts (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and the rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, which are located on the left side of the divided game board 5AL, to execute game effects, a function to execute an ID determination process (step S1003) as a connection determination means, and an ID determination process as an unconnected notification means In step S1003, if it is determined that the right-side game board 5AR is not connected, the display device 1600 will display a disconnection error notification, output a game board disconnection notification sound from various speakers, and control the illumination of various LEDs on the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) to a minor abnormality notification illumination mode, and after the setting change process is completed, The peripheral control board 1510 includes a peripheral control IC 1510a that has the function of operating the movable parts provided on the left game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and the rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, which are provided on the left game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A) in the operating mode when the power is turned on and operation is confirmed.

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and the rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, all located on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A) are operated in the same manner as during the power-on operation check. During this period, the display device 1600 displays a disconnection error notification, while the various LEDs on the door frame unit are not controlled to emit light in a minor abnormality notification mode.

In other words, the power-on operation check is crucial for verifying whether the pachinko machine 1 operates as intended by the designer. However, if an unconnected notification is issued during this power-on operation check, attention may be diverted to the notification, potentially causing an abnormal behavior to be overlooked. Overlooking such abnormal behavior could result in disadvantages for the amusement parlor and players. According to the above invention, concentration on the power-on operation check is possible, preventing the overlooking of abnormal behavior and thus avoiding disadvantages for the amusement parlor and players.

Furthermore, as part of the operation mode during power-on operation check, some or all of the movable parts provided on the left game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and the rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, etc., provided on the left game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A) may be exposed in front of the performance display device 1600. In this case, it becomes easier to notice the disconnection error notification displayed on the performance display device 1600.

[Summary H]
A game frame side component having an outer frame (for example, outer frame 2), a main frame (for example, main frame 4) that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a door frame (for example, door frame 3) that is openable and closable on the main frame,
A game board component (for example, a divided game board 5A) is detachably attached to the game frame component,
A special state generating means (the part of the main control MPU 1310a that executes the RAM clear process (step S38)) is provided, which can generate a special state (a state in which the RAM clear process (step S38) and power-on operation check are performed) based on a predetermined special operation (an operation that satisfies the conditions for executing the initialization process),
A gaming machine equipped with,
The game board side component comprises a first game board side component (for example, the left game board 5AL) and a second game board side component (for example, the right game board 5AR), each individually fixed to the game frame side component.
The system includes notification means (for example, one or any combination of several (including all) of the following: various speakers, a performance display device 1600, various LEDs, etc.) that can notify when the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected.
The notification means is,
Static notifications whose notification method does not change over time (for example, output sounds from various speakers with constant pitch and volume, fixed notification displays on the performance display device 1600, and light emission from various LEDs with constant light intensity and color),
It is possible to implement dynamic notifications in which the notification method changes over time (for example, output sounds from various speakers that change pitch and volume, notification displays in the performance display device 1600 that change content, and light emission from various LEDs that changes light intensity and color),
When the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected, static notification may be performed during the special state, and static and dynamic notification may be performed after the special state.
It is characterized by the following:
By configuring it in this way, static notifications are made during the special state to prevent interference with work performed during the special state, and dynamic notifications are made after the special state is over to easily alert users that the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected.

Furthermore, the system includes display means (e.g., a performance display device 1600) and sound output means (e.g., various speakers) or light-emitting means (e.g., various LEDs),
The notification means may perform static notification by displaying still image information on the display means, and dynamic notification by outputting a notification sound with at least a change in volume from the sound output means, or by emitting a notification light with at least a change in light intensity from the light emission means.
By configuring it in this way, still image information is displayed so as not to interfere with work in special conditions, and after the special condition is gone, the notification sound output from the sound output means and the light emitted from the light emission means make it easy to notice that the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected.

Furthermore, the special state may be configured to terminate automatically (without requiring any specific operation) after a certain period of time. This configuration eliminates the need for unnecessary operations such as terminating the special state, thereby reducing the effort required during the special state in a gaming facility with multiple pachinko machines 1, and shortening the time spent on tasks during the special state.

Furthermore, the pachinko machine 1 may also have an operating unit (operation confirmation switch 1310j) provided on the rear side that can receive predetermined operations, and the special state may be generated in response to operations on this operating unit. This configuration allows the special state to be generated when the operating unit, which is difficult for the player to operate, is operated, thereby suppressing the unnecessary generation of the special state.

[Summary I]
A game frame side component having an outer frame (for example, outer frame 2), a main frame (for example, main frame 4) that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a door frame (for example, door frame 3) that is openable and closable on the main frame,
A game board component (for example, a divided game board 5A) is detachably attached to the game frame component,
The game frame side components include game frame side display means (for example, various speakers (top center speaker, top side speaker, main frame speaker of the main frame 4, etc.), various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3),
The game board side components include game board side display means (for example, a display device 1600, various LEDs mounted on a decorative circuit board provided on the left game board 5AL, etc.),
The game frame-side performance means and the game board-side performance means are controlled by performance control means (for example, peripheral control IC 1510a),
A special state generating means (the part of the main control MPU 1310a that performs the RAM clear process (step S38)) capable of generating a special state (a state in which the RAM clear process (step S38) and power-on operation check are performed) based on a predetermined special operation,
A gaming machine equipped with,
The game board side component comprises a first game board side component (for example, the left game board 5AL) and a second game board side component (for example, the right game board 5AR), each individually fixed to the game frame side component.
The aforementioned performance control means is
When the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected, the game frame side display means is caused to output a game frame side notification mode (for example, a minor abnormality notification light emission mode), and the game board side display means is caused to output a game board side notification mode (for example, a disconnection error notification display mode in the display device 1600).
If the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected during the special state, the game board side display means will output the game board side notification mode, but the game frame side display means will not output the game frame side notification mode.
It is characterized by the following:
By configuring the system in this way, during a special state, the game board-side display means outputs the game board-side notification mode, but the game frame-side display means does not output the game frame-side notification mode, thereby preventing interference with tasks and other activities during the special state.

Furthermore, the performance control means is characterized in that it can cause the game frame side performance means to output a game frame side notification mode after the special state is reached.
By configuring it in this way, after a special state, the game frame side display means can output a game frame side notification mode, making it easy to notice that the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected.

Furthermore, the game board-side presentation means includes a display means (for example, a presentation display device 1600),
The aforementioned game frame-side performance means includes sound output means (e.g., various speakers) or light emission means (e.g., various LEDs),
The performance control means may, if the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected during the special state, cause the display means to display the game board side notification mode, but not cause the sound output means and the light-emitting means to output the game frame side notification mode.
By configuring the system in this way, the display means shows the game board side notification pattern so as not to interfere with work in special conditions, and after the special condition is gone, the sound output means and light output means output the game frame side notification pattern, making it easy to notice that the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected.

Furthermore, the special state may be configured to terminate automatically (without requiring any specific operation) after a certain period of time. This configuration eliminates the need for unnecessary operations such as terminating the special state, thereby reducing the effort required during the special state in a gaming facility with multiple pachinko machines 1, and shortening the time spent on tasks during the special state.

Furthermore, the pachinko machine 1 may also have an operating unit (operation confirmation switch 1310j) provided on the rear side that can receive predetermined operations, and the special state may be generated in response to operations on this operating unit. This configuration allows the special state to be generated when the operating unit, which is difficult for the player to operate, is operated, thereby suppressing the unnecessary generation of the special state.

[Summary J]
A gaming machine comprising a game frame (for example, a main frame 4) and a game board (for example, a divided game board 5A),
The aforementioned gaming machine has a first gaming machine state in which the game performance of the gaming machine can be determined (for example, a state in which a setting change process (step S37) is performed),
A second game machine state in which it is possible to play games and which is capable of outputting a specific sound (for example, a RAM clear notification sound) by sound notification means (for example, various speakers (top center speaker, top side speaker, main frame speaker of main frame 4, etc.)) (for example, a state in which the RAM clear process (step S38) and power-on operation check are performed),
The machine has a third game machine state in which it is possible to play games (for example, a state in which the game mode is executed after the completion of the RAM clear process (step S38) and the power-on operation check),
The game board comprises a first game board side component (for example, the left game board 5AL) and a second game board side component (for example, the right game board 5AR),
It is possible to transition from the first gaming machine state to the second gaming machine state, and further, it is possible to transition from the second gaming machine state to the third gaming machine state, and each gaming machine state does not reverse.
The first game board component and the second game board component are each individually fixed to the game frame.
The first game board component consists of multiple boards, including a performance control board (e.g., performance control board 1510) equipped with a microprocessor (e.g., peripheral control IC 1510a) that performs game performances.
The second game board component includes a specific circuit board that does not have a microprocessor (for example, a circuit board on which an ID output circuit IDC is mounted),
The aforementioned specific circuit board is provided with an eigenvalue that allows it to be identified as a component of the second game board (for example, an eigenvalue that allows it to be identified as the right-side game board 5AR),
When the first game board component fails to receive the eigenvalue transmitted from the second game board component, resulting in an eigenvalue error state,
In the first gaming machine state, no error notification corresponding to the eigenvalue error state is given.
In the second gaming machine state, error notification corresponding to the eigenvalue error state is performed, but error notification by the sound notification means is not performed.
In the third gaming machine state, error notification corresponding to the eigenvalue error state is performed, including error notification by the sound notification means.
It is characterized by the following:
By configuring the system in this way, during the first game machine state in which the game performance of the game machine can be determined, error notifications corresponding to eigenvalue error states are not made to avoid interfering with the determination process. During the second game state in which a specific sound is output by the sound notification means, error notifications by the sound notification means are not made to avoid interfering with the process of confirming whether the sound notification means is functioning correctly. During the third game state in which neither the determination of the game performance of the game machine nor the confirmation of the sound notification means is performed, error notifications corresponding to eigenvalue error states are made, including error notifications by the sound notification means, to prevent overlooking eigenvalue error states.

Furthermore, the performance control board may include an eigenvalue transmission means for transmitting the eigenvalues as signals from the specific board, and may be capable of comparing the eigenvalues transmitted from the eigenvalue transmission means with the eigenvalues it possesses.
By configuring it in this way, the performance control board can determine whether or not an eigenvalue error state is occurring and issue an error notification.

[Pachinko machine confirmation mode]
Next, a modified example will be described for controlling the transition to a confirmation mode to verify whether various functions and operations of the pachinko machine 1 are normal or possible. Figure 341 is a schematic diagram of the main control board 1310 in the modified example, and Figure 342 is an example of the behavior when the split game board 5A, which consists of a left game board 5AL and a right game board 5AR as a combination of split game boards 5A, is controlled to transition to confirmation mode when it is in a state of compatibility (matching). In the following, only the parts that differ from the above embodiment will be described, and redundant explanations will not be given.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this example, as shown in Figure 341, an operation confirmation switch 1310j with a pressable operation part is located near the center of the lower edge of the main control board 1310 on the back side of the pachinko machine 1, and can only be operated by staff of the gaming hall. When the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage, if the "confirmation mode transition conditions" are met, the machine is controlled to transition to confirmation mode. The "confirmation mode transition conditions" described above may be that the pressable operation part of the operation confirmation switch 1310j is operated, or that in addition to the pressable operation part of the operation confirmation switch 1310j being operated, the main body frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2, or that in addition to the pressable operation part of the operation confirmation switch 1310j being operated and the main body frame 4 being open to the outer frame 2, the main body frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2 and the setting key switch 1311a is set to ON. In other words, the system may be able to transition to confirmation mode when the "confirmation mode transition condition" is met, such as when the operation confirmation switch 1310j is pressed during power-on or power restoration after a power outage. Alternatively, the system may be able to transition to confirmation mode when the "confirmation mode transition condition" is met, such as when the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 and the operation confirmation switch 1310j is pressed. Furthermore, the system may be able to transition to confirmation mode when the "confirmation mode transition condition" is met, such as when the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key is inserted into the setting key cylinder socket of the setting key switch 1311a, the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to perform the first ON operation, thereby setting the setting key switch 1311a to ON, and the operation confirmation switch 1310j is pressed.

Furthermore, in this example, the confirmation mode includes an external terminal board output confirmation mode for checking whether the output to the external terminal board 558 is normal, and various operating parts provided on the front side of the pachinko machine 1 (operating parts such as the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300, volume control button 227, light intensity adjustment button 228, etc.), various LEDs provided on the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR, and door frame units (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200 and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3, etc.). The system can be controlled to switch to an operation check mode to verify whether some or all of the various LEDs, speakers, movable parts on the left-side game board 5AL (the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160), and various movable parts on the door frame 3 (the performance operation section 301 of the performance operation unit 300), etc., are functioning correctly.

In this example, the transition conditions for the external terminal board output confirmation mode and the operation confirmation mode are different. Specifically, when the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage, if the "first confirmation mode transition condition" is met, namely that the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, the setting key switch 1311a is set to ON, and the press operation part of the operation confirmation switch 1310j is operated, the system is controlled to transition to the external terminal board output confirmation mode. When the pachinko machine 1 is powered on or when power is restored after a power outage, if the "second confirmation mode transition condition" is met, namely that the main body frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2, and the press operation part of the operation confirmation switch 1310j is operated, the system is controlled to transition to the operation confirmation mode. In addition, in this example, the system is always controlled to transition to the operation confirmation mode after transitioning to the external terminal board output confirmation mode. In other words, if the "first confirmation mode transition condition" is met, the system sequentially transitions to the external terminal board output confirmation mode and then to the operation confirmation mode. If the "second confirmation mode transition condition" is met, the system transitions only to the operation confirmation mode. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to shut off the power to the pachinko machine 1 after the external terminal board output confirmation mode and then restore power when the "second confirmation mode transition condition" is met, thus preventing deterioration of work efficiency. Furthermore, since the operation confirmation mode automatically terminates after a certain period, unnecessary operations such as ending the operation confirmation mode are unnecessary even if there is no need to transition to the operation confirmation mode.

Furthermore, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage, the "first confirmation mode transition condition" is met, which is that the main body frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2, the setting key switch 1311a is turned ON, and the press operation part of the operation confirmation switch 1310j is operated. This triggers a transition to the external terminal board output confirmation mode. Subsequently, the "external terminal board output confirmation mode termination condition" is met, which is that the setting key cylinder is rotated 60 degrees clockwise to return the setting key switch 1311a from its rotational position where the setting key switch 1311a was turned ON to its original position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF), thereby turning the setting key switch 1311a OFF. This triggers the termination of the external terminal board output confirmation mode. In other words, the system is designed to switch to the external terminal board output confirmation mode in response to an operation by a manager or other administrator of the gaming hall, and then to terminate the external terminal board output confirmation mode and start the operation confirmation mode in response to an operation by a manager or other administrator of the gaming hall while in the external terminal board output confirmation mode.

Here, the installation locations of the pachinko machine 1 and the hall computer differ from one gaming hall to another. The pachinko machine 1 and the hall computer may be installed in separate locations, or the user may have to pass through narrow passages to get from the pachinko machine 1 to the hall computer. Furthermore, when checking whether the output to the external terminal board 558 is normal for multiple pachinko machines 1, the time from fulfilling the conditions for transitioning to the first confirmation mode to arriving at the hall computer's location becomes longer. Therefore, if the external terminal board output confirmation mode is configured to end after a certain period, there is a risk that the external terminal board output confirmation mode will end before the hall computer can confirm whether the output to the external terminal board 558 is normal. Conversely, extending the duration of the external terminal board output confirmation mode will increase the time required for the work. Therefore, in this example, the pachinko machine 1 is configured to terminate the external terminal board output confirmation mode in response to an operation by a manager or other administrator of the gaming hall. This ensures that the output to the external terminal board 558 is reliably confirmed by the hall computer while also preventing delays in the administrator's work.

As shown in Figure 342, in the external terminal board output confirmation mode, an output confirmation signal is output from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall. By confirming that the output confirmation signal has been received by the hall computer, it is possible to confirm that the signal output from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer is normal. Note that the output confirmation signal is output only during the external terminal board output confirmation mode. Therefore, it is possible to confirm that the output confirmation signal has been output without confusing it with other signals output from the external terminal board 558.

Furthermore, the output confirmation signal output from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall is turned on (output state) when the system is controlled to transition to the external terminal board output confirmation mode, and turned off (output stopped state) after a certain period has elapsed since the end of the external terminal board output confirmation mode. In other words, the output confirmation signal is not only turned on (output state) during the control of the external terminal board output confirmation mode, but also remains on (output state) for a certain period after the end of the external terminal board output confirmation mode.

As described above, the external terminal board output confirmation mode is terminated by an operator such as the manager of the gaming hall. Therefore, if the operator accidentally terminates the external terminal board output confirmation mode prematurely, the output period of the output confirmation signal will be shortened, potentially preventing the hall computer installed in the gaming hall from confirming that the output confirmation signal has been received. In such cases, it becomes necessary to shut off and then restore power to the pachinko machine 1 to fulfill the "first confirmation mode transition condition," increasing the workload. In this example, the output confirmation signal continues to be output for a certain period after the termination of the external terminal board output confirmation mode. Therefore, even if the operator accidentally terminates the external terminal board output confirmation mode prematurely, the hall computer installed in the gaming hall can reliably confirm that the output confirmation signal has been received.

Furthermore, during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the launch permission signal that informs the payout control board 633 that launching game ball B is permitted is set to launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic), and the launching of game balls by the ball launcher 540 is prohibited. Then, after the external terminal board output confirmation mode ends, the launch permission signal that informs the payout control board 633 that launching game ball B is permitted is set to launch permission logic, and the launching of game balls by the ball launcher 540 is permitted. Note that if a process to clear the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM, except for a specific area (step S38), is executed after the end of the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the launch permission signal that informs the payout control board 633 that launching game ball B is permitted is set to launch permission logic when the process to clear the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM, except for a specific area (step S38) by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 is completed and the interrupt permission setting (step S52) is performed, and the launch permission signal that informs the payout control board 633 that launching game ball B is permitted is set to launch permission logic, and the launching of game balls by the ball launcher 540 is permitted.

Thus, during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the launching of game balls by the ball launcher 540 is prohibited, thereby stopping the game. This prevents the transmission of a signal different from the output confirmation signal (a command indicating the status of the pachinko machine 1) from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall, which would interfere with the signal confirmation output verification process.

Furthermore, the game may be stopped not only by prohibiting the launch of game balls by the ball launcher 540 during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, but also without prohibiting the launch of game balls by the ball launcher 540 during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, or in addition to prohibiting the launch of game balls by the ball launcher 540 during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, by disabling detection by the first start port sensor 3002 and the second start port sensor 2401 (by either disabling detection by the first start port sensor 3002 and the second start port sensor 2401, or disabling detection by the first start port sensor 3002 and the second start port sensor 2401 without executing any processing corresponding to the detection). In this case as well, the display of special symbols can be prevented from starting, thus stopping the game, and preventing a signal different from the output confirmation signal (a command to indicate the state of the pachinko machine 1) from being sent from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall, which would interfere with the confirmation work of the signal confirmation output.

Furthermore, when the external terminal board output confirmation mode is started, an external terminal board output confirmation mode start command is sent to the peripheral control board 1510 to indicate that the external terminal board output confirmation mode is starting. Upon receiving the output confirmation mode start command, the peripheral control IC 1510a on the peripheral control board 1510 displays an output confirmation mode notification pattern (in this example, "Output Confirmation in Progress") on the display device 1600 (this may be displayed until the output confirmation mode ends, or it may be displayed for a certain period before ending). It also repeatedly outputs an output confirmation mode notification sound (an announcement voice saying "Output Confirmation in Progress" and a warning sound such as "ding-dong") from various speakers at a predetermined volume (this may be the maximum configurable volume, or the default volume adjusted by the volume control switch on the peripheral control board 1510). (This may be repeatedly output until the output confirmation mode ends, or it may be repeatedly output for a certain number of times (e.g., 5 times) or for a certain period (e.g., 30 seconds) before stopping the output).

Furthermore, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 illuminates various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) and various LEDs (some or all) mounted on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR in an output confirmation mode notification illumination pattern corresponding to the output confirmation mode (in this example, the various LEDs of the door frame unit and the right-side game board 5AR are illuminated in the same color, and the illumination color is switched in a short period of time) (they may remain illuminated in the output confirmation mode notification illumination pattern until the output confirmation mode is terminated, or they may remain illuminated in the output confirmation mode notification illumination pattern for a certain period of time and then turn off or illuminate in a different illumination pattern). This notifies that the output check of the external terminal board 558 is being performed, and allows for verification of whether the output signal from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall is normal.

Furthermore, the volume of the output confirmation mode notification sound output from the various speakers during the external terminal board output confirmation mode cannot be adjusted using the volume control button 227. As mentioned above, the player can adjust the volume output from the various speakers by operating the volume control button 227, but the volume of the output confirmation mode notification sound output during the external terminal board output confirmation mode cannot be adjusted by the player even by operating the volume control button 227. Therefore, during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the output confirmation mode notification sound can be output at a predetermined volume, and the sound output from the various speakers reliably conveys that an output confirmation signal is being output from the external terminal board 558, allowing the player to confirm whether the output signal is normal or not.

Furthermore, the output confirmation mode notification light pattern, which is activated during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, cannot be adjusted using the light intensity adjustment button 228. As mentioned above, while the player can adjust the light intensity (brightness) of some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228, the output confirmation mode notification light pattern, which is activated during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, cannot be adjusted by the player even by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228. Therefore, during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the LEDs on the various decorative boards on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A are controlled to emit light at a predetermined light intensity (brightness) to activate the output confirmation mode notification light pattern. This ensures that the output confirmation signal is reliably communicated from the external terminal board 558, allowing the player to confirm whether the output signal is normal or not.

Furthermore, during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, operating the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 does not display a scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness) on the performance display device 1600. No confirmation sound is output in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228. Since the performance display device 1600 does not display a scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness), the scale does not change even if the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is operated multiple times. Therefore, the visibility of the output confirmation mode notification display on the performance display device 1600 is not obstructed by the scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness). The confirmation sound in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 does not make the output confirmation mode notification sound difficult to hear. This ensures that the output confirmation signal is reliably communicated from the external terminal board 558.

Furthermore, during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, and the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 are all turned off. In other words, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, although the left game board 5AL and the right game board 5AR constitute a divided game board 5A, during output confirmation, all LEDs on the left game board 5AL are turned off regardless of whether they are controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 or by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, and only the LEDs on the right game board 5AR that are controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 are lit. In this way, during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the illumination patterns of the LEDs on the left game board 5AL and the LEDs on the right game board 5AR of the divided game board 5A are made different, so that anyone looking at the pachinko machine 1 will feel something is off and immediately realize that the external terminal board output confirmation mode is being executed. Furthermore, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board, function display unit 1400, and sub-function display unit 2250 of the left-side game board 5AL may be illuminated with a different notification light pattern (e.g., flashing red light) when settings are changed compared to the various LEDs on the door frame unit and the right-side game board 5AR. Alternatively, one or both of the LEDs on the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250, which display information regarding wins and losses, may be illuminated with a notification light pattern when settings are changed. In this case, the light patterns of the LEDs on the right-side game board 5AR and the LEDs on the left-side game board 5AL can be made different, thus reliably indicating that an output confirmation signal is being output from the external terminal board 558.

Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 transmits an output confirmation mode termination command to the peripheral control board 1510, notifying it that the external terminal board output confirmation mode has been terminated based on the termination operation of the external terminal board output confirmation mode (in this example, the OFF operation which returns the setting key cylinder of the setting key switch 1311a provided on the main control board 1310 to its initial position (i.e., the rotational position of the setting key cylinder that turns the setting key switch 1311a OFF)).

Furthermore, in this example, when the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 during normal operation (playable state), a door open notification sound (an announcement voice saying "The door is open." and a warning sound such as "ding-dong") is repeatedly output from various speakers at a predetermined volume (which may be the maximum configurable volume or the default volume adjusted by the volume adjustment switch on the peripheral control board 1510) for a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds; in this example, this period is shorter than the time required for the operation confirmation mode), or the output is stopped when the main frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed (however, if the main frame 4 is continuously open relative to the outer frame 2, the output is stopped after being repeated a certain number of times (for example, 5 times)). It is also possible to stop the output when the main frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, is closed, or to stop the output when a predetermined period of time (for example, 30 seconds; however, this may be shorter than the period from the start to the end of the operation confirmation mode) has elapsed since the main frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, was closed.) Along with this, various LEDs on the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) and various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board provided on the right side game board 5AR are switched in a critical abnormality notification emission mode (in this example, switching between maximum brightness red on and off for a short time (for example, 0.5 seconds) The critical abnormality notification flashing mode is terminated when a predetermined period (for example, 60 seconds, which in this example is longer than the period from the start to the end of the operation confirmation mode) has elapsed after the main body frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, has been closed (the critical abnormality notification flashing mode may be terminated when the main body frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, is closed, or the critical abnormality notification flashing mode may be terminated after a certain number of times (for example, 5 times) or a certain period (for example, 30 seconds) of repeated execution after the main body frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, has been closed, or the critical abnormality notification flashing mode is terminated when the main body frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, is closed and a semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode (red with maximum brightness) is terminated. The system may repeatedly control the light emission in a manner that switches between on and off at long intervals (e.g., 2 seconds) (slow flashing mode), and terminate the semi-serious abnormality notification light emission mode when a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds) has elapsed since the start of the light emission control of the semi-serious abnormality notification light emission mode, or when it has been repeated a predetermined number of times (e.g., 10 times). Furthermore, when the serious abnormality notification light emission mode (or the semi-serious abnormality notification light emission mode if the light emission control switches to the semi-serious abnormality notification light emission mode after the serious abnormality notification light emission mode) ends (when the main frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, closes), the system controls the light emission of the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board on the left-side game board 5AL in a light emission mode appropriate to the game situation.

On the other hand, even if the main frame 4 is open relative to the outer frame 2 during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the output of door open notification sounds from various speakers and the control of the light emission pattern for serious abnormality notification, which are caused by the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2, are not performed. In other words, if the predetermined "first confirmation mode transition condition" is met when power is supplied to the pachinko machine 1, the output confirmation mode notification sound is output from various speakers and the light emission control for the output confirmation mode notification is performed without the output of door open notification sounds from various speakers and the control of the light emission pattern for serious abnormality notification, which are caused by the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2. Furthermore, in this example, even during the operation confirmation mode executed after the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the output of door open notification sounds from various speakers and the light emission control for serious abnormality notification (including the quasi-serious abnormality notification light emission pattern if the light emission control is performed to a quasi-serious abnormality notification light emission pattern after the serious abnormality notification light emission pattern) are not performed due to the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2. Therefore, when the external terminal board output confirmation mode is executed, after the operation confirmation mode, it becomes possible to output door opening notification sounds from various speakers due to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, and to control the illumination of the critical abnormality notification (including the semi-critical abnormality notification illumination if illumination control is performed after the critical abnormality notification illumination) . This makes it less likely that errors will occur due to distraction during the verification of the output signal of the external terminal board 558 in the external terminal board output confirmation mode or during the operation confirmation mode, causing abnormalities to be overlooked.

Furthermore, if the operation to terminate the external terminal board output confirmation mode is performed, or if the external terminal board output confirmation mode is not executed, and the "second confirmation mode transition condition" is met—that is, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned on or when power is restored after a power outage, the main body frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2, and the operation confirmation switch 1310j is operated—then the operation confirmation mode is performed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 for a predetermined period (for example, 60 seconds).

Specifically, the control of the peripheral control board 1510, excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that displays information regarding wins and losses (various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc. provided on the door frame 3), controls the LEDs to light up in a predetermined light emission pattern (in this example, an operation confirmation light emission pattern that is performed only in operation confirmation mode and not in game performance), and the peripheral control board 1510 The peripheral control IC 1510a controls drive motors and drive solenoids, etc., to operate movable parts (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, and the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3) in a predetermined operating mode (operating mode during operation confirmation), and controls the output of operation confirmation notification sounds (in this example, notification sounds that are output only in operation confirmation mode and not output during game performances) from various speakers.

In operation confirmation mode, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 controls various LEDs, excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding wins and losses (various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc. provided on the door frame 3), and by executing control to light up these LEDs in a predetermined light-emitting pattern (operation confirmation light-emitting pattern), it is possible to confirm whether the various LEDs provided on the left game board 5AL, the right game board 5AR, and the door frame unit can emit light normally. If an abnormality (not emitting light normally) is detected, repairs can be made to restore it to a normal state, allowing the light-emitting effects of the various LEDs to be executed as designed, thereby suppressing a decrease in the effect of the effects. Furthermore, in operation confirmation mode, the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 may also be illuminated to check for abnormalities. Additionally, among the various LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, it is not necessary to illuminate all of them except for those of the sub-function display unit 2250; some LEDs may remain unlit.

Furthermore, in operation confirmation mode, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the drive motors and drive solenoids, etc., to drive the movable bodies (such as the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, and the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3) to operate in a predetermined operating manner (operating manner during operation confirmation). This allows confirmation of whether the movable bodies provided on the left game board 5AL and the door frame 3 are able to operate normally. If an abnormality (failure to operate normally) is detected, repairs can be performed to restore them to a normal state, enabling the movable performance by the movable bodies to be executed as designed, thereby suppressing a decrease in the performance effect. In the operation confirmation mode, it is sufficient to operate at least one of the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL and the movable parts provided on the door frame 3 in a predetermined operating mode (operating mode during operation confirmation). Furthermore, the operating mode during operation confirmation may only be executable during the operation confirmation mode. In this case, the operating mode during operation confirmation can be identified without being confused with the operating mode executed in the variation effects related to the variation display of special symbols, thus making it easy to determine whether the movable parts are functioning correctly.

Furthermore, when the movable parts are operated in operation confirmation mode, the LEDs that illuminate the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000, and the LEDs that illuminate the rear left movable decorative body 3301 of the rear lower performance unit 3300 (LEDs 3311a to 3314a mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314) and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 (LEDs 3321a to 3324a mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear right movable decorative boards 3321 to 3324) are used. The system controls the illumination of LEDs that illuminate and decorate the front front lower decorative element 3161 of the front front lower decorative unit 3160, and multiple LEDs 320a for illuminating the upper part (unit upper cover 312) of the performance operation unit cover unit 310 of the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3, using an operation confirmation illumination pattern. This allows for confirmation not only of the operation of the movable parts but also of whether the LEDs mounted on the movable parts are able to illuminate normally.

Furthermore, in operation confirmation mode, by executing a control that outputs an operation confirmation notification sound from various speakers at a predetermined volume (which may be the maximum configurable volume or the default volume adjusted by the volume adjustment switch on the peripheral control board 1510), it is possible to confirm whether or not the various speakers are able to output sound normally. If an abnormality (failure to output sound normally) is detected, repairs can be performed to restore it to a normal state, allowing the various speakers to output sound as designed, thus suppressing a decrease in the effect. In this example, by sequentially executing the following controls, the speaker that is malfunctioning can be immediately identified: the pair of top center speakers located on the front of the door frame top base 451 output "Top center speaker," the left top side speaker located to the left outside the top center speaker output "Top left speaker," the right top side speaker located to the right outside the top center speaker output "Top right speaker," and the main frame speaker 622 output "Bottom speaker."

Furthermore, if the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is operated during the operation check mode, a special sound (e.g., "beep") will be output at a predetermined volume (a different volume from the volume set according to the operation of the volume control button 227, and the volume will not change even if the volume control button 227 is operated) in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228. This allows for confirmation of whether the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 are functioning correctly. If an abnormality (such as the special sound not being output) is detected, repairs can be performed to restore the system to a normal state, allowing the player to output sound from the various speakers at their preferred volume. This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game caused by the player experiencing unpleasant sound output from the speakers.

In this example, the volume cannot be adjusted using the volume control button 227 until the operation check mode is completed. As described above, in this example of pachinko machine 1, the volume output from various speakers can be adjusted by operating the volume control button 227. However, the volume of the operation check notification sound output during operation check mode cannot be adjusted by operating the volume control button 227. Therefore, when operation check mode is started, the operation check notification sound is output at a predetermined volume, allowing the system to confirm whether the various speakers are able to output sound normally, and enabling immediate detection of abnormalities (failure to output sound normally).

Furthermore, the light intensity (brightness) cannot be adjusted using the light intensity adjustment button 228 until the operation check mode is completed. As described above, in this example of pachinko machine 1, the light intensity (brightness) of the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A can be adjusted by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228. However, the light emission pattern controlled during the operation check mode cannot be adjusted by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228. Therefore, when the operation check mode is started, the LEDs on the various decorative circuit boards on the door frame 3 and the divided game board 5A can be controlled to emit light at a predetermined light intensity (brightness), allowing for confirmation of whether the various LEDs can emit light normally. This enables immediate detection of abnormalities (failure to emit light normally).

Furthermore, when the operation confirmation mode is started, the display device 1600 displays the display mode, i.e., decorative patterns and the background image during normal operation (when the game is playable). This allows confirmation of whether the display device 1600 can display images correctly. If an abnormality (failure to display images correctly) is detected, repairs can be performed to restore it to a normal state, allowing the display device 1600 to display images as designed, thus preventing a decrease in the effectiveness of the performance.

Furthermore, the display device 1600 is configured so that the scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness) is not displayed even if the volume control button 227 or light intensity control button 228 is operated until the operation confirmation mode is completed. Also, since the display device 1600 does not display the scale corresponding to the current volume or light intensity (brightness), the scale will not change even if the volume control button 227 or light intensity control button 228 is operated multiple times. In addition, if the volume control button 227 or light intensity control button 228 is operated during the operation confirmation mode, the display device 1600 may be configured to display a special message that is only shown during the operation confirmation mode. For example, if the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is operated during the operation check mode, a special indication showing that the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 has been successfully received may be displayed. This allows for confirmation of whether the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 can be properly operated. If an abnormality is detected (i.e., the special indication is not displayed), repairs can be performed to restore the system to a normal state, allowing the player to output sound from the various speakers at their preferred volume or illuminate the various LEDs at their preferred brightness. This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game caused by the player experiencing unpleasant volume levels or LED illumination.

Furthermore, when an operating button located on the front of the pachinko machine 1, such as the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228, is operated during the operation confirmation mode, the light emission color of the LEDs (excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding wins and losses) controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which is controlled to emit light in the operation confirmation mode, may be changed. These LEDs include those mounted on the decorative board on the left game board 5AL, those mounted on the decorative board on the right game board 5AR, and the LEDs of the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame 3) are all controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which emits light in the operation confirmation mode. For example, when the volume control button 227 with the "+" sign is operated, the various LEDs controlled to emit light in the operation confirmation mode may be changed to "red," when the volume control button 227 with the "-" sign is operated, the various LEDs controlled to emit light in the operation confirmation mode may be changed to "green," when the light intensity control button 228 with the "+" sign is operated, the various LEDs controlled to emit light in the operation confirmation mode may be changed to "blue," and when the light intensity control button 228 with the "-" sign is operated, the various LEDs controlled to emit light in the operation confirmation mode may be changed to "white." This allows for verification of whether the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 are functioning correctly. If an abnormality (such as the failure to display a special indication) is detected, repairs can be performed to restore them to normal operation. This allows for the output of sound from the speakers at the player's preferred volume and the illumination of the LEDs at the player's preferred brightness, thereby suppressing the decrease in game enjoyment caused by the player experiencing unpleasant volume levels or LED illumination. Furthermore, it allows for verification of whether the illumination of the lights corresponding to the operation of the volume control button 227 and the light intensity control button 228 is functioning correctly.

Furthermore, if the performance control unit 301 of the performance control unit 300 is operated during the operation confirmation mode, the performance control unit 350 may be vibrated or moved upward from its normal position. In this case as well, it is possible to confirm that the operation of the performance control unit 301 of the performance control unit 300 has been properly received. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the performance effect due to the performance not being executed in response to the operation of the performance control unit 301 of the performance control unit 300 because the operation was not received.

Furthermore, the operation check mode is controlled to transition according to the administrator's operation, and unlike the external terminal board output check mode described above, it checks whether some or all of the devices installed on the pachinko machine 1 are functioning correctly in the vicinity of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, the risk of the administrator overlooking the operation of the devices installed on the pachinko machine 1 is low. Also, if the operation check mode were configured to terminate according to the administrator's operation, further operation would be required after the check, resulting in increased work time. Therefore, in this example, the pachinko machine 1 is configured to automatically terminate the operation check mode after a certain period of time has elapsed, preventing delays in the administrator's work.

[Confirmation mode for pachinko machines in case of non-compliance]
Next, an example of the behavior when the pachinko machine 1 is controlled to switch to a confirmation mode (external terminal board output confirmation mode, operation confirmation mode) when the combination of the split game boards 5A (that is, the combination of the right game board 5AR (a board without a microprocessor) and the left game board 5AL (a peripheral control board 1510 or main control board 1310 with a microprocessor)) is incompatible (incompatible state) will be explained with reference to Figure 343. In the following, only the compatible state and parts that differ from the above-described embodiment will be explained, and redundant explanations will not be provided.

As shown in Figure 343, if the ID determination process (step S1003) performed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 will not output control signals to the various LEDs and other electronic components mounted on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR. The electronic components mounted on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR will be in a non-driven state (for example, the various LEDs will be turned off) regardless of whether or not the external terminal board output confirmation mode is active.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible during the ID determination process (step S1003), the external terminal board 558 outputs an output confirmation signal without sending an incompatible error signal to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall during the execution of the external terminal board output confirmation mode or for a certain period after the external terminal board output confirmation mode. That is, during the external terminal board output confirmation mode and for a certain period after the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the external terminal board 558 outputs an output confirmation signal in the same way as when it is compatible. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the transmission of an incompatible error signal from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, which would interfere with the verification process of the output confirmation signal.

Furthermore, in this example, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the external terminal board 558 does not output an incompatible error signal indicating that the combination of divided game boards 5A is incompatible to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall, even during the operation confirmation mode. In other words, the output confirmation signal output from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall in response to the start of the external terminal board output confirmation mode is also output for a certain period after the external terminal board output confirmation mode, that is, for a certain period during the operation confirmation mode. Therefore, if an incompatible error signal is output during the operation confirmation mode, the incompatible error signal and the output confirmation signal will overlap and be output from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall. In this case, it becomes difficult to distinguish whether the signal input to the hall computer is an incompatible error signal or an output confirmation signal, and there is a risk that it will become difficult to determine whether the output to the external terminal board 558 is normal or not. Therefore, in this example, the external terminal board 558 is configured not to output a non-conformity error signal to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall during the operation confirmation mode, and the non-conformity error signal can be output after the operation confirmation mode is completed. Furthermore, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the non-conformity error signal may be configured not to output from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall, regardless of whether the operation confirmation mode is active or not. In this case, the pachinko machine 1 may be notified that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible during the ID determination process (step S1003), it does not notify that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible until the external terminal board output confirmation mode is terminated (until the output confirmation mode termination command is received from the main control MPU 1310a). That is, during the execution of the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the various LEDs (some or all) of the performance display device 1600, various speakers, and door frame units (such as the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3) are controlled in the same manner as when the external terminal board output confirmation mode is executed when the combination is compatible (they may be completely identical, or almost all may be identical with only some differences).

When the external terminal board output confirmation mode ends, the main control MPU 1310a sends an output confirmation mode end command to the peripheral control board 1510 and starts the operation confirmation mode. When the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 receives the output confirmation mode end command, it controls various speakers and various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) in the same manner as when the operation confirmation mode was executed when the system was compliant (they may be completely identical, or almost all of them may be identical with only some differences). Meanwhile, the performance display device 1600 does not display decorative patterns or background images for normal operation (when the system is ready to play), but instead displays an abnormal background image (for example, black) on the entire surface and the message "Right side game board non-compliant error occurred" as a non-compliant error notification display on the performance display device 1600 to notify that the combination of the split game boards 5A is non-compliant.

In other words, when the operation confirmation mode is started, the LEDs (excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information about wins and losses, among the various LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, such as the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, and the various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3) are illuminated in a predetermined light emission pattern (in this example, this is done only in operation confirmation mode and is performed in game effects) in the same way as when the operation confirmation mode was performed during compatibility (it may be completely identical, or it may be almost entirely identical with only some differences). The system performs the following actions: control to illuminate in a specific operation confirmation mode (a mode of illumination that does not occur during gameplay); control to operate movable parts (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, and the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3) in a predetermined operation mode (operation mode during operation confirmation); and control to output an operation confirmation notification sound (in this example, a notification sound that is output only in operation confirmation mode and not output during gameplay) from various speakers.

Furthermore, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game board 5A is incompatible, if the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is operated during the operation confirmation mode, a special sound (for example, "beep") will be output at a predetermined volume (a different volume from the volume set according to the operation of the volume control button 227, and the volume will not change even if the volume control button 227 is operated) in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228.

On the other hand, among the various LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, the LEDs other than the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding wins and losses (various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3, etc.), and the drive motors and drive solenoids controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 are also affected. The display device 1600, which drives the movable parts (such as the rear upper movable decorative element 3210 of the rear upper display unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and rear right movable decorative element 3302 of the rear lower display unit 3300, and the rear front lower center decorative element 3161 of the rear front lower display unit 3160, etc., provided on the left side of the game board 5AL), various speakers, volume control buttons 227, and light intensity control buttons 228, is configured to display "Right side game board incompatible error occurred" as a non-conformity error notification display mode, thereby notifying that the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible. This allows notification of the incompatible combination of the split game boards 5A without interfering with the verification work in operation confirmation mode.

Thus, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, during the operation confirmation mode, only the display device 1600 will display "Right game board incompatible error occurred" as an incompatible error notification display mode, excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding wins and losses among the various LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 (various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL and various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, and the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420 provided on the door frame 3) The various LEDs on the right side unit 430 of the door frame, the plate unit 200, and the top unit 450 of the door frame, etc., as well as the various movable parts provided on the left game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left game board 5AL, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, etc.), and the various speakers are controlled in the same manner as when the operation confirmation mode is executed when the combination of the divided game board 5A is compatible, rather than being controlled in a manner that notifies that the combination is incompatible.

Therefore, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game board 5A is incompatible, it is possible to confirm whether the movable body provided on the left game board 5AL is functioning correctly. If an abnormality (failure to function correctly) is detected, repairs can be performed to restore it to a normal state, allowing the movable body to perform the movable effects as designed, thus suppressing a decrease in the effect. Furthermore, the LEDs mounted on the movable body are controlled to emit light in an operation confirmation mode without being controlled to a turned-off state. This prevents the inability to confirm whether the LEDs mounted on the movable body are functioning correctly, and if an abnormality (failure to emit light correctly) is detected, repairs can be performed to restore it to a normal state, allowing it to emit light as designed, thus suppressing a decrease in the effect.

Furthermore, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding wins and losses, are not controlled to emit light in a critical abnormality notification emission mode that indicates that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, but rather to emit light in an operation confirmation emission mode. This prevents the inability to confirm whether the LEDs, excluding those in the sub-function display unit 2250 that displays information regarding win/loss results, are functioning correctly. If an abnormality (failure to light up correctly) is detected during this check, repairs can be performed to restore the LEDs to their normal state, thus preventing a decrease in the visual effect. Furthermore, it prevents the high-brightness illumination of the critical abnormality notification from hindering the visibility of the movable parts on the left-side game board 5AL, or from obscuring the illumination of the LEDs mounted on those movable parts, thus preventing interference with verification work.

Furthermore, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, it outputs an operation confirmation notification sound without outputting a game board incompatibility notification sound. This prevents the inability to confirm whether the various speakers can output sound normally, and if an abnormality (failure to output sound normally) is found during the confirmation of whether they can output sound normally, repairs can be made to restore them to a normal state, allowing the various speakers to output sound as designed, thus suppressing a decrease in the performance effect. Furthermore, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game board 5A is incompatible, a special sound is output when the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is operated. This prevents the inability to confirm whether the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 can properly receive input. If an abnormality (no special sound output) is detected during this confirmation, repairs can be performed to restore the system to a normal state, allowing the player to output sound from the various speakers at their preferred volume. This suppresses the reduction in the enjoyment of the game caused by the player receiving sound from the various speakers at an unpleasant volume.

Furthermore, in the operation confirmation mode, the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on the right-side game board 5AR and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which have been determined to be unsuitable, are not only not operated in a predetermined operating manner (operating manner during operation confirmation), but the movable parts (the rear upper display unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the rear unit 5A) that operate in a predetermined operating manner (operating manner during operation confirmation) in the operation confirmation mode performed when the combination of split game boards 5A is suitable are also not operated. The drive motors and drive solenoids that drive the performance operation unit 301, which is provided on the door frame unit and is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), are also prevented from operating in a predetermined operating mode (operating mode during operation confirmation). (Examples include the movable decorative body 3210, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, and the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3, etc.)

Specifically, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, even if the operation confirmation mode is started, the control to light up the LEDs on the right game board 5AR that were determined to be incompatible in the operation confirmation emission mode, or the control to operate the movable parts in the operation confirmation operation mode will not be performed (no control signal will be output to the right game board 5AR), or it will not be possible to perform these actions (a control signal will be output, but no control signal will be input to the right game board 5AR). In addition, the control to drive the drive motor and drive solenoid provided on the plate unit 200 (in this example, the performance operation unit 300), which is provided on the door frame 3 and is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), and to operate the performance operation section 301 provided on the performance operation unit 300 will not be performed. This prevents damage to the movable parts or door frame unit due to operation in a manner different from its intended use, and also prevents failure of the drive motors and solenoids that operate the movable parts. However, even in this case, LEDs provided on the door frame unit that are not subject to ID determination (for example, multiple LEDs 320a for illuminating the upper part (unit upper cover 312) of the performance operation unit cover unit 310 of the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3) are controlled in the same predetermined illumination manner as in the case of compliance. This makes it possible to determine that the operation confirmation mode is being executed correctly.

On the other hand, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL, where the peripheral control board 1510 on which the peripheral control IC 1510a that performs the ID determination process (step S1003) is mounted is located (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and the rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) operate in the same way as usual (when it is determined that the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible) when the operation confirmation mode is started. Furthermore, LEDs mounted on the circuit boards provided on the movable parts of the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) are controlled to emit light in an operation confirmation emission mode. In other words, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is in a non-conforming state, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and the rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) are operated in the operation confirmation mode, and the LEDs provided on the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL are controlled to emit light in the operation confirmation mode. This makes it easy to identify the game board (in this case, the left-side game board 5AL) on which the peripheral control board 1510 of the divided game board 5A is provided. Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right game board 5AR is in a non-conforming state, the LEDs mounted on the circuit boards provided on the movable parts of the left game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, etc., which are provided on the left game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A) will not be controlled to emit light in the operation confirmation emission mode, and the ID determination process (step S1003) If the right-side game board 5AR is determined to be disconnected, the LEDs mounted on the circuit boards of the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative element 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative element 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, etc., provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A) may be controlled to emit light in an operation confirmation pattern so that it is possible to determine whether it is in a non-compliant state or disconnected state.

Furthermore, in this example, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, when the operation confirmation mode is started, the control to operate the performance operation unit 301 by driving the drive motor or drive solenoid mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 of the door frame unit (plate unit 200 in this example), which is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), is not performed. However, the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 are controlled in the same way as normally (when the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be compatible) during the operation confirmation mode. In other words, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible when the operation confirmation mode is executed, the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided on the performance operation unit 300 will be controlled to emit light in the operation confirmation emission mode, just as if the combination of the divided game boards 5A were determined to be compatible. Note that the performance operation unit 300 may also be a specific door frame unit targeted for ID determination. In this case as well, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that a specific door frame unit other than the performance operation unit 300 or a combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the control to operate the performance operation unit 301 by driving the drive motor or drive solenoid mounted on the circuit board provided on the performance operation unit 300 will not be performed, while the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided on the performance operation unit 300 will be controlled to emit light in the operation confirmation emission mode.

Furthermore, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game board 5A is incompatible, the LEDs mounted on some of the multiple LEDs mounted on multiple boards provided on the door frame unit that are not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003) may not be controlled to emit light in the operation confirmation emission mode. Similarly, some movable parts may not be operated in the operation confirmation mode (for example, some or all of the LEDs provided on the decorative board provided on the door frame unit and the drive motors, drive solenoids, LEDs, etc., provided on the movable parts provided on the door frame unit may not operate or drive in operation confirmation mode).

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the right-side game board 5AR, which was determined to be incompatible, and part or all of the movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., which are provided on the door frame unit not subject to ID determination and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, may be deactivated until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off or until the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be compatible. In this case, the movable parts may operate in a manner different from their intended operation, preventing damage to the movable parts or the door frame unit, and preventing failure of the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc. that operate the movable parts.

Furthermore, once the operation confirmation mode ends (the operation confirmation illumination pattern by the LED ends and is turned off or illuminated in a predetermined illumination pattern, and the operation confirmation pattern for the movable body ends and is in standby mode (stopped (housed) in a predetermined standby position)), and the game mode begins, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, in addition to displaying the non-conformity error notification pattern on the performance display device 1600, repeatedly outputs a game board non-conformity notification sound (an announcement voice saying "A non-conformity error has occurred on the right game board. Turn off the power and check." and a warning sound such as "ding-dong") from various speakers at a predetermined volume (which may be the maximum volume that can be set, or the default volume adjusted by the volume adjustment switch provided on the peripheral control board 1510) until the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off (repeated a certain number of times (for example, 5 times) or for a certain period of time (for example, 30 seconds)). Along with a mechanism that may stop outputting after repeated output, the various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) are repeatedly controlled to emit light in a critical abnormality notification mode (in this example, a mode that switches between maximum brightness red illumination and extinguishing in a short time (e.g., 0.5 seconds) (high-speed flashing mode)), and the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left side game board 5AL are controlled to be off. Meanwhile, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400, provided on the left side game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, provided on the left side game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, are made capable of emission control in the same manner as when compliant (they may be illuminated in a predetermined mode).

Furthermore, the game board incompatibility notification sound is not a single, intermittent sound (e.g., "beep"), but rather consists of multiple sounds with different pitches, and is repeatedly controlled between silent and on states. Additionally, the critical malfunction notification light pattern is not fixed in a constant state, but repeatedly controls between on and off states, changing the light intensity. In other words, various speakers and LEDs are designed to notify that the combination of split game boards 5A is incompatible in a dynamic manner, with changes in pitch, volume, and light intensity over time. This makes it easier to notice the incompatibility of the split game boards 5A combination when the operation check mode ends and the game mode, which does not require further checks, begins.

Thus, in this example, when the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent) and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible in the ID determination process (step S1003), when controlling the transition to the operation confirmation mode, the system immediately notifies that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible without issuing an abnormality notification corresponding to the opening of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 after the operation confirmation mode. In other words, when the operation confirmation mode ends and the game mode starts, the system outputs a game board incompatible notification sound without outputting a door opening notification sound, regardless of whether the main frame 4 is open to the outer frame 2 and whether the elapsed time since the main frame 4 was opened to the outer frame 2 has reached a predetermined period. Furthermore, when the operation confirmation mode ends and the game mode starts, the system controls the illumination to a serious abnormality notification pattern, but this is not caused by the opening of the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, but rather by the incompatible combination of the divided game boards 5A. Therefore, when the operation check mode ends and the game mode starts, the light emission control is always set to the critical malfunction notification pattern, regardless of whether a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds) has elapsed since closing the main unit frame 4.

Furthermore, even if the combination of the divided game board 5A is incompatible (inconsistent), the conditions for starting the variable display are met (even if a game ball enters the starting port (first starting port 2002 or one of the first starting port 2002 and the second starting port 2004)), the display device 1600, various speakers, various LEDs on the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200 and door frame top unit 450 etc. provided on door frame 3), and decorations provided on the left game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 will not be displayed. The system is designed to notify of an abnormality without executing any variable animations using the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board. Meanwhile, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the sub-function display unit 2250, when the interrupt permission setting (step S52) is enabled after the external terminal board output confirmation mode ends, are controlled to emit light in a predetermined pattern based on the fulfillment of the variable display start condition (i.e., a game ball entering the starting gate (either the first starting gate 2002 or one of the first starting gate 2002 and the second starting gate 2004)), enabling the display of information related to winning or losing.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible in the ID determination process (step S1003), the timing of the light emission control in the critical abnormality notification light emission mode and the output timing of the game board incompatibility notification sound differ depending on whether or not the system switches to the external terminal board output confirmation mode or the operation confirmation mode, corresponding to the incompatible (mismatched) state of the divided game boards 5A.

Specifically, if the system does not switch to either the external terminal board output confirmation mode or the operation confirmation mode, and the combination of the divided game boards 5A is found to be incompatible (incompatible), then, based on the commencement of power supply to the pachinko machine 1, the display device 1600 will display "power on" for a predetermined period of time. Following this, the system will initiate illumination control of various LEDs (some or all) on the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) in a critical abnormality notification pattern, and will also begin outputting a game board incompatibility notification sound from various speakers.

On the other hand, when executing either the external terminal board output confirmation mode or the operation confirmation mode, if the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible (incompatible), during the external terminal board output confirmation mode and the operation confirmation mode, the various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) will not be controlled to emit a severe abnormality warning light, nor will the output of a game board incompatibility warning sound from the various speakers be initiated. However, after the operation confirmation mode, the various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit will emit a severe abnormality warning light corresponding to the incompatible state of the right-side game board 5AR, and the output of a game board incompatibility warning sound from the various speakers will be initiated.

Thus, even if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, by changing the timing of the light emission control in the critical abnormality notification light emission mode and the output timing of the game board incompatibility notification sound depending on whether or not the system switches to the external terminal board output confirmation mode or the operation confirmation mode, it is possible to prioritize the notification of highly important information and suppress the occurrence of malfunctions and fraudulent activities. In other words, if the output to the external terminal board 558 is not normal, even if fraudulent activity is occurring, the hall computer may not detect it, potentially causing damage to the amusement parlor. Furthermore, if there is a malfunction in the device installed in the pachinko machine 1, it may damage the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, by prioritizing notification over a mismatch (incompatibility) in the combination of the split game boards 5A, it is possible to prevent the escalation of damage and damage to the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (incompatible) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, the timing at which the performance display device 1600 displays the abnormal background image (e.g., black) and the incompatible error notification display mode is the same regardless of whether or not the system switches to the external terminal board output confirmation mode or the operation confirmation mode. In other words, the performance display device 1600 displays the abnormal background image (e.g., black) and the incompatible error notification display mode at the timing when the operation confirmation mode is started. This allows for prioritizing the execution of notifications of high importance while also enabling the performance display device 1600 to notify and address other notifications. Furthermore, the background image (e.g., black) displayed during an abnormality in the performance display device 1600, and the display timing of the non-conformity error notification on the performance display device 1600, may be differentiated depending on whether or not the system switches to the external terminal board output confirmation mode or the operation confirmation mode. In this case, information of increasing importance can be notified in order, allowing for sequential action, thus ensuring that each piece of information is reliably communicated and addressed.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then even if an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the execution of the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the detection is invalidated (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed).

Specifically, even if an abnormal magnetic field is generated while the external terminal board output confirmation mode is running and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the system is configured to discard the detection signal without executing an abnormality notification based on the detection of an abnormal magnetic field. In other words, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the execution of the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is ignored (either the input of the detection signal is not checked, or even if the input of the detection signal is checked, processing based on that input is not executed), and after the end of the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the control of the operation confirmation mode is executed as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, if, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (inconsistent), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and an abnormality is detected during the operation confirmation mode by the abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, or other sensors or switches that input a detection signal to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310), that is, when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means during the operation confirmation mode, the detection by the abnormality detection means is invalid (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed).

Specifically, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (incompatible) and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the operation confirmation mode, the detection signal is discarded without executing an abnormality notification based on the detection of an invalid magnetism. In other words, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the operation confirmation mode, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is ignored, and control of the operation confirmation mode continues as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, if, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and an abnormality is detected during the game mode after the operation confirmation mode by the abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310), the detection by the abnormality detection means is invalid (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed).

Specifically, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (incompatible) and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the game mode after the operation confirmation mode has ended, the detection signal is discarded without executing an abnormality notification based on the detection of an invalid magnetism. In other words, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched) when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the game mode after the operation confirmation mode has ended, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is ignored, and control continues as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310.

Thus, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible (mismatched), and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then regardless of whether the machine is controlled in external terminal board output confirmation mode or operation confirmation mode, an abnormality detection means (for example, sensors and switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, such as a magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, and door frame opening switch) will not issue an abnormality notification.

In other words, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible, the game may proceed with behavior unintended by the designer, potentially causing harm to the arcade and players. Furthermore, since it deviates from the original specifications, it may lead to a loss of player trust. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the game is stopped. For this reason, if the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible, regardless of whether the system is controlled in external terminal board output confirmation mode or operation confirmation mode, notification is given priority over notifications caused by abnormality detection means (e.g., magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310). This prevents the game from being stopped and minimizes harm to the arcade and players.

Furthermore, regardless of whether some LEDs are controlled in external terminal board output confirmation mode or operation confirmation mode, they may be controlled to emit light in different patterns depending on the type of abnormality detection means, etc. For example, when a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, one or both of the LEDs of the function display unit 1400 and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 may be turned off (making light emission control impossible).

Furthermore, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is configured to periodically (for example, constantly, each time the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing is executed) determine whether the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible after power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the ID determination process may not be executed while the external terminal board output confirmation mode is running. Alternatively, even if the ID determination process is executed while the external terminal board output confirmation mode is running and it is determined that the combination of divided game boards 5A is incompatible, notification indicating that the right-side game board 5AR is in an incompatible state may not be provided while the external terminal board output confirmation mode is running.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible, and the ID determination process is performed before starting the external terminal board output confirmation mode or during the operation confirmation mode and it is determined that the combination of divided game boards 5A is incompatible, then, similar to the case where the system determines whether the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible only when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the display device 1600 will display a notification that the combination of divided game boards 5A is incompatible during the operation confirmation mode. However, the various speakers and the various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) may not output a game board incompatible notification sound or light up in a serious abnormality notification pattern to indicate that the combination of divided game boards 5A is incompatible. Instead, the system may configure the system to output a game board incompatible notification sound and light up in a serious abnormality notification pattern to indicate that the combination of divided game boards 5A is incompatible when the operation confirmation mode ends and the game mode is activated.

Furthermore, even if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible, if an abnormality detection means (for example, sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, such as a magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, and door frame opening switch) detects an abnormality during the execution of the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the detection may be considered invalid (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed). Therefore, even after the external terminal board output confirmation mode, abnormality notification based on detection during the external terminal board output confirmation mode by the abnormality detection means may not be executed.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible, and during the operation confirmation mode the combination of the divided game boards 5A is deemed incompatible, and an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects this, the performance display device 1600, various speakers, and various LEDs on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame, provided on the door frame 3) may be configured to notify that the combination of the divided game boards 5A is incompatible, prioritizing this notification over notification of detection by the abnormality detection means. Notification of detection by the abnormality detection means may then be given when the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be compatible.

[Confirmation mode for pachinko machines when not connected]
Next, we will explain an example of the behavior when the pachinko machine 1 is controlled to transition to a confirmation mode (external terminal board output confirmation mode, operation confirmation mode) when the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left-side game board 5AL (unconnected state) due to the absence of an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR (inability to confirm the input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR) and malfunctions such as short circuits or open circuits occur in the transmission path that transmits various signals, with reference to Figure 344. In the following, we will only explain the parts that differ from the above-described embodiment, such as when the machine is compliant or non-compliant, and will not provide redundant explanations.

As shown in Figure 344, in the ID determination process (step S1003) executed by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, that is, if the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, then the control signal from the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is not input to the various LEDs and other electronic components mounted on the decorative board of the right-side game board 5AR. Therefore, the electronic components mounted on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR will be in a non-driven state (for example, the various LEDs will be turned off), regardless of whether or not the external terminal board output confirmation mode is active. Note that if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 may choose not to output a control signal to the various LEDs and other electronic components mounted on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, during the execution of the external terminal board output confirmation mode and for a certain period after the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the external terminal board 558 outputs an output confirmation signal without outputting a disconnection error signal indicating that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall. In other words, during the external terminal board output confirmation mode and for a certain period after the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the external terminal board 558 outputs an output confirmation signal in the same manner as when it is compliant. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the transmission of a disconnection error signal from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall during the external terminal board output confirmation mode, which would interfere with the verification process of the output confirmation signal.

Furthermore, in this example, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, the external terminal board 558 does not output a disconnection error signal indicating that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall, even during the operation confirmation mode. In other words, the output confirmation signal output from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall in response to the start of the external terminal board output confirmation mode is also output for a certain period after the external terminal board output confirmation mode, that is, for a certain period during the operation confirmation mode. Therefore, if a disconnection error signal is output during the operation confirmation mode, the disconnection error signal and the output confirmation signal will overlap and be output from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall. In this case, it becomes difficult to distinguish whether the signal input to the hall computer is a disconnection error signal or an output confirmation signal, and there is a risk that it will become difficult to determine whether the output to the external terminal board 558 is normal or not. Therefore, in this example, the external terminal board 558 is configured not to output a disconnection error signal to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall during the operation confirmation mode, and the disconnection error signal can be output after the operation confirmation mode is completed. Alternatively, if the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, the disconnection error signal may be configured not to be output from the external terminal board 558 to the hall computer installed in the gaming hall, regardless of whether the operation confirmation mode is active or not. In this case, the pachinko machine 1 may provide notification to indicate that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected.

Furthermore, in this example, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, it does not notify that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected until the external terminal board output confirmation mode is terminated. That is, during the execution of the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the various LEDs (some or all) of the performance display device 1600, various speakers, and door frame units (such as the left-side door frame unit 420, right-side door frame unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) are controlled in the same manner as when the external terminal board output confirmation mode is executed upon successful completion (they may be completely identical, or almost entirely identical with only some differences).

Then, when the external terminal board output confirmation mode ends, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 controls various speakers and various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on door frame 3) in the same manner as when the operation confirmation mode was executed during compatibility (they may be completely identical, or almost all may be identical with only some differences). In addition, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 displays the performance display device 1600 in the same manner as during compatibility (decorative patterns, background images for normal play, etc.), and also displays "Right side game board unconnected error occurred" on the performance display device 1600 as an unconnected error notification, informing that the right side game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left side game board 5AL.

In other words, when the operation confirmation mode is started, the LEDs (excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information about wins and losses, among the various LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, such as the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, and the various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3) are illuminated in a predetermined light emission pattern (in this example, this is done only in operation confirmation mode and is performed in game effects) in the same way as when the operation confirmation mode was performed during compatibility (it may be completely identical, or it may be almost entirely identical with only some differences). The system performs the following actions: control to illuminate in a specific operation confirmation mode (a mode of illumination that does not occur during gameplay); control to operate movable parts (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, and the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3) in a predetermined operation mode (operation mode during operation confirmation); and control to output an operation confirmation notification sound (in this example, a notification sound that is output only in operation confirmation mode and not output during gameplay) from various speakers.

Furthermore, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, if the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is operated during the operation confirmation mode, a special sound (for example, "beep") will be output at a predetermined volume (a different volume from the volume set according to the operation of the volume control button 227, and the volume will not change even if the volume control button 227 is operated) in response to the operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228.

On the other hand, among the various LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, the LEDs other than the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding wins and losses (various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left game board 5AL, various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right game board 5AR, various LEDs of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3, etc.), and the drive motors and drive solenoids controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, etc. The display device 1600, which does not interfere with the operation check of the movable parts (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, etc.) of the rear unit 3000, various speakers, volume control button 227, and light intensity control button 228, is configured to display "Right game board disconnection error occurred" as a disconnection error notification display mode to notify that the right game board 5AR is not electrically connected. This allows notification that the right game board 5AR is not electrically connected without interfering with the check operation in operation check mode.

Thus, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, during the operation confirmation mode, only the display device 1600 will display "Right-side game board disconnection error occurred" as a disconnection error notification display mode, excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information related to wins and losses among the various LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 (various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the left-side game board 5AL and various LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the right-side game board 5AR, and the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420 provided on the door frame 3) The various LEDs on the right side unit 430 of the door frame, the plate unit 200, and the top unit 450 of the door frame, etc., as well as the various movable parts provided on the left game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left game board 5AL, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, etc.), and the various speakers are controlled in the same manner as when the operation confirmation mode was executed during compatibility (it may be completely identical, or almost entirely identical with only some differences), without being controlled in a manner that indicates that the right game board 5AR is not electrically connected.

Therefore, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, it is still possible to check whether the movable body on the left-side game board 5AL is functioning correctly. If an abnormality (failure to function correctly) is detected, repairs can be performed to restore it to a normal state, allowing the movable body to perform its effects as designed. This suppresses a decrease in the effectiveness of the effects. Furthermore, the LEDs mounted on the movable body are controlled to emit light in an operation confirmation mode without being controlled to a turned-off state. This prevents the inability to check whether the LEDs mounted on the movable body are functioning correctly. If an abnormality (failure to emit light correctly) is detected during this check, repairs can be performed to restore it to a normal state, allowing it to emit light as designed. This suppresses a decrease in the effectiveness of the effects.

Furthermore, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, the LEDs controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, excluding the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding wins and losses, are not controlled to emit light in a minor abnormality notification emission mode that indicates that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, but rather to emit light in an operation confirmation emission mode. This prevents the inability to confirm whether the LEDs, excluding those in the sub-function display unit 2250 that display information regarding the outcome of the game, are functioning correctly. If an abnormality (failure to light up correctly) is detected during this check, repairs can be performed to restore the LEDs to their normal state, thus preventing a decrease in the visual effect. Furthermore, it prevents the high-brightness illumination of minor abnormality warnings from hindering the operation of the movable parts on the left-side game board 5AL, or from obscuring the illumination of the LEDs mounted on those movable parts, thus preventing interference with verification work.

Furthermore, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, it outputs an operation confirmation notification sound without outputting a game board disconnection notification sound. This prevents the inability to confirm whether the various speakers can output sound normally, and if an abnormality (failure to output sound normally) is found during the confirmation of whether they can output sound normally, repairs can be made to restore them to a normal state, allowing the various speakers to output sound as designed, thus suppressing a decrease in the performance effect. Furthermore, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, a special sound is output when the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is operated. This prevents the inability to confirm whether the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 can properly receive input. If an abnormality (no special sound output) is detected during this confirmation process, repairs can be performed to restore the system to a normal state, allowing the player to output sound from the various speakers at their preferred volume. This suppresses the reduction in the enjoyment of the game caused by the player receiving sound from the various speakers at an unpleasant volume.

Furthermore, in operation confirmation mode, the operation confirmation mode is not only not performed for drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., provided on the right-side game board 5AR that are determined to be disconnected and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, but also for drive motors and drive solenoids that drive the performance operation unit 301, which is provided on the door frame unit of the rear unit 3000 provided on the split game board 5A and is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003).

Specifically, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, then even if the operation confirmation mode is started, the control to light up the LEDs on the right-side game board 5AR in the operation confirmation emission mode and the control to operate the movable parts in the operation confirmation mode will not be performed (no control signal will be output to the right-side game board 5AR), or it will not be possible to perform these actions (a control signal will be output, but no control signal will be input to the right-side game board 5AR). In addition, the control to drive the drive motor and drive solenoid provided on the plate unit 200 (in this example, the performance operation unit 300), which is provided on the door frame 3 and is not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), and to operate the performance operation section 301 provided on the performance operation unit 300 will not be performed.

In other words, if the right-side game board 5AR is not connected, there is a risk that some or all of the movable parts provided on the door frame unit, which are not subject to ID determination, may also be poorly connected. This could cause the control signal output from the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 to change into a signal different from the intended one due to noise, etc., and the movable parts to operate in an abnormal manner. Therefore, some or all of the movable parts provided on the door frame unit and operated by the drive motor or drive solenoid controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, which are not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003), are not driven. This prevents damage to the movable parts or the door frame unit due to the movable parts operating in an unintended manner, and also prevents failure of the drive motor or drive solenoid that operates the movable parts. However, even in this case, LEDs provided on the door frame unit that are not subject to ID determination (for example, multiple LEDs 320a for illuminating the upper part (unit upper cover 312) of the performance operation unit cover unit 310 of the performance operation unit 301 of the performance operation unit 300 provided on the door frame 3) are controlled in the same predetermined illumination pattern as in the case of compliance. This makes it possible to determine that the operation confirmation mode is being executed correctly.

On the other hand, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL, where the peripheral control board 1510 on which the peripheral control IC 1510a that performs the ID determination process (step S1003) is mounted is located (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and the rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) operate in the same way as usual (when it is determined that the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible) when the operation confirmation mode is started. Furthermore, LEDs mounted on the circuit boards provided on the movable parts of the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left-side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160) are controlled to emit light in an operation confirmation emission mode. In other words, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the right-side game board 5AR is not connected, the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL (such as the rear upper movable decorative part 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200, the rear left movable decorative part 3301 and rear right movable decorative part 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, and the rear front lower middle decorative part 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, all located on the left-side game board 5AL of the split game board 5A) are operated in the operation confirmation mode, and the LEDs provided on the movable parts provided on the left-side game board 5AL are controlled to emit light in the operation confirmation mode. This makes it easy to identify the game board on which the peripheral control board 1510 is located (in this case, the left-side game board 5AL) of the split game board 5A.

Furthermore, in this example, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, the control process (step S1003) does not drive the drive motor or drive solenoid mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 of the door frame unit (the plate unit 200 in this example), which is not subject to ID determination, to operate the performance operation unit 301. However, the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board of the performance operation unit 300 are controlled in the same way as usual (when the combination of split game boards 5A is determined to be compatible) during the operation confirmation mode. In other words, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected when the operation confirmation mode is executed, the various LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided on the performance operation unit 300 will be controlled to emit light in the same operation confirmation emission pattern as when the combination of the divided game boards 5A is determined to be compatible.

Furthermore, if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected, the LEDs mounted on some of the multiple LEDs mounted on multiple boards provided on the door frame unit that are not subject to ID determination in the ID determination process (step S1003) may not be controlled to emit light in the operation confirmation emission mode. Similarly, some movable parts may not be operated in the operation confirmation mode (for example, some or all of the LEDs provided on the decorative board provided on the door frame unit and the drive motors, drive solenoids, LEDs, etc., provided on the movable parts provided on the door frame unit may not operate or drive in operation confirmation mode).

Furthermore, if the ID determination process (step S1003) determines that the split game board 5A is not connected, the right-side game board 5AR, which was determined to be unconnected, and part or all of the movable parts operated by drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., which are provided on the door frame unit not subject to ID determination and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, may be prevented from being driven until the power to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off or until the combination of split game boards 5A is determined to be compatible, regardless of whether it is in operation confirmation mode or not. In this case, it is possible to prevent the movable parts from operating in a manner different from their intended operation, which could cause damage to the movable parts or door frame unit, or to prevent the drive motors, drive solenoids, etc., that operate the movable parts from failing.

Furthermore, when the external terminal board output confirmation mode ends (the operation confirmation light emission mode by the LED ends and is turned off or lit in a predetermined light emission mode, and the operation confirmation mode for the movable body ends and is in standby mode (stopped (housed) in a predetermined standby position)), and the game mode starts, the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 will, in addition to displaying the disconnection error notification mode on the performance display device 1600, repeatedly output a game board disconnection notification sound (an announcement voice saying "The right game board is not connected." and a warning sound such as "ding-dong") from various speakers at a volume adjusted by the volume adjustment button 227 until the power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is cut off (the output may be stopped after being repeated a certain number of times (for example, 5 times) or for a certain period of time (for example, 30 seconds)). The various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (including the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) are repeatedly controlled to emit light in a critical malfunction notification mode (or a semi-critical malfunction notification mode if the light emission control is performed after the critical malfunction notification mode). Furthermore, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board provided on the left-side game board 5AL are controlled to be off. Meanwhile, the LEDs of the function display unit 1400, provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and the LEDs of the sub-function display unit 2250, provided on the left-side game board 5AL and controlled by the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510, are made capable of emission control in the same manner as during normal operation (they may be illuminated in a predetermined manner).

Furthermore, the notification sound for unconnected game boards is not a single, intermittent sound (e.g., "beep"), but rather consists of multiple sounds with different pitches, and is repeatedly controlled between silent and on states. Additionally, the critical malfunction notification light pattern is not fixed in a constant state, but repeatedly controls between on and off states, changing the light intensity. In other words, various speakers and LEDs are designed to notify the right-side game board 5AR of the fact that it is not electrically connected to the left-side game board 5AL in a dynamic manner, with changes in pitch, volume, and light intensity over time. This makes it easier to notice that the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left-side game board 5AL when the operation check mode ends and the game mode, which does not require any further checks, begins.

Thus, in this example, when the system transitions to operation confirmation mode in an unconnected state without an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR, the various speakers issue an abnormality notification corresponding to the unconnected state of the right-side game board 5AR. Meanwhile, the various LEDs (some or all) on the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., located on the door frame 3) issue an abnormality notification corresponding to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2. In other words, while the various speakers, the various LEDs on the door frame unit, and the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the right-side game board 5AR each issue an abnormality notification, the underlying abnormalities (the various speakers issue an abnormality notification due to unconnection, while the various LEDs on the door frame unit and the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit board on the right-side game board 5AR issue abnormality notifications due to the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2) are different.

In other words, if the right-side game board 5AR is not connected and the main body frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2 during the operation confirmation mode, a game board disconnection notification sound will be output from the various speakers, and a critical malfunction notification light pattern (or a semi-critical malfunction notification light pattern if the light control proceeds from the critical malfunction notification light pattern to the semi-critical malfunction notification light pattern) will be executed due to the main body frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2. While the volume of the game board disconnection notification sound output from the various speakers can be adjusted using the volume control button 227, the light intensity of the critical malfunction notification light pattern (including the semi-critical malfunction notification light pattern if the light control proceeds from the critical malfunction notification light pattern to the semi-critical malfunction notification light pattern) that is controlled due to the main body frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2 cannot be adjusted using the light intensity adjustment button 228.

In this case, based on the operation of the light intensity adjustment button 228, a scale corresponding to the light intensity (brightness) is displayed on the display device 1600. Furthermore, even if the scale is changed by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228, the light intensity (brightness) of the critical abnormality notification flashing mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode if the flashing control is performed to the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode after the critical abnormality notification flashing mode) does not change. On the other hand, the minor abnormality flashing mode, which is executed after the flashing control of the critical abnormality notification flashing mode (including the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode if the flashing control is performed to the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode after the critical abnormality notification flashing mode) is completed, is flashed with the light intensity (brightness) changed according to the operation of the light intensity adjustment button 228. In this example, if the operation check mode is executed with the right-side game board 5AR unconnected, and the operation check mode ends and the game mode starts, and the main frame 4 is closed to the outer frame 2, and the system is controlled to emit light in the critical abnormality notification mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the system controls the emission to emit light in the semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode), then during the emission control of the critical abnormality notification mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the system controls the emission to emit light in the semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode), it is possible to adjust the amount of light (luminance) of the emission mode that will be controlled after the critical abnormality notification mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the system controls the emission to emit light in the semi-critical abnormality notification mode after the critical abnormality notification mode) ends. This allows the system to prevent players from being deprived of the opportunity to adjust the light intensity (brightness) even when the light emission is controlled to the critical abnormality notification mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification mode if the light emission control is switched from the critical abnormality notification mode to the semi-critical abnormality notification mode), thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, if the period from closing the main frame 4, which was open to the outer frame 2, until the end of the critical abnormality notification flashing mode (or the semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode if the flashing control is performed to a semi-critical abnormality notification flashing mode after the critical abnormality notification flashing mode) is shorter than the period from the start of the operation confirmation mode until the end of the operation confirmation mode, then if the main frame 4 is closed after the end of the external terminal board output confirmation mode and the main frame 4 remains closed thereafter, the door frame unit (the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, and dish unit provided on the door frame 3) will be affected. The various LEDs (some or all) of the set 200 and the door frame top unit 450, etc., are controlled to emit a minor abnormality notification light immediately after the operation confirmation mode ends and the game mode starts, without being controlled to emit a major abnormality notification light due to the main frame 4 being open relative to the outer frame 2. This allows the system to immediately notify that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected based on the LED emission pattern when the operation confirmation mode ends and the game mode starts.

Furthermore, in this example, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR is not received and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the right-side game board 5AR is in an unconnected state, the timing of the light emission control in the minor abnormality notification light emission mode and the output timing of the game board unconnected notification sound differ depending on whether or not the system switches to the external terminal board output confirmation mode or the operation confirmation mode, corresponding to the unconnected state of the right-side game board 5AR.

Specifically, if neither the external terminal board output confirmation mode nor the operation confirmation mode is selected, and there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR (indicating an unconnected state), then, based on the commencement of power supply to the pachinko machine 1, the display device 1600 will display "power on" for a predetermined period of time. Following this, the various LEDs (some or all) of the door frame unit (including the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all located on the door frame 3) will begin emitting a minor abnormality notification light, and the various speakers will begin outputting an unconnected game board notification sound.

On the other hand, when executing either the external terminal board output confirmation mode or the operation confirmation mode, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR (i.e., it is in an unconnected state), then during the external terminal board output confirmation mode and operation confirmation mode, the light control in the minor abnormality notification light pattern and the output of the game board unconnected notification sound from various speakers will not be initiated due to the unconnected state caused by the lack of input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR. Instead, after the operation confirmation mode, the light control in the minor abnormality notification light pattern and the output of the game board unconnected notification sound from various speakers will be initiated due to the unconnected state caused by the lack of input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR.

Thus, even if, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the system is considered disconnected because there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, by differentiating the timing of the light emission control in the minor abnormality notification light emission mode and the output timing of the game board disconnection notification sound depending on whether or not the system switches to the external terminal board output confirmation mode or the operation confirmation mode, it is possible to prioritize the notification of highly important information and suppress the occurrence of malfunctions and fraudulent activities. In other words, if the output to the external terminal board 558 is not normal, even if fraudulent activity is occurring, the hall computer may not detect it, potentially causing damage to the amusement parlor. Furthermore, if there is a malfunction in the device installed in the pachinko machine 1, it may damage the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, by prioritizing notification over a mismatch (incompatibility) in the combination of the split game boards 5A, it is possible to prevent the escalation of damage and damage to the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR and that the machine is in an unconnected state, the timing at which the performance display device 1600 displays "Right-side game board unconnected error occurred" as an unconnected error notification display is the same regardless of whether or not the system is controlled to switch to the external terminal board output confirmation mode or to the operation confirmation mode. In other words, the performance display device 1600 displays "Right-side game board unconnected error occurred" as an unconnected error notification display at the timing when the operation confirmation mode is started. This allows for prioritizing the execution of notifications of high importance while also enabling the performance display device 1600 to notify and address other notifications. Furthermore, the timing of the "Right-side game board disconnection error" display in the display device 1600 may also be varied depending on whether or not the system switches to the external terminal board output confirmation mode or the operation confirmation mode. In this case, the most important information can be notified in order, allowing for sequential action, thus ensuring that each piece of information is reliably communicated and addressed.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is in an unconnected state, then even if an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the execution of the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the detection is invalidated (either the process to check whether or not a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether or not a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed).

Specifically, even if an abnormal magnetic field is generated during the execution of the external terminal board output confirmation mode and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the system is designed to discard the detection signal without executing an abnormality notification based on the detection of an abnormal magnetic field. That is, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, and the right-side game board 5AR is considered unconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the right-side game board 5AR is unconnected in the ID determination process (step S1003), if a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the execution of the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is ignored, and control is executed as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 after the end of the external terminal board output confirmation mode.

Furthermore, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and an abnormality is detected during the operation confirmation mode by the abnormality detection means (for example, sensors and switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, such as the magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, door frame opening switch, etc.), that is, when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means during the operation confirmation mode, the detection by the abnormality detection means is considered valid. However, for some abnormality notifications, the abnormality notification is not given during the power-on operation confirmation, but is given after the operation confirmation mode ends.

Specifically, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, and the right-side game board 5AR is not receiving an ID code signal, resulting in an unconnected state, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is unconnected, if a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the operation confirmation mode, then during that operation confirmation mode, the various LEDs of the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) will not be controlled to emit light in a critical abnormality notification pattern due to the detection of an unauthorized magnetism, nor will a magnetic detection notification sound (for example, "Magnetic detection error occurred.") be repeatedly output from the various speakers.

When the operation confirmation mode ends, the various LEDs on the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on door frame 3) are controlled to illuminate in a severe abnormality notification pattern due to the detection of an unauthorized magnet, and a magnetic detection notification sound is output from the various speakers. The abnormality notification due to the detection of an unauthorized magnet ends after a predetermined period has elapsed since the detection of the unauthorized magnet. When the abnormality notification due to the detection of an unauthorized magnet ends, if no other abnormalities are detected, the various LEDs on the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on door frame 3) are controlled to illuminate in a minor abnormality notification pattern due to the right-side game board 5AR being disconnected, and a game board disconnection notification sound is repeatedly output from the various speakers.

Thus, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the operation confirmation mode, then control of the various LEDs and speakers of the door frame unit (door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3) continues as if no detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 had been input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. Based on the completion of the operation confirmation mode, an abnormality notification is executed due to the detection of an unauthorized magnetic field.

In other words, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected in the ID determination process (step S1003), and an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality during the operation confirmation mode, then the abnormality notification caused by the detection means takes priority over the notification caused by the disconnection due to the lack of an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR after the operation confirmation mode ends.

In other words, while the risk of harm from fraudulent activity is low in the operation confirmation mode, the game mode starts immediately after the operation confirmation mode ends, meaning that similar fraudulent activity may occur in the game mode as well. On the other hand, if there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, resulting in an unconnected state, the likelihood of harm is lower compared to fraudulent activity. Therefore, if both detection by the anomaly detection means and an unconnected state (no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR) occur during the operation confirmation mode, the notification resulting from the detection by the anomaly detection means is prioritized and executed after the operation confirmation mode ends (or, in some cases, during the operation confirmation mode) to suppress the occurrence of harm.

Furthermore, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected because there is no input of an ID code signal from it, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc.) inputs a detection signal to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the operation confirmation mode, When detection occurs by sensors or switches, the various LEDs and speakers of the door frame unit (including the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all located on the door frame 3) will issue an abnormality notification when the operation confirmation mode ends. However, the display device 1600 will issue an abnormality notification (for example, displaying "Magnetic Error Occurred" as a magnetic detection error notification) when detection occurs by the abnormality detection means.

In other words, when the detection signal from the anomaly detection means is input to the main control board 1310 (or when the value of the magnetic cheat counter reaches its upper limit), the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 sends a command to the peripheral control board 1510 to instruct the start of anomaly notification (for example, a magnetic cheat notification command, which is classified as a notification display indicating that radio wave irradiation cheating is occurring). Upon receiving this command to instruct the start of anomaly notification (magnetic cheat notification command), the peripheral control IC of the peripheral control board 1510 starts control related to anomaly notification. Furthermore, even if an anomaly notification resulting from detection by the anomaly detection means is displayed on the performance display device 1600, an anomaly notification resulting from the right-side game board 5AR being disconnected (disconnection error notification display mode) is also displayed on the performance display device 1600. That is, if both detection by the anomaly detection means and the right-side game board 5AR being disconnected occur simultaneously, the performance display device 1600 displays an anomaly notification for each anomaly.

Furthermore, while the magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, bulb depletion detection sensor 574, and door frame release switch are shown as abnormality detection means, the system may configure the display device 1600 not to notify of abnormalities even if a detection signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the operation confirmation mode or after the external terminal board output confirmation mode (including during the operation confirmation mode and the game mode). Alternatively, the system may configure all sensors and switches not to not notify of abnormalities even if a detection signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the operation confirmation mode or after the external terminal board output confirmation mode (including during the operation confirmation mode and the game mode).

Furthermore, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, and no ID code signal is input from the right-side game board 5AR, resulting in an unconnected state, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is unconnected, and an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) during the game mode after the operation confirmation mode has ended, that is, when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means during the game mode, the detection by the abnormality detection means is still valid. However, unlike when an abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means during the operation confirmation mode, an abnormality notification is made at the timing when the abnormality is detected by the abnormality detection means.

Specifically, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is initiated, and the right-side game board 5AR is not receiving an ID code signal, resulting in an unconnected state, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is unconnected, and a detection signal from the magnetic sensor 1050 is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 during the game mode after the operation confirmation mode has ended, an abnormality notification caused by detection by the abnormality detection means is performed on the performance display device 1600 and on the various LEDs and speakers of the door frame unit (the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3).

In other words, when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, if the right-side game board 5AR is considered disconnected due to the lack of an ID code signal input, and the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 determines in the ID determination process (step S1003) that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected, and a detection signal is input to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 from an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame open switch, etc., which are sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310), then the abnormality notification caused by the detection by the abnormality detection means takes priority over the notification caused by the disconnected state due to the lack of an ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR.

Therefore, in a game mode where there is a high probability of disadvantage resulting from fraudulent activity, if both detection by the anomaly detection means and a disconnected state (no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR) occur, the notification resulting from the detection by the anomaly detection means will be given priority, thereby suppressing the occurrence of disadvantage.

Furthermore, even if the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 is configured to periodically (for example, each time the peripheral control unit's steady-state processing is executed) perform an ID determination process to determine whether the combination of divided game boards 5A is compatible after power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the ID determination process may not be performed while the external terminal board output confirmation mode is running. Similarly, even if the ID determination process is performed while the external terminal board output confirmation mode is running and it is determined that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR, indicating an unconnected state, the notification indicating that the right-side game board 5AR is unconnected may not be provided while the external terminal board output confirmation mode is running.

Furthermore, when performing an ID determination process to periodically determine whether the combination of split game boards 5A is compatible, the system may initiate notification (game board disconnection notification sound, disconnection error notification display, minor abnormality notification light display, etc.) corresponding to the disconnection of the right-side game board 5AR based on the determination that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR. After this notification is initiated, the system may terminate the notification corresponding to the disconnection of the right-side game board 5AR based on the determination that the combination of split game boards 5A is compatible. Alternatively, the system may initiate notification corresponding to the disconnection of the right-side game board 5AR based on the determination that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR after the ID determination process has determined that the combination of split game boards 5A is compatible.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of split game boards 5A is compatible, and the ID determination process is performed before starting the external terminal board output confirmation mode or during the operation confirmation mode and it is determined that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR, then, similar to the case where the system determines whether the combination of split game boards 5A is compatible only when power supply to the pachinko machine 1 is started, the display device 1600 will display a notification during the operation confirmation mode indicating that there is no input of an ID code signal from the right game board 5AR and that it is in an unconnected state, while various speakers Regarding the various LEDs on the car and door frame units (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450, all provided on the door frame 3), it is possible to configure the system so that, when the operation confirmation mode ends and the game mode begins, the system does not output a game board disconnection notification sound or illuminate a minor abnormality notification light to indicate that there is no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR and that the system is disconnected.

Furthermore, even if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible, if an abnormality detection means (for example, sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, such as a magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, and door frame opening switch) detects an abnormality during the execution of the external terminal board output confirmation mode, the detection may be considered invalid (either the process to check whether a detection has occurred is not executed, or the process to check whether a detection has occurred is executed, but the processing based on the detection (such as notification) is not executed). Therefore, even after the external terminal board output confirmation mode, abnormality notification based on detection during the external terminal board output confirmation mode by the abnormality detection means may not be executed.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to periodically determine whether the combination of the divided game boards 5A is compatible, and the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected during the operation confirmation mode, and an abnormality detection means (for example, a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor, a full tank detection sensor 154, a ball depletion detection sensor 574, a door frame opening switch, or other sensors or switches that input a detection signal to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) detects an abnormality, the display device 1600 will notify both that the right-side game board 5AR is disconnected (no ID code signal input) and that an abnormality detection means has detected an abnormality during the operation confirmation mode. While the system performs the display, the various LEDs on the various speakers and door frame units (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 on the door frame 3) may not notify the system that there is no ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR and that an abnormality has been detected. Instead, when the operation confirmation mode ends and the game mode begins, the system may prioritize the notification of detection by the abnormality detection means over the notification of the disconnected state due to the lack of ID code signal input from the right-side game board 5AR.

In the example described above, the system is configured to switch to the external terminal board output confirmation mode if the "first confirmation mode transition condition" is met within a predetermined period after the start of power supply to the pachinko machine 1, and to switch to the operation confirmation mode if the "second confirmation mode transition condition" is met within a predetermined period after the start of power supply to the pachinko machine 1. However, for example, the system may be configured to switch to the external terminal board output confirmation mode if the "first confirmation mode transition condition" is met within a predetermined period after the start of power supply to the pachinko machine 1, such as when the function display unit 1400 is in standby mode (demonstration) and the special symbol variation display has not been performed for a predetermined period, and to switch to the operation confirmation mode if the "second confirmation mode transition condition" is met within a predetermined period after the start of power supply to the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in the example described above, a new operation confirmation switch 1310j was added, and the operation of the operation confirmation switch 1310j was shown as a "first confirmation mode transition condition" and a "second confirmation mode transition condition." However, the RAM clear switch 1310f may be used as a substitute for the operation confirmation switch 1310j. In this case, the RAM clear switch 1310f may be placed on the main control board 1310, or on the payout control board 633 or the power supply board 630. Furthermore, if the RAM clear switch 1310f is used as a substitute for the operation confirmation switch 1310j, the "setting value change permission condition" and the "first confirmation mode transition condition" are set to the same condition, and the "execution condition for the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38)" and the "second confirmation mode transition condition" are set to the same condition. In this case, the external terminal board output confirmation mode may also be executed when the setting change process is executed, and the operation confirmation mode may also be executed when the process of clearing the entire area of the main control's built-in RAM except for a specific area (step S38) is executed. Furthermore, in this case, the same control as in the example of behavior when changing the setting value in an unconnected state where the right-side game board 5AR is not electrically connected to the left-side game board 5AL, such as when the combination of the split game boards 5A is incompatible, or when there is no input of an ID code signal from the right-side game board 5AR and malfunctions such as short circuits or disconnections occur in the transmission path that transmits various signals, may be executed in the external terminal board output confirmation mode. Additionally, the same control as in the example of behavior when clearing all areas except a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM after the setting change process (step S38) and performing power-on operation confirmation may be executed in the operation confirmation mode.

Furthermore, the output signals, light emission patterns, display patterns, sound output patterns, etc., shown in the multiple embodiments described above are merely examples, and are not limited to those described above, as long as they do not deviate from the concept of this technology (for example, if the output period and output timing are similar). For example, the above example shows an output confirmation signal being output when the external terminal board output confirmation mode is started, but other signals may also be output. For example, if the external terminal board output confirmation mode is executed when a setting change process is performed, a signal indicating that the setting change process has been executed may be output.

[Summary 1]
A game frame side component having an outer frame (for example, outer frame 2), a main frame (for example, main frame 4) that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a door frame (for example, door frame 3) that is openable and closable on the main frame,
A game board component (for example, a divided game board 5A) is detachably attached to the game frame component,
A mode output means capable of outputting a predetermined mode (for example, one or any combination of several (including all) of various speakers, a performance display device 1600, various LEDs, etc.),
A mode control means (for example, peripheral control IC 1510a) that controls the mode output means,
A first operating means (for example, an operation confirmation switch 1310j) is provided on the rear side of the gaming machine and is not operable by the player,
A second operating means provided on the front side of the gaming machine that can be operated by the player (for example, the performance operation section 301 of the performance operation unit 300, a volume control switch, a light intensity control switch, etc.),
A gaming machine equipped with,
The system further includes a special state generating means (a part that performs control of the operation confirmation mode by the peripheral control IC 1510a) that can generate a predetermined special state in response to a special operation on the first operating means,
The game board side component comprises a first game board side component (for example, the left game board 5AL) and a second game board side component (for example, the right game board 5AR), each individually fixed to the game frame side component.
The mode control means is
When the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected, it is possible to output a notification mode to the mode output means.
In response to the operation of the second operating means during the aforementioned special state, a special mode is output.
If the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected during the special state, the mode output means will suppress and output the notification mode.
It is characterized by the following:
By configuring it in this way, it becomes possible to confirm whether or not the operation of the second operating means is effective during a special state, and it becomes possible to determine that the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected without interfering with the confirmation process of whether or not the operation of the second operating means is effective. As a result, the game can be played without malfunction, preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game and avoiding any disadvantage to players or game parlors.

Furthermore, the mode control means may be configured to output the special mode (such as special sounds from various speakers, special modes of the performance display device 1600, or changes in the light emission color of various LEDs) only during the special state. This configuration makes it easy to determine that the operation of the second operation means is effective when a special mode is output during the special state. In other words, it becomes easy to determine that the operation of the second operation means is effective, as the special mode can be identified without being confused with other modes performed during variable performances, etc.

Furthermore, the mode output means may include a display means (e.g., a performance display device 1600) and a sound output means (e.g., various speakers) or a light-emitting means (e.g., various LEDs). If the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected during the special state, the display means may display the notification mode, while the sound output means and light-emitting means may output the special mode without outputting the notification mode. This configuration allows for the output of the special mode without outputting the notification mode from various sound output means and light-emitting means that would interfere with the verification process during the special state, and the notification mode is displayed only on the display means that would not interfere with the verification process during the special state, thereby reducing errors in the verification process.

Furthermore, the aforementioned special state may be configured to terminate automatically after a certain period of time (without requiring any specific operation). This configuration eliminates the need for unnecessary operations such as terminating the special state, reducing the effort and time required for verification in amusement facilities with multiple gaming machines.

[Summary 2]
A game frame side component having an outer frame (for example, outer frame 2), a main frame (for example, main frame 4) that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a door frame (for example, door frame 3) that is openable and closable on the main frame,
A game board component (for example, a divided game board 5A) is detachably attached to the game frame component,
A light-emitting unit (e.g., various LEDs) capable of emitting light in a predetermined light-emitting manner,
A light emission control means (for example, peripheral control IC 1510a) for controlling the light emission of the light emission unit,
A special light emission state generating means (for example, a part that performs control of the operation confirmation mode by the peripheral control IC 1510a) capable of generating a special light emission state based on a predetermined special operation,
A gaming machine equipped with,
The game board side component comprises a first game board side component (for example, the left game board 5AL) and a second game board side component (for example, the right game board 5AR), each individually fixed to the game frame side component.
The aforementioned light emission control means is
When the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected, the light-emitting unit can be made to emit light in a notification mode (for example, a minor abnormality notification mode).
During the special light emission state, the light-emitting unit is made to emit light in a special manner (for example, an operation confirmation light emission manner).
Even if the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected during the special light emission state, the light emission unit can be made to emit light in the special mode without emitting light in the notification light emission mode.
It is characterized by the following:
By configuring the system in this way, it becomes possible to check whether the light-emitting part can light up normally during the special illumination state, thus enabling the game to be played without malfunction and preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, the light emission control means may be capable of emitting light in the special mode only during the special light emission state. This configuration makes it easy to determine whether the light-emitting unit can illuminate normally when it emits light in the special mode during the special light emission state. In other words, it becomes possible to identify the special mode without confusing it with other light emission modes performed during fluctuation effects, etc., thus making it easy to determine whether the light-emitting unit can illuminate normally.

Furthermore, the system may also include a display means (for example, a performance display device 1600). If the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected during the special illumination state, the display means may show a notification pattern, and after the special illumination state, the light-emitting unit may be illuminated in the notification pattern. This configuration allows the light-emitting unit to illuminate in the special illumination pattern without being illuminated in the notification pattern, while the notification pattern is only displayed on the display means that does not interfere with the confirmation process during the special illumination state. This reduces errors in the confirmation process. Additionally, after the special illumination state, in addition to displaying the notification pattern on the display means, illuminating the light-emitting unit in the notification pattern makes it easy to recognize that the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected.

Furthermore, the special illumination state may be configured to automatically terminate after a certain period of time (without requiring any specific operation). This configuration eliminates the need for unnecessary operations such as terminating the special illumination state, thereby reducing the effort and time required for verification in amusement facilities where multiple pachinko machines are installed.

Furthermore, the pachinko machine 1 may also have an operating unit (operation confirmation switch 1310j) provided on the rear side that can receive predetermined operations, and the special illumination state may be generated in response to operations on this operating unit. With this configuration, the special illumination state can be generated when the operating unit, which is difficult for the player to operate, is operated, thus suppressing the unnecessary generation of the special illumination state.

[Summary 3]
A game frame side component having an outer frame (for example, outer frame 2), a main frame (for example, main frame 4) that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a door frame (for example, door frame 3) that is openable and closable on the main frame,
A game board component (for example, a divided game board 5A) is detachably attached to the game frame component,
A sound output unit (for example, various speakers) capable of outputting a predetermined sound pattern,
Sound output control means (for example, peripheral control IC 1510a) for controlling the sound output of the sound output unit,
A special sound output state generating means (for example, a part that performs control of the operation confirmation mode by a peripheral control IC 1510a) that can generate a special sound output state based on a predetermined special operation,
A gaming machine equipped with,
The game board side component comprises a first game board side component (for example, the left game board 5AL) and a second game board side component (for example, the right game board 5AR), each individually fixed to the game frame side component.
The sound output control means is
When the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected, the sound output unit can output a notification sound (for example, a game board unconnected notification sound).
During the aforementioned special sound output state, the sound output unit outputs a special sound (for example, a special sound).
Even when the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected, the special sound can be output from the sound output unit without outputting the notification sound output mode.
This configuration allows for confirmation of whether the sound output unit is able to output sound normally during the special sound output state, thereby enabling the game to be played without malfunction and preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, the sound output control means may be configured to output the special sound only during the special sound output state. This configuration makes it easy to determine that the sound output unit is functioning correctly when the special sound is output during the special sound output state. In other words, it becomes possible to distinguish the special sound without mistaking it for other sound output modes performed during fluctuation effects, thus easily determining that the sound output unit is functioning correctly.

Furthermore, a display means (e.g., a performance display device 1600) may be provided to display a notification pattern on the display means if the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected during the special sound output state, and to output a notification sound pattern from the sound output unit after the special sound output state has ended. By configuring it this way, the output of the sound output unit that would interfere with the confirmation work during the special sound output state is output as a special sound without outputting in the notification sound pattern, and the notification pattern is displayed only on the display means that does not interfere with the confirmation work during the special sound output state, thereby reducing errors in the confirmation work. Additionally, after the special sound output state has ended, in addition to displaying the notification pattern on the display means, outputting in the notification sound pattern from the sound output unit makes it easy to recognize that the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected.

Furthermore, the special sound output state may be configured to automatically terminate after a certain period of time (without requiring any specific operation). This configuration eliminates the need for unnecessary operations such as terminating the special sound output state, thereby reducing the effort and time required for verification in amusement facilities where multiple pachinko machines 1 are installed.

Furthermore, the pachinko machine 1 may also have an operating unit (operation confirmation switch 1310j) provided on the rear side that can receive predetermined operations, and the special sound output state may be generated in response to operations on this operating unit. This configuration allows the special sound output state to be generated when the operating unit, which is difficult for the player to operate, is operated, thereby suppressing the unnecessary generation of the special sound output state.

[Summary 4]
A game frame side component having an outer frame (for example, outer frame 2), a main frame (for example, main frame 4) that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a door frame (for example, door frame 3) that is openable and closable on the main frame,
A game board component (for example, a divided game board 5A) is detachably attached to the game frame component,
A movable part that can operate in a predetermined manner (for example, a movable body provided on the left side game board 5AL (the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of the rear upper performance unit 3200 of the rear unit 3000 provided on the left side game board 5AL of the divided game board 5A, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 of the rear lower performance unit 3300, the rear front lower middle decorative body 3161 of the rear front lower performance unit 3160, etc.))
A movable control means for controlling the movement of the movable part (for example, a part that controls the movement of a movable body provided on the left side game board 5AL of the peripheral control IC 1510a),
A light-emitting unit (e.g., various LEDs) capable of emitting light in a predetermined light-emitting manner,
Light emission control means for controlling the light emission of the light emission unit (for example, the part of the peripheral control IC 1510a that controls the light emission of various LEDs),
A special operating state generating means (for example, a part that performs control of the operation confirmation mode by a peripheral control IC 1510a) that can generate a special operating state based on a predetermined special operation,
A gaming machine equipped with,
The game board side component comprises a first game board side component (for example, the left game board 5AL) and a second game board side component (for example, the right game board 5AR), each individually fixed to the game frame side component.
The aforementioned light emission control means is
When the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected, the light-emitting unit can be made to emit light in a notification light-emitting mode (for example, a minor abnormality notification light-emitting mode).
The aforementioned movable control means is
During the aforementioned special movable state, the movable part is operated in a special movable mode (for example, the operating mode used for operation confirmation).
Even if the first game board side component and the second game board side component are not electrically connected during the special movable state, the light-emitting unit will not emit light in the notification light-emitting mode.
It is characterized by the following:
By configuring the system in this way, it becomes possible to check whether the movable parts are functioning correctly during the special operating state, thus enabling the game to be played without malfunction and preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, the movable control means may be configured to operate the movable part in a special movable mode only during the special movable state. This configuration makes it easy to determine if the movable part is functioning normally when it operates in a special movable mode during the special movable state. In other words, it becomes possible to identify the special movable mode without confusing it with other movable modes performed during fluctuation effects, etc., thus easily determining if the movable part is functioning normally.

Furthermore, the system may also include a display means (for example, a performance display device 1600). If the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected during the special operating state, the display means may show a notification pattern, and after the special operating state, the light-emitting unit may be made to emit light in the notification pattern. This configuration allows for the emission of the light-emitting unit in the notification pattern without interfering with the verification process during the special operating state. The notification pattern is displayed only on the display means that does not interfere with the verification process during the special operating state, and the light-emitting unit is made to emit light in the notification pattern after the special operating state. This reduces errors in the verification process. Additionally, after the special operating state, displaying the notification pattern on the display means and emitting light in the notification pattern makes it easy to recognize that the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected.

Furthermore, the aforementioned special operating state may be configured to automatically terminate after a certain period of time (without requiring any specific operation). This configuration eliminates the need for unnecessary operations such as terminating the special operating state, thereby reducing the effort and time required for verification in amusement facilities where multiple pachinko machines 1 are installed.

Furthermore, the pachinko machine 1 may also have an operating unit (operation confirmation switch 1310j) provided on the rear side that can receive predetermined operations, and the special movable state may be generated in response to operations on this operating unit. This configuration allows the special movable state to be generated when the operating unit, which is difficult for the player to operate, is operated, thereby suppressing the unnecessary generation of the special movable state.

[Summary 5]
A game frame side component having an outer frame (for example, outer frame 2), a main frame (for example, main frame 4) that is openable and closable on the outer frame, and a door frame (for example, door frame 3) that is openable and closable on the main frame,
A game board component (for example, a divided game board 5A) is detachably attached to the game frame component,
Information output means capable of outputting information related to the gaming machine to the outside of the gaming machine (for example, a part that outputs information related to the gaming machine, such as the number of gaming balls B actually dispensed by the payout control MPU, from the external terminal board 558 to a hall computer installed on the gaming hall side),
A special state generating means capable of generating a special state based on a predetermined special operation (for example, a part that performs control of the external terminal board output confirmation mode of the payout control MPU),
A gaming machine equipped with,
The game board side component comprises a first game board side component (for example, the left game board 5AL) and a second game board side component (for example, the right game board 5AR), each individually fixed to the game frame side component.
The aforementioned information output means is
During the aforementioned special state, it is possible to output special information (for example, an output confirmation signal),
Even if, during the special state, the first game board component and the second game board component are not electrically connected, the special information is output without outputting information indicating this disconnection to the outside of the game machine.
It is characterized by the following:
By configuring the system in this way, it is possible to confirm whether or not information related to the gaming machine can be output normally from the information output means during a special state. As a result, information related to the gaming machine, such as fraudulent activity, can be collected by the hall computer, etc., thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1 and increasing the deterrent effect against fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, the information output means may be capable of outputting the special information only during the special state.
By configuring it in this way, when special information is output during a special state, it becomes easy to determine whether the information output means is able to output information related to the gaming machine in a normal manner. In other words, because the special information can be confirmed without being mistaken for other information that is executed during fluctuation effects, it becomes easy to determine whether the information output means is able to output information related to the gaming machine in a normal manner.

Furthermore, the information output means may be configured to continue outputting the special information for a predetermined period of time, even after the special state has ended, without outputting the disconnection information to the outside of the gaming machine. This configuration allows the special information to be confirmed even if the special state ends after a short period of time.

A launching means (for example, a ball launching device 540) capable of launching game balls based on a predetermined operation,
The system further comprises a launch control means (for example, a launch control unit 633b of the payout control board 633) for controlling the launch means,
The launch control means will not launch the game ball even if the operation is performed during the special state.
It is characterized by the following:
By configuring it in this way, information about the gaming machine resulting from the launch of a game ball during a special state is output from the information output means, which can prevent it from becoming difficult to determine whether or not special information is being output.

An entry point capable of receiving game balls (for example, the first starting point 2002, the second starting point 2004, etc.),
A lottery means that performs a lottery based on the acceptance of a game ball into the ball entry slot (the part that executes the winning determination process (step S305) of the main control MPU 1310a),
The system further includes a game control means (the part of the main control MPU 1310a that performs special symbol processing, etc.) that controls the progress of the game based on the lottery result of the lottery means,
The game control means stops the game from progressing during the special state, regardless of whether or not a game ball has been received into the ball entry slot.
It is characterized by the following:
By configuring the system in this way, even if a game ball enters the ball entry slot during a special state, the game will not proceed. This suppresses the output of information different from the special information during a special state, and makes it easy to determine whether the information output means is capable of outputting information related to the game machine in a normal manner when special information is output.

Furthermore, the pachinko machine 1 may also have an operating unit (operation confirmation switch 1310j) provided on the rear side that can receive predetermined operations, and the special state may be generated in response to operations on this operating unit. This configuration allows the special state to be generated when the operating unit, which is difficult for the player to operate, is operated, thereby suppressing the unnecessary generation of the special state.

[Delay in the start of specific performances]
Next, we will describe a modified example in which the start timing of a specific performance, performed by the performance display device 1600, etc., can be delayed by the player's operation. Figure 345 is a time chart showing the start timing of a specific performance. In the following, only the parts that differ from the above embodiment will be described, and redundant explanations will not be provided.

In this example, as shown in Figure 345(A), the pachinko machine 1 starts a specific performance when a predetermined period T1 has elapsed after the start of the symbol variation display. Based on the fulfillment of this condition, the specific performance begins. In other words, when a variation pattern command instructing the start of the symbol variation display is received, a timer is started to measure the period since the command was received. When this measured period reaches the predetermined period T1, it is determined that the condition for starting the specific performance has been met, and the specific performance begins. For example, as shown in Figure 345(A), after the peripheral control board 1510 receives a variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 to instruct the start of the variation performance, the performance display device 1600 starts a variation performance such as the variation display of decorative symbols (t1). Then, after the timer starts measuring and the predetermined period T1 has elapsed (t2), the specific performance is executed for a certain period T2.

Furthermore, the specific performance ends after a certain period T2 (t3). Alternatively, a timer may be started after the performance, and the performance may be restarted once the measured period reaches a predetermined period T1. The timer value is reset when period T is reached, and measurement restarts from its initial value (e.g., "0") after the performance ends. If the timer can individually measure the period from start to interruption, the timer value may be cumulatively added without being reset each time period T is reached. Also, the period T1 as the start condition for the specific performance may be set to a single value (the period until the specific performance starts is always constant (e.g., the performance starts when 10 seconds have always elapsed)), or multiple periods may be set (the period until the specific performance starts varies (e.g., one of 5, 10, or 15 seconds is chosen, and the performance starts when this chosen period has elapsed, or these multiple periods may be switched in a predetermined order, so the period until the specific performance starts is not always constant)).

Furthermore, the system determines whether the conditions for starting a specific performance are met based on the elapsed time since receiving a variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, that is, it is not limited to determining whether the conditions for starting a specific performance are met by measuring the elapsed time since receiving a variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 using a timer, but also includes the period from receiving a variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 until receiving a start-up entry command (the timer value is reset based on the receipt of the start-up entry command), the period until the player's contact is detected by the handle touch sensor 192 (the timer value is reset based on the detection of the player's contact by the handle touch sensor 192), The system may also determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met based on any or any combination of the following: the period until the handle rotation detection sensor 189 detects rotation (the timer value is reset based on the detection of rotation by the handle rotation detection sensor 189); the period until the contact operation part 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is detected (the timer value is reset based on the detection of the contact operation part 302 of the performance operation unit 300); the period until the operation of the volume control button 227 is detected (the timer value is reset based on the detection of the operation of the volume control button 227); the period until the operation of the light intensity control button 228 is detected (the timer value is reset based on the detection of the operation of the light intensity control button 228). In other words, the determination of whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met may be made based on whether the elapsed time since receiving the variable pattern command reaches T1, or/or whether the start-out prize command was received before the elapsed time reached T1, whether the player's contact is detected by the handle touch sensor 192, whether the handle rotation detection sensor 189 detects rotation, whether a contact operation is detected by the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300, whether the operation of the volume control button 227 is detected, whether the operation of the light intensity control button 228 is detected, etc.

If the system is configured to determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance are met based on any one or any combination of the following periods: the period from receiving a variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 until receiving a start-out prize command; the period until the player's contact is detected by the handle touch sensor 192; and the period until the rotation is detected by the handle rotation detection sensor 189, then it is possible to prevent so-called "stop-shooting" (stopping the launch of game balls) and improve the operating rate of the game machine.

In this example, the system is configured to determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance are met when a variation pattern command is received from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, it is not limited to this configuration; the system may also determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance are met when a specific control command transmitted from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 is received. For example, the system may determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance are met based on the elapsed time since receiving the start-up slot entry command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 (measured by a timer) or the elapsed time since receiving the stop display command (measured by a timer). In this case, the timing of the start of the specific performance can be changed, preventing players from becoming bored.

In this example, a specific animation is displayed where characters appear and perform predetermined actions, or where the appearance of characters changes over time. For example, a specific animation is performed where characters appear according to the probability of a big win, and the displayed characters indicate the probability of a big win. However, since this specific animation occurs relatively early after the start of the variation animation, if the player realizes early on that they will not win a big win or that the probability of a big win is low, they may lose interest in the ongoing variation animation. Therefore, in this example of a pachinko machine, the start timing of the specific animation can be delayed by the player's operation, making it difficult for the player to grasp the probability of a big win early on and thus preventing them from losing interest in the variation animation prematurely.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 345(B), if the timer starts measuring before a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the changing pattern display, that is, based on the reception of a changing pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated in a specific way (for example, an operation to start a special period that allows delaying the start timing of the specific performance (in this example, a press operation)) before the period T1 in which the start conditions for the specific performance are met has elapsed (t2'), then a special period that allows delaying the start timing of the specific performance is started in accordance with the operation of the performance operation unit 300 (performance operation section 301 (contact operation section 302, press operation section 303)), and the specific performance does not start even after the predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the changing pattern display (t2). Furthermore, when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated in a specific manner, the performance display device 1600 will display text information different from the abnormality information (e.g., text information indicating the nature of the abnormality, such as "door opening error"), in a static state (e.g., "specific performance delayed"). This makes it easy to recognize that the start timing of the specific performance is being delayed.

Furthermore, the special period ends in response to a special operation of the performance operation unit 300 (for example, an operation to end the special period (end operation)) (t2"), and when a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the special period ended in response to a special operation of the performance operation unit 300, the conditions for starting the specific performance are met and the specific performance begins (t3'). In other words, by starting the special period through player operation and ending the special period through the player's own operation, the start timing of the specific performance can be delayed over the special period. In addition, the timer value is reset when the special period starts, and measurement by the timer is suspended during the special period, and measurement starts again from the initial value (for example, "0") after the special period ends. Thus, not only is the specific performance not executed during the special period, but whether or not the conditions for starting the specific performance are met is also determined based on the period calculated from the end of the special period. In other words, the timer value is reset when the special period starts, and measurement by the timer does not start until the special period ends, and measurement by the timer starts from the initial value based on the end of the special period. Therefore, the player can delay the start of a specific animation for a period of time of their choosing, allowing the animation to begin at a time of their own choosing. This prevents the animation from being executed at an unintended time, thus reducing the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, if the animation control unit 300 is operated during the special period, i.e., when the special period ends, the display of the aforementioned text information (e.g., "Specific animation delayed") will cease. This makes it easy for players to recognize that the special period has ended.

During the special period, the special period will not end even if other operating means (such as the contact operating part 302, volume control button 227, or light intensity adjustment button 228) are operated until the press operating part 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is specifically operated. This prevents the special period from ending at an unintended time for the player. Furthermore, a predetermined display different from the variable performance may be executed during the special period. This makes it easy for the player to recognize that the special period has started, or in other words, that the start timing of a specific performance has been delayed. Also, when a predetermined display is executed during the special period, the predetermined display may be changed by operating the performance operation unit 300, etc., while the predetermined display is being executed. For example, a character may be displayed during the special period, and a part of the character may change in response to operation of the performance operation unit 300, etc. This prevents the player from feeling idle during the special period, which has an extended start timing.

In this example, even if the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated after receiving a variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 (starting the variation display of the symbols) but before the start conditions for the specific performance are met, the special period will not start. However, if the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, the determination of whether the start conditions for the specific performance are met is based on a period calculated from the end of the operation of the contact operation section 302, not from the start of the variation display of the symbols (receiving a specific control command (variation pattern command in this example) from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310). In other words, if the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated after receiving a variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 (starting the variation display of the symbols) but before the start conditions for the specific performance are met, the timer value is reset, but the timer measurement is not interrupted and starts again from the initial value.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 345(C), if the timer starts measuring based on the receipt of a specific control command (a variable pattern command in this example) from the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a, and the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before the period T1 in which the conditions for starting the specific performance are met has elapsed (t2'), then the specific performance will not be executed even if the preset period T1 has elapsed since the receipt of the specific control command (a variable pattern command in this example). Instead, the specific performance will start based on the completion of the operation of the contact operation section 302 and the subsequent elapsed period T1 (t3').

In this case, the start timing of a specific performance can be delayed within a predetermined period T1. This allows for delaying the start timing of a specific performance even if a player attempting to delay the start timing of a specific performance by performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 accidentally operates the contact operation section 302, or if the player only wants to delay the start timing of a specific performance for a short period within the period T. This prevents a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in addition to the contact operation unit 302 of the performance operation unit 300, or separately from the contact operation unit 302 of the performance operation unit 300, the determination of whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met may be made based on a period calculated from the time when the handle touch sensor 192 ceases to detect player contact, rather than a period calculated from the time when the pattern variation display begins when the handle touch sensor 192 detects player contact. In other words, the timer value may be reset based on the detection of player contact by the handle touch sensor 192, and measurement by the timer may be suspended during the period when the handle touch sensor 192 detects player contact, and measurement may be restarted from the initial value when the handle touch sensor 192 ceases to detect player contact. In this case, so-called "stop-and-go" play, which stops the launch of game balls, can be prevented, and the operating rate of the game machine can be improved.

Furthermore, while the above example shows the special period ending through player operation, the special period may also be terminated if the performance operation unit 300 is not operated for a certain period of time. In other words, in addition to the player operation described above as a condition for ending the special period, the timer may be set to start measuring from an initial value at the later of the time when the special period begins or when the performance operation unit 300 stops operating, and the system may determine whether the condition for ending the special period has been met based on the period measured by the timer. In this case, the period for determining whether the condition for ending the special period has been met may be set to be longer than the period T1 for determining whether the condition for starting a specific performance has been met. This makes it possible to delay the start timing of a specific performance by a longer period than the period corresponding to the operation of an operation means other than the press operation unit 303 (for example, a contact operation unit 302 or a handle touch sensor 192). As mentioned above, in this example, the conditions for starting the specific performance are met and the specific performance begins when a predetermined period T1 has elapsed after the special period ends. Therefore, even if the special period ends based on a termination condition other than player operation, such as the period calculated from the later of the start of the special period or the end of operation of the performance operation unit 300 reaching a predetermined period, the specific performance will not start immediately. This allows players to roughly grasp the timing of the specific performance's start, but makes it difficult to pinpoint the exact timing, thus increasing interest in the performance.

Furthermore, in addition to the player operations described above, the special period may also be terminated when the handle touch sensor 192 detects contact or when a ball enters one of the ball entry points (e.g., all of the general prize entry point 2001, the first start entry point 2002, the gate 2003, the second start entry point 2004, and the large prize entry point 2005, or a specific entry point (e.g., the first start entry point 2002 and the second start entry point 2004)). In this case, the operation to terminate the special period becomes unnecessary, avoiding inconvenience to players and encouraging continued gameplay, thus preventing a decline in the machine's operating rate.

Furthermore, the system may be configured to terminate a specific performance if the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated during the performance. In this case, a special period may be initiated after the performance ends (the timer value is reset based on the press operation unit 303 being operated, and timer measurement is suspended until the special period ends), or the special period may not be executed after the performance ends.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 346(A), a specific performance is initiated (t2) after a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the pattern variation display. Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated during the execution of the specific performance (t3'), the currently running specific performance may be terminated, even if it is still in progress. In other words, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before all of the pre-set specific performances have been executed, the currently running specific performance may be terminated midway through.

In this case, if a specific performance is initiated because the player has not performed a specific operation (pressing in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300, the player can terminate the specific performance simply by performing a specific operation (pressing in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300. Furthermore, if the special period ends based on a predetermined termination condition, such as the period starting from the later of the start of the special period or the termination of the operation of the performance operation unit 300, the player can terminate the specific performance simply by performing a specific operation (pressing in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300, even if the specific performance starts at an unintended time, thus avoiding inconvenience to the player.

In addition to the above, the specific performance may also be terminated if any one or any combination of the following is detected: when the handle touch sensor 192 detects contact by the player; when the handle rotation detection sensor 189 detects rotation; when the contact operation part 302 of the performance operation unit 300 detects contact; when the volume adjustment button 227 is operated and the volume is changed; or when the light intensity (brightness) is changed by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228. If the system is configured to terminate a specific animation when the player's touch is detected by the handle touch sensor 192 or when rotation is detected by the handle rotation detection sensor 189, the animation can be terminated simply by touching or rotating the handle 195 to play the game, without requiring any special operation, thus avoiding inconvenience to the player. Furthermore, if the system is configured to terminate a specific animation when contact is detected by the contact operation section 302 of the animation operation unit 300, or when the volume control button 227 or light intensity control button 228 is operated, the animation can be terminated with simple operations such as operating the contact operation section 302, volume control button 227, or light intensity control button 228, encouraging participation in the game and preventing a decrease in the machine's operating rate.

Furthermore, if a specific performance is initiated after the end of a special period based on the fulfillment of its start conditions, it may be configured to start from the beginning of the performance rather than from where it was interrupted. In other words, if the start conditions for a specific performance are met, the performance may always be executed from the beginning. In this case, regardless of when the performance was interrupted, the entire performance can be executed, allowing for indication of the likelihood of a big win.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 346(B), a specific performance is initiated (t2) after a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the pattern variation display. If the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the execution of the specific performance (t3'), the currently running specific performance may be terminated and a special period may begin, even if the performance is still in progress. In other words, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed before all of the pre-set specific performances have been executed, the currently running specific performance may be terminated and a special period may begin.

In this case, if a specific performance is initiated because the player has not performed a specific operation (pressing the button in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300, the player can simply perform a specific operation (pressing the button in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 to end the specific performance and start the special period. This allows the special period to be executed without causing inconvenience to the player, and also allows the player to delay the start timing of the specific performance for a period of their choosing, enabling the player to start the specific performance at a time of their choosing. Furthermore, if the special period ends based on an termination condition different from the player's operation, such as reaching a predetermined period calculated from the later of the start of the special period or the end of operation on the performance operation unit 300, even if the specific performance starts at an unintended time, the player can simply perform a specific operation (pressing the button in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 to end the specific performance and start the special period. This allows the special period to be executed without causing inconvenience to the player, and the start timing of the specific performance to be delayed.

Furthermore, if the pressing operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently in a specific manner (pressing operation in this example), the specific performance may not be started. Alternatively, even if the pressing operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently in a specific manner (pressing operation in this example), a special period may be started when the pressing operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated in a specific manner (pressing operation in this example), and the special period may be ended and the specific performance may be started when a certain period has elapsed since the pressing operation section 303 was operated in a specific manner (pressing operation in this example). In other words, the timer value may be reset when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example) intermittently, and the timer measurement may be suspended until the specific operation (pressing operation in this example) is completed. Alternatively, the timer value may be reset when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example) intermittently, but the timer measurement may be restarted from the initial value without interruption. If the system is configured so that the specific performance is not started when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example), a special period may be started when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 performs a specific operation (pressing operation in this example), a special operation may be performed after the specific operation (pressing operation in this example) of the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is completed, ending the special period, and the start condition for the specific performance may be determined according to the period calculated from the end of the special period.

Furthermore, in addition to the above, or separately, if a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently, the specific performance may not be started. Alternatively, even if a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently, the specific performance may be started after a certain period of time has elapsed since the operation of the special operating means began. In other words, the timer value may be reset when a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, and the timer measurement may not start if the operation is performed intermittently. Alternatively, the timer value may be reset when a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, but even if the operation is performed intermittently, the timer may be used to measure the elapsed time from when the operation was first performed without resetting the timer value or interrupting the timer measurement.

If the system is configured so that a specific performance is not initiated when a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently, the system may determine whether the conditions for initiating the specific performance have been met based on the period of time calculated from when the operation of the special operating means is stopped. Alternatively, if the system is configured so that a specific performance is initiated even when a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently, the system may determine whether the conditions for initiating the specific performance have been met based on the period of time calculated from when the operation of the special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is started. In other words, the timer value may be reset when a special operating means other than the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, and the timer measurement may be interrupted during the period in which the operation is ongoing. The elapsed time since the end of the operation may then be measured by the timer to determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met. Alternatively, the timer value may be reset when a special operating means other than the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, but even if the operation is ongoing, the timer value may not be reset or the timer measurement interrupted. Instead, the elapsed time since the initial operation may be measured by the timer to determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met.

Furthermore, the system may be provided with multiple special operating means. For example, it may be configured to include a first special operating means and a second special operating means, and the specific performance may not start if the first special operating means is operated intermittently, while the specific performance may start even if the second special operating means is operated intermittently. Alternatively, the system may be configured so that the specific performance does not start if either the first special operating means or the second special operating means is operated intermittently, or the specific performance may start even if either the first special operating means or the second special operating means is operated intermittently. In other words, when the first special operating means is operated, the timer value is reset, and while the operation is ongoing, the timer measurement is interrupted and the elapsed time since the operation ended is measured by the timer to determine whether or not the conditions for starting a specific performance are met. Alternatively, when the second special operating means is operated, the timer value is reset, but even if the operation is ongoing, the timer value is not reset or the timer measurement is interrupted, and the elapsed time since the operation was first performed is measured by the timer to determine whether or not the conditions for starting a specific performance are met. Alternatively, when either the first special operating means or the second special operating means is operated, the timer value is reset, and while the operation is ongoing, the timer measurement is interrupted and the elapsed time since the operation ended is measured by the timer to determine whether or not the conditions for starting a specific performance are met. Alternatively, when either the first special operating means or the second special operating means is operated, the timer value is reset, but even if the operation is ongoing, the timer value is not reset or the timer measurement is interrupted, and the elapsed time since the operation was first performed is measured by the timer to determine whether or not the conditions for starting a specific performance are met.

Furthermore, in addition to the above, or separately from the above, if a non-special operating means different from the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 and the special operating means described above is operated, regardless of whether the operation is intermittent or not, the specific performance may be started without delaying the start timing of the specific performance, even before a predetermined period T has elapsed since the operation of the non-special operating means. In other words, even if the non-special operating means is operated, the timer measurement may continue without resetting the timer value. Thus, the system may include at least one or any combination (or all of them) of the following: a specific operating means capable of delaying the start timing of the specific performance by a first period (in this example, the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300), a special operating means capable of delaying the start timing of the specific performance by a second period shorter than the first period, and a non-special operating means that cannot delay the start timing of the specific performance.

Furthermore, the special operating means may be any one or any combination of the following: the handle 195 (handle touch sensor 192, handle rotation detection sensor 189), the contact operation part 302 of the performance operation unit 300, the volume control button 227, the light intensity adjustment button 228, etc. Also, if the system is configured to prevent the specific performance from starting when the player's contact is intermittently detected by the handle touch sensor 192 by touching the handle 195, or when the rotation of the handle 195 is intermittently detected by the handle rotation detection sensor 189 by rotating the handle 195, then the specific performance can be prevented from starting simply by touching or rotating the handle 195 to play the game, without requiring any special operation, thus avoiding inconvenience to the player. Similarly, if the system is configured to prevent the specific performance from starting when the contact operation part 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is intermittently operated, the volume control button 227 is intermittently operated, or the light intensity adjustment button 228 is intermittently operated, then the specific performance can be prevented from starting with simple operations.

Furthermore, the possibility of delaying the start timing of a specific animation may be varied depending on whether or not there is a possibility of a jackpot. For example, in a non-winning animation state where there is no possibility of a jackpot, the start timing of the specific animation can be delayed by pressing the press operation section 303 of the animation operation unit 300, as described above. On the other hand, in a winning animation state where there is a higher probability of a jackpot (higher jackpot expectation), it may be impossible to delay the start timing of the specific animation by pressing the press operation section 303 of the animation operation unit 300. By configuring it in this way, when there is no possibility of a jackpot, the player will not immediately see an unpleasant and unnecessary animation (specific animation), while when there is a possibility of a jackpot, the gameplay intended by the designer can be realized.

Furthermore, when a specific animation is being performed, the system may differentiate whether or not to terminate the animation depending on whether or not there is a possibility of a jackpot. For example, in a non-winning animation state where there is no possibility of a jackpot, the animation can be terminated midway through execution by performing a specific operation (a pressing operation in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the animation operation unit 300, as described above. On the other hand, in a winning animation state where the probability of a jackpot is higher (higher jackpot expectation), it may be impossible to terminate the animation midway through execution by performing a specific operation (a pressing operation in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the animation operation unit 300.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 346(C), in the winning-possible performance execution state, which has a higher probability of winning (higher expectation of winning) than the non-winning performance execution state, a specific performance is started (t2) after a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the symbol variation display (after receiving the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) when the specific performance begins. Furthermore, after the specific performance has started in the winning-possible performance execution state, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before the execution period T2 of the specific performance has elapsed (before the specific performance ends) (t3'), unlike the non-winning performance execution state, the currently running specific performance will continue without ending. In other words, in the winning-possible performance execution state, which has a higher probability of winning (higher expectation of winning) than the non-winning performance execution state, the currently running specific performance will not end even if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated until all the performances predetermined as specific performances have been executed. This configuration allows for the immediate termination of unpleasant and unnecessary animations (specific animations) when there is no possibility of a jackpot, thus preventing a decline in the player's enjoyment of the game. At the same time, when there is a possibility of a jackpot, the gameplay intended by the designer can be realized.

The examples of special effects and special periods described above (display of text information) are merely examples, and the forms of special effects and special periods are not limited to those described above. For example, a special effect could be an introduction to the game machine or characters, or other effects unrelated to the probability of winning a jackpot. Similarly, a special period could not only display text information indicating a delay in the start of the special period (e.g., "Special effect delayed"), but could also be a period for selecting a game mode or determining game-related settings.

Furthermore, the specific performances performed in the non-winning performance state and the specific performances performed in the winning performance state are not limited to being the same. Some displays, sounds, lights, etc., may be the same or similar, or the manner of the specific performance performed in the non-winning performance state and the manner of the specific performance performed in the winning performance state may be different. In addition, the specific performances are not limited to those performed during the period when the variation performance is being performed. They may also be performed during the period when the variation performance is not being performed. In this case, the determination of whether the conditions for starting the specific performance have been met may be made based on any or any combination of the following: the period from receiving a stop display command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 until receiving a variation pattern command, the period until receiving a start prize command, the period until the player's contact is detected by the handle touch sensor 192, the period until rotation is detected by the handle rotation detection sensor 189, the period until the operation of the volume control button 227 is detected, the period until the operation of the light intensity control button 228 is detected, etc. In other words, regardless of whether a variable animation is in progress or not, any method that allows for delaying the start timing of a specific animation, or that allows for the termination of a specific animation while it is running, is acceptable, regardless of the form of implementation. Furthermore, the manner in which a specific animation is performed during an abnormal state may differ from the manner in which it is performed when no abnormal state is present.

Furthermore, the special period performed during the non-winning animation state and the special period performed during the winning-possible animation state are not necessarily identical. Some displays, sounds, and lights may be identical or similar, or the nature of the special period during the non-winning animation state and the nature of the special period during the winning-possible animation state may be different. Also, the special period is not limited to periods during which variable animations are occurring; it may also occur during periods when variable animations are not occurring. In other words, regardless of whether a variable animation is occurring or not, any form of implementation that allows for a delay in the start timing of the special period is acceptable. Furthermore, the nature of the special period performed during the non-winning animation state and the nature of the special period performed during the winning-possible animation state may be different.

Furthermore, while the above examples show delays in the start timing of specific effects and termination of currently running specific effects, when controlling multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the effect display device 1600 and the game board 5, and multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the door frame, in a specific effect manner, it is also possible to delay the start timing of the specific effect or terminate (interrupt) a portion of the currently running specific effect for some of these multiple LEDs mounted on the effect display device 1600 and the game board 5, and the multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the door frame.

Furthermore, in a gaming machine equipped with an auxiliary display device different from the performance display device 1600, if the auxiliary display device is configured to be controlled in a specific performance manner in addition to the performance display device 1600 as a specific performance, the start timing of the specific performance may be delayed only for the auxiliary display device, or only the specific performance currently being executed on the auxiliary display device may be terminated.

Furthermore, if some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the performance display device 1600, the auxiliary display device, and the game board 5, as well as some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame, are configured to delay the start timing of a specific performance or to terminate (interrupt) a part of a specific performance, then when starting or resuming a specific performance for this part, it will be controlled in a specific performance mode that is synchronized with the specific performance mode being executed in the electronic components (the performance display device 1600, the auxiliary display device, the various decorative boards provided on the game board 5, and the various decorative boards provided on the door frame) where the start timing of the specific performance has been delayed or the specific performance being executed has not been terminated (interrupted) midway. This allows for the execution of a unified specific performance across all LEDs on the display device 1600, auxiliary display device, and various decorative boards on the game board 5, as well as on the various decorative boards on the door frame, even if the start timing of a specific performance is delayed or if a specific performance is partially terminated (interrupted).

[Specific animations when an anomaly occurs]
Next, we will describe a modified example in which the start timing of the specific performance described above can be delayed by a predetermined operation when an abnormal condition occurs. Figure 347 is a time chart showing an example of an abnormal condition in which the magnetic sensor 1050 detects magnetism. In the following, we will only describe the parts that differ from the above embodiment and will not provide redundant explanations.

As described above, the pachinko machine 1 in this example is in an abnormal state (a door open abnormal state in which the door frame open switch or main frame open switch detects that the door frame 3 has been opened relative to the main frame 4 or that the main frame 4 has been opened relative to the outer frame 2; a vibration detection abnormal state in which the vibration sensor detects vibration of the game board 5 for a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds); a full tray abnormal state in which a detection signal is input from the full tank detection sensor 154; a ball depletion abnormal state in which a detection signal is input from the ball depletion detection sensor 574; a radio wave detection abnormal state in which the radio wave sensor detects an unauthorized radio wave; a magnetic detection abnormal state in which the magnetic sensor 1050 detects an unauthorized magnetism within the game area 5a; a detection signal is input from the second start port sensor 2401 when the second start port 2004 is not open; or when the game is not in a jackpot or minor win state. When an abnormal condition occurs (such as an abnormal prize detection state triggered by a detection signal from the large prize slot sensor 2402), the performance display device 1600, various speakers, and various LEDs on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame 3) will provide abnormality notification. This notification will include: displaying abnormality information (such as text indicating the nature of the abnormality (e.g., "door open error")) in a static state in a portion of the performance display device 1600; outputting notification sounds from various speakers; and controlling the illumination of various LEDs on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, tray unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame 3) in abnormality notification illumination modes (minor abnormality notification illumination mode, major abnormality notification illumination mode, etc.).

Furthermore, the specific performance can be executed even when a particular abnormal state is present among the multiple abnormal states described above (for example, a door-open abnormal state or a magnetic detection abnormal state, and this may include all of the above abnormal states, or one of the above abnormal states or any combination thereof).

Furthermore, within the performance display device 1600, the area where characters, etc., are displayed when a specific performance is executed and the area where abnormal information is displayed when an abnormal state occurs overlap. The abnormal information is displayed on a higher layer than the characters, etc., displayed in the specific performance (the abnormal information is overlaid on top of the characters, etc., displayed in the specific performance). In other words, if an abnormal state occurs while the performance display device 1600 is executing the specific performance, the characters, etc., from the specific performance are displayed as the background image (the image displayed in the background of the symbols, etc.) of the abnormal information.

Furthermore, as described above, the specific performance in this example displays a dynamic mode on the performance display device 1600, where the appearance of characters, etc., changes over time as predetermined actions are performed. Therefore, if an abnormal condition occurs during the execution of the specific performance on the performance display device 1600 and abnormal information is displayed in a part of the performance display device 1600, the display of the characters, etc., in action as a background image for the abnormal information may make it difficult to see the abnormal information, potentially making it difficult to understand the content of the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600. In this case, even if fraudulent activity is occurring, it may be difficult to identify the nature of the fraudulent activity from the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600, or the player may suffer disadvantages without realizing that a problem has occurred in the game's progress. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, if abnormal information is displayed in a part of the performance display device 1600 while the specific performance is in progress, the specific performance can be terminated to make the abnormal information easily visible, or the start timing of the specific performance can be delayed to prevent the abnormal information from becoming difficult to see when it is displayed.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 347(A), the timer starts measuring based on the reception of the pattern variation command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, before a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the pattern variation display (after receiving the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310). If an abnormal state occurs (t1') before the period T1 in which the conditions for starting a specific performance are met has elapsed, the performance display device 1600 displays abnormal information. In the example shown in Figure 347(A), the abnormal state is an abnormal magnetic detection state where the magnetic sensor 1050 detects an improperly acting magnetic field within the game area 5a.

Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before the predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the pattern variation display (after receiving the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) (i.e., before the specific performance begins), based on the receipt of the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and before the period T1 in which the conditions for starting the specific performance are met has elapsed (t2'), a special period is started that allows for a delay in the start timing of the specific performance, and the specific performance will not start even after the predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the pattern variation display (t2).

Furthermore, if the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated on a specific basis (for example, an operation to start a special period that allows delaying the start timing of a specific performance (press operation)), and then the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated on a specific basis (for example, an operation to end the special period (end operation)) (t2"), the special period ends, and the specific performance starts when a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the special operation (t3'). Note that when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated on a specific basis, i.e., when a special period is started, the performance display device 1600 displays character information different from abnormal information (for example, "Specific performance delayed," etc.) in a static state. When the performance operation unit 300 is operated on a specific basis during the special period, i.e., when the special period ends, the display of the above-mentioned character information ends. This makes it easy to recognize that the start timing of the specific performance is being delayed and that the special period has ended.

Furthermore, while the background image displayed on the performance display device 1600 during normal operation (when no specific effects or reach effects are being performed, and the game is waiting for the start of a spin), some parts of it change, but the changes are smaller compared to the display patterns of specific effects. Also, within the background image displayed on the performance display device 1600 during normal operation, the area surrounding (the adjacent part, the boundary) of the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 remains static (or changes very little). Therefore, when the normal background image is displayed, it is easier to see the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 than when a specific effect is being performed.

In this example, the pachinko machine 1 allows for a delay in the start timing of a specific performance when an abnormal state occurs, and the delay period can be appropriately set by the player or the staff of the pachinko parlor depending on the timing of a special operation (end operation). In other words, even when an abnormal state occurs, the timer value is reset when a special period begins, and timer measurement is suspended during the special period. After the special period ends, measurement resumes from the initial value (for example, "0"). Furthermore, not only is the specific performance not executed during the special period, but whether or not the conditions for starting the specific performance are met is also determined based on the period calculated from the end of the special period. In other words, even when an abnormal state occurs, the timer value is reset when a special period begins, and timer measurement does not start until the special period ends. Based on the end of the special period, timer measurement resumes from the initial value. Therefore, specific effects can be delayed for a period arbitrarily determined by the player or arcade staff. Furthermore, by displaying the normal background image as the background image for the abnormal information shown on the effect display device 1600 when an abnormal state occurs, the abnormal information is made more easily visible compared to when a special period is in effect, allowing for easier recognition of the abnormal state through the abnormal information displayed on the effect display device 1600. This makes it easier to detect fraudulent activity and to easily identify abnormalities that would be detrimental to the player, thus preventing such harm.

Furthermore, during the special period, operating other means of operation (such as the contact operation unit 302, volume control button 227, or light intensity control button 228) on the performance control unit 300 will not terminate the special period until the press operation unit 303 of the performance control unit 300 is specifically operated. This prevents the special period from ending at an unintended time for the player or staff in an abnormal situation, ensuring reliable recognition of abnormal information. Additionally, a predetermined display different from the variable performance may be executed during the special period. This makes it easy to recognize that the special period has begun, or in other words, that the start timing of a specific performance is delayed. Furthermore, when executing a predetermined display during the special period, the predetermined display may be changed by operating the performance control unit 300, etc., while the predetermined display is being executed. For example, a character may be displayed during the special period, and a part of the character may change in response to operation of the performance control unit 300, etc.

Furthermore, even in an abnormal state, operating the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300 before the conditions for starting a specific performance are met, after receiving a variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 (starting the variation display of the symbols), does not initiate a special period. However, when the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, the system determines whether the conditions for starting a specific performance are met based on a period calculated from the end of the operation of the contact operation section 302, rather than a period calculated from the start of the variation display of the symbols (receiving a specific control command (variation pattern command in this example) from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310). In other words, even in an abnormal state, if the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated after receiving a variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 (starting the variation display of the symbols), the timer value is reset, but the timer measurement is not interrupted and starts again from the initial value.

Specifically, if, in an abnormal state, a specific control command (a variable pattern command in this example) is received from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and before the period T1 has elapsed, that is, based on the receipt of the specific control command (a variable pattern command in this example) from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the timer starts measuring. If the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before the period T1 for which the conditions for starting the specific performance are met has elapsed, the specific performance will not be executed even if the preset period T1 has elapsed since the receipt of the specific control command (a variable pattern command in this example). Instead, the specific performance will start based on the completion of the operation of the contact operation section 302 and the subsequent elapsed period T1.

In this case, the start timing of a specific performance can be delayed within a predetermined period T1. This makes it possible to delay the start timing of a specific performance even if a player or arcade employee, attempting to delay the start timing of a specific performance by performing a specific operation (pressing in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 in an abnormal state, accidentally operates the contact operation section 302, or if the player only wants to delay the start timing of a specific performance for a short period within the period T. Furthermore, it makes the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 easier to see, allowing for easy recognition of the abnormal state.

Furthermore, in addition to the contact operation unit 302 of the performance operation unit 300, or separately from the contact operation unit 302 of the performance operation unit 300, the system may determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met based on a period calculated from the time when the handle touch sensor 192 ceases to detect player contact, rather than a period calculated from the time when the symbol variation display begins when the handle touch sensor 192 detects player contact in an abnormal state. In other words, the timer value may be reset based on the detection of player contact by the handle touch sensor 192 in an abnormal state, and measurement by the timer may be suspended during the period when the handle touch sensor 192 detects player contact. Measurement may then be restarted from the initial value when the handle touch sensor 192 ceases to detect player contact. In this case, even if an abnormal state occurs, simply performing normal gameplay by touching the handle touch sensor 192 will delay the start timing of the specific performance, making the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 easier to see, and the content of the abnormal state can be easily recognized by the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, while the above example shows a special period initiated under abnormal conditions being terminated by player operation, the special period may also be terminated if the performance operation unit 300 is not operated for a certain period of time. In other words, in addition to the player operation described above as a condition for terminating the special period, the timer may be set to start measuring from an initial value at the later of the time when the special period begins or when the performance operation unit 300 stops operating, and the system may determine whether the condition for terminating the special period has been met based on the period measured by the timer. In this case, the period for determining whether the condition for terminating the special period has been met may be set to be longer than the period T1 for determining whether the condition for starting a specific performance has been met. This allows the start timing of a specific performance to be delayed by a longer period than the period corresponding to the operation of an operation unit other than the press operation unit 303 (for example, the contact operation unit 302 or the handle touch sensor 192), making the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 easier to see, and allowing the content of the abnormal condition to be easily recognized by the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, even in an abnormal state, the specific performance will begin once a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the end of the special period, thus fulfilling the conditions for initiating the specific performance. Therefore, even if the special period ends based on termination conditions different from those of a special operation (termination operation) by a player or arcade staff member, such as reaching a predetermined period calculated from the later of the time the special period began in an abnormal state or the time the operation of the performance operation unit 300 ended, the specific performance will not begin immediately. This makes the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 easier to see until the specific performance begins, allowing for easy recognition of the abnormal state based on the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, in addition to the player operations described above, the special period may also be terminated when the handle touch sensor 192 detects contact or when a ball enters one of the ball entry points (e.g., all of the general prize entry point 2001, the first start entry point 2002, the gate 2003, the second start entry point 2004, and the large prize entry point 2005, or a specific entry point (e.g., the first start entry point 2002 and the second start entry point 2004)). In this case, a special operation to terminate a special period started in an abnormal state becomes unnecessary, and the player can resume playing without inconvenience after recognizing the abnormal state through the abnormal information displayed on the display device 1600.

Furthermore, even in abnormal conditions, if the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated during the execution of a specific performance, the currently running specific performance may be terminated. In this case, a special period may be started after the termination of the specific performance (the timer value is reset based on the press operation unit 303 being operated, and timer measurement is suspended until the special period ends), or the special period may not be started after the termination of the specific performance.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 347(B), a specific animation is initiated (t2) after a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the pattern variation display (after receiving a variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310). If an abnormal condition occurs during the execution of the specific animation (t1'), abnormal information is displayed on the animation display device 1600.

Furthermore, even in an abnormal state, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before the execution period T2 of the specific performance has elapsed (before the specific performance ends) (t3'), the currently running specific performance may be terminated, even if it is still in progress. In other words, in an abnormal state, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before all the pre-set specific performances have been executed, the currently running specific performance may be terminated midway.

In this case, if an abnormal state occurs, the player or arcade staff can terminate the specific performance simply by performing a specific operation on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300, and change the background image of the abnormal information from the dynamic form of characters, etc. in the specific performance to the static form of the normal state. This makes the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 easier to see, and the content of the abnormal state can be easily recognized by the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, if the special period ends at a timing unintended by the player or arcade staff based on termination conditions different from the termination operation performed by the player or arcade staff, such as the period starting from the later of when the special period begins or when the operation of the performance operation unit 300 ends reaching a predetermined period, even if the specific performance starts after the end of the special period, the player or arcade staff can terminate the specific performance with a specific operation and change the background image of the abnormal information from the dynamic form of characters, etc. in the specific performance to the static form of the normal state. This makes the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 easier to see, and the content of the abnormal state can be easily recognized by the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600.

In addition to the above, the specific performance may also be terminated if any one or any combination of the following is detected: when the handle touch sensor 192 detects contact by the player; when the handle rotation detection sensor 189 detects rotation; when the contact operation part 302 of the performance operation unit 300 detects contact; when the volume adjustment button 227 is operated and the volume is changed; or when the light intensity (brightness) is changed by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228. If the system is configured to terminate a specific animation when the player's touch is detected by the handle touch sensor 192 or when rotation is detected by the handle rotation detection sensor 189, then the specific animation can be terminated simply by touching or rotating the handle 195 to play the game, without any special operation. Even if an abnormal condition occurs, the specific animation can be terminated by playing the game, and the background image of the abnormal information can be changed from the dynamic form of characters etc. in the specific animation to the static form of the normal state, making the abnormal information displayed on the animation display device 1600 easier to see, and the content of the abnormal condition can be easily recognized by the abnormal information displayed on the animation display device 1600. Furthermore, if the system is configured to terminate a specific performance when contact is detected on the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300, or when operation of the volume control button 227 or the light intensity control button 228 is detected, then when an abnormal condition occurs, the specific performance can be terminated with a simple operation of the contact operation section 302, volume control button 227, or light intensity control button 228. This changes the background image of the abnormal information from the dynamic form of characters, etc., in the specific performance to the normal static form, making the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 easier to see. The abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 allows for easy recognition of the content of the abnormal condition.

Furthermore, when a specific performance is initiated after the end of a special period, based on the fulfillment of its start conditions, it may be configured to start from the beginning of the performance rather than from the point where it was interrupted. In other words, if the start conditions for a specific performance are met, it may be configured to always execute the performance from the beginning. In this case, the entire content of the specific performance can be executed regardless of when it was interrupted, ensuring that the content of the performance (in this example, the indication of the probability of a big win) is clearly recognized. This also makes it easier to obtain cooperation from players who are paying attention to the content of the specific performance when an abnormal state occurs, allowing them to easily see the abnormal information and thus encouraging them to terminate the performance.

Furthermore, if, during an abnormal state, the execution of a specific performance is terminated based on a specific operation performed on the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300, a special period may be initiated to delay the start timing of the specific performance for a period arbitrarily determined by the player or arcade staff. In this case, even if the specific performance is terminated midway through an abnormal state, the start timing of the specific performance can be delayed for a period arbitrarily determined by the player or arcade staff, making the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 easily visible, and allowing the content of the abnormal state to be easily recognized by the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, if the pressing operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is intermittently performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example) in an abnormal state, the specific performance may not be started. Alternatively, even if the pressing operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is intermittently performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example), a special period may be started when the pressing operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is performed a specific operation (pressing operation in this example), and the special period may be ended and the specific performance may be started when a certain period has elapsed since the pressing operation section 303 was performed a specific operation (pressing operation in this example). In other words, the timer value may be reset when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is intermittently performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example), and the timer measurement may be suspended until the specific operation (pressing operation in this example) is completed. Alternatively, the timer value may be reset when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is intermittently performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example), but the timer measurement may be restarted from the initial value without interruption. If the system is configured so that the specific performance is not started when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is intermittently performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example), a special period may be started when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 performs a specific operation (pressing operation in this example), the special period may be ended by performing a special operation after the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 has finished performing the specific operation (pressing operation in this example), and the start condition for the specific performance may be determined according to the period calculated from the end of the special period.

Furthermore, in addition to the above, or separately, if a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently in an abnormal state, the specific performance may not be started. Alternatively, even if a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently in an abnormal state, the specific performance may be started after a certain period of time has elapsed since the operation of the special operating means began. In other words, the timer value may be reset when a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, and the timer measurement may not start if the operation is performed intermittently. Alternatively, the timer value may be reset when a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, but even if the operation is performed intermittently, the timer may be used to measure the elapsed time from when the operation was first performed without resetting the timer value or interrupting the timer measurement.

If the system is configured so that a specific performance is not initiated when a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently in an abnormal state, the system may determine whether the conditions for initiating the specific performance have been met based on the period of time calculated from when the operation of the special operating means was stopped. Alternatively, if the system is configured so that a specific performance is initiated even when a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently in an abnormal state, the system may determine whether the conditions for initiating the specific performance have been met based on the period of time calculated from when the operation of the special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 was started. In other words, the timer value may be reset when a special operating means other than the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, and the timer measurement may be interrupted during the period in which the operation is ongoing. The elapsed time since the end of the operation may then be measured by the timer to determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met. Alternatively, the timer value may be reset when a special operating means other than the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, but even if the operation is ongoing, the timer value may not be reset or the timer measurement interrupted. Instead, the elapsed time since the initial operation may be measured by the timer to determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met.

Furthermore, the system may be configured to include multiple special operating means. For example, it may be configured to include a first special operating means and a second special operating means, and the specific performance may not be initiated if the first special operating means is operated intermittently in an abnormal state, while the specific performance may be initiated even if the second special operating means is operated intermittently in an abnormal state. Alternatively, the system may be configured to not initiate the specific performance if either the first special operating means or the second special operating means is operated intermittently in an abnormal state, or the specific performance may be initiated even if either the first special operating means or the second special operating means is operated intermittently in an abnormal state. In other words, if the first special operating means is operated in an abnormal state, the timer value is reset, and while the operation continues, the timer measurement is interrupted, and the elapsed time since the end of the operation is measured by the timer to determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met. Alternatively, if the second special operating means is operated in an abnormal state, the timer value is reset, but even if the operation continues, the timer value is not reset, nor is the timer measurement interrupted, and the elapsed time since the operation was first performed is measured by the timer to determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met. If either the stage or the second special operating means is operated, the timer value may be reset, and while the operation is ongoing, the timer measurement may be suspended. The elapsed time since the operation ended may then be measured using the timer to determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met. Alternatively, in an abnormal state, if either the first special operating means or the second special operating means is operated, the timer value may be reset. However, even if the operation continues, the timer value may not be reset, nor may the timer measurement be suspended. Instead, the elapsed time since the operation was first performed may be measured using the timer to determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met.

Furthermore, in addition to the above, or separately from the above, if a non-special operating means different from the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 and the special operating means described above is operated, regardless of whether the operation is intermittent or not, the specific performance may be started without delaying the start timing of the specific performance, even before a predetermined period T has elapsed since the operation of the non-special operating means. In other words, even if the non-special operating means is operated, the timer measurement may continue without resetting the timer value. Thus, the system may include at least one or any combination (or all of them) of the following: a specific operating means capable of delaying the start timing of the specific performance by a first period (in this example, the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300), a special operating means capable of delaying the start timing of the specific performance by a second period shorter than the first period, and a non-special operating means that cannot delay the start timing of the specific performance.

Furthermore, the special operating means may be any one or any combination of the following: the handle 195 (handle touch sensor 192, handle rotation detection sensor 189), the contact operation part 302 of the performance operation unit 300, the volume control button 227, the light intensity adjustment button 228, etc. Also, if the system is configured so that a specific performance is not started when the player touches the handle 195 in an abnormal state and the handle touch sensor 192 intermittently detects the player's contact, or when the player rotates the handle 195 in an abnormal state and the handle rotation detection sensor 189 intermittently detects the rotation, then the specific performance will not be started simply by touching or rotating the handle 195 to play the game without any special operation. This allows the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 to be easily seen by continuing the static background image, and the content of the abnormal state can be easily recognized by the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600. Furthermore, if the system is configured to prevent the specific performance from starting when the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently, when the volume control button 227 is being operated intermittently, or when the light intensity control button 228 is being operated intermittently, then the specific performance can be prevented from starting with simple operations. This allows the static background image to continue, making the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600 easily visible, and enabling easy recognition of the abnormal state based on the abnormal information displayed on the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, even in abnormal states, the possibility of delaying the start timing of specific animations may differ depending on whether or not there is a possibility of a jackpot. For example, if an abnormal state occurs during a non-winning animation execution where there is absolutely no possibility of a jackpot, it may be possible to delay the start timing of the specific animation by performing a specific operation (in this example, a pressing operation) on the press operation section 303 of the animation operation unit 300, as described above. On the other hand, if an abnormal state occurs during a winning animation execution where there is a higher probability of a jackpot (higher jackpot expectation), it may be impossible to delay the start timing of the specific animation by performing a specific operation (in this example, a pressing operation) on the press operation section 303 of the animation operation unit 300. By configuring it in this way, if an abnormal state occurs when there is absolutely no possibility of a jackpot, the animation (specific animation) that is unpleasant and unnecessary for the player will not be executed immediately, making it easier to see higher-priority abnormal information. At the same time, if there is a possibility of a jackpot, the game can be played as intended by the designer, without causing any disadvantage to the player.

Furthermore, when a specific animation is being performed in an abnormal state, the decision to terminate the animation may differ depending on whether or not there is a possibility of a jackpot. For example, if an abnormal state occurs while a non-winning animation is being performed (where there is absolutely no possibility of a jackpot), it may be possible to terminate the animation midway through execution by performing a specific operation (a pressing operation in this example) on the press operation unit 303 of the animation operation unit 300, as described above. On the other hand, if an abnormal state occurs while a winning animation is being performed (where the probability of a jackpot is higher than in the non-winning animation state), it may be impossible to terminate the animation midway through execution by performing a specific operation (a pressing operation in this example) on the press operation unit 303 of the animation operation unit 300. With this configuration, when an abnormal state occurs while a non-winning animation is being performed (where there is absolutely no possibility of a jackpot), the player can be immediately informed of an abnormal state that is unpleasant and unnecessary for them, while when there is a possibility of a jackpot, the gameplay intended by the designer can be realized.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 347(C), after the symbol variation display starts in the winning-possible performance execution state (after receiving the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310), a predetermined period T1 has elapsed. That is, based on the receipt of the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the timer starts measuring, and when the period T1 in which the conditions for starting the specific performance are met has elapsed, the specific performance starts (t2). If an abnormal state occurs during the execution of the specific performance (t1'), abnormal information is displayed on the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, in the state of an abnormal condition where a winning animation is being performed, if the press operation unit 303 of the animation operation unit 300 is pressed before the execution period T2 of the specific animation has elapsed (before the specific animation ends) (t3'), unlike the state of a non-winning animation being performed, the currently running specific animation will continue without ending. In other words, in the state of a winning animation being performed, where the probability of a jackpot is higher (higher jackpot expectation) than in the state of a non-winning animation being performed, even if the press operation unit 303 of the animation operation unit 300 is pressed, the currently running specific animation will continue, and the background image of the abnormal information will not change from a dynamic to a static state until all the pre-set specific animations have been executed.

The examples of special effects and special periods described above (display of text information) are merely examples, and the forms of special effects and special periods are not limited to those described above. For example, a special effect could be an introduction to the game machine or characters, or other effects unrelated to the probability of winning a jackpot. Similarly, a special period could not only display text information indicating a delay in the start of the special period (e.g., "Special effect delayed"), but could also be a period for selecting a game mode or determining game-related settings.

Furthermore, the specific performances performed in the non-winning performance state and the specific performances performed in the winning performance state are not limited to being the same. Some displays, sounds, lights, etc., may be the same or similar, or the manner of the specific performance performed in the non-winning performance state and the manner of the specific performance performed in the winning performance state may be different. In addition, the specific performances are not limited to those performed during the period when the variation performance is being performed. They may also be performed during the period when the variation performance is not being performed. In this case, the system may determine whether the conditions for starting the specific performance have been met based on any or any combination of the following: the period from receiving a stop display command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 until receiving a variation pattern command, the period until receiving a start winning command, the period until the player's contact is detected by the handle touch sensor 192, the period until the rotation is detected by the handle rotation detection sensor 189, the period until the operation of the volume control button 227 is detected, the period until the operation of the light intensity control button 228 is detected, etc. In other words, regardless of whether a variable animation is being performed or not, any method that allows delaying the start timing of a specific animation during an abnormal state, or that allows terminating a specific animation midway through an abnormal state, is acceptable, regardless of the form of implementation. Furthermore, the nature of the special period performed during a non-winning animation may differ from that performed during a winning animation. Also, the nature of the specific animation performed during an abnormal state may differ from that performed when no abnormal state is occurring.

Furthermore, the special period performed during the non-winning animation state and the special period performed during the winning-possible animation state are not necessarily identical. Some displays, sounds, and lights may be identical or similar, or the manner of the special period during the non-winning animation state and the manner of the special period during the winning-possible animation state may be different. Also, the special period is not limited to periods during which variable animations are occurring; it may also occur during periods when variable animations are not occurring. In other words, regardless of whether a variable animation is occurring or not, any form of implementation that allows for a delay in the start timing of the special period during an abnormal state is acceptable. Furthermore, the manner of the special period performed during the non-winning animation state and the manner of the special period performed during the winning-possible animation state may be different. Also, the manner of the special period performed during an abnormal state and the manner of the special period performed when no abnormal state is occurring may be different.

Furthermore, while the above examples show delays in the start timing of a specific performance during an abnormal state, and termination of a specific performance if it is being executed during an abnormal state, when controlling multiple LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the performance display device 1600 and the game board 5, and multiple LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame, in a specific performance manner, it is also possible to delay the start timing of a specific performance or terminate (interrupt) a portion of a specific performance being executed during an abnormal state for some of these multiple LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the performance display device 1600 and the game board 5, and multiple LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame. Also, in a game machine equipped with an auxiliary display device different from the performance display device 1600, if the auxiliary display device is also configured to be controlled in a specific performance manner in addition to the performance display device 1600, it is possible to delay the start timing of a specific performance only for the auxiliary display device during an abnormal state, or to terminate only the specific performance being executed on the auxiliary display device during an abnormal state.

Furthermore, as described above, during an abnormal state, the performance display device 1600, various speakers, and various LEDs on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame, all of which are provided on the door frame 3) provide abnormality notification (for example, display abnormality information (such as text information indicating the nature of the abnormality (e.g., "door open error")) in a static state in a part of the performance display device 1600, output notification sounds from various speakers, and control the illumination of various LEDs on the door frame unit (such as the left side unit 420, right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and top unit 450 of the door frame, all of which are provided on the door frame 3) in abnormality notification illumination modes (minor abnormality notification illumination mode, major abnormality notification illumination mode, etc.). Furthermore, even if some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the performance display device 1600, the auxiliary display device, and the game board 5, as well as some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame, are configured to delay the start timing of a specific performance or to terminate (interrupt) a specific performance, abnormal notification is prioritized for execution. In other words, when the start timing of a specific performance is delayed while multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the game board 5 and multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the door frame are illuminated in an abnormal notification flashing pattern, the system will not perform the flashing pattern of the specific performance for the multiple LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the door frame at the timing to start the specific performance, but will instead continue the abnormal notification flashing pattern for at least a predetermined period of time. Alternatively, when the specific performance is terminated (interrupted) while multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the game board 5 and multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the door frame are illuminated in an abnormal notification flashing pattern, the system will continue the abnormal notification flashing pattern for at least a predetermined period of time for the multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the game board 5 and multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the door frame. However, if it is possible to delay or terminate (interrupt) a specific performance for electronic components that do not provide abnormality notifications or only provide abnormality notifications for some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the performance display device 1600, the auxiliary display device, and the various decorative boards on the game board 5, and the various decorative boards on the door frame, then when starting or resuming the specific performance, it may be controlled in the same manner as when the specific performance is not delayed or terminated (interrupted) (for example, a specific performance mode synchronized with the specific performance mode being executed by electronic components (the performance display device 1600, the auxiliary display device, the various decorative boards on the game board 5, and the various decorative boards on the door frame) where the start timing of the specific performance is not delayed or the execution of the specific performance is not terminated (interrupted) midway), or if there are no electronic components continuing the specific performance, the specific performance may be started from the beginning.

[Delay in specific visual effects to make text information easier to read]
Next, we will describe a modified example in which the start timing of a specific effect, which displays a nearly single color in the display area of the effect display device 1600, can be delayed. Figure 348 is a time chart showing an example when a preview display is executed. In the following, only the parts that differ from the above embodiment will be described, and redundant explanations will not be provided.

In this example, as a specific effect, a whiteout mode is displayed, where approximately the entire display area of the effect display device 1600 is made white, and a blackout mode is displayed, where approximately the entire display area of the effect display device 1600 is made black.

Furthermore, in this example of pachinko machine 1, it is possible to display a preview that suggests the probability of a big win by displaying text information such as numerical values and character dialogue in a portion of the display area of the performance display device 1600. In addition, the background image of the preview may be a whiteout mode, where almost the entire display area of the performance display device 1600 is white, or a blackout mode, where almost the entire display area is black. By making the background image of the preview a nearly single color in the whiteout or blackout mode, the text information of the preview becomes easier to see.

However, since the pre-announcement display appears relatively early after the start of the reel spinning sequence, if the player realizes early on that a jackpot is unlikely or unlikely based on the pre-announcement display, they may lose interest in the ongoing reel spinning sequence. Therefore, in this example of a pachinko machine, the start timing of a specific sequence can be delayed by the player's operation, and a normal background image is used as the background image for the pre-announcement display instead of the specific sequence. This makes it more difficult to read the text information in the pre-announcement display compared to when the specific sequence is running, thus making it difficult to grasp the jackpot probability early on and preventing the player from losing interest in the reel spinning sequence prematurely.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 348(A), before a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the pattern variation display (after receiving a variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310), that is, based on the receipt of the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the timer starts measuring. If the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated in a specific way (for example, an operation that starts a special period that allows delaying the start timing of the specific performance (in this example, a press operation)) before the period T1 in which the start conditions for the specific performance are met has elapsed (t1'), then a special period that allows delaying the start timing of the specific performance is started in accordance with the operation of the performance operation unit 300 (performance operation section 301 (contact operation section 302, press operation section 303)). When the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated in a specific way, the performance display device 1600 displays character information different from the preview display (for example, "Specific performance delayed") in a static state. This makes it easier to recognize when the start timing of a specific effect is being delayed.

Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before the predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the pattern variation display (after receiving the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310) (i.e., before the specific performance begins), based on the receipt of the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, and before the period T1 in which the conditions for starting the specific performance are met has elapsed (t2'), a special period is started that allows for a delay in the start timing of the specific performance, so that the specific performance does not start even after the predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the pattern variation display.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 348(A), in this example, after the display of the changing patterns begins (after receiving a pattern change command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310), that is, after the timer starts measuring based on receiving the pattern change command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, a pre-set period T1 elapses, and the display device 1610 displays a notification, showing text information indicating the probability of a big win (for example, "30%", "0%", "50%", etc., or "Super Hot!", "Win Confirmed!", "Loss Confirmed...", etc.) in a static state (t2').

Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before the predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the pattern variation display (after receiving the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310), i.e., before the specific performance begins (t1'), a special period is initiated that allows for a delay in the start timing of the specific performance. This prevents the specific performance from starting even after the predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the pattern variation display.

Furthermore, as described above, when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated in a specific manner, that is, when a special period begins, text information different from the preview display (for example, "Specific Performance Delayed") is displayed statically in a portion of the display area of the performance display device 1600 (this area may be different from the area where the text information for the preview is displayed, or a portion of the areas may overlap). When the performance operation unit 300 is operated in a specific manner during the special period, that is, when the special period ends, the display of the above-mentioned text information is terminated. This makes it easy to recognize that the start timing of the specific performance is being delayed and that the special period has ended.

Furthermore, after the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated in a specific manner (for example, an operation to start a special period that allows delaying the start timing of a specific performance (press operation)), if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated in a specific manner (for example, an operation to end the special period (end operation)) (t2"), the special period ends, and the specific performance starts when a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the special operation (t3').

As described above, during specific effects, a whiteout or blackout pattern is displayed, and a nearly uniform single-color pattern is displayed in the display area of the effect display device 1600 in which no characters, scenery, or other elements are displayed (if the effect display device 1600 displays the number of reserved items, this number may also be displayed during specific effects, and if a corresponding decorative pattern smaller than the decorative pattern is displayed on the periphery of the effect display device 1600 in addition to the decorative pattern displayed in the center of the effect display device 1600, this corresponding decorative pattern may also be displayed during specific effects. In other words, it is sufficient that the area overlapping with the text information or a predetermined range including the text information is a nearly uniform single-color pattern in which no characters, scenery, or other elements are displayed). Therefore, when this is used as the background image for text information displayed in a part of the display area of the effect display device 1600 as a pre-announcement, only this text information will be displayed in a different color on the effect display device 1600, making the text information easily visible. On the other hand, during normal times (when specific effects or reach effects are not being executed, and the state is waiting for the start of a variation), the background image displayed on the effect display device 1600 displays characters, scenery, and other elements in various colors (multicolor pattern). Furthermore, the format of the text information used as a preview does not change during the execution of the specific performance or during the special period. In other words, the image displayed in the background of the text information has a significant impact on its readability. Therefore, by changing the background image of the text information between a nearly uniform single-color format during the execution of the specific performance and a format where characters, scenery, etc., are displayed in various colors (multicolor format), the text information becomes more difficult to read during the special period compared to when the specific performance is displayed as the background image for the preview text information during the performance.

In other words, for players who wish to see the text information indicating the probability of a big win displayed on the performance display device 1600 as a preview, the text information is made easier to recognize by executing a specific performance as the background image for the text information displayed in a portion of the display area of the performance display device 1600 without requiring a specific operation of the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300. On the other hand, for players who do not wish to see the text information indicating the probability of a big win displayed on the performance display device 1600 as a preview, the start timing of the specific performance is delayed by performing a specific operation of the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 before the specific performance begins. This prevents the specific performance from being executed as the background image for the text information displayed in a portion of the display area of the performance display device 1600 as a preview, and by displaying the normal background image as the background image for the text information displayed in a portion of the display area of the performance display device 1600 as a preview, the text information becomes more difficult to see compared to when the specific performance is executed. This allows for gameplay tailored to the player's preferences and helps to prevent a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

In this example, a specific effect is shown where a whiteout or blackout pattern is displayed across the entire display area of the effect display device 1600. However, it is sufficient if at least a nearly uniform single color is displayed around (the adjacent portion, the boundary) the text information displayed in a portion of the display area of the effect display device 1600, without any characters, scenery, or other elements being displayed. It is also acceptable if characters, scenery, or other elements are displayed in a different color than the whiteout or blackout pattern in a portion of the effect display device 1600. Furthermore, the specific effect is not limited to executing only a whiteout or blackout pattern; if a specific effect includes a period during which a whiteout or blackout pattern is displayed, it may also include a period during which other patterns are displayed.

Furthermore, even during the special period in this example, the system is designed so that the special period will not end if a different operating means (for example, the contact operating part 302, volume control button 227, or light intensity control button 228) is operated until the press operation part 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is specifically operated. This prevents the special period from ending at an unintended time for the player or arcade staff while the warning display is running, and ensures that the textual information in the warning display is reliably difficult to read.

Furthermore, even during the special period in this example, if the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated after the start of the changing symbols but before the conditions for starting the specific performance are met, it is difficult to delay the specific performance for a period arbitrarily determined by the player. However, the determination of whether the conditions for starting the specific performance are met is made based on a period calculated from the end of the operation of the contact operation section 302, rather than a period calculated from the start of the changing symbols.

Specifically, if the contact operation unit 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before the period T1 has elapsed since receiving the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, that is, before the conditions for starting the specific performance are met after the start of the variation display of the symbols, the specific performance will not be executed even if the predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the variation display of the symbols. Instead, the specific performance will be started based on the fact that the predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the operation of the contact operation unit 302 was completed.

In this case, the start timing of a specific effect can be delayed within a predetermined period T1. This makes it possible to delay the start timing of a specific effect even if a player attempting to delay the start timing of a specific effect by performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the effect operation unit 300 accidentally operates the contact operation section 302, or if the player only wants to delay the start timing of a specific effect for a short period within the period T. Furthermore, when a notification display is executed, the text information of the notification display becomes more difficult to read compared to when the normal background image is displayed and the specific effect is being executed.

Furthermore, in addition to the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300, or separately from the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300, the system may determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met based on the period from when the handle touch sensor 192 ceases to detect player contact, rather than the period from when the symbol variation display begins when the player's contact is detected by the handle touch sensor 192. In this case, simply performing normal gameplay by touching the handle touch sensor 192 can delay the start timing of the specific performance, allowing the normal background image to be displayed when the preview display is executed, making the text information of the preview display difficult to read.

Furthermore, while the above example shows the special period ending through player operation, the special period may also be terminated if the performance operation unit 300 is not operated for a certain period of time. In other words, in addition to the player operation described above, the termination condition for the special period may also be determined based on a period calculated from the later of the time the special period started or the time the performance operation unit 300 stopped operating. In this case, the period for determining whether the termination condition for the special period is met may be set to be longer than the period T1 for determining whether the start condition for the specific performance is met. This makes it possible to ensure that the specific performance is not displayed as a background image when the start timing of the specific performance is delayed for a longer period than the period corresponding to the operation of an operation unit other than the press operation unit 303 (for example, the contact operation unit 302 or the handle touch sensor 192), and makes it difficult to see the text information as a preview. Furthermore, since the specific performance begins when a predetermined period T1 has elapsed after the special period ends, even if the special period ends based on a different termination condition than the player's special operation (termination operation), such as reaching a predetermined period calculated from the later of the start of the special period or the end of operation of the performance operation unit 300, it is possible to prevent the specific performance from starting immediately. This ensures that the specific performance is not displayed as a background image, making the text information used as a preview difficult to read.

Furthermore, in addition to the player operations described above, the special period may also be terminated when the handle touch sensor 192 detects contact or when a ball enters one of the ball entry points (for example, all or specific of the general prize entry point 2001, first start entry point 2002, gate 2003, second start entry point 2004, and large prize entry point 2005 (for example, the first start entry point 2002 and the second start entry point 2004)). In this case, no special operation is required to terminate the special period, and the special period can be terminated without causing inconvenience to the player after the notification display ends.

Furthermore, the system may be configured to terminate a specific performance if the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated during the performance. In this case, a special period may be initiated after the performance ends (the timer value is reset based on the press operation unit 303 being operated, and timer measurement is suspended until the special period ends), or the special period may not be initiated after the performance ends.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 348(B), a specific animation sequence begins (t2) after a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the pattern variation display (after receiving a variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310). In this example, a preview display also begins when the specific animation sequence starts, and text information indicating the probability of a jackpot is displayed on the animation display device 1600.

Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before the execution period T2 of this specific performance has elapsed (before the specific performance ends) (t3'), the currently running specific performance may be terminated even if it is still in progress. In other words, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before all the pre-set specific performances have been executed, the currently running specific performance may be terminated midway, and the background image of the preview display may be changed from the specific performance background image to the normal background image.

In this case, when the notification display and the specific performance are being executed at the same time, the player can terminate the specific performance simply by performing a specific operation on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300, thereby changing the background image of the notification display from a nearly uniform single color where the characters and scenery in the specific performance are not displayed to a state where the characters and scenery in the normal performance are displayed in various colors. This makes it more difficult to read the text information as a notification display shown on the performance display device 1600 compared to when the specific performance is being executed. Furthermore, if the special period ends at an unintended time based on termination conditions other than the player's termination operation, such as the period starting from the start of the special period or the end of operation on the performance operation unit 300 being reached, whichever is later, the player can terminate the specific performance by performing a specific operation, thereby changing the background image of the notification display from a nearly uniform single color where the characters and scenery in the specific performance are not displayed to a state where the characters and scenery in the normal performance are displayed in various colors. This makes it more difficult to read the text information as a notification display shown on the performance display device 1600 compared to when the specific performance is being executed.

In addition to the above, the specific performance may also be terminated if any one or any combination of the following is detected: when the handle touch sensor 192 detects contact by the player; when the handle rotation detection sensor 189 detects rotation; when the contact operation part 302 of the performance operation unit 300 detects contact; when the volume adjustment button 227 is operated and the volume is changed; or when the light intensity (brightness) is changed by operating the light intensity adjustment button 228. If the system is configured to terminate a specific performance when the player's touch is detected by the handle touch sensor 192 or when rotation is detected by the handle rotation detection sensor 189, then the specific performance can be terminated and the background image of the予告 (preview) display can be changed from a nearly uniform single color where the characters and scenery of the specific performance are not displayed to a normal state where the characters and scenery are displayed in various colors, making it more difficult to see the text information as a preview displayed on the performance display device 1600 compared to when the specific performance is being performed, and the contact operation part 30 of the performance operation unit 300 If the system is configured to terminate a specific effect when a contact operation (2), an operation of the volume control button 227, or an operation of the light intensity control button 228 is detected, then when the preview display and the specific effect are running simultaneously, the specific effect can be terminated with a simple operation of the contact operation unit 302, the volume control button 227, or the light intensity control button 228. This changes the background image of the preview display from a nearly uniform single color where the characters and scenery from the specific effect are not displayed to a normal state where the characters and scenery are displayed in various colors. Therefore, compared to when the specific effect is running, the textual information displayed on the effect display device 1600 as a preview display can be made more difficult to read.

Furthermore, if a specific performance is initiated after the end of a special period based on the fulfillment of its start conditions, it may be configured to start from the beginning of the performance rather than from where it was interrupted. In other words, if the start conditions for a specific performance are met, it may always be configured to execute the performance from the beginning. In this case, the entire content of the specific performance can be executed regardless of when it was interrupted, making it possible to achieve the intended effect of the performance (such as attracting attention).

Furthermore, if the execution of a specific performance is terminated based on a specific operation performed on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 during the performance, a special period may be initiated to delay the start timing of the specific performance for a period arbitrarily determined by the player. In this case, even if the specific performance is terminated midway, the start timing of the specific performance can be delayed for a period arbitrarily determined by the player, making the text information as a pre-announcement displayed on the performance display device 1600 more difficult to see compared to when the specific performance is being executed, thus reliably realizing a game tailored to the player's preferences.

Furthermore, if the pressing operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently in a specific manner (pressing operation in this example), the specific performance may not be started. Alternatively, even if the pressing operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently in a specific manner (pressing operation in this example), a special period may be started when the pressing operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated in a specific manner (pressing operation in this example), and the special period may be ended and the specific performance may be started when a certain period has elapsed since the pressing operation section 303 was operated in a specific manner (pressing operation in this example). In other words, the timer value may be reset when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is intermittently performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example), and the timer measurement may be suspended until the specific operation (pressing operation in this example) is completed. Alternatively, the timer value may be reset when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is intermittently performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example), but the timer measurement may be restarted from the initial value without interruption. If the system is configured so that the specific performance is not started when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is intermittently performing a specific operation (pressing operation in this example), a special period may be started when the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 performs a specific operation (pressing operation in this example), the special period may be ended by performing a special operation after the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 has finished performing the specific operation (pressing operation in this example), and the start condition for the specific performance may be determined according to the period calculated from the end of the special period.

Furthermore, in addition to the above, or separately, when text information as a preview is displayed, the specific performance may not start if a special operating means other than the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently. Alternatively, even when text information as a preview is displayed and a special operating means other than the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is being operated intermittently, the specific performance may start after a certain period of time has elapsed since the operation of the special operating means began. In other words, the timer value may be reset when a special operating means other than the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, and the timer measurement may not start if the operation is performed intermittently. Alternatively, the timer value may be reset when a special operating means other than the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, but even if the operation is performed intermittently, the timer may be used to measure the elapsed time from the first time the operation was performed without resetting the timer value or interrupting the timer measurement.

If the system is configured so that a specific performance does not start if a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated intermittently while text information as a preview is displayed, the system may determine whether the conditions for starting the specific performance have been met based on the period of time calculated from when the operation of the special operating means is stopped. Alternatively, if the system is configured so that a specific performance starts even if a special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated intermittently while text information as a preview is displayed, the system may determine whether the conditions for starting the specific performance have been met based on the period of time calculated from when the operation of the special operating means other than the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is started. In other words, the timer value may be reset when a special operating means other than the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, and the timer measurement may be interrupted during the period in which the operation is ongoing. The elapsed time since the end of the operation may then be measured by the timer to determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met. Alternatively, the timer value may be reset when a special operating means other than the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, but even if the operation is ongoing, the timer value may not be reset or the timer measurement interrupted. Instead, the elapsed time since the initial operation may be measured by the timer to determine whether the conditions for starting a specific performance have been met.

Furthermore, the system may be equipped with multiple special operating means. For example, it may be configured to include a first special operating means and a second special operating means, such that if the first special operating means is operated intermittently while text information as a preview is displayed, the specific performance will not be initiated, while if the second special operating means is operated intermittently while text information as a preview is displayed, the specific performance will be initiated. Alternatively, the system may be configured so that if either the first special operating means or the second special operating means is operated intermittently while text information as a preview is displayed, the specific performance will not be initiated. In other words, when the first special operating means is operated, the timer value is reset, and while the operation is ongoing, the timer measurement is interrupted and the elapsed time since the operation ended is measured by the timer to determine whether or not the conditions for starting a specific performance are met. Alternatively, when the second special operating means is operated, the timer value is reset, but even if the operation is ongoing, the timer value is not reset or the timer measurement is interrupted, and the elapsed time since the operation was first performed is measured by the timer to determine whether or not the conditions for starting a specific performance are met. Alternatively, when either the first special operating means or the second special operating means is operated, the timer value is reset, and while the operation is ongoing, the timer measurement is interrupted and the elapsed time since the operation ended is measured by the timer to determine whether or not the conditions for starting a specific performance are met. Alternatively, when either the first special operating means or the second special operating means is operated, the timer value is reset, but even if the operation is ongoing, the timer value is not reset or the timer measurement is interrupted, and the elapsed time since the operation was first performed is measured by the timer to determine whether or not the conditions for starting a specific performance are met.

Furthermore, in addition to the above, or separately from the above, if a non-special operating means different from the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 and the special operating means described above is operated, regardless of whether the operation is intermittent or not, the specific performance may be started without delaying the start timing of the specific performance, even before a predetermined period T has elapsed since the operation of the non-special operating means. In other words, even if the non-special operating means is operated, the timer measurement may continue without resetting the timer value. Thus, the system may include at least one or any combination (or all of them) of the following: a specific operating means capable of delaying the start timing of the specific performance by a first period (in this example, the pressing operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300), a special operating means capable of delaying the start timing of the specific performance by a second period shorter than the first period, and a non-special operating means that cannot delay the start timing of the specific performance.

Furthermore, the special operating means may be any one or any combination of the following: the handle 195 (handle touch sensor 192, handle rotation detection sensor 189), the contact operation part 302 of the performance operation unit 300, the volume control button 227, the light intensity adjustment button 228, etc. Also, if the system is configured so that the specific performance is not started when the player touches the handle 195 while text information as a pre-announcement is displayed and the handle touch sensor 192 intermittently detects the player's contact, or when the player rotates the handle 195 while text information as a pre-announcement is displayed and the handle rotation detection sensor 189 intermittently detects the rotation, then the specific performance can be prevented from starting simply by touching or rotating the handle 195 to play the game, without any special operation, and the text information as a pre-announcement can be made more difficult to see compared to when the specific performance is being performed. Furthermore, if the system is configured to prevent the specific performance from starting when the contact operation section 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is intermittently operated while text information as a preview is displayed, or when the volume control button 227 is intermittently operated while text information as a preview is displayed, or when the light intensity control button 228 is intermittently operated while text information as a preview is displayed, then the specific performance can be prevented from starting with simple operations, making the text information as a preview more difficult to see compared to when the specific performance is being executed.

Furthermore, the possibility of delaying the start timing of a specific animation may be varied depending on whether or not there is a possibility of a jackpot. For example, when text information as a warning is displayed during a non-winning animation where there is no possibility of a jackpot, it may be possible to delay the start timing of the specific animation by performing a specific operation (a pressing operation in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the animation operation unit 300, as described above. On the other hand, when text information as a warning is displayed during a winning animation where there is a higher probability of a jackpot (higher jackpot expectation), it may be impossible to delay the start timing of the specific animation by performing a specific operation (a pressing operation in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the animation operation unit 300. By configuring it in this way, when there is no possibility of a jackpot, displaying text information as a warning is only an unpleasant and useless animation for the player. Therefore, by delaying the start timing of the specific animation, the text information as a warning becomes more difficult to see compared to when the specific animation is being performed. At the same time, when there is a possibility of a jackpot, displaying text information as a warning allows the player to focus on the animation being performed, enabling the gameplay intended by the designer.

Furthermore, the decision to terminate a specific animation during execution may differ depending on whether or not there is a possibility of a jackpot. For example, if text information as a warning is displayed during a non-winning animation where there is no possibility of a jackpot, it may be possible to terminate the animation midway through execution by performing a specific operation (a pressing operation in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the animation operation unit 300, as described above. On the other hand, if text information as a warning is displayed during a winning animation where there is a higher probability of a jackpot (higher jackpot expectation), it may be impossible to terminate the animation midway through execution by performing a specific operation (a pressing operation in this example) on the press operation section 303 of the animation operation unit 300. By configuring it in this way, if text information as a warning is displayed when there is no possibility of a jackpot, it is only an unpleasant and useless animation for the player. Therefore, by interrupting the specific animation, the text information as a warning becomes more difficult to see compared to when the specific animation is being executed. On the other hand, when text information as a warning is displayed when there is a possibility of a jackpot, the designer's intended gameplay can be realized, and the player's attention can be drawn to the animation being executed.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 348(C), after the symbol variation display begins in the winning-possible performance state (after receiving the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310), a predetermined period T1 elapses. That is, based on the receipt of the variation pattern command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the timer starts measuring, and when the period T1 in which the conditions for starting the specific performance are met has elapsed, the specific performance begins (t2). Furthermore, when the specific performance begins, a preview display also starts, and text information indicating the probability of a big win is displayed on the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated before the execution period T2 of the specific performance in this winning-possible performance state has elapsed (before the specific performance ends) (t3'), unlike the non-winning performance state, the currently running specific performance will continue without ending. In other words, in the winning-possible performance state, which has a higher probability of winning (higher expectation of winning) than the non-winning performance state, even if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated, the currently running specific performance will continue to be displayed as the background image for the予告演出 (preview performance) until all the pre-set specific performances have been executed, and the background image will not change to the normal background image.

The examples of specific effects and special period effects (display of text information) described above are merely examples, and the forms of specific effects and special periods are not limited to those described above. For example, if a specific effect includes a period in which a whiteout or blackout effect is displayed, it may also include an effect that introduces the game machine or characters. Furthermore, a special period is not limited to displaying text information (e.g., "Specific effect delayed") indicating a delay in the start of the specific period; it may also be controlled during a period for selecting a game mode or determining game-related settings.

Furthermore, the specific performances performed in the non-winning performance state and the specific performances performed in the winning performance state are not limited to being the same. Some displays, sounds, lights, etc., may be the same or similar, or the manner of the specific performance performed in the non-winning performance state and the manner of the specific performance performed in the winning performance state may be different. In addition, the specific performances are not limited to those performed during the period when the variation performance is being performed. They may also be performed during the period when the variation performance is not being performed. In this case, the system may determine whether the conditions for starting the specific performance have been met based on any or any combination of the following: the period from receiving a stop display command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 until receiving a variation pattern command, the period until receiving a start winning command, the period until the player's contact is detected by the handle touch sensor 192, the period until the rotation is detected by the handle rotation detection sensor 189, the period until the operation of the volume control button 227 is detected, the period until the operation of the light intensity control button 228 is detected, etc. In other words, regardless of whether a variable animation is in progress or not, any method that allows delaying the start timing of a specific animation when a pre-announcement display begins, or that allows terminating a specific animation midway through if it is running simultaneously with a pre-announcement display, is acceptable. Furthermore, the nature of the special period during a non-winning animation is to be different from the nature of the special period during a winning animation is to be different.

Furthermore, the special period performed during the non-winning animation state and the special period performed during the winning-possible animation state are not necessarily identical. Some displays, sounds, and lights may be identical or similar, or the nature of the special period during the non-winning animation state and the nature of the special period during the winning-possible animation state may be different. Also, the special period is not limited to periods during which variable animations are occurring; it may also occur during periods when variable animations are not occurring. In other words, regardless of whether a variable animation is occurring or not, any form of implementation is acceptable as long as it allows for a delay in the start timing of the special period when the pre-announcement display begins. Furthermore, the nature of the special period performed during the non-winning animation state and the nature of the special period performed during the winning-possible animation state may be different.

Furthermore, in the examples described above, the start timing of a specific performance is delayed when a preview display is initiated, or the currently running specific performance is terminated when the specific performance and the preview display are being executed simultaneously. However, when controlling the performance display device 1600 and multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the door frame in a specific performance manner, the start timing of the specific performance may be delayed when a preview display is initiated for some of these multiple LEDs mounted on the performance display device 1600 and the game board 5 and multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the door frame, or some of the specific performance may be terminated (interrupted) when the specific performance and the preview display are being executed simultaneously. Furthermore, in a gaming machine equipped with an auxiliary display device different from the performance display device 1600, if the auxiliary display device is configured to be controlled in a specific performance manner in addition to the performance display device 1600 as a specific performance, the start timing of the specific performance may be delayed only for the auxiliary display device when a pre-announcement display begins, or if the specific performance and pre-announcement display are being executed simultaneously, only the specific performance being executed on the auxiliary display device may be terminated.

Furthermore, when a preview display is initiated, if some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and the door frame are configured to delay the start timing of a specific performance, or to terminate (interrupt) a part of a specific performance when a specific performance and a preview display are being executed simultaneously, then when starting or restarting the specific performance for this part, it will be controlled in a specific performance mode that is synchronized with the specific performance mode being executed in the electronic components (the display device 1600, the auxiliary display, the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board 5 and the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame) where the start timing of the specific performance has been delayed or the specific performance being executed has not been terminated (interrupted) midway. This allows for the execution of a unified specific performance across the entire system, even when a preview is initiated. This is achieved by delaying the start timing of a specific performance for some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the performance display device 1600, the auxiliary display device, and the game board 5, as well as some of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame. Furthermore, even if a specific performance is partially terminated (interrupted) when a specific performance and a preview are running simultaneously, the entire system can execute a unified specific performance across the entire system.

Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is operated during the execution of a specific performance, at least the mode displayed on the performance display device 1600 as the specific performance (whiteout mode, blackout mode) may be terminated. The multiple LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and the multiple LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame may continue the illumination mode being performed during the specific performance (this may include continuing the illumination mode performed as the specific performance for at least a certain period after the termination of the mode displayed on the performance display device 1600 as the specific performance, or continuing the abnormality notification illumination mode for at least a certain period after the termination of the mode displayed on the performance display device 1600 as the specific performance when an abnormal condition occurs).

Furthermore, in the example described above, when text information as a warning and a specific performance are displayed simultaneously on the performance display device 1600, the start timing of the specific performance is delayed or the specific performance is terminated. However, the text information displayed on the performance display device 1600 is not limited to warning information, as long as the normal background image (when no performance is being performed) is displayed as a background image, making it more difficult to see than when the specific performance is being performed. For example, if the performance display device 1600 displays abnormal information (text information indicating the nature of the abnormality, such as "door opening error") in a static state when an abnormal condition occurs, this abnormal information may be made more difficult to see than when the specific performance is being performed, even when the normal background image is displayed.

[Button operation method and display method]
Next, a modified example will be described in which the display mode of the performance display device 1600 is changed according to the operation mode of the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300. Figure 349 is a timing chart showing an example of the display mode of the performance display device 1600, and Figure 350 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the display mode of the performance display device 1600. In the following, only the parts that differ from the above embodiment will be described, and redundant explanations will not be given. Furthermore, the following modified examples may be performed in combination with the above embodiment, for example, a specific performance that has the possibility of a jackpot in the above embodiment may be performed as the following first specific performance, and a specific performance that does not have the possibility of a jackpot in the above embodiment may be performed as the following second specific performance, or they may be performed as performances different from the specific performances of the above embodiment.

The pachinko machine 1 in this example is capable of executing a first specific performance that has the potential to result in a jackpot, and a second specific performance that does not have the potential to result in a jackpot. The player can determine whether the performance is the first specific performance with the potential to result in a jackpot or the second specific performance without the potential to result in a jackpot by pressing the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300. Specifically, as shown in Figure 349(A), if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the period from the start of the second specific performance without the potential to result in a jackpot (ts) until the end of the second specific performance (te) (t1), the performance display device 1600 will display the non-winning state until the period T1 has elapsed (t2). Thus, in this example, the player can recognize that the second specific performance without the potential to result in a jackpot is being executed by displaying the non-winning state when the press operation section 303 is pressed.

Furthermore, in this example, based on the fact that the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during a second specific performance that does not have the possibility of a jackpot, the performance display device 1600 displays the non-winning state (t1). If the press operation of the press operation unit 303 continues for a certain period (for example, a period longer than period T1) without being released, even if the press operation of the press operation unit 303 is still in progress, the non-winning state displayed on the performance display device 1600 is hidden (the display of the non-winning state is removed) based on the fact that a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the press operation of the press operation unit 303 (t2). In other words, the non-winning state displayed on the performance display device 1600 is hidden at a timing (t2) before the timing (t3) when the press operation of the press operation unit 303 is released.

In this example, as shown in Figures 350(A) to (D), after the second specific performance begins (A), if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed (B), the performance display device 1600 displays a crying character and the words "Too bad! You lost" as the non-winning pattern 1600a. Furthermore, if a preset period T1 has elapsed while the press operation section 303 is pressed, the non-winning pattern 1600a displayed on the performance display device 1600 is hidden (C), and the second specific performance ends (D). In this way, since the non-winning pattern 1600a is displayed when the press operation section 303 is pressed during the second specific performance, the player can easily recognize that there is no possibility of winning. Furthermore, when the press operation unit 303 is pressed and a preset period T1 has elapsed, the display of the non-winning scenario 1600a disappears from the performance display device 1600. This allows for a performance that considers players who may be disappointed by the display of the non-winning scenario 1600a based on their press operation of the press operation unit 303 and are unable to release the press operation, thus avoiding an excessive decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Note that if the press operation unit 303 is pressed again during the execution of the second specific performance after the display of the non-winning scenario 1600a disappears from the performance display device 1600, the non-winning scenario 1600a may be displayed again on the performance display device 1600. This allows players to visually confirm that they do not have a chance of winning the jackpot by seeing the re-displayed non-winning scenario 1600a.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 349(B), when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during a second specific performance that does not have the possibility of a big win, the performance display device 1600 displays the non-winning state (t1). Subsequently, if the press operation section 303 repeatedly changes between a released state and a pressed state in a short period of time (at least a period shorter than T1) (t1 to t3'), even if the press operation section 303 is released after a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the press operation of the press operation section 303 began, the non-winning state displayed on the performance display device 1600 is not hidden but continues to be displayed (t2). In other words, from the time the pressing operation of the pressing operation unit 303 begins (t1), the display of the non-winning state shown on the performance display device 1600 continues to be displayed without being hidden even after the period T1 has elapsed (t2). Then, from the time the pressing operation unit 303 is pressed (t3'), based on the elapsed period T1, the display of the non-winning state shown on the performance display device 1600 is hidden (the display of the non-winning state is removed) (t4).

In other words, based on the fact that the press operation unit 303 is pressed in Figure 350(B), the non-winning state 1600a is displayed on the performance display device 1600. If the press operation unit 303 is then pressed repeatedly, or if the state of the press operation unit 303 changes repeatedly between being released and being pressed in a short period of time (at least shorter than T1), even if the press operation unit 303 is released in Figure 350(C), the non-winning state 1600a displayed on the performance display device 1600 will continue to be displayed without being hidden. If the press operation unit 303 is not pressed again within the predetermined period T1 that has elapsed since the press operation unit 303 was pressed, the non-winning state 1600a displayed on the performance display device 1600 will be hidden (the display of the non-winning state will disappear). Thus, when the press operation unit 303 is pressed during the second specific performance, the non-winning pattern 1600a is displayed. Furthermore, if the press operation unit 303 is pressed repeatedly thereafter, even if the period of repeated pressing is longer than the preset period T1, the non-winning pattern 1600a displayed on the performance display device 1600 is not hidden but continues to be displayed. This allows a warning to be given to a player who, angered by the display of the non-winning pattern 1600a, is hitting the press operation unit 303, thereby protecting the press operation unit 300 and preventing malfunction or damage.

Furthermore, if the press operation unit 303 is pressed during the second specific performance, the performance display device 1600 will display the non-winning state 1600a. If the press operation unit 303 is repeatedly pressed thereafter, or if the state of the press operation unit 303 changes repeatedly between being released and being pressed within a short period (at least a period shorter than T1), the non-winning state 1600a displayed on the performance display device 1600 will be changed. For example, each time the pressing operation unit 303 is pressed a predetermined number of times (it may be once or two or more times), the character's face displayed as the non-winning state 1600a may change (for example, gradually changing from a crying face to an angry face), or the text displayed as the non-winning state 1600a may change (for example, changing from "Too bad! You lost" to "You lost," "Hitting won't change anything," etc.), or each time the pressing operation unit 303 is pressed a predetermined number of times (it may be once or multiple times), the non-winning state 1600a may be switched between being displayed on the performance display device 1600 and being hidden from the performance display device 1600 (the number of operations A on the pressing operation unit 303 when switching from the state where the non-winning state 1600a is displayed on the performance display device 1600 to the state where it is hidden, and the state where the non-winning state 1600a is displayed on the performance display device 1600). The number of operations B of the press operation unit 303 when switching states may be made different (for example, once for A and twice for B). The press operation unit 303 may be pressed a predetermined number of times (it may be once or multiple times) to switch between a state in which the non-winning state 1600a is displayed on the performance display device 1600 and a state in which a special non-winning state (for example, display of a character, etc.) different from the non-winning state 1600a is displayed on the performance display device 1600 (the number of operations A' of the press operation unit 303 when switching from the state in which the non-winning state 1600a is displayed on the performance display device 1600 to the state in which the special non-winning state is displayed may be made different from the number of operations B of the press operation unit 303 when switching from the state in which the special non-winning state is displayed on the performance display device 1600 to the state in which the non-winning state 1600a is displayed on the performance display device 1600). This allows the warning level to be changed according to the number of times the press button 303 is pressed, and the non-winning pattern 1600 to be displayed or hidden to emphasize the non-winning pattern 1600a, thereby warning the player. This protects the press button 303 and prevents malfunction or damage. Furthermore, if the press button 303 is pressed again during the execution of the second specific performance after the non-winning pattern 1600a has been hidden from the performance display device 1600, the non-winning pattern 1600a may be displayed again on the performance display device 1600. This allows the player to reconfirm that there is no possibility of winning, and also allows warnings to be issued to players who repeatedly press the press button 303 again after the non-winning pattern 1600a has been hidden, thus protecting the press button 303 and preventing malfunction or damage.

On the other hand, during the second specific performance, based on the fact that the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed, the performance display device 1600 displays the non-winning state (t1). If the press operation of the press operation section 303 continues for a certain period (for example, a period longer than period T1) without being released, the non-winning state displayed on the performance display device 1600 is hidden (the display of the non-winning state disappears) based on the fact that a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the start of the press operation of the press operation section 303, without changing the non-winning state 1600a displayed on the performance display device 1600. In this way, if there is no risk of malfunction or damage to the press operation section 303, the system avoids giving the player a warning, thereby preventing causing discomfort to the player or further disappointment to an already disappointed player.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 349(C), if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed (t1) during the first specific performance which has the possibility of a jackpot, the performance display device 1600 will not display the non-winning state regardless of the timing of the press operation of the press operation section 303. Therefore, by not displaying the non-winning state, the player can recognize that the first specific performance which has the possibility of a jackpot is being performed, thus creating anticipation for a jackpot and drawing attention to the first specific performance, thereby preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

In other words, as shown in Figures 350 (A') to (D'), during the first specific performance which has the possibility of a jackpot, even if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed, the performance display device 1600 does not display the non-winning pattern (B') to (D'). Furthermore, since the performance display device 1600 does not display the non-winning pattern regardless of the timing of the press operation of the press operation section 303, it is possible to reliably recognize that the first specific performance which has the possibility of a jackpot is being performed, and to draw attention to the first specific performance displayed on the performance display device 1600, thereby preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game. In addition, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during a predetermined period while the first specific performance is being performed, a winning indication pattern different from the non-winning pattern (a pattern that indicates that it is a win or that there is a possibility of a win) may be displayed. This allows players to visually recognize the winning indication and understand that a first specific performance with a possibility of a jackpot is being executed. Therefore, it is possible to draw attention to the first specific performance displayed on the performance display device 1600, creating anticipation for a jackpot and thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, while Figures 350(A') to (D') show examples where the first specific animation results in a jackpot, the first specific animation is also performed in cases of losses. In other words, when the press operation section 303 of the animation operation unit 300 is pressed, the animation display device 1600 does not display a non-winning state, meaning that even if the first specific animation, which has the potential to result in a jackpot, is being performed, it is impossible to determine whether it will result in a jackpot or a loss. Therefore, it is possible to prevent players from losing interest in the first specific animation while it is running, and to keep them focused on the first specific animation displayed on the animation display device 1600 until a result (stopping of a jackpot symbol or stopping of a losing symbol) is obtained, thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in this example, the system is configured to execute the first and second specific performances when a variable pattern command is received from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310. However, the system is not limited to this configuration, and the first and second specific performances (or just one of them) may be executed when a specific control command transmitted from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 is received. For example, the system may be configured to determine whether or not to execute the first and second specific performances (or just one of them) based on the elapsed time since receiving the start-up slot entry command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 (the elapsed time since receiving the start-up slot entry command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 is measured by a timer), or the elapsed time since receiving the stop display command (the elapsed time since receiving the stop display command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 is measured by a timer). In this case, the start timing of the first or second specific performance (or just one of them) can be changed, preventing players from getting bored.

Furthermore, when the non-winning state is displayed on the performance display device 1600, the non-winning state displayed on the performance display device 1600 may be hidden (the display of the non-winning state disappears) by performing an operation other than the pressing operation of the pressing operation unit 303 described above. That is, the non-winning state may be displayed on the performance display device 1600 based on a first operation (in this example, a pressing operation of the pressing operation unit 303) performed on the performance operation unit 300 during the second specific performance described above. Then, the non-winning state displayed on the performance display device 1600 may be hidden (the display of the non-winning state disappears) based on a second operation (for example, a predetermined operation on the contact operation unit 302, or a first termination operation on the contact operation unit 302 and a second termination operation on the pressing operation unit 303) performed on the performance operation unit 300 while the non-winning state is displayed on the performance display device 1600. This makes it possible to perform performances that are considerate of players who feel uncomfortable with the display of the non-winning state, and does not excessively diminish the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, if a predetermined control unit other than the performance control unit 300 (for example, one or any combination of the handle 195, volume control button 227, light intensity control button 228, etc.) is operated, the performance display device 1600 may display a special mode that is different from the non-winning mode and makes it difficult to determine whether or not there is a possibility of a jackpot, not only during the second specific performance but also during the first specific performance. In this case, although the display of the special mode on the performance display device 1600 while the first specific performance is being executed may disappoint the player, if they realize that it is not the non-winning mode, their expectation of a jackpot can be greatly increased. If a jackpot occurs without the player realizing that it is not the non-winning mode, the suddenness of the unexpected event can enhance the enjoyment of the game. In this case, the special mode may be changed according to the operation of the predetermined control unit, and the change in the special mode may be used to suggest that it is different from the non-winning mode.

Furthermore, since the second specific performance described above does not have the potential to result in a jackpot, its execution may disappoint players and reduce their enjoyment of the game. Therefore, in this example, the second specific performance is executed only when certain conditions are met, thereby preventing an excessive decrease in enjoyment of the game. Specifically, the second specific performance can be executed when a jackpot is not achieved and a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the handle touch sensor 192 stopped detecting player contact. This prevents so-called "stop-and-go" play, which stops the launch of game balls, and improves the operating rate of the gaming machine. Alternatively, the second special effect may be executed in the following cases: when a jackpot is not achieved and the period since the handle rotation detection sensor 189 stopped detecting rotation has reached a predetermined period; when a jackpot is not achieved and the period since the stop display command was received has reached a predetermined period; or when the number of reserved first and second special symbols (first reserved number, second reserved number) is 0. In this case as well, stopping play can be prevented, and the operating rate of the gaming machine can be improved.

The above-mentioned second specific presentation and non-winning display are merely examples and are not limited to those described above. For example, the second specific presentation may display a display unrelated to the symbol variation, such as an introduction of the game machine or characters. Similarly, the non-winning display is not limited to notifying the player that a jackpot has not been won; it may also display a display unrelated to the symbol variation (e.g., a display for settings) on the presentation display device 1600.

Furthermore, the first specific performance that has the potential to result in a jackpot and the second specific performance that does not have the potential to result in a jackpot may have some or all of the following characteristics (e.g., rainbow-colored illumination, rainbow-colored performance display characteristics, etc.): the display mode of the performance display device 1600, the sound output mode of the speaker 122, the light emission mode of the multiple LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3, etc., or the first specific performance and the second specific performance may have different characteristics. Also, one or both of the first and second specific performances are not limited to those performed during periods when variable performances are occurring; they may also be performed during periods when variable performances are not occurring, for example, as a pre-announcement or similar performance. This increases the variety of performances and improves the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in a gaming machine equipped with an auxiliary display device capable of displaying images separately from the performance display device 1600, the auxiliary display device may be configured to display a non-winning pattern based on the press operation unit 303 being pressed during the second specific performance, or a special pattern may be displayed on the auxiliary display device based on the operation of a predetermined operation unit different from the performance operation unit 300. In this case, it becomes possible to display the non-winning pattern or special pattern without obstructing the view of the second specific performance executed by the performance display device 1600.

Furthermore, if the non-winning pattern is displayed on the performance display device 1600 based on the press operation unit 303 being pressed during the second specific performance, the second specific performance may be interrupted (terminated midway through execution). In this case, the non-winning pattern can be displayed instead of the second specific performance displayed on the performance display device 1600, making it easier to see the non-winning pattern displayed on the performance display device 1600 and allowing the user to immediately notice when the non-winning pattern is displayed. Alternatively, after interrupting the specific performance when displaying the non-winning state (t1), the second specific performance may be started based on the disappearance of the display of the non-winning state (t2 in Figure 349(A), t4 in Figure 349(B)); or after interrupting the specific performance when displaying the non-winning state (t1), and after the disappearance of the display of the non-winning state, a different performance from the second specific performance (which may not involve any special performance, similar to the display waiting for the start of variation) may be performed, and the second specific performance may be started when a predetermined period has elapsed since the disappearance of the display of the non-winning state or since the last operation of the press operation unit 303 (for example, t2 + n seconds in Figure 349(A) (for example, n=30) or t1 + T1 + n seconds in Figure 349(A) (for example, T1 + n=30), t4 + n seconds in Figure 349(B) (for example, n=30), or t3' + T1 + n seconds in Figure 349(B) (for example, n=30)). Furthermore, if a special pattern is displayed on the performance display device 1600 based on the operation of a predetermined control unit other than the performance operation unit 300 during the second specific performance, the second specific performance may be continued without interruption. This allows the player to be aware that a special pattern has been displayed, i.e., that it is not the pattern for when a win has not occurred.

Furthermore, the first and second specific performances displayed on the performance display device 1600 include changes in the symbols, and the display mode changes over time. On the other hand, the non-winning mode displayed on the performance display device 1600 does not change its display mode over time, but rather changes its display mode in response to the operation of the performance operation unit 300. In other words, videos are displayed for the first and second specific performances, and still images are displayed for the non-winning mode. Therefore, when the non-winning mode is displayed on the performance display device 1600 in place of the second specific performance based on the press operation unit 303 being pressed during the second specific performance, the performance display device 1600 changes from displaying a video to displaying a still image. By making such a large change in the display mode on the performance display device 1600 from displaying a video to displaying a still image, it becomes easier to notice that the winning mode has been displayed. Furthermore, when the non-winning state is terminated and the non-winning state is displayed on the display device 1600, it is sufficient that at least the non-winning state is displayed as a still image. Some of the background displays and other elements displayed on the lower layers of the non-winning state may change their display mode over time.

Furthermore, in the example described above, if the press operation section 300 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the second specific performance, the non-winning state 1600a is displayed on the performance display device 1600. If the press operation section 303 is pressed continuously for a certain period of time, even if the press operation section 303 is being pressed, the non-winning state is hidden based on the fact that a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the press operation section 303 was operated. If the press operation section 303 repeatedly changes between a pressed state and a released state, and the press operation section 303 is not pressed again before the predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the press operation section 303 was pressed (based on the fact that a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the press operation section 303 was last operated), (t) Although the non-winning state is shown to be hidden, if the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is continuously pressed for a certain period after the non-winning state 1600a is displayed on the performance display device 1600, the non-winning state 1600a will continue to be displayed, but a predetermined display or performance will be executed based on the fact that a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the press operation unit 303 was operated. If the press operation unit 303 repeatedly changes between being pressed and released after the non-winning state 1600a is displayed on the performance display device 1600, the predetermined display or performance may be executed if the press operation unit 303 is not pressed again within the predetermined period T1 that has elapsed since the press operation unit 303 was pressed.

For example, similar to the delay in the start of the specific performance described above, if the press operation section 300 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during a predetermined display performance, the predetermined display performance is continued and the start of the second specific performance is delayed. However, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is continuously pressed for a certain period of time, even if the press operation section 303 is being pressed, the predetermined display performance may be terminated and the specific performance started based on the fact that a predetermined period T1 has elapsed since the press operation section 303 was operated. If the press operation section 303 repeatedly changes between a pressed state and a released state, the predetermined display performance may be terminated and the specific performance started if the press operation section 303 is not pressed again within the predetermined period T1 that has elapsed since the press operation section 303 was pressed. In this case, the non-winning state 1600a may be displayed on the performance display device 1600 when the press operation section 300 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed. Furthermore, as described in the section on [Button Operation Modes and Display Modes], control may be implemented to differentiate the display termination time of the non-winning state 1600a depending on whether the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is continuously pressed over a certain period or changed between a pressed state and an unpressed state in a short time. Related control (for example, control to change the state of the non-winning state 1600a based on the operation of the press operation section 303, etc.) may also be implemented. Additionally, the predetermined display effect is not limited to a symbol variation effect; it may also be a standby display indicating that the variation display is waiting to begin.

Furthermore, the above example shows how the end and start times of predetermined displays (e.g., non-winning state 1600a) and predetermined effects (e.g., second specific effect) differ depending on whether the press operation part 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is continuously pressed over a certain period of time or changed between a pressed state and an unpressed state in a short period of time. However, this is not limited to cases where the press operation part 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed, but also applies when the contact operation part 302 of the performance operation unit 300 is continuously contacted over a certain period of time. The end and start times of predetermined displays (e.g., non-winning mode 1600a) and predetermined effects (e.g., second specific effect) may be different depending on whether the state changes rapidly between a state of contact and a state of non-contact. Similarly, the end and start times of predetermined displays (e.g., non-winning mode 1600a) and predetermined effects (e.g., second specific effect) may be different depending on whether the handle touch sensor 192 is continuously in contact for a certain period of time or rapidly between a state of contact and a state of non-contact.

[Specific abnormal conditions]
Next, we will describe variations that occur when a specific abnormal state occurs during the execution of a first specific performance that has the possibility of a jackpot or a second specific performance that does not have the possibility of a jackpot. Figure 351(A) is a timing chart showing an example of a performance mode during the second specific performance, Figure 351(B) is a timing chart showing an example of a performance mode during the first specific performance, and Figure 352(C) is a timing chart showing an example of a variation of the performance mode during the second specific performance. In the following, only the parts that differ from the above embodiment will be described, and redundant explanations will not be given. Furthermore, the following variations may be executed in combination with the above embodiment, for example, the specific performance that has the possibility of a jackpot in the above embodiment may be executed as the following first specific performance, and the specific performance that does not have the possibility of a jackpot in the above embodiment may be executed as the following second specific performance, or they may be executed as performances different from the specific performances of the above embodiment.

As described above, the pachinko machine 1 in this example exhibits the following abnormal conditions: an abnormal door opening state where the door frame release switch detects that the door frame 3 has been opened relative to the main frame 4, or that the main frame release switch detects that the main frame 4 has been opened relative to the outer frame 2; an abnormal vibration detection state where the vibration sensor detects vibration of the game board 5 for a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds); an abnormal lower tray full state where a detection signal is received from the full tank detection sensor 154; an abnormal ball depletion state where a detection signal is received from the ball depletion detection sensor 574; an abnormal radio wave detection state where the radio wave sensor detects an unauthorized radio wave; and an abnormal magnetic sensor 1050 detecting a game area. When an abnormal magnetic field is detected within 5a, or an abnormal entry detection occurs (such as when a detection signal is input from the second start port sensor 2401 when the second start port 2004 is not open, or when a detection signal is input from the big prize entry sensor 2402 when it is not in a big win or small win state), the display device 1600 will display an abnormality notification (such as text information indicating the nature of the abnormality (e.g., "Door Open")), output a notification sound from various speakers 622, or various decorative boards (in this example, door frame) provided on the door frame side will be activated. Various LEDs mounted on the knit (including the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450, etc., provided on the door frame 3), and in the case of a split game board 5A, various decorative boards provided on the right game board 5AR, emit light in an abnormality notification pattern, or LEDs are mounted on the back upper first decorative section 3211 of the decorative boards provided on the game board side (in this example, the decorative boards provided on the game board 5 (the function display board 1402 is not included in the decorative boards as it does not perform decoration) to emit light. The system notifies the occurrence of an abnormal condition by turning off various LEDs mounted on the decorative boards (excluding the second rear upper decorative board (either one or the other) on which LEDs that illuminate the first decorative board and the second rear upper decorative section 3212 are mounted) in the case of a split game board 5A, and excluding the first rear upper decorative board (which has LEDs mounted on it to illuminate the first rear upper decorative section 3211) and the second rear upper decorative board (which has LEDs mounted on it to illuminate the second rear upper decorative section 3212) on the left game board 5AL. Furthermore, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative boards on the game board side may also be illuminated in an abnormal condition notification mode. In other words, when an abnormal condition occurs, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative boards on the door frame side and the decorative boards on the game board side should be controlled to a predetermined illumination mode, including off, as the abnormal condition notification illumination mode.

Furthermore, the second specific performance can be executed with some functions restricted when a specific abnormal state (in this example, the door open abnormal state, but it could be any of the above multiple abnormal states, or one of the above multiple abnormal states or any combination thereof) occurs. For example, if a specific abnormal state occurs while the second specific performance is being executed on the performance display device 1600, an abnormality notification display mode is displayed on the top layer of the performance display device 1600, but the second specific performance continues to be displayed on a lower layer of the performance display device 1600. In other words, the area for displaying the second specific performance and the area for displaying the abnormality notification display mode based on the occurrence of a specific abnormal state overlap on the performance display device 1600. By displaying the abnormality notification display mode on the top layer and the second specific performance on a lower layer than the abnormality notification display mode, the display of the second specific performance and the abnormality notification display mode are performed simultaneously.

In this example, if the above-mentioned specific abnormal condition occurs during the execution of the first specific performance or the second specific performance, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards installed on the door frame side and the various decorative boards installed on the game board side (all or some of them) will interrupt their illumination patterns corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific illumination pattern) or the second specific performance (second specific illumination pattern), the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards installed on the door frame side will illuminate in an abnormal notification illumination pattern, and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards installed on the game board side will be turned off. Then, based on the resolution of the abnormal condition (in this example, the door frame release switch detecting that the door frame 3 is closed relative to the main frame 4, or that the main frame release switch detecting that the main frame 4 is closed relative to the outer frame 2), the illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side in the abnormality notification illumination mode is terminated, and the illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side is terminated. If the first specific performance is in progress, illumination is resumed in the illumination mode corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific illumination mode), and if the second specific performance is in progress, illumination is resumed in the illumination mode corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific illumination mode).

Furthermore, when resuming illumination in the illumination mode corresponding to the first specific effect (first specific illumination mode) or the illumination mode corresponding to the second specific effect (second specific illumination mode) based on the resolution of the abnormal condition, the illumination is not restarted from the illumination mode at the time of interruption, but rather from the illumination mode corresponding to the elapsed time since the start of the first and second specific effects. In other words, when starting the illumination mode corresponding to the first specific effect (first specific illumination mode) or the illumination mode corresponding to the second specific effect (second specific illumination mode), the timer starts measuring and the illumination is restarted in the illumination mode corresponding to the timer. The timer continues measuring without interruption even during the interruption and restart of illumination in the illumination mode corresponding to the first and second specific effects (first specific illumination mode) and the illumination is restarted in the illumination mode corresponding to the timer when starting the illumination mode corresponding to the first and second specific effects (first specific illumination mode).

Furthermore, in this example, even after the above-mentioned specific abnormal condition is resolved, for a certain period of time (for example, 30 seconds), the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side will illuminate in an abnormality notification illumination mode, while the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side will be turned off. In other words, after a certain period of time has elapsed since the above-mentioned specific abnormal condition was resolved, if the first specific performance is in progress, illumination will resume in the illumination mode corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific illumination mode), and if the second specific performance is in progress, illumination will resume in the illumination mode corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific illumination mode). On the other hand, the abnormality notification display mode shown on the performance display device 1600 is hidden when the above-mentioned specific abnormal condition is resolved. This allows for real-time monitoring of the occurrence of specific abnormal conditions through the abnormality notification display mode shown on the display device 1600. Furthermore, even after a specific abnormal condition has been resolved, the abnormality notification illumination mode of various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit boards on the door frame allows for confirmation that the specific abnormal condition persisted for a certain period. This facilitates the detection of fraudulent activity, making it easier to detect and deter such activity.

Furthermore, in this example, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during a second specific performance that does not have the possibility of a jackpot, the lighting patterns of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side are changed. Specifically, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the second specific performance, the lighting patterns of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side that correspond to the second specific performance (second specific lighting pattern) are terminated, and the LEDs are made to light up in a special lighting pattern different from the lighting pattern corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific lighting pattern). In this example, as the special lighting pattern, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side are made to light up in white.

The illumination from the various LEDs mounted on the decorative circuit boards on the door frame and the game board is easily visible to the player and is conspicuous as it occurs over a wide area of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, when the LEDs on the decorative circuit boards on the door frame and the game board are illuminated in a lighting pattern corresponding to a second specific performance (second specific lighting pattern) that does not have the potential to result in a jackpot, it may be visually distracting and unpleasant for the player. To address this, the pachinko machine 1 in this example allows the illumination to be terminated by the player's operation when the LEDs on the decorative circuit boards on the door frame and the game board are illuminated in a lighting pattern corresponding to a second specific performance (second specific lighting pattern), thereby preventing the unpleasant illumination from continuing and thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, the special illumination mode is not limited to those described above, as long as it is different from the second specified illumination mode. Also, the various LEDs mounted on the decorative substrates on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the decorative substrates on the game board side may emit different colors, or one of the LEDs mounted on the decorative substrates on the door frame side or the decorative substrates on the game board side may emit a predetermined color while the other remains off.

Furthermore, in this example, even when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during a door-open abnormal state, which is a specific abnormal state that occurs during the second specific performance that does not have the possibility of a big win, it is possible to change the light emission patterns of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side. Specifically, as shown in Figure 351(A), if a door opening abnormality occurs at a predetermined timing (t1) between the start of a second specific performance (ts) that does not have the possibility of a jackpot and the end of the second specific performance (te), the door frame opening switch detects that the door frame 3 has been opened relative to the main frame 4, or that the main frame opening switch detects that the main frame 4 has been opened relative to the outer frame 2, the second specific performance displayed on the performance display device 1600 continues, and "Door Opening" is displayed as a door opening abnormality notification display mode. The various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side and the various decorative boards on the game board side cease emitting light in the light emission mode corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific light emission mode) (t1), the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side emit light in the abnormality notification light emission mode, and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side are turned off.

Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, in the event of an abnormal door open state, a door open notification sound (an announcement such as "The door is open" and a warning sound such as "ding-dong") is repeatedly output from various speakers at a predetermined volume (which may be the maximum configurable volume or the default volume adjusted by the volume adjustment switch on the peripheral control board 1510) for a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds), or the output stops when the main frame 4, which was open relative to the outer frame 2, is closed. (Note that even if the main frame 4 remains open relative to the outer frame 2 or the door frame 3 remains open relative to the main frame 4, the output may stop after a certain number of repeated outputs (e.g., 5 times), or the output may continue until the main frame 4 or door frame 3 open relative to the main frame 4 is closed, or the output may continue until a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed after the main frame 4 or door frame 3 open relative to the main frame 4 is closed.)

Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed while the door is in an abnormal open state (t2), the illumination patterns of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side and the various decorative boards on the game board side will not be changed. However, after the abnormal door open state has been resolved and the illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side in the abnormal notification illumination pattern and the illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side have ended (t4), the illumination will be changed to a special illumination pattern different from the illumination pattern corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific illumination pattern).

Thus, in this example, when a door-open abnormal state occurs as a specific abnormal condition during the second specific performance, which does not have the possibility of a big win, causing the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side to light up in an abnormal notification light pattern and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side to turn off, pressing the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 resolves the door-open abnormal state, ending the illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side in an abnormal notification light pattern and the turning off of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side. After this, the LEDs are not illuminated in the light pattern corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific light pattern), but rather in a special light pattern. Therefore, for players who do not wish for the illumination to continue in the second specific illumination mode corresponding to the second specific animation (second specific illumination mode), even during the door-open abnormal state, which is a specific abnormal state, it is possible to change the illumination mode by pressing the press operation section 303 of the animation operation unit 300. This eliminates the restriction on the period during which the illumination in the second specific illumination mode can be terminated, thus preventing players from feeling anxious or uncomfortable.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 352(C), if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the specific abnormal state that occurs during the second specific performance (t2), the display of the second specific performance being executed on the performance display device 1600 may be terminated and the display of the special performance may be started. In this case, when the abnormal door opening condition is resolved and the abnormal notification illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side ends, and the illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side ends, if a special effect display is being executed, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side will illuminate in a special illumination mode. If a second specific effect display is being executed, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side will illuminate in an illumination mode corresponding to the second specific effect (second specific illumination mode). If a first specific effect display is being executed, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side will illuminate in an illumination mode corresponding to the first specific effect (first specific illumination mode). If other displays such as standby are being executed, the LEDs may illuminate in an illumination mode corresponding to the other state (which may be off).

Furthermore, the special performance may be set to end when a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds) has elapsed since the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 was pressed. In this case, the second specific performance may be executed again after the special performance has ended, or another performance (which may not include a special performance, similar to the display waiting for the start of variation) may be executed after the special performance has ended, and then the second specific performance may be executed again based on the fulfillment of predetermined performance conditions. In other words, the second specific performance may not be executed while the special performance is running, and may be made available for execution after the special performance has ended, or the second specific performance may be executed again based on the fulfillment of predetermined performance conditions after the special performance has ended. Furthermore, if the press operation unit 303 is pressed again while the second specific performance is being executed, the special performance may be executed again to cause the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side to light up in a special illumination mode. This gives players who do not wish to continue the second specific performance or who do not wish to continue illuminating in the illumination mode corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific illumination mode) an opportunity to change the performance or illumination mode, thereby preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, when the abnormal door opening condition is resolved and the abnormal notification illumination mode of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side ends, and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side turn off, based on the execution of a special performance, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side illuminate in a special illumination mode, and then when the special performance ends and the second specific performance begins, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side and the various decorative boards on the game board side illuminate in a special illumination mode. The various LEDs installed may be made to light up in a light-emitting mode corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific light-emitting mode), or, if the second specific performance is being executed when the abnormal door open state is resolved and the abnormal notification light-emitting mode of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the extinguishing of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side are terminated, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side may be made to light up in a light-emitting mode corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific light-emitting mode). In this case as well, the second specific performance may be terminated by pressing the press operation unit 303 again, making the special performance executable, and the light-emitting mode corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific light-emitting mode) of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side may be terminated and made to light up in the special light-emitting mode. Furthermore, if the performance control unit 300 is terminated during the special performance, the special performance can be terminated. If the performance control unit 300 is operated in a manner different from the termination operation, the period until the special performance is terminated can be extended, in other words, the start time of the second specific performance can be delayed. In this case, by operating the performance control unit 300 in a manner different from the termination operation during the special performance, the start time of illumination in the illumination mode corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific illumination mode) can be delayed.

Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the second specific performance, the performance display device 1600 may be configured to display text information such as characters and symbols. For example, the performance display device 1600 may display the non-winning state in which there is no possibility of a jackpot, the fact that the second specific performance is continuing as a special display state, the fact that the second specific performance has ended when the press operation section 303 is pressed, or that a special performance is being executed in place of the second specific performance. This makes it easy for the player to recognize that the second specific performance is being executed, that there is no possibility of a jackpot, or that the second specific performance has ended. In addition, some of the text information displayed on the performance display device 1600 may be changed in response to the operation of the performance operation unit 300. This allows players to pass the time until the second specific performance ends, and if the period until the special performance ends is extended based on the performance operation unit 300 being operated in a manner different from the termination operation, players will be able to recognize that the period until the special performance ends has been extended—in other words, that the start time of the second specific performance has been definitively delayed—which will give players a sense of security and prevent a decline in their enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, a special feature may be implemented to provide a beneficial experience for the player. Specifically, since the second specific feature is useless to the player because it does not offer the possibility of a jackpot, and only serves to disappoint or annoy the player, it is possible to terminate it when the press operation unit 303 is pressed. However, the special feature that replaces the second specific feature when the press operation unit 303 is pressed may be designed to allow the player to customize the game to their liking and enjoy it, providing a beneficial experience for the player. For example, the special feature may include character introductions, introductions to reach animations, notification of winning probabilities, volume settings, light intensity settings, and selection of animation modes. This reduces the player's discomfort when the second specific feature, which offers no possibility of a jackpot, is terminated and the special feature begins, thus preventing an excessive decline in the player's enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in this example, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during a first specific performance that has the potential to result in a jackpot, the light emission patterns of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side, which emit light in a light emission pattern corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific light emission pattern), are not changed. Similarly, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during a door-open abnormal state, which is a specific abnormal state that occurs during the first specific performance that has the potential to result in a jackpot, the light emission patterns of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side are not changed. Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during a predetermined period while the first specific performance is being executed, the first specific performance may be continued without executing a special performance, while the display mode of the performance display device 1600 may be changed (for example, to display a winning indication mode that suggests it is a win or that there is a possibility of winning), or the pointer that points to the light emission data arranged in a time series that constitutes the light emission mode generation schedule data indicating the light emission mode (first specific light emission mode) corresponding to the first specific performance by various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the game board side may be updated to change the light emission data and change the light emission mode of the various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the game board side (changing to other light emission data from the light emission mode generation schedule data as the first specific light emission mode, while continuing the first specific light emission mode), or the performance display device 1600 may be displayed a winning indication mode (a mode that suggests it is a win or that there is a possibility of winning) that is different from the display of the special performance. This allows players to visually recognize the winning indication and understand that a first specific performance with a possibility of a jackpot is being executed. This creates anticipation for a jackpot and draws attention to the first specific performance displayed on the performance display device 1600, thus preventing a decline in game enjoyment. Furthermore, even if the system is configured to terminate the second specific performance and execute a special performance when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the second specific performance, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the first specific performance with a possibility of a jackpot, the first specific performance may not be terminated, nor may the special performance be initiated. Similarly, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during a specific abnormal state, such as a door-open abnormal state, that occurs during the first specific performance with a possibility of a jackpot, the first specific performance may not be terminated, nor may the special performance be initiated.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 351(B), if a door opening abnormality occurs at a predetermined timing (t1) between the start of the first specific performance (ts) which has the potential to result in a jackpot (te) and the end of the first specific performance (te), the door frame opening switch detects that the door frame 3 has been opened relative to the main frame 4, or that the main frame opening switch has been opened relative to the outer frame 2. In this case, the performance display device 1600 continues to display the first specific performance while displaying "Door Open" as a door opening abnormality notification display mode. The various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side and the various decorative boards on the game board side cease emitting light in the light emission mode corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific light emission mode) (t1). The various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side then emit light in the abnormality notification light emission mode, and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side are turned off.

Furthermore, if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed while the door is in an abnormal open state (t2), the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side will continue to emit abnormal notification light patterns without changing the light emission patterns of the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side and the LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side. The first specific performance displayed on the performance display device 1600 will also continue without ending. After the abnormal door open state is resolved and the abnormal notification light patterns of the LEDs on the decorative boards on the door frame side and the extinguishing of the LEDs on the decorative boards on the game board side have ended, if the first specific performance is still being executed (t4), the LEDs will emit light again in the light emission pattern corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific light emission pattern).

Thus, in this example, when a specific abnormal state, such as a door-open abnormal state, occurs during the first specific performance which has the possibility of a jackpot, causing the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side to light up in an abnormal notification light pattern and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side to turn off, even if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed, the door-open abnormal state is resolved and the illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side in an abnormal notification light pattern and the turning off of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side ends, after which the illumination of the LEDs will start again in the light pattern corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific light pattern). Furthermore, even if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the door-open abnormal state, which is a specific abnormal state that occurs during the first specific performance which has the possibility of a jackpot, the first specific performance displayed on the performance display device 1600 will continue without ending. Therefore, after the abnormal notification flashing pattern ends, the flashing pattern corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific flashing pattern) continues, giving the player a sense of reassurance that the first specific performance is being executed. This allows the player to focus on the display of the first specific performance executed on the performance display device 1600, thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, if the abnormal door opening condition is resolved and the abnormal notification illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side ends, and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side turn off, and the first specific performance is not being executed at this time, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side may be made to illuminate in a different illumination pattern than that of the first specific performance (this may be an illumination pattern that is executed when no special performance is being executed, similar to the display waiting for the start of a variation, including turning off). In other words, if the first specific performance has already ended, the special lottery result is displayed and the display of the variation of the symbols has ended, so it is preferable to suppress the unnecessary illumination in the illumination pattern corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific illumination pattern) and instead make them illuminate in an illumination pattern corresponding to the state of the game at the time the abnormal door opening condition is resolved and the abnormal notification illumination of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the door frame side ends, and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards on the game board side turn off.

Furthermore, in this example, even if a specific abnormal state, such as a door-opening abnormal state, occurs during the first specific performance (which has the potential for a jackpot) or the second specific performance (which does not have the potential for a jackpot), the LEDs mounted on the first rear upper decoration board 3211 and the LEDs mounted on the second rear upper decoration board 3212 (either one or the other) among the various decorative boards provided on the game board will continue to illuminate in the same manner as during the first or second specific performance, at least until the first or second specific performance ends. This allows the player to recognize that the first or second specific performance is continuing, preventing them from feeling anxious or distrustful.

Furthermore, even if the system is configured to display text information such as characters and symbols on the performance display device 1600 when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the second specific performance, it is also possible to choose not to display text information such as characters and symbols on the performance display device 1600 based on the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed during the first specific performance. This allows players to recognize that the second specific performance is being executed and, consequently, that there is no possibility of a jackpot, by visually confirming the text information such as characters and symbols displayed on the performance display device 1600 when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed. Conversely, if text information such as characters and symbols is not displayed on the performance display device 1600 even when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed, it can increase the expectation of a jackpot, thereby drawing attention to the first specific performance executed on the performance display device 1600 and preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, if a predetermined operating unit other than the performance operation unit 300 (for example, one or any combination of the handle 195, volume control button 227, light intensity control button 228, etc.) is operated, special character information such as characters and symbols different from the character information such as characters and symbols displayed on the performance display device 1600 may be displayed, regardless of whether the second specific performance or the first specific performance is in progress. In this case, although the display of special character information on the performance display device 1600 during the first specific performance may cause the player to mistakenly believe that the second specific performance is being executed, if the player who mistakenly believed that the second specific performance was being executed realizes (after the end of a specific abnormal state) that the first specific performance is being executed, their expectation of a big win can be greatly increased. Also, if the special lottery result for a big win is displayed when the first specific performance ends without the player realizing that the first specific performance is being executed, the sudden occurrence of an unexpected big win can enhance the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, in this case, the display mode of the special character information shown on the performance display device 1600 may be changed in response to the operation of a predetermined control unit. This allows players who notice that the first specific performance is being executed to operate the predetermined control unit with anticipation of a big win, thus enjoying the changes in the special character information. Additionally, by changing the display mode of the special character information in a manner different from the character information such as letters and symbols displayed based on the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed during the second specific performance, it may be made visually easier to distinguish it from the character information such as letters and symbols displayed based on the press operation unit 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed during the second specific performance.

Furthermore, since the second specific performance described above does not have the potential to result in a jackpot, its execution may disappoint players and reduce their enjoyment of the game. Therefore, in this example, the second specific performance is executed only when certain conditions are met, thereby preventing an excessive decrease in enjoyment of the game. Specifically, the second specific performance can be executed when a jackpot is not achieved and a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the handle touch sensor 192 stopped detecting player contact. This prevents so-called "stop-and-go" play, which stops the launch of game balls, and improves the operating rate of the gaming machine. Alternatively, the second special effect may be executed in the following cases: when a jackpot is not achieved and the period since the handle rotation detection sensor 189 stopped detecting rotation has reached a predetermined period; when a jackpot is not achieved and the period since the stop display command was received has reached a predetermined period; or when the number of reserved first and second special symbols (first reserved number, second reserved number) is 0. In this case as well, stopping play can be prevented, and the operating rate of the gaming machine can be improved.

Furthermore, the first specific performance that has the potential to result in a jackpot and the second specific performance that does not have the potential to result in a jackpot may have some or all of the following characteristics (e.g., rainbow-colored illumination, rainbow-colored performance display characteristics, etc.): the display mode of the performance display device 1600, the sound output mode of the speaker 122, the light emission mode of the multiple LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3, etc., or the first specific performance and the second specific performance may have different characteristics. Also, one or both of the first and second specific performances are not limited to those performed during periods when variable performances are occurring; they may also be performed during periods when variable performances are not occurring, for example, as a pre-announcement or similar performance. This increases the variety of performances and improves the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, as described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, the group of light emission data that instructs the respective light emission patterns of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side is output serially as serial data from the serial communication line. In addition, the group of light emission data that is indicated by a pointer that specifies which group of light emission data to output from the first group of light emission data updated in the scheduler update process, among the group of light emission data arranged in a time series that constitutes the schedule data for generating the light emission pattern, is output serially to the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side each time the peripheral control unit performs a steady-state process (approximately every 33.3 ms in this example). In this way, since the group of light emission data is output at regular intervals, even if abnormal light emission occurs due to noise, etc., it can be immediately restored to normal light emission, thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, the output is generated not only when the set of light emission data indicated by the pointer after the pointer update differs from the set of light emission data indicated by the pointer before the pointer update, but also when they are the same. Therefore, if the pointer indicates a set of light emission data that suggests emitting light in a predetermined pattern for a certain period, and the light emission pattern changes due to noise or other factors, it can be immediately restored to the predetermined pattern, thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. Incidentally, the transmission of each bit of serial data is synchronized with the clock input to the SCLK terminal of the LED driver and transmitted at regular intervals.

[Alternative performance]
Next, we will describe a modified version in which, in the first specific performance which has the possibility of a big win and the second specific performance which does not have the possibility of a big win, a sound corresponding to the first specific performance is output from a speaker (speaker 622) provided in the pachinko machine 1 during the first specific performance, and no sound corresponding to the second specific performance is output from the speaker (speaker 622) provided in the pachinko machine 1 during the second specific performance. Figure 353(A) is a timing chart showing an example of the performance mode during the second specific performance, Figure 353(B) is a timing chart showing an example of the performance mode during the first specific performance, Figures 354(A) to (D) are explanatory diagrams showing an example of the display mode of the performance display device 1600 during the second specific performance, and Figures 354(A') to (D') are explanatory diagrams showing an example of the display mode of the performance display device 1600 during the first specific performance. In the following, only the parts that differ from the above embodiment will be described, and redundant explanations will not be given. Furthermore, the following modifications may be performed in combination with the above-described embodiment. For example, the specific performance that has the potential to result in a jackpot in the above embodiment may be designated as the first specific performance below, and the specific performance that does not have the potential to result in a jackpot in the above embodiment may be designated as the second specific performance below, or they may be performed as performances different from the specific performances in the above embodiment.

As described above, in this example, the pachinko machine 1 controls the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the door frame side and various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the game board side in a light emission mode corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific light emission mode) during the first specific performance which has the possibility of a jackpot, and outputs performance sounds corresponding to the first specific performance from the speaker (speaker 622) provided in the pachinko machine 1. On the other hand, during the second specific performance which does not have the possibility of a jackpot, the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the door frame side and various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards on the game board side is controlled in a light emission mode corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific light emission mode), and the speaker (speaker 622) provided in the pachinko machine 1 does not output performance sounds corresponding to the second specific performance. Furthermore, if the press operation part 300 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the execution of the second specific performance which does not have the possibility of a jackpot, the second specific performance is terminated. Specifically, as shown in Figure 353(A), a second specific performance that does not have the possibility of a jackpot is started, and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side are controlled to emit light in a light emission mode corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific light emission mode), and the speaker (speaker 622) provided on the pachinko machine 1 is controlled to not output performance sound (ts). If the press operation part 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the period until the second specific performance is finished (te) (t1), the second specific performance without the output of performance sound from the speaker (speaker 622) provided on the pachinko machine 1 is terminated, and the light emission mode corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific light emission mode) by the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side is terminated. This allows the second specific performance, which lacks excitement because it does not produce sound output from the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1, to be terminated. Furthermore, it allows the termination of the second specific performance, which is useless to the player as it does not offer the possibility of a jackpot, thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game caused by the execution of the second specific performance.

Furthermore, in this example, after the second specific performance is terminated based on the pressing operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed, a performance similar to the special performance described above is executed to control the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the game board side in a light emission mode (special light emission mode) corresponding to the special performance, and the second specific performance is not executed while the special performance is being executed (t1). Also, as described above, the special performance may be a performance beneficial to the player. In this case, since there is no output of performance sound from the speaker (speaker 622) provided on the pachinko machine 1, the special performance is executed instead of the second specific performance, which is not only unexciting but also does not offer the possibility of a jackpot, thus rendering it useless to the player. This prevents the useless second specific performance from being executed for a long period of time, which would reduce the enjoyment of the game, and reduces the player's discomfort caused by the execution of the second specific performance, thus preventing a decline in enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in this example, the special performance executed after the completion of the second specific performance is configured to output performance sounds corresponding to the special performance from a speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1. Specifically, when the second specific performance ends and the special performance begins at timing t1 in Figure 353(A), the special performance accompanied by the output of performance sounds from the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1 is executed. This allows for an exciting performance to be executed not only by the display of the special performance on the performance display device 1600, but also by the output of performance sounds from the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1, thereby preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

In this example, as shown in Figures 354(A) to (D), after the second specific performance is started (A), if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed (B), the performance display device 1600 displays a crying character and the words "Too bad! You lost" as the non-winning mode 1600a, and also displays the stopped symbol of the decorative pattern to end the second specific performance and terminate the light emission mode (second specific light emission mode) corresponding to the second specific performance by the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side. After that, a special performance is executed in place of the second specific performance, and a performance sound corresponding to the special performance is output from the speaker (speaker 622) provided on the pachinko machine 1, and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side are controlled to emit light in a light emission mode (special light emission mode) corresponding to the special performance ((C), (D)). Thus, if the press operation unit 303 is pressed during the second specific performance, the non-winning pattern 1600a is displayed to notify the player that there is no possibility of winning a jackpot, the second specific performance is terminated, and then a special performance is executed in its place. This reduces the discomfort the player might feel from having a useless specific performance executed, thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, since the non-winning pattern 1600a displayed on the performance display device 1600 disappears after a predetermined period, the performance can be executed in a way that is considerate of the player, without excessively diminishing the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, when the above-mentioned special effects are implemented to allow players to customize the game to their liking or to enhance their enjoyment, the output of sound effects from the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1 can further enhance the special effects. This reduces the unpleasantness players might feel from the execution of a second specific effect that is pointless to them because it does not involve sound effects or the possibility of a jackpot, thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

In the example described above, when the second specific performance is terminated based on the pressing operation part 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed during the second specific performance which does not involve the output of performance sound, a special performance accompanied by the output of performance sound from a speaker (speaker 622) provided in the pachinko machine 1 is executed. However, this technical concept is not limited to the above, as long as the second specific performance is terminated based on the fulfillment of a predetermined condition during the second specific performance which does not involve the output of performance sound from a speaker (speaker 622) provided in the pachinko machine 1. For example, when the second specific performance is terminated based on the pressing operation part 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed during the second specific performance which does not involve the output of performance sound from a speaker (speaker 622) provided in the pachinko machine 1, a special performance may be executed in place of the second specific performance, but the speaker (speaker 622) provided in the pachinko machine 1 may not output performance sound corresponding to the special performance during the special performance. Furthermore, if the player's contact is detected by the handle touch sensor 192 during a second specific performance that does not involve the output of performance sounds from the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1, a special performance may be executed instead of the second specific performance (the second specific performance may be terminated), and performance sounds corresponding to the special performance may be output from the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1. Alternatively, during a second specific performance that does not involve the output of performance sounds from the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1, the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004 may be used. When a game ball enters the slot (when a starting prize is awarded), instead of the second specific performance (after the second specific performance ends), a special performance may be executed, and a sound corresponding to the special performance may be output from the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1. Alternatively, based on the special lottery result determined by the acceptance of a game ball into the first starting slot 2002 or the second starting slot 2004, a first specific performance with the possibility of a jackpot may be executed, and a sound corresponding to the first specific performance may be output from the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1. This can prevent players from stopping play and improve the operating rate of the game machine.

Furthermore, the special performance may be executed for a predetermined period (for example, 30 seconds) as described above, and the second specific performance may be executed again after the special performance has finished, or another performance (which may not include a special performance, similar to the display waiting for the start of a variation) may be executed after the special performance has finished, and then the second specific performance may be executed again based on the fulfillment of predetermined performance conditions. In other words, the second specific performance may not be executed while the special performance is running, and may be executed after the special performance has finished, or the second specific performance may be executed again based on the fulfillment of predetermined performance conditions after the special performance has finished. In addition, if the press operation unit 303 is pressed again while the second specific performance is running, the special performance may be executed again, thereby reducing the unpleasantness for the player caused by the execution of a useless specific performance and preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, if the performance control unit 300 is terminated during the special performance, the special performance can be terminated. If the performance control unit 300 is operated in a manner different from the termination operation, the period until the special performance is terminated can be extended, in other words, the start time of the second specific performance can be delayed. In this case, by operating the performance control unit 300 in a manner different from the termination operation during the special performance, the start time of illumination in the illumination mode corresponding to the second specific performance (second specific illumination mode) can be delayed.

Furthermore, in special performances executed based on the pressing operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 being pressed during the second specific performance, the performance display device 1600 may display character information such as letters and symbols. For example, the performance display device 1600 may display the non-winning state in which there is no possibility of a jackpot, or a special display state indicating that the second specific performance has ended, or that a special performance is being executed in place of the second specific performance. This makes it easy for the player to recognize that there is no possibility of a jackpot, or that the second specific performance has ended. In addition, the performance operation unit 300 may be modified to change some of the character information displayed on the performance display device 1600 in response to an operation (for example, a contact operation of the contact operation section 302), or the performance display device 1600 may be modified to switch between a state in which the character information is displayed and a state in which it is not displayed in response to an operation (for example, a pressing operation of the pressing operation section 303) of the performance operation unit 300. This allows players to pass the time during special effects, and if the duration of the special effect is extended based on the operation of the effect control unit 300 in a manner different from the termination operation, the player will be able to recognize that the duration of the special effect has been extended—in other words, that the start time of the second specific effect has been definitively delayed—providing a sense of security to the player and preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in this example, during the first specific performance which has the possibility of a big win, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side are controlled to emit light in a light emission mode corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific light emission mode), and the speaker (speaker 622) provided on the pachinko machine 1 outputs a performance sound corresponding to the first specific performance. If the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during this first specific performance, the first specific performance is not terminated but continues, and the light emission control of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side in a light emission mode corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific light emission mode) continues, and the output of a performance sound corresponding to the first specific performance from the speaker (speaker 622) provided on the pachinko machine 1 continues. Similarly, even if the player's contact is detected by the handle touch sensor 192 during the first specific performance, when the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1 outputs a sound corresponding to the first specific performance, the first specific performance continues without ending. Furthermore, even if a game ball enters the first start opening 2002 or the second start opening 2004 (a start-up win) during the first specific performance, when the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1 outputs a sound corresponding to the first specific performance, the first specific performance continues without ending.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 353(B), the system starts a first specific performance that has the possibility of a big win, accompanied by the output of a performance sound corresponding to the first specific performance from the speaker (speaker 622). The system controls the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the game board side to a light emission mode (first specific light emission mode) corresponding to the first specific performance, and controls the system to output a performance sound corresponding to the first specific performance from the speaker (speaker 622) provided on the pachinko machine 1 (ts), until the first specific performance ends (te). Even if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the ming (t1), the first specific performance continues, accompanied by the output of a performance sound corresponding to the first specific performance from the speaker (speaker 622) provided in the pachinko machine 1. The light emission control of the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative circuit boards provided on the game board side, corresponding to the first specific performance (first specific light emission mode), continues, and the output of a performance sound corresponding to the first specific performance from the speaker (speaker 622) provided in the pachinko machine 1 continues.

In this example, as shown in Figures 354 (A') to (D'), after the first specific performance begins (A'), if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed (B'), the decorative symbols displayed on the performance display device 1600 continue to change without stopping ((B') to (C')). Then, based on the receipt of a stop display command from the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, the decorative symbols are stopped (D'). In this way, even if the press operation section 303 is pressed during the first specific performance, the changing display of the decorative symbols continues. This allows players who recognize the possibility of a jackpot to increase their expectation of a jackpot and draw their attention to the first specific performance.

Furthermore, the first specific performance may have a period during which the performance sound is not output, or the second specific performance may have a period during which the performance sound is output, or the second specific performance may not output performance sound from the speaker (speaker 622) for the entire duration, while the first specific performance may output performance sound from the speaker (speaker 622) for at least a portion of the duration. In other words, this technical concept is applicable to any machine where, during the first specific performance, if the press operation unit 303 is pressed, or if the player's contact is detected by the handle touch sensor 192, or if a game ball enters the first start opening 2002 or the second start opening 2004 (a start-up win occurs), the first specific performance continues without ending. Conversely, if the press operation unit 303 is pressed, or if the player's contact is detected by the handle touch sensor 192, or if a game ball enters the first start opening 2002 or the second start opening 2004 (a start-up win occurs), the second specific performance ends (but is not limited to these cases).

Furthermore, even if the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during the first specific performance, the non-winning pattern 1600a will not be displayed. Therefore, even if there is a period during the first specific performance when no performance sound is output, pressing the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 during that period will allow it to be determined whether the first specific performance or the second specific performance is being performed. If it is determined that the first specific performance is being performed, the expectation of a big win will increase, and attention will be drawn to the first specific performance being performed on the performance display device 1600, thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game. It is also possible to display a winning indication pattern (a pattern that indicates that it is a win or that there is a possibility of winning) different from the non-winning pattern 1600a when the press operation section 303 of the performance operation unit 300 is pressed during a preset period while the first specific performance is being performed. This allows players to visually recognize the winning indication and understand that a first specific performance with a possibility of a jackpot is being executed. Therefore, it is possible to draw attention to the first specific performance displayed on the performance display device 1600, creating anticipation for a jackpot and thus preventing a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, if a predetermined operating unit other than the performance operation unit 300 (for example, one or any combination of the handle 195, volume control button 227, light intensity control button 228, etc.) is operated, it may be possible to display special character information such as characters and symbols that are different from the character information such as characters and symbols displayed on the performance display device 1600, regardless of whether it is during the first specific performance, the second specific performance, or a special performance. In this case as well, although there is a risk that the display of special character information on the performance display device 1600 may lead to the misunderstanding that the second specific performance is being performed, if the result of the special lottery for a jackpot is displayed, it will be possible to enhance the enjoyment of the game by causing a jackpot that the player did not expect to occur suddenly. Furthermore, the display mode of the special character information shown on the performance display device 1600 may be changed in response to the operation of a predetermined control unit. This allows players who notice that the first specific performance is being executed to operate the predetermined control unit with anticipation of a big win, thus enjoying the changes in the special character information. Additionally, the display mode of the special character information may be changed in a manner different from the character information such as letters and symbols displayed based on the operation of the press control unit during the second specific performance, making it easier to visually distinguish it from the character information such as letters and symbols displayed based on the operation of the press control unit during the second specific performance. Moreover, the display of special character information is not limited to always being shown when the predetermined control unit is operated; it may also be shown when the predetermined control unit is operated during the execution of any combination of the first specific performance, the second specific performance, and the special performance (or all of them). That is, even if the predetermined control unit is operated during the execution of the first specific performance, the second specific performance, and the special performance, there may be a period during which the special character information is not displayed.

Furthermore, since the second specific performance described above does not have the potential to result in a jackpot, its execution may disappoint players and reduce their enjoyment of the game. Therefore, in this example, the second specific performance is executed only when certain conditions are met, thereby preventing an excessive decrease in enjoyment of the game. Specifically, the second specific performance can be executed when a jackpot is not achieved and a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) has elapsed since the handle touch sensor 192 stopped detecting player contact. This prevents so-called "stop-and-go" play, which stops the launch of game balls, and improves the operating rate of the gaming machine. Alternatively, the second special effect may be executed in the following cases: when a jackpot is not achieved and the period since the handle rotation detection sensor 189 stopped detecting rotation has reached a predetermined period; when a jackpot is not achieved and the period since the stop display command was received has reached a predetermined period; or when the number of reserved first and second special symbols (first reserved number, second reserved number) is 0. In this case as well, stopping play can be prevented, and the operating rate of the gaming machine can be improved.

Furthermore, the first specific performance, which has the possibility of a big win and is accompanied by the output of a performance sound, and the second specific performance, which does not have the possibility of a big win and is not accompanied by the output of a performance sound, may have some or all of the following characteristics identical or similar: the display mode of the performance display device 1600 (for example, a rainbow performance display mode in which three or more areas of the display area of the performance display device 1600 in the above embodiment are each displayed in different colors to achieve a display of three or more colors, and the display colors of the multiple areas are sequentially switched (see Figure 283)) or the light emission mode of multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3 (for example, a rainbow light emission in which multiple LED groups emit light in different colors to achieve a display of three or more colors by multiple LED groups, and the light emission control of multiple LED groups is sequentially switched (see Figure 286)) or the characteristics of multiple LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3 (for example, a rainbow light emission in which multiple LED groups emit light in different colors to achieve a display of three or more colors by multiple LED groups, and the rainbow performance display mode is sequentially switched (see Figure 286)). Alternatively, the first specific performance and the second specific performance may have different characteristics (for example, rainbow light emission and light emission different from rainbow light emission, or a rainbow performance display mode and a display mode different from the rainbow performance display mode). Furthermore, one or both of the first and second specific effects are not limited to those performed during periods when variable effects are occurring; they may also be performed during periods when variable effects are not occurring, for example, as a pre-announcement effect as described above. This increases the variety of effects and enhances the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1 described above, if the amount of balls dispensed (also called the difference in balls) from a predetermined value (plus or minus 0, the lower limit of the number of payouts minus the number of balls inserted (outs), etc.) reaches a predetermined upper limit, the machine may transition to a game restriction state that restricts part or all of the game. For example, in the game restriction state, the launching of game balls by the ball launching device 540 may be prohibited, detection by the first start port sensor 3002 and the second start port sensor 2401 may be disabled, processing related to the display of special symbols (special symbol process processing in this example) may not be started, the LEDs related to the lottery processing, such as the special symbol display (first special symbol display, second special symbol display) of the function display unit 1400, may be turned off or illuminated in a manner appropriate to the game restriction state, or the decorative symbols on the performance display device 1600 may be hidden and displayed in a manner appropriate to the game restriction state, or one or any combination of these may be performed. Furthermore, the game restriction state may be released by a predetermined operation (such as turning the power OFF and then ON + clearing the RAM, or turning the power OFF and then ON).

Furthermore, even in a game restriction state, the controls in the above-described embodiment, such as controls related to specific effects, first specific effects, second specific effects, and special effects, may be made executable. Specifically, the controls relating to modifications that delay the start timing of a specific effect by player operation in a game restriction state, the controls relating to modifications that delay the start timing of a specific effect by a predetermined operation when an abnormal state occurs in a game restriction state, the controls relating to modifications that delay the start timing of a specific effect that displays a substantially single color in the display area of the effect display device 1600 in a game restriction state, the controls relating to modifications that change the display mode of the effect display device 1600 according to the operation mode of the press operation part 303 of the effect operation unit 300 in a game restriction state, and the controls relating to modifications that have the possibility of a big win in a game restriction state 1. Control relating to modifications when a specific abnormal state occurs during the execution of a specific performance or a second specific performance that does not have the possibility of a jackpot; 2. Control relating to modifications in which a special performance is executed in place of the second specific performance in a game restriction state; 3. Control relating to modifications in which, in a game restriction state, the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1 does not output a performance sound corresponding to the first specific performance during the first specific performance, and the speaker (speaker 622) installed in the pachinko machine 1 does not output a performance sound corresponding to the second specific performance during the second specific performance. The controls in the above embodiment may also be made executable in a game restriction state. Furthermore, in a game restriction state, specific performances that have the possibility of a jackpot and the first specific performance may be made unexecutable, while specific performances that do not have the possibility of a jackpot, the second specific performance, and the special performance may be made executable. Alternatively, in a game restriction state, specific performances that do not have the possibility of a jackpot and the second specific performance may also be made unexecutable, similar to specific performances that have the possibility of a jackpot and the first specific performance, while only the special performance may be made executable in a game restriction state.

Furthermore, if a game restriction state occurs during the execution of the above-mentioned specific performance, the first specific performance, the second specific performance, or a special performance, the performance display device 1600 may display a special indication corresponding to the game restriction state (a display indicating that a game restriction state has occurred, "Game Restriction State"), or the speaker (speaker 622) may output a special notification sound corresponding to the game restriction state (a sound indicating that a game restriction state has occurred, "Game Restriction State Has Been Activated"), or the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side may be made to light up in a special light emission pattern corresponding to the game restriction state (for example, the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the door frame side may flash red, and the various LEDs mounted on the various decorative boards provided on the game board side may be turned off). Furthermore, if a game restriction state occurs during the execution of a specific performance that has the potential to result in a jackpot or the first specific performance, the specific performance that has the potential to result in a jackpot or the first specific performance may be interrupted. Also, if a game restriction state occurs during the execution of a specific performance that does not have the potential to result in a jackpot, the second specific performance, or a special performance, the specific performance that does not have the potential to result in a jackpot, the second specific performance, or a special performance may be interrupted. Also, if a game restriction state occurs during the execution of a specific performance that has the potential to result in a jackpot or the first specific performance, the specific performance that has the potential to result in a jackpot or the first specific performance may be interrupted, while the possibility of a jackpot If a game restriction state occurs during the execution of a specific performance, a second specific performance, or a special performance that does not have the potential for a jackpot, the specific performance, the second specific performance, or the special performance that does not have the potential for a jackpot may not be interrupted. Alternatively, if a game restriction state occurs during the execution of a specific performance, a second specific performance, or a special performance that does not have the potential for a jackpot, the specific performance, the second specific performance, or the special performance that does not have the potential for a jackpot may be interrupted. On the other hand, if a game restriction state occurs during the execution of a specific performance or a first specific performance that does have the potential for a jackpot, the specific performance or the first specific performance that does have the potential for a jackpot may not be interrupted.

[Decorative circuit board installed in the back-of-the-back performance unit]
Next, the decorative circuit board provided in the rear lower display unit 3300 of the rear unit 3000 will be described with reference to Figures 355 to 357.

As described above, the rear lower display unit 3300 has a rear left movable decorative body 3301 and a rear right movable decorative body 3302, whose base ends, adjacent to each other on the left and right, are supported so as to be rotatable around an axis in the front-rear direction and also so as to be able to move up and down. The rear left movable decorative body 3301 is provided with rear left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314 on which LEDs 3311a to 3314a are mounted to illuminate the rear left movable decorative body 3301, and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 is provided with rear right movable decorative boards 3321 to 3324 on which LEDs 3321a to 3324a are mounted to illuminate the rear right movable decorative body 3302.

Furthermore, since the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311-3314 provided on the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative substrates 3321-3324 provided on the rear right movable decorative body 3302 have the same configuration, only the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311-3314 provided on the rear left movable decorative body 3301 will be described below.

As shown in Figure 355, the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 have a white solder resist (protective material) coating on their surface, and multiple full-color LEDs 3311a to 3314a are mounted on the front mounting surface facing the player. In this example, the multiple LEDs 3311a to 3314a mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 are wide-angle top-view type LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle range centered on an optical axis perpendicular to the front surface. Furthermore, some of the multiple LEDs 3311a to 3314a mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 (either one substrate will have both top-view type LEDs and side-view type LEDs mounted on it, or one substrate will have only top-view type LEDs mounted on it and another substrate will have only side-view type LEDs mounted on it) or all of them may be wide-angle side-view type LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle range around the horizontal optical axis. In fact, it is not limited to wide-angle top-view type LEDs or wide-angle side-view type LEDs; any top-view type or side-view type LED is acceptable.

Furthermore, by illuminating the multiple full-color LEDs 3311a to 3314a mounted on the front mounting surface of each of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314, the rear-left movable decorative body 3301 can be illuminated. The white solder resist coating the surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 makes the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 less visible through the illuminated decorative portion of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301. Additionally, the light from the LEDs mounted on the front mounting surface can be reflected off the surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314, allowing the rear-left movable decorative body 3301 to illuminate more brightly.

Furthermore, on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311-3314, the front mounting surface side markings 3311b-3314b, which indicate the placement of electronic components, and diode marks 3311c-3314c, which indicate the orientation of the LEDs, are printed on a white resist using silk screen printing with yellow paint, a light color that is less conspicuous against white. In addition, the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311-3314 have board management numbers 3311d-3314d, which are unique identification numbers for managing each board, formed as die-cut letters (that is, die-cut letters formed by creating characters from the copper foil wiring pattern in the layer where the wiring pattern is formed (copper plane), and then removing the surrounding copper foil).

Furthermore, the color of the solder resist is not limited to white; it may be green, black, silver, etc. The markings on the front mounting side 3311b to 3314b and the diode marks 3311c to 3314c are not limited to yellow; they may be printed with white, light blue, yellow-green, black, or other colors. Also, the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d are not limited to those formed by foil-cutting; they may be formed by foil-retaining characters (i.e., characters formed by removing the copper foil corresponding to the characters in the layer (copper plane) where the wiring pattern is formed), or they may be printed on the resist by silkscreen printing, similar to the markings on the front mounting side 3311b to 3314b and the diode marks 3311c to 3314c. Additionally, instead of coating the surface of the front mounting side of the decorative board on which the LEDs are mounted (for example, the rear left movable decorative board 3311 to 3314) with solder resist, the entire surface of the front mounting side of the decorative board on which the LEDs are mounted may be coated with a mirror-like solder plating. Coating the front mounting surface of the decorative circuit board on which the LEDs are mounted with silver solder resist or with a mirror-like plating using solder can improve the reflectivity of the front mounting surface of the decorative circuit board, thereby suppressing the decrease in brightness of each LED mounted on each board, and allowing it to be used as a reflector to reflect light from LEDs mounted on other boards. Furthermore, the mirror-like surface of the front mounting surface of the decorative circuit board on which the LEDs are mounted may be positioned so that it is visible to the player and used as part of the design of the pachinko machine 1. Also, when almost the entire front mounting surface of the decorative circuit board on which the LEDs are mounted is coated with a mirror-like plating using solder, electronic components other than LEDs may not be placed on the front mounting surface of the decorative circuit board on which the LEDs are mounted, and only a minimum number of wiring patterns may be provided, while electronic components other than LEDs and wiring patterns other than the minimum number of wiring patterns may be provided on the back mounting surface.

Furthermore, in this example, board management numbers 3311d to 3314d are formed on both the front and back mounting surfaces of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314. Alternatively, board management numbers 3311d to 3314d may be formed only on the back mounting surface where LEDs are not mounted. In this case, the reflectivity of the front mounting surface where LEDs are mounted on the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 can be made more uniform, suppressing uneven illumination and enhancing the visual effect.

Although not shown in the diagram, wiring patterns and through-holes are also formed on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311-3314. Furthermore, the wiring patterns are covered with a white resist. Additionally, the configuration of covering the lands of the input signal wiring patterns through-holes with an insulating film, as described in the first to fourth embodiments, may be applied to the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311-3314 and the rear right movable decorative substrates 3321-3324. That is, at least a portion of the lands formed on the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311-3314 and the rear right movable decorative substrates 3321-3324 may be covered with a white resist.

Furthermore, the LEDs 3311a to 3314a mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314, and the LEDs 3321a to 3324a mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear right movable decorative boards 3321 to 3324, are designed to adjust their light intensity (brightness) in response to the operation of the light intensity adjustment button 228. Therefore, the light effects of the rear lower display unit 3300 (rear left movable decorative element 3301 and rear right movable decorative element 3302) can be performed at the player's preferred light intensity (brightness), ensuring that the player does not experience any discomfort.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 355, the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d are formed by a string of characters arranged in a straight line (in this example, a horizontal row). In this example, the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d are formed by a string of characters (in this example, three alphabetical characters + four Arabic numerals) arranged in a straight line in the same direction (horizontal direction) as the board flow direction (reflow direction) when mounting electronic components on the rear left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314. In addition, the LEDs 3311a to 3313a, the front mounting surface markings 3311b to 3313b, and the diode marks 3311c to 3313c mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3313 are provided horizontally or vertically to the markings of the board management numbers 3311d to 3313d described above. In other words, surface-mount type electronic components (chip components, SMD (Surface Mount) components) are mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3311-3313.
The LEDs 3311a to 3313a (Mount Devices, surface-mount electronic components), the front-mount side markings 3311b to 3313b, and the diode marks 3311c to 3313c are positioned horizontally or perpendicularly to the board flow direction (reflow direction) when mounting electronic components. Furthermore, although not shown in the diagram, the wiring patterns on the front-mount side of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3313 are formed such that the largest portion is positioned horizontally or perpendicularly to the markings of the board management numbers 3311d to 3313d. In other words, the wiring patterns on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 are formed so that when the direction of the wiring pattern is changed by 90 degrees, a wiring pattern horizontal to the substrate flow direction (reflow direction) and a wiring pattern vertical to the substrate flow direction (reflow direction) are connected by a wiring pattern at a 45-degree angle to the substrate flow direction (reflow direction). However, the majority of the wiring patterns are formed to be horizontal or vertical to the substrate flow direction (reflow direction) when mounting electronic components.

As described above, the wiring patterns on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 are formed so that when the direction of the wiring pattern is changed by 90 degrees, the wiring patterns horizontal and vertical to the substrate flow direction (reflow direction) are connected by a wiring pattern at a 45-degree angle to the substrate flow direction (reflow direction). In other words, when the pattern on the substrate is bent at a right angle, the width of the pattern in the bent part widens, and the impedance changes in this widened part, causing reflection and resulting in ringing and noise. However, by connecting with a 45-degree wiring pattern, the widening of the pattern width is suppressed, the change in impedance is suppressed, and the generation of ringing and noise is suppressed. Furthermore, during the manufacturing of the substrate, even when the substrate is etched with an etching solution to dissolve excess copper foil, the dissolving solution tends to accumulate inside the right-angled part where the wiring pattern has been changed by 90 degrees, and there is a risk that the inside of the right-angled part will not be etched cleanly. However, by configuring the wiring pattern to be changed to 45 degrees, the dissolving solution is less likely to accumulate, and the inside of the 45-degree part can be etched cleanly. Furthermore, the characters comprising board management numbers 3311d to 3314d are not limited to strings of characters arranged linearly in the same direction (horizontal direction) as the board flow direction (reflow direction) when mounting electronic components on the rear left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314. They may also be formed by strings of characters arranged linearly in a direction perpendicular to the board flow direction (reflow direction) when mounting electronic components on the rear left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314 (either horizontally or vertically).

On the other hand, the LED 3314a, the front mounting surface marking section 3314b, and the diode mark 3314c mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 have a first group of LEDs provided horizontally or vertically with respect to the marking of the substrate management number 3314d, and a second group of LEDs provided at an angle with respect to the marking of the substrate management number 3314d. In other words, the LED 3314a, the front mounting surface marking section 3314b, and the diode mark 3314c, which are surface-mount type electronic components (chip components, SMD (Surface Mount Device)) mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314, are provided horizontally or vertically with respect to the substrate flow direction (reflow direction) when mounting electronic components. Although not shown in the diagram, the wiring pattern on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 is formed such that the majority of the wiring is horizontal or vertical relative to the notation of the substrate management number 3314d. In other words, the wiring pattern on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 is formed such that the majority of the wiring is horizontal or vertical relative to the substrate flow direction (reflow direction) when mounting electronic components.

Specifically, it comprises a first LED group consisting of three LEDs 3314a1 positioned on the upper part of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314, a front mounting surface-side marking section 3314b1, and a diode mark 3314c1, which are positioned horizontally or vertically to the marking of the substrate management number 3314d; and a second LED group consisting of four LEDs 3314a2 positioned in a row along the outer shape of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 (each of the four LEDs 3314a2 is positioned approximately horizontally to the outer shape of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314), a front mounting surface-side marking section 3314b2, and a diode mark 3314c2, which are tilted relative to the marking of the substrate management number 3314d.

As shown in the example in Figure 355, the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 has two LEDs mounted: LED 3314a1, which is horizontal or perpendicular to the marking of the substrate management number 3314d, and LED 3314a2, which is inclined relative to the marking of the substrate management number 3314d. Note that the arrangement is not limited to mounting both the horizontal/perpendicular LED and the inclined LED on the front mounting surface of a single substrate. Alternatively, one of the LEDs may be mounted on the front mounting surface of a single substrate, and the other LED on the back mounting surface of that substrate. Furthermore, one of the LEDs may be mounted on the front mounting surface of a single substrate, and the other LED may be mounted on a separate substrate.

Furthermore, in the example described above, the orientation of an electronic component is defined as the direction of the straight line connecting the center points of two pads formed on the substrate so as to be opposite or adjacent to each other for soldering a single electronic component, in the case of surface-mount type electronic components (chip components, SMD (Surface Mount Device)). In other words, an electronic component in which the straight line connecting the center points of the pads is horizontal or vertical with respect to a string of characters arranged linearly in a line, namely substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d, is defined as an electronic component provided horizontally or vertically with respect to substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d, and an electronic component in which the straight line connecting the center points of the pads is inclined with respect to a string of characters arranged linearly in a line, namely substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d, is defined as an electronic component provided so as to be inclined with respect to substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d. Furthermore, the pads formed on the substrate are rectangular in shape. For electronic components that are provided horizontally or perpendicularly to substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d, the four sides of the pads formed on the substrate for soldering the electronic components are also horizontal or perpendicular to substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d. For electronic components that are provided at an angle to substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d, the four sides of the pads formed on the substrate for soldering the electronic components are also at an angle to substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d. In other words, the positional relationship between board management numbers 3311d to 3314d and the electronic components (whether they are mounted horizontally, vertically, or at an angle, and the angle between board management numbers 3311d to 3314d and the electronic components) is designed to coincide with the positional relationship between board management numbers 3311d to 3314d and the four sides of the pads (whether they are mounted horizontally, vertically, or at an angle, and the angle between board management numbers 3311d to 3314d and the four sides of the pads).

Furthermore, whether an electronic component is positioned horizontally or vertically to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d, or at an angle to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d, may be defined based on whether any one side of the electronic component's outer shape is positioned horizontally or vertically to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d. Alternatively, if three pads—two adjacent pads and one pad opposite to those two—are formed on the board for soldering an electronic component, whether an electronic component is positioned horizontally or vertically to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d, or at an angle to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d, may be defined based on whether a perpendicular line from the center point of the one pad opposite to the center points of the two adjacent pads is positioned horizontally or vertically to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d, or at an angle to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d, may be defined based on whether a perpendicular line from the center point of the one pad opposite to those two pads is positioned horizontally or vertically to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d, or at an angle to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d, is positioned horizontally or vertically to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d.

Furthermore, in the case of lead-type electronic components (lead components, through-hole components, DIP components), the direction may be defined as the direction of the straight line connecting the center points of through-holes formed opposite or adjacent to each other for mounting a single electronic component. That is, electronic components where the straight line connecting the center points of the through-holes is horizontal or vertical to a row of characters arranged linearly as board management numbers 3311d to 3314d may be defined as electronic components mounted horizontally or vertically to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d. Similarly, electronic components where the straight line connecting the center points of the pads is inclined to a row of characters arranged linearly as board management numbers 3311d to 3314d may be defined as electronic components mounted inclined to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d.

Furthermore, the full-color LEDs 3311a to 3314a are packaged LEDs (packaged LEDs) in which red, green, and blue light-emitting elements are fixed in a straight line by a sealing resin, and are configured to display all emitted colors (full-color display) through RGB emission. In this example, a highly hard and light-transmitting epoxy resin is used as the sealing resin, protecting the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements from moisture and impact, and also acting as a lens with a dome shape to concentrate the light emitted from the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements. In addition, the light distribution properties may be controlled by mixing each scattering agent into the sealing resin, or the light from the light-emitting elements may be converted to an arbitrary wavelength by incorporating a fluorescent agent (for example, to emit an arbitrary color (white, etc.) with a monocolor LED). Furthermore, when LEDs 3311a to 3314a are installed horizontally or vertically with respect to a string of characters arranged linearly in a line as board management numbers 3311d to 3314d, the sealing resin acting as a lens on the surface of the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements of each LED 3311a to 3314a will be horizontal or vertical with respect to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d. On the other hand, when LEDs 3311a to 3314a are installed at an angle with respect to a string of characters arranged linearly in a line as board management numbers 3311d to 3314d, the sealing resin acting as a lens on the surface of the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements of each LED 3311a to 3314a will be at an angle with respect to board management numbers 3311d to 3314d. In other words, in the case of a packaged LED in which red, green, and blue light-emitting elements are arranged in a straight line and have a sealing resin acting as a lens on its surface, if the sealing resin acting as a lens on the surface of the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements is horizontal or perpendicular to substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d, it is defined as an LED provided horizontally or perpendicularly to substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d. If the sealing resin acting as a lens on the surface of the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements is inclined with respect to substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d, it may be defined as an LED inclined with respect to substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d.

Furthermore, the wiring pattern connected to the second LED group on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 is connected perpendicularly to the pads of each LED 3314a2 in the second LED group, and therefore is inclined with respect to the substrate management number 3314d in the vicinity of each LED 3314a2 in the second LED group. However, when the wiring pattern connected to each LED 3314a2 in the second LED group is connected to an electronic component (e.g., IC 3314e) that is provided horizontally or perpendicularly with respect to the substrate management number 3314d, it is connected perpendicularly to the pads of the electronic component, and therefore is horizontal or perpendicular with respect to the substrate management number 3314d in the vicinity of this electronic component. In other words, even a wiring pattern connected to an electronic component that is provided inclined with respect to the substrate management number 3314d is formed to be inclined with respect to the substrate management number 3314d in the vicinity of this electronic component, but is formed horizontally or perpendicular with respect to the substrate management number 3314d at positions away from this electronic component, except when the direction of the wiring pattern is changed. In other words, the wiring patterns on each of the rear left movable decorative circuit boards 3311 to 3314 are formed such that the largest portion is horizontal or vertical to circuit board management number 3314d.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 167 and 355, the portion of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301 corresponding to the upper part of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 has a width greater than a certain amount and has a substantially straight shape without bending, while the portion of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301 corresponding to the lower part of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 has a shape that bends while changing in width in a tapering manner, so that the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 has a shape that conforms to the outer shape of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301. In other words, the LEDs 3314a2 of the second LED group mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 are arranged along the outer shape of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 and also along the outer shape of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301. For example, in the example of Figure 355, each LED 3314a of the second LED group is provided so that it is horizontal or nearly perpendicular to one side of the substrate. By configuring it in this way, the light from the LED 3314a mounted on the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 can be efficiently directed onto the bent and narrowed portion of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301, thereby illuminating the decorative body and suppressing uneven illumination. In other words, the orientation of the LED 3314a can be positioned to match the design of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301, allowing for appropriate illumination. This achieves efficient illumination, enhances the lighting effect of the LED 3314a (such as achieving high-brightness illumination to create a powerful lighting effect), and prevents a decline in the enjoyment of the game.

In other words, in the bent and narrowed portion of the rear left movable decorative body 3301, the LED 3314a is tilted to match the inclination of the rear left movable decorative body 3301, so that the distance from each of the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements of the package LED to the bent and narrowed portion of the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is made nearly equal, and the distance from the LED 3314a to the inner surface of the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is made equal to the distance from each of the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements of the package LED. By irradiating light almost vertically through the sealing resin acting as a lens, the LED 3314a irradiates the rear left movable decorative body 3301 in an optimal state, suppressing the intensification of some of the light emitted from the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements of the package LED. This ensures that light is uniformly irradiated from each of the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements of the LED 3314a to every corner of the rear left movable decorative body 3301, thereby suppressing the occurrence of uneven light emission. Furthermore, the above effect can be achieved by tilting each of the LEDs 3314a of the second LED group to match the shape of the rear left movable decorative body 3301; therefore, it is not necessarily limited to positioning them horizontally or nearly vertically to one side of the substrate.

As described above, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is a decorative part facing the player, and has a predetermined design (in this example, a design that is a stylized "A") and a light-emitting decorative part formed of translucent resin, and is illuminated by LEDs 3314a mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314. By tilting the LEDs 3314a in accordance with the inclination of the rear left movable decorative body 3301, light is shone from the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements of the packaged LEDs, respectively, through the sealing resin acting as a lens, almost perpendicularly to the light-emitting decorative part of the rear left movable decorative body 3301, thereby ensuring that the light-emitting decorative part of the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is illuminated evenly and the light-emitting effect is enhanced, thereby preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, the portion of the rear left movable decorative body 3301 that is located in front of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 and illuminated by light from the LED 3314a may be entirely light-transmitting (light-emitting decorative part), or it may be a mixture of light-transmitting parts (light-emitting decorative part) and light-impermeable parts. In addition, the light-impermeable parts may be plated, decorated, or otherwise processed to represent a design such as letters or characters (in this example, a design that is a stylized "A") as the rear left movable decorative body 3301. Furthermore, the light-transmitting light-emitting decorative part may be colorless and transparent, or it may be colored and transparent. Furthermore, the light-transmitting light-emitting decorative part may have a light-diffusing process such as a lens cut, or it may not have a light-diffusing process. Furthermore, a light-transmitting member (such as a diffusion lens) may be further provided between the light-transmitting decorative part and the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314. The light-transmitting decorative part may be formed as a double structure by integrally forming the light-transmitting member and the decorative part, or the light-transmitting member and the decorative part may be formed as separate components.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 355, no other electronic components are mounted between each LED 3314a2 of the second LED group and the end of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314, which is positioned approximately horizontally with respect to each LED 3314a2. This prevents the light emitted from the LEDs 3314a2 from being blocked by other electronic components, allowing light to be uniformly irradiated from the LEDs 3314a2 to the rear-left movable decorative body 3301, thereby suppressing uneven light emission. In addition, by arranging the four LEDs 3314a2 in a line along the outer shape of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314, the distance from each of the four LEDs 3314a2 to the end of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314, which is positioned approximately horizontally with respect to each LED 3314a2, can be made approximately uniform, allowing light to be uniformly irradiated from each of the LEDs 3314a2 to the rear-left movable decorative body 3301, thereby suppressing uneven light emission. In the example shown in Figure 355, the three LEDs 3314a1 of the first LED group, which are provided horizontally or vertically with respect to board management number 3314d, are shown arranged in a line along the outline of the rear left movable decorative board 3314. However, the three LEDs 3314a1 of the first LED group, which are provided horizontally or vertically with respect to board management number 3314d, may be arranged independently of the outline of the rear left movable decorative board 3314.

Furthermore, in portions of the substrate's outer shape that have a curved slope, the multiple LEDs, each positioned to be inclined relative to the substrate management number, are arranged to be inclined relative to each other (at different angles relative to the substrate management number). On the other hand, in portions of the substrate's outer shape that have a linear slope, the multiple LEDs, each positioned to be inclined relative to the substrate management number, are arranged to be horizontal or vertical relative to each other (at the same angle relative to the substrate management number). By arranging multiple LEDs inclined along the substrate's outer shape in this way, light can be uniformly irradiated onto the substrate's outer shape (in this example, the outer shape of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314) and the decorative element provided on the substrate's surface (in this example, the rear-left movable decorative element 3301), thereby suppressing uneven light emission.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 355, the markings on the front mounting side of the second LED group, name 3314b and diode mark 3314c, are also marked in accordance with the inclination of the LED 3314a of the second LED group. Therefore, misinterpretation of the LED orientation and placement during mounting of the LED 3314a of the second LED group is suppressed, thereby reducing the occurrence of defects. Furthermore, if the part numbers of electronic components mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 are also silk-screen printed as a front mounting surface indication, the front mounting surface indication for the part numbers of the LEDs 3314a of the first LED group may be provided horizontally or vertically with respect to the indication of the board management number 3314d, and the front mounting surface indication for the part numbers of the LEDs 3314a of the second LED group may be provided at an angle that matches the inclination of the LEDs 3314a of the second LED group. Alternatively, both the front mounting surface indication for the part numbers of the LEDs 3314a of the first LED group and the front mounting surface indication for the part numbers of the LEDs 3314a of the second LED group may be provided horizontally or vertically with respect to the indication of the board management number 3314d. If the part number marking on the front mounting side of LED 3314a in the second LED group is angled to match the inclination of LED 3314a in the second LED group, the relationship between the part number and the LED becomes clear, preventing mounting errors of LED 3314a in the second LED group. Furthermore, if the part number marking on the front mounting side of LED 3314a in the second LED group is positioned horizontally or vertically to the marking of the board management number 3314d, the need to rotate the rear-left movable decorative board 3314 to easily check the part number during mounting of LED 3314a in the second LED group becomes unnecessary, improving the workability during mounting of LED 3314a in the second LED group.

Furthermore, other electronic components besides the LED 3314a may be mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301. In this example, as shown in Figure 355, an IC 3314e is mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314. The IC 3314e mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 is positioned horizontally or vertically with respect to the marking of the substrate management number 3314d. In this way, among the electronic components mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314, those that do not illuminate the bent and narrowed portion of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301 are positioned horizontally or vertically with respect to the marking of the substrate management number 3314d without being tilted to match the bent shape of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301. Therefore, when mounting electronic components other than the LED 3314a, misreading of the mounting direction or the placement position of the first terminal is suppressed, thereby suppressing the occurrence of defects. Furthermore, it is possible to avoid mounting electronic components other than LEDs 3311a to 3314a on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301. Alternatively, if electronic components other than LEDs 3311a to 3314a are mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301, only electronic components with light-colored casings such as white or yellow (e.g., connectors with white casings) may be mounted, while electronic components with dark-colored casings such as black (e.g., resistors with black casings or capacitors with brown casings) may be mounted on the back mounting surface. This allows for uniformity of reflectivity on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314, thereby suppressing the occurrence of uneven light emission.

Furthermore, the electronic components mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301 are not limited to IC 3314e, but may also be capacitors, resistors, connectors, etc. Also, electronic components with light-colored (e.g., white, yellow, light blue, yellow-green, etc.) casings may be placed only on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314, without placing any electronic components with dark-colored casings. In this case, capacitors and resistors may be placed only on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314. This suppresses a decrease in reflectivity on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314, ensures uniform reflectivity, and prevents uneven light emission.

Furthermore, in the example described above, a rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 was shown, comprising a first group of LEDs 3314a arranged horizontally or vertically with respect to substrate management number 3314d, and a second group of LEDs 3314a arranged at an angle with respect to substrate management number 3314d. However, all LEDs 3314a mounted on the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 are arranged at an angle with respect to substrate management number 3314d, and the front mounting surface marking section 3314b and diode marking section corresponding to the LEDs 3314a are also provided. The mark 3314c is also positioned at an angle to the board management number 3314d. Electronic components other than the LED 3314a (IC 3314e in this example) are positioned horizontally or vertically to the board management number 3314d. The front-mount side marking section 3314b corresponding to electronic components other than the LED 3314a, and the 1-pin mark 3314e1 indicating the mounting orientation (mounting direction, first terminal position) of the electronic component, are also positioned horizontally or vertically to the board management number 3314d. In this example, the 1-pin mark 3314e1 indicating the mounting orientation (mounting direction, first terminal position) of the electronic component is printed on the resist using the silkscreen printing described above. Furthermore, the 1-pin mark 3314e1 indicating the mounting orientation (mounting direction, first terminal position) of the electronic component is not limited to the above; a triangle (△) or a circle may also be used.

Furthermore, in the example described above, the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 is shown to be divided into an area where the LEDs 3314a of the first LED group are mounted, which are arranged horizontally or vertically with respect to the substrate management number 3314d, and an area where the LEDs 3314a of the second LED group are mounted, which are arranged at an angle with respect to the substrate management number 3314d. However, the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 may also be arranged with a mixture of LEDs 3314a of the first LED group and LEDs 3314a of the second LED group, without dividing the area into these two regions.

Furthermore, the LEDs may be divided into a first group and a second group based on their outer diameter shape. The LEDs 3314a of the first group may be mounted on the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 so that they are horizontal or perpendicular to the substrate management number 3314d, while the LEDs 3314a of the second group may be mounted on the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 so that they are tilted relative to the substrate management number 3314d.

For example, as shown in Figure 356, the LEDs 3314a1 of the first LED group, which have an outer diameter shape close to a square, and the LEDs 3314a2 of the second LED group, which have an outer diameter shape close to a rectangle, may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314. The LEDs 3314a1 of the first LED group, which have an outer diameter shape close to a square, may be positioned horizontally or vertically with respect to the substrate management number 3314d, while the LEDs 3314a2 of the second LED group, which have an outer diameter shape close to a rectangle, may be positioned at an angle with respect to the substrate management number 3314d. This allows the distances from the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements of the packaged LED to the inner surface of the rear left movable decorative element 3301 to be nearly uniform, matching the shape of the rear left movable decorative element 3301. This ensures uniform light illumination from the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements of the LED to every corner of the rear left movable decorative element 3301, suppressing uneven light emission.

In the example described above, a full-color LED packaged with a red, green, and blue LED having an outer diameter shape close to a rectangle was shown. However, even a monocolor LED packaged with only one of the red, green, or blue LEDs, as long as it has an outer diameter shape close to a rectangle and a rectangular lens-like sealing resin on its surface, can be arranged so as to be tilted along the shape of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301 (tilted relative to substrate management number 3314d). This allows the distance from the longitudinal end of the rectangular lens-like sealing resin to the inner surface of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301 to be nearly uniform, preventing some of the light from becoming too strong or too weak on the rear-left movable decorative body 3301, and suppressing the occurrence of uneven light emission.

Furthermore, in the example described above, LED 3314a1 of the first LED group, which has an outer diameter shape close to a square, was mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to the substrate management number 3314d, and LED 3314a2 of the second LED group, which has an outer diameter shape close to a rectangle, was mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted to the substrate management number 3314d. However, LED 3314a1 of the first LED group may be an LED with an outer diameter shape close to a rectangle, and LED 3314a2 of the second LED group may be an LED with an outer diameter shape close to a square. In this case as well, the distance from the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements of the packaged LED to the inner surface of the rear left movable decorative body 3301 can be made nearly equal, allowing light to be uniformly irradiated to every corner of the rear left movable decorative body 3301 from the red, green, and blue light-emitting elements of the LED, thereby suppressing the occurrence of uneven light emission. Furthermore, the configuration may be such that at least one of the LEDs—one with an outer diameter shape close to a square and the other with an outer diameter shape close to a rectangle—is arranged only inclined relative to board management number 3314d, while the other configuration includes those arranged horizontally or vertically relative to board management number 3314d and those arranged inclined relative to board management number 3314d. Alternatively, the configuration may be such that at least one of the LEDs—one with an outer diameter shape close to a square and the other with an outer diameter shape close to a rectangle—is arranged only inclined relative to board management number 3314d, while the other configuration includes those arranged horizontally or vertically relative to board management number 3314d and those arranged inclined relative to board management number 3314d.

Furthermore, in the example described above, the LEDs mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to the substrate management number 3314d, and the LEDs mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted relative to the substrate management number 3314d, are shown to differ according to the outer diameter shape of the LEDs. However, for LEDs having at least one outer diameter shape, it is sufficient that they are mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to the substrate management number 3314d, and for LEDs having the other outer diameter shape, it may include those mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to the substrate management number 3314d, and those mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted relative to the substrate management number 3314d. In other words, the first group of LEDs mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to substrate management number 3314d may include multiple types of LEDs with different outer diameters, while the second group of LEDs mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted relative to substrate management number 3314d may include only LEDs with a common outer diameter.

Furthermore, in the example above, LEDs with an outer diameter shape close to a square and LEDs with an outer diameter shape close to a rectangle (elongated) were classified as having different outer diameter shapes. However, even if LEDs have different outer diameter shapes, if their outer diameter shapes are similar, they may be grouped together (for example, the first LED group). For example, LEDs with an outer diameter shape that is not square but close to a square and square LEDs may be classified together as the same group. Alternatively, LEDs that are symmetrical left-to-right or up-to-down and LEDs that are asymmetrical may be classified into a first LED group and a second LED group as having different outer diameter shapes.

Furthermore, the LEDs may be separated according to their type. For example, single-color LEDs and full-color LEDs may be separated, and the single-color LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so that they are horizontal or perpendicular to the board management number 3314d, while the full-color LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so that they are tilted relative to the board management number 3314d. Alternatively, the full-color LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so that they are horizontal or perpendicular to the board management number 3314d, while the single-color LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so that they are tilted relative to the board management number 3314d. Alternatively, the single-color LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so that they are horizontal or perpendicular to the board management number 3314d. The LEDs are mounted on the movable decorative substrate 3314. For full-color LEDs, this may include those mounted on the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 at an angle relative to substrate management number 3314d, and those mounted on the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 horizontally or vertically relative to substrate management number 3314d. Alternatively, the full-color LEDs may be mounted on the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 horizontally or vertically relative to substrate management number 3314d, while the monochrome LEDs may be mounted on the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 at an angle relative to substrate management number 3314d, and those mounted on the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 horizontally or vertically relative to substrate management number 3314d. Furthermore, the monochrome LEDs and full-color LEDs may be mounted on the same substrate or on separate substrates. That is, the substrate on which the monochrome LEDs are mounted and the substrate on which the full-color LEDs are mounted may be different, or both monochrome LEDs and full-color LEDs may be mounted on the same substrate.

Furthermore, the LEDs may be distinguished into top-view type and side-view type. The top-view type LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so that they are horizontal or perpendicular to board management number 3314d, while the side-view type LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so that they are tilted relative to board management number 3314d. Alternatively, the side-view type LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so that they are horizontal or perpendicular to board management number 3314d, while the top-view type LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so that they are tilted relative to board management number 3314d. Alternatively, the LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be vertical, and the side-view type LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted relative to the substrate management number 3314d, and the side-view type LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or vertical relative to the substrate management number 3314d. Or, the side-view type LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or vertical relative to the substrate management number 3314d, and the top-view type LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted relative to the substrate management number 3314d, and the top-view type LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or vertical relative to the substrate management number 3314d. Furthermore, the top-view type LEDs and the side-view type LEDs may be mounted on the same substrate or on separate substrates. In other words, the substrate on which the top-view type LEDs are mounted and the substrate on which the side-view type LEDs are mounted may be different, or both top-view type and side-view type LEDs may be mounted on the same substrate. Furthermore, when mounting side-view type LEDs, the light from the side-view type LEDs may be incident on a polarizing plate to illuminate the front of the mounting surface where the side-view type LEDs are mounted.

Furthermore, packaged LEDs (packaged LEDs) that are soldered and electrically connected to the wiring pattern and bare chip LEDs (unpackaged LEDs) that are electrically connected to the wiring pattern by bonding wires may be distinguished. Packaged LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so as to be horizontal or vertical with respect to board management number 3314d, while bare chip LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so as to be tilted with respect to board management number 3314d. Alternatively, bare chip LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so as to be horizontal or vertical with respect to board management number 3314d, while packaged LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative board 3314 so as to be tilted with respect to board management number 3314d. Furthermore, packaged LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to the substrate management number 3314d, and bare chip LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted relative to the substrate management number 3314d, and bare chip LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to the substrate management number 3314d. Alternatively, bare chip LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to the substrate management number 3314d, and packaged LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted relative to the substrate management number 3314d, and bare chip LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to the substrate management number 3314d. In addition, packaged LEDs and bare chip LEDs may be mounted on the same substrate, or they may be mounted on separate substrates. In other words, the substrate on which packaged LEDs are mounted and the substrate on which bare chip LEDs are mounted may be different, or both packaged LEDs and bare chip LEDs may be mounted on the same substrate.

Furthermore, the LEDs may be divided according to their placement. For example, a central LED may be placed in the center of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314, and an end LED may be placed at the end of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314. The central LED may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or vertical with respect to substrate management number 3314d, and the end LED may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted with respect to substrate management number 3314d. Alternatively, the end LED may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or vertical with respect to substrate management number 3314d, and the central LED may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted with respect to substrate management number 3314d. For the LEDs, they may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to substrate management number 3314d. For the end LEDs, this may include those mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted relative to substrate management number 3314d, and those mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to substrate management number 3314d. Alternatively, for the end LEDs, they may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to substrate management number 3314d, and for the central LEDs, this may include those mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted relative to substrate management number 3314d, and those mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to substrate management number 3314d.

Furthermore, LEDs may be classified according to the size of the LED package or the size of the LED element. For example, large LEDs larger than a predetermined standard size and small LEDs smaller than a predetermined standard size may be classified. The large LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so that they are horizontal or vertical with respect to the substrate management number 3314d, while the small LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so that they are tilted with respect to the substrate management number 3314d. Alternatively, the small LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so that they are horizontal or vertical with respect to the substrate management number 3314d, while the large LEDs may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so that they are tilted with respect to the substrate management number 3314d. For the LEDs, they may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to substrate management number 3314d. For the small LEDs, this may include mounting them on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted relative to substrate management number 3314d, and mounting them on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to substrate management number 3314d. Alternatively, for the small LEDs, they may be mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to substrate management number 3314d, and for the large LEDs, this may include mounting them on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be tilted relative to substrate management number 3314d, and mounting them on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 so as to be horizontal or perpendicular to substrate management number 3314d.

Furthermore, in the example described above, the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 was shown to have a shape that conforms to the outer shape of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301. However, if the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 does not have a shape that conforms to the outer shape of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301, the LEDs 3314a2 of the second LED group mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 may be arranged along the outer shape of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301, rather than along the outer shape of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314. In this case as well, the light from the LEDs 3314a mounted on the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 can be efficiently directed onto the rear-left movable decorative body 3301, thereby illuminating and decorating it, suppressing the occurrence of uneven illumination, enhancing the illumination effect, and preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, in Figures 355 and 356, the main section of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314, which has a roughly linear outer shape (in this example, the part on which the three LEDs 3314a1 of the first LED group of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 are mounted), has electronic components (IC 3314e in this example) mounted in addition to the LEDs 3314a. In contrast, the branch section of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314, which has a curved outer diameter (in this example, the part on which the four LEDs 3314a2 of the second LED group of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314 are mounted), has no electronic components mounted in addition to the LEDs 3314a. That is, the branch section is narrower than the main section, and its shape makes it difficult for light from the LEDs 3314a to illuminate it. Therefore, if electronic components other than the LEDs 3314a are mounted, the light from the LEDs 3314a will be blocked by these electronic components, and there is a risk that the light illuminating the rear-left movable decorative body 3301 will be weakened. In this example, by not placing any electronic components other than the LED 3314a on the branch portion of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314, the light illuminating the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is prevented from weakening, thereby suppressing the occurrence of uneven light emission.

In the example described above, the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 was shown as having a roughly straight outer shape for the main body and a curved outer diameter for the branch portion. However, in a substrate on which LEDs are mounted, the portion that protrudes from a part of the main body (a part of the side of the main body) may be defined as the branch portion, and the LEDs 3314a2 of the second LED group may be mounted on the branch portion. Furthermore, the LEDs 3314a2 of the second LED group are not limited to being mounted only on the branch portion; they may be mounted on part or all of the main body.

Furthermore, in the example described above, multiple LEDs (in this example, each LED 3314a2 of the second LED group) that are arranged to be tilted relative to the board management number are shown to be arranged in a line along the outer shape of the board (in this example, the rear left movable decorative board 3314). However, even when the LEDs are not arranged along the outer shape of the board, they may still be tilted relative to the board management number. In this case, the multiple LEDs that are tilted relative to the board management number do not have to be arranged in a line, or the multiple LEDs that are tilted relative to the board management number may be arranged so that they are not horizontal or vertical to each other (some of the multiple LEDs that are tilted relative to the board management number may be arranged so that they are horizontal or vertical to each other, but at least half of the multiple LEDs that are tilted relative to the board management number should be arranged so that they are horizontal or vertical to each other). In other words, when arranging multiple LEDs to match the shape of the rear left movable decorative element 3301, they may not conform to the outer shape of the circuit board. In this case, by arranging the multiple LEDs so that they are tilted relative to the circuit board management number, it becomes possible to position each LED so that light is optimally shone onto the rear left movable decorative element 3301, thereby suppressing uneven illumination and enhancing the illumination effect, thus preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, on the back mounting surfaces of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314, where the LED 3314a is not mounted, other electronic components may be mounted. As shown in Figure 357, in this example, the back mounting surfaces of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 are coated with white solder resist (protective material), similar to the front mounting surfaces. IC 3311e, capacitor 3311f, and connector 3311g are mounted on the back mounting surface of rear-left movable decorative substrate 3311, connector 3312g and resistor 3312f are mounted on the back mounting surface of rear-left movable decorative substrate 3312, connector 3313g is mounted on the back mounting surface of rear-left movable decorative substrate 3313, and connector 3314g is mounted on the back mounting surface of rear-left movable decorative substrate 3314. Furthermore, in this example, LEDs are not mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative circuit boards 3311-3314.

Furthermore, the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311-3314, where the LED 3314a is not mounted, may be coated with a solder resist (protective material) of a different color than the front mounting surface. That is, since there is no need to coat the back mounting surface, where the LED is not mounted, with a solder resist (protective material) of a color that enhances the reflectivity of light from the LED, a different color solder resist (protective material) such as green or black may be used. However, as in this example, by coating the back mounting surface where the LED 3314a is not mounted with a solder resist (protective material) of a color that enhances the reflectivity of light from the LED, it is possible to make it function as a reflector that reflects light from LEDs mounted on other substrates.

Furthermore, on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314, through-holes 3311h to 3314h are formed, and the back mounting surface side markings 3311b to 3314b indicating the position of electronic components are printed on the white resist using silk screen printing with a light yellow paint that is less conspicuous against white. On the rear left movable decorative substrate 3311, a 1-pin mark 3314e1 indicating the mounting orientation (mounting direction, position of the first terminal) of IC 3311e is printed on the white resist using silk screen printing with a light yellow paint that is less conspicuous against white. Also, similar to the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314, board management numbers 3311d to 3314d, which are unique identification numbers for managing each board, are formed as die-cut letters (that is, die-cut letters formed by creating letters from the wiring pattern, which is copper foil, in the layer (copper plane) where the wiring pattern is formed, and then removing the surrounding copper foil). Furthermore, the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d are the same on both the front and back mounting surfaces of the same board, and the direction of the linearly arranged strings is also the same (the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d on the front mounting surface and the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d on the back mounting surface are considered horizontal). In other words, the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d formed on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314 are formed by a linearly arranged string (in this example, three letters of the alphabet + four Arabic numerals) in the same direction as the board flow direction (reflow direction) when mounting electronic components on the rear-left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314, just like the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d formed on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314. Furthermore, the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d are not limited to being formed by a linear string of characters arranged in the same direction (horizontal direction) as the board flow direction (reflow direction) when mounting electronic components on the rear-left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314. They may also be formed by a linear string of characters arranged in a line (either horizontally or vertically) perpendicular to the board flow direction (reflow direction) when mounting electronic components on the rear-left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314. Additionally, the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d formed on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314 and those formed on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative boards 3311 to 3314 are not limited to being formed in the same direction (horizontal direction), but may also be formed vertically.

Furthermore, Figure 357 also shows the wiring patterns on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314. The wiring patterns on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 are also formed so that the majority of the wiring is horizontal or vertical relative to the substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d. In other words, while the wiring patterns on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 are formed to connect horizontal and vertical wiring patterns with a 45-degree wiring pattern relative to the substrate flow direction (reflow direction) when the direction of the wiring pattern is changed by 90 degrees, the majority of the wiring is formed so that the wiring is horizontal or vertical relative to the substrate flow direction (reflow direction) when mounting electronic components.

As shown in Figure 357, the electronic components mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 are positioned horizontally or perpendicularly to the markings of the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d. Furthermore, the marking sections 3311b to 3314b on the back mounting surface and the 1-pin mark 3314e1 are also positioned horizontally or perpendicularly to the markings of the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d provided on the back and front mounting surfaces of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314. In addition, most of the wiring patterns on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 are positioned horizontally or perpendicularly to the markings of the board management numbers 3311d to 3314d provided on the back and front mounting surfaces of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314. In other words, the surface-mount type electronic components (chip components, SMD (Surface Mount Device)) IC 3311e, connectors 3311g to 3314g, and resistor 3312f, as well as the back-mount side markings 3311b to 3314b and the 1-pin mark 3314e1, which are mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3313, are provided horizontally or vertically with respect to the substrate flow direction (reflow direction) when mounting the electronic components.

As described above, the LED 3314a2 of the second LED group mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3314 is positioned at an angle to the marking of the substrate management number 3314d provided on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314. Furthermore, since the notation for board management number 3314d is horizontal between the front and back mounting surfaces of the rear-left movable decorative board 3314, the LED 3314a2 of the second LED group mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative board 3314 is positioned at an angle with respect to board management number 3314d on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative board 3314. Additionally, the electronic components (IC 3311e, connectors 3311g to 3314g, and resistor 3312f), the back mounting surface notation sections 3311b to 3314b, and the 1-pin mark 3314e1 on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative board 3314 are positioned at an angle with respect to board management number 3314d on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative board 3314, which are mounted horizontally or vertically with respect to board management number 3314d on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative board 3314.

Thus, in this example, the electronic components mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 include LEDs that are positioned horizontally or vertically to the markings of the substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d, as well as LEDs that are positioned at an angle to the markings of the substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d. On the other hand, the electronic components mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrates 3311 to 3314 include only electronic components that are positioned horizontally or vertically to the markings of the substrate management numbers 3311d to 3314d. In other words, since the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative circuit boards 3311-3314, which face the player, is easily noticed by the player, the LEDs mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative circuit boards 3311-3314 are positioned at an angle to match the shape of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301. This ensures that light from the LEDs 3314a is uniformly delivered to every corner of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301, suppressing uneven illumination and enhancing the illumination effect, thereby preventing a decrease in the enjoyment of the game. On the other hand, the electronic components placed on the rear mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative circuit boards 3311-3314, which do not face the player, are positioned horizontally or vertically to the markings of the circuit board management numbers 3311d-3314d. This improves the efficiency of checking and mounting the electronic components.

[Another example of a main board]
Next, we will describe a substrate on which both leaded electronic components (through-hole mounting type, through-hole mounting type) and surface-mount electronic components (chip components, SMD (Surface Mount Device)) are mounted, with reference to Figures 358 to 359. Figures 358 and 359 are schematic diagrams showing a part of the main control board 1310 in another example. Figure 358(A) is a schematic diagram showing the mounting state of electronic components on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Figure 358(B) is a schematic diagram showing through-holes and pads on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Figure 359(A) is a schematic diagram showing the wiring pattern on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Figure 359(B) is a schematic diagram showing the wiring pattern on the solder side (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310. In the following, only the parts that differ from the embodiment described above will be explained, and redundant explanations will not be provided.

In this example, the main control board 1310 is designed to accommodate both lead-type (through-hole mounting type, insertion-mount type) electronic components, which are soldered by inserting lead terminals into through-holes provided on the board surface, and surface-mount type electronic components, which have electrodes soldered to pads provided on the board surface without using through-holes.

Surface-mount electronic components allow for the use of both sides of a circuit board and, even for the same type of component, can be miniaturized compared to leaded components, thereby increasing mounting density. This allows for shorter wiring lengths on the board, enabling faster circuit operation. However, some electronic components used in amusement machines are only manufactured in leaded form and not surface-mount form. Therefore, both leaded and surface-mount components are mounted on a single circuit board. However, since the majority of electronic components are manufactured in surface-mount form, the number of surface-mount components on a single circuit board generally exceeds the number of leaded components.

Furthermore, although not shown in Figure 358(A), a surface-side marking section indicating some or all of the attributes of the electronic components mounted on the surface (mounting surface 1310x) (hereinafter referred to as surface-side electronic components), such as the part number of the surface-side electronic components and the area indicating the position where the surface-side electronic components will be placed (and may also include the shape of the surface-side electronic components, the size of the surface-side electronic components, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-side electronic components, and the model number of the surface-side electronic components), is formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x by silk-screen printing using a color that is easily visible against the resist of the main control substrate 1310, specifically white paint that is easily visible against the green resist of the main control substrate 1310.

Thus, while the surface-side marking area is provided for the mounting of surface-side electronic components, in this example, although not provided for the mounting of surface-side electronic components, a special marking area (surface-side special marking area) is formed separately on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x, indicating the attributes of the surface-side electronic components, such as the part number of the mounted surface-side electronic component and the area indicating the position where the surface-side electronic component will be placed (and may also include the shape of the surface-side electronic component, the size of the surface-side electronic component, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-side electronic component, and the model number of the surface-side electronic component).

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 may be provided with a parts list area as an information area on either the mounting side (front) 1310x or the solder side (back) 1310y, where identifiers and corresponding information for surface-mount electronic components can be displayed. Examples of information displayed in the parts list area include the manufacturer name (including abbreviations and symbols) of the surface-mount electronic component and the part number of the surface-mount electronic component.

Specifically, the parts list area may be printed in white (or black) as silk screen printing, with the parts number and part number (the number listed in the catalog) aligned. The size of the parts number and part number may be larger (for example, about 3 to 5 times larger) than the size of the part number printed in white (or black) as silk screen printing in the parts placement area, and printed in white (or black) as silk screen printing. A separator symbol ":" may be provided between the part number and part number (the number listed in the catalog) to prevent them from being identified as consecutive. This separator symbol allows for the distinction between the part number and part number (the number listed in the catalog). In addition, the manufacturer's name (including abbreviations and symbols) may be printed in white (or black) as silk screen printing along with the part number (the number listed in the catalog). This ensures that even if the display format of the identifiers attached to surface-mount electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 is difficult to see, the identifiers of surface-mount electronic components can be reliably identified by the identifiers and corresponding information (manufacturer name, part number, etc.) displayed in the component list area of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, the parts list area may be used to display a reduced-size representation of the arrangement of electronic components on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, or symbols and borders indicating the mounting direction of electronic components may be displayed near the electronic components separately from the surface-side notation area. This can prevent mounting defects and improve the reliability of the gaming machine.

Here, surface-mount electronic components generally have a small outer diameter and protrude little from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 (they are short). On the other hand, leaded electronic components generally have a large outer diameter and protrude a lot from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 (they are tall). Therefore, in a board where leaded electronic components and surface-mount electronic components are mixed, the surface-mount electronic components and the surface-side markings formed to correspond to them may become difficult to see due to the leaded electronic components.

In the main control board 1310 of this example, surface-mount type electronic components and lead-type electronic components are mounted together. However, a special notation area is formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x separately from the surface notation area, where surface-mount electronic components are not mounted. This area is used to indicate some or all of the attributes of the surface-mount electronic components, such as the part number of the mounted surface-mount electronic components and the area indicating the position where the surface-mount electronic components will be placed (and may also include the shape of the surface-mount electronic components, the size of the surface-mount electronic components, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-mount electronic components, and the model number of the surface-mount electronic components). Therefore, by forming a specially marked area in a location that is not obstructed by, for example, lead-type electronic components, information related to surface-side electronic components can be confirmed. This prevents misreading of information regarding mounted electronic components during post-mounting inspections (inspections to determine whether correct electronic components are mounted in the correct state (orientation, etc.) and whether fraudulent electronic components are mounted), thereby improving the reliability of the gaming machine. Furthermore, it facilitates the detection of fraudulent electronic components, suppressing fraudulent activity. Additionally, the ease of visually confirming information related to surface-side electronic components reduces the workload during inspections.

Furthermore, the special marking section may be formed for each mounted electronic component (one-to-one correspondence), or one marking may be formed for each electronic component of the same type (one marking for each component). Also, the special marking section may be formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x by silk screen printing using a color that is easily visible against the resist of the main control substrate 1310, specifically, a white paint that is easily visible against the green resist of the main control substrate 1310. Alternatively, it may be formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x by silk screen printing using the same color paint as the surface marking section, or it may be formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x by silk screen printing using a different color paint than the surface marking section. Furthermore, when electronic components are mounted on both the front surface (mounting surface (front surface) 1310x in the case of the main control board 1310) and the back surface (solder surface (back surface) 1310y in the case of the main control board 1310) (double-sided mounting), the back surface may also show some or all of the attributes of the back-side electronic components, such as the part number of the back-side electronic component, an area indicating the position where the back-side electronic component will be placed (and may also include the shape of the back-side electronic component, the size of the back-side electronic component, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the back-side electronic component, and the model number of the back-side electronic component). In addition to the main marking area, a special marking area (backside special marking area) where backside electronic components are not mounted may be formed on the back side (solder side (backside) 1310y in the case of the main control board 1310). This area may indicate some or all of the attributes of the frontside electronic components, such as the part number of the mounted frontside electronic components and the area indicating the position where the frontside electronic components will be placed (and may also include the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the frontside electronic components). Even in this case, by forming the special marking area in a location where it is not obstructed by, for example, lead-type electronic components, information related to the backside electronic components can be confirmed. This prevents misreading of information regarding mounted electronic components during post-mounting inspections (inspections to determine whether correct electronic components are mounted in the correct state (orientation, etc.) and whether fraudulent electronic components are mounted), improving the reliability of the gaming machine. Furthermore, it facilitates the detection of fraudulent electronic components, suppressing fraudulent activity. Additionally, the easy visual confirmation of information related to backside electronic components reduces the workload during inspections.

Furthermore, in the main control board 1310 of this example, electronic components are mounted only on the front surface (mounting surface 1310x), and no electronic components are mounted on the back surface (solder surface (back surface) 1310y) (single-sided mounting). In Figure 358(A), a setting indicator 1310g, consisting of a single 7-segment LED display with a decimal point (so-called dotted display), is positioned on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, above the center line in the shorter direction of the rectangular main control board 1310 (the direction perpendicular to the diagram in Figure 358(A)), and near the short end of the rectangular main control board 1310. This is a lead-type electronic component (insertion-mount electronic component).

In the following description, we will explain the area around the setting indicator 1310g and the area demarcated by a reference line passing through any part of the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. However, the description is not limited to this, and the same configuration may be adopted for the area around the base monitor 1310h, which is composed of six (or other numbers) 7-segment LEDs in a row, and the area demarcated by a reference line passing through any part of the base monitor 1310h. Similarly, if the setting indicator 1310g and the base monitor 1310h are integrated and configured to display the setting value on the base monitor 1310h, which is composed of six (or other numbers) 7-segment LEDs in a row, during setting changes or setting confirmations, the same configuration as described below for the area around the base monitor 1310h and the area demarcated by a reference line passing through any part of the base monitor 1310h may be adopted.

Furthermore, the following configuration is not limited to the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310. The following configuration may also be adopted for a separate board (e.g., the power supply board 630 or the payout control board 633). In other words, the following configuration may be adopted for a specific mounting area of a particular board, specifically for areas where a display showing important game-related information (e.g., the number of prize balls or base value) is mounted, or for specific mounting areas (e.g., the area where the main control MPU 1310a is mounted, or the area where the board management number is displayed), to improve visibility of the display or specific mounting area.

Furthermore, in the main control board 1310 of this example, in Figure 358(A), no lead-type electronic components are mounted at all in the area from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x where the setting indicator 1310g is mounted to the longitudinal end of the main control board 1310 above the setting indicator 1310g (the left-right direction as shown in Figure 358(A)). Specifically, as shown in Figure 358(A), within the width A of the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x, above the setting indicator 1310g, there are areas 1310m and 1310n where test electronic components are mounted, and where no electronic components are mounted under normal conditions when no tests are being performed. No lead-type electronic components are mounted (in this example, surface-mount type electronic components are also not mounted, but surface-mount type electronic components may be mounted, or surface-mount type electronic components may not be mounted at all). In this example, the unmounted area 1310m is configured to contain all electronic components except the connector, while the unmounted area 1310n is configured to contain the connector.

On the other hand, in Figure 358(A), within the width A of the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, three capacitors MC2 are provided as lead-type electronic components below the setting indicator 1310g. Thus, in this example, in Figure 358(A), within the width A of the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, more lead-type electronic components are mounted below the setting indicator 1310g than above it. Furthermore, in Figure 358(A), lead-type electronic components may be avoided within the width A of the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, regardless of whether they are above or below the setting indicator 1310g, and only surface-mount type electronic components may be mounted. Alternatively, lead-type electronic components may be mounted at a predetermined distance from the setting indicator 1310g (for example, a distance greater than the width dimension in the shorter direction of the setting indicator 1310g (the left-right direction shown in Figure 358(A))).

Here, generally, surface-mount type electronic components protrude less from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 compared to leaded type electronic components. Also, as mentioned above, surface-mount type electronic components are smaller than leaded type electronic components. In the main control board 1310 of this example, within the width A of the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x, no leaded type electronic components are mounted above the setting indicator 1310g as shown in Figure 358(A), and leaded type electronic components are mounted below the setting indicator 1310g as shown. Therefore, when the main control board 1310 is attached to the pachinko machine 1 and the setting indicator 1310g is viewed from above the main control board 1310, obstruction of the view of the setting indicator 1310g (information displayed on the setting indicator 1310g (setting values, etc.)) by leaded type electronic components is suppressed, and workability is improved. Furthermore, if lead-type electronic components are not mounted in a predetermined range (for example, within the width dimension in the short-side direction of the setting indicator 1310g (the left-right direction shown in Figure 358(A))) below the setting indicator 1310g as shown in Figure 358(A)), then when the main control board 1310 is attached to the pachinko machine 1, obstruction of the view of the setting indicator 1310g from both above and below the main control board 1310 can be suppressed, further improving work efficiency.

In the example described above, within the width A of the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, no lead-type electronic components are mounted above the setting indicator 1310g shown in Figure 358(A). However, within the width A of the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, more lead-type electronic components may be mounted below the setting indicator 1310g shown in Figure 358(A) than above the setting indicator 1310g shown. Also, within the width A of the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, at least the setting indicator 1310g shown above the setting indicator 1310g shown in Figure 358(A) may have more lead-type electronic components mounted below it. Lead-type electronic components may not be mounted in a predetermined range from the display unit 1310g (for example, within the width dimension in the short direction of the setting display unit 1310g (left-right direction as shown in Figure 358(A))), or lead-type electronic components may not be mounted in at least a specific range below the setting display unit 1310g as shown in Figure 358(A) (for example, within the width dimension in the short direction of the setting display unit 1310g (left-right direction as shown in Figure 358(A))), while lead-type electronic components may not be mounted in at least a special range above the setting display unit 1310g as shown in Figure 358(A) that is wider than the specified range described above (for example, within the width dimension in the long direction of the setting display unit 1310g (up-down direction as shown in Figure 358(A))). In other words, in Figure 358, the area above the setting indicator 1310g may be wider than the area below the setting indicator 1310g in terms of the area where lead-type electronic components are not mounted, or the area (specific area) adjacent to the setting indicator 1310g in the figure may be wider than the area below the setting indicator 1310g in the figure, in terms of the area above, to the left, and to the right in the figure in terms of the area where lead-type electronic components are not mounted. This allows the setting indicator 1310g to be viewed from above the main control board 1310 without being obstructed by lead-type electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 when the main control board 1310 is attached to the pachinko machine 1, thereby improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, in a specific area provided in at least one of the upper, left, and right sides adjacent to the setting display unit 1310g, surface-mount type electronic components or the above-mentioned test electronic components may be mounted. This area may also include unmounted areas 1310m and 1310n where no electronic components are mounted when testing is not being performed, traceability stickers printed with marks such as board (mounting) recognition marks (also called fiducial marks), two-dimensional barcodes, and test points as check terminals. In addition, lead-type electronic components may be mounted in areas other than the specific areas in the upper, left, and right sides of the setting display unit 1310g, or they may not be mounted. In other words, in at least one of the upper, left, or right sides of the setting indicator 1310g, there should be an area closer to the setting indicator 1310g than the mounting area for lead-type electronic components (which do not necessarily have lead-type electronic components mounted), where surface-mount type electronic components or the above-mentioned test electronic components are mounted. This area should also include an unmounted area 1310m, 1310n where no electronic components are mounted under normal conditions when no tests are being performed, as well as traceability stickers printed with marks such as board (mounting) recognition marks (also called fiducial marks), two-dimensional barcodes, and test points as check terminals. In this case, lead-type electronic components with a large protrusion from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 are not mounted in the vicinity of the setting display unit 1310g, either above, to the left, or to the right in the illustration. Instead, surface-mount type electronic components with a small protrusion from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, or the aforementioned test electronic components are mounted in the unmounted areas 1310m and 1310n, where no electronic components are mounted under normal conditions when testing is not being performed. Traceability stickers printed with marks such as board (mounting) recognition marks (also called fiducial marks), two-dimensional barcodes, and test points as check terminals are provided, thus ensuring that the visibility of the setting display unit 1310g is not obstructed.

Furthermore, in this example, the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is such that, not only in the vicinity of the setting indicator 1310g, but in all areas, more lead-type electronic components are mounted on the lower side of the line X-X in Figure 358(A) than on the upper side of the line X-X in Figure 358(A). In other words, fewer lead-type electronic components are mounted on the area above the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 than on the area below the setting indicator 1310g. This makes it possible to prevent obstruction of visibility by lead-type electronic components when checking electronic components (such as the setting indicator 1310g) mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310x while the main control board 1310x is attached to the pachinko machine 1, or when checking part numbers, part model numbers, etc., printed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310x or the surface of electronic components. Therefore, if the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310x, which performs important processing related to the player's benefit, is illegally modified, such as by mounting an unauthorized electronic component, it becomes easier to detect such illegal activity, thus deterring fraudulent activity.

In addition, although the X-X line in Figure 358(A) is provided to pass through the upper end of the setting indicator 1310g, the lower region of the reference line, which passes through any point between the upper and lower ends of the setting indicator 1310g, may have more lead-type electronic components mounted in the lower region than in the upper region. For example, in Figure 358(A), the Y-Y line may be provided as a reference line passing through the lower end of the setting indicator 1310g, and more lead-type electronic components may be mounted in the lower region of this Y-Y line than in the upper region of the Y-Y line. In this case, as shown in Figure 358(A), more lead-type electronic components are mounted in the lower region of the setting indicator 1310g than in the region including the left and right sides of the setting indicator 1310g, not just the upper region. Therefore, when the main control board 1310 is attached to the pachinko machine 1, the setting indicator 1310g can be viewed from both the upper and left/right sides of the main control board 1310 without being obstructed by lead-type electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, thus improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, in Figure 358(A), on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, in the left-right direction of the setting indicator 1310g, within a width B range, no lead-type electronic components are mounted in at least a predetermined range from the setting indicator 1310g (for example, within the width dimension in the short-side direction of the setting indicator 1310g (the left-right direction shown in Figure 358(A))). As a result, when the main control board 1310 is attached to the pachinko machine 1, the setting indicator 1310g can be viewed from the left and right sides of the main control board 1310 without being obstructed by lead-type electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, thereby improving work efficiency. Furthermore, in Figure 358(A), the area on the right side of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, closer to the longitudinal end of the main control board 1310, has a larger area where lead-type electronic components are not mounted compared to the area on the left side of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Therefore, when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1, the setting indicator 1310g can be viewed from the longitudinal end (right end) of the main control board 1310 without being obstructed by lead-type electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, the area Z surrounding the area where the setting indicator 1310g is installed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 (for example, the area Z extended from the top, bottom, left, and right sides of the setting indicator 1310g to a extent equivalent to the width of the setting indicator 1310g in the shorter direction; the area Z enclosed by the dashed line) may be provided not only for mounting surface-mount type electronic components, but also for mounting the aforementioned test electronic components, and may also include unmounted areas 1310m and 1310n where electronic components are not mounted when testing is not being performed, as well as traceability stickers printed with marks such as board (mounting) recognition marks (also called fiducial marks), two-dimensional barcodes, and test points as check terminals. In other words, in the area Z surrounding the area on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 where the setting indicator 1310g is installed, tall electronic components such as lead-type electronic components (electronic components that protrude a large amount from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 when mounted) may not be placed. Instead, low-profile electronic components such as surface-mount electronic components (electronic components that protrude little from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 when mounted), or unmounted areas 1310m, 1310n with little or no protrusion from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 may be provided, as well as traceability stickers printed with marks such as board (mounting) recognition marks (also called fiducial marks), two-dimensional barcodes, test points, etc. This improves the visibility of the setting indicator 1310g mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and improves work efficiency. Furthermore, the area Z surrounding the area where the setting indicator 1310g is installed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, the mounting area of low-profile electronic components such as surface-mount type electronic components (electronic components that protrude little from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 when mounted), and the unmounted areas 1310m, 1310n, the tracer printed with marks such as board (mounting) recognition marks (also called fiducial marks) and two-dimensional barcodes, which protrude little or very little from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 It is sufficient that at least a portion of the area where traceability seals, test points, etc., are formed overlaps. Surface-mount type electronic components may be mounted across the area Z surrounding the area where the setting indicator 1310g is installed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and the area outside of said area Z. Alternatively, traceability seals, test points, etc., printed with marks such as unmounted areas 1310m, 1310n, board (mounting) recognition marks (also called fiducial marks), and two-dimensional barcodes may be formed.

Furthermore, a predetermined range extending from at least one specific side of the four sides of the surface of the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 toward the end of the main control board 1310 (for example, a predetermined range extending from the upper side of the four sides of the surface of the setting indicator 1310g toward the upper end of the main control board 1310 in Figure 358(A)) may be provided as an area where surface-mount type electronic components or test electronic components are mounted, and where no electronic components are mounted under normal circumstances when testing is not being performed. This range may also include traceability stickers printed with marks such as board (mounting) recognition marks (also called fiducial marks), two-dimensional barcodes, test points, etc. As a result, tall electronic components such as lead-type electronic components are not mounted in a predetermined range from at least one specific side of the surface of the setting indicator 1310g toward the edge of the main control board 1310 (for example, in Figure 358(A), a predetermined range from the upper side of the surface of the setting indicator 1310g toward the upper edge of the main control board 1310). Therefore, the visibility of the setting indicator 1310g mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 from this specific side can be improved, and workability can be improved. In this case as well, a predetermined range extends from a specific side of the surface of the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 toward the edge of the main control board 1310, and includes mounting areas for low-profile electronic components such as surface-mount type electronic components (electronic components that protrude little from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 when mounted), as well as unmounted areas 1310m, 1310n, board (mounting) recognition marks (also called fiducial marks), two-dimensional barcodes, and other marks printed on them. It is sufficient that at least a portion of the area where traceability seals, test points, etc., are formed overlaps. Surface-mount type electronic components may be mounted over a predetermined range extending from a specific side of the setting indicator 1310g on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 towards the edge of the main control board 1310, and over the area outside that predetermined range. Alternatively, traceability seals, test points, etc., printed with marks such as unmounted areas 1310m, 1310n, board (mounting) recognition marks (also called fiducial marks), and two-dimensional barcodes may be formed.

Furthermore, while test points used as check terminals during electrical testing of a circuit board can be land-shaped or via-hole-shaped, in this example, at least the ground (GND) line and power line test points formed on the main control board 1310 are via-hole-shaped rather than land-shaped. By making the ground (GND) line test points and power line test points the same shape, it becomes difficult to easily distinguish between the two, thereby improving security. Additionally, using via-hole-shaped test points makes it less likely for the tip of a contact probe to slip when in contact with a via-hole-shaped test point used as a check terminal during electrical testing, thus preventing short circuits.

Furthermore, in this example, the hole diameter is the same for all via-shaped test points. Therefore, it becomes even more difficult to distinguish between ground (GND) line test points and power line test points, improving security. In addition, it becomes possible to perform electrical testing on the test points formed on the ground (GND) line and power line of the main control board 1310 using a common contact probe, improving work efficiency. Also, when the hole diameter is the same for via-shaped test points, a predetermined number of test points may be formed (proportionally) according to the magnitude of the current flowing through the circuit (ground (GND) line and power line). For example, multiple test points may be formed in circuits with high current. With this configuration, when checking voltage, waveform, and logic during electrical testing of the main control board 1310, especially for the ground, the same stable measurement results can be obtained regardless of which test point TP is used as the reference for the inspection.

Furthermore, some or all of the test points formed on at least one of the ground (GND) line and power supply line of the main control board 1310 are positioned closer to the connector supplying power to the main control board 1310 than the check points formed on the control signal line. This configuration allows for stable measurement and inspection of voltage, waveform, and logic during electrical testing of the main control board 1310, by minimizing the impedance of the ground (GND) line and power supply line.

Furthermore, in this example, the test points formed on the ground (GND) line and the power line of the main control board 1310 are not located near the test points formed on the control signal line. This prevents accidental short circuits between the ground (GND) line or power line and the control signal line when manually performing electrical testing of the main control board 1310, thus preventing failure of electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 due to such short circuits.

Furthermore, the control signal lines may also have via-hole shaped test points, similar to the ground (GND) and power lines. The hole diameter may even be the same as that of the via-hole shaped test points. This makes it difficult to distinguish between ground (GND), power line, and control signal line test points, thereby improving security.

Furthermore, the test points for the ground (GND) line and the power line may be land-shaped test points, provided they are the same test points. The external shape (size) of these land-shaped test points may also be identical. In this case, it becomes difficult to distinguish between the ground (GND) line test point and the power line test point, thus improving security. Similarly, the control signal lines may also be land-shaped test points, and their external shape (size) may also be identical. This makes it difficult to distinguish between the ground (GND) line test point, the power line test point, and the control signal line test point, further improving security.

Furthermore, the test points formed on the main control board 1310 may consist of either a via hole shape or a land shape, or both a via hole shape and a land shape may be formed. Alternatively, via hole shape test points and land shape test points may be formed on one or more (all) lines of the ground (GND) line, power line, and control signal line, or via hole shape test points and land shape test points may be formed on one or two lines of the ground (GND) line, power line, and control signal line, and one of the other line may consist of either a via hole shape or a land shape test point. In this case, the hole diameter of the via hole shape and the outer shape (size) of the land shape may be made identical (for example, identical for lines where only one of the via hole shape and land shape test points is formed) or both. This makes it difficult to distinguish between ground (GND) line test points and power line test points, improving security. Furthermore, by making the majority (e.g., 80% or more) of the test points via holes rather than land-shaped ones, short circuits can be prevented.

As shown in Figure 358(B), on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 in this example, the through-holes 1310r for mounting lead-type electronic components are formed closer to the edge of the board (the end face (the right edge of the main control board 1310 in this example)) than the pads 1310p for mounting surface-mount type electronic components. In other words, lead-type electronic components are positioned closer to the edge of the board than surface-mount type electronic components. Lead-type electronic components are particularly resistant to lateral impact (pressure) because their lead terminals are inserted into the through-holes 1310r and soldered in place, whereas surface-mount type electronic components are weaker against lateral impact because their connection terminals are soldered to the pads 1310 and fixed in place. Surface-mount type electronic components are more prone to detachment (weaker mounting strength) than lead-type electronic components. In this example, leaded electronic components are positioned closer to the edge of the circuit board than surface-mount electronic components. This arrangement prevents lateral impacts to the leaded components (which are more resistant to lateral impacts) during manufacturing, while the surface-mount components (which are less resistant to lateral impacts) are protected from such impacts. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the electronic components (especially surface-mount components) from detaching from the circuit board (demounting).

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 in this example contributes to improved security for mounted electronic components by differentiating the characteristics of the wiring patterns formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x and the solder surface (back) 1310y. Figure 359(A) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of the wiring pattern formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and Figure 359(B) is an explanatory diagram showing a part of the wiring pattern formed on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310.

As shown in Figures 359(A) and (B), the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 has more wiring patterns in the vertical direction (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) than in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1), while the solder surface (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 has more wiring patterns in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) than in the vertical direction (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1).

Furthermore, the wiring patterns formed on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 are mostly formed by vertical wiring patterns (perpendicular to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) and diagonal wiring patterns connecting two vertical wiring patterns (perpendicular to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1). While some horizontal wiring patterns (horizontal to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) are formed, their proportion is low.

On the other hand, the wiring patterns formed on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 are mostly formed by horizontal wiring patterns (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) and diagonal wiring patterns connecting two horizontal wiring patterns (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1). While some vertical wiring patterns (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) are formed, their proportion is low.

In the main control board 1310 described above, at least half of the wiring patterns formed on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 are formed by a vertical wiring pattern (perpendicular to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) and a diagonal wiring pattern connecting two vertical wiring patterns (perpendicular to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1). At least half of the wiring patterns formed on the solder surface (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 are formed by a horizontal wiring pattern (horizontal to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) and a diagonal wiring pattern connecting two horizontal wiring patterns (horizontal to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1). Furthermore, it is sufficient if, at least, the mounting side (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 has more wiring patterns in the vertical direction (perpendicular to the direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) and diagonal wiring patterns connecting two of these vertical wiring patterns, and the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 has more wiring patterns in the horizontal direction (horizontal to the direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) and diagonal wiring patterns connecting two of these horizontal wiring patterns, than the solder side (back surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310.

In the example above, the ratio of the illustrated vertical wiring pattern to the illustrated horizontal wiring pattern is shown to differ depending on the mounting surface. However, it is sufficient if at least most of the data bus lines are formed on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310. In this case, it becomes difficult to see the data bus lines from the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310, thus making unauthorized access to the data bus lines difficult and improving security. Furthermore, in this example, the illustrated vertical wiring pattern mainly consists of signal lines and power lines within circuit blocks, while the illustrated horizontal wiring pattern connects multiple circuit blocks. Since the illustrated horizontal wiring pattern is formed on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, it becomes difficult to understand the connections between multiple circuit blocks from the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310, thus making unauthorized access difficult and improving security.

Furthermore, since the main control board 1310 is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape, the number of electronic components mounted in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) is greater than in the vertical direction (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1). Therefore, by forming most of the wiring patterns in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, it becomes possible to infer the connections of electronic components in the vertical direction (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) from the wiring patterns formed on the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310, while making it difficult to infer the connections of electronic components in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1), thereby improving security. In other words, on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, while it is possible to infer the connections of groups of multiple electronic components arranged in the vertical direction (perpendicular to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) from the wiring patterns (for example, electronic components that constitute a circuit that performs the same processing), it is difficult to infer the connections of each group of multiple electronic components arranged in the horizontal direction (horizontal to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) from the wiring patterns. This improves security and deters unauthorized actions against the main control board 1310.

As described above, no electronic components are mounted on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310. In other words, although wiring patterns, through-holes, via holes, pads, etc. are formed on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, no wiring patterns are formed to connect the pads of electronic components mounted on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to the pads of electronic components mounted on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, nor are there any wiring patterns to connect the pads of electronic components mounted on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to the through-holes or via holes. Only the wiring patterns connecting the through-holes, via holes, pads, etc., can be seen from the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310. Therefore, it becomes difficult to infer the connections of electronic components from the wiring pattern formed on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is attached to the pachinko machine 1), thereby improving security.

Furthermore, the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 may be configured to form a part (for example, the connector mounting area 1310n) or all of the unmounted areas 1310m and 1310n, which are normally not mounted when testing is not performed, where test electronic components are mounted. In this case, since the test is performed with the test circuit formed by mounting electronic components on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, the pads of the electronic components mounted on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 and the main control board 1310 may be configured to form a part (for example, the connector mounting area 1310n) or all of the unmounted areas 1310m and 1310n where test electronic components are mounted. In this case, the test is performed with the test circuit formed by mounting electronic components on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, so during the test, the pads of the electronic components mounted on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 and the main control board 1310 This allows for verification of wiring patterns connecting the pads of electronic components mounted on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, as well as wiring patterns connecting the pads of electronic components mounted on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to through-holes and via holes. At the same time, during normal operation (when the game is running or installed in a gaming arcade), the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 can be completely free of electronic components, thus achieving both improved security and easier testing.

Furthermore, in this example, it can be confirmed that the terminals (pins) of lead-type electronic components (e.g., main control MPU 1310a, etc.) mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 are mainly connected to the wiring patterns on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310. In other words, most of the wiring patterns formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 are not directly connected to the terminals (pins) of lead-type electronic components (e.g., main control MPU 1310a, etc.), but rather the wiring patterns formed on the solder surface (back) 1310y are directly connected to the terminals (pins) of lead-type electronic components (e.g., main control MPU 1310a, etc.), and the connections are made indirectly via through-holes, via holes, etc. Thus, in this example, the wiring patterns directly connected to each terminal (pin) of lead-type electronic components (e.g., the main control MPU 1310a, etc.) mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 are greater on the solder side (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 than on the mounting surface (front) 1310x. This makes it more difficult to guess the wiring patterns connected to lead-type electronic components such as the main control MPU 1310a, which is a critical electronic component that performs processing related to the progress of the game and the player's interests, thereby improving security.

Furthermore, in this example, via holes and through-holes are provided for purposes other than inserting and fixing the lead terminals of lead-type electronic components. These include those where the wiring pattern is interlayer-connected to avoid obstacles, and those where the interlayer-connection is independent of the presence of obstacles (even if no obstacles are present). By using the via holes and through-holes that are interlayer-connected independently of the presence of obstacles as test points (check terminals), it becomes possible to perform electrical testing of the main control board 1310 by contacting the tip of a contact probe from either the mounting side (front) 1310x or the solder side (back) 1310y. As described above, under normal circumstances when no tests are being performed, the main control board 1310 has electronic components mounted only on the mounting surface (front) 1310x, and no electronic components are mounted on the solder surface (back) 1310y. Therefore, the mounting surface (front) 1310x has a large number of electronic components mounted, resulting in limited space. If test points (check terminals) are formed only on the mounting surface (front) 1310x, there is a risk of short circuits due to contact between the tips of multiple contact probes. In this example, by distributing via holes and through-holes used as test points (check terminals) during electrical testing on both the mounting surface (front) 1310x and the solder surface (back) 1310y, defects such as short circuits caused by contact between the tips of multiple contact probes during electrical testing can be prevented.

Furthermore, in addition to or separately from the above, the main control board 1310, power supply board 630, dispensing control board 633, etc., may be partitioned into areas where only surface-mount type electronic components are mounted and areas where both surface-mount type electronic components and lead-type electronic components are mounted. For example, in this example, important surface-mount type electronic components are mounted together in a specific area, and by arranging them in a way that partitions them from areas where both surface-mount type and lead-type electronic components are mounted, attention can be drawn to the specific area, making it difficult to touch the surface-mount type electronic components mounted in that specific area. This makes it possible to prevent important surface-mount type electronic components from falling off (detachment), tampering, or fraudulent activity. This will be explained below.

As shown in Figure 360, in this example, the main control board 1310 has surface-mount type electronic components mounted in a specific area 1310t on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x. Through-holes (or via holes) are formed as test points surrounding this specific area 1310t, separating it from other areas. This allows attention to be drawn to the specific area 1310t on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, making it difficult to touch the surface-mount type electronic components mounted in that area. Therefore, for example, surface-mount type electronic components mounted in the specific area may fall off, and tampering or fraudulent activity can be prevented.

Furthermore, surface-mount type electronic components and leaded type electronic components are mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, excluding the specific region 1310t. Alternatively, only leaded type electronic components may be mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, excluding the specific region 1310t.

Furthermore, the method is not limited to surrounding a specific area 1310t of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 with through-holes. Alternatively, lead terminals may be inserted into the through-holes surrounding the specific area 1310t and soldered to mount lead-type electronic components, thereby partitioning the specific area 1310t by surrounding it with these mounted lead-type electronic components. Alternatively, a structure other than the electronic components (for example, a cover (case) that covers the specific area 1310t, or a structure erected from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 to surround the specific area 1310t, etc.) may be used. The specific area 1310t may be demarcated by a cover or case that covers 10t (which may have a sealing mechanism such as a crimping part), or the specific area may be demarcated by providing a part that demarcates the specific area 1310t in the main control board box 1320 (for example, a part that stands upright to surround the specific area 1310t), or surface mount type electronic components may be mounted on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 corresponding to the specific area 1310t, that is, for the specific area 1310t, both the mounting side (front side) 1310x and the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 Alternatively, the specific area 1310t may be demarcated by making one side a double-sided mounting area on which surface-mount type electronic components are mounted, and the other areas of the main control board 1310 a single-sided mounting area on which electronic components (which may be both surface-mount type electronic components and lead-type electronic components, or may only be lead-type electronic components) are mounted only on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, or by making the height of the mounting position of the specific area 1310t and the other areas (areas other than the specific area 1310t) different, for example, if the main control board 1310 is composed of multiple boards (for example, two boards), the first board may be The electronic components may consist of both surface-mount and leaded electronic components, or only leaded electronic components. A second substrate, designated as a specific region 1310t for surface-mount electronic components, may be mounted on the first substrate. This second substrate may be positioned at a different height from the electronic components (especially surface-mount electronic components) mounted on the first substrate, thereby demarcating the specific region 1310t. Alternatively, this second substrate may be covered or enclosed in a cover (metal or resin, including conductive resin), and then inserted or surface-mounted onto the mounting surface 1310x of the main control substrate 1310.

[Regarding measures against unauthorized use of the main control means]
The main circuit board in the pachinko machine 1 performs a lottery to determine whether a player has won or lost based on the entry of game balls B into the first start port 2002 or the second start port 2004 provided on the game board 5. If the lottery result is a win, the main circuit board controls the machine to a special game state that is advantageous to the player. The main circuit board consists of the aforementioned main control board 1310 and a plurality of circuit boards (excluding the peripheral control board 1510) that are directly or indirectly connected to the main control board 1310 without going through the aforementioned peripheral control board 1510. In other words, the main circuit board in this embodiment consists of the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the function display board 1402, the magnetic sensor board of the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401, etc.

The main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the function display board 1402, the magnetic sensor board of the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 are important boards for controlling the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, there is a risk of fraudulent activity, such as alteration of the electronic components mounted on each board. The following describes how the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment addresses such fraudulent activity.

First, in the main circuit board of this embodiment, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 have microprocessors mounted on them and are located on the back side of the game board 5. The front mounting surfaces (mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633) are oriented towards the back side opposite to the player, making them invisible to the player. In contrast, the function display unit 1400 on which the function display board 1402 is provided, the magnetic sensor board of the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401, etc., do not have a microprocessor mounted on them, and their mounting surfaces (mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633) are located on the front side, which is on the player side, compared to the back side (where the microprocessor is mounted) of the boards (main control board 1310, payout control board 633) which are on the opposite side from the player. Here, devices and equipment such as the function display unit 1400, magnetic sensor 1050, first start port 2002, and second start port 2004 may be at least partially visible from the player's side. In this case, for example, they may be installed inside the game board 5 and visible, installed on the panel 1110 of the game board 5 and visible, or visible through holes formed in the opaque game board 5. Furthermore, the circuit boards installed in devices and equipment such as the function display unit 1400, magnetic sensor 1050, first start port 2002, and second start port 2004 may have their mounting surface (front) facing the player, or they may face in a direction other than the player (for example, left or right or up or down on the pachinko machine 1).

The functions displayed on the function display board 1402, the magnetic sensor board on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 on the second start port 2004, which are visible to the player, differ from the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, which control the pachinko machine 1 but are not visible to the player. Therefore, the configuration related to countermeasures against fraudulent activity will be described in detail below, comparing the main control board 1310 and the function display board 1402. Note that the following description will not include parts that overlap with the above-described embodiment.

[Comparison of the configuration of the main control board and the configuration of the function display board]
As described above, the main control board 1310 has a mounting surface 1310x on which various electronic components are mounted and a solder surface 1310y on which no electronic components are mounted (single-sided mounting). It is a mixed-mount board on which both lead-type (through-hole mounting type, insertion-hole mounting type) electronic components, which are soldered by inserting lead terminals into through-holes provided on the surface of the board, and surface-mount type electronic components (chip components, SMD (Surface Mount Device)) are soldered to pads provided on the surface of the board without using through-holes. Surface-mount type electronic components can be used on both sides of the board, and even for the same type of electronic component, the mounting density can be increased by making the electronic component smaller compared to lead-type electronic components. Therefore, it is possible to shorten the wiring length (pattern length) on the circuit board, which allows for faster circuit operation. Furthermore, by increasing the mounting density, it becomes possible to miniaturize the circuit board (reduce the board area), which increases the rigidity of the circuit board and suppresses deformation such as warping, thereby preventing mounted electronic components from falling off.

The main control board 1310 is a single-sided mounting board in which lead-type and surface-mount type electronic components are mounted only on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Therefore, on the main control board 1310, the mounting surface (front) 1310x is the front mounting surface.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 is housed in a main control board box 1320, which consists of a transparent cover body 1301 and a transparent base body 1302. The main control board 1310 is screwed to the inside of the cover body 1301 so that the mounting surface 1310x faces the inner surface of the cover body 1301, so that the mounting surface 1310x is covered and hidden by the cover body 1301. In addition, the cover body 1301 and the base body 1302 are crimped together by a one-way screw or the like of a crimping part 1303, which is a sealing mechanism. Furthermore, multiple crimping sections 1303 are provided in the main control board box 1320, and the main control board box 1320 can be closed by crimping the cover body 1301 and the base body 1302 together using a single sealing mechanism with the one-way screws of the crimping sections 1303. Next, in order to open the main control board box 1320, the cover body 1301 cannot be removed from the base body 1302 without destroying the sealing mechanism. Therefore, by checking the condition and number of crimping sections 1303 provided in the main control board box 1320, it is possible to determine whether or not the main control board 1310 has been illegally modified. In this way, since the electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 can only be manipulated (repaired, modified, etc.) by destroying the crimped portion 1303 of the main control board box 1320 and opening the main control board box 1320, unauthorized modification of the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 can be suppressed, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the main control board 1310 is only visible when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2, even if the main control board box 1320 housing the main control board 1310 is composed of a transparent cover body 1301 and a transparent base body 1302, the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 cannot be seen by the player playing the pachinko machine 1. On the other hand, in the main control board 1310, lead-type and surface-mount type electronic components are mounted only on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Furthermore, since the main control board 1310 is housed in a main control board box 1320 consisting of a transparent cover body 1301 and a transparent base body 1302, the administrator of the amusement hall can easily determine whether the electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 have been illegally altered by opening the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 and visually inspecting the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 through the transparent main control board box 1320. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, illegal alteration of the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 can be suppressed, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 has a surface-side marking area that indicates some or all of the attributes of the electronic components to be mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x, such as the part number of the electronic component and the area indicating the position where the electronic component will be placed (furthermore, the shape of the electronic component, the size of the electronic component, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the electronic component, the model number of the electronic component, and the name of the company that manufactured the electronic component). The surface-side marking area of the main control board 1310 is formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x by silk screen printing using a color that is easily visible against the resist of the main control board 1310, specifically a light-colored paint such as white or yellow that is easily visible against the dark-colored resist of the main control board 1310, such as green or black. The surface-side marking area of the main control board 1310 may be formed near the corresponding electronic component, or it may be formed in a way that makes it visually possible to determine which electronic component the part number corresponds to. For example, the part number and the position where the electronic component will be mounted may be connected via a leader line or the like. Furthermore, notation areas such as the surface-side notation area may be formed not only on the mounting surface (front) 1310x but also on the solder side (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310. Also, in this embodiment, the main control board 1310 may not have a surface-side notation area containing multiple pieces of information as described above, but rather a component number notation area displaying only the component number that allows for the identification of electronic components.

The markings on the surface of the main control board 1310 facilitate the visual identification of electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310. However, as described above, the machine is configured so that the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 cannot be visually inspected by the player playing the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, it is difficult for the player to identify the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 by checking the markings on the surface. On the other hand, the administrator of the pachinko hall can easily determine whether or not the electronic components on the main control board 1310 have been illegally altered by opening the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 and visually inspecting the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 through the transparent main control board box 1320. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to suppress the illegal alteration of electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, at least surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 have imprinted areas formed on their surfaces. Specifically, the surface of surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 has imprinted areas that show at least some or all of the part number of the electronic component. The imprinted areas may also include information such as the model number of the electronic component, the name of the manufacturer, the mounting direction of the electronic component, and the shape of the electronic component. Moreover, it is desirable that the imprinted areas be formed not only on the surface of surface-mount type electronic components, but also on the surface of lead-type electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310.

The imprinted areas of the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 are formed in a color that is easily visible against the resist of the main control board 1310 and the surface of the electronic components. Specifically, the imprinted areas should be a light color such as white or yellow, which is easily visible against the dark resist of the main control board 1310 (such as green or black) and the black surface of the electronic components. These areas are formed on the surface of the electronic components using white or yellow paint by methods such as silk screen printing or laser printing.

The imprinted areas on the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 make it easy to visually identify the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310. However, as described above, the system is configured so that the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 cannot be visually inspected from the player's side while playing the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, it is difficult for the player to identify the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 by checking the imprinted areas of the electronic components on the main control board 1310. On the other hand, the manager of the amusement hall can easily determine whether or not fraud has occurred in which the electronic components on the main control board 1310 have been illegally altered by opening the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 and visually inspecting the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 through the transparent main control board box 1320. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to suppress unauthorized modification of the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 located on the back of the game board 5, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 has different wiring patterns on its mounting surface (front) 1310x and solder surface (back) 1310y. Specifically, as shown in Figures 359(A) and 359(B), the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 has more wiring patterns in the vertical direction (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) than in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1). Conversely, the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 has more wiring patterns in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) than in the vertical direction (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1).

Furthermore, the wiring patterns formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 are almost entirely composed of vertical wiring patterns (perpendicular to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) and diagonal wiring patterns connecting two of these vertical wiring patterns. Therefore, while some horizontal wiring patterns (horizontal to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) are formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, their proportion is low.

The wiring patterns formed on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 are mostly composed of horizontal wiring patterns (horizontal when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) and diagonal wiring patterns connecting two of these horizontal wiring patterns. Therefore, while some vertical wiring patterns (vertical when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) are formed on the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310, their proportion is low.

In this embodiment, the main control board 1310 has a higher proportion of vertical wiring patterns than horizontal wiring patterns on the mounting surface 1310x. Therefore, even when the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 is visually inspected through the transparent cover 1301, connections to electronic components mounted vertically on the mounting surface 1310x are easily identifiable, while connections to electronic components mounted horizontally on the mounting surface 1310x are difficult to identify. Thus, it becomes difficult to ascertain the connections of all electronic components mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, thereby preventing unauthorized modification of the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 and improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

In the example described above, the ratio of the vertical wiring pattern to the horizontal wiring pattern shown differs depending on the mounting surface. More specifically, the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 has a CPU (main control MPU 1310a) that controls the progress of the game, input circuits and output circuits connected to the main control MPU 1310a, and input connectors and output connectors connected to the input circuits and output circuits mounted on it. The main control MPU 1310a receives input signals from the data bus line directly connected to the input circuit, analyzes the progress of the game from the received input signals, and outputs an appropriate output signal based on the analysis result to the output circuit from the data bus line directly connected to the output circuit. In other words, the data bus line is a signal line that is not directly exposed to the outside because the input circuits and output circuits are interposed between it and the input connectors and output connectors that are provided to be exposed to the outside of the main control board box 1320. It can be said that it is the most important wiring pattern among the wiring formed on the main control board 1310 in order to understand the connections of the entire circuit.

Furthermore, even with vertical wiring patterns formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x, areas where multiple vertical wiring patterns are formed in parallel may ultimately be connected to the data bus of the main control MPU 1310a. Therefore, the part numbers of electronic components placed around these areas, or the inspection pad numbers printed when forming inspection pads in the wiring, are printed in a way that actively conceals areas where multiple parallel patterns are formed, making it difficult to discern the existence and formation direction of the wiring patterns. Specifically, at least most of the data bus lines among the wiring patterns are formed on the solder side (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310. In this case, since most of the data bus lines are difficult to see from the mounting surface (front) 1310x side of the main control board 1310, it becomes difficult to identify the connections of related electronic components, making unauthorized actions on the data bus lines difficult and improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

In this example, the vertical wiring patterns shown primarily represent signal and power lines within circuit blocks (input and output circuits composed of resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, integrated circuits (comparator ICs, various general-purpose logic ICs, etc.), and various other electronic components), while the horizontal wiring patterns shown represent data bus lines connecting multiple circuit blocks. Furthermore, since most of the vertical wiring patterns are formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and the horizontal wiring patterns are formed on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310, while connections within individual circuit blocks may be discernible if the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is visually inspected, it becomes difficult to discern connections between multiple circuit blocks, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, since the main control board 1310 is formed in a horizontally elongated rectangular shape, the number of electronic components mounted in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) is greater than in the vertical direction (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1). Therefore, by forming most of the wiring patterns in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) on the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310, it becomes possible to infer the connections of electronic components in the vertical direction (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) from the wiring patterns formed on the mounting side (front side) 1310x of the main control board 1310, while making it difficult to infer the connections of electronic components in the horizontal direction (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is mounted on the pachinko machine 1), thereby improving security. In other words, on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, while it is possible to infer the connections of groups of multiple electronic components arranged in the vertical direction (perpendicular to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) from the wiring patterns (for example, electronic components that constitute a circuit that performs the same processing), it is difficult to infer the connections of each group of multiple electronic components arranged in the horizontal direction (horizontal to the main control board 1310 when it is mounted on the pachinko machine 1) from the wiring patterns. This helps to deter fraudulent activity against the main control board 1310 and improves the security of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in the case where the characteristics of the wiring patterns differ between the mounting surface (front) 1310x and the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310, the average length of the wiring patterns on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 (the length obtained by summing the lengths of all wiring patterns formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x and dividing the summed value by the number of wiring patterns) is smaller than the average length of the wiring patterns on the solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1310 (the length obtained by summing the lengths of all wiring patterns formed on the solder surface (back) 1310y and dividing the summed value by the number of wiring patterns). In such a case, it is easier to make the wiring patterns more complex on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 than on the solder surface (back) 1310y, and it is possible to make it difficult to infer the connections between electronic components from the wiring patterns even if the mounting surface (front) 1310x is visually inspected. This helps to suppress fraudulent activity against the main control board 1310 and improves the security of the pachinko machine 1.

As described above, the main control board 1310 incorporates security measures based on the premise that it is difficult for the player to visually inspect it. In contrast, the function display board 1402 incorporates security measures based on the premise that it may be visually inspected by the player. These measures will be explained below with reference to Figure 361. Figure 361 is a schematic diagram showing a function display unit 1400 in an alternative example, and includes (A) a side view of the function display unit 1400, (B) a front view of the function display unit 1400, (C) a rear view of the function display unit 1400, (D) a front view of the function display unit 1400 with the translucent sheet 1404 removed, and (E) a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the function display unit 1400.

As shown in Figure 361, the function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400 has a front mounting surface and a back mounting surface. The LED 1401 is mounted on the front mounting surface, and other electronic components are mounted on the back mounting surface; it is a double-sided mounting board. Furthermore, in this example, only surface-mount type electronic components (chip components, SMD (Surface Mount Device)) are mounted on the function display board 1402.

Furthermore, the function display board 1402 is not limited to the above configuration. It may also be a single-sided board where electronic components are mounted only on the front mounting surface, similar to the main board 1310. Alternatively, it may be a mixed-mount board that mounts both lead-type (through-hole mounting type, insertion-mount type) electronic components, which are soldered by inserting lead terminals into through-holes on the board surface, and surface-mount type electronic components (chip components, SMD (Surface Mount Device)), where electrodes (connection terminals) are soldered to pads on the board surface without using through-holes. In this case, only surface-mount type electronic components may be mounted on the front mounting surface of the function display board 1402, and only lead-type electronic components on the back mounting surface, or both surface-mount type and lead-type electronic components may be mounted.

Surface-mount electronic components allow for the use of both sides of the circuit board, and even for the same type of component, they can be miniaturized compared to leaded-type components, thereby increasing mounting density. This allows for shorter wiring lengths on the board (the total length of the traces, or the average length of the traces between electronic components or between components and through-holes), enabling faster circuits and smaller circuit boards. Furthermore, miniaturizing the circuit board (reducing the board area) increases its rigidity, suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing the mounted electronic components from detaching from the board.

Furthermore, the functional display board 1402 in this example only needs to have at least surface-mount type electronic components mounted on its front mounting surface. For example, both surface-mount type electronic components and leaded type electronic components may be mounted on both the front and back mounting surfaces of the functional display board 1402; both surface-mount type electronic components and leaded type electronic components may be mounted on the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402, and either a surface-mount type electronic component or a leaded type electronic component may be mounted on the back mounting surface of the functional display board 1402; only surface-mount type electronic components may be mounted on the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402, and both surface-mount type electronic components and leaded type electronic components may be mounted on the back mounting surface of the functional display board 1402; or only surface-mount type electronic components may be mounted on both the front and back mounting surfaces of the functional display board 1402.

The main control board 1310 is housed in a main control board box 1320, which consists of a transparent cover body 1301 and a transparent base body 1302. The function display board 1402 is housed in a case 1410, which consists of an opaque front cover portion 1411 and an opaque back cover portion 1412. The mounting surfaces (front mounting surface and back mounting surface) are covered by the opaque case 1410 of the function display unit 1400. The opaque case 1410 of the function display board 1400 may, for example, be an opaque cover body with multiple through-holes 1410a formed on the player side to cover the front mounting surface of the function display board 1400.

Since the function display unit 1400 is located on the front side of the game board 5, at least a portion of it is visible to the player playing the pachinko machine 1. However, because the function display board 1402 is covered by an opaque surface cover portion 1411, it is difficult to see the front mounting surface of the function display board 1402. Furthermore, the surface cover portion 1411 has multiple through-holes 1410a, and even if the front mounting surface of the function display board 1402 is visible through these through-holes 1410a, only a portion of the front mounting surface is visible. It is difficult to grasp the electronic components and wiring patterns mounted on the entire front mounting surface. Moreover, the back mounting surface of the function display board 1402, which is a double-sided mounting board, cannot be seen through the through-holes 1410a, making it difficult to grasp the electronic components and wiring patterns mounted on the back mounting surface. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, it is possible to suppress unauthorized modification of the electronic components mounted on the function display board 1402, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the function display board 1402 in this example does not have a display area like the surface-side display area of the main control board 1310. On the other hand, the main control board 1310 is located on the back side of the game board 5 and is only visible when the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2, and therefore has a surface-side display area. In other words, although the surface mounting surface of the function display board 1402 is covered by the surface cover portion 1411 of the function display unit 1400, because it is located on the front side of the game board 5, there is a risk that it may be visible to players, or that wires or the like may be inserted through the gaps in the game board 5 to tamper with or commit fraud against the function display unit 1400. If the function display board 1402 is configured to have a notation portion like the surface notation portion of the main control board 1310, then if the function display board 1402 is visible through the through-hole 1410a formed in the surface cover portion 1411, or if the surface cover portion 1411 of the function display unit 1400 is damaged and part or all of the surface mounting surface of the function display board 1402 is exposed, there is a risk that the notation portion will be visible and the electronic components mounted on the function display board 1402 will be easily identified by visual inspection. Since the function display board 1402 of this embodiment does not have a display area like the surface-side display area of the main control board 1310, even if the surface mounting surface of the function display board 1402 is visually inspected through the through-hole 1410a formed in the surface cover portion 1411, or if the surface cover portion 1411 of the function display unit 1400 is damaged and part or all of the surface mounting surface of the function display board 1402 is exposed, it is difficult to visually identify the electronic components mounted on the surface mounting surface of the function display board 1402. This prevents unauthorized modification of the electronic components mounted on the function display board 1402 provided on the front side of the game board 5, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

In this embodiment, the function display board 1402 does not have a display area like the surface-side display area of the main control board 1310 as described above. However, it may have a display area that indicates attributes of electronic components (surface-side electronic components), such as an area indicating the position where the electronic component is placed, excluding the part number that identifies the electronic component. (Furthermore, this may include any of the following: the shape of the electronic component, the size of the electronic component, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the electronic component, or the model number of the electronic component.)

In other words, this technical concept requires that at least the functional display board 1402 not have any notation sections indicating information that can identify electronic components (e.g., the model number of the electronic component) on at least the front mounting surface. Information that cannot identify electronic components may be provided on either the front mounting surface or the back mounting surface, or both. The back mounting surface may also have notation sections indicating information that can identify electronic components (e.g., the model number of the electronic component). For example, the front or back mounting surface of the functional display board 1402 may have outline symbols indicating the position of the electronic component or its external shape (e.g., L-shaped symbols indicating the four corners of the area where the electronic component is placed, or rectangular outlines enclosing the area where the electronic component is placed), or symbols indicating the mounting direction of electronic components whose characteristics change depending on the mounting direction (e.g., a 1-pin mark).

Specifically, on the front surface (surface, front mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402, symbols such as circles, triangles, and squares, or numbers (e.g., pin numbers) are made near the positions corresponding to the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components) to be mounted (outside or inside the area enclosed by the outer diameter symbol). Foil-removed reference terminal symbols are formed by removing the copper foil around the outside of these marks, and foil-retained reference terminal symbols are formed by removing the copper foil of the marks. These are then formed on the front surface (surface) of the functional display board 1402, and solid coating is applied to the front surface (surface, front mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402. The foil-removed reference terminal symbols and foil-retained reference terminal symbols can be configured to be covered by the green resist liquid applied. Alternatively, foil-removed reference terminal symbols and foil-retained reference terminal symbols corresponding to the front-side electronic components (front-side electronic components) mounted on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402 can be formed on the back surface (rear mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402, and the foil-removed reference terminal symbols and foil-retained reference terminal symbols can be covered by the green resist liquid that is applied to the back surface (rear mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402.

Furthermore, on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402, symbols such as circles, triangles, or squares, or numbers (e.g., pin numbers) may be printed by silk screen printing near the positions corresponding to the front-side electronic components (front-side electronic components) to be mounted (outside or inside the outer diameter). Alternatively, symbols such as circles, triangles, or squares, or numbers (e.g., pin numbers) corresponding to the front-side electronic components (front-side electronic components) mounted on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402 may be printed by silk screen printing on the back surface (rear mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402.

Furthermore, on the front surface (surface, front mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402, a silk-screen outline symbol is formed by silk-screen printing of an outline symbol that includes the external features of the front-side electronic component (at least some of the following: indentations, notches, protrusions, etc.) of the front-side electronic component (surface-side electronic component) to be mounted, near the corresponding position (outside or inside the outer diameter) of the front-side electronic component. Alternatively, a foil-removed outline symbol is formed by removing the copper foil around the outline symbol, and a foil-retained outline symbol is formed by removing the copper foil from the outline symbol. The foil-removed outline symbol and the foil-retained outline symbol are then covered by a white resist liquid that is applied as a solid coating to the front surface (surface, front mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402. Alternatively, an outline symbol including the external features of the front-side electronic components (at least some of which are recesses, notches, protrusions, etc.) may be printed on the back surface (rear surface, back mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402 by silk screen printing to form a silk-screen outline symbol. Alternatively, foil-punched outline symbols or foil-retained outline symbols corresponding to the front-side electronic components (front-side electronic components) mounted on the front surface (front surface, front mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402 may be formed on the back surface (rear surface, back mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402, and the foil-punched outline symbols or foil-retained outline symbols may be covered by a solid white resist liquid applied to the back surface (rear surface, back mounting surface) of the functional display board 1402.

Furthermore, the external shape symbol, which includes the external features of the front-side electronic component (at least some of which are recesses, notches, protrusions, etc.), and the markings, such as circles, triangles, squares, or numbers (e.g., pin numbers), may be formed on the front (front surface, front mounting side) or back (rear surface, back mounting side) of the functional display board 1402 by silk screen printing, foil stamping, foil retention, etc., or both may be formed. Also, the external shape symbol, which includes the external features of the front-side electronic component (at least some of which are recesses, notches, protrusions, etc.), may have a notch (such as a chamfer, a filled-in area including the corner, or an outline including the corner) at one of the four corners of the area where the electronic component is placed, or it may have a notch at a part of one side of a rectangular frame surrounding the area where the electronic component is placed, in accordance with the external shape of the electronic component.

Furthermore, the external symbols are not limited to those that include the external characteristics of the electronic component; any symbol that can identify the orientation of the electronic component is acceptable. For example, a rectangular border enclosing the area where the electronic component is placed may have one side thicker or thinner than the other sides. Since these symbols do not identify the electronic component, even if they are seen by a player, there is little risk of them reading information that could identify the implemented electronic component or circuit information.

Furthermore, the surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the functional display board 1402 in this example do not have imprinting areas on their surfaces, unlike the imprinting areas formed on the surfaces of the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310. On the other hand, the main control board 1310 is located on the back side of the game board 5 and is only visible by opening the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2, and the electronic components on the main control board 1310 have imprinting areas on their surfaces. In other words, although the surface mounting surface of the function display board 1402 is covered by the surface cover portion 1411 of the function display unit 1400, because it is located on the front side of the game board 5, there is a risk that it may be visible to players, or that wires or the like may be inserted through the gaps in the game board 5 to tamper with or commit fraud against the function display unit 1400. Therefore, if the electronic components mounted on the function display board 1402 are configured to have imprints of the electronic components of the main control board 1310 formed on them, there is a risk that the electronic components mounted on the function display board 1402 may be easily identified if the electronic components mounted on the function display board 1402 are visible through the through-hole 1410a formed in the surface cover portion 1411, or if the surface cover portion 1411 of the function display unit 1400 is damaged and part or all of the surface mounting surface of the function display board 1402 is exposed, the imprints of the electronic components may be visible. In this embodiment, the function display board 1402 does not have an imprinted portion on the surface of the electronic components of the main control board 1310. Therefore, even if the electronic components mounted on the function display board 1402 are visually inspected through the through-hole 1410a formed in the surface cover portion 1411, or if the surface cover portion 1411 of the function display unit 1400 is damaged and part or all of the surface mounting surface of the function display board 1402 is exposed, it is difficult to visually identify the electronic components mounted on the surface mounting surface of the function display board 1402. This prevents unauthorized modification of the electronic components mounted on the function display board 1402 provided on the front side of the game board 5, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, it is sufficient that the imprinted portion formed on the surface of the electronic components mounted on the front mounting surface of the function display board 1402 is not formed on the surface of the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310. However, the imprinted portion formed on the surface of the electronic components mounted on the back mounting surface of the function display board 1402 may be formed on the surface of the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310.

The functional display board 1402 does not have different wiring patterns on the front and back mounting surfaces, but instead suppresses fraudulent activity in the manner described below. Specifically, while the main control board 1310 has control means such as the main control MPU 1310a mounted on it, the functional display board 1402 does not have control means mounted on it. Therefore, most of the wiring patterns formed on the functional display board 1402 are signal lines or power lines, suppressing fraudulent activity against the functional display board 1402. In addition, the wiring patterns formed on the front and back mounting surfaces of the functional display board 1402 are formed such that, for example, the length of the wiring patterns between electronic components is minimized on both the front and back mounting surfaces. With such a functional display board 1402, it is easy to identify connections between electronic components by visual inspection, and it is also possible to increase the speed of the circuit and miniaturize the board. Furthermore, miniaturizing the substrate (reducing the substrate area) increases its rigidity, thereby suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing the mounted electronic components from detaching from the substrate. In addition, the function display board 1402 may have different wiring patterns on its front and back mounting surfaces, similar to the main control board 1310. This can prevent unauthorized modification of the electronic components mounted on the function display board 1402, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

In the above-described embodiment, the main control board 1310 was described as a main board provided on the back side of the game board 5, with its front mounting surface (mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633) facing the back side opposite to the player. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and other main boards such as the payout control board 633 on which the microprocessor is mounted may also be used. In other words, what is referred to as the main control board 1310 in the above-described embodiment can be read as other main boards such as the payout control board 633, and can be applied to each corresponding main board.

In the above-described embodiment, the function display board 1402 was described as a main board located on the front side (facing the player) of the boards (main control board 1310, payout control board 633) whose mounting surfaces (mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633) are facing the back side opposite the player. However, it is not limited to this, and other main boards such as the magnetic sensor board of the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002, or the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 may also be used. In other words, what is described as the function display board 1402 in the above-described embodiment can be read as the magnetic sensor board of the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002, or the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401, and can be applied to the corresponding main boards.

[Configuration of the magnetic sensor board]
The magnetic sensor 1050 comprises a case consisting of a box-shaped body having a rectangular opening on one side and a flat cover body that closes the opening, and a magnetic sensor substrate 1050b housed in the box-shaped body through the opening. The magnetic sensor 1050 is mounted so that the front side of the box-shaped body is in surface contact (abutment) with another member, and in this embodiment, the front side of the box-shaped body is mounted in surface contact (abutment) with the back side of the transparent flat panel plate 1110 of the game panel 1100 of the game board 5.

The case housing the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b is designed so that the box body and cover body are locked together without the use of screws or bolts. In this example, one locking piece is formed on each of two opposing sides of the cover body, and these locking pieces are locked to the bottom surface of the box body. By releasing the locking between the locking pieces of the cover body and the bottom surface of the box body, the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b can be removed without damaging the case.

The casing of the magnetic sensor 1050 differs from the surface cover portion 1411 of the opaque function display unit 1400 in that it is molded from a colorless, transparent resin. Furthermore, a rectangular connector housing insertion hole is formed on a side of the casing that is different from the side where the opening is formed, so that a portion of the socket insertion opening of the connector housing MCN, which will be mounted on the rear (back) surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b (described later), is exposed. The outer dimensions of the casing are larger than those of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, and when the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b is housed in the casing, the distance dimension (clearance) between the outer circumference of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b and the inner circumference of the opening is approximately 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm. This technical concept is also applicable even if the casing of the magnetic sensor 1050 is molded from a colored, transparent resin. In other words, the casing of the magnetic sensor 1050 is not limited to being molded from a colorless, transparent resin; it may also be molded from a colored, transparent resin.

Figure 362(a) is a perspective view showing the front (surface) of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b of the magnetic sensor 1050, and Figure 362(b) is a perspective view showing the rear (back) of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b of the magnetic sensor 1050. The configuration of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 362(a) and 362(b).

As shown in Figures 362(a) and 362(b), the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b has a magnetic detection element MSD mounted on its front surface that can detect magnetism, a controller CTR that can output a magnetic detection determination result to the outside based on the detection signal from the magnetic detection element MSD, various resistors, various capacitors, etc. Furthermore, the front surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b has pads, through-holes, lands, etc. to which the electrodes (connection terminals) of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components) such as the magnetic detection element MSD, controller CTR, various resistors, and various capacitors are soldered, and a white resist layer is formed by applying a white resist liquid to the entire area excluding the pads, through-holes, lands, etc. (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "solidly coated white resist"). Note that the white resist layer may be formed on part or all of each land. Also, the color of the resist layer formed on the front surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b is not limited to white; it may be other colors such as green.

The magnetic sensor substrate 1050b of this embodiment does not have a marking section like the surface marking section of the main control substrate 1310. A white resist layer is formed on the front surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, but no front marking section (surface marking section) is formed on the resist layer to indicate the attributes of the front electronic components (surface electronic components), such as the part number of the front electronic component (surface electronic component) and an area indicating the position where the front electronic component (surface electronic component) is to be placed (and may also include the shape of the front electronic component (surface electronic component), the size of the front electronic component (surface electronic component), the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the front electronic component (surface electronic component), and the model number of the front electronic component (surface electronic component)). In this embodiment, the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b does not have a surface-side labeling area on its front (surface) containing multiple pieces of information like the main control board 1310 as described above. However, it may have a labeling area that indicates the attributes of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components), such as an area indicating the position where the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components) are placed, excluding part numbers that can identify the electronic components. (Furthermore, this may include the shape of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components), the size of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components), the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components), and the model number of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components)).

Furthermore, the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b has a connector housing MCN to which electrical wiring is connected, various ICs, various resistors, various capacitors, etc. mounted on its rear (back) surface. On the rear (back) surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, there are pads, through-holes, lands, etc. to which the electrodes (connection terminals) of the rear-side electronic components (back-side electronic components) such as the connector housing MCN, various ICs, various resistors, and various capacitors are soldered, and a white resist layer is formed by applying a white resist liquid to the entire area excluding the pads, through-holes, lands, etc. (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "solidly coated white resist"). Note that the white resist layer may be formed on a portion or all of each land. Also, the color of the resist layer formed on the rear (back) surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b is not limited to white; it may be other colors such as green.

In this embodiment, a white resist layer is formed on the rear surface (back side) of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b. However, no rear-side marking section (back side marking section) indicating the attributes of the rear-side electronic components (back side electronic components), such as the part number of the rear-side electronic component (back side electronic component) and an area indicating the position where the rear-side electronic component (back side electronic component) is placed (and may further include the shape of the rear-side electronic component (back side electronic component), the size of the rear-side electronic component (back side electronic component), the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the rear-side electronic component (back side electronic component), and the model number of the rear-side electronic component (back side electronic component), is formed on the resist layer. Note that the rear-side marking section (back side marking section) may be formed on the resist layer on the rear surface (back side) of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b. In this embodiment, the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b does not have a front-side labeling section on its rear (back) surface containing multiple pieces of information like the main control board 1310 described above. However, it may have a labeling section that indicates the attributes of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components), such as an area indicating the position where the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components) are placed, excluding part numbers that can identify the electronic components. (This may also include the shape of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components), the size of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components), the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components), and the model number of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components)).

Furthermore, the surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b in this embodiment do not have imprinted areas on their surfaces, unlike the imprinted areas formed on the surfaces of the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310. Specifically, the magnetic detection element MSD and controller CTR mounted on the front surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, and the surfaces of the various ICs mounted on the rear surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, do not have imprinted areas formed on them, unlike the imprinted areas formed on the surfaces of the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310. Furthermore, it is sufficient that at least some of the electronic components mounted on the front mounting surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b do not have imprinted portions formed on their surfaces, similar to those formed on the surfaces of electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310. However, electronic components with imprinted portions formed on their surfaces, similar to those formed on the surfaces of electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310, may be mounted on the front mounting surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, or electronic components with imprinted portions formed on their surfaces, similar to those formed on the surfaces of electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310, may be mounted on the back mounting surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b.

Furthermore, the wiring patterns formed on the front and back mounting surfaces of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b are identical. While the main control board 1310 has complex control means such as the main control MPU 1310a mounted on it, the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b only has simple control means such as the controller CTR mounted on it. Therefore, most of the wiring patterns formed on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b are signal lines or power lines, thus deterring unauthorized access to the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b. Additionally, the wiring patterns formed on the front and back mounting surfaces of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b are designed such that, for example, the length of the wiring patterns between electronic components is minimized on both the front and back mounting surfaces.

The socket insertion opening of the connector housing MCN has four terminals arranged in a single row parallel to the rear (back) surface of the magnetic sensor board 1050b. In other words, the connector socket connected to the end of the electrical wiring (harness) inserted into the socket insertion opening of the connector housing MCN is parallel to the rear (back) surface of the magnetic sensor board 1050b. This prevents the electrical wiring (harness) connected to the connector socket inserted into the socket insertion opening of the connector housing MCN from overlapping with the rear (back) and front (front) surfaces of the magnetic sensor board 1050b when the magnetic sensor board 1050b is housed in the enclosure and the opening of the enclosure is closed by the cover.

The controller CTR is electrically connected to the connector housing MCN via a wiring pattern formed on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b. The connector housing MCN is electrically connected to the main control board 1310 via an electrical harness. The four terminals of the connector housing MCN consist of a power line (e.g., DC +5V), a ground (GND) line, signal line 1, and signal line 2. The controller CTR can output the magnetic detection result (presence or absence of approaching magnet) as a detection signal to the main control board 1310 via signal line 1 and/or signal line 2.

Incidentally, the magnetic sensor 1050 is designed to detect unauthorized magnetism. If it is illegally modified, there is a risk that it may not be able to transmit the approach of a magnet to the main control board 1310. In this case, even if a magnet-based cheating scheme is performed, where a magnet is used to guide game balls into the first start port 2002 of the start port unit 2100, thereby increasing the chances of winning the lottery with fewer balls, the main control board 1310 may not be able to detect this fraudulent activity. Since the magnetic sensor 1050's casing is molded from transparent resin, when the magnetic sensor board 1050b is housed in the casing and the opening of the casing is covered by a cover, and it is attached to the back side of the transparent flat panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100 of the game board 5, the game hall manager and players can visually observe the front (surface) of the magnetic sensor board 1050b of the magnetic sensor 1050 from the front of the pachinko machine 1.

However, those attempting to commit fraud may use the state of the front surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, particularly the front-side markings (surface markings) that indicate the part numbers of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components) printed by silk screen printing, the areas indicating the positions where the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components) should be placed, etc. (and may also include the shape of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components), the size of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components), the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components), and the model number of the front-side electronic components (surface-side electronic components)), as a source of information to understand the circuit configuration from the wiring patterns formed on the front and rear surfaces (back surfaces) of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b and use this information to modify the circuit.

In this embodiment, on the front (surface) and rear (back) surfaces of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, there are no front-side markings (surface-side markings) or rear-side markings (back-side markings) on the white resist layer. Furthermore, in this embodiment, on the front (surface) surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, information for identifying what kind of electronic component each front-side electronic component is formed by removing the surrounding copper foil in the wiring pattern layer (copper plane) is not formed by removing the surrounding copper foil outside of that information. Similarly, on the rear (back) surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, information for identifying what kind of electronic component each rear-side electronic component is formed by removing the surrounding copper foil in the wiring pattern layer (copper plane) is not formed by removing the surrounding copper foil outside of that information. In other words, in this embodiment, no information is displayed on the front surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b to identify the electronic components mounted on its front side (surface side), nor is any information displayed on the rear surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b to identify the electronic components mounted on its rear side (back side). Therefore, it is possible to suppress the visual identification of the electronic components mounted on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, making it difficult to understand the circuit configuration of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

At least some of the surface-mount electronic components mounted on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b in this embodiment do not have imprinted areas on their surfaces, unlike the imprinted areas formed on the surfaces of the electronic components mounted on the main control substrate 1310. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the visual identification of at least some of the electronic components mounted on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, making it difficult to grasp the overall circuit configuration of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

In this embodiment, the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b has identical wiring patterns on the front and back mounting surfaces. This design allows for easy visual identification of connections between electronic components, while also enabling higher circuit speeds and miniaturization of the substrate. Furthermore, miniaturization (reducing the substrate area) increases the substrate's rigidity, suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing detachment of mounted electronic components. However, similar to the main control substrate 1310, the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b may also have different wiring patterns on the front and back mounting surfaces, thereby preventing unauthorized modification of electronic components mounted on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b and improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

Alternatively, the wiring pattern may be formed only on the front mounting surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, and not on the back mounting surface. This configuration eliminates the need to form through-holes connecting the wiring patterns on the front and back mounting surfaces of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b. This eliminates the risk of substrate defects caused by through-holes, which weaken the substrate. Therefore, the overall rigidity of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b can be increased compared to the case where wiring patterns are formed on both the front and back mounting surfaces. Note that it is sufficient that through-holes connecting the wiring patterns on the front and back mounting surfaces are not formed; through-holes (such as positioning through-holes or mounting through-holes for housing the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b) may be formed.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the magnetic sensor 1050 is housed in a box and cover made of transparent resin, when it is attached to the back side of the transparent panel plate 1110 on the game panel 1100 of the game board 5, the manager of the game hall can visually inspect the front (surface) of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b of the magnetic sensor 1050 from the front of the pachinko machine 1. This allows the manager of the game hall to visually inspect the front (surface) of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b of the magnetic sensor 1050 from the front of the pachinko machine 1 to confirm whether or not there is any fraud on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b. In addition, when the manager of the game hall opens the main body frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, the state of the rear (back) of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b becomes visible because the various components constituting the game board 5 are molded (formed) from transparent resin. This allows the manager of the amusement hall to visually inspect the condition of the magnetic sensor board 1050b of the pachinko machine 1 from the front of the machine, thereby confirming whether or not there has been any tampering with the magnetic sensor board 1050b.

Furthermore, the case housing the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b has the product management number of the magnetic sensor 1050 (for example, FDUFPA03A) engraved on it. As mentioned above, the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b in this example does not have a marking area, but the product management number is engraved on the case housing the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b. Also, the substrate management number is not formed on either the front (surface) or back (back) surface of the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the function of the substrate by visually inspecting only the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b. However, by engraving the product management number on the case housing the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, it is possible to determine, for example, that the magnetic sensor 1050 is housed there by checking the engraving during the manufacturing process, thus preventing installation errors.

The product identification number for the magnetic sensor 1050 may be formed on at least one of the case's casing and cover, or it may be formed in a location visible from the outside of the case (for example, on the surface of the cover). If the product identification number for the magnetic sensor 1050 is formed in a location visible from the outside of the case, it becomes easier to verify the product identification number during the manufacturing process, allowing for immediate identification of the presence of the magnetic sensor 1050, thus improving work efficiency.

Furthermore, since the magnetic sensor substrate 1050 does not have a CPU mounted on it, and processes information based on signals from the main control MPU 1310a mounted on the main control board 1310 located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1, its impact on the progress of the game and the player's profit is small, and the need for stable operation is low. Therefore, in this example, the magnetic sensor substrate 1050 does not have a solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)). This allows for a higher mounting density of electronic components compared to when a solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) is formed on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050, enabling miniaturization of the substrate and increasing its rigidity. This suppresses deformation such as warping, preventing mounted electronic components from peeling off. The miniaturization also makes it difficult for players to notice substrates such as the magnetic sensor substrate 1050, and by concealing its presence, the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the substrate being read is reduced, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

[Improving the ease of detecting fraud 1]
Next, we will describe a configuration that improves the ease of visually detecting tampering with a circuit board, such as alteration of electronic components, on a circuit board on which surface-mount type electronic components are mounted.

On the main control board 1310, the administrator of the gaming machine can open the main frame 4 from the outer frame 2 and visually inspect the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 through the transparent cover body 1301 to determine whether or not the main control board 1310 has been illegally modified. Specifically, when visually determining whether the main control board 1310 has been illegally modified, for example, the presence or absence of signs of modification to surface-mount type electronic components that are more important for controlling the pachinko machine 1 can be visually determined. If signs of modification are found in important surface-mount type electronic components, it is determined that the main control board 1310 has been illegally modified. However, since multiple electronic components are mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, it is difficult to visually identify important surface-mount type electronic components from among these multiple components.

In this example, the main control board 1310 incorporates measures to allow for easy visual identification of important surface-mount type electronic components from among multiple electronic components, in light of the circumstances described above. Figure 363 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the electronic component mounting state in the main control board 1310 of the other example described above.

As shown in Figure 363, the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 has multiple surface-mount type electronic components and multiple lead-type electronic components mounted on it. Here, the surface-mount type electronic component is, for example, an integrated circuit (hereinafter simply referred to as a chip component) IC1, which is fixed to the board by soldering its connection terminal IC1a to a pad 1310k formed on the board surface. The lead-type (insertion-hole type) electronic component is, for example, a capacitor MC1, which is fixed to the board by inserting its lead terminal into a through-hole 1310r and soldering this lead terminal to the through-hole 1310r or a land.

Near the surface-mount type electronic component IC1 (for example, a security-critical electronic component to which a start-up winning signal that triggers a lottery and a magnetic sensor detection signal that detects abnormalities are input) mounted on the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, a lead-type electronic component, a capacitor MC1, is mounted. The capacitor MC1 can stably supply the power necessary to drive the chip component IC1, and one capacitor MC1 is mounted in pairs for each chip component IC1. Specifically, the chip component IC1 and the capacitor MC1 are mounted adjacent to each other (with the non-mountable electronic component area in between) while avoiding the non-mountable electronic component area.

In this embodiment, the main control board 1301 performs surface mounting of surface-mount components and reflow processing, followed by insert mounting of through-hole components and flow processing. Surface-mount components are attracted by the pickup of the mounting device, transported to the mounting position, and mounted on the main control board 1301; therefore, the pickup of the mounting device for surface-mount components is nozzle-shaped. On the other hand, the pickup of the mounting device for through-hole components has a guide portion that guards the leads from the outside, and the through-hole components are transported to the mounting position and mounted while guarded by the guide portion. Therefore, when mounting through-hole components near surface-mount components that are already mounted, it is necessary to determine the mounting position of the through-hole components so that the guide portion does not interfere with the surface-mount components. In this embodiment, the capacitor MC1 is mounted adjacent to the chip component IC1 (across the area where electronic components cannot be mounted) at a position that avoids the area where electronic components cannot be mounted, which is determined based on the shape of the pickup of the mounting device. Although vias and wiring patterns may be formed in the area where electronic components cannot be mounted, the mounting of other electronic components between the chip component IC1 and the capacitor MC1 is restricted, and the capacitor MC1 is mounted at the closest adjacent position. This makes it easy to identify that chip component IC1 is an important electronic component.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, capacitor MC1 is an electronic component that stably supplies the power necessary to drive chip component IC1. Therefore, the markings on the surface side of the main control board 1301 (part number of capacitor MC1 and part number of chip component IC1) are formed to avoid areas where electronic components cannot be mounted. That is, areas where electronic components cannot be mounted are areas where vias and wiring patterns may be formed, but where other electronic components cannot be mounted, and where the surface-side markings of capacitor MC1, which serve as a visual indicator, are not formed. This makes it easy to identify chip component IC1 as an important electronic component.

Furthermore, while the MC1 capacitor has a blue casing with the part number printed on it, it is desirable that the part number be printed in a color that enhances the contrast with the MC1 capacitor's casing. Specifically, if the MC1 capacitor's casing is blue, it is desirable that the part number be printed in white, black, yellow, red, orange, green, purple, or a combination of these colors.

Furthermore, when the chip component IC1 is mounted on the outer periphery of the main control board 1301, an area where electronic components cannot be mounted is provided outside the chip component IC1, and the capacitor MC1 is mounted outside the chip component IC1 so that this area is sandwiched between the chip component IC1 and the capacitor MC1. This ensures that, even in situations where the board is directly touched, such as during assembly work into the cover body 1301 of the board box 1320, the important chip component IC1 is mounted with the area where electronic components cannot be mounted sandwiched inside the capacitor MC1, which serves as a visual indicator. This prevents the worker from touching the chip component IC1, allowing for safe handling of the board.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the administrator opens the main frame 4 to the outer frame 2 and visually inspects the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 through the transparent cover body 1301, the lead-type electronic component capacitor MC1 mounted near the surface-mount type electronic component chip component IC1 acts as a visual marker indicating the position where the surface-mount type electronic component chip component IC1 is mounted on the main control board 1310. Therefore, even if fraudulent activity such as alteration of the chip component IC1 on the main control board 1310 occurs, the administrator can easily identify the chip component IC1 using the capacitor MC1 as a visual marker from among multiple electronic components, and easily detect fraud against the main control board 1310. Thus, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, fraudulent activity such as alteration of electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 can be suppressed, and the security of the pachinko machine 1 can be improved.

Furthermore, the capacitor MC1 is an in-hole component, and as shown in Figure 367, it is formed with leads that have two or more bends (in this example, leads formed with two bends) and then inserted into the substrate and soldered. Therefore, it has significantly higher mounting strength to the substrate compared to surface-mount components that are soldered to the substrate, and its strength is higher than leads that have no bends or are formed with only one bend, thus improving its reliability as a visual indicator. Additionally, the capacitor MC1 can stably supply the power necessary to drive the chip component IC1, and since one capacitor MC1 is provided in pairs for each chip component IC1, it is desirable to use the capacitor MC1 as a visual indicator for the chip component IC1, which is an important surface-mount component.

On the main control board 1301, grounds other than those for power and signal wiring patterns are formed on both sides of the board using so-called solid ground patterns (GND (board ground)), ensuring stable operation of the electronic circuits composed of various electronic components. Therefore, when mounting the lead-type capacitor MC1 on the main control board 1301, there is a risk of poor solder adhesion, particularly on the ground side of the pad. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 359(A) and 359(B), special lands with a different shape from the power supply side lands are used in the regions provided at both ends of the through-holes for mounting lead-type capacitors MC1 formed on the mounting surface (front) 1310x and solder surface (back) 1310y of the main control board 1301. These lands have a thermal pattern with a gap between the land and the inner circumference of the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) surrounding the outer circumference of the land, and are connected only at four points in four radial directions from the center of the land, each at a 45-degree angle; these are so-called thermal lands. This suppresses poor solder adhesion when mounting capacitors MC1 to the main control board 1301. Note that the use of special lands is not limited to the mounting surface (front) 1310x side and the solder surface (back) 1310y side of the through-holes; special lands may be used only on one of the mounting surface (front) 1310x side and the solder surface (back) 1310y side of the through-holes.

Furthermore, the main control board 1310 is equipped with a CPU (main control MPU 1310a) that controls the progress of the game, input and output circuits connected to the main control MPU 1310a, and input and output connectors connected to the input and output circuits. The main control MPU 1310a receives input signals from the data bus line directly connected to the input circuit, analyzes the progress of the game from the received input signals, and outputs an appropriate output signal based on the analysis results to the output circuit from the data bus line directly connected to the output circuit. Therefore, the data bus line is the most important wiring pattern among the wiring patterns formed on the main control board 1310, and the chip components IC1, etc., that constitute the input and output circuits and are at least directly connected to the data bus line are important surface-mount type electronic components.

Furthermore, the lead-type electronic component capacitor MC1 has a surface with a conspicuously different color from the resist of the main control board 1310, the surface of the surface-mount type electronic component chip IC1, and the surface-side markings and stamping areas. Therefore, even if fraudulent activity such as alteration of the chip component IC1 occurs on the main control board 1310, the administrator can more easily identify the surface-mount type electronic component chip IC1 by using the conspicuously visible capacitor MC1 on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 as a visual target, thereby easily detecting any fraud against the main control board 1310.

The lead-type electronic component, capacitor MC1, has a blue surface that is easily visible on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, unlike the dark green or black resist of the main control board 1310 and the black surface color of the surface-mount type electronic component, chip component IC1. Furthermore, even though capacitor MC1 has a highly visible color, it is desirable that it is a different color from the light white or yellow of the surface markings and imprinted areas. The surface color of capacitor MC1 is not limited to blue; any light color that is easily visible against the dark colors of the main control board 1310's resist and the surface of chip component IC1 is acceptable. For example, it may be a single color such as red, pink, orange, or purple, or a multi-color using at least two of these colors. If two or more colors are used, the color combination should be such that capacitor MC1 is easily visible, for example, by forming a brown or black pattern on a yellow-green background. In other words, any color combination that enhances the contrast with the colors of important electronic components, or the color contrast of the electronic component itself that serves as a visual target, is acceptable.

Furthermore, the leaded electronic component capacitor MC1 is adjacent to the surface-mount type electronic component chip IC1 in a specific direction. Therefore, the administrator can use the capacitor MC1 as a visual target on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and more easily identify the surface-mount type electronic component chip IC1 adjacent in the direction opposite to the specific direction of the capacitor MC1, thereby easily detecting any tampering with the main control board 1310. The specific direction is, for example, the longitudinal direction of the surface-mount type electronic component chip IC1.

Furthermore, the capacitor MC1, a leaded electronic component, is taller than surface-mount electronic components (it protrudes more from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 when mounted). Therefore, even if the chip component IC1 on the main control board 1310 is altered, the administrator can more easily identify the surface-mount chip component IC1 by using the capacitor MC1, which is easily visible on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, as a visual cue, thus easily detecting any tampering with the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, the blue-surfaced electronic components of the main control board 1310 may be mounted near all surface-mount type electronic components, or near at least one surface-mount type electronic component excluding all surface-mount type electronic components. In the configuration where the blue-surfaced electronic components of the main control board 1310 are mounted near all surface-mount type electronic components, even if fraud is committed on the main control board 1310, such as by illegally altering electronic components, the administrator can more reliably detect the fraud by using the blue-surfaced electronic components as a visual indicator. In contrast, in the main control board 1310, in an configuration where the blue-surfaced electronic components are mounted near at least one surface-mount type electronic component excluding all other surface-mount type electronic components, mounting the blue-surfaced electronic components near more important surface-mount type electronic components (for example, the main control MPU 1310a or electronic components related to the operation of the main control MPU 1310a (such as an oscillator)) reduces the burden on the administrator who visually inspects the surface mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 using the blue-surfaced electronic components as a visual indicator. Furthermore, the administrator can use the blue-surfaced electronic components as a visual indicator to detect fraud.

Furthermore, while the above example uses a surface-mount type electronic component and a lead-type electronic component, specifically a chip component IC1 and a capacitor MC1 provided to stably ensure the function of chip component IC1, it is not limited to lead-type electronic components provided to stably ensure the function of a specific surface-mount type electronic component. A lead-type electronic component provided to stably ensure the function of a special surface-mount type electronic component different from the specific surface-mount type electronic component may be placed adjacent to the specific surface-mount type electronic component. Alternatively, both a lead-type electronic component provided to stably ensure the function of a specific surface-mount type electronic component and a lead-type electronic component provided to stably ensure the function of a special surface-mount type electronic component may be placed adjacent to the specific surface-mount type electronic component.

Furthermore, while the above example uses IC1 as a surface-mount type electronic component and MC1 as a lead-type electronic component, it is not limited to these. In other words, this technological concept applies to any type of electronic component, as long as at least one surface-mount type electronic component is provided adjacent to it. By using a specific color for the exterior of a particular electronic component, it becomes easier to identify the location of electronic components mounted adjacent to that specific electronic component (for example, important chip components), rather than the specific electronic component itself. This improves the efficiency of the administrator's work in checking for irregularities on the circuit board.

Specifically, diodes and resistors can be used as lead-type electronic components to replace capacitor MC1. In particular, some diodes have appearances not seen in capacitors or resistors, such as glass tubes. For example, diodes incorporated into a circuit to cancel the back electromotive force generated when driving a solenoid are incorporated in multiples within a driver IC, an integrated circuit capable of driving multiple solenoids. Of these diodes, only the diode in the circuit driving the most important solenoid may be a lead-type diode, or all diodes in all circuits may be lead-type diodes. Furthermore, diodes may be mounted adjacent to each other in a location that avoids areas where electronic components cannot be mounted relative to each other.

Furthermore, while capacitor MC1 has a conspicuously colored (blue) surface on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and therefore capacitor MC1 could potentially be targeted for fraud, because capacitor MC1 is a leaded electronic component, it is more difficult to remove from the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 compared to surface-mount electronic components, thus deterring fraud against the main control board 1310.

In contrast, on the front and back mounting surfaces of the functional display board 1402 and magnetic sensor board 1050b described above, lead-type electronic components are not mounted near surface-mount type electronic components. Instead, the method described below is used to deter fraudulent activity.

Even if leaded electronic components were mounted near surface-mount electronic components on the function display board 1402, the opaque back cover portion 1412 of the function display unit 1400 would make it difficult for an administrator to visually detect any tampering with the function display board 1402. Furthermore, if someone attempting to tamper with the function display board 1402 were to remove it from the opaque back cover portion 1412 of the function display unit 1400, they could potentially identify important surface-mount electronic components mounted on the function display board 1402 using the leaded electronic components as a visual indicator. Therefore, in this embodiment of the pachinko machine 1, by avoiding the mounting of leaded electronic components near surface-mount electronic components on the function display board 1402, the unauthorized modification of electronic components mounted on the function display board 1402 can be suppressed, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, even when lead-type electronic components are mounted near surface-mount type electronic components on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, there is a risk that someone attempting to tamper with the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b could visually inspect the substrate 1050b through the transparent cover of the magnetic sensor 1050 and identify important surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b using the lead-type electronic components as a visual target. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, by not mounting lead-type electronic components near surface-mount type electronic components on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, it is possible to suppress unauthorized modification of the electronic components mounted on the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b, thereby improving the security of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, connectors among light-colored lead-type electronic components may be mounted near the surface-mount type electronic components on the function display board 1402 and the magnetic sensor board 1050b. Since such connectors are conspicuous on the function display board 1402 and the magnetic sensor board 1050b, workers connecting wiring to the connectors can easily identify them visually, thereby improving the worker's efficiency.

In the above-described embodiment, the main control board 1310 was described as a board provided on the back side of the game board 5, with its front mounting surface (mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633) facing the back side opposite to the player. However, it is not limited to this, and other boards such as the payout control board 633 on which the microprocessor is mounted may also be used. In other words, what is referred to as the main control board 1310 in the above-described embodiment can be read as other boards such as the payout control board 633, and can be applied to the corresponding boards.

In the embodiment described above, the main control board 1310 is located on the back of the back box 3010, which is attached to the back of the game board 5 so that various performance devices, a collection route for taking in game balls, and an opening and closing device for the big prize slot are facing the player. In contrast, the function display board 1402 is located on the front side of the back box 3010, and its mounting surface (mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310, mounting surface (front) of the payout control board 633) is facing the back side opposite to the player. However, the embodiment is not limited to this, and other boards such as the sensor board for the first start-up sensor 3002 or the sensor board for the second start-up sensor 2401 may also be used. In other words, the functional display board 1402 described in the above embodiment can be interpreted as other boards such as the sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 or the sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401, and the method can be applied to the corresponding boards.

[Improving the ease of detecting fraud 2]
In the above-mentioned improvement in the ease of detecting fraud, lead-type electronic components were placed adjacent to important electronic components such as chip components IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted, so that important electronic components such as chip components IC1 could be identified using the lead-type electronic components as a target. However, it may also be possible to make it possible to identify important electronic components such as chip components IC1, which are surface-mount type electronic components, by using a specific surface-mount type electronic component (chip component) as an indicator, thereby making it easier to detect fraud against the main control board 1310. This point will be explained below. Note that the following explanation will not cover parts that overlap with the above-described embodiment.

In the improvement of ease of detecting fraud described above, capacitor MC1, a lead-type electronic component having a conspicuously colored surface different from the resist of the main control board 1310, the surface of surface-mount type electronic component IC1, the surface-side marking area, and the stamped area, is mounted adjacent to important surface-mount type electronic components such as chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). This makes it even easier to identify surface-mount type electronic component IC1 from among multiple electronic components by using the conspicuously colored capacitor MC1 on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 as a target. However, in this example, lead-type The chip capacitor MC1', a surface-mount type electronic component (chip component), is mounted in a conspicuous color, distinct from the surface, surface markings, and imprinting areas of the chip component IC1. By mounting it adjacent to important surface-mount type electronic components such as the chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the non-mountable area), the surface-mount type electronic component IC1 can be easily identified from among multiple electronic components by using the conspicuous surface-mount type electronic component (chip component) MC1' as a visual indicator on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310.

Figure 368 shows an example of mounting a chip capacitor MC1', a specific surface-mount type electronic component, adjacent to an important surface-mount type electronic component such as chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted).

As shown in Figure 368, the chip capacitor MC1', a specific surface-mount type electronic component, is positioned adjacent to important electronic components such as the chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted. Figure 368(A) shows an example where two pads 1310ka are provided on the short side of the chip component IC1, approximately parallel to the short side of the chip component IC1. The two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' are soldered to each of the two pads 1310ka, thereby positioning the chip capacitor MC1' and the chip component IC1 in the same orientation.

As shown in Figure 368, by mounting a lead-type electronic component, capacitor MC1, which has a surface of a conspicuous color different from the resist, surface of surface-mount type electronic component IC1, surface-side marking area, and stamping area of the main control board 1310, adjacent to important surface-mount type electronic components such as chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted), the surface-mount type electronic component (chip component), chip capacitor MC1', can be used as a visual target to easily identify the surface-mount type electronic component, chip component IC1.

Note that the arrangement shown in Figure 368(A) is just one example. The arrangement is not limited to the above, as long as the capacitor MC1, a lead-type electronic component with a conspicuously colored surface different from the resist of the main control board 1310, the surface of the surface-mount type electronic component IC1, the surface-side marking area, and the stamped area, is mounted adjacent to important surface-mount type electronic components such as the IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted).

For example, a chip component IC1 or other important surface-mount type electronic component may be mounted adjacent to it, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). Two pads 1310ka may be provided on the long side of the chip component IC1 so as to be approximately parallel to the long side of the chip component IC1, and the two electrodes MC1a' of a specific surface-mount type electronic component, the chip capacitor MC1', and the chip component IC1 may be positioned at 90° different angles. Alternatively, two pads 1310ka may be provided on both sides of the short side of the chip component IC1 so as to be approximately parallel to the short side of the chip component IC1, and the two electrodes MC1a' of a specific surface-mount type electronic component, the chip capacitor MC1', may be soldered to each of the two pads 1310ka provided on both sides of the short side of the chip component IC1 so as to be the same as the chip component IC1. The chip component IC1 may be sandwiched between chip capacitors MC1' arranged in the following orientation: Alternatively, two pads 1310ka may be provided on both sides of the long side of chip component IC1, approximately parallel to the long side of chip component IC1, and the two electrodes MC1a' of a specific surface-mount type chip capacitor MC1' may be soldered to each of the two pads 1310ka on both sides of the long side of chip component IC1, thereby sandwiching chip component IC1 with chip capacitors MC1' arranged in an orientation 90° different from that of chip component IC1; or two pads 1310ka may be provided on the short side of chip component IC1, approximately parallel to the long side of chip component IC1, and the two electrodes MC1a' of a specific surface-mount type chip capacitor MC1' may be soldered to each of the two pads 1310ka, thereby arranging chip capacitors MC1' and chip component IC1 in orientations 90° different from each other.

The surface-mount type chip capacitor MC1', a general-purpose component, has a light brown exterior color that differs from the resist color of the main control board 1310 and the exterior color of the chip component IC1. This difference in exterior color from the resist color of the main control board 1310 and the exterior color of the chip component IC1 makes it easier to detect when mounted on the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, the chip capacitor MC1', as a specific surface-mount type electronic component, may have its exterior color changed from the original light brown shown in Figure 368(A) to a different color, such as blue, as shown in Figure 368(B). This change is made to a color that is more conspicuous on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and the surface color of the surface-mount type electronic component, chip component IC1.

Furthermore, the exterior color of at least the exterior portion of the chip capacitor MC1' excluding the electrode MC1a' may not be changed to blue. It may also be changed to a light color that stands out against the dark color of the resist on the main control board 1310 and the surface of the chip component IC1, that is, a color that has high contrast against the dark color of the resist on the main control board 1310 and the surface of the chip component IC1 (a light color in this example). For example, it may be changed to a single color such as red, pink, orange, or purple, or to a multi-color using at least two of these colors. If two or more colors are used, for example, a combination of colors that makes the chip capacitor MC1' stand out may be changed, such as forming a brown or black pattern on a yellow-green background. In other words, it may be changed to a combination of colors that increases the contrast with the color of important electronic components, or the color contrast of the electronic component itself that serves as a visual target. Furthermore, it is desirable that the exterior color of the chip capacitor MC1', after modification (excluding at least the electrode MC1a'), be a color that offers high contrast against the dark color of the resist on the main control board 1310 and the surface of the chip component IC1, and is easily noticeable, but is different from the light white or yellow of the surface markings and imprinted areas. Using a different color from the light white or yellow of the surface markings and imprinted areas makes it easier to find the chip capacitor MC1'.

Furthermore, the improvement in the ease of detecting fraud (2) can be implemented in combination with the improvement in the ease of detecting fraud (1) described above, and it can also achieve the same effect by being implemented under the same conditions as the improvement in the ease of detecting fraud (1). That is, the part referred to as the lead-type capacitor MC1 in the improvement in the ease of detecting fraud (1) can be replaced with a surface-mount type chip capacitor MC1'.

[3] Improving the ease of detecting fraud
In the above-mentioned improvement in the ease of detecting fraud, we showed a method of identifying important electronic components such as surface-mount type chip components IC1 using a specific surface-mount type electronic component (chip component) as an indicator. However, it is also possible to make it easier to find a specific surface-mount type electronic component (chip component) by mounting it on the substrate in a way that is different from the usual method. This point will be explained below. Note that the following explanation will not cover parts that overlap with the above-mentioned embodiment.

Figures 369(A) and (B) are explanatory diagrams showing the mounting state of a chip capacitor MC1' as a specific surface-mount type electronic component. In this example, multiple pins 1315 are mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. These pins 1315 have a U-shape, and each of their two ends is inserted into a through-hole 1310r of the main control board 1310 and welded in place by solder or the like.

As shown in Figure 369, in this example, the chip capacitor MC1' is mounted on the main control board 1310 by soldering two pins 1315, which are inserted into the through-hole 1310r of the main control board 1310 and then welded to the pins to erect upright on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. The pins 1315 are made of a conductive material (in this example, a metal such as iron, copper, or an alloy thereof), and the two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' are soldered to each of the two pins 1315, so that the two pins 1315 function as connection terminals.

Thus, in this example, instead of soldering the two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1', a specific surface-mount type electronic component, to two pads 1310ka formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, the chip capacitor MC1' is mounted at a position away from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Instead, the two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' are soldered to two pins 1315 that are inserted into the through-hole 1310r of the main control board 1310 and then welded to the pins, resulting in a mounting position away from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 (above).

As a result, by soldering each of the two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1', which is a specific surface-mount type electronic component, to each of the two pads 1310ka provided on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, the mounting position of the chip capacitor MC1', which is a specific surface-mount type electronic component, can be raised compared to when the chip capacitor MC1', which is a specific surface-mount type electronic component, is directly mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. This makes it easier to find the chip capacitor MC1', which is a specific surface-mount type electronic component, among the multiple electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Using the chip capacitor MC1', which is a specific surface-mount type electronic component, as a target, it becomes easier to identify the chip component IC1, which is a surface-mount type electronic component mounted adjacent to the chip capacitor MC1', separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). Therefore, when the administrator opens the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 and visually inspects the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 through the transparent cover 1301, they can immediately notice the presence and mounting position of the chip capacitor MC1', making it easy to detect any tampering with the main control board 1310.

In other words, as described above in Improvement of Ease of Identifying Fraud 2, the chip capacitor MC1', which is a specific surface-mount type electronic component, is positioned adjacent to the surface-mount type electronic component IC1 in a specific direction (see Figure 368). The chip capacitor MC1', which is a specific surface-mount type electronic component mounted near the surface-mount type electronic component IC1, acts as a visual indicator on the main control board 1310 to show the location where the surface-mount type electronic component IC1 is mounted. Therefore, even if fraud such as alteration of the chip component IC1 on the main control board 1310 occurs, the administrator can easily identify the chip component IC1 using the chip capacitor MC1' as a visual indicator from among multiple electronic components, and easily detect fraud against the main control board 1310. Thus, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, fraud such as alteration of electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 can be suppressed, and the security of the pachinko machine 1 can be improved.

Furthermore, the chip capacitor MC1' is mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 by soldering the two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' to each of the two pins 1315 that are welded to the main control board 1310x by soldering while inserted into the through-hole 1310r of the main control board 1310. In order to mount the chip capacitor MC1' on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, the two pads 1310ka provided on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 are each used to solder the two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' as a specific surface mount type electronic component. Compared to mounting the chip capacitor MC1' as a specific surface-mount type electronic component on the main control board 1310 by soldering each of the two electrodes MC1a', this method reduces the area of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 that is covered by the chip capacitor MC1'. This allows for the formation of wiring patterns in the area between the lands 1310s of the two through-holes 1310r into which the two pins 1315 are inserted, on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 below the chip capacitor MC1'. This improves the design flexibility of the gaming machine.

As shown in Figures 369(A) and (B), this example shows the pins 1315 in a U-shape, with the two electrodes MC1a' of a specific surface-mount type chip capacitor MC1' soldered to each of the two pins 1315. However, the shape of the pins 1315 and the welding method of the electrodes MC1a' to the pins 1315 (welding position, welding method (soldering or not), etc.) are not limited to those described above, as long as they allow the chip capacitor MC1' to be mounted at a higher position compared to when it is directly mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310.

For example, the pin 1315 may be straight, L-shaped, or crank-shaped (having two or more bends), with one end (third connection) inserted into the through-hole 1310r of the main control board 1310 and welded with solder, and the other end (fourth connection) welded to the two electrodes MC1a' of a chip capacitor MC1', which is a specific surface-mount type electronic component. Alternatively, the pin 1315 may be flat as shown in Figure 369, or cylindrical like a normal lead wire.

In this case, the pin 1315 may be soldered to the vicinity of the other end of the pin 1315 while it is positioned along the portion of the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' as a specific surface-mount type electronic component that constitutes a part of the widest surface of the chip capacitor MC1' (the right side in Figure 369(A) and the back surface in Figure 369(B)). Alternatively, the pin 1315 may be soldered to the vicinity of the other end of the pin 1315 while it is positioned along the portion of the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' as a specific surface-mount type electronic component that constitutes a part of the narrowest surface that is adjacent to the widest surface of the chip capacitor MC1' and positioned perpendicular to the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 (the left and right sides of the chip capacitor MC1' in Figure 369(B)). In this case, compared to the case where the other end of the pin 1315 is welded with solder or the like while the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1', which is a specific surface-mount type electronic component, is positioned along a portion of the widest surface of the chip capacitor MC1', the spacing between the lands 1310s of the two through-holes 1310r into which the pin 1315 is inserted can be widened. This makes it possible to create a wider space on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 below the chip capacitor MC1', and by forming a wiring pattern in this space, the degree of freedom in designing the gaming machine with a single-sided mounted main control board 1310 can be improved. Furthermore, since the pin 1315 is positioned along the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' and its other end is welded to it with solder or the like, the contact area between the pin 1315 and the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' increases. This strengthens the weld between the pin 1315 and the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1', making it difficult for the pin 1315 to detach from the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1'. This further enhances the rigidity of the substrate.

Furthermore, when mounting a specific surface-mount type electronic component (in this example, a chip capacitor MC1') on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 using a pin 1315 having a crank shape (a shape having two or more bent parts), the spacing between the lands 1310s of the two through-holes 1310r into which one end of the pin 1315 is inserted can be widened compared to mounting a specific surface-mount type electronic component (in this example, a chip capacitor MC1') on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 using a pin 1315 without bent parts. This makes it possible to create a larger space on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 below the chip capacitor MC1', and by forming a wiring pattern in this space, the degree of freedom in designing the gaming machine can be improved in a single-sided mounting main control board 1310. Furthermore, the spacing between the two through-holes 1310r into which one end of pin 1315 is inserted only needs to be wider than the width of a specific surface-mount type electronic component (in this example, the chip capacitor MC1'). For example, the spacing may be approximately the same as the width of the surface-mount type electronic component IC1 mounted adjacent to the chip capacitor MC1' with an electronic component non-mountable area in between (avoiding the non-mountable area), or it may be wider than the width of the chip component IC1.

Furthermore, as described above in Improvement of Ease of Identifying Fraud 2, the surface-mount type chip capacitor MC1', which is a general-purpose component, has a light brown exterior color that differs from the resist of the main control board 1310 and the exterior color of the chip component IC1, except for the electrode MC1a', including at least the widest surface that is mounted perpendicular to the substrate (the area that is filled in in Figure 369(B)). In addition to the surface-mount type chip capacitor MC1' having an exterior color different from the resist of the main control board 1310 and the exterior color of the chip component IC1, the elevated mounting position makes it easier to find the chip capacitor MC1' when mounted on the main control board 1310. Using the chip capacitor MC1' as a specific surface-mount type electronic component as a target, it becomes easier to identify the chip component IC1, which is a surface-mount type electronic component mounted adjacent to the chip capacitor MC1' with an electronic component mounting non-removable area in between (avoiding the electronic component mounting non-removable area). Therefore, when the administrator opens the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 and visually inspects the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 through the transparent cover 1301, they can immediately notice the presence and mounting position of the chip capacitor MC1', making it easy to detect any tampering with the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, similar to the improvement in ease of detecting fraud (2), the outer casing of the chip capacitor MC1', a specific surface-mount type electronic component, excluding its electrode MC1a', may be changed from its original light brown color to a color different from the dark green or black resist of the main control board 1310 and the black surface color of the surface-mount type electronic component IC1 (the area filled in in Figure 369(B)).

For example, the exterior color of at least the exterior portion of the chip capacitor MC1', excluding the electrode MC1a', may be a light color that stands out against the dark color of the resist on the main control board 1310 and the surface of the chip component IC1, that is, a color that provides high contrast against the dark color of the resist on the main control board 1310 and the surface of the chip component IC1 (a light color in this example). For example, it may be changed by coloring to a single color such as blue, light blue, red, pink, orange, or purple, or to a multi-color using at least two or more of these colors. If two or more colors are used, for example, a combination of colors that makes the chip capacitor MC1' stand out may be changed, such as forming a brown or black pattern on a yellow-green background. In other words, it may be changed to a combination of colors that enhances the contrast with the color of important electronic components, or the color contrast of the electronic component itself that serves as a visual target. Furthermore, it is desirable that the exterior color of the chip capacitor MC1', after modification (excluding at least the electrode MC1a'), be a color that offers high contrast against the dark color of the resist on the main control board 1310 and the surface of the chip component IC1, and is easily noticeable, but is different from the light white or yellow of the surface markings and imprinted areas. Using a different color from the light white or yellow of the surface markings and imprinted areas makes it easier to find the chip capacitor MC1'.

Furthermore, as a method for changing the exterior color of the chip capacitor MC1', in addition to coloring the exterior of the chip capacitor MC1' with a color other than its original light brown, a method of molding the chip capacitor MC1' with a resin (such as epoxy resin) of a different color from its original light brown (electrically insulating and sealing the chip capacitor MC1' from the outside with resin) may also be adopted. The surface-mount type chip capacitor MC1' is the smallest in size (either volume, capacity, or surface area) among the surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310. By molding such a small electronic component with resin (such as epoxy resin), the size can be increased compared to when the surface-mount type chip capacitor MC1' is provided in an exposed state, making it easier to find the chip capacitor MC1' among multiple electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. In addition, by using a different color for the molding resin—a lighter color than the original light brown—that stands out against the dark surface of the resist on the main control board 1310 and the surface of the chip component IC1, the chip capacitor MC1' becomes easier to find.

Furthermore, while molding the chip capacitor MC1' with a resin (such as epoxy resin) of a different color than its original light brown color could potentially make the chip capacitor MC1' susceptible to tampering, covering the portion where the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' is soldered to the pin 1315 with resin protects it and reinforces the welding between the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' and the pin 1315. Additionally, since the pin 1315 is soldered to the through-hole 1310r of the main control board 1310 while inserted, it becomes more difficult to remove the chip capacitor MC1' from the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 compared to soldering each of the two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' to the two pads 1310ka formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, thus deterring tampering with the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, surface-mount type chip capacitors MC1' have a small surface area, and in this example, the chip capacitor MC1' does not have a marking area formed on its surface. The lack of a marking area makes it difficult to verify whether the correct electronic component is mounted. As described above, by molding the surface-mount type chip capacitor MC1' with resin (such as epoxy resin), a curved shape resembling a rugby ball is formed by the resin surrounding the surface-mount type chip capacitor MC1'. This increases the surface area compared to the exposed state of the chip capacitor MC1', making it possible to form a marking area on the resin surface of the molded chip capacitor MC1'. This makes it easier to verify whether the correct electronic component is mounted by referring to the marking area.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 369(A) and (B), the chip capacitor MC1' is positioned so that its widest surface is perpendicular to the substrate. The imprinted portion formed on the resin surface of the molded chip capacitor MC1' is formed on the surface of the resin portion corresponding to the widest surface of the chip capacitor MC1', i.e., the surface perpendicular to the substrate (the surface of the chip capacitor MC1' in Figure 369(B)). Therefore, when viewing the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 from directly above (front view), the imprinted portion becomes difficult to see. However, when viewing the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 from a horizontal direction, the imprinted portion becomes visible. This makes it difficult to identify electronic components by referring to the imprinted portion, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

In other words, surface-mount electronic components are typically soldered to pads on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, with the widest surface of the component positioned horizontally to the board. The imprint is formed on the widest surface that is horizontal to the board—in other words, the top surface (outermost surface) of the surface-mount electronic component. Therefore, normally, the imprint is easily visible by viewing the board from the front, making it easy to identify the electronic component. However, in this example, the widest surface of the chip capacitor MC1' is mounted perpendicular to the board, and the imprint is formed on the widest surface perpendicular to the board—in other words, on the side of the molded chip capacitor MC1'. This makes it difficult to see the imprint even when viewing the board from the front, thereby making it harder to identify the electronic component and increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

Furthermore, when surface-mount type electronic components are directly mounted on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, it is possible to position them so that the widest surface is perpendicular to the board. However, in this case, the welding between the pads of the main control board 1310 and the electrodes of the surface-mount type electronic components is weak. Moreover, since the surface-mount type electronic components are mounted so that they protrude from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, if contact occurs, the surface-mount type electronic components are prone to detaching from the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. On the other hand, in this example, it is possible to firmly weld the pins 1315 to the electrodes of the surface-mount type electronic components. This allows the surface of the surface-mount type electronic component facing the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 to be changed to a smaller surface area. Therefore, the mounting density can be increased, the wiring pattern can be shortened, and the circuit speed can be increased.

In the examples described above, surface-mount electronic components without a stamping area or those too small to have a stamping area formed are molded, and the stamping area is formed on the surface of the molding resin. However, the method is not limited to this; surface-mount electronic components with a stamping area are also molded, and the stamping area is formed on the surface of the molding resin as well. In this case, the stamping area may also be formed on the widest surface that is perpendicular to the substrate. In other words, the orientation of the imprinted area (from perpendicular to the substrate surface to horizontal to the substrate surface) can be changed. For example, when soldering the electrodes of a surface-mount electronic component to pads formed on the substrate surface, compared to soldering the electrodes to pins, the orientation of the surface-mount electronic component (the orientation of the widest surface of the electronic component) can be changed to alter the orientation of the imprinted area. Alternatively, the imprinted area can be formed on the surface of the molding resin corresponding to the widest surface of the modified surface-mount electronic component. This makes it more difficult to read the imprinted area when viewing the substrate from the front, thus making it harder to identify the electronic component and increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

Furthermore, the color of the imprinted area formed on the chip capacitor MC1' should preferably be a color that enhances the contrast with the color of the resin molding the chip capacitor MC1'. Specifically, if the resin molding the chip capacitor MC1' is blue, it is desirable that the imprinted area be marked in white, black, yellow, red, orange, green, purple, or a combination of these colors.

Furthermore, the improvement in the ease of detecting fraud 3 can be used in combination with either or both of the improvements in the ease of detecting fraud 1 and the improvement in the ease of detecting fraud 2 described above, or it can achieve the same effect by using it under the same conditions as either or both of the improvements in the ease of detecting fraud 1 and the improvement in the ease of detecting fraud 2 described above. That is, the part referred to as capacitor MC1 in improvement in the ease of detecting fraud 1 can be read as chip capacitor MC1', and the part referred to as chip capacitor MC1' in improvement in the ease of detecting fraud 2 can be read as chip capacitor MC1' mounted on the main control board 1310 by soldering the electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' to pins 1315 that are erected on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 while inserted into the through-hole 1310r of the main control board 1310.

[Preventing peeling of surface-mount electronic components 1]
Next, we will describe a method for preventing surface-mount type electronic components from detaching (detaching from the mounting) on a substrate on which surface-mount type electronic components are mounted. Note that the following description will not include any parts that overlap with the embodiments described above.

As described above, surface-mount electronic components are fixed to the circuit board by soldering the connection terminal IC 1a to the pad 1310k formed on the surface of the circuit board. Compared to lead-type (insertion-hole type, through-hole type) electronic components, which are fixed to the circuit board by inserting the lead terminal MC1a into the through-hole 1310r and soldering this lead terminal MC1a to the through-hole 1310r or land 1310s, surface-mount electronic components are weaker against deformation such as lateral impacts and circuit board warping. If a surface-mount electronic component is subjected to a lateral impact or if force is applied to the circuit board causing warping, it may peel off the surface of the circuit board (detachment), potentially causing malfunctions in game control.

In this example, the main control board 1310 incorporates measures to suppress the detachment (mounting detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components, in light of the circumstances described above. Figure 364(A) is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the mounting state of electronic components in the main control board 1310 of the other example described above, and is an enlarged view showing the mounting state of the chip component IC1, which is a surface-mount type electronic component, in Figure 358.

As shown in Figure 364(A), the chip component IC1, which is a surface-mount type electronic component mounted on the main control board 1310, has its connection terminal IC1a soldered to a pad 1310k (hatched area in Figure 364(A)) formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. A capacitor MC1 is placed adjacent to the chip component IC1, which is a surface-mount type electronic component, with an area where electronic components cannot be mounted in between (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted) in between (it is sufficient if the capacitor is placed adjacent without other electronic components in between, and through-holes, lands 1310s, vias, test points, etc. other than electronic components may be provided), so that a stable power supply necessary for driving the chip component IC1 can be provided. In this example, multiple pads 1310k are formed parallel to the longitudinal (horizontal) edges of the main control board 1310 (horizontal when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1). By soldering each of the multiple connection terminals IC1a of the chip component IC1 to the corresponding pads 1310k, the connection terminals IC1a of the chip component IC1 are mounted parallel to the longitudinal (horizontal) edges of the main control board 1310 (horizontal when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1).

Furthermore, in this example, a lead-type (insertion-mount type) electronic component is used, which is positioned adjacent to the surface-mount type chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). This capacitor MC1 is positioned on the same side as the surface-mount type chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). The lead terminal MC1a (in this example, a lead terminal MC1a formed to have two or more bends) is inserted into a through-hole 1310r and fixed to the substrate by soldering this lead terminal MC1a to the through-hole 1310r or land 1310s. The lead terminal MC1a is made of iron, copper, or an alloy thereof (such as CP wire, which is copper-plated iron wire further tin-plated, or tin-plated Cu wire), and in addition to having a predetermined bending strength, using a lead terminal MC1a formed to have two or more bends provides higher strength compared to lead terminals that do not have bends or are formed to have one bend. In other words, by inserting the lead terminals MC1a of a lead-type (insertion-mount type) capacitor MC1 into the through-hole 1310r and soldering these lead terminals MC1a to the through-hole 1310r and the land 1310s, and then fixing (insertion-mounting) the main control board 1310 to the mounting surface 1310x, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be increased, and deformation such as warping can be suppressed. Furthermore, since iron has higher bending strength than copper, it is desirable to use a capacitor MC1 with lead terminals MC1a (CP wire) made of iron or an iron alloy.

In this example, by mounting lead-type (insertion-hole) electronic components, which are a more robust mounting method than surface-mount electronic components, adjacent to surface-mount electronic components in a specific direction, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the unmountable area), the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be partially increased. This suppresses deformation such as warping in the area of the main control board 1310 where surface-mount electronic components are mounted, and prevents the surface-mount electronic components from detaching (detaching).

Furthermore, in this example, a lead-type (insertion-mount) electronic component, capacitor MC1, is mounted adjacent to the surface-mount type chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the unmountable area). This leads-type component is positioned in a specific direction (for example, closer to the top, left, bottom, or right edge of the main control board 1310 than the chip component IC1). Capacitor MC1 is taller than the surface-mount component (it protrudes more from the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 during mounting). Therefore, impact from a specific direction to the surface-mount type chip component IC1 is suppressed, preventing the chip component IC1 from detaching (failure to mount).

Furthermore, as mentioned above, surface-mount type electronic components, such as the chip component IC1, can be miniaturized compared to leaded electronic components. Therefore, on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, using the surface-mount type chip component IC1 reduces the density and volume of electronic components, thereby increasing mounting density. In addition, by positioning the surface-mount type chip component IC1 adjacent to the leaded electronic component capacitor MC1 in a specific direction, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the unmountable area), the risk of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 detaching (mounting detachment) can be suppressed, thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

In this example, for certain surface-mount type electronic components (e.g., ICs) mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, lead-type electronic components are used as adjacent components, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted in a specific direction (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). As a result, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be partially increased, preventing certain electronic components, such as important electronic components (e.g., ICs) involved in the progress of the game, from peeling off (detaching from the mounting surface), thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, it is also possible to arrange lead-type electronic components adjacent to all surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted in a specific direction (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). In this case, the rigidity of the area on the main control board 1310 where surface-mount type electronic components are mounted can be increased, and detachment (mounting detachment) of all surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 can be suppressed, thereby further improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 364(A), in this example, the spacing between the two through-holes 1310r (including the lands 1310s) for mounting adjacent lead-type electronic components is wider than the outer shape of the surface-mount type electronic component. This wider spacing could be the spacing between the outermost edges of the lands 1310s or the spacing between the centers of the through-holes 1310r, while avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted. In other words, the surface-mount type electronic component is configured to fit between the two through-holes 1310r (including the lands 1310s) for mounting adjacent lead-type electronic components, while avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted.

Therefore, deformation such as warping can be suppressed in all areas of the main control board 1310 where surface-mount type electronic components are mounted (areas on which surface-mount type electronic components are placed), and furthermore, impact from a specific direction can be suppressed, thereby preventing the surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (detachment).

Furthermore, the spacing between two through-holes 1310r (including lands 1310s) for mounting adjacent lead-type electronic components, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted in a specific direction (avoiding the unmountable area), is wider than the outer shape including the connection terminal IC1a formed on the surface-mount type chip component IC1. Therefore, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 is increased over a wider area than the connection terminal IC1a of the chip component IC1 by the lead-type electronic components inserted and mounted in these two through-holes 1310r (including lands 1310s), thereby suppressing deformation such as warping of the main control board 1310. Moreover, it suppresses impact from a specific direction on the surface-mount type electronic components, preventing the connection terminal IC1a formed on the surface-mount type chip component IC1 from peeling off from the pad 1310k on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, for surface-mount type electronic components, the spacing between two through-holes 1310r (including lands 1310s) for mounting adjacent lead-type electronic components, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the unmountable area), should be at least equivalent to or wider than the outer shape of the main body of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 excluding the connection terminal IC1a. Even in this case, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 is increased over a wider area than the outer shape of the main body of the surface-mount type chip component IC1, suppressing deformation such as warping of the main control board 1310. Moreover, it suppresses impact from a specific direction to the main body of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 excluding the connection terminal IC1a, thereby preventing the surface-mount type electronic component from peeling off (detaching).

As shown in Figure 364(A), the surface-mount type chip component IC1 has connection terminals IC1a on two opposing sides of its main body. In this example, a lead-type electronic component, capacitor MC1, is positioned on one of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 that do not have connection terminals IC1a. Therefore, by providing one lead-type electronic component MC1 on both of the two opposing sides of the main body of the surface-mount type chip component IC1, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 is increased in the region including both of the connection terminals IC1a on the two opposing sides of the main body of the surface-mount type chip component IC1. This protects the connection terminals IC1a and prevents them from peeling off the pads 1310k on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, in this example, the straight line connecting the two through-holes 1310r formed for mounting lead-type electronic components is formed to be approximately parallel to the short-side direction of the main control board 1310 (the vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1), and the lead-type electronic components are arranged to be approximately parallel to the short-side edges of the main control board 1310. Therefore, the lead-type electronic components inserted and mounted in these through-holes 1310r can suppress bending and warping along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 (the longer combination of the four sides of the main control board 1310) (the horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1). In addition, it can suppress direct impact from the side of the short side of the main control board 1310 (the shorter combination of the four sides of the main control board 1310) where the lead-type electronic components are mounted, thereby preventing the surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (detachment) and improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in this example, two through-holes 1310r are formed on approximately the extension lines of each of the pads 1310k to which the multiple connection terminals IC1a formed above and below the chip component IC1 are soldered. Therefore, when bending or warping along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal edge of the main control board 1310 is suppressed by lead-type electronic components, the force applied to the connection terminals IC1a of the chip component IC1 can be suppressed by the lead-type electronic components, thereby suppressing the peeling off (detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components and improving the reliability of the gaming machine. Furthermore, the through-holes 1310r may be formed such that a portion of the land 1310s of the two through-holes 1310r overlaps with the approximate extension lines of each pad 1310k, or the upper and lower pads 1310k may be positioned within the spacing between the two through-holes 1310 (the two through-holes 1310 are formed outside the approximate extension lines of each pad 1310k). In this case as well, the force applied to the connection terminal IC1a of the chip component IC1 can be suppressed by the lead-type electronic component, thereby preventing the surface-mount type electronic component from detaching (mount detachment) and improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the straight line connecting the two through-holes 1310r formed for mounting surface-mount type electronic components is formed to be approximately parallel to the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1), so that lead-type electronic components are arranged to be approximately parallel to the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310, and multiple pads 1310k are formed to be parallel to the short side of the main control board 1310 (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1), so that each of the multiple connection terminals IC1a of the chip component IC1 is soldered to the corresponding pad 1310k, thereby the connection terminals IC1a of the chip component IC1 are The lead-type electronic components may be mounted parallel to the short side of the main control board 1310 (the vertical side when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1). In this case, the lead-type electronic components inserted and mounted in the through-holes 1310r can suppress bending and warping along a straight line parallel to the short side of the main control board 1310 (the vertical side when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1). In addition, impacts from the side of the long side of the main control board 1310 where the lead-type electronic components are mounted can be prevented from directly applying to the surface-mount type electronic components, thereby preventing the surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (detaching).

Furthermore, a surface mount type electronic component A is formed such that the line connecting the two through-holes 1310r is approximately parallel to the short side (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1) of the main control board 1310, and is positioned approximately parallel to the long side of the main control board 1310, and a surface mount is formed such that the line connecting the two through-holes 1310r is approximately parallel to the long side (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1), and is positioned approximately parallel to the short side of the main control board 1310. It is also possible to mount both type B and the lead-type electronic component. In this case, the lead-type electronic component inserted and mounted in the through-hole 1310r can suppress bending and warping along the longitudinal (horizontal) side of the main control board 1310 (horizontal when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1), as well as bending and warping along the short (vertical) side of the main control board 1310 (vertical when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1), further suppressing the detachment (detachment) of the surface-mount type electronic component.

In the example described above, the capacitor MC1, a leaded electronic component, was placed on one of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed. However, this is not the only option. For example, as shown in Figure 364(B), the capacitor MC1 could be placed on one of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is formed. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 364(C), the capacitor MC1 could be placed on each of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed. Or, as shown in Figure 364(D), the capacitor MC1 could be placed on each of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is formed. A lead-type electronic component capacitor MC1 may be placed on the extension of one of the two opposing sides of the four sides of the chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed. Alternatively, although not shown, a lead-type electronic component capacitor MC1 may be placed on the extension of each of the connection terminal IC1a on one of the two opposing sides of the four sides of the surface-mount electronic component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed. Alternatively, although not shown, a lead-type electronic component capacitor MC1 may be placed on the extension of each of the connection terminal IC1a on two opposing sides of the four sides of the surface-mount electronic component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed. Alternatively, although not shown, two lead-type electronic components capacitor MC1 may be placed on the extension of each of the connection terminal IC1a on two opposing sides of the four sides of the surface-mount electronic component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed. In these cases, bending and warping of the main control board 1310 can be suppressed, and impacts from a specific direction can be prevented from being applied to the surface-mount type electronic components, thereby preventing the surface-mount type electronic components from detaching (mount delamination). Furthermore, when lead-type electronic components are placed on two opposing sides of the surface-mount type electronic component, bending and warping of the main control board 1310 can be suppressed more effectively than when lead-type electronic components are placed on only one side. Additionally, the surface-mount type electronic component can be protected from impacts from two directions, further preventing it from detaching (mount delamination).

Furthermore, the arrangement may include one or more combinations of the following: the arrangement shown in Figure 364(A), Figure 364(B), Figure 364(C), Figure 364(D), Figure 364(E), and, although not shown, one in which lead-type electronic components, such as capacitors MC1, are placed on the extensions of each of the four sides of a surface-mount type electronic component, IC1, where the connection terminals IC1a are not formed, on one of the two opposing sides. In this case, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be partially increased by appropriately selecting and arranging the surface-mount type electronic components based on their importance, susceptibility to detachment (mounting detachment), and the tendency of the substrate to warp, thereby suppressing detachment (mounting detachment) of the surface-mount type electronic components.

Furthermore, in the example above, we used a chip component IC1 and a capacitor MC1 provided to stably ensure the function of the chip component IC1 as examples of surface-mount type electronic components and lead-type electronic components. However, this is not limited to lead-type electronic components provided to stably ensure the function of the first surface-mount type electronic component. Lead-type electronic components provided to stably ensure the function of a second surface-mount type electronic component different from the first surface-mount type electronic component (a lead-type electronic component provided in a circuit different from the first electronic component (the circuit of the second electronic component)) can also be used in relation to the first surface-mount type electronic component. The components may be arranged adjacent to each other, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). Alternatively, both a leaded electronic component (a leaded electronic component provided in the circuit of the first electronic component) provided to ensure the stable function of the first surface-mount electronic component, and a leaded electronic component provided to ensure the stable function of the second surface-mount electronic component, may be arranged adjacent to the first surface-mount electronic component, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted).

Furthermore, while the above example uses IC1 as a surface-mount type electronic component and MC1 as a leaded type electronic component, it is not limited to these. For example, diodes or resistors may also be used. In other words, this technical concept applies to any electronic component, as long as at least one leaded electronic component is placed adjacent to a surface-mount type electronic component, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). (It is sufficient if the components are placed adjacent without other electronic components in between; through-holes, lands, vias, test points, etc., other than those for electronic components may be provided.)

Furthermore, the combination of a specific surface-mount type electronic component (e.g., IC) and a leaded type electronic component is not limited to being placed on a portion of the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. The combination of the specific electronic component (e.g., IC) and the leaded type electronic component may be placed over substantially the entire mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 (not limited to being regularly arranged, but may also be irregularly arranged). For example, a combination of a specific electronic component (e.g., IC) and a leaded electronic component may be placed in each region of the mounting surface 1310x that is partitioned by dividing the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 into n equal parts (n = approximately 2 to 8) (for example, the left and right regions of the main control board 1310 that are bisected by the vertical dividing line Y-Y in Figure 365). Alternatively, a combination of a specific electronic component (e.g., IC) and a leaded electronic component may be placed in each region of the mounting surface 1310x that is partitioned by dividing the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 into n equal parts (n = approximately 2 to 8) and the short side into m equal parts (m = approximately 2 to 4) (for example, each region of the main control board 1310 that is quarted by the vertical dividing line Y-Y and the horizontal dividing line X-X in Figure 365). In this way, a combination of a specific electronic component (e.g., IC) and a leaded electronic component may be placed over substantially the entire area of the mounting surface 1310x on the main control board 1310. This not only suppresses the detachment (mount detachment) of specific electronic components (e.g., ICs), but also suppresses deformation such as warping across almost the entire main control board 1310. This also suppresses detachment (mount detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components other than specific components (e.g., ICs), further improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, since the main control board 1310 in this example has a horizontally elongated rectangular shape, the dividing lines dividing the long and short sides of the main control board 1310 are perpendicular, and the main control board 1310 is divided into multiple rectangular regions by these dividing lines.

Furthermore, the straight line connecting the two through-holes 1310r formed for mounting lead-type electronic components is formed to be approximately parallel to the short-side (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1) edge of the main control board 1310, and the straight line connecting the two through-holes 1310r formed for mounting surface-mount type electronic components is formed to be approximately parallel to the long-side (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1) edge of the main control board 1310, and the lead-type electronic components are arranged to be approximately parallel to the short-side of the main control board 1310, and the straight line connecting the two through-holes 1310r formed for mounting surface-mount type electronic components is formed to be approximately parallel to the long-side (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1), A lead-type electronic component is arranged such that the electronic component is substantially parallel to the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310, and one or both of the following are mounted such that the connection terminals IC1a of the chip component IC1 are parallel to the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 (vertical when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1) by soldering each of the multiple connection terminals IC1a of the chip component IC1 to the corresponding pad 1310k. A combination of one or both of the following is mounted over substantially the entire mounting surface 1310x of the game control board 1310: a specific electronic component (e.g., IC) in which multiple pads 1310k are formed so as to be parallel to the longitudinal side (horizontal side when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1) of the main control board 1310, and each of the multiple connection terminals IC1a of the chip component IC1 is soldered to the corresponding pad 1310k so as to be parallel to the longitudinal side (horizontal side when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1) of the chip component IC1; The components may be arranged in a manner that is not limited to regular arrangements, but may also be arranged irregularly. This allows for the suppression of either or both of the following: bending and warping along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1), and bending and warping along a straight line parallel to the short side of the main control board 1310 (vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1). This suppresses the detachment (mounting detachment) of surface-mount electronic components, thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the above example shows how a lead-type electronic component can be mounted adjacent to a specific surface-mount type electronic component (e.g., an IC) with an area where electronic components cannot be mounted in between (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted) to prevent the surface-mount type electronic component from detaching (detaching). However, it is not limited to arranging a lead-type electronic component adjacent to a specific electronic component (e.g., an IC) with an area where electronic components cannot be mounted in between (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). Alternatively, lead-type electronic components may be arranged individually across substantially the entire mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. Or, lead-type electronic components arranged adjacent to a specific electronic component with an area where electronic components cannot be mounted in between (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted), and lead-type electronic components arranged individually, may be arranged across substantially the entire mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. For example, lead-type electronic components may be placed in each region of the mounting surface 1310x that is partitioned by dividing the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 into n equal parts (n = approximately 2 to 8) (for example, the left and right regions of the main control board 1310 that are bisected by the vertical dividing line Y-Y in Figure 365), or lead-type electronic components may be placed in each region of the mounting surface 1310x that is partitioned by dividing the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 into n equal parts (n = approximately 2 to 8) and the short side into m equal parts (m = approximately 2 to 4) (for example, each region of the main control board 1310 that is quarted by the vertical dividing line Y-Y and the horizontal dividing line X-X in Figure 365), thereby allowing lead-type electronic components to be placed over substantially the entire area of the mounting surface 1310x on the main control board 1310. In this example, as shown in Figure 365, multiple (two or more) lead-type capacitors MC1 are placed in each region of the main control board 1310, which is divided into four equal parts by the vertical dividing line Y-Y and the horizontal dividing line X-X. By placing lead-type electronic components across almost the entire surface of the main control board 1310 in this way, the rigidity of the board is increased, suppressing deformation of the board such as bending and warping, and preventing certain surface-mount type electronic components from detaching (mount detachment).

Furthermore, in this case, the number of leaded electronic components mounted in each of the partitioned mounting surfaces 1310x may be varied according to the number of surface-mount type electronic components or specific surface-mount type electronic components mounted in each of the partitioned mounting surfaces 1310x. For example, in each of the partitioned mounting surfaces 1310x of the main control board 1310 (for example, each of the areas of the main control board 1310 divided into four equal parts by the vertical dividing line Y-Y and the horizontal dividing line X-X in Figure 365), areas with a large number of surface-mount type electronic components or specific surface-mount type electronic components may have more leaded electronic components mounted than areas with a small number of surface-mount type electronic components or specific surface-mount type electronic components mounted. This configuration enhances the rigidity of areas on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 where many surface-mount electronic components or specific surface-mount electronic components are mounted, thereby suppressing the detachment of these components. Furthermore, it allows for optimal rigidity (without over-specifying) based on the number of surface-mount electronic components or specific surface-mount electronic components mounted.

Furthermore, even when the components are arranged across substantially the entire mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, lead-type electronic components may be omitted from areas within each partitioned mounting surface 1310x where no surface-mount type electronic components are mounted at all.

[Preventing peeling of surface-mount electronic components 2]
In the above-described method for preventing surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off, lead-type electronic components are mounted adjacent to surface-mount type electronic components with an area where electronic components cannot be mounted in between (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted), or lead-type electronic components are placed over substantially the entire surface of the main control board 1310 to suppress bending and warping of the main control board 1310 and prevent surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (detaching). However, the method may also be configured to suppress deformation of the entire board by suppressing deformation at the edges of the board (near the top edge, left edge, bottom edge, and right edge). This point will be explained below. Note that the following explanation will not cover parts that overlap with the above-described embodiment.

As shown in Figure 363, both surface-mount type electronic components and leaded type electronic components are mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 in this example.

Furthermore, in this example, lead-type (insertion-type) electronic components are used as multiple connectors mounted on the main control board 1310 to electrically connect the main control board 1310 to other boards (e.g., the dispensing control board 633, the peripheral control board 1510, etc.) and various sensors (e.g., the first start port sensor 3002, the second start port sensor 2401, etc.).

Furthermore, the multiple lead-type electronic components, connectors MCN1 to MCN6, are arranged in a row near the top edge of the main control board 1310, from the left edge towards the right edge; in other words, along the longitudinal direction of the main control board 1310 (the horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1) near the top edge of the main control board 1310. Because the multiple lead-type electronic components, connectors MCN1 to MCN6, are arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction of the main control board 1310 (the horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1) near the top edge of the main control board 1310, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be increased in the area where the multiple connectors MCN1 to MCN6 are arranged. Bending and warping along a straight line parallel to the short-side of the main control board 1310 are suppressed, thereby preventing surface-mount type electronic components from detaching (mount detachment), and thus improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the majority of the multiple connectors MCN1 to MCN6 are positioned such that the longitudinal edges of the connector bodies are approximately parallel to the longitudinal edge (top edge) of the main control board 1310. Specifically, with the exception of connector MCN3, the longitudinal edges of the connector bodies of MCN1 to MCN6 are approximately parallel to the longitudinal edge (top edge) of the main control board 1310. In other words, the connector bodies of MCN1, MCN2, and MCN4 to MCN6 are positioned so that they extend over a wider area relative to the longitudinal edge of the main control board 1310.

In this way, by arranging the main bodies of connectors MCN1, MCN2, and MCN4-MCN6 so that their longitudinal sides are approximately parallel to the longitudinal sides of the main control board 1310 (the top and bottom sides in this example), the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be increased over a wide area of the top side, which is the longitudinal side of the control board 1310. This suppresses bending and warping along a straight line parallel to the transverse side of the main control board 1310, thereby preventing surface-mount type electronic components from detaching (mount detachment), and thus improving the reliability of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, it is sufficient to arrange multiple lead-type connectors in a row near any side (for example, the top side) of the main control board 1310. Even if the connectors are arranged along any side of the main control board 1310, the longitudinal sides of the connectors may not be substantially parallel to the arbitrary side of the main control board 1310. Alternatively, only a portion of the connectors (less than half) may be arranged so that their longitudinal sides are substantially parallel to the arbitrary side of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, the multiple lead-type connectors arranged in a line near any side (e.g., the top side) of the main control board 1310 are not limited to being arranged in a straight line along any side of the main control board 1310. They may be arranged in a direction from a specific side adjacent to any side (e.g., the top side) towards the side opposite to that side (e.g., the bottom side), so as to fit within a predetermined width from any side (e.g., the top side) to the side opposite that side (e.g., the bottom side) of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, for a predetermined number of lead-type connectors, a portion of one connector body and a portion of another connector body (one or more) may be arranged so that they overlap in the direction from an arbitrary side (e.g., the top side) of the main control board 1310 to the side opposite to that side (e.g., the bottom side) (e.g., in a single-sided direction). In this case, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be further increased in a predetermined range including the vicinity of the overlapping area of one connector body and another connector body (e.g., a range extending from an arbitrary side (e.g., the top side) to the side opposite to that side (e.g., the bottom side) of the main control board 1310), and surface-mount type electronic components mounted in the predetermined range including the vicinity of the overlapping area of one connector body and another connector body can be prevented from peeling off (detachment).

Furthermore, for multiple lead-type connectors arranged in a row near any side (e.g., the top side) of the main control board 1310, a separate lead-type electronic component may be positioned such that it partially overlaps with the connectors in the direction from any side (e.g., the top side) to the opposite side (e.g., the bottom side) of the main control board 1310 (e.g., in a single-sided direction). This allows for further enhancement of the rigidity of the main control board 1310 within a predetermined range including the vicinity of this overlapping area (e.g., the range extending from any side (e.g., the top side) to the opposite side (e.g., the bottom side) of the main control board 1310. This also suppresses the detachment (mounting detachment) of surface-mount electronic components mounted within this predetermined range, including the vicinity of the overlapping area between the connectors and the separate lead-type electronic component.

Specifically, in this example, the leaded IC2 is positioned so that it overlaps with the connectors MCN5 and MCN6 and the main control board 1310 in a unidirectional direction, and the surface-mount type chip component IC1 is positioned on the lower side of the leaded IC2. This increases the rigidity of the main control board 1310 in a predetermined area including the vicinity of the overlapping region of the connectors MCN5 and MCN6 and the leaded IC2, thereby suppressing deformation such as warping. By positioning the surface-mount type chip component IC1 in this increased-rigidity region, detachment (failure of the surface-mount type chip component IC1) can be suppressed.

Furthermore, in this example, in addition to arranging the surface-mount type chip component IC1 in a predetermined area including the vicinity of the overlapping region between connectors MCN5 and MCN6 and the lead-type IC2, a lead-type setting key switch 1311a is arranged on the lower side of the surface-mount type chip component IC1. By arranging lead-type electronic components not only on the upper side but also on the lower side of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 in this way, the lead-type electronic components are positioned to sandwich the main control board 1310 between its upper and lower sides, thereby increasing the rigidity of a specific region of the main control board 1310 and suppressing deformation such as warping in this specific region. This further suppresses the detachment (mounting detachment) of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 mounted in that specific region.

Furthermore, the lead-type connectors MCN1 to MCN6, which are arranged in a row along the upper edge of the main control board 1310, are positioned with a predetermined interval (at least an interval that includes an area where electronic components cannot be mounted) as shown in Figure 363. The lead-type setting key switch 1311a, which is positioned near the lower edge of the main control board 1310, is positioned to include the gap between connector MCN5 and connector MCN6. Specifically, the lead-type setting key switch 1311a is positioned to include the area where the connector MCN5 and MCN6 bodies are not located (the area defined by virtual dividing lines j-j and k-k) within the band-shaped area defined by virtual dividing lines a-l extending from both the left and right ends of the outer shape of each of the connector MCN1 to MCN6 bodies toward the inside of the main control board 1310 (the lower edge opposite the upper edge of the main control board 1310). In other words, the lead-type setting key switch 1311a is positioned to compensate for the lower rigidity of the area below connector MCN5 and connector MCN6 on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. This allows for the formation of a rigidity-enhanced area below connector MCN5 and connector MCN6 within the mounting range of connector MCN5 to connector MCN6 on the main control board 1310, thereby suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing surface-mount type electronic components from detaching (mounting detachment).

Furthermore, this is not limited to the setting key switch 1311a, but also includes five non-specific regions (the region demarcated by virtual demarcation lines b-b and c-c, and the region demarcated by virtual demarcation lines d-d and e-e) within the band-shaped region demarcated by virtual demarcation lines a-l extending from both the left and right ends of the outer shape of each connector MCN1-MCN6 body toward the inside of the main control board 1310 (the lower edge opposite the upper edge of the main control board 1310) where the connector MCN1-MCN6 body is not located. It is not limited to placing lead-type electronic components in all of the following regions: the region defined by virtual boundary lines f-f and g-g, the region defined by virtual boundary lines h-h and i-i, and the region defined by virtual boundary lines j-j and k-k. Alternatively, lead-type electronic components may be placed in some of the five non-specific regions (for example, the region defined by virtual boundary lines j-j and k-k), while not being placed in the other regions.

Furthermore, in each of the five non-specific regions, the arrangement of lead-type electronic components is not limited to including the entire non-specific region (for example, arranging lead-type electronic components to include the entire region demarcated by virtual boundary lines b-b and c-c), but may also be such that they overlap at least a portion of the non-specific region (for example, arranging lead-type electronic components to include a portion of the region demarcated by virtual boundary lines b-b and c-c). Additionally, the complementary lead-type electronic components only need to be positioned between the side where connectors MCN1 to MCN6 are installed (the top side in this example) and the side opposite that side (the bottom side in this example). Even in this case, a region with increased rigidity can be formed on the main control board 1310, suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing the mounted surface-mount electronic components from peeling off (mount detachment).

Furthermore, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 is not limited to increasing the rigidity of the main control board 1310 by mounting lead-type electronic components to fill the gaps between lead-type electronic components (e.g., IC2) that are placed adjacent to each other, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). In this case as well, a region with increased rigidity can be formed on the main control board 1310, suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (detaching).

Furthermore, in this example, multiple lead-type electronic components are mounted so as to overlap in a unidirectional direction on the ZIP-type main control MPU 1310a and the main control board 1310. Specifically, a lead-type connector MCN6, a lead-type capacitor MC1, and a lead-type IC2 are arranged on the upper side of the main control MPU 1310a, while a lead-type capacitor MC1 and a lead-type IC2 are arranged on the lower side of the main control MPU 1310a. This further increases the rigidity of the area of the main control board 1310 where the main control MPU 1310a, a crucial electronic component for controlling the progress of the game, is located, suppressing deformation such as warping. This prevents the main control MPU 1310a from falling off the main control board 1310, improving the reliability of the game machine and preventing any disadvantage to the player.

In other words, since the main control MPU 1310a is the most important electronic component for executing game-related control, the adoption of a ZIP-type electronic component not only makes the circuit board more resistant to deformation such as warping and bending, but also increases the rigidity of the main control board 1310 by arranging multiple lead-type electronic components near the main control MPU 1310a. This suppresses the main control MPU 1310a from detaching from the main control board 1319 or causes malfunctions such as poor contact. This improves the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in this example, within the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, the area where connectors MCN1 to MCN6 are mounted, thereby increasing rigidity, specifically the left-hand area of the main control board 1310 where connectors MCN1 to MCN6 are mounted (the area from connectors MCN1 to MCN6 towards the bottom edge), has a higher density of surface-mount type electronic components (e.g., chip component IC1, resistor MR, etc.) mounted compared to the right-hand area of the main control board 1310 where connectors MCN1 to MCN6 are not mounted.

Furthermore, regarding surface-mount type electronic components, it is not limited to placing more of them in the left-hand region of the main control board 1310, where the rigidity is increased by the mounting of connectors MCN1 to MCN6, than in the right-hand region where connectors MCN1 to MCN6 are not mounted. At least for certain surface-mount type electronic components (e.g., important electronic components such as chip component IC1), it is sufficient if more are placed in the left-hand region of the main control board 1310, where the rigidity is increased by the mounting of connectors MCN1 to MCN6, than in the right-hand region where connectors MCN1 to MCN6 are not mounted. By placing more surface-mount type electronic components, or certain surface-mount type electronic components, in the region where the rigidity is increased by the mounting of connectors MCN1 to MCN6, than in the lower-edge region where connectors MCN1 to MCN6 are not mounted, the likelihood of surface-mount type electronic components or certain surface-mount type electronic components detaching (mounting detachment) is suppressed, thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, within the band-shaped region demarcated by virtual demarcation lines a to l extending from both the left and right ends of the outer shape of each connector MCN1 to MCN6 body provided on the upper edge of the main control board 1310 toward the inside of the main control board 1310 (the lower edge opposite the upper edge of the main control board 1310), there are six specific regions where the connector MCN1 to MCN6 bodies are located (the region enclosed by virtual demarcation lines a-a and virtual demarcation lines b-b extending from both the left and right ends of the outer shape of the connector MCN1 body, the region enclosed by virtual demarcation lines c-c and virtual demarcation lines d-d extending from both the left and right ends of the outer shape of the connector MCN2 body, and the outer shape of the connector MCN3 body) The regions enclosed by virtual dividing lines e-e and f-f extending from both the left and right ends, the regions enclosed by virtual dividing lines g-g and h-h extending from both the left and right ends of the outer shape of the connector MCN4 body, the regions enclosed by virtual dividing lines i-i and j-j extending from both the left and right ends of the outer shape of the connector MCN5 body, and the regions enclosed by virtual dividing lines k-k and l-l extending from both the left and right ends of the outer shape of the connector MCN6 body are each provided with a specific surface-mount type electronic component (IC1 in this example) such that at least a portion of the outer shape, including the connection terminals of the electronic component, overlaps with each region.

Each of the six specific regions has increased rigidity, suppressing warping and other distortions. Furthermore, by positioning specific surface-mount type electronic components such that at least a portion of their external shape, including the connection terminals, overlaps with these specific regions, the likelihood of these components detaching (mount detachment) is suppressed, thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the entire outline of a specific surface-mount type electronic component (which may include connection terminals, or only the outer shape of the main body excluding the connection terminals) may be arranged so that it overlaps with a specific area. In this case, since the specific surface-mount type electronic component can be placed in the specific area, the likelihood of the specific surface-mount type electronic component detaching (mount detachment) can be suppressed, improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. Also, the specific surface-mount type electronic component is not limited to all electronic components of a specific type, but may be only some of the electronic components of a specific type. For example, a specific surface-mount type IC1 (also called a chip IC) among multiple surface-mount type IC1s may be designated as the specific surface-mount type electronic component. That is, a specific surface-mount type IC1 among multiple surface-mount type IC1s may be arranged so that its entire outline overlaps with a specific area.

Furthermore, it is not limited to arranging the components so that part or all of the outline of a specific surface-mount type electronic component overlaps all six specific regions. Alternatively, the specific surface-mount type electronic component may be placed only in a portion of the six specific regions (for example, the region demarcated by virtual boundary lines i-i and j-j), while the other regions are left untouched.

Furthermore, in the main control board 1310 of this example, near the lower edge opposite the upper edge where connectors MCN1 to MCN6 are mounted, a lead-type connector MCN7, a lead-type setting key switch 1311a, and a lead-type connector MCN8 are arranged in a row along the longitudinal direction of the main control board 1310 (horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1), in the vicinity of the lower edge opposite the upper edge where connectors MCN1 to MCN6 are mounted.

Specifically, by arranging lead-type connectors MCN1 to MCN6 in a row near the top edge of the main control board 1310, sandwiching a portion of the main control board 1310 (in this example, the area from the center to the left edge of the main control board 1310), and by arranging lead-type connector MCN7, lead-type setting key switch 1311a, and lead-type connector MCN8 in a row near the bottom edge, the rigidity of a portion of the main control board 1310 is increased. This suppresses deformation such as warping in the portion of the main control board 1310 with increased rigidity. By mounting more surface-mount type electronic components in this rigidity-enhanced area than in other areas, the likelihood of surface-mount type electronic components detaching (mounting detachment) can be suppressed, thereby improving the reliability of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, regarding surface-mount type electronic components, it is not limited to cases where more of them are placed in the area where rigidity is enhanced by the lead-type connectors MCN1 to MCN6 arranged near the top edge of the main control board 1310, and the lead-type connector MCN7, lead-type setting key switch 1311a, and lead-type connector MCN8 arranged near the bottom edge, rather than cases where more of them are placed in the area where rigidity is enhanced by the lead-type connectors MCN1 to MCN6 arranged near the top edge of the main control board 1310, and the lead-type connector MCN7, lead-type setting key switch 1311a, and lead-type connector MCN8 arranged near the bottom edge. In this way, by placing surface-mount electronic components and specific surface-mount electronic components in areas where rigidity is enhanced by the lead-type connectors MCN1 to MCN6 arranged near the top edge of the main control board 1310, and the lead-type connector MCN7, lead-type setting key switch 1311a, and lead-type connector MCN8 arranged near the bottom edge, rather than in areas where connectors MCN1 to MCN6, connector MCN7, setting key switch 1311a, and connector MCN8 are not mounted near the top or bottom edge, the likelihood of surface-mount electronic components or specific surface-mount electronic components detaching (mounting detachment) is suppressed, thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

[Preventing peeling of surface-mount electronic components 3]
In the above-described methods for preventing surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (1) and (2), lead-type electronic components are used to suppress bending and warping of the main control board 1310, thereby preventing the surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (mounting detachment). However, it is also possible to provide through-holes 1310r and fill the through-holes 1310r with solder to increase the rigidity of the main control board 1310, thereby suppressing deformation of the board such as warping, and preventing the surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (mounting detachment). This point will be explained below. Note that the following explanation will not cover parts that overlap with the above-described embodiments.

Figure 365 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a through-hole 1310r and a land formed around the through-hole 1310r in the main control board 1310 of the above-described alternative example. Note that some through-holes, lands, wiring patterns, and pads to which the connection terminals of surface-mount electronic components are soldered are omitted in Figure 365. As shown in Figure 365, the main control board 1310 of this example has multiple through-holes formed throughout its entire surface, in addition to the through-hole into which the lead terminals of lead-type electronic components are inserted.

Furthermore, the through-holes 1310r formed in the main control board 1310 are provided with both a normal land and a thermal land connected to a solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) by a cross-shaped pattern.

As shown in Figure 365, in the main control board 1310 of this example, a through-hole 1310r with a thermal land is formed near a specific surface-mount type electronic component (in this example, a chip component IC1) among the multiple surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the mounting surface 1310x. In this example, the through-hole 1310r with a thermal land is formed without any other electronic components being placed between it and the specific surface-mount type electronic component. Note that the use of thermal lands is not limited to the use of thermal lands on both the mounting surface (front) 1310x side and the solder side (back) 1310y side of the through-hole 1310r. It is also possible to use thermal lands on only one of the lands, the mounting surface (front) 1310x side and the solder side (back) 1310y side, and not on the other land (using a normal land). Furthermore, in this example, a thermal land is used for the land of the through-hole 1310r for mounting the lead-type capacitor MC1. However, the configuration is not limited to the through-hole 1310r for mounting lead-type electronic components. A thermal land may also be used on at least one of the lands on the mounting side (front) 1310x side and the solder side (back) 1310y side of the through-hole 1310r where lead-type electronic components are not mounted.

Here, a thermal land is a land provided in a solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) that has a cross-shaped thermal pattern formed by removing a portion of the copper foil surrounding the land. This reduces the contact area between the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) and the land, while still providing an electrical connection. Because heat is less easily transferred to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) compared to a normal land, the temperature drop during soldering of electronic components is suppressed (heat dissipation is suppressed), and the solder applied to the solder side (back side) of the main control board 1310 through the through-hole 1310r can be reliably drawn up to the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310.

In other words, in the reflow and flow processes described above, the solder applied to the solder side (back side) of the main control board 1310 is drawn up to the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310 by the through-holes 1310r having thermal lands. This increases the rigidity of the main control board 1310, thereby suppressing bending and warping of the main control board 1310 and preventing surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (mounting detachment), thus improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. On the other hand, main side boards provided on the player side of the main control board 1310, such as the function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004, do not have through-holes with thermal lands formed on them. Furthermore, through-holes without thermal lands, i.e., through-holes employing normal lands without thermal patterns, may be formed on part or all of the main side boards located on the player side of the main control board 1310, such as the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start-up sensor 3002 provided on the first start-up opening 2002, and the sensor board of the second start-up sensor 2401 provided on the second start-up opening 2004. Similarly, through-holes employing normal lands may not be formed on part or all of the main side boards located on the player side of the main control board 1310, such as the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start-up sensor 3002 provided on the first start-up opening 2002, and the sensor board of the second start-up sensor 2401 provided on the second start-up opening 2004.

Furthermore, in the reflow and flow processes described above, the solder drawn up to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 is cooled and welded to the copper foil of the thermal land formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. This suppresses the separation or displacement of the solder welded within the through-holes 1310r from the copper foil, thereby further increasing the rigidity of the main control board 1310. This suppresses bending and warping of the main control board 1310, preventing surface-mount type electronic components from detaching (mounting detachment), and thus improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

In this example, a through-hole 1310r with a thermal land is formed near a specific surface-mount type electronic component without placing other electronic components between it and the component. This increases the rigidity of the specific region of the main control board 1310, including the area where the specific surface-mount type electronic component is mounted. As a result, bending and warping in the specific region of the main control board 1310 are suppressed, preventing the specific surface-mount type electronic component from detaching (mounting detachment), and improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in this example, through-holes 1310r with thermal lands are formed in areas other than those near specific surface-mount type electronic components. Specifically, through-holes 1310r with thermal lands are formed near areas where lead-type electronic components are mounted (without placing other electronic components between them) and in areas where neither lead-type nor surface-mount type electronic components are located nearby (non-mounted areas, unmounted areas). By forming through-holes 1310r with thermal lands near lead-type electronic components without placing other electronic components between them, the rigidity of certain areas of the main control substrate 1310 can be further increased by both the lead-type electronic components and the thermal lands, thereby suppressing bending and warping in specific areas of the main control substrate 1310.

Furthermore, by forming through-holes 1310r with thermal lands in areas where neither lead-type nor surface-mount-type electronic components are located nearby (non-mounted areas, unmounted areas), the rigidity of the areas of the main control board 1310 that are not reinforced due to the complete absence of mounted electronic components can be increased, thereby suppressing bending and warping.

Furthermore, in this example, through-holes 1310r with thermal lands are arranged over substantially the entire area of the main control board 1310. Specifically, at least one thermal land is formed in each of the four regions of the main control board 1310, which are divided into four equal parts by vertical dividing lines (vertical dividing line Y-Y in Figure 365) that bisect the longitudinal side of the rectangular main control board 1310 and horizontal dividing lines (horizontal dividing line X-X in Figure 365) that bisect the transverse side. This increases the rigidity of substantially the entire main control board 1310, suppressing bending and warping, and preventing surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (mount delamination).

Furthermore, the number of through-holes 1310r with thermal lands may be varied depending on the number of surface-mount type electronic components or specific surface-mount type electronic components mounted. For example, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 may be increased by forming more through-holes 1310r with thermal lands in areas of the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 where there are many surface-mount type electronic components or specific surface-mount type electronic components mounted, compared to areas where there are fewer surface-mount type electronic components or specific surface-mount type electronic components mounted.

Furthermore, both the leaded electronic component and the through-hole 1310r with a thermal land may be positioned close to the surface-mount electronic component (for example, between the leaded electronic component and the through-hole 1310r with a thermal land).

Specifically, as shown in Figure 365, the capacitor MC1, as a leaded electronic component, may be mounted without placing other electronic components between it and a specific surface-mount type electronic component (chip component IC1 in this example). Furthermore, a through-hole 1310r with a thermal land may be formed without placing other electronic components between it and the specific surface-mount type electronic component, and the specific surface-mount type electronic component (chip component IC1 in this example) may be placed between the capacitor MC1 and the through-hole 1310r with a thermal land.

In this case, by placing a specific surface-mount type electronic component in a region where rigidity is further enhanced by lead-type electronic components and through-holes 1310r with thermal lands, it is possible to suppress the peeling (detachment) of the specific surface-mount type electronic component.

Furthermore, the through-hole 1310r with a thermal land may be provided for mounting leaded electronic components (e.g., capacitor MC1), that is, for mounting leaded electronic components (it may be a hole where leaded electronic components are actually mounted, or it may be provided in an unmounted area where leaded electronic components are not mounted), or it may not be provided for mounting leaded electronic components (it may be a hole where leaded electronic components are not mounted and there is no possibility of them being mounted).

When a mounting surface for leaded electronic components is provided and leaded electronic components are actually mounted, the leaded electronic components are more firmly welded to the copper foil. This increases the rigidity of the main control board 1310, suppressing the detachment (failure of surface-mount electronic components) and improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, among the predetermined number of through-holes 1310r for mounting a single lead-type electronic component (e.g., capacitor MC1), two may be provided for capacitor MC1. Alternatively, only a portion of these through-holes (one of the two for capacitor MC1) may have thermal lands, or all of them (both for capacitor MC1) may have thermal lands.

Furthermore, regarding the through-holes 1310r provided for mounting some of the lead-type electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310, of the predetermined number of through-holes 1310r (two for capacitor MC1) for mounting one lead-type electronic component (e.g., capacitor MC1), only some (one of the two for capacitor MC1) may have thermal lands, or all (both for capacitor MC1) may have thermal lands.

[Preventing peeling of surface-mount electronic components 4]
In the above-described methods 1 to 3 for preventing peeling of surface-mount electronic components, we showed how bending and warping of the main control board 1310 and other components are suppressed by mounting both surface-mount electronic components and lead-type electronic components, thereby preventing the surface-mount electronic components from peeling off (mounting detachment). However, instead of lead-type electronic components, reinforcing members may be provided to suppress the peeling off (mounting detachment) of surface-mount electronic components. This point will be explained below. Note that the following explanation will not cover parts that overlap with the embodiments described above.

Figure 370 is an explanatory diagram showing a reinforcing member 1316 that suppresses the detachment (mounting detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components. As shown in Figure 370, in the main control board 1310 of this example, the reinforcing member 1316 is positioned adjacent to the chip component IC1, which is an important electronic component, with an area where electronic components cannot be mounted in between. The reinforcing member 1316 is made of a conductive metal or alloy (in this example, iron, copper, or an alloy thereof) and has a predetermined bending strength. The reinforcing member 1316 only needs to be positioned adjacent to the important electronic component (in this example, the chip component IC1) with an area where electronic components cannot be mounted in between (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). Through-holes, lands, vias, test points, etc., other than electronic components, may be provided as long as the reinforcing member 1316 and the important electronic component are positioned adjacent to each other without other electronic components in between.

The reinforcing member 1316 has a U-shape, and its two leg portions are inserted into through-holes formed in a substrate such as the main control board 1310 and soldered. The strong welding of the reinforcing member 1316 to the main control board 1310 increases the rigidity of the substrate such as the main control board 1310, suppressing deformation such as warping of the substrate, and improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, while mounting surface-mount electronic components offers the advantage of increasing the mounting density of electronic components on the substrate and shortening the wiring length (pattern length) to achieve higher circuit speeds, it also carries the risk of substrate deformation and the risk of surface-mount electronic components detaching (detachment). However, by improving the rigidity of the substrate with the reinforcing member 1316, it is possible to increase the mounting density of electronic components on the substrate, shorten the wiring length (pattern length) to achieve higher circuit speeds, while simultaneously suppressing substrate deformation and preventing surface-mount electronic components from detaching (detachment), thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, at least one of the two through-holes into which one end of the reinforcing member 1316 is inserted may be a thermal land connected to a solid ground (GND) (substrate ground) by a cross-shaped pattern. As described above, compared to a normal land, heat is less easily transferred to the solid ground (GND) (substrate ground) by a thermal land, suppressing the temperature drop when soldering electronic components (suppressing heat dissipation). The through-holes allow solder applied to the solder side (back side) of the main control board 1310 to be reliably drawn up to the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310, thus strengthening the welding of the reinforcing member 1316. Alternatively, both of the two through-holes into which the two ends of the reinforcing member 1316 are inserted may have thermal lands, or only one through-hole may have a thermal land while the other has a normal land.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 371(A), the chip component IC1, which is a surface-mount type electronic component mounted on the main control board 1310, has its connection terminal IC1a soldered to a pad 1310k (hatched portion in Figure 364(A)) formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. The reinforcing member 1316 is positioned adjacent to the chip component IC1, which is a surface-mount type electronic component, with an area where electronic components cannot be mounted in between (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted) in between (it is sufficient if it is positioned adjacent without other electronic components in between, and through-holes, lands 1310s, vias, test points, etc. other than electronic components may be provided). In this example, multiple pads 1310k are formed parallel to the longitudinal (horizontal) edges of the main control board 1310 (horizontal when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1). By soldering each of the multiple connection terminals IC1a of the chip component IC1 to the corresponding pads 1310k, the connection terminals IC1a of the chip component IC1 are mounted parallel to the longitudinal (horizontal) edges of the main control board 1310 (horizontal when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1).

Furthermore, the reinforcing member 1316, which is positioned adjacent to the surface-mount type chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted), is made of iron, copper, or an alloy thereof (such as CP wire, which is copper-plated iron wire further tin-plated, or tin-plated Cu wire), and has a predetermined bending strength. That is, by inserting the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 into the through-hole 1310r and soldering the reinforcing member 1316 to the through-hole 1310r or land 1310s, and fixing it to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be increased, and deformation such as warping can be suppressed. Note that since iron has higher bending strength than copper, it is desirable to use a reinforcing member 1316 made of iron or an iron alloy.

In this example, by mounting the reinforcing member 1316 adjacent to the surface-mount type electronic component in a specific direction, while avoiding the area where the electronic component cannot be mounted, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be partially increased. This suppresses deformation such as warping in the area of the main control board 1310 where the surface-mount type electronic component is mounted, and prevents the surface-mount type electronic component from peeling off (detaching).

Furthermore, in this example, for a surface-mount type electronic component, the reinforcing member 1316 adjacent to the chip component IC1 in a specific direction (for example, closer to the top, left, bottom, or right edge of the main control board 1310 than the chip component IC1) across an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted) is made taller than the surface-mount type electronic component (it protrudes more from the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310). Therefore, impact from a specific direction to the surface-mount type electronic component IC1 can be suppressed, and the chip component IC1, being a surface-mount type electronic component, is prevented from peeling off (detaching from the mounting surface).

Furthermore, in this example, the straight line connecting the centers of the two through-holes 1310r formed for mounting the reinforcing member 1316 is formed to be approximately parallel to the short-side direction of the main control board 1310 (the vertical direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1), and the reinforcing member 1316 is positioned to be approximately parallel to the short-side edge of the main control board 1310. Therefore, the reinforcing member 1316, which is inserted into the through-hole 1310r and welded to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, can suppress bending and warping along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 (the longer combination of the four sides of the main control board 1310) (the horizontal direction when the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1). In addition, it can suppress direct impact from the side of the short side of the main control board 1310 (the shorter combination of the four sides of the main control board 1310) where the reinforcing member 1316 is mounted, thereby preventing surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (detachment) and improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Traditionally, the main control board 1310 only mounted leaded electronic components. However, in recent years, demand for leaded electronic components has drastically decreased, and many have been discontinued. Furthermore, in conventional main control boards 1310 that only mount leaded electronic components, the larger size of these components compared to surface-mount electronic components makes it difficult to increase the mounting density of electronic components. This also makes it difficult to shorten the wiring length (pattern length) on the board, thus hindering the acceleration of the circuit.

The above problem can be solved by replacing all lead-type electronic components mounted on the conventional main control board 1310 with surface-mount type electronic components. However, if all electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 are changed to surface-mount type electronic components, the board will be more susceptible to deformation such as warping, and there is a risk that the surface-mount type electronic components may detach (detach from the mounting board). If such detachment of electronic components occurs, the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 may be reduced.

The main control board 1310 is a crucial board that controls the progress of the game, including the lottery related to prize balls (such as the win determination process (step S305)). Therefore, if electronic components were to detach, it could cause disadvantages to players and the arcade. This made it difficult to achieve both improved mounting density using surface-mount electronic components and the need for a more complex control board.

Therefore, in this example of pachinko machine 1, while the lead-type electronic components conventionally mounted on the main control board 1310 have been changed to surface-mount type electronic components, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 is increased by welding the reinforcing member 1316 to the main control board 1310, thereby suppressing deformation of the board such as warping, and preventing the surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (detachment).

Furthermore, the electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 or other boards may include surface-mount type electronic components (surface-mount electronic components) and reinforcing members 1316. In addition, lead-type electronic components (lead-type connectors, setting key switches 1311a, etc.) may also be mounted. In this case, in addition to the improvement in board rigidity due to the reinforcing members 1316, further rigidity improvement can be achieved with lead-type electronic components, thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. In this case, lead wires may be used as the reinforcing members 1316.

Furthermore, in the example described above, the reinforcing member 1316 was placed on one of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed. However, this is not limited to this arrangement. For example, as shown in Figure 371(B), the reinforcing member 1316 may be placed on one of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is formed. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 371(C), the reinforcing member 1316 may be placed on each of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed. Finally, as shown in Figure 371(D), the reinforcing member 1316 may be placed on each of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is formed. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 371(E), the reinforcing member 1316 may be placed on one side of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed, or, although not shown, one reinforcing member 1316 may be placed on each side of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed, or, although not shown, one reinforcing member 1316 may be placed on each of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed, or, although not shown, two reinforcing members 1316 may be placed on each of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type chip component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed. In these cases, bending and warping of the main control board 1310 can be suppressed, and impacts from a specific direction can be prevented from being applied to the surface-mount type electronic components, thereby preventing the surface-mount type electronic components from detaching (mount delamination). Furthermore, when lead-type electronic components are placed on two opposing sides of the surface-mount type electronic component, bending and warping of the main control board 1310 can be suppressed more effectively than when lead-type electronic components are placed on only one side. Additionally, the surface-mount type electronic component can be protected from impacts from two directions, further preventing it from detaching (mount delamination).

Furthermore, the configuration may include one or more combinations of the configurations shown in Figures 371(A), 371(B), 371(C), 371(D), and 371(E), as well as a configuration (not shown) in which one reinforcing member 1316 is placed on one side of each of the two opposing sides of the surface-mount type electronic component IC1 where the connection terminal IC1a is not formed. In this case, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be partially increased by appropriately selecting and arranging the reinforcing members based on the importance of the surface-mount type electronic components being mounted, their susceptibility to detachment (mounting detachment), the tendency of the substrate to warp, etc., thereby suppressing detachment (mounting detachment) of the surface-mount type electronic components.

Furthermore, the combination of a specific surface-mount electronic component (e.g., an IC) as an important electronic component and the reinforcing member 1316 may be arranged over substantially the entire area of the main control board 1310. In this case, bending and warping can be suppressed over substantially the entire area of the main control board 1310, and surface-mount type electronic components can be prevented from peeling off (detachment). In other words, the combination of a specific surface-mount electronic component (e.g., an IC) as an important electronic component and the reinforcing member 1316 is not limited to being arranged over a part of the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, but may also be arranged over substantially the entire mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 (not limited to being regularly arranged, but may also be arranged irregularly). For example, by dividing the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 into n equal parts (n = approximately 2 to 8), at least one combination of a specific surface-mount electronic component (e.g., IC) and a reinforcing member 1316 can be placed in each region of the mounting surface 1310x (for example, the left and right regions of the main control board 1310 divided into two equal parts by the vertical dividing line Y-Y in Figure 365), or the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 can be divided into n equal parts (n = approximately 2 to 8) and the short side can be divided into m equal parts (m = approximately 2 to 4). By arranging at least one combination of a specific surface-mount electronic component (e.g., IC) and a reinforcing member 1316 in each region of the mounting surface 1310x that is partitioned by (for example, each region of the main control board 1310 divided into four equal parts by the vertical dividing line Y-Y and the horizontal dividing line X-X in Figure 365), the combination of a specific surface-mount electronic component (e.g., IC) and a reinforcing member 1316 may be arranged over substantially the entire area of the mounting surface 1310x on the main control board 1310. This not only suppresses the peeling off (mounting detachment) of the specific surface-mount electronic component (e.g., IC), but also suppresses deformation such as warping over substantially the entire area of the main control board 1310, and also suppresses the peeling off (mounting detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components other than the specific surface-mount electronic component (e.g., IC), further improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, since the main control board 1310 in this example has a horizontally elongated rectangular shape, the dividing lines that divide the long side of the main control board 1310 and the dividing lines that divide the short side are perpendicular to each other, and the main control board 1310 is divided into multiple rectangular regions by these dividing lines.

Furthermore, the reinforcing member 1316 may be placed over substantially the entire area of the main control board 1310. In this case, bending and warping can be suppressed over substantially the entire area of the main control board 1310, and surface-mount type electronic components can be prevented from peeling off (detaching). That is, it is not limited to placing the reinforcing member 1316 adjacent to a specific surface-mount electronic component (e.g., an IC) that is an important electronic component, with an area where the electronic component cannot be mounted in between (avoiding the area where the electronic component cannot be mounted). Alternatively, the reinforcing member 1316 may be placed individually over substantially the entire mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. Alternatively, the reinforcing member 1316 may be placed adjacent to a specific surface-mount electronic component with an area where the electronic component cannot be mounted in between (avoiding the area where the electronic component cannot be mounted), and the reinforcing member 1316 may be placed individually, and both may be placed over substantially the entire mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. For example, the reinforcing member 1316 may be placed over substantially the entire mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 by dividing the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 into n equal parts (n = approximately 2 to 8) to form each region of the mounting surface 1310x (for example, the left and right regions of the main control board 1310 divided into two equal parts by the vertical dividing line Y-Y in Figure 365), or by dividing the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 into n equal parts (n = approximately 2 to 8) and the short side into m equal parts (m = approximately 2 to 4) to form each region of the mounting surface 1310x (for example, each region of the main control board 1310 divided into four equal parts by the vertical dividing line Y-Y and the horizontal dividing line X-X in Figure 365). In this way, by arranging the reinforcing member 1316 over substantially the entire surface of the main control board 1310, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 is increased. This suppresses deformation of the board, such as bending and warping, and prevents certain surface-mount electronic components from detaching (detaching).

Furthermore, even when reinforcing members 1316 or combinations of specific surface-mount electronic components (e.g., ICs) as important electronic components are arranged over substantially the entire mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, the reinforcing members 1316 or combinations of specific surface-mount electronic components (e.g., ICs) as important electronic components may be omitted from areas within each partitioned region of the mounting surface 1310x where no surface-mount type electronic components are mounted at all.

Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 371, the spacing between the two through-holes 1310r (including the lands 1310s) into which each of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 is inserted (this can be the spacing between the outermost edges of the lands 1310s or the spacing between the centers of the through-holes 1310r) is set to a degree that allows adjacent surface-mount type electronic components to fit, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). This spacing is approximately the same as or wider than the outer dimensions (width of the shorter side) of the main body of the surface-mount type electronic component excluding the connection terminal IC 1a. Therefore, all surface-mount electronic components are positioned within the area where the rigidity is enhanced by the reinforcing member 1316. This suppresses deformation such as warping in the entire area of the main control board 1310 where surface-mount electronic components are mounted (the area on which surface-mount electronic components are placed). Furthermore, the reinforcing member 1316 protects against impacts from specific directions, suppressing impacts on the surface-mount electronic components and thus preventing them from detaching (detaching from the mounting surface).

In this case, two through-holes 1310r may be formed on approximately the extension lines of each pad 1310k to which a pair of connection terminals IC1a formed along the opposing longitudinal sides of the chip component IC1 are soldered, and the legs of the reinforcing member 1316 may be inserted into each of these two through-holes 1310r and welded to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. In this case, when bending or warping along a straight line parallel to the longitudinal side of the main control board 1310 is suppressed by the reinforcing member 1316, the force applied to the connection terminals IC1a of the chip component IC1 can be suppressed by the reinforcing member 1316, thereby suppressing the peeling off (detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components and improving the reliability of the gaming machine. Furthermore, the through-holes 1310r may be formed such that a portion of the land 1310s of the two through-holes 1310r overlaps with the approximate extension lines of each pad 1310k, or the upper and lower pads 1310k may be positioned within the spacing between the two through-holes 1310 (the two through-holes 1310 are formed outside the approximate extension lines of each pad 1310k). In this case as well, the force applied to the connection terminal IC1a of the chip component IC1 can be suppressed by the reinforcing member 1316, thereby preventing the surface-mount type electronic component from peeling off (mounting detachment) and improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the distance between the two through-holes 1310r (including the lands 1310s) into which each of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 is inserted (this may be the distance between the outermost edges of the lands 1310s, or the distance between the centers of the through-holes 1310r) may be approximately the same as the distance between the pair of connection terminals IC1a, which are provided along each of the opposing long sides of the chip component IC1, in the short-side direction, with the IC1 body in between. Furthermore, the distance in the short-side direction, with the IC1 body in between, between a pair of connection terminals IC1a provided along each of the opposing long sides of the chip component IC1, may be the distance between the ends of the pair of pads 1310k to which the connection terminals IC1a are connected (the inner side of the pair of pads 1310k), or it may be the distance between the ends of the pair of pads 1310k to which the chip component IC1 body is located (the outer side of the pair of pads 1310k). In other words, it may be the distance at any position between the end of the pair of pads 1310k to which the chip component IC1 body is located (the inner side of the pair of pads 1310k) and the end of the pair of pads 1310k to which the chip component IC1 body is located (the outer side of the pair of pads 1310k).

Furthermore, by giving each of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 a crank shape with two or more bends, the spacing between the lands 1310s of the two through-holes 1310r into which the reinforcing member 1316 is inserted may be set to a degree that allows adjacent surface-mount type electronic components to fit, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted) (a spacing that is approximately the same as, or wider than, the outer dimensions (short side width) of the main body of the surface-mount type electronic component excluding the connection terminal IC 1a). Also, by configuring each of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 to have two or more bends, the bending strength of the reinforcing member 1316 is increased, further enhancing the rigidity of the substrates such as the main control board 1310, suppressing deformation such as warping, and further improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, although the above example shows a reinforcing member 1316 having two legs integrally formed, the reinforcing member 1316 may also be constructed from two separate legs and a separate component (for example, a surface-mount type electronic component (chip component), etc.), and one end of each of the two legs may be welded to the separate component by solder or the like. By constructing the reinforcing member 1316 from two legs made of iron, copper, or an alloy thereof (such as CP wire, which is copper-plated iron wire that is further tin-plated, or tin-plated Cu wire, etc.) and a component with higher bending strength than these legs, the bending strength of the reinforcing member 1316 can be increased compared to the case where only a reinforcing member 1316 made of iron, copper, or an alloy thereof (such as CP wire, which is copper-plated iron wire that is further tin-plated, or tin-plated Cu wire, etc.) is provided, and the force applied to the connection terminal IC1a of the chip component IC1 can be suppressed by the reinforcing member 1316, thereby suppressing the surface-mount type electronic component from peeling off (mounting detachment). This improves the reliability of pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, when the reinforcing member 1316 is constructed from two separate legs and a separate component (for example, a surface-mount type electronic component (chip component), etc.), and one end of each of the two legs is welded to the separate component by solder, etc., the two separate legs may be given a crank shape with two or more bent sections. By configuring each of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 to have two or more bends, the bending strength of the two legs, which are made of iron, copper, or their alloys (such as CP wire, which is copper-plated iron wire further tin-plated, or tin-plated Cu wire), is increased. Furthermore, compared to providing only the reinforcing member 1316 made of iron, copper, or their alloys, the bending strength of the reinforcing member 1316 can be increased by using components with higher bending strength than the legs. This allows the force applied to the connection terminal IC1a of the chip component IC1 to be suppressed by the reinforcing member 1316, thereby preventing the surface-mount type electronic component from detaching (mount detachment). This improves the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, when the reinforcing member 1316 is constructed from two separate legs and a separate component (for example, a surface-mount type electronic component (chip component), etc.), and one end of each of the two legs is welded to the separate component by solder, etc., a surface-mount type electronic component (chip component) may be used as the separate component. In this case, it may be made of iron, copper, or an alloy thereof (such as CP wire, which is copper-plated iron wire further tin-plated, or tin-plated Cu wire, etc.), and the two separate legs of the reinforcing member 1316 may be made conductive, so that the two separate legs of the reinforcing member 1316 function as lead terminals. In this case, for example, the surface-mount type chip capacitor MC1' described above may be used as the separate component, or a diode or resistor may be used. In this case, the same configuration as in the improvement of ease of identification of defects 3 may be adopted for the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' to which the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 are soldered. For example, the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 may be provided along a portion of the widest surface of the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' as a surface-mount type electronic component, and one end of each of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 may be welded to the electrode MC1a' by solder or the like. Alternatively, the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 may be provided along a portion of the narrowest surface of the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' that is adjacent to the widest surface of the chip capacitor MC1' and is provided perpendicular to the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and one end of each of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 may be welded to the electrode MC1a' by solder or the like. Furthermore, by positioning the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 along the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' and then welding one end of each of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 to the electrode MC1a' using solder or the like, the contact area between the legs of the reinforcing member 1316 and the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' increases, strengthening the welding between the legs of the reinforcing member 1316 and the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1'. This makes it difficult for the legs of the reinforcing member 1316 to detach from the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1'. This further enhances the rigidity of the substrate.

Furthermore, the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 may be welded to each of the two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' as a surface-mount type electronic component, and the reinforcing member 1316 may be soldered to the through-hole 1310r, thereby widening the distance between the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 compared to the two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1'. For example, the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 may be positioned along the portion of the electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' that is adjacent to the widest surface of the chip capacitor MC1' and forms part of the narrowest surface that is perpendicular to the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, and one end of each of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 may be welded to the electrode MC1a' with solder or the like, so that it is positioned adjacent to a specific surface-mount electronic component (e.g., IC) as an important electronic component, with an electronic component mounting unsupported area in between (avoiding the electronic component mounting unsupported area).

In this case, similar to Figure 371(A), the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 may be welded to each of the two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' so that the short side of the specific surface-mount electronic component (e.g., IC1), which is an important electronic component, and the long side of the chip capacitor MC1', which is a surface-mount type electronic component, are approximately parallel, and the reinforcing member 1316 may be soldered to the through-hole 1310r. Alternatively, similar to Figure 371(B), the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 may be welded to each of the two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' so that the long side of the specific surface-mount electronic component (e.g., IC1), which is an important electronic component, and the long side of the chip capacitor MC1', which is a surface-mount type electronic component, are approximately parallel, and the reinforcing member 1316 may be soldered to the through-hole 1310r.

This allows the area of the main control board 1310's mounting surface 1310x that is sandwiched between the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 to be wider compared to when the chip capacitor MC1' is mounted on the main control board 1310's mounting surface 1310x alone. This strengthens the rigidity of the area sandwiched between the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 and the surrounding area, thereby suppressing deformation such as warping of the main control board 1310. This prevents certain surface-mount electronic components (e.g., IC1), which are important electronic components positioned adjacent to the area sandwiched between the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316, from detaching (detaching from the mounting surface), further improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, if the distance between the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 is to be wider than the distance between the two electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1', the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 should be positioned along the portion of the narrowest surface of the electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1', which is adjacent to the widest surface of the chip capacitor MC1' and is perpendicular to the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. In addition to welding one end of each of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 to the electrodes MC1a' with solder or the like, or separately, the distance between the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 may be widened by making each of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 into a crank shape with two or more bent portions. In this case, in addition to being able to widen the distance between the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316, the bending strength of the reinforcing member 1316 is increased. This further enhances the rigidity of substrates such as the main control board 1310, suppressing deformation such as warping and further improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, when a lead-type electronic component mounted on the main control board 1310 is changed to a surface-mount type electronic component, the surface-mount type electronic component (chip component) that constitutes the reinforcing member 1316 may be changed to a surface-mount type electronic component. In such cases, the smallest surface-mount type electronic component mounted on the main control board 1310 (for example, a capacitor or resistor), or a relatively small electronic component among the surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 (an electronic component smaller than the average size of surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310), or an electronic component with a small number of connection terminals (for example, a chip capacitor MC1' or resistor with fewer electrodes MC1a' than the connection terminal IC1a of IC1), may be used. In other words, the smaller the size (volume, head, or surface area) of a surface-mount electronic component, the smaller the area of the electrodes (pads) soldered to the substrate. Therefore, surface-mount electronic components are most susceptible to detachment (detachment) when the substrate deforms, such as warping. By using the smallest electronic component, or a relatively small electronic component among the surface-mount electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 (smaller than the average size of surface-mount electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310), as part of the reinforcing member 1316, substrate deformation such as warping can be suppressed, and electronic components that are prone to detachment (detachment) when the substrate deforms can be protected.

Furthermore, as described above, surface-mount type electronic components are mounted so that the widest surface of the component is horizontal to the substrate by soldering electrodes to pads provided on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. However, when a surface-mount type electronic component (chip component) is used as a separate component constituting the reinforcing member 1316, it may be configured so that the widest surface of the surface-mount type electronic component is perpendicular to the substrate when the reinforcing member 1316 is mounted. This configuration increases the contact area between the legs of the reinforcing member 1316 and the electrodes of the surface-mount type electronic component, strengthening the welding between the legs of the reinforcing member 1316 and the electrodes of the surface-mount type electronic component. Additionally, it becomes possible to change the surface of the surface-mount type electronic component facing the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 to a smaller surface area, thereby increasing the mounting density and shortening the wiring pattern, and thus enabling faster circuit operation.

Furthermore, if the reinforcing member 1316 is composed of two separate legs and a separate component (for example, a surface-mount type electronic component (chip component), etc.), and is constructed by welding one end of each of the two legs to the separate component with solder or the like, then at least the separate component and the end portion of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 that is welded to the separate component may be molded with resin (epoxy resin, etc.) (sealing the chip capacitor MC1' from the outside by electrically insulating it with resin). By covering the end portion of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 that is welded to the separate component with resin, etc., the portion of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 that is welded to the separate component can be protected, preventing tampering or misuse of the welded portion, and the welding between the separate component and the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 can be reinforced with resin, etc. Furthermore, by completely covering other components such as surface-mount electronic components (chip components) with molding, it becomes difficult to distinguish them from leaded electronic components, making it harder for other components such as surface-mount electronic components (chip components) to be physically damaged by tampering or fraudulent acts.

Furthermore, the surface-mount type electronic component (chip component) that constitutes the reinforcing member 1316 may not have an imprinted portion formed on its surface. That is, if a surface-mount type electronic component with a small surface area is used as a separate component of the reinforcing member 1316, it is difficult to form an imprinted portion. In this case, at least the separate component and the portion of the two legs of the reinforcing member 1316 that is welded to the separate component may be molded with resin (epoxy resin, etc.), and the imprinted portion may be formed on the curved surface, like a rugby ball, formed by the resin (epoxy resin, etc.) that surrounds the separate component. In this case, the imprinted portion may also be formed on the surface of the resin portion corresponding to the surface of the surface-mount type electronic component (chip component) that is perpendicular to the substrate. In this case, by positioning the reinforcing member 1316 so that the widest surface of the surface-mount type electronic component is perpendicular to the substrate, the imprinted area becomes difficult to see even when viewing the mounting surface (front view) 1310x of the main control board 1310 from directly above. When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface (front view) 1310x of the main control board 1310, the imprinted area becomes difficult to see, while when viewed from a direction horizontal to the mounting surface (front view) 1310x of the main control board 1310, the imprinted area becomes easily visible. Therefore, it becomes difficult for those engaging in fraudulent activities to refer to the imprinted area, and the inability to identify the electronic component enhances the deterrent effect against vandalism and other mischief.

Furthermore, any circuit board such as the main control board 1310 may have surface-mount type electronic components (surface-mount electronic components) and a reinforcing member 1316 mounted on it. In addition, lead-type electronic components (lead-type connectors, setting key switches 1311a, etc.) may also be mounted. In this case, in addition to the improvement in circuit board rigidity due to the reinforcing member 1316, the rigidity of the circuit board can be further improved by the lead-type electronic components, further enhancing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

For example, a reinforcing member 1316 and a lead-type electronic component (such as a lead-type connector or a setting key switch 1311a) may be provided so as to overlap with a perpendicular line to one side of the substrate, and a surface-mount type electronic component may be provided between the reinforcing member 1316 and the lead-type electronic component so as to overlap with the perpendicular line. In this case, the rigidity of the substrate between the reinforcing member 1316 and the lead-type electronic component can be increased to suppress bending and warping, and the surface-mount type electronic component located in this increased-rigidity region can be prevented from peeling off (detaching).

Furthermore, similar to the delamination prevention method for surface-mount electronic components (1), the reinforcing member 1316 may be placed over substantially the entire area of the main control board 1310. In this case, bending and warping can be suppressed over substantially the entire area of the main control board 1310, thereby preventing surface-mount electronic components from peeling off (detaching).

Furthermore, the surface-mount type electronic component peeling prevention device 4 can be used in combination with the surface-mount type electronic component peeling prevention devices 1 to 3 described above, and it can also achieve the same effect by being used under the same conditions as surface-mount type electronic component peeling prevention device 1. In other words, the portion referred to as capacitor MC1 in surface-mount type electronic component peeling prevention devices 1 to 3 can be replaced with reinforcing member 1316.

Furthermore, while the above-described methods 1 through 4 for preventing peeling of surface-mount electronic components mainly explained electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310, these methods are applicable not only to the main control board 1310 but also to any board on which surface-mount electronic components are mounted, such as the dispensing control board 633 and the peripheral control board 1510.

[Main circuit board]
Next, we will describe the main board that performs important controls related to the progress of the game, such as the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 in this example, but other boards may be added or some (for example, the payout control board 633) may be changed to other boards depending on the functions of the game machine), a board equipped with LEDs that are directly controlled by signals output by the main board (for example, a function display board 1402), and a board on which sensors that output detection signals to the main board are mounted (for example, a magnetic sensor board 1050 built into a magnetic sensor 1050, a vibration sensor board built into a vibration sensor, etc.). Note that the following description will not cover parts that overlap with the embodiments described above.

In the main circuit board of this embodiment, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, etc., are mounted on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 with their front mounting surfaces (the mounting surface (front) 1310x on which the electronic components of the main control board 1310 are mounted, and the mounting surface (front) on which the electronic components of the payout control board 633 are mounted) facing away from the player, making them invisible to the player (they are accessible from the back side of the pachinko machine 1 but inaccessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1). Main circuit boards located on the player side of the board, such as the function display board 1402 in the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board in the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start-up sensor 3002 in the first start-up opening 2002, and the sensor board of the second start-up sensor 2401 in the second start-up opening 2004 (which are accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 but inaccessible from the back side of the pachinko machine 1), may be visible to the player. The "surface mounting surface" refers to the surface of a circuit board installed in a device or equipment on which electronic components necessary to realize a predetermined function are mounted. For example, in the functional display board 1402, this refers to the surface on which the LED 1401 is mounted; in the magnetic sensor board installed in the magnetic sensor 1050, this refers to the surface on which ICs, etc., are mounted; in the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 installed in the first start port 2002, this refers to the surface on which ICs, etc., are mounted; and in the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 installed in the second start port 2004, this refers to the surface on which ICs, etc., are mounted.

Furthermore, devices and equipment such as the function display unit 1400, magnetic sensor 1050, first start port 2002, and second start port 2004 may be partially visible to the player, or they may be embedded in the transparent game board 5 and visible, or they may be provided on the rear side of the transparent game board 5, or they may be visible through holes formed in the opaque game board 5, or they may be provided on the rear side of the opaque game board 5 and difficult to see from the player.

Furthermore, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400 (whose front mounting surface is not oriented away from the player) located on the front side of the game board 5, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, etc., are not limited to having their mounting surfaces (front surfaces) facing the player, but may also be oriented in directions other than the opposite side of the player (for example, either left/right or up/down directions of the pachinko machine 1).

For example, by positioning the circuit board in the pachinko machine 1 so that the edge surfaces (the surface of the base material between the front and back mounting surfaces) are different from the front and back mounting surfaces, the electronic components and circuit information mounted on the board may be made difficult to read by ensuring that neither the front nor back mounting surfaces of the board face the player. Furthermore, since the edge surface of the circuit board corresponds to the thickness of the board, and the thickness of a typical circuit board is about 1.6 mm, positioning the board so that its edge surface faces the player makes it difficult to notice the presence of the circuit board itself.

Specifically, if the front and back mounting surfaces of the magnetic sensor substrate provided on the magnetic sensor 1050 are arranged vertically so that they face the left and right directions of the pachinko machine 1, respectively, with the end faces facing the player, or if the front and back mounting surfaces of the magnetic sensor substrate are arranged horizontally so that they face the top and bottom directions of the pachinko machine 1, respectively, with the end faces facing the player, then it becomes difficult for the player to see the front and back mounting surfaces of the magnetic sensor substrate. Even if the end faces of the magnetic sensor substrate are easily visible, they are extremely thin, about 1.6 mm, making it difficult for the player to notice the presence of the magnetic sensor substrate itself.

Thus, in the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400 located on the front side of the game board 5, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, the presence of the boards themselves may be concealed by arranging them so that the end faces of the boards face the player. This configuration provides a measure against tampering and fraud.

Furthermore, as described above, in this example, the main control board 1310, which is provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 with its surface mounting surface (the mounting surface (front) 1310x on which the electronic components of the main control board 1310 are mounted) facing away from the player, employs one or more (or all) of the above-mentioned surface mounting type electronic component peeling prevention configurations 1 to 3, and is housed in a main control board box 1320 having multiple sealing mechanisms, so that the electronic components mounted on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 cannot be touched unless the sealing mechanisms are released. This configuration increases the rigidity of the main control board 1310 and suppresses the peeling off (detachment) of the surface mounting type electronic components. The main control board 1310 is located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1, and can only be accessed by opening the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2, thereby providing sufficient reinforcement to prevent deformation such as warping of the main control board 1310 due to aging or other factors.

On the other hand, main boards located closer to the player than the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, such as the function display board 1402 in the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board in the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board for the first start-up sensor 3002 in the first start-up opening 2002, and the sensor board for the second start-up sensor 2401 in the second start-up opening 2004, are located on the surface side of the pachinko machine 1. Because these boards are susceptible to tampering on the surface mounting surface, they are reinforced to withstand deformation such as warping more robustly than the main control board 1310. The following explanation will use the function display board 1402 in the function display unit 1400 as an example. Note that the following explanation will not cover parts that overlap with the embodiments described above.

[Function Display Board]
The function display board 1402 is a main board located on the player's side, rather than the main control board 1310 or the payout control board 633, and has important functions. In this example, a main board located on the player's side, rather than the main control board 1310 or the payout control board 633, and having important functions refers to a board that displays information related to the player's interests (for example, special lottery results, types of big wins and small wins, whether it is a specific type of big win (such as a probability-changing big win or a 15R big win), whether high probability state control is being executed, whether time-saving control is being executed, etc.), displays information related to the interests of the player or the arcade, displays important information related to the progress of the game, detects fraudulent activity, detects entry into the prize slot or passage through gate 2003, etc.

The function display unit 1400, which has a function display board 1402, is located outside the game area 5a of the game board 5 (outside the outer rail 1001) (in this example, the upper left of the game board 5). Multiple monochromatic (red in this example) LEDs 1401 are mounted on the front surface of the function display board 1402. These LEDs 1401 are bare LED chips enclosed in an LED package and are directly mounted on the front surface (LED mounting surface) of the function display board 1402. Therefore, if a wire or the like is inserted into the game board 5, it can easily reach the function display board 1402, which is located outside the game area 5a. If the wire or the like is used to tamper with the multiple LEDs 1401 mounted on the front surface of the function display board 1402, or if pressure is applied to the function display board 1402 causing deformation such as warping, the LEDs 1401 may detach from the front surface of the function display board 1402, potentially preventing the proper display of information relevant to the player's interests. In this example, the function display unit 1400 incorporates measures to prevent the LED 1401 from falling off.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 361, in this example, the functional display board 1402 is housed in a case 1410 made of a colored, opaque resin (white in this example) that does not transmit light, and the mounting surface of the functional display board 1402 cannot be seen from any angle except for the through-hole 1410a formed in the case 1410 and the opening for exposing part of the connector 1402. The case 1410 consists of a front cover portion 1411 on the front mounting surface side of the functional display board 1402 and a back cover portion 1412 on the back mounting surface side of the functional display board 1402. The front cover portion 1411 covers the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402, and the back cover portion 1412 covers the back mounting surface of the functional display board 1402, and the functional display board 1402 is housed inside the case 1410 by being sandwiched (clamped) between the front cover portion 1411 and the back cover portion 1412. Furthermore, it is sufficient that the case 1410 is configured in such a way that at least the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402 cannot be seen from outside the case. The case 1410 may be configured to cover only the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402, while the back mounting surface of the functional display board 1402 remains visible from outside the case 1410.

The surface cover portion 1411 has a predetermined thickness (approximately 5 mm in this example) and is formed with multiple ribs on its interior, creating a honeycomb-like arrangement of multiple through-holes 1410a. The through-holes 1410a formed by the multiple ribs correspond to each of the LEDs 1401 mounted on the function display board 1402. During the manufacturing of the function display unit 1400, the surface cover portion 1411 is brought into close contact with the front mounting surface of the function display board 1402 so that only one LED (one LED element) from the multiple LEDs 1401 mounted on the function display board 1402 is positioned in each of the through-holes 1410a formed on the surface cover portion 1411. The surface cover portion 1411 and the back cover portion 1412 are then fixed together without the use of screws or bolts.

In this example, the front cover portion 1411 is made to adhere closely to the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402, and the front cover portion 1411 and the back cover portion 1412 are fixed together without the use of screws or bolts. Therefore, deformation such as warping of the functional display board 1402 is suppressed by the front cover portion 1411 and the back cover portion 1412, thereby preventing the LED 1401 from peeling off the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402. Furthermore, in this example, multiple ribs are formed on the inside of the front cover portion 1411, and these ribs are brought close to the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402 (they may be partially or entirely in contact), and the front cover portion 1411 and the back cover portion 1412 are fixed together without the use of screws or bolts. Therefore, deformation such as warping of the functional display board 1402 is suppressed, and the LED 1401 from peeling off the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402 is prevented.

Furthermore, a portion of the back cover portion 1412, which covers the back mounting surface of the function display board 1402 where the LEDs 1401 are not mounted, has an opening formed to expose the connector 1402. Since the connector 1402 connects the wiring that connects the function display board 1402 to an external board, it is necessary to expose the connector 1402 from the case 1410. Exposing the connector 1402 could expose a portion of the function display board 1402, potentially leading to tampering. In this example, the connector 1402 is mounted on the back mounting surface of the function display board 1402, which is positioned facing away from the player and where the LEDs 1401 are not mounted. This makes it difficult to make contact with the back mounting surface of the function display board 1402 even if a wire or the like is inserted into the game board 5. This prevents interruption of power supply to each LED 1401 of the function display board 1402 and control signals from the main control board 1310, thus preventing the occurrence of problems where important information related to the player's benefit is not displayed.

Furthermore, in this example, the front cover portion 1411 and the back cover portion 1412 of the case 1410 are firmly fixed together by welding or the like, so that the function display board 1402 cannot be removed from inside the case 1410 without destroying at least a part of the case 1410. As mentioned above, the main control board box 1320 is equipped with multiple sealing mechanisms, and after opening the main control board box 1320 by destroying one of the multiple sealing mechanisms, the main control board box 1320 can be closed using a different sealing mechanism than the one that was destroyed. On the other hand, the case 1410 of the function display unit 1400 is not equipped with such a sealing mechanism, and once the case 1410 is removed by destroying a part of it, it is not possible to return the case 1410 to its original state. Thus, since the functional display board 1402 is enclosed and protected in a case 1410 that cannot be removed (exposed) without destroying at least a portion of it, the LED 1401, which has an important function, is protected from physical damage due to vandalism, etc., and if the case 1410 is destroyed in connection with vandalism, etc., it is easy to detect that vandalism has occurred. In addition, by protecting the functional display board 1402 with the case 1410, deformation such as warping is suppressed, and the LED 1401 is prevented from peeling off from the surface mounting surface of the functional display board 1402.

Furthermore, in this example, a translucent sheet 1404 is attached to the front side of the case 1410 to block the opening formed by the through-hole 1410a. At least a portion of the translucent sheet 1404 (the portion corresponding to the opening of the through-hole 1410a: the display portion 1404a) is semi-transparent (in this example, it is like cloudy frosted glass), allowing the illumination status of the LED 1401 to be seen through the display portion 1404a of the translucent sheet 1404. In this way, in the functional display unit 1400 of this example, by providing a translucent sheet 1404 on the front side of the case 1410 to block the opening of the through-hole 1410a, the exposure of the LED 1401 mounted on the front surface of the functional display board 1402 is suppressed, thereby preventing tampering with the front surface of the functional display board 1402 or the LED 1401 mounted on the front surface by inserting a wire or the like into the inside of the case 1410 through the through-hole 1410a. Furthermore, even if the light-transmitting sheet 1402 is torn and a wire is inserted into the case 1410, the formation of multiple ribs on the inside of the surface cover portion 1411 prevents damage to the entire surface mounting surface of the functional display board 1402, thereby suppressing the spread of damage.

Furthermore, in this example, the connector 1402 is mounted on the back side of the function display board 1402 where the LEDs 1401 are not mounted. Therefore, even if the light-transmitting sheet 1402 is torn and a wire is inserted into the inside of the case 1410, damage to the connector 1402 is suppressed, preventing interruption of power supply to each LED 1401 of the function display board 1402 and control signals from the main control board 1310. This prevents the occurrence of problems where important information related to the player's benefit is not displayed.

As described above, in this example, the functional display board 1402 is housed in a case 1410 made of a colored, opaque resin or the like. The mounting surface of the functional display board 1402 is not visible from any angle except for the through-hole 1410a and openings in the case 1410 that expose a portion of the connector 1402. This reduces the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the functional display board 1402 being read, thereby increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

In this example, the case 1410 housing the function display board 1402 is formed from a colored opaque white resin, but the colored opaque material can be black, gray, red, pink, light blue, blue, green, yellow, or other colors besides white. Furthermore, the main boards other than the function display board 1402, which are located on the player side of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, may be housed in cases made of colorless, transparent resin, rather than being limited to cases made of colored opaque resin.

Furthermore, in this example, the functional display board 1402 suppresses deformation such as warping due to the case 1410 described above. In addition, by increasing the mounting density of electronic components and miniaturizing the board, the rigidity of the board is increased, thereby suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing the mounted electronic components from falling off. Specifically, the functional display board 1402 in this example is at least one-quarter the size of the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633, and has higher rigidity than the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633.

Furthermore, in the functional display board 1402 of this example, the mounting density of electronic components is increased by employing a distinctive configuration in one or both of the power supply pattern and the signal pattern, thereby achieving miniaturization of the board. This will be explained below with reference to Figure 366. Figure 366(A) is an explanatory diagram showing the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402 where the LED 1401 is mounted, Figure 366(B) is an explanatory diagram showing the back mounting surface of the functional display board 1402 where the LED 1401 is not mounted, and Figures 366(C) and 366(D) are enlarged views of a portion of the back mounting surface of the functional display board 1402. Note that while Figure 366(A) omits the display of patterns formed on the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402, multiple patterns are formed on the front mounting surface of the functional display board 1402.

As shown in Figure 366, the functional display board 1402 in this example has a front mounting surface on which LEDs 1401 are mounted, and a back mounting surface on which no LEDs are mounted. Multiple bare LED chips 1401 are mounted on the front mounting surface, while a surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) connector 1420, a surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) IC 1430, and a surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) resistor 1440 are mounted on the back mounting surface. Furthermore, multiple patterns 1402a and multiple through-holes 1402b are formed on both the front and back mounting surfaces of the functional display board 1402. Note that the functional display board 1402 in this example is not limited to those with only surface-mount type electronic components mounted; it may also have both surface-mount type and through-hole type electronic components mounted.

Furthermore, as described above, the function display board 1402 in this example lacks a display area like the surface-side display area of the main control board 1310, making it difficult to read information that could identify the electronic components mounted on the function display board 1402 or circuit information. However, as mentioned above, it is sufficient to omit a display area that shows at least information that can identify electronic components (e.g., the model number of the electronic component), and information that cannot identify electronic components, as described above, may be provided.

Furthermore, surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) electronic components have multiple connection terminals provided at predetermined intervals, and the functional display board 1402 has pads 1402c to which the connection terminals of the electronic components are soldered, corresponding to each connection terminal (one pad 1402c is provided for each connection terminal). In this example, the functional display board 1402 is partially formed with patterns 1402a that are shorter than the spacing between the multiple pads 1402c provided corresponding to each connection terminal of the surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) electronic components. This shortens the average length of the patterns 1402a (the average length from one electronic component to another electronic component or through-hole, etc.), thereby increasing the mounting density of electronic components and enabling miniaturization of the board.

In this example, as shown in Figure 366(C), the pattern 1402a connecting the pads 1402c and the through-holes 1402b is shorter than the spacing X1 and X2 between each of the multiple pads 1402c corresponding to the connection terminals 1430a of IC 1430. This allows for a shorter average length of the patterns 1402a formed on the functional display board 1402 compared to conventional boards, increasing the mounting density of electronic components. This miniaturization and increased rigidity of the board suppresses deformation such as warping, preventing mounted electronic components from detaching. Furthermore, it makes it more difficult to notice boards whose presence should be concealed (e.g., the magnetic sensor board on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 on the second start port 2004), and by concealing their presence, the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the board being read is reduced, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

In this example, the average length of the patterns formed between electronic components or between electronic components and through-holes is shorter on the main boards such as the main control board 1310, which are located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 with the front mounting surface facing away from the player, compared to the patterns formed on the main boards such as the function display board 1402, which are located on the player side of the pachinko machine 1 with the front mounting surface facing away from the player, compared to the main boards such as the main control board 1310, which are located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 with the front mounting surface facing away from the player. In other words, the main boards such as the function display board 1402, which are located on the player side of the pachinko machine 1 with the front mounting surface facing away from the player, compared to the main boards such as the main control board 1310, which are located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 with the front mounting surface facing away from the player, allow for a higher mounting density of electronic components and enable miniaturization. Furthermore, miniaturizing the circuit board increases its rigidity, thereby suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing mounted electronic components from detaching. It also makes it more difficult to detect circuit boards whose presence needs to be concealed (for example, the magnetic sensor board for the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 located in the first start port 2002, and the sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 located in the second start port 2004), and by concealing their presence, the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the board being read is reduced, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

Furthermore, in the functional display board 1402 of this example, miniaturization of the board is also possible by directly connecting the pads corresponding to the connection terminals of one surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) electronic component to the pads corresponding to the connection terminals of the other surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) electronic component, without forming a pattern 1402a that connects the pads corresponding to the connection terminals of the surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) electronic component to the other surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) electronic component, without using pattern 1402a.

In Figure 366(C), IC 1430 and resistor 1440 are directly connected to the pad 1402c corresponding to the connection terminal 1430a of IC 1430 and the pad corresponding to the connection terminal of resistor 1440, without using pattern 1402a. This allows for a shorter average length of the pattern 1402a compared to the main control board 1310, thereby increasing the mounting density of electronic components. This enables miniaturization of the function display board 1402 and increases the rigidity of the board, suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing mounted electronic components from falling off. Furthermore, it makes it more difficult to notice boards whose presence you want to conceal (for example, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004), and by concealing their presence, the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the board being read is reduced, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

Furthermore, for some of the surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) electronic components among the multiple surface-mount type electronic components to be mounted, and for some of the through-holes 1402b lands formed with the multiple through-holes 1402b, the pads provided corresponding to the connection terminals of the surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) electronic components and the lands of the through-holes 1402 may be directly connected without going through the pattern 1402a. In this case as well, shortening the average length of the pattern 1402a formed on the functional display board 1402 increases the mounting density of electronic components. This enables miniaturization of the board and increases its rigidity, thereby suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing mounted electronic components from falling off. Furthermore, it makes it difficult to notice boards whose existence you want to conceal (for example, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, etc.) and reduces the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the board being read, thereby increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

Furthermore, the electronic component body (e.g., IC 1430) may also have a pattern 1402a formed in the mounting area, excluding the pad 1402c provided corresponding to the connection terminal 1430a of the surface-mount type (so-called SMD type) electronic component. In this case as well, the average length of the pattern 1402a formed on the functional display board 1402 can be shortened to increase the mounting density of electronic components. This enables miniaturization of the board and increases its rigidity, thereby suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing mounted electronic components from falling off. Additionally, it makes it more difficult to notice boards whose existence should be concealed (e.g., the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004), and by concealing their existence, the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the board being read is reduced, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

Normally, the pattern 1402a connected to the pad 1402c is formed vertically by connecting to the tip of the pad 1402c, as shown in Figure 366(C) for the pattern 1402a connected to the pad 1402c corresponding to the connection terminal 1430a of the IC 1430. In this case, an area is required at the tip of the pad 1402c to form the pattern 1402a, which hinders the miniaturization of the substrate. In this example, as shown in Figure 366(D), for some of the pads 1402c that are provided corresponding to the connection terminal 1420a of the connector 1420 as a surface-mount type electronic component, the pattern 1402a connected to the side of the pad 1402c is formed horizontally by connecting to the side of the pad 1402c instead of the tip. Therefore, the area for forming the pattern 1402a at the tip of the pad 1402c is no longer required, increasing the mounting density of electronic components. This enables miniaturization of the substrate and increases its rigidity, suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing mounted electronic components from falling off. Furthermore, it makes it difficult to notice substrates whose existence you want to conceal (for example, the magnetic sensor substrate provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor substrate of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor substrate of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004), and by concealing their existence, the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the substrate being read is reduced, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

Furthermore, as shown in the pad 1402c provided corresponding to the connection terminal 1420a of the connector 1420, typically only one pattern 1402a extends from one pad 1402c. In this example, the pattern 1402a and one pad 1402c are shared, and the pattern 1402a is formed to extend in multiple directions from this single pad 1402c.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 366(D), a pad 1402c is formed in the middle of a pattern 1402a that connects a pad 1402c (corresponding to the connector terminal 1420a) to a through-hole 1402b. The pad 1402c is formed with the same width as pattern 1402a, and the resistor 1440 is soldered to this pad 1402c. In other words, the pad 1402c and pattern 1402a are shared, and the pad 1402c is formed by exposing the copper foil without forming a resist layer on a portion of pattern 1402a, and the resistor 1440 is soldered to this pad 1402c.

This makes it possible to mount surface-mount type electronic components without forming a separate pad 1402c from pattern 1402a. This eliminates the need for a pad 1402c, increasing the mounting density of electronic components, enabling miniaturization of the substrate, and increasing its rigidity. This suppresses deformation such as warping, preventing mounted electronic components from detaching. Furthermore, it makes it difficult to detect substrates whose presence should be concealed (e.g., the magnetic sensor substrate on magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor substrate for the first start port sensor 3002 on the first start port 2002, and the sensor substrate for the second start port sensor 2401 on the second start port 2004), and by concealing their presence, the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the substrate being read is reduced, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering. Additionally, since surface-mount type electronic components can be mounted using a simple method that does not involve forming a resist layer on pattern 1402a, design flexibility is increased, and circuit design becomes easier.

The edges of the substrates on which electronic components such as the main control board 1310, the function display board 1402, and the magnetic sensor board 1050b are mounted are exposed without a resist layer. For example, on the main control board 1310, the resist layer is not formed along the edges of the front and back mounting surfaces, with a width of approximately 0.1 mm, leaving the substrate exposed. On the other hand, the function display board 1402 in this example has a smaller area where the resist layer is not formed and the substrate is exposed compared to the main control board 1310. Specifically, the area on the function display board 1402 where the resist layer is not formed and the substrate is exposed is less than 0.05 mm wide along the edges of the front and back mounting surfaces.

This allows for a higher mounting density of electronic components and miniaturization of the function display board 1402 and magnetic sensor board 1050b compared to the main control board 1310. This increases the rigidity of the function display board 1402, suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing the mounted electronic components from falling off. Furthermore, it makes it more difficult to notice boards whose presence you want to conceal (for example, the magnetic sensor board on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 on the second start port 2004), and by concealing their presence, the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the board being read is reduced, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

Furthermore, in the functional display board 1402 and the magnetic sensor board 1050b, a resist layer may be formed on all edges of the board on both the front and back mounting surfaces to prevent any areas where the substrate is exposed. In this case, the mounting density of electronic components on the functional display board 1402 can be increased, further enabling miniaturization. This further increases the rigidity of the functional display board 1402, suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing mounted electronic components from peeling off. It also makes it more difficult to notice boards whose existence you want to conceal (for example, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004), and by concealing their existence, the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the board being read can be reduced, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

As described above, the main control board 1310 has openings for inserting screws, and by inserting screws into these openings and fastening them to the inside of the cover body 1301, it is housed in the main control board box 1320. On the other hand, the function display board 1402 in this example does not have openings for inserting screws, and is held between the front cover portion 1411 and the back cover portion 1412 of the case 1410. In this state, the front cover portion 1411 and the back cover portion 1412 are fixed together without using screws or bolts, allowing the board to be housed in the case 1410. In other words, the main control board 1310 has areas where patterns are formed and areas where electronic components are mounted, as well as areas where openings for inserting screws are formed, whereas the function display board 1402 does not have areas where openings for inserting screws are formed.

Thus, in this example, the functional display board 1402 does not have an area where an opening for inserting screws is formed, thereby increasing the mounting density of electronic components. This allows for miniaturization of the board and increases the rigidity of the functional display board 1402, suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing mounted electronic components from falling off. Furthermore, it makes it difficult to notice boards whose existence you want to conceal (for example, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, etc.), and by concealing their existence, the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the board being read is reduced, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

Furthermore, positioning bosses and boss holes may be formed on the front cover portion 1411 and the back cover portion 1412 of the case 1410. In this case, an opening into which the bosses are inserted may be formed in the functional display board 1402. Furthermore, in this case, by forming the bosses to be thinner than screws or bolts, the area of the opening for inserting the bosses in the functional display board 1402 can be narrowed, thus not hindering the miniaturization of the board. This allows for increased mounting density of electronic components, enabling miniaturization of the board. This, in turn, increases the rigidity of the functional display board 1402, suppressing deformation such as warping and preventing mounted electronic components from falling off. Additionally, it makes it more difficult to notice boards whose existence needs to be concealed (for example, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004), and by concealing their existence, the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the board being read is reduced, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

As described above, the main circuit board, which is located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 with the front mounting surface facing away from the player, has a CPU (main control MPU 1310a, payout control MPU) mounted on it and executes important processes related to the progress of the game (for example, the main control side main processing, the main control side timer interrupt processing, or processing executed on the payout control board 633 in relation to the main control side main processing and the main control side timer interrupt processing). In order to stably execute such important processes related to the progress of the game, grounds other than the wiring patterns for power and signals are formed on both sides of the board using so-called solid patterns (solid ground (GND) (board ground)). This ensures the stable operation of the electronic circuits composed of various electronic components and enables the stable execution of important processes related to the progress of the game, thereby suppressing disadvantages to the player and increasing the reliability of the gaming machine. In other words, the main circuit board, located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 with the front mounting surface facing away from the player, has areas for forming solid ground patterns (GND (circuit board ground)) in addition to wiring patterns for power and signals, making miniaturization of the circuit board difficult.

On the other hand, the main boards, such as the function display board 1402 and the magnetic sensor board 1050, which are located on the player side of the main board located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 with the front mounting surface facing away from the player, do not have a CPU mounted on them. Furthermore, they perform processing based on signals from the main control MPU 1310a mounted on the main control board 1310 located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1. Therefore, they have little impact on the progress of the game or the player's profit, and the need to ensure stable operation is low. For this reason, the function display board 1402 and the magnetic sensor board 1050 in this example do not form a solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (board ground)). This allows for a higher mounting density of electronic components compared to cases where a solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) is formed, enabling miniaturization of the substrate and increasing its rigidity. This suppresses deformation such as warping, preventing mounted electronic components from detaching. Furthermore, it makes it more difficult to detect substrates whose presence should be concealed (for example, the magnetic sensor substrate provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor substrate for the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor substrate for the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004), and by concealing their presence, the risk of electronic components and circuit information mounted on the substrate being read is reduced, thus increasing the deterrent effect against tampering.

In the example described above, the functional display board 1402 was explained as a substrate that increases rigidity and suppresses warping and deformation by increasing the mounting density of electronic components and miniaturizing the substrate. However, even with the magnetic sensor substrate provided for the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor substrate for the first start port sensor 3002 provided for the first start port 2002, and the sensor substrate for the second start port sensor 2401 provided for the second start port 2004, it is possible to increase the mounting density of electronic components and miniaturize the substrate by adopting a configuration similar to that of the functional display board 1402. This also makes it possible to increase the rigidity of the substrate, suppress warping and deformation, and prevent the mounted electronic components from peeling off. In other words, the above-described configuration for achieving miniaturization of the functional display board 1402 may also be applied to the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004. In the above-described embodiment, "functional display board 1402" can be read as other boards such as the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401, and can be applied to the corresponding boards. In this case, it becomes possible to suppress warping and deformation of the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004.

Thus, in the main circuit board that performs important controls related to the progress of the game, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, etc., are installed on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 with their front mounting surfaces facing away from the player. In other words, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, etc., are installed with their front mounting surfaces facing away from the player, accessible from the back side of the pachinko machine 1, and inaccessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1. In addition to these boards, the function display board 1402 is installed on the function display unit 1400 which is installed on the player side, the magnetic sensor board is installed on the magnetic sensor 1050, and the first start port 2002 is installed The sensor boards of the first start port sensor 3002 and the second start port sensor 2401 located in the second start port 2004, etc., are protected in different ways. In other words, the function display board 1402 located in the function display unit 1400, which has its front mounting surface facing the player and is accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 but inaccessible from the back side of the pachinko machine 1, the magnetic sensor board located in the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 located in the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 located in the second start port 2004, etc. These protection methods allow for appropriate protection according to the placement, orientation of the front mounting surface, and the accessible side of the pachinko machine 1.

In the above-described embodiment, the main control board 1310 was described as a substrate on which both surface-mount type electronic components (chip components, SMD (Surface Mount Device)) and lead-type (through-hole mounting type, through-hole mounting type) electronic components (lead components, DIP components, through-hole components) are mounted. However, it is not limited to this, and other substrates such as the dispensing control board 633 on which a microprocessor is mounted may also be used. In other words, what is referred to as the main control board 1310 in the above-described embodiment can be read as other substrates such as the dispensing control board 633, and can be applied to each substrate corresponding to the respective substrate.

[Variation example 1 with anti-fraud measures]
The main circuit boards described above perform important processing related to the progress of the game and have electronic components mounted on them that detect fraudulent activity. Furthermore, among the main circuit boards, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 are located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1, with their front surfaces (front mounting surfaces) facing away from the player and accessible from the back side of the pachinko machine 1. In contrast, the main circuit boards located closer to the player than these boards, such as the sensor board 1052 on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display board 1402 on the function display unit 1400, the sensor board for the first start-up sensor 3002 on the first start-up opening 2002, and the sensor board for the second start-up sensor 2401 on the second start-up opening 2004, have their front surfaces (front mounting surfaces) not facing away from the player, making them accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 and thus more susceptible to fraudulent modification. Below, a modified example 1 with anti-fraud measures will be described in detail with reference to Figure 372. Furthermore, in Modification 1, which incorporates anti-fraud measures, only the parts that differ from the above embodiment (particularly the sensor substrate 1052 and the magnetic sensor substrate 1050b) will be described, and redundant explanations will not be provided.

In the following description, we will focus on the sensor board 1052A, which is a main board located on the player's side of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, and is mounted on the magnetic sensor 1050. However, this technical concept is applicable to any main board located on the player's side of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, other than the sensor board 1052A, and also to sub-boards different from the main boards (for example, decorative boards mounted on the game board 5 with LEDs mounted on them). Furthermore, it is possible to implement this technology in combination with the embodiments described above. For example, it can be implemented in combination with one or more of the following: improved ease of detecting fraud 1 to improved ease of detecting fraud 3, and prevention of peeling of surface-mount type electronic components 1 to prevention of peeling of surface-mount type electronic components 4.

Figure 372 is an explanatory diagram showing the component mounting surface of the sensor substrate 1052A housed within the sensor case 1053A of the magnetic sensor 1050A in a modified example incorporating anti-tampering measures. In this example, the surface (front substrate surface) of the magnetic sensor 1050A includes a sensor body 1051A for detecting magnetism, a sensor substrate 1052A with a green solder resist (protective agent) coating on both the front substrate surface (where the sensor body 1051A is mounted) and the back substrate surface (where no electronic components are mounted), an opaque sensor case 1053A (not shown) covering the sensor substrate 1052A and the sensor body 1051A, a capacitor 1053a, a transistor 1053b, and a connection connector 1053c, all of which are surface-mounted.

In this example, the front surface (front board surface) on which the sensor body 1051A is mounted and the back surface (back board surface) where no electronic components are mounted are coated with green solder resist (protective agent). However, the color of the solder resist is not limited to green; it may be other colors such as white. Furthermore, the sensor board 1052A and sensor body 1051A are not limited to being covered with an opaque sensor case 1053A. They may also be covered with a transparent sensor case 1053A, allowing the sensor board 1052A and sensor body 1051A to be visible from outside the sensor case 1053.

Furthermore, in this example, the sensor board 1052A has electronic components mounted only on the front surface (front board surface), and wiring patterns are formed only on the front surface (front board surface), while no electronic components are mounted and no wiring patterns are formed on the back surface (back board surface). Moreover, only surface-mount type electronic components are mounted on the sensor board 1052A in this example. Therefore, the sensor board 1052A does not have through-holes connecting the wiring patterns formed on the front surface (front board surface) and the wiring patterns formed on the back surface (back board surface). However, electronic components may be mounted on both the front and back surfaces (front board surface) to form through-holes connecting the wiring patterns on the front and back surfaces (back board surface), or at least some of the electronic components may be lead-type electronic components mounted on either the front or back surface (back board surface) of the sensor board 1052A to form through-holes connecting the wiring patterns on the front and back surfaces (back board surface).

As shown in Figure 372, the surface (front surface) of the sensor board 1052A in this example has a wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 for supplying various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, and +24V) created by the power supply board 630, a wiring pattern (GND line) 1052A2 for ground connection, and a wiring pattern (signal line) 1052A3 through which detection signals from the sensor body 1051A are transmitted. These are connected to the terminals 1053c1 of the sensor body 1051A, capacitor 1053a, transistor 1053b, and connection connector 1053c, which are mounted on the surface (front surface) of the sensor board 1052A, and electrically connected to the main control board 1310. The capacitor 1053a and transistor 1053b mounted on the sensor board 1052A are electrically connected to the solid ground pattern (GND (board ground)) 1312 formed on the main control board 1310 via the ground connection wiring pattern (GND line) 1052A2. (They may also be electrically connected to the main control board 1310 via an intermediate board, or they may be electrically connected to the main control board 1310 without an intermediate board.)

Among the various surface-mounted electronic components, the terminals of the connector 1053c are designated as terminal 1 (VDD terminal), terminal 2 (GND terminal), and terminal 3 (OUT terminal) in the drawing. The power supply wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 and the ground connection wiring pattern (GND line) 1052A2, extending from the VDD and GND terminals of the connector 1053c, are connected to the GND terminal and power terminal, respectively, of the magnetic detection IC (sensor body 1051A). Connection pads 1052Ab are formed in the middle of the GND line and the power line, and the connection terminal 1053a1 of the capacitor 1053a is soldered to them.

Furthermore, the wiring pattern (signal line) 1052A3, which transmits the detection signal extending from the OUT terminal, is connected to the collector terminal of an open-collector type transistor 1053b. This transistor receives the signal output from the output terminal of the sensor body 1051A at its base terminal and switches the state of its collector terminal according to the signal received at the base terminal. The emitter terminal is connected to the GND terminal of the sensor body 1051A by forming a wiring pattern with the same line width as the GND line 1052A2 on the back surface of the circuit board of the sensor body 1051A. The wiring pattern formed to connect the output terminal of the sensor body 1051A (where the signal is output) and the base terminal of the transistor 1053b has the same line width as the signal line 1052A3.

On the other hand, the harness connected to the connection connector 1053c is connected to the panel relay board 1710, and the panel relay board 1710 and the main control board 1310 are further connected by a harness. The OUT terminal is electrically connected to the main control input circuit of the main control board 1310, and is also connected via a resistor to the +5V power supply created by the +5V generation circuit 1310g of the main control board, either within the relay board 1710 or the main control board 1310.

The signal output from the sensor body 1051A, when the sensor body 1051A is not detecting magnetism, outputs a signal to turn on transistor 1053b. Therefore, the connection between the collector terminal, i.e., the OUT terminal, and the input circuit of the main control board 1310 remains open. When the sensor body 1051A is detecting magnetism, it outputs a signal to turn off transistor 1053b. Therefore, the connection between the collector terminal, i.e., the OUT terminal, and the input circuit becomes open.

Therefore, when the sensor body 1051A detects magnetism, the current that was flowing into the OUT terminal via the resistor stops flowing. The potential of the signal input to the OUT terminal, i.e., the input circuit, changes from a potential lower than the +5V power supply to a potential equal to the +5V power supply. This causes the main control MPU 1310a, mounted on the main control board 1310, to determine that a magnetic detection abnormality has occurred. The main control board 1310 then sends a command to the peripheral control board 1510 indicating the magnetic detection abnormality, and the peripheral control board 1510 uses the display device 1600, speaker, and various lamps/LEDs to notify the abnormality.

Therefore, when the OUT terminal is open, it is equivalent to when the signal line 1052A3 is detached. If the circuit is damaged due to detachment, a magnetic detection abnormality will be reported. Furthermore, if the power line 1052A1 or GND line 1052A2 is detached, power will not be supplied to the sensor body 1051A. This prevents the output of a signal to turn on transistor 1053b, maintaining the open state of the OUT terminal, which will be judged as a magnetic detection abnormality and reported.

Furthermore, if the wiring pattern connecting the output terminal of the sensor body 1051A to the base terminal of transistor 1053b, or the wiring pattern connecting the GND line 1052A2 to the emitter terminal of transistor 1053b, is peeled off and the circuit is destroyed, it will be judged as a magnetic detection abnormality and an alert will be issued. In this way, even if someone attempts to commit fraud by destroying the magnetic sensor 1050 and rendering it unable to detect magnetism, an alert will be issued, thus preventing and deterring fraudulent activity.

Furthermore, in the sensor board 1052A of this example, in addition to the fact that a solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (board ground)) is not formed, the pads to which the connection terminals of certain electronic components having a GND terminal (for example, the connection terminal 1053a1 of capacitor 1053a, the connection terminal 1053b1 of transistor 1053b, the connection terminal 1051A1 of sensor body 1051A, and the terminal portion 1053c1 of the connection connector 1053c) are soldered (for example, the pads 1052Ab to which each of the connection terminals 1053a1 of capacitor 1053a are soldered, and The pads 1052Ad to which each of the connection terminals 1053b1 of the transistor 1053b is soldered, the pads 1052Ac to which each of the connection terminals 1051A1 of the sensor body 1051A is soldered, and the pads 1052Aa to which each of the terminal portions 1053c1 of the connection connector 1053c is soldered are all formed as ordinary pads. There are no thermal pads with thermal patterns (patterns having a cross shape (even if partially missing) or an X shape (even if partially missing)) that electrically and physically connect the solid pattern (also called a solid ground) to the pads, nor are there any thermal lands. Furthermore, the various electronic components mounted on the sensor board 1052A are connected to ground via the ground connection wiring pattern 1052.

Furthermore, in general circuit boards such as the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the peripheral control board 1510, and the decorative board on the game board 5 on which LEDs are mounted, the line width of the wiring pattern for ground connection is formed with a thicker line width than the line width of the wiring pattern for signal transmission. However, in the sensor board 1052A of this example, the line width of the wiring pattern 1052A2 for ground connection is formed with the same (or nearly the same, including a range of about ±10%) thin line width as the line width of the wiring pattern 1052A3 on which the detection signal from the sensor body 1051A is transmitted. This design makes it easier for certain electronic components mounted on the surface (front surface) of the sensor board 1052A to be removed. When such force is applied in a direction that peels off the pads to which the connection terminals of these components are soldered, the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A, and the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body is transmitted, these components become more susceptible to peeling. This can lead to the circuit being destroyed, thus deterring unauthorized modification of the sensor board 1052A and improving security.

Furthermore, in general circuit boards such as the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the peripheral control board 1510, and the decorative board on the game board 5 on which LEDs are mounted, the line width of the wiring patterns (power lines) that supply various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V) created by the power supply board 630 is formed with line widths corresponding to each current (the higher the current, the thicker the line width). However, in the sensor board 1052A of this example, the line width of the wiring pattern 1052A2 for ground connection and the line width of the wiring pattern 1052A3 on which the detection signal from the sensor body 1051A is transmitted are not formed with the same line width. Furthermore, the line width of the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, and +24V) created on the power supply board 630 is formed to be the same as (approximately identical, including a range of ±10%) as the line width of the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2 and the line width of the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body 1051A is transmitted. This ensures that all wiring patterns 1052A1, 1052A2, and 1052A3 formed on the sensor board 1052A have the same line width (approximately identical, including a range of ±10%).

This makes it difficult to determine the purpose of the wiring patterns 1052A1, 1052A2, and 1052A3 (whether they are the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, and +24V) created by the power supply board 630, the wiring pattern (GND line) 1052A2 for ground connection, or the wiring pattern (signal line) 1052A3 through which detection signals from the sensor body 1051A are transmitted), making it harder to read the circuit of the sensor board 1052A, thereby suppressing unauthorized modifications and improving security. Furthermore, if a force is applied to the surface (front surface) of the sensor board 1052A that removes a specific electronic component, and this force peels off the pads to which the connection terminals of that specific electronic component are soldered, the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A, and the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body is transmitted, the pads, the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2, the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body is transmitted, and the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V) created by the power supply board 630 will become more easily peeled off. This will cause the pads, the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2, and the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body is transmitted to peel off, destroying the circuit. This deters unauthorized modification of the sensor board 1052A and improves security.

Furthermore, the line width of the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2, the line width of the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body 1051A is transmitted, and the line width of the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V, etc.) created by the power supply board 630 should be the same (including a range of approximately ±10%), and the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A Instead of forming the line width of 2 with a narrower line width than usual, the line width of the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body 1051A is transmitted, and the line width of the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V, etc.) created by the power supply board 630, may be formed with the same line width (including approximately the same width, within a range of ±10%) as the line width of the wiring pattern 1052A2 for ground connection.

In other words, the line width of the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2, the line width of the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body 1051A is transmitted, and the line width of the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V) created by the power supply board 630 may be unified to one of these line widths, or the line widths of the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2, the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body 1051A is transmitted, and the line width of the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V) created by the power supply board 630 may be unified to any line width different from the normal line widths of each.

Furthermore, in the sensor board 1052A of this example, as described above, a solid ground plane (GND (board ground)) is not formed. In addition, the pads to which each connection terminal of a specific electronic component is soldered (for example, the pads 1052Ab to which each connection terminal 1053a1 of the capacitor 1053a is soldered) are not formed as thermal pads. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the identification of the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2 from the solid ground plane or thermal pads. This makes it more difficult to read the circuit of the sensor board 1052A, thereby suppressing unauthorized modification and improving security.

Furthermore, in this example, the sensor board 1052A does not have a solid ground pattern (solid ground (GND) (board ground)) formed on it, and the wiring pattern 1052A2 for ground connection is not connected to the solid ground pattern (solid ground (GND) (board ground)) of the sensor board 1052A. In contrast, boards such as the main control board 1310, the dispensing control board 633, and the peripheral control board 1510, which do have solid ground patterns (solid ground (GND) (board ground)) formed on them, have wiring patterns for ground connection that are connected to the solid ground patterns (solid ground (GND) (board ground)) formed on each board. For example, thermal patterns that electrically and physically connect pads or lands to solid ground patterns are formed to be shorter than the distance between adjacent electronic components separated by a non-mountable area, whereas in the sensor board 1052A, the wiring pattern 1052A2 for ground connection is formed to be longer than the distance between adjacent electronic components separated by a non-mountable area. Therefore, in this example, the substrates such as the main control board 1310, the dispensing control board 633, and the peripheral control board 1510, which have solid ground patterns (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) formed on them, have a larger substrate area (more than 10 times) than the sensor board 1052A. However, the wiring patterns (thermal patterns) for ground connection formed on the main control board 1310, the dispensing control board 633, and the peripheral control board 1510 are shorter than the wiring patterns 1052A2 for ground connection on the sensor board 1052A.

Thus, in substrates where a solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) is formed, such as the main control board 1310, the dispensing control board 633, and the peripheral control board 1510, the length of the wiring pattern (thermal pattern) for ground connection leading to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) is shortened. Furthermore, in general circuit boards such as the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the peripheral control board 1510, and the decorative board on the game board 5 on which LEDs are mounted, the line width of the wiring patterns (power lines) that supply various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V) created by the power supply board 630 is formed with a line width corresponding to each current (the higher the current, the thicker the line width), and the length of the wiring patterns (thermal patterns) for ground connection leading to the solid ground (GND (board ground)) is shortened. This design prevents the ground connection wiring pattern (thermal pattern) from peeling off or the specific electronic component from falling off when a force is applied to remove a specific electronic component (such as an IC, capacitor, or transistor) that has a GND terminal and is mounted on the main control board 1310, the dispensing control board 633, or the peripheral control board 1510, and when a force is applied in a direction that peels off the through-holes, pads, or ground connection wiring patterns (thermal patterns) to which the connection terminals of the specific electronic component are soldered. This is achieved by preventing the ground connection wiring pattern (thermal pattern) from peeling off or the specific electronic component from falling off due to the ground plane (ground plane (GND) (board ground)) to which the through-holes, pads, or ground connection wiring patterns (thermal patterns) to which the connection terminals of the specific electronic component are soldered.

Furthermore, in boards on which solid patterns (solid ground (GND) (board ground)) are formed, such as the main control board 1310, the dispensing control board 633, and the peripheral control board 1510, at least one of the pads or through-hole lands to which the connection terminals of specific electronic components (e.g., ICs, capacitors, transistors, etc.) are soldered may be formed with thermal pads or thermal lands, and the pads or lands may be physically connected to the solid patterns (solid ground (GND) (board ground)) formed on each board via the thermal patterns. For example, on the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633, at least one of the through-holes to which each lead terminal of a specific electronic component, such as a lead-type capacitor (or lead-type resistor, etc.), is soldered may be formed with a thermal pad or thermal land, and the pad or land may be physically connected to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (board ground)) formed on the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633, respectively, via the thermal pattern. Alternatively, on the peripheral control board 1510, at least one of the pads to which each connection terminal of a specific electronic component, such as a surface-mount type capacitor (also called a chip capacitor; surface-mount type resistor (also called a chip resistor, etc.), is soldered may be formed with a thermal pad, and the pad may be physically connected to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (board ground)) formed on the peripheral control board 1510 via the thermal pattern.

As described above, thermal pads and thermal lands with thermal patterns make it more difficult for heat to transfer to the solid ground (GND) compared to ordinary pads and lands without thermal patterns. Therefore, by forming at least one of the pads or through-hole lands to which each connection terminal of a specific electronic component is soldered with a thermal pad or thermal land, the temperature drop when soldering that specific electronic component is suppressed (heat dissipation is suppressed), ensuring that the solder on the pad melts reliably and that the solder applied to the back side is reliably drawn up to the front side through the through-hole. As a result, the welding of that specific electronic component becomes stronger and the rigidity of the circuit board is improved. In other words, on a circuit board where a solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (board ground)) is formed, such as the main control board 1310, the dispensing control board 633, and the peripheral control board 1510, forming at least one of the pads or lands to which each connection terminal of a specific electronic component is soldered with a thermal pad or thermal land strengthens the welding of the capacitor, a specific electronic component, and increases the rigidity of the circuit board. Furthermore, as described above, the length of the ground connection wiring pattern (thermal pattern) leading to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (board ground)) is shortened. Therefore, even if a force is applied to remove a specific electronic component, the through-holes, pads, and the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (board ground)) to which the ground connection wiring pattern (thermal pattern) is connected can prevent the ground connection wiring pattern (thermal pattern) from peeling off or the electronic component from falling off.

Furthermore, the length of each thermal pattern (the length from the pad or land to the ground plane (ground plane (GND) (substrate ground)), in other words, the length of each ground connection wiring pattern (thermal pattern) until it is physically connected to the ground plane (ground plane (GND) (substrate ground) in the thermal pads or thermal lands to which the connection terminals of specific electronic components are soldered) is uniform, and each is formed to have a predetermined fixed length. On the other hand, in the sensor substrate 1052A of this example, the length of each thermal pattern (ground plane ( In this example, a GND (substrate ground) is not formed, and the length of the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2 is not constant. Therefore, when a force is applied to remove a specific electronic component, the force is applied uniformly to each thermal pattern, suppressing the peeling of parts of the thermal pattern. On the other hand, in the sensor substrate 1052A of this example, when a force is applied to remove a specific electronic component, the force is concentrated on the weaker parts of the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2 (for example, longer wiring patterns 1052A2), making them more prone to peeling.

As described above, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, which are part of the main circuit boards and are located on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 with their surfaces (mounting surfaces 1310x, 633x) facing the rear side of the pachinko machine 1, are accessible from the back side of the pachinko machine 1 but not from the front side. On the other hand, the main circuit boards located closer to the player than these boards, such as the sensor board 1052 on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display board 1402 on the function display unit 1400, the sensor board for the first start-up sensor 3002 on the first start-up opening 2002, and the sensor board for the second start-up sensor 2401 on the second start-up opening 2004, have their surfaces (front mounting surfaces) not facing away from the player, and are therefore accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1. In this example, by differentiating the anti-fraud configurations for the main circuit boards that are inaccessible from the surface of the pachinko machine 1 (such as the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633) and the main circuit boards that are accessible from the surface of the pachinko machine 1 (such as the sensor board 1052A provided on the magnetic sensor 1050), it becomes possible to implement effective anti-fraud measures tailored to the arrangement and function of each component.

[Variation example 2 with anti-fraud measures]
In the modified example 1 of the above anti-fraud measures, the configuration of the anti-fraud measures is shown to be different for the main board (main control board 1310, payout control board 633, etc.) that is inaccessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 and the main board (sensor board 1052A provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, etc.) that is accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1. However, the configuration of the anti-fraud measures may also be different for the main board (sensor board 1052A provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, etc.) that is accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 and the decorative board that is accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 and has LEDs mounted on its front surface (front board surface) and a driver that drives the LEDs mounted on its front surface (front board surface) or back surface (back board surface). Below, modified example 2 of the anti-fraud measures will be described in detail with reference to Figure 373. The rear left movable decorative board 3311A will be described as a sub-board that is accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, the rear left movable decorative substrate 3311A is the same substrate as the rear left movable decorative substrate 3311 described above. In the modified example 2, which incorporates countermeasures against fraud, only the parts that differ from the above embodiment (especially the rear left movable decorative substrate 3311) will be explained, and redundant explanations will not be given.

Figure 373 is an explanatory diagram showing the back side (back board surface) of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3311A in this example, where the LED 3314a is not mounted. As shown in Figure 373, in this example, the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3311A is coated with white solder resist (protective material), similar to the front mounting surface, and the IC 3311e, capacitor 3311f, and connector 3311g are mounted. In addition, on the side of pad 3311A1a (lower left of the IC 3311e in the diagram), where the first terminal 3311ea of the multiple connection terminals 3311ea of the IC 3311e is soldered, a symbol of the number 1 enclosed in a circle is formed on the resist by silk printing as a 1-pin mark 3311e1, indicating the mounting orientation (mounting direction, position of the first terminal). Furthermore, the pin 1 mark 3311e1 indicating the mounting orientation of the electronic component (mounting direction, placement position of the first terminal) is not limited to the above; a triangle (△) or a circle may also be used.

Furthermore, in the lower right of the diagram, the board management number 3311A3, a unique identification number for managing each board, is formed using foil-cut characters (i.e., characters are created using the copper foil wiring pattern in the layer where the wiring pattern is formed (copper plane), and the surrounding copper foil is removed to form the characters). Note that the board management number 3311A3 is not limited to being formed using foil-cut characters; it may also be formed using foil-retaining characters (i.e., characters are formed by removing the copper foil corresponding to the characters in the layer where the wiring pattern is formed (copper plane)) or printed on the resist using silkscreen printing.

Furthermore, a solid ground plane (GND) 3311A1 is formed over almost the entire back surface (back board surface) of the rear left movable decorative board 3311A. One of the multiple connection terminals 3311ea of the IC 3311e mounted on the back surface (back board surface) of the rear left movable decorative board 3311A is connected to one of the multiple connection terminals 3311fa of the capacitor 3311f, and one of the multiple connection terminals 3311ga of the connector 3311g. This constitutes a power line that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V, etc.) created by the power supply board 630.

In this example, as shown in Figure 373, among the multiple connection terminals 3311A1a, 3311A1b, and 3311A1c of IC 3311e, capacitor 3311f, and connector 3311g, the pads 3311A1a, 3311A1b, and 3311A1c to which the connection terminals connected to the ground plane (also called GND terminals) are soldered are formed as thermal pads 3311A1a, 3311A1b, and 3311A1c having thermal patterns. Therefore, it becomes possible to firmly weld IC 3311e, capacitor 3311f, and connector 3311g to the back surface (back board surface) of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3311A.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 373, the thermal pads 3311A1a, 3311A1b, and 3311A1c formed on IC 3311e, capacitor 3311f, and connector 3311g, respectively, are formed so that the length of each thermal pattern that physically connects the pads 3311A1a, 3311A1b, and 3311A1c to the solid ground pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 3311A1 is uniform, and each has a predetermined fixed length. In addition, the length of each thermal pattern is formed to be shorter than the distance between adjacent electronic components separated by a non-mountable area. In other words, the IC 3311e, capacitor 3311f, and connector 3311g, which are mounted on the back surface (back board surface) of the rear left movable decorative board 3311A, each have short ground connection wiring patterns (thermal patterns), and the length of the ground connection wiring patterns (thermal patterns) up to the connection to the solid ground (ground (GND) (board ground)) 3311A1 is made approximately uniform. Therefore, when a force is applied to the back surface (back board surface) of the rear left movable decorative board 3311A that would cause any of the IC 3311e, capacitor 3311f, or connector 3311g to be removed, the force is uniformly distributed across each thermal pattern. Furthermore, the solid ground pattern (GND (board ground)) 3311A1, which is physically connected to each pad 3311A1a, 3311A1b, and 3311A1c over an extremely short distance, prevents the ground connection wiring pattern (thermal pattern) from peeling off or electronic components from falling off.

Thus, in a decorative circuit board accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1, where LEDs are mounted on the front surface (front board surface) and the drivers for driving the LEDs are mounted on either the front surface (front board surface) or the back surface (back board surface), the circuit board is configured to strengthen the welding of electronic components to prevent them from peeling off or the wiring patterns from detaching.

On the other hand, as shown in Modification 1, which implements the above-mentioned countermeasures against fraud, the sensor board 1052A, etc., provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, which is the main side board accessible from the surface side of the pachinko machine 1, has no solid ground pattern (solid ground (GND) (board ground)), thermal pads, or thermal lands formed on it. Furthermore, the length of the wiring pattern for ground connection is longer than the spacing between adjacent electronic components across the non-mountable area, and the length of the wiring pattern for ground connection is uneven. Therefore, if a force is applied to remove the electronic components mounted on the sensor board 1052A, the force is concentrated on the weakest parts (for example, the longer wiring pattern 1052A2) of the pads, the wiring pattern for ground connection 1052A2, the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body is transmitted, and the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V) created by the power supply board 630, causing them to peel off and destroying the circuit.

In other words, the sub-circuit board accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 executes processes related to the game's presentation, while the main circuit board accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 executes processes related to game control. This is a crucial circuit board that affects the interests of players and the arcade, and unauthorized modifications could potentially cause harm to players and arcades. On the other hand, even if the sub-circuit board is illegally modified, the risk of causing harm to players and arcades is low.

Therefore, regarding the circuit boards accessible from the surface side of the pachinko machine 1, the sub-board is protected by strengthening the welding of electronic components and suppressing the peeling of wiring patterns to make the circuit less susceptible to damage. The main board, on the other hand, is intentionally designed to be easily damaged, so that if illegal modifications are attempted, the circuit itself will be destroyed, thus deterring illegal modifications and preventing harm to players and amusement facilities.

Furthermore, regarding the special sub-boards accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1, a configuration that makes the circuit easily damaged may be adopted, similar to the modified example 1 with the above-mentioned anti-tampering measures. For example, regarding the decorative board on the game board 5 that is accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 and on which LEDs are mounted, a board without a driver to drive the LEDs (for example, the rear left movable decorative board 3314) may be configured to be easily damaged, similar to the modified example 1 with the above-mentioned anti-tampering measures. In this case, a solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (board ground)) may not be formed on this decorative board. By deliberately making the circuit of the special sub-board easily damaged, if tampering is carried out on a less important board because it does not have a driver mounted, the tampering will be satisfied by deliberately damaging the circuit, thereby deterring tampering on other boards such as the board on which the driver is mounted or the sensor board 1052A.

[Modified example 1 for increasing the strength of the circuit board]
The main circuit board described above performs important processes related to the progress of the game and has electronic components mounted on it that detect fraudulent activity. In particular, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 perform important processes related to the progress of the game and important processes related to the player's profit (prize balls). In this example, the strength (bending strength, rigidity) of the circuit board that performs such important processes is increased to prevent the mounted electronic components from peeling off. Below, Modification 1 for increasing the strength of the circuit board will be described with reference to Figure 374(A). Furthermore, in Modification 1 for increasing the strength of the circuit board, only the parts that differ from the above embodiment (especially the main control board 1310 shown in Figure 364) will be described, and redundant explanations will not be given.

The following description focuses on the main control board 1310, but this technical concept is also applicable to the dispensing control board 633 and the peripheral control board 1510. In other words, this technical concept is applicable to any board on which specific electronic components (e.g., ICs) and electronic components (e.g., capacitors) that are adjacent to each other with a non-mountable area in between are mounted. Furthermore, it can be implemented in combination with the embodiments described above. For example, it can be implemented in combination with one or more of the improvements to the ease of detecting fraud (1-3) or the prevention of peeling of surface-mount type electronic components (1-4).

Figure 374(A) is an explanatory diagram showing the mounting state of the main control board 1310 in a modified example for increasing the strength of the substrate, specifically illustrating the mounting state of a surface-mount type (chip component, SMD type) IC and an insertion-mount type (DIP component) capacitor positioned adjacent to the IC with a non-mountable area in between.

In this example, the mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 has a solid ground pattern (ground plane (GND) (board ground)) 1312 formed over almost the entire surface except for about 1 mm at the base end. Multiple surface-mount type ICs 1, fixed to the board by soldering connection terminal ICs 1a to pads 1310k formed on the board surface, and multiple lead-type capacitors MC1, fixed to the board by inserting lead terminals into through-holes 1310r and soldering these lead terminals to the through-holes 1310r or lands, are mounted on the board.

Furthermore, as described above, in this example, a lead-type capacitor MC1 is placed adjacent to the surface-mount type IC1 (with a non-mountable area in between). One of the two through-holes 1310r lands 1310s and 1310r into which the lead terminals MC1a of the capacitor MC1 are inserted is formed as a thermal land 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v (hatched area in Figure 374(A)) that electrically and physically connects the land to a solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 1312.

Thus, by forming the land provided in one of the two through-holes into which the lead terminals of the capacitor MC1 are inserted as a thermal land 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v, heat is less likely to be transferred to the solid ground pattern (GND (substrate ground)) 1312 compared to a normal land 1310s that does not have a thermal pattern 1310v and is directly connected to the solid ground pattern (GND (substrate ground)) 1312 (formed integrally with the solid ground pattern 1312), so that the lead type capacitor MC1 can be soldered... The temperature drop during this process is suppressed (heat dissipation is suppressed), and the solder applied to the solder side (back side) of the main control board 1310 can be reliably drawn up to the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310 via the through-hole 1310r. Compared to a normal land 1310s, this allows for a stronger weld of the capacitor MC1 to the main control board 1310. Furthermore, the stronger weld between the capacitor MC1 and the main control board 1310 suppresses bending and warping of the main control board 1310, thereby preventing surface-mount type electronic components from detaching (mount detachment), and thus improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

In this example, the surface-mount type IC1, which is placed adjacent to the lead-type capacitor MC1 (across a non-mountable area), is also configured to suppress peeling. Specifically, as shown in Figure 374(A), one of the multiple pads 1310k, 1310k' to which the connection terminal IC1a of IC1 is soldered on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 is formed as a thermal pad 1310k' having a thermal pattern 1310v (hatched area in Figure 374(A)) that electrically and physically connects the ground plane (ground plane (GND) (substrate ground)) 1312 to the pad.

In this way, by forming one of the pads 1310k and 1310k' to which the connection terminal IC1a of the surface-mount type IC1 is soldered as a thermal pad 1310k', heat is transferred to the ground plane (GND (substrate ground)) 1312 compared to a normal pad 1310k that does not have a thermal pattern 1310v and is directly connected to the ground plane (GND (substrate ground)) 1312 (formed integrally with the ground plane 1312). Because it becomes more difficult to solder, the temperature drop when soldering the surface-mount type IC1 is suppressed (heat dissipation is suppressed), allowing the solder on the thermal pad 1310k' to melt reliably. This makes it possible to firmly weld the IC1 to the main control board 1310 compared to a normal pad 1310k, and because the welding between the IC1 and the main control board 1310 is stronger, it becomes less likely to peel off (detach from the mounting) even if the main control board 1310 is bent or warped, thus improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

In this example, among the multiple pads 1310k to which the connection terminal IC1a of IC1 is soldered, pad 1310k' located away from the capacitor MC1, which is positioned adjacent to IC1 for stable driving, is formed as a thermal pad 1310k' having a thermal pattern 1310v. Specifically, among the multiple pads 1310k and 1310k' provided corresponding to the multiple connection terminals IC1a along the long side of IC1, the pad provided corresponding to the connection terminal IC1a located closest to the short side on the left side of the diagram, where the capacitor MC1 is not provided, is formed as a thermal pad 1310k'.

As described above, the mounting of the lead-type capacitor MC1 increases the bending strength and rigidity of the area surrounding the capacitor MC1 on the main control board 1310, suppressing bending and warping. Furthermore, since bending strength and rigidity are higher closer to the capacitor MC1, the connection terminal IC1a of IC1 located closer to the capacitor MC1 becomes less likely to peel off from the pad 1310k. On the other hand, since bending strength and rigidity decrease with distance from the capacitor MC1, bending and warping of the main control board 1310 becomes more likely with distance from the capacitor MC1, and the connection terminal IC1a of IC1 located further from the capacitor MC1 becomes more likely to peel off from the pad 1310k. For this reason, in this example, among the pads 1310k to which the connection terminal IC1a of the surface-mount type IC1 is soldered, a thermal pad 1310k' is formed at a position away from the capacitor MC1 which is adjacent to the IC1 in order to stably drive the IC1. As a result, the bending strength and rigidity decrease due to separation from the capacitor MC1, and the area where the welding between the IC1 connection terminal IC1a and pad 1310k is prone to peeling is formed as a thermal pad 1310k'. This strengthens the welding between the IC1 connection terminal IC1a and the pad 1310k compared to other pads 1310k, and also increases the bending strength and rigidity of the main control board 1310, making it less likely for the IC1 connection terminal IC1a to peel off from the thermal pad 1310k'.

Furthermore, in addition to forming a thermal land 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v on one of the two through-holes 1310r into which the lead terminal MC1a of capacitor MC1 is inserted, a thermal pad 1310k' having a thermal pattern 1310v is formed on the pad 1310k to which the connection terminal IC1a of surface-mount type IC1 is soldered, at a position away from capacitor MC1 which is adjacent to IC1 for stable driving of IC1, thereby providing a thermal land to capacitor MC1. The thermal pad 1310k' provided on IC1 sandwiches almost the entire area where IC1 is mounted, thereby increasing the rigidity of almost the entire area where IC1 is mounted. This suppresses bending and warping of the area where IC1 is mounted, and compared to a case where all pads 1310k and 1310k' to which the connection terminal IC1a of the surface-mount type IC1 is soldered are formed with ordinary pads without a thermal pattern 1310v, the effect of suppressing the peeling off of IC1 is improved, thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Thus, among the main circuit boards, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, in particular, which perform important processes related to the progress of the game or important processes related to the player's benefit (prize balls), are configured to have both thermal pads and thermal lands to increase the rigidity of the circuit board. On the other hand, among the main circuit boards, circuit boards that are accessible from the surface side of the pachinko machine 1 and are of lower importance than the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, such as the sensor board 1052 provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, do not have either thermal pads or thermal lands formed on them.

Furthermore, it is not limited to forming all lands and pads on the main control board 1310 that are electrically and physically connected to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 1312 as thermal lands and thermal pads. Some lands and pads among those electrically and physically connected to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 1312 may be formed as thermal lands and thermal pads, while the other lands and pads are formed as ordinary lands and pads without thermal patterns. For example, lands (vias) and pads formed around thermal lands and thermal pads that are electrically and physically connected to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 1312, where no electronic components are mounted, may be formed as ordinary lands (vias) and pads without thermal patterns.

Furthermore, in this example, the orientation in which the thermal pattern 1310v of the thermal land 1310s' provided on the capacitor MC1 and the thermal pattern 1310v of the thermal pad 1310k' provided on the IC1 are formed is different. Specifically, the thermal pattern 1310v of the thermal land 1310s' provided on the capacitor MC1 in Figure 374(A) is formed in an orientation that intersects the base edge at a 45-degree angle, electrically and physically connecting to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 1312, while the thermal pattern 1310v of the thermal pad 1310k' provided on the IC1 is formed in an orientation that intersects the base edge perpendicularly or horizontally, electrically and physically connecting to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 1312. In Figure 374(A), the vertical direction corresponds to the base end of the long side of the main control board 1310, and the horizontal direction corresponds to the base end of the short side of the main control board 1310.

In this way, by forming the thermal pattern 1310v of the thermal land 1310s' provided on the lead-type capacitor MC1, which is positioned adjacent to the surface-mount type IC1 with a non-mountable area in between, and the thermal pattern 1310v of the thermal pad 1310k' provided on the surface-mount type IC1, in different orientations, it is possible to increase the bending strength not only in a specific direction (for example, along the long side or along the short side), but also in a direction tilted 45 degrees from that specific direction. Compared to the case where the thermal pattern 1310v of the thermal land 1310s' provided on the lead-type capacitor MC1 and the thermal pattern 1310v of the thermal pad 1310k' provided on the surface-mount type IC1 are formed in the same orientation, peeling off of specific electronic components such as the surface-mount type IC1 can be suppressed.

Generally, the smaller the substrate size, the less likely deformation such as warping or bending is to occur. Therefore, in this example, the sensor substrate 1052 on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display substrate 1402 on the function display unit 1400, the sensor substrate of the first start port sensor 3002 on the first start port 2002, and the sensor substrate of the second start port sensor 2401 on the second start port 2004 are formed with smaller substrate sizes compared to the main control board 1310, the dispensing control board 633, and the peripheral control board 1510. This suppresses deformation such as warping and bending in the sensor substrate 1052 on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display substrate 1402 on the function display unit 1400, the sensor substrate of the first start port sensor 3002 on the first start port 2002, and the sensor substrate of the second start port sensor 2401 on the second start port 2004.

Furthermore, as described above, the sensor board 1052 provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004 are fixed and housed within a housing such as a case. This fixing within the case helps to suppress deformation such as warping and bending.

Furthermore, the sub-boards accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, various decorative boards provided on the game board 5 (such as the rear-left movable decorative board 3311A)) are formed with a smaller board size compared to the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, and the peripheral control board 1510. However, the main-side boards accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1, which are less important than the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, are formed with a larger board size compared to these boards. For example, the sensor board 1052 provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the sensor board of the first start-up sensor 3002 provided on the first start-up opening 2002, and the sensor board of the second start-up sensor 2401 provided on the second start-up opening 2004.

Furthermore, as described above, both surface-mount and through-hole mounted electronic components are mounted on the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633. The notation areas indicating the attributes of the electronic components (including part numbers, areas indicating placement locations, and potentially including the shape, size, mounting orientation, and model number of the electronic components) are silk-screen printed on the green resist applied to the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633 using white paint that is highly visible against the green. The peripheral control board 1510, on the other hand, is mounted only with surface-mount electronic components. The notation areas indicating the attributes of the electronic components (including part numbers, areas indicating placement locations, and potentially including the shape, size, mounting orientation, and model number of the electronic components) are silk-screen printed on the green resist applied to the peripheral control board 1510 using white paint that is highly visible against the green.

Furthermore, on the sub-sub

Furthermore, on boards of lower importance than the main control board 1310 and the dispensing control board 633, such as the sensor board 1052 provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, only surface-mount type electronic components are mounted. While these boards are solidly coated with white, green, or black resist, no silkscreen printing is used to indicate the component number, the area indicating the position of the component (and potentially including the shape, size, mounting orientation, and model number of the component).

Furthermore, as described above, the sub-side boards accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, various decorative boards provided on the game board 5 (such as the rear left movable decorative board 3311A)) are smaller than the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, and the peripheral control board 1510. The main side boards accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 are less important than the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, and are formed with a larger board size than these boards. For example, the sensor board 1052 provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004. The number of patterns is highest on the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, and the peripheral control board 1510. Next are the sub-boards accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the various decorative boards on the game board 5 (such as the rear-left movable decorative board 3311A)). The number of patterns is lowest on the main boards accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1, which are less important than the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. For example, the sensor board 1052 on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display board 1402 on the function display unit 1400, the sensor board of the first start-up sensor 3002 on the first start-up opening 2002, and the sensor board of the second start-up sensor 2401 on the second start-up opening 2004.

Therefore, the sub-side circuit boards accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the various decorative circuit boards provided on the game board 5 (such as the rear left movable decorative circuit board 3311A)) are more susceptible to deformation such as warping and bending compared to the main side circuit boards accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1, which are less important than the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. These include the sensor circuit board 1052 provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display circuit board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the sensor circuit board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor circuit board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004.

In this example, for the sub-boards accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, various decorative boards provided on the game board 5, such as the rear left movable decorative board 3311A), a solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (board ground)) is formed over almost the entire surface, and the pads to which the GND terminals of the mounted electronic components are connected are formed as thermal pads having a thermal pattern.

Specifically, as shown in Figure 373, the pads to which the GND terminals of the IC 3311e, capacitor 3311f, and connector 3311g, which are mounted on the back surface (back board surface) of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3311A, are connected are formed as thermal pads 3311A1a, 3311A1b, and 3311A1c, which have thermal patterns. As described above, by forming them as thermal pads with thermal patterns, heat is less likely to be transferred to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) compared to ordinary pads without thermal patterns. This suppresses the temperature drop (suppresses heat dissipation) when soldering surface-mount type electronic components, and ensures that the solder on the thermal pad melts reliably. Therefore, it becomes possible to firmly weld surface-mount type electronic components compared to ordinary pads.

In this example, although only surface-mount type (chip components) electronic components are mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3311A, the pads 3311A1a, 3311A1b, and 3311A1c to which the GND terminals of these surface-mount type electronic components are connected are formed as thermal pads with thermal patterns. Compared to ordinary pads without thermal patterns, heat is less likely to be transferred to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 3311A1, suppressing the temperature drop (suppressing heat dissipation) when soldering surface-mount type electronic components, and ensuring that the solder on the thermal pads melts reliably. As a result, surface-mount type electronic components can be firmly welded to the rear left movable decorative substrate 3311A compared to ordinary pads, making them less likely to peel off (detach from the substrate) even if the rear left movable decorative substrate 3311A is bent or warped.

As shown in Figure 374, a thermal land is formed to have a maximum of four thermal patterns, each connected (electrically and physically) to a solid ground (GND/substrate ground). In contrast, a thermal pad is formed to have a maximum of three thermal patterns, each connected (electrically and physically) to a solid ground (GND/substrate ground). Thus, a thermal land is connected to the solid ground (GND/substrate ground) by a maximum of four thermal patterns, while a thermal pad is connected to the solid ground (GND/substrate ground) by a maximum of three thermal patterns.

Furthermore, the thermal pattern connecting the thermal land and thermal pad to the solid ground (GND/substrate ground) is shorter than the non-mountable area. As mentioned above, the thermal land is connected to the solid ground (GND/substrate ground) by more thermal patterns than the thermal pad, resulting in a stronger connection and making it less prone to delamination.

Thus, for the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, which perform important processes related to the progress of the game and important processes related to the player's benefit (prize balls) within the main circuit board, forming thermal lands with higher peel strength (less prone to peeling) than thermal pads, and forming thermal pads, in addition to suppressing bending and warping, it is possible to suppress peeling of the wiring patterns, thereby increasing the rigidity of the circuit board and improving the reliability of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, the sensor substrate 1052 provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display substrate 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the sensor substrate of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor substrate of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004 are formed without the formation of thermal lands or thermal pads, with a substrate size of less than one-tenth that of the main control substrate 1310 and the dispensing control substrate 633. By fixing and housing them in a case, deformation such as warping and bending can be suppressed.

Furthermore, the sub-side boards that are smaller in size than the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, but larger in size than the sensor board 1052 provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, are boards accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, various decorative boards provided on the game board 5 (such as the rear left movable decorative board 3311A)). Regarding the sub-boards, while their smaller size makes them less susceptible to deformation such as bending and warping than the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, their larger size makes them more prone to deformation such as bending and warping than the sensor board 1052 on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display board 1402 on the function display unit 1400, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 on the second start port 2004. Therefore, they are more susceptible to deformation such as bending and warping than these other boards. For this reason, the sub-boards accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, the various decorative boards on the game board 5 (such as the rear left movable decorative board 3311A)) are configured with thermal pads to suppress bending and warping.

In other words, in this example, the technology used to enhance the strength of the circuit board varies depending on its importance and size, ensuring that each board has the optimal strength. This prevents excessive strength enhancement for less important boards (over-specification) and insufficient strength for important boards (preventing insufficient strength), thereby improving the reliability of the gaming machine by providing the optimal strength for each board.

Furthermore, regarding the peripheral control board 1510, which has a board size approximately the same as that of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, since it is a board of lower importance than the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, it may be formed with a board size smaller than that of the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, and larger than that of the sensor board 1052 provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the sensor board of the first start-up sensor 3002 provided on the first start-up opening 2002, and the sensor board of the second start-up sensor 2401 provided on the second start-up opening 2004, and adopt a configuration similar to that of the sub-side boards that are accessible from the front side of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, various decorative boards provided on the game board 5 (such as the rear left movable decorative board 3311A)). In other words, by mounting only surface-mount type (chip component) electronic components on the peripheral control board 1510, and forming the pads to which the GND terminals of these surface-mount type electronic components are connected as thermal pads with thermal patterns, heat is less likely to be transferred to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) compared to a normal pad, thereby suppressing the temperature drop (suppressing heat dissipation) when soldering surface-mount type electronic components, ensuring that the solder on the thermal pad melts reliably, and firmly welding the surface-mount type electronic components to the peripheral control board 1510 compared to a normal pad, making them less likely to peel off (detach) even if the peripheral control board 1510 is bent or warped.

Furthermore, the connector mounted on the peripheral control board 1510 may be configured to be inserted into through-holes formed on the peripheral control board 1510 using lead-type electronic components (also called lead components). In this case, the land of the through-hole to which the GND terminal of the connector is soldered may be formed as a thermal land. In this case, the welding between the connector and the peripheral control board 1510 becomes stronger, and peeling of the wiring pattern and land when the connector is inserted or removed can be suppressed. Also, as shown in Figure 170, the connectors on the peripheral control board 1510 are arranged in a row along the long side. The strong welding between the connector and the peripheral control board 1510 suppresses bending and warping of the long side of the peripheral control board 1510. In addition, by using thermal pads, surface-mount type electronic components are more firmly welded to the peripheral control board 1510 compared to ordinary pads, making them less likely to peel off (detach) even if the peripheral control board 1510 is bent or warped.

[Modified example 2 to increase the strength of the substrate]
As described above, in this example, on the mounting surface (front) 1310x of the main control board 1310 which performs important processing related to the progress of the game, a lead-type capacitor MC1 is placed adjacent to a surface-mount type IC1 (with a non-mountable area in between), and of the two through-holes 1310r into which the lead terminals MC1a of this capacitor MC1 are inserted, the through-hole 1301r connected to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (board ground)) 1312 has a thermal pattern 1310v The main control board 1310 is formed as a thermal land 1310s', and further, the pad 1310k connected to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 1312 among the pads 1310k to which the connection terminal IC1a of IC1 is soldered is formed as a thermal pad 1310k' having a thermal pattern 1310v, thereby increasing the strength of the main control board 1310, suppressing bending and warping, and preventing surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off (mounting detachment).

On the other hand, the peripheral control board 1510 does not perform important processing related to the progress of the game or the player's benefits (prize balls), but it does perform important processing related to the game's presentation. Therefore, in this example, the peripheral control board 1510 is designed to increase its strength (bending strength, rigidity) to prevent the mounted electronic components from peeling off. Below, a modified example 2 for increasing the strength of the board will be described with reference to Figure 374(B). Furthermore, in this modified example 2 for increasing the strength of the board, only the parts that differ from the above embodiment will be described, and redundant explanations will be avoided.

The following description focuses on the peripheral control board 1510, but this technical concept is applicable to any board on which specific electronic components (e.g., ICs) and electronic components (e.g., capacitors) are mounted adjacent to each other, separated by a non-mountable area. It can also be implemented in combination with the embodiments described above. For example, it can be implemented in combination with one or more of the following: improved ease of detecting defects 1 to 3, prevention of peeling of surface-mount type electronic components 1 to 4, and modified example 1 for increasing the strength of the board.

Figure 374(B) is an explanatory diagram showing the mounting state of a peripheral control board 1510, which enhances the strength of the substrate, specifically illustrating the mounting state of a surface-mount type (chip component, SMD type) IC and a surface-mount type (chip component, SMD type) capacitor positioned adjacent to the IC with a non-mountable area in between.

In this example, a solid ground pattern (GND (substrate ground)) 1513 is formed on almost the entire surface (mounting surface) 1510x and back surface (soldering surface) 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510, except for about 1 mm at the base edge. Multiple surface-mount type electronic components are mounted on the board, including multiple surface-mount type ICs 1 fixed to the board by soldering connection terminal ICs 1a to pads 1510k and 1510k' formed on the board surface, and multiple surface-mount type capacitors MC1' fixed to the board by soldering connection terminals (electrodes) MC1a' to pads 1510k and 1510k' formed on the board surface.

In this example, a surface-mount type capacitor MC1' is placed adjacent to the surface-mount type IC1 (with a non-mountable area in between). One of the pads 1510k and 1510k' to which the connection terminal MC1a' of this capacitor MC1' is soldered is formed as a thermal pad 1510k' having a thermal pattern 1510v (hatched area in Figure 374(B)) that electrically and physically connects the pad to a solid ground plane (GND (substrate ground)) 1513.

In this way, by forming one of the pads 1510k and 1510k' to which the surface-mount type capacitor MC1' is soldered as a thermal pad 1510k', heat is less likely to be transferred to the ground plane (ground plane (GND) (substrate ground)) 1513 compared to a normal pad 1510k, which does not have a thermal pattern 1510v and is directly connected to the ground plane (ground plane (GND) (substrate ground)) 1513 (formed integrally with the ground plane 1513), thus reducing the transfer of heat to the ground plane (ground plane (GND) (substrate ground)) 1513. The temperature drop during soldering of 1' is suppressed (heat dissipation is suppressed), ensuring reliable melting of the solder on the thermal pad 1510k'. This allows for stronger welding of the capacitor MC1' to the peripheral control board 1510 compared to a normal pad 1510k. Furthermore, the stronger welding between the capacitor MC1' and the peripheral control board 1510 reduces the likelihood of bending or warping of the peripheral control board 1510, and prevents surface-mount ICs adjacent to the capacitor MC1' from detaching, thus improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in this example, the surface-mount type IC1, which is placed adjacent to the surface-mount type capacitor MC1', is also configured to suppress peeling. Specifically, as shown in Figure 374(B), one of the multiple pads 1510k, 1510k' to which the connection terminal IC1a of IC1 is soldered is formed as a thermal pad having a thermal pattern 1510v (hatched portion in Figure 374(B)) that electrically and physically connects the ground plane (ground plane (GND) (substrate ground)) 1513 to the pad.

In this way, by forming one of the pads 1510k and 1510k' to which the connection terminal IC1a of the surface-mount type IC1 is soldered as a thermal pad 1510k', heat is less likely to be transferred to the ground plane (ground plane (GND) (substrate ground)) 1513 compared to a normal pad that does not have a thermal pattern 1510v and is directly connected to the ground plane (ground plane (GND) (substrate ground)) 1513 (formed integrally with the ground plane 1513), thus suppressing the temperature drop (suppressing heat dissipation) when soldering the surface-mount type IC. Because the solder on the thermal pad 1510k' can be reliably melted, IC1 can be firmly welded to the peripheral control board 1510 compared to a normal pad 1510k. Furthermore, the strong welding between capacitor MC1a' and the peripheral control board 1510, as well as the strong welding between IC1 and the peripheral control board 1510, not only makes bending and warping of the peripheral control board 1510 less likely due to capacitor MC1, but also makes it less likely for IC1 to detach (detach from the mounting) even if bending or warping occurs, thus improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, it is not limited to forming all pads on the peripheral control board 1510 that are electrically and physically connected to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 1513 as thermal pads. Some of the lands and pads that are electrically and physically connected to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 1513 may be formed as thermal lands or thermal pads, while the other lands and pads are formed as ordinary lands and pads without thermal patterns. For example, lands (vias) and pads formed around thermal pads that are electrically and physically connected to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 1513, and on which no electronic components are mounted, may be formed as ordinary lands (vias) and pads without thermal patterns.

Furthermore, as described above, the distance from the thermal land 1310s' and thermal pad 1510k' to the solid ground (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 1312 and 1513 (the length of thermal patterns 1310v and 1510v) is shorter than the distance between adjacent electronic components across the non-mountable area. As a result, even if a force is applied that would tear off the electronic components soldered to the thermal lands 1310s' or thermal pads 1510k', the adjacent solid patterns (ground planes (GND) (substrate ground)) 1312 and 1513 make it difficult for the thermal lands 1310s' or thermal pads 1510k' to peel off. Furthermore, the welding between the thermal lands 1310s' or thermal pads 1510k' and surface-mount type electronic components is strengthened, making it difficult for surface-mount type electronic components to detach.

In this example, among the multiple pads 1510k to which the connection terminal IC1a of IC1 is soldered, the pad 1510k' located away from the capacitor MC1' that is adjacent to IC1 for stable driving is formed as a thermal pad 1510k' having a thermal pattern 1510v. Specifically, among the multiple pads 1510k and 1510k' provided corresponding to the multiple connection terminals IC1a provided along the long side of IC1, the pad provided corresponding to the connection terminal IC1a located closest to the short side on the left side of the figure where the capacitor MC1' is not provided is formed as a thermal pad 1510k'.

As described above, by forming a thermal pad 1510k' to which one of the connection terminals MC1a' of the surface-mount type capacitor MC1' is soldered, the bending strength and rigidity of the area around the capacitor MC1' on the peripheral control board 1510 are increased, suppressing bending and warping. Furthermore, since the bending strength and rigidity are higher the closer to the capacitor MC1', the connection terminal IC1a of IC1 located closer to the capacitor MC1' becomes less likely to peel off from the pad 1510k. On the other hand, since the bending strength and rigidity decrease the further away from the capacitor MC1' it is, the further away from the capacitor MC1' the peripheral control board 1510 becomes more prone to bending and warping, and the connection terminal IC1a of IC1 located further away from the capacitor MC1' becomes more likely to peel off from the pad 1510k. Therefore, in this example, a thermal pad 1510k' is formed on the pad 1510k to which the connection terminal IC1a of the surface-mount type IC1 is soldered, at a position away from the capacitor MC1' which is positioned adjacent to the IC1 to ensure stable driving of the IC1. This reduces the bending strength and rigidity of the pad 1510k due to its distance from the capacitor MC1', making it prone to delamination. By forming a thermal pad 1510k' in this area, the welding between the connection terminal IC1a and the pad 1510k becomes stronger than on other pads 1510k. This increases the bending strength and rigidity of the peripheral control board 1510, thus making it less likely for the connection terminal IC1a of the IC1 to detach from the thermal pad 1510k'.

Furthermore, in addition to forming a thermal pad 1510k' having a thermal pattern 1510v on the pad 1510k to which one of the connection terminals MC1a' of the surface-mount type capacitor MC1' is soldered, a thermal pad 1510k' having a thermal pattern 1510v is formed at a position away from the capacitor MC1' which is adjacent to the surface-mount type IC1's connection terminal IC1a to which IC1 is soldered, thereby providing a thermal pad 15 for the capacitor MC1'. By sandwiching almost the entire area where IC1 is mounted between 10k' and the thermal pad 1510k' provided for IC1, the rigidity of almost the entire area where IC1 is mounted can be increased. This suppresses bending and warping of the area where IC1 is mounted, and compared to a case where all pads 1510k and 1510k' to which the connection terminal IC1a of the surface-mount type IC1 is soldered are formed with ordinary pads without the thermal pattern 1510v, the effect of suppressing the peeling off of IC1 can be improved, thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in this example, the thermal pattern 1510v of the thermal pad 1510k' provided on capacitor MC1' and the thermal pattern 1510v of the thermal pad 1510k' provided on IC1 are formed in the same orientation. Specifically, the thermal pattern 1510v of the thermal pad 1510k' provided on capacitor MC1' and the thermal pattern 1510v of the thermal pad 1510k' provided on IC1 are both formed in an orientation that intersects perpendicularly or horizontally with the base end, thereby electrically and physically connecting to the solid ground pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) 1513. In Figure 374(B), the vertical direction corresponds to the base end of the long side of the peripheral control board 1510, and the horizontal direction corresponds to the base end of the short side of the peripheral control board 1510.

In this way, by forming the thermal pattern 1510v of the thermal pad 1510k' provided on the surface-mount type capacitor MC1', which is positioned adjacent to the surface-mount type IC1 with a non-mountable area in between, and the thermal pattern 1510v of the thermal pad 1510k' provided on the surface-mount type IC1, in the same orientation, the bending strength in a specific direction (for example, along the long side or along the short side) can be further increased, suppressing the occurrence of bending and warping in a specific direction, and preventing peeling off of specific electronic components such as the surface-mount type IC1.

As described above, the main control board 1310 has higher bending strength and rigidity than the peripheral control board 1510, which places a lead-type capacitor MC1 adjacent to a surface-mount type IC1 by placing a lead-type capacitor MC1' adjacent to the surface-mount type IC1. Furthermore, in the main control board 1310, the thermal pattern 1310v of the thermal land 1310s' provided for the lead-type capacitor MC1, which is placed adjacent to the surface-mount type IC1 with a non-mountable area in between, and the thermal pattern 1310v of the thermal pad 1310k' provided for the surface-mount type IC1 are formed in different orientations. This configuration increases not only the bending strength in a specific direction but also the bending strength in a direction tilted 45 degrees from that specific direction. As a result, the bending strength and rigidity are higher than those of the peripheral control board 1510, and the effect of suppressing peeling of specific electronic components such as the surface-mount type IC1 is higher. Thus, the main control board 1310, which performs important processing related to the progress of the game, is configured to have the highest bending strength and rigidity. The peripheral control board 1510, which does not directly affect the progress of the game but controls the game's visual effects, has higher bending strength and rigidity than the decorative board on which LEDs are mounted, but lower than the main control board 1310. In other words, the boards are configured to have bending strength and rigidity appropriate to their importance (such as the degree of disadvantage to players and arcades).

[Thermal Land, Thermal Pad]
Next, thermal lands and thermal pads will be described. Figures 375(A) to (L) are explanatory diagrams showing thermal lands for GND connection, Figures 375(M) to (P) are explanatory diagrams showing thermal pads for GND connection, Figure 375(Q) is an explanatory diagram showing a normal GND connection land formed integrally with a solid pattern, and Figure 375(R) is an explanatory diagram showing a normal GND connection pad formed integrally with a solid pattern. Note that the solder resist (insulating coating) is not shown in Figure 375, but in reality, the parts excluding the pads and lands (including the thermal pattern) are covered with solder resist. Note that, similar to the configuration in which an insulating coating is applied to the lands of through-holes for input signal wiring patterns according to the first to fourth embodiments, a portion of the pads and lands for GND connection may also be covered with solder resist.

As shown in Figure 375(Q), a typical GND connection land is formed integrally with the solid pattern, by exposing the copper foil in a circular shape without covering a portion of the solid pattern with solder resist. As shown in Figure 375(R), a typical GND connection pad is formed integrally with the solid pattern, by exposing the copper foil in a rectangular shape without covering a portion of the solid pattern with solder resist.

On the other hand, as shown in Figures 375(A) to (L), the thermal land for GND connection consists of a land formed in a circular shape, separate from the solid pattern, and a thermal pattern formed around the land. The thermal pattern electrically and physically connects the land and the solid pattern.

Furthermore, the thermal lands are formed in two orientations: one where the thermal pattern is positioned to intersect the base edge at a 45-degree angle, electrically and physically connecting with the solid pattern (Figures 375(A) to (F)), and another where the thermal pattern is positioned to intersect the base edge perpendicularly or horizontally, electrically and physically connecting with the solid pattern (Figures 375(G) to (L)). As described above, the direction in which bending strength increases can be changed depending on the orientation of the thermal pattern. Note that only one of the two types of thermal lands may be formed, or both may be formed. Also, when forming both types of thermal lands, the number of lands in one type may be reduced compared to the other, allowing the thermal pattern of the other to be used as a marker.

Furthermore, the thermal land features up to four thermal patterns, with virtual lines extending from each thermal pattern intersecting at a 90-degree angle at the center of the through-hole.

On the other hand, thermal pads are designed to have thermal patterns that are formed perpendicular or horizontal to the base end, and that are electrically and physically connected to the solid pattern (Figures 375(M) to (P)). Therefore, only the bending strength in the direction perpendicular or horizontal to the base end can be increased.

Furthermore, the thermal pad has up to three thermal patterns, and the imaginary lines extending from each thermal pattern intersect at a 90-degree angle at the center of the pad.

Thus, while thermal lands are electrically connected to the ground plane (GND/substrate ground) by up to four thermal patterns, thermal pads are electrically connected to the ground plane (GND/substrate ground) by up to three thermal patterns. Therefore, thermal lands have a stronger physical connection to the ground plane (GND/substrate ground) than thermal pads, making them less prone to peeling.

In other words, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 perform important processes related to the progress of the game and important processes related to the player's benefit (prize balls), and are therefore configured to be more robust. The peripheral control board 1510, which is less important than the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633 and performs controls related to the game's presentation, is not excessively robust and is built to be weaker than the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633. By varying the strength of the boards according to their importance, it is possible to prevent excessively strengthening less important boards (over-spec) or insufficient strength in important boards (insufficient strength), thereby providing each board with the optimal strength and improving the reliability of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, this configuration can be applied to any board that places surface-mount type (chip component) capacitors adjacent to surface-mount type (chip component) ICs (with a non-mountable area in between), not just the peripheral control board 1510, to achieve the same effect. Also, while the above example described the front (mounting side) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, the same effect can be achieved by applying the above configuration to the back (solder side) 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510.

Incidentally, the main control board of a gaming machine, which handles information related to game benefits, is equipped with several anti-fraud measures to ensure fairness. However, if the entire main control board is replaced with a counterfeit imitation, it is not easy to detect. On the other hand, the daily in-out information for each gaming machine is managed by the hall computer connected to the gaming machine, so it is possible to detect gaming machines exhibiting suspicious behavior. Therefore, the main control board of the gaming machine in this embodiment is further equipped with the following anti-fraud measures.
(1) When a harness that connects peripheral control boards, dispensing control boards, or panel relay boards has connectors (plug connectors) on both ends that act as insertion sides, the connection point is not visible from the outside when it is connected to a receiving connector (receptacle connector). Taking advantage of this, the connector model number and other management numbers, as well as the name of the manufacturer to whom it was delivered, are written on the inside of the bottom edge or side wall of the receptacle connector provided on the main control board. The location where the information is written does not need to be visible when the connection is made, and it may be written on the top of the side wall, for example.
(2) Also, since it is sufficient for the person checking to be aware that the markings are present in that area, the size of the markings themselves is such that they are difficult to see with the naked eye and can only be seen with a magnifying glass such as a loupe.
(3) The color of the markings themselves is the same as the exterior color without any coloring, and the markings are formed in a raised and recessed manner so that they are visible through the shadows cast when light is shone on them.
(4) In addition, the connector may be made completely invisible once it is mounted on the main control board. In this case as well, it is sufficient for the person checking to be aware that it is marked on that part, so for example, it may be marked on the back of the connector. In the gaming machine of this embodiment, the marking is made on the back of the receptacle connector to which the start entry sensor, which detects the ball entering the start entry slot, is directly connected.
(5) Furthermore, the markings may be placed in just one location or in multiple locations.
(6) The number of connectors to be indicated may be just one, or multiple connectors may be indicated. In the gaming machine of this embodiment, a connector to which (2) is applied and a connector to which (4) is applied are mounted in combination. By combining them, it is possible to identify that the main control board is a counterfeit imitation.
In this way, even after an incident, it is possible to strengthen the subsequent crime prevention system, which can lead to deterrence and minimize damage.

The claims and other technical ideas that can be understood from the above embodiments are described below along with their effects.

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a main control board 1310 involved in the progress of the game,
On at least the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, of the mounting surface 1310x and the solder surface 1310y, multiple through-hole type electronic components (capacitor MC1 in this example) and surface-mount type electronic components are mounted.
A specific surface-mount type electronic component (IC1 in this example) and an in-hole type electronic component (capacitor MC1 in this example) mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 are arranged adjacent to each other, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) that includes a main board involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, a function display board 1402 provided in a function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in a magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, and a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004, etc.),
The main side boards (for example, the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, etc.) are provided on the back side (island equipment side, in the case of a slot machine, the rear side inside the main body (box) 6004) of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine) and are actually The system includes a main control board 1310 whose mounting surface 1310x faces the rear of the gaming machine, and a second main side board (such as a function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) provided in front of the main control board 1310 of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.),
Multiple through-hole type electronic components (capacitor MC1 in this example) and surface-mount type electronic components are mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, and a surface-side labeling area is formed to represent a part number that can identify the electronic component.
Although at least multiple surface-mount type electronic components are mounted on the surface of the second main substrate, no surface-side marking portion representing the component number is formed.
A specific surface-mount type electronic component (IC1 in this example) and an in-hole type electronic component (capacitor MC1 in this example) mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 are arranged adjacent to each other, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) comprising a main control board 1310 involved in the progress of the game, and a plurality of connectors (in this example, connectors MCN1 to MCN6) for connecting wiring to the main control board 1310,
On at least the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, of the mounting surface 1310x and the solder surface 1310y, multiple through-hole type electronic components (capacitor MC1 in this example) and surface-mount type electronic components are mounted.
The multiple connectors (connectors MCN1 to MCN6 in this example) are made of through-hole type electronic components (capacitor MC1 in this example),
Among the multiple connectors (connectors MCN1 to MCN6 in this example), a specific connector (connectors MCN1 to MCN6 in this example) is arranged along one end edge of the main control board 1310 (in this example, at least one of the longer combinations of the four sides of the main control board 1310).
On the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, a specific electronic component (e.g., IC1) from among the multiple surface-mount type electronic components is arranged such that at least a portion of it is located within a band-shaped region defined by virtual dividing lines (at least two adjacent dividing lines from among virtual dividing lines a to l) extending from both the left and right ends of the specific connector (in this example, connectors MCN1 to MCN6) in the direction of the side opposite to one end edge.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) that includes a main board involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, a function display board 1402 provided in a function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in a magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, and a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004, etc.),
The main side boards (for example, the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, etc.) are provided on the back side (island equipment side, in the case of a slot machine, the rear side inside the main body (box) 6004) of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine) and are actually The system includes a main control board 1310 whose mounting surface 1310x faces the rear of the gaming machine, and a second main side board (such as a function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) provided in front of the main control board 1310 of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.),
Multiple through-hole type electronic components (capacitor MC1 in this example) and surface-mount type electronic components are mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, and a surface-side labeling area is formed to represent a part number that can identify the electronic component.
Although at least multiple surface-mount type electronic components are mounted on the surface of the second main substrate, no surface-side marking portion representing the component number is formed.
The through-hole type electronic component (capacitor MC1 in this example) mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 includes a plurality of connectors (connectors MCN1 to MCN6 in this example) for connecting wiring to the main control board 1310.
Among the multiple connectors (connectors MCN1 to MCN6 in this example), a specific connector (connectors MCN1 to MCN6 in this example) is arranged along one end edge of the main control board 1310 (in this example, at least one of the longer combinations of the four sides of the main control board 1310).
On the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, a specific electronic component (e.g., IC1) from among the multiple surface-mount type electronic components is arranged such that at least a portion of it is located within a band-shaped region defined by virtual dividing lines (at least two adjacent dividing lines from among virtual dividing lines a to l) extending from both the left and right ends of the specific connector (in this example, connectors MCN1 to MCN6) in the direction of the side opposite to one end edge.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a main control board 1310 involved in the progress of the game,
Multiple surface-mount type electronic components are mounted on at least the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, which is the mounting surface 1310x and the solder surface 1310y.
The main control board 1310 is
The wiring pattern on the front mounting surface side is arranged on the mounting surface 1310x,
The solder side wiring pattern is placed on the solder side 1310y,
The circuit board includes through-holes that electrically connect the surface-side wiring pattern and the solder-side wiring pattern,
A specific through-hole among the through-holes formed in the main control board 1310 is positioned adjacent to a specific electronic component (IC1 in this example) among the plurality of surface-mount type electronic components, and has a thermal land on at least one of the surface mounting surface 1310x and the solder surface 1310y.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a main control board 1310 involved in the progress of the game,
The main side boards (for example, the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, etc.) are provided on the back side (island equipment side, in the case of a slot machine, the rear side inside the main body (box) 6004) of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine) and are actually The system includes a main control board 1310 whose mounting surface 1310x faces the rear of the gaming machine, and a second main side board (such as a function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) provided in front of the main control board 1310 of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.),
On at least the front mounting surface of the main control board 1310, which is the mounting surface 1310x and the back mounting surface, multiple surface-mount type electronic components are mounted, and a surface-side notation area is formed that represents a part number that can identify the electronic component.
Although at least multiple surface-mount type electronic components are mounted on the surface of the second main substrate, no surface-side marking portion representing the component number is formed.
The main control board 1310 is
The wiring pattern on the front mounting surface side is arranged on the mounting surface 1310x,
The solder side wiring pattern is placed on the solder side 1310y,
The circuit board includes through-holes that electrically connect the surface-side wiring pattern and the solder-side wiring pattern,
A through-hole formed adjacent to a specific electronic component (IC1 in this example) among the surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 has a thermal land as the surface-mount side land,
A specific through-hole among the through-holes formed in the main control board 1310 is located adjacent to a specific electronic component (IC1 in this example) among the plurality of surface-mount type electronic components, and has a thermal land on at least one of the surface mounting surface 1310x and the solder surface 1310y.
The second main substrate is configured such that the thermal land is not formed therein.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) that includes a main board involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, a function display board 1402 provided in a function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in a magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, and a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004, etc.),
The main side boards (for example, the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, etc.) are provided on the back side (island equipment side, in the case of a slot machine, the rear side inside the main body (box) 6004) of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine) and are actually The system includes a main control board 1310 whose mounting surface 1310x faces the rear of the gaming machine, and a second main side board (such as a function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) provided in front of the main control board 1310 of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.),
A resist is formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, and multiple surface-mount type electronic components and through-hole type electronic components (capacitor MC1 in this example) are mounted there.
On the surface mounting surface of the second main substrate, a resist is formed, and multiple surface-mount type electronic components are mounted without any through-hole type electronic components.
The main control board 1310 is provided with a solid ground pattern, while the second main side board is not provided with a solid ground pattern.
The surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 include a specific electronic component (IC1 in this example) having an exterior of a specific color (for example, black),
The through-hole type electronic component (capacitor MC1 in this example) mounted on the front mounting surface of the second main side board (such as the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, or the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004) includes a special electronic component (IC1 in this example) having an exterior of a special color (e.g., light blue) that is different from both the color of the insulating coating formed on the main control board 1310 (e.g., green) and the color of the specific electronic component (IC1 in this example) (e.g., black),
The specified electronic component (IC1 in this example) and the special electronic component (IC1 in this example) are arranged adjacent to each other, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) that includes a main board involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, a function display board 1402 provided in a function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in a magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, and a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004, etc.),
The main side boards (for example, the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, etc.) are provided on the back side (island equipment side, in the case of a slot machine, the rear side inside the main body (box) 6004) of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine) and are arranged so that the mounting surface 1310x faces the rear side of the gaming machine. The system includes a main control board 1310 equipped with a main control MPU 1310a that performs control related to the progress of the game (main control side main processing and main control side timer interrupt processing), and a second main side board (such as a function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) provided in front of the main control board 1310 of the game machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) (on the player's side),
An insulating coating is formed on the mounting surface 1310x and the back mounting surface of the main control board 1310, and multiple wiring patterns for transmitting signals between electronic components are formed therein.
Multiple surface-mount type electronic components and through-hole type electronic components (capacitors MC1 in this example) are mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the first main control board 1310.
On the surface mounting side of the second main substrate, no through-hole type electronic components are mounted; only multiple surface-mount type electronic components are mounted.
The plurality of wiring patterns formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 include more short-circuit wiring patterns formed along the short-circuit direction of the main control board 1310 than long-circuit wiring patterns (e.g., data bus lines) formed along the longitudinal direction of the main control board 1310.
The plurality of wiring patterns formed on the solder side 1310y of the main control board 1310 include more longitudinal wiring patterns formed along the longitudinal direction of the main control board 1310 than short-side wiring patterns formed along the short-side direction of the main control board 1310.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) that includes a main board involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, a function display board 1402 provided in a function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in a magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, and a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004, etc.),
The main side boards (for example, the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, etc.) are provided on the back side (island equipment side, in the case of a slot machine, the rear side inside the main body (box) 6004) of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine) and are actually The system includes a main control board 1310 whose mounting surface 1310x faces the rear of the gaming machine, and a second main side board (such as a function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) provided in front of the main control board 1310 of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.),
Multiple through-hole type electronic components (capacitor MC1 in this example) and surface-mount type electronic components are mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310.
On the front surface of the second main substrate, no through-hole type electronic components are mounted; only multiple surface-mount type electronic components are mounted.
The main control board 1310 is provided with a solid ground pattern (solid ground, solid pattern), while the second main side board is not provided with a solid ground pattern.
The through-hole type electronic component (capacitor MC1 in this example) mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 includes a plurality of connectors (connectors MCN1 to MCN6 in this example) for connecting wiring to the main control board 1310.
Among the multiple connectors (connectors MCN1 to MCN6 in this example), a specific connector (connectors MCN1 to MCN6 in this example) is arranged along one end edge of the main control board 1310 (in this example, at least one of the longer combinations of the four sides of the main control board 1310).
On the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, a specific electronic component (e.g., IC1) from among the multiple surface-mount type electronic components is arranged such that at least a portion of it is located within a band-shaped region defined by virtual dividing lines (at least two adjacent dividing lines from among virtual dividing lines a to l) extending from both the left and right ends of the specific connector (in this example, connectors MCN1 to MCN6) in the direction of the side opposite to one end edge.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a main control board 1310 involved in the progress of the game,
The main side boards (for example, the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, etc.) are provided on the back side (island equipment side, in the case of a slot machine, the rear side inside the main body (box) 6004) of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine) and are actually The system includes a main control board 1310 whose mounting surface 1310x faces the rear of the gaming machine, and a second main side board (such as a function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) provided in front of the main control board 1310 of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.),
Multiple surface-mount type electronic components are mounted on at least the front mounting surface of the main control board 1310, which is the mounting surface 1310x and the back mounting surface.
On the front surface of the second main substrate, no through-hole type electronic components are mounted; only multiple surface-mount type electronic components are mounted.
The main control board 1310 is provided with a solid ground pattern (solid ground, solid pattern), while the second main side board is not provided with a solid ground pattern.
The main control board 1310 is
The wiring pattern on the front mounting surface side is arranged on the mounting surface 1310x,
The solder side wiring pattern is placed on the solder side 1310y,
The circuit board includes through-holes that electrically connect the surface-side wiring pattern and the solder-side wiring pattern,
A through-hole formed adjacent to a specific electronic component (IC1 in this example) among the surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 has a thermal land as the surface-mount side land,
A specific through-hole among the through-holes formed in the main control board 1310 is positioned adjacent to a specific electronic component (IC1 in this example) among the plurality of surface-mount type electronic components, and has a thermal land on at least one of the surface mounting surface 1310x and the solder surface 1310y.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) that includes a main board involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, a function display board 1402 provided in a function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in a magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, and a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004, etc.),
The main side boards (for example, the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004, etc.) are provided on the back side (island equipment side, in the case of a slot machine, the rear side inside the main body (box) 6004) of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine) and are actually The system includes a main control board 1310 whose mounting surface 1310x faces the rear of the gaming machine, and a second main side board (such as a function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) provided in front of the main control board 1310 of the gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.),
Multiple through-hole type electronic components (capacitor MC1 in this example) and surface-mount type electronic components are mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310.
On the front surface of the second main substrate, no through-hole type electronic components are mounted; only multiple surface-mount type electronic components are mounted.
The main control board 1310 is provided with a solid ground pattern (solid ground, solid pattern), while the second main side board is not provided with a solid ground pattern.
A specific surface-mount type electronic component (IC1 in this example) and an in-hole type electronic component (capacitor MC1 in this example) mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 are arranged adjacent to each other, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a rectangular main control board 1310 involved in the progress of the game,
On at least the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, of the mounting surface 1310x and the solder surface 1310y, multiple through-hole type electronic components (capacitor MC1 in this example) and surface-mount type electronic components are mounted.
Multiple through-hole type electronic components (capacitors MC1 in this example) are arranged in each region of the front mounting surface 1310x, which is divided into four equal parts by two dividing lines (vertical dividing line and horizontal dividing line) that bisect each of the opposing sides of the main control board 1310.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a circuit board on which surface-mount components are mounted,
Of the aforementioned circuit boards, the main control board 1310 involved in the progress of the game is:
The mounting surface (front surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 having pads 1310ka and through-holes 1402b,
A pin 1315 having one end and the other end of the pin 1315,
IC1 having connection terminal IC1a,
A chip capacitor MC1' having an electrode MC1a' is provided,
The connection terminal IC1a of the IC1 is welded to the pad 1310ka on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310.
The electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' is welded to one end of the pin 1315.
The other end of the pin 1315 is welded to the through-hole 1402b of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a circuit board on which surface-mount components are mounted,
The aforementioned substrate is
The mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310 having at least one of the pad 1310ka and the through-hole 1402b,
A pin 1315 having one end and the other end of the pin 1315, comprising at least one of the following:
Among the aforementioned boards, the main boards involved in the progress of the game (for example, the main control board 1310, the payout control board 633, the function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, and the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004, etc.)
A main control board 1310 is provided on the back side of the gaming machine and is positioned so that its front circuit board surface faces the rear side of the gaming machine, and has a mounting surface (surface) 1310x and the pins 1315.
A second main side board (such as the function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) is provided on the front side of the gaming machine than the main control board 1310 and has the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310.
The aforementioned surface mount component is
The connection terminal IC1a is welded to the pad 1310ka of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310,
The electrode MC1a' has a chip capacitor MC1' which is welded to one end of the pin 1315,
The other end of the pin 1315 is welded to the through-hole 1402b of the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310.
The surface-mount components mounted on the main control board 1310 consist of the IC 1 and the chip capacitor MC1'.
The surface-mount electronic components mounted on the second main side substrate (such as the function display substrate 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor substrate provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor substrate for the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, or the sensor substrate for the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004) consist only of the IC1.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a main board that is involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, etc.),
The main board surface consists of a front surface (for example, the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310) and a back surface (for example, the solder surface 1310y of the main control board 1310), and at least multiple electronic components are mounted on the front surface.
The aforementioned electronic component is
A surface-mount type electronic component having a first exterior color (for example, the black exterior color of IC1),
It has a chip-chip capacitor MC1' having a second exterior color (for example, the light brown exterior color of the chip-chip capacitor MC1'),
The chip capacitor MC1' is a special electronic component in which pins 1315 are soldered to each of the electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1', which has a special exterior color (for example, blue) different from the first exterior color (for example, the black exterior color of IC1, etc.) and the second exterior color (for example, the light brown exterior color of chip capacitor MC1'), and is positioned adjacent to IC1 among the surface-mount type electronic components.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a main board that is involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, etc.),
The main board surface consists of a front surface (for example, the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310) and a back surface (for example, the solder surface 1310y of the main control board 1310), and at least multiple electronic components are mounted on the front surface.
The aforementioned electronic component is
Surface mount type electronic components (for example, surface mount type electronic components (IC1, etc.)) and
It has a chip capacitor MC1',
The main side substrate is,
A main control board 1310 is provided on the back of the gaming machine and is positioned so that its front circuit board surface faces the rear of the gaming machine,
The game machine includes a second main board (such as the function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) located in front of the main control board 1310,
The electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 consist of the surface-mount type electronic components and the chip capacitor MC1'.
The electronic components mounted on the second main side substrate (such as the function display substrate 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor substrate provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor substrate of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, or the sensor substrate of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004) consist only of surface-mount type electronic components.
The chip capacitor MC1' is a special electronic component in which pins 1315 are soldered to each of the electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1', which has a special exterior color (e.g., blue exterior color) that is different from the unique exterior color of the surface-mount type electronic component (e.g., the black exterior color of IC1) and the unique exterior color of the chip capacitor MC1' (e.g., light brown exterior color), and is positioned adjacent to IC1 among the surface-mount type electronic components.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a main board that is involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, etc.),
On the front surface of the main substrate (for example, the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310) and the back surface (for example, the solder surface 1310y of the main control board 1310), at least multiple surface-mount electronic components (surface-mount type electronic components) are mounted.
The aforementioned surface-mount electronic component is
IC1 having a predetermined number of connection terminals (connection terminal IC1a),
A chip capacitor MC1' with fewer connection terminals (electrodes MC1a') than IC1 is included,
The connection terminal IC1a of the IC1 is directly connected to the pad 1310ka formed on the front surface of the main substrate.
The electrode MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1' in the IC1 is connected to a through-hole 1402b formed on the surface of the main substrate via a reinforcing member 1316.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) that includes a main board involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, a function display board 1402 provided in a function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in a magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, and a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004, etc.),
The main substrate has a front surface and a back surface, and at least multiple surface-mount electronic components (surface-mount type electronic components) are mounted on the front surface.
The aforementioned surface-mount electronic component is
IC1 is directly connected to the pad 1310ka formed on the surface of the main substrate,
It includes a chip capacitor MC1' which is indirectly connected to a through-hole 1402b formed on the surface of the main substrate via a reinforcing member 1316,
The aforementioned chip capacitor MC1' has fewer connection terminals than the IC1.
The main side substrate is,
The main control board 1310, on which the pad 1310ka and the through-hole 1402b are formed,
The system includes a second main substrate on which the pad 1310ka is formed (such as the function display substrate 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor substrate provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor substrate of the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or the sensor substrate of the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004),
The surface-mount electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 consist of the IC1 and the chip capacitor MC1'.
The surface-mount components mounted on the second main board (such as the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, or the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004) consist only of the IC1.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a main board that is involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, etc.),
On the front surface of the main substrate (for example, the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310) and the back surface (for example, the solder surface 1310y of the main control board 1310), at least multiple surface-mount electronic components (surface-mount type electronic components) are mounted.
The aforementioned surface-mount electronic component is
A standard surface-mount type electronic component is mounted on the front surface of the main substrate and placed on the front surface of the main substrate.
The main substrate has a chip capacitor MC1' which is mounted on the front surface of the main substrate and positioned above the front surface of the main substrate so as to protrude more than the conventional surface-mount type electronic component,
The chip capacitor MC1' is positioned adjacent to IC1, which is one of the conventional surface-mount type electronic components.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) that includes a main board involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, a function display board 1402 provided in a function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in a magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, and a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004, etc.),
The main substrate has a front surface and a back surface, and at least multiple surface-mount electronic components (surface-mount type electronic components) are mounted on the front surface.
The aforementioned surface-mount electronic component is
A standard surface-mount electronic component (a standard surface-mount type electronic component) is placed on the surface of the substrate,
It includes a chip capacitor MC1' positioned above the surface of the substrate,
The main side substrate is,
A main control board 1310 is provided on the back of the gaming machine and is positioned so that its front circuit board surface faces the rear of the gaming machine,
The game machine includes a second main board (such as the function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) located in front of the main control board 1310,
The surface-mount electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 consist of the conventional surface-mount electronic components and the chip capacitor MC1' which is arranged to protrude more than the conventional surface-mount electronic components.
The surface-mount electronic components mounted on the second main side substrate (such as the function display substrate 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor substrate provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor substrate of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, or the sensor substrate of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004) consist only of the conventional surface-mount electronic components.
In the first main substrate, the chip capacitor MC1' is positioned adjacent to IC1, which is one of the conventional surface-mount electronic components.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a main board that is involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, etc.),
The main substrate consists of a front substrate surface (for example, the mounting surface 1310x of the main control substrate 1310) and a back substrate surface (for example, the solder surface 1310y of the main control substrate 1310), and at least multiple surface-mount electronic components (surface-mount type electronic components) are mounted on the front substrate surface.
The aforementioned surface-mount electronic component is
An IC1 having multiple connection terminals IC1a arranged at a first interval (the interval in the short direction between a pair of connection terminals IC1a provided along each of the opposing long sides of IC1, with the IC1 body in between),
A chip-chip capacitor MC1' having a plurality of electrodes MC1a' provided at a second interval narrower than the first interval (the interval in the longitudinal direction between a pair of electrodes MC1a' provided on each of the short sides of the chip-chip capacitor MC1', sandwiching the chip-chip capacitor MC1' body),
The IC1 has connection terminals IC1a provided at the first intervals, which are welded to pads 1310ka formed on the surface of the main substrate.
The chip capacitor MC1' is a special electronic component that is arranged adjacent to the IC1, with pins 1315 soldered to each of the electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1', and multiple connection terminals (pins 1315) are welded to through-holes 1402b formed on the surface of the main substrate at a third interval wider than the second interval (the interval between each pair of pins 1315),
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) that includes a main board involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, a function display board 1402 provided in a function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in a magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, and a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004, etc.),
The main substrate has a front surface and a back surface, and at least multiple surface-mount electronic components (surface-mount type electronic components) are mounted on the front surface.
The aforementioned surface-mount electronic component is
Conventional surface-mount electronic components (standard surface-mount type electronic components)
A chip-chip capacitor MC1' has electrodes MC1a' that are spaced at a narrower distance (the distance in the short-side direction between a pair of electrodes MC1a' provided on each of the short sides of the chip-chip capacitor MC1') than the distance between terminal portions (a pair of connection terminals IC1a provided along each of the opposing long sides of IC1) that are normally provided on the surface-mount electronic component (the distance in the short-side direction between a pair of connection terminals IC1a provided along each of the opposing long sides of IC1, with the IC1 body in between),
The main side substrate is,
A main control board 1310 is provided on the back of the gaming machine and is positioned so that its front circuit board surface faces the rear of the gaming machine,
The game machine includes a second main board (such as the function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) located in front of the main control board 1310,
The electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 consist of the conventional surface-mount electronic components and the chip capacitor MC1'.
The electronic components mounted on the second main side substrate (such as the function display substrate 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor substrate provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor substrate of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, or the sensor substrate of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004) consist only of the conventional surface-mount electronic components.
The conventional surface-mount electronic component is welded to a pad formed on the surface of the main control board 1310 or the second main side board (such as the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, or the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004) (a pad 1310ka formed on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, or a pad formed on the front surface (surface) of the magnetic sensor board 1050b).
The chip capacitor MC1' is a special electronic component in which pins 1315 are soldered to each of the electrodes MC1a' of the chip capacitor MC1', and multiple pins 1315 are welded to through-holes 1402b formed on the surface of the main control board 1310 at a wider spacing (the spacing between each pair of pins 1315) than the spacing between the terminal portions provided on the chip capacitor MC1' (the spacing in the longitudinal direction between a pair of electrodes MC1a' provided on each of the short sides of the chip capacitor MC1', sandwiching the chip capacitor MC1' body.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) equipped with a main board that is involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, etc.),
The main board surface consists of a front surface (for example, the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310) and a back surface (for example, the solder surface 1310y of the main control board 1310), and at least multiple electronic components are mounted on the front surface.
The aforementioned electronic components include surface-mount electronic components (surface-mount type electronic components) having a specific shape.
Among the surface-mount electronic components, the chip-tip capacitor MC1' is a special electronic component with a different shape from the chip-tip capacitor MC1', and is positioned adjacent to the IC1 among the surface-mount electronic components.
It is characterized by the following:

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) that includes a main board involved in the progress of the game (for example, a main control board 1310, a payout control board 633, a function display board 1402 provided in a function display unit 1400, a magnetic sensor board provided in a magnetic sensor 1050, a sensor board for the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, and a sensor board for the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004, etc.),
The main substrate has a front surface and a back surface, and at least multiple electronic components are mounted on the front surface.
The aforementioned electronic components include surface-mount electronic components having a specific shape.
The main side substrate is,
A main control board 1310 is provided on the back of the gaming machine and is positioned so that its front circuit board surface faces the rear of the gaming machine,
The game machine includes a second main board (such as the function display board 1402 provided in the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor board provided in the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor board of the first start port sensor 3002 provided in the first start port 2002, or the sensor board of the second start port sensor 2401 provided in the second start port 2004) located in front of the main control board 1310,
The electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 consist of surface-mount electronic components and special electronic components.
The electronic components mounted on the second main side substrate (such as the function display substrate 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the magnetic sensor substrate provided on the magnetic sensor 1050, the sensor substrate of the first start port sensor 3002 provided on the first start port 2002, or the sensor substrate of the second start port sensor 2401 provided on the second start port 2004) consist only of the surface mount electronic components.
The chip capacitor MC1' among the surface-mount electronic components is characterized in that it is a special electronic component with a different shape from the chip capacitor MC1' and is arranged adjacent to the IC1 among the surface-mount electronic components.

[Example of Attacker Unit Modification 1]
Next, as a configuration different from the above, a configuration that facilitates confirmation of whether the operation of the first attacker unit 2400A and the second attacker unit 2600A attached to the game board 5 is normal will be described. In the following, the first attacker unit 2400A and the second attacker unit 2600A, which are modified versions of the first attacker unit 2400 and the second attacker unit 2600 described with reference to Figures 140 to 145, will be described with reference to Figure 376, etc. Note that in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the components other than the first attacker unit 2400A and the second attacker unit 2600A are the same as those in the pachinko machine 1 of the embodiment having the first attacker unit 2400 and the second attacker unit 2600 described above, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

Figure 376 is a perspective view showing different configurations of the first attacker unit 2400A and the second attacker unit 2600A attached to the game board 5. Figure 377 is a perspective view showing the first attacker unit 2400A and the second attacker unit 2600A removed from the game board 5. As shown in Figure 376, the first attacker unit 2400A and the second attacker unit 2600A are attached to the front of the game board 5 from the front and are fixed to the game board 5 by fastening means such as screws or bolts (not shown).

As shown in Figure 377, the first attacker unit 2400A and the second attacker unit 2600A can be removed from the front of the game board 5 after the fastening means such as screws and bolts have been removed. Specifically, the first attacker unit 2400A is equipped with a decorative cover 2450A that is substantially transparent overall and is formed in a substantially box shape with a part of the rear side open. The decorative cover 2450A is attached to the front of the game panel 1100 of the game board 5 from the front by fastening means such as screws and bolts. The decorative cover 2450A is substantially transparent overall and has a decorative surface 2451A on the front side, which is the side visible to the player, to which a decorative sticker in accordance with the theme of the pachinko machine 1 is attached. Furthermore, the second attacker unit 2600A is equipped with a decorative cover 2650A that is largely transparent and has a roughly box-like shape with a portion of its rear surface open. This decorative cover 2650A is attached to the front of the game panel 1100 of the game board 5 from the front using fastening means such as screws or bolts. The decorative cover 2650A is largely transparent and has a decorative surface 2651A on the front side, which is visible to the player, to which decorative stickers in accordance with the theme of the pachinko machine 1 are attached.

Figure 378 is an exploded perspective view showing the first attacker unit 2400A. As shown in Figure 378, the first attacker unit 2400A includes a decorative cover 2450A and a first reciprocating device 2452A attached to the rear surface of the decorative cover 2450A from the rear. The first reciprocating device 2452A has a case body 2453A that is substantially transparent and formed in the shape of a box with an open front, and a plate-shaped cover body 2454A that is substantially transparent and formed to cover the front surface of the case body 2453A. Furthermore, the first forward/backward movement device 2452A is located within the case body 2453A and further includes a magnetic sensor 1050A for detecting unauthorized magnetism, a large prize slot sensor 2402A and a second start slot sensor 2401A for detecting game balls B, a second start slot door 2411A capable of guiding game balls B to the second start slot sensor 2401A, a start slot solenoid 2412A that opens and closes the second start slot door 2411A via a second link mechanism (not shown) according to the result of the normal lottery, a large prize slot door 2413A capable of guiding game balls B to the large prize slot sensor 2402A, and an attacker solenoid (not shown) that opens and closes the large prize slot door 2413A via the first link mechanism 2455A according to the result of the first or second special lottery.

Figure 379(a) is a perspective view showing the first forward/backward movement device 2452A with the large prize opening door 2413A and the second start opening door 2411A in the extended state, and Figure 379(b) is a perspective view showing the first forward/backward movement device 2452A with the large prize opening door 2413A and the second start opening door 2411A in the retracted state. As shown in Figures 379(a) and 379(b), in the first forward/backward movement device 2452A, the second start opening door 2411A and the large prize opening door 2413A are supported by the case body so as to be movable in the front-rear direction, and the second start opening door 2411A and the large prize opening door 2413A can transition between an extended state, where they advance into the game area 5a, and a retracted state, where they retract from the game area 5a.

As shown in Figure 379(a), when the start port solenoid 2412A is not energized, the plunger of the start port solenoid 2412A protrudes due to the biasing force of the spring, and the second start port door 2411A transitions to an extended state, having advanced into the forward game area 5a via the second link mechanism. Also, as shown in Figure 379(b), when the start port solenoid 2412A is energized, the plunger of the start port solenoid 2412A retracts against the biasing force of the spring, and the second start port door 2411A transitions to a retracted state, having moved away from the forward game area 5a via the second link mechanism. In this embodiment, the second start port door 2411A, when transitioned to the extended state, contacts the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a to change its direction of travel, thereby restricting the game ball B from moving toward the second start port sensor 2401A. Conversely, when transitioned to the retracted state, the degree of contact with the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a is reduced, and the game ball B is not restricted from moving toward the second start port sensor 2401A. In other words, in the first attacker unit 2400A of this embodiment, when the normal lottery result is a win, the start port solenoid 2412A is energized (ON), causing the plunger to retract against the biasing force of the spring, and the second start port door 2411A transitions to the retracted state, thus enabling the acceptance of the game ball B into the second start port 2004A.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 379(a), when the attacker solenoid is not energized, the plunger of the attacker solenoid protrudes due to the biasing force of the spring, and the large prize opening door 2413A transitions to an extended state, having advanced into the forward game area 5a via the first link mechanism 2455A. As shown in Figure 379(b), when the attacker solenoid is energized, the plunger of the attacker solenoid retracts against the biasing force of the spring, and the large prize opening door 2413A transitions to a retracted state, having moved away from the forward game area 5a via the first link mechanism 2455A. In this embodiment, the large prize opening door 2413A, when in the extended state, contacts the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a to change its direction of travel, thereby restricting the game ball B from moving toward the large prize opening sensor 2402A. Conversely, when in the retracted state, the degree of contact with the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a is reduced, and the game ball B is not restricted from moving toward the large prize opening sensor 2402A. That is, in the first attacker unit 2400A of this embodiment, when the first or second special lottery result is a win, the attacker solenoid is energized (ON), causing the plunger to retract against the biasing force of the spring, and the large prize opening door 2413A transitions to the retracted state, thus enabling the acceptance of the game ball B into the large prize opening 2005A.

In this embodiment, the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A transition from an extended state to a retracted state when their respective solenoids are energized. However, they may also transition from a retracted state to an extended state when their respective solenoids are energized. However, in this embodiment, when restricting the movement of game balls B flowing down the game area 5a towards the large prize sensor 2402A and the second start door sensor 2401A in the extended state of the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A, it is preferable that the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A transition from an extended state to a retracted state when their respective solenoids are energized, from the viewpoint of suppressing the unauthorized entry of game balls B into the second start door 2004A and the large prize door 2005A.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second start gate door 2411A and the big prize gate door 2413A contact the game ball B as it flows down the game area 5a in the case of transitioning to the advanced state, thereby changing the direction of travel of the game ball B and restricting the game ball B from moving toward the second start gate sensor 2401A or the big prize gate sensor 2402A. When transitioning to the retracted state, the degree of contact with the game ball B as it flows down the game area 5a is reduced, and the game ball B moves toward the second start gate sensor 2401A or the big prize gate sensor 2402A. While this configuration does not restrict movement, it is also possible to configure it so that when transitioning to the advance state, the direction of movement of the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a is changed by contact with the game ball B, thereby restricting the game ball B to move toward the second start port sensor 2401A or the large prize port sensor 2402A. Furthermore, when transitioning to the retracted state, the degree of contact with the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a is reduced, and the game ball B is not restricted to move toward the second start port sensor 2401A or the large prize port sensor 2402A.

Furthermore, the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A are designed to be accessible from the outside when the decorative cover 2450A is removed. Even when the start solenoid 2412A and the attacker solenoid are not energized, they can be arbitrarily switched between the extended and retracted states by external contact operations (such as pushing or pulling). This allows for operational checks of the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1.

Figure 380 is an exploded perspective view showing the second attacker unit 2600A. As shown in Figure 380, the second attacker unit 2600A includes a decorative cover 2650A that is transparent in almost its entirety, as well as a second reciprocating device 2652A that is attached to the rear surface of the decorative cover 2650A from the rear. The second reciprocating device 2652A has a case body 2653A that is transparent in almost its entirety and is formed in the shape of a box with an open front, and a plate-shaped cover body 2654A that is transparent in almost its entirety and is formed to cover the front surface of the case body 2653A. Furthermore, the second reciprocating device 2652A further includes a magnetic sensor 1050A for detecting abnormal magnetism, a prize entry sensor 2601A for detecting game balls B, a prize entry door 2611A capable of guiding game balls B to the prize entry sensor 2601A, and a prize entry solenoid (not shown) that opens and closes the prize entry door 2611A via a third link mechanism 2655A according to the result of the first or second special lottery. The magnetic sensor 1050A, prize entry sensor 2601A, third link mechanism 2655A, and prize entry solenoid are arranged within the case body 2653A, and the prize entry door 2611A is pivotally supported by a decorative cover 2650A so that it can be opened and closed.

Figure 381(a) is a front view showing the second retraction device 2652A with the prize entry door 2611A in the retracted state, and Figure 381(b) is a front view showing the second retraction device 2652A with the prize entry door 2611A in the extended state. As shown in Figures 381(a) and 381(b), in the second retraction device 2652A, the prize entry door 2611A is formed in a so-called wing shape and is rotatable around a lower rotation axis, and can transition between an extended state where it moves into the game area 5a and a retracted state where it moves away from the game area 5a. As shown in Figure 381(a), when the prize entry solenoid is not energized, the plunger of the prize entry solenoid protrudes due to the biasing force of the spring, and the prize entry door 2611A is in a retracted state where it moves away from the game area 5a in front. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 381(b), when the prize entry opening door 2611A is energized, the plunger of the prize entry opening solenoid retracts against the biasing force of the spring, and the door advances into the game area 5a in front. In this embodiment, the prize entry opening door 2611A, in the advanced state, contacts the game ball B as it flows down the game area 5a to change its direction of travel and guides the game ball B toward the prize entry opening sensor 2601A, and in the retracted state, it contacts the game ball B as it flows down the game area 5a to restrict the game ball B from moving toward the prize entry opening sensor 2601A. In other words, in the second reciprocating device 2652A of this embodiment, when the result of the first or second special lottery is a win, the prize entry solenoid is energized (ON), and the plunger retracts against the biasing force of the spring, causing the prize entry door 2611A to move to the advanced position, making it possible to receive the game ball B into the prize entry opening 2006A.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the prize entry door 2611A transitions from a retracted state to an extended state when the prize entry solenoid is energized, from the viewpoint of suppressing fraudulent entry into the prize entry opening 2006A. However, it may also transition from an extended state to a retracted state when the prize entry solenoid is energized. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the prize entry door 2611A, when extended, contacts the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a, guiding the game ball B toward the prize entry sensor 2601A, and when retracted, contacts the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a, restricting its movement toward the prize entry sensor 2601A. However, it may also be configured such that, when extended, it contacts the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a, restricting its movement toward the prize entry sensor 2601A, and when retracted, it contacts the game ball B flowing down the game area 5a, guiding the game ball B toward the prize entry sensor 2601A.

Furthermore, the prize entry door 2611A is designed to be accessible from the outside when the decorative cover 2650A is removed. Even when the prize entry solenoid is not energized, it can be arbitrarily changed between the extended and retracted states by external contact operations (such as pushing or pulling). This allows for operational checks of the prize entry door 2611A during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1.

In a pachinko machine 1 in which the first attacker unit 2400A and the second attacker unit 2600A described above are assembled on the game board 5, the entry of game balls B into the prize entry holes and start holes can be made possible or made easier by transitioning each door to an extended or retracted state. Furthermore, as described above, when the decorative cover 2450A and decorative cover 2650A are removed, it is possible to make contact with the second start hole door 2411A, the large prize entry hole door 2413A, and the special prize entry hole door 2611A, and it is possible to check the operation of the second start hole door 2411A, the large prize entry hole door 2413A, and the special prize entry hole door 2611A during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1. However, in conventional pachinko machines 1, even if it was possible to verify the operation of the second start door 2411A, the big prize door 2413A, and the prize mechanism door 2611A during the manufacturing process, it was difficult to determine from the outside whether their operation (change to extended or retracted state) was normal. For example, although the second start door 2411A, the big prize door 2413A, and the prize mechanism door 2611A could extend and retract, it was difficult to determine whether this operation would interfere with the game's progress. If a malfunction occurred in the extension or retraction operation, it could cause disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where pachinko machines 1 are installed, potentially reducing the reliability of pachinko machines 1. Below, we will describe a modified version of the first attacker unit 2400A and the second attacker unit 2600A with the aim of resolving these problems.

Figure 382(a) is a bottom view of the first reciprocating device 2452A viewed from below when the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A are in the extended position, and Figure 382(b) is a bottom view of the first reciprocating device 2452A viewed from below when the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A are in the retracted position. For the sake of explanation, the figures show the second start door sensor 2401A and the big prize door sensor 2402A removed. As shown in Figure 382(a) or Figure 382(b), the lower surface of the plate-shaped second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A (the surface on the back side of the upper surface through which the game balls flow) is provided with a viewing section 2456A that can be seen from outside the first attacker unit 2400A or from outside the first reciprocating device 2452A. The viewing section 2456A is provided so that it can be viewed directly from the lower side of the first reciprocating device 2452A or through a transparent portion when the first attacker unit 2400A is removed from the game board 5, or when the first reciprocating device 2452A is removed from the first attacker unit 2400A. In this example, the viewing section 2456A is provided so that it can be viewed directly from the lower side of the first reciprocating device 2452A or through a transparent part when at least the second start port sensor 2401A and the big prize port sensor 2402A are removed. However, it is preferable that the viewing section 2456A be provided so that it can be viewed directly from the lower side of the first reciprocating device 2452A or through a transparent part, not only when the second start port sensor 2401A and the big prize port sensor 2402A are removed, but also when the second start port sensor 2401A and the big prize port sensor 2402A are attached. When the second start port sensor 2401A and the large prize port sensor 2402A are installed, the viewing section 2456A is positioned so that it is located inside the through-holes of the second start port sensor 2401A and the large prize port sensor 2402A when retracted. This ensures that even when the second start port sensor 2401A and the large prize port sensor 2402A are installed, the viewing section 2456A can be directly viewed from the underside of the first forward/backward device 2452A or viewed through a transparent portion.

In this embodiment, the visible portion 2456A is the symbol "★" shown in the diagram, provided on the lower surface (the back surface of the upper surface through which the game balls flow) of the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A. Such a visible portion 2456A may be printed on the lower surface of the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A, or a sticker-like film member on which the visible portion 2456A is formed may be attached to the lower surface of the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A. Furthermore, the visible portion 2456A may be formed by raising the lower surface of the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A to create a convex-shaped formation mark, or by recessing the lower surface of the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A to create a concave-shaped formation mark. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of avoiding damage to the visibility portion 2456A itself, it is preferable that the visibility portion 2456A is integrally formed with the second start gate door 2411A and the main prize gate door 2413A by printing or molding marks, rather than being a seal-like film member.

As shown in Figure 382(a), in the non-winning state of the first reciprocating device 2452A, which has the large prize opening door 2413A in the extended position and contacts the game ball B to restrict the game ball B from moving toward the large prize opening sensor 2402A, the viewing portion 2456A of the large prize opening door 2413A is located in front of the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A. Also, in the non-winning state of the first reciprocating device 2452A, which has the second start opening door 2411A in the extended position and contacts the game ball B to restrict the game ball B from moving toward the second start opening sensor 2401A, the viewing portion 2456A of the second start opening door 2411A is located in front of the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A. In other words, in the normal extended state of the main prize door 2413A and the second start door 2411A, the visibility section 2456A is positioned such that the "★" marking on the visibility section 2456A is completely exposed to the outside beyond the front edge of the case body 2453A (a state in which the entire visibility section 2456A is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457A that extends along the front edge of the case body 2453A). Therefore, when the main prize door 2413A or the second start door 2411A is operated to the extended position, if the "★" marking on the visibility section 2456A is not completely exposed to the outside beyond the front edge of the case body 2453A (for example, if a part of the visibility section 2456A overlaps the front edge), then the main prize door 2413A or the second start door 2411A are not in a normal extended state, but rather in an abnormal state that may affect the progress of the game.

As shown in Figure 382(b), in the winning state of the first forward/backward movement device 2452A, where the large prize opening door 2413A is in the retracted position and does not restrict the movement of the game ball B toward the large prize opening sensor 2402A, the viewing portion 2456A of the large prize opening door 2413A is located behind the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A. Also, in the ball-entry state of the first forward/backward movement device 2452A, where the second start opening door 2411A is in the retracted position and does not restrict the movement of the game ball B toward the second start opening sensor 2401A, the viewing portion 2456A of the second start opening door 2411A is located behind the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A. In other words, the normal retracted state of the big prize door 2413A and the second start door 2411A during the game is such that the "★" marking on the viewing section 2456A is completely housed inside the front edge of the case body 2453A (the viewing section 2456A is positioned behind the imaginary line 2457A that extends along the front edge of the case body 2453A). Therefore, when the main prize door 2413A or the second start door 2411A is operated to the retracted position, if the "★" marking on the visibility unit 2456A is not completely contained inside the front edge of the case body 2453A (for example, if a part of the visibility unit 2456A overlaps the front edge), then the main prize door 2413A or the second start door 2411A are not in a normal retracted state, but rather in an abnormal state that may affect the progress of the game.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the large prize opening door 2413A and the second start opening door 2411A are in the extended position, the viewing portion 2456A of the large prize opening door 2413A and the second start opening door 2411A is positioned forward relative to the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A, which is visible from the outside, which is the lower side of the first retraction device 2452A. When the large prize opening door 2413A and the second start opening door 2411A are in the retracted position, the viewing portion 2456A of the large prize opening door 2413A and the second start opening door 2411A is positioned forward relative to the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A. In contrast, the fact that the first retraction device 2452A is located in a rearward position is visible from the outside, which is the underside. Therefore, by visually inspecting the first retraction device 2452A from the underside before it is attached to the game board 5, or after it has been removed from the game board 5, the visibility section 2456A provided on the big prize door 2413A and the second start door 2411A can be used as a visual indicator for the case body 2453A to easily determine whether the big prize door 2413A and the second start door 2411A are in the extended position or the retracted position. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the operation of the large prize opening door 2413A and the second start opening door 2411A can be easily checked during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, preventing malfunctions in the opening and closing operation of the large prize opening door 2413A and the second start opening door 2411A, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls.

Furthermore, after the first forward/backward device 2452A (first attacker unit 2400A) is attached to the game board 5, the upper surfaces of the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A are easily visible to the player playing the pachinko machine 1. In contrast, the viewing section 2456A in this embodiment is provided on the lower surfaces of the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A. Therefore, even if a player peers into the second start door 2411A or the large prize door 2413A from above, it is impossible or difficult for the player to see the viewing section 2456A. This prevents the aesthetic appeal of the first attacker unit 2400A and the decorative qualities of the pachinko machine 1 from being compromised when the player sees the viewing section 2456A.

Furthermore, after the first forward/backward movement device 2452A (first attacker unit 2400A) is attached to the game board 5, the game balls B flow down onto the upper surface of the second start door 2411A and the upper surface of the big prize door 2413A. In contrast, the viewing section 2456A in this embodiment is provided on the lower surface of the second start door 2411A and the lower surface of the big prize door 2413A. Therefore, even when the viewing section 2456A is provided, it is possible to avoid the viewing section 2456A itself obstructing the flow of the game balls, and to suppress the viewing section 2456A itself causing problems in the game's progress.

Furthermore, in order to improve the visibility of the viewing area 2456A on the underside of the second start door 2411A and the viewing area 2456A on the underside of the large prize door 2413A, which are visible from the underside of the first forward/backward movement device 2452A via the case body 2453A, the case body 2453A and cover body 2454A may be formed to be transparent, either colored transparent or colorless transparent, while the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A may be formed to be opaque, and the viewing area 2456A may be provided on the underside of the colored opaque second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A. This makes it even easier to confirm the operation of the large prize door 2413A and the second start door 2411A using the viewing area 2456A as a visual indicator during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the first forward/backward device 2452A may be configured to further include a locking mechanism that restricts the retraction of the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A when they have transitioned to the advanced state, thereby enhancing the effect of suppressing fraud against the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A. In this configuration, during the operation check of the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, after releasing the lock mechanism, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward device 2452A, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below. By pushing the second start door 2411A backward against the biasing force of the start door solenoid 2412A spring, or by pushing the large prize door 2413A backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring, it is visually confirmed whether the second start door 2411A can transition to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the start door solenoid 2412A, or whether the large prize door 2413A can transition to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

Furthermore, while the configuration of the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A, which are supported by the first link mechanism 2455A or the second link mechanism and move forward or backward within the case body 2453A, has been described, the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A may also be supported by the first link mechanism 2455A or the second link mechanism outside the case body 2453A and move forward or backward along the upper or lower surface of the case body 2453A, or they may be supported on the upper or lower surface of the case body 2453A and move forward or backward along the upper or lower surface of the case body 2453A by the first link mechanism 2455A or the second link mechanism. When the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A extend or retract within the case body 2453A, the effect of deterring fraud against the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A can be enhanced. On the other hand, when the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A extend or retract outside the case body 2453A, the efficiency of maintenance work for malfunctions or other issues occurring in the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A can be improved.

Furthermore, the visibility section 2456A may be provided at any position on the underside of either the second start door 2411A or the large prize door 2413A, and the size of the visibility section 2456A may be any size. The visibility section 2456A provided on the second start door 2411A or the large prize door 2413A serves as a visual indicator for the case body 2453A, allowing the operator to easily confirm whether the second start door 2411A or the large prize door 2413A is in the extended position or the retracted position. The following will provide a detailed explanation of the positional relationship between the visibility section 2456A and the case body 2453A in relation to the respective states of the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A.

Figure 383(a) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction device 2452A viewed from below, showing the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A in the extended position. Figure 383(b) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction device 2452A viewed from below, showing the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A in the retracted position. Figures 383(c) and (d) are schematic diagrams of the first retraction device 2452A viewed from below, showing the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A in a malfunctioning state. Note that the upper part of the diagram represents the front, facing the player when the first retraction device 2452A is attached to the game board 5, and the lower part of the diagram represents the rear, facing away from the player when the first retraction device 2452A is attached to the game board 5.

As shown in Figures 383(a) to 383(d), a viewing section 2456A is provided on the lower surface of the plate-shaped large prize opening door 2413A, located in the center in both the left-right and front-back directions, with an outer diameter approximately equal to that of the game ball B. In this example, the viewing section 2456A only needs to be located in the front-back center of the lower surface of the large prize opening door 2413A, and may be located at any position in the left-right direction of the lower surface of the large prize opening door 2413A. Furthermore, while the outer diameter of the viewing section 2456A in this example is preferably approximately equal to that of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of visibility, it may also be smaller than the diameter of the game ball B.

As shown in 329(a), when the large prize opening door 2413A is in the extended position, the viewing section 2456A is positioned forward with a predetermined distance from the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413A can transition to the normal extended position by the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452A, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the underside, and confirming that the viewing section 2456A is positioned forward with a predetermined distance from the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A.

As shown in Figure 383(b), when the large prize opening door 2413A is in the retracted position, the viewing section 2456A is positioned behind the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A, at a predetermined distance. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413A can transition to the normal retracted position against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452A removed from the game board 5 from the underside and pushing the large prize opening door 2413A backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring. This allows the worker to easily visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413A can transition to the normal retracted position against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 383(c), when the large prize opening door 2413A is in an abnormal extended state, the viewing section 2456A is positioned so as not to be in front of the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A, with a predetermined distance. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413A is difficult to transition to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452A removed from the game board 5 from the underside, and that the viewing section 2456A is not positioned so as not to be in front of the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A with a predetermined distance.

As shown in Figure 383(d), when the large prize opening door 2413A is in an abnormal retracted state, the viewing unit 2456A is positioned at a predetermined distance behind the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, when an operator visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452A removed from the game board 5 from the underside and pushes the large prize opening door 2413A backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring, they can easily visually confirm that the viewing unit 2456A is not positioned at a predetermined distance behind the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A, indicating that it is difficult for the large prize opening door 2413A to transition to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As described above, in the configuration in which the viewing section 2456A is provided on the lower surface of the plate-shaped large prize opening door 2413A, at the center in both the left-right and front-back directions, with an outer diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B, the worker who checks the operation of the large prize opening door 2413A during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1 can easily determine whether the large prize opening door 2413A can transition between a normal extended state and a normal retracted state after visually confirming the positional relationship of the viewing section 2456A with respect to the case body 2453A. Therefore, malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the large prize opening door 2413A can be prevented, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the gaming halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately further enhancing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and gaming halls. Furthermore, the configuration of the viewing section 2456A provided on the lower surface of the grand prize door 2413A in this example may also be applied to, for example, the viewing section 2456A provided on the lower surface of the second start door 2411A.

As shown in Figures 383(a) and 329(c), a viewing section 2456A is provided on the lower surface of the plate-shaped second start door 2411A at the center in the left-right direction and at the rear end in the front-rear direction, having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B. In this example, the viewing section 2456A may be provided at the rear end in the front-rear direction on the lower surface of the second start door 2411A, and may be provided at any position in the left-right direction on the lower surface of the second start door 2411A. Furthermore, while a smaller outer diameter than the diameter of the game ball B is preferable from the viewpoint of ease of formation, a configuration approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B is also acceptable.

As shown in Figure 383(a), when the second start door 2411A is in the extended position, the viewing section 2456A is positioned forward of the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the second start door 2411A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the second start door 2411A can transition to the normal extended position by the biasing force of the spring of the start solenoid 2412A by visually inspecting the first forward/backward device 2452A, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the underside, and confirming that the viewing section 2456A is positioned forward of the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A.

As shown in Figure 383(c), when the second start door 2411A is in an abnormal extended state, the viewing section 2456A is either in contact with the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A in a downward view, or positioned behind the imaginary line 2457A. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the second start door 2411A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the second start door 2411A is difficult to transition to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the spring of the start solenoid 2412A by visually inspecting the first forward/backward device 2452A removed from the game board 5 from the downward side, and that the viewing section 2456A is either in contact with the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A in a downward view, or positioned behind the imaginary line 2457A.

As described above, in the configuration in which the viewing section 2456A is located in front of the virtual line 2457A when the second start door 2411A can transition normally to the extended state, and in contact with the virtual line 2457A in a bottom view or located behind the virtual line 2457A when the second start door 2411A has difficulty transitioning normally to the extended state, the size of the viewing section 2456A can be made smaller than, for example, the diameter of the game ball B, and the ease of forming the viewing section 2456A when it is provided on the bottom surface of the second start door 2411A can be increased. Therefore, malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the second start door 2411A can be suppressed, and disadvantages to players and the game halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed can be suppressed, and consequently, the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and game halls can be further increased. Furthermore, the configuration of the viewing section 2456A provided on the lower surface of the second start gate door 2411A in this example may also be applied to, for example, a viewing section 2456A provided on the lower surface of the grand prize gate door 2413A.

As shown in Figures 383(b) and 329(d), a viewing section 2456A is provided on the lower surface of the plate-shaped second start door 2411A, at the center in the left-right direction and at the front end in the front-rear direction, having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B. In this example, the viewing section 2456A may be provided at the front end in the front-rear direction on the lower surface of the second start door 2411A, and may be provided at any position in the left-right direction on the lower surface of the second start door 2411A. Furthermore, while a smaller outer diameter than the diameter of the game ball B is preferable from the viewpoint of ease of formation, a configuration approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B is also acceptable.

As shown in Figure 383(b), when the second start door 2411A is in the retracted position, the viewing section 2456A is positioned behind the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the second start door 2411A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the second start door 2411A can transition to the normal retracted position against the biasing force of the spring 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A by visually inspecting the first forward/backward device 2452A removed from the game board 5 from the underside and pushing the second start door 2411A backward against the biasing force of the spring of the start solenoid 2412A.

As shown in Figure 383(d), when the second start door 2411A is in a retracted abnormal state, the viewing section 2456A is in contact with the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A when viewed from below, or is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457A. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the second start door 2411A during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452A, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below and pushes the second start door 2411A backward against the biasing force of the start solenoid 2412A spring. When the worker confirms that the viewing portion 2456A contacts or is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A in a downward view, the worker can easily visually confirm that the second start door 2411A has difficulty transitioning to the normal retracted state against the biasing force of the start solenoid 2412A spring.

As described above, in the configuration in which the viewing section 2456A is located behind the virtual line 2457A when the second start door 2411A can transition normally to the retracted state, and in contact with the virtual line 2457A in a downward view or located in front of the virtual line 2457A when the second start door 2411A has difficulty transitioning normally to the retracted state, the size of the viewing section 2456A can be made smaller than, for example, the diameter of the game ball B, and the ease of forming the viewing section 2456A when it is installed on the lower surface of the second start door 2411A can be increased. Therefore, malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the second start door 2411A can be suppressed, and disadvantages to players and the game halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed can be suppressed, and consequently, the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and game halls can be further increased. Furthermore, the configuration of the viewing section 2456A provided on the lower surface of the second starting gate door 2411A in this example may also be applied to, for example, a viewing section 2456A provided on the lower surface of the grand prize gate door 2413A.

Figure 384(a) is a schematic view from below of the first retraction device 2452A showing the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A in the extended position; Figure 384(b) is a schematic view from below of the first retraction device 2452A showing the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A in the retracted position; and Figures 384(c) and (d) are schematic views from below of the first retraction device 2452A showing the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A in a malfunctioning state. In the above embodiments, we described configurations of the viewing section 2456A that allow the operator to easily visually confirm whether the operation of the main prize door 2413A is normal by visually confirming the positional relationship of the viewing section 2456A with respect to the case body 2453A using Figures 383(a) to 383(d), etc., and configurations of the viewing section 2456A that allow the operator to easily visually confirm whether the operation of the second start door 2411A is normal, while also improving ease of formation. Hereinafter, we will describe further configurations of the viewing section 2456A using Figures 384(a) to 384(d), etc.

As shown in Figures 384(a) to 384(d), a viewing section 2456A is provided on the lower surface of the plate-shaped large prize opening door 2413A, located at the center in both the left-right and front-back directions, with an outer diameter approximately equal to the front-to-back width of the large prize opening door 2413A. In this example, the viewing section 2456A only needs to be located at the center in the front-to-back direction of the lower surface of the large prize opening door 2413A, and may be located at any position in the left-right direction of the lower surface of the large prize opening door 2413A. Furthermore, while the outer diameter of the viewing section 2456A in this example is preferably approximately equal to the front-to-back width of the large prize opening door 2413A from the viewpoint of ease of visibility, it may also be larger than the diameter of the game ball B.

As shown in Figure 384(a), when the large prize opening door 2413A is in the extended position, the viewing section 2456A is positioned so that its rear end contacts the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually confirm from below by inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452A, which has been removed from the game board 5, that the rear end of the viewing section 2456A contacts the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A when viewed from below. This allows the worker to visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413A can transition to the normal extended position due to the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 384(b), when the large prize opening door 2413A is in the retracted position, the viewing section 2456A is positioned so that its front end contacts the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452A, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below and pushes the large prize opening door 2413A backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring. By confirming that the front end of the viewing section 2456A contacts the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A when viewed from below, the worker can visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413A can transition to the normal retracted position against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 384(c), when the large prize opening door 2413A is in an abnormal extended state, the viewing section 2456A is positioned so that its central portion contacts the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually inspect the first forward/backward movement device 2452A, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below. If the worker confirms that the central portion of the viewing section 2456A contacts the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A when viewed from below, they can visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413A is difficult to transition to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 384(d), when the large prize opening door 2413A is in an abnormal retracted state, the viewing section 2456A is positioned so that its central part contacts the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452A removed from the game board 5 from below and pushes the large prize opening door 2413A backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring. When the worker confirms that the central part of the viewing section 2456A contacts the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A when viewed from below, it is possible to visually confirm to the worker that the large prize opening door 2413A is having difficulty transitioning to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As described above, in the configuration in which the viewing section 2456A contacts the virtual line 2457A in a downward view to determine whether the large prize opening door 2413A can transition normally to an extended or retracted state, there is no need to position the viewing section 2456A in the front-to-back direction when providing it on the underside of the large prize opening door 2413A, and the ease of forming the viewing section 2456A on the underside of the large prize opening door 2413A can be increased. Therefore, malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the large prize opening door 2413A can be prevented, and disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed can be prevented, and consequently, the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls can be further increased. Furthermore, the configuration of the viewing section 2456A provided on the lower surface of the grand prize door 2413A in this example may also be applied to, for example, the viewing section 2456A provided on the lower surface of the second start door 2411A.

The viewing section 2456A shown in Figures 384(a) and 384(c) is similar in configuration to the viewing section 2456A shown in Figures 383(b) and 383(d). The lower surface of the plate-shaped second start door 2411A is provided with a viewing section 2456A having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B, located at the center in the left-right direction and at the front end in the front-rear direction. In this example, the viewing section 2456A only needs to be provided at the front end in the front-rear direction of the lower surface of the second start door 2411A, and may be provided at any position in the left-right direction of the lower surface of the second start door 2411A. Furthermore, while a smaller outer diameter than the diameter of the game ball B is preferable from the viewpoint of ease of formation, a configuration approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B is also acceptable.

As shown in Figure 384(a), when the second start door 2411A is in the extended position, the viewing section 2456A is positioned forward at a predetermined distance relative to the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the second start door 2411A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually confirm that the second start door 2411A can transition to the normal extended position by the biasing force of the spring of the start solenoid 2412A by visually inspecting the first forward/backward device 2452A, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the underside. This allows the worker to visually confirm that the viewing section 2456A is positioned forward at a predetermined distance relative to the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A.

As shown in Figure 384(c), when the second start door 2411A is in an abnormal extended state, the viewing section 2456A is positioned forward at a distance smaller than a predetermined set distance relative to the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A, or in a positional relationship where it is in contact with the imaginary line 2457A when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the second start door 2411A during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, if the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward device 2452A removed from the game board 5 from below and confirms that the viewing section 2456A is positioned forward at a distance smaller than a predetermined set distance relative to the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A, or in contact with the imaginary line 2457A when viewed from below, the worker can visually confirm that the second start door 2411A is having difficulty transitioning to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the spring of the start solenoid 2412A.

As described above, in the case where the second start door 2411A can transition normally to the extended state, the viewing portion 2456A is positioned in front of the virtual line 2457A at a predetermined distance set in advance, and in the case where it is difficult for the second start door 2411A to transition normally to the extended state, the viewing portion 2456A is positioned in front of the virtual line 2457A at a distance smaller than the predetermined distance set in advance, or in contact with the virtual line 2457A when viewed from below. In this configuration, the size of the viewing portion 2456A can be made smaller than the diameter of the game ball B, and the ease of forming the viewing portion 2456A when it is provided on the lower surface of the second start door 2411A can be increased. Therefore, malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the second start door 2411A can be suppressed, and disadvantages to players and the gaming halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed can be suppressed, and consequently, the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and gaming halls can be further increased. Furthermore, the configuration of the viewing section 2456A provided on the lower surface of the second starting gate door 2411A in this example may also be applied to, for example, a viewing section 2456A provided on the lower surface of the grand prize gate door 2413A.

The viewing section 2456A shown in Figures 384(b) and 384(d) is similar in configuration to the viewing section 2456A shown in Figures 383(a) and 383(c). The lower surface of the plate-shaped second start door 2411A is provided with a viewing section 2456A having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B, located at the center in the left-right direction and at the rear end in the front-rear direction. In this example, the viewing section 2456A only needs to be provided at the rear end in the front-rear direction of the lower surface of the second start door 2411A, and may be provided at any position in the left-right direction of the lower surface of the second start door 2411A. Furthermore, while a smaller outer diameter than the diameter of the game ball B is preferable from the viewpoint of ease of formation, a configuration approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B is also acceptable.

As shown in Figure 384(b), when the second start door 2411A is in the retracted position, the viewing section 2456A is positioned rearward with a preset distance from the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the second start door 2411A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward device 2452A, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below and pushes the second start door 2411A backward against the biasing force of the start solenoid 2412A spring. By confirming that the viewing section 2456A is positioned rearward with a preset distance from the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A, the worker can visually confirm that the second start door 2411A can transition to the normal retracted position against the biasing force of the start solenoid 2412A spring.

As shown in Figure 383(d), when the second start door 2411A is in a retracted abnormal state, the viewing section 2456A is positioned behind the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A at a distance smaller than a predetermined distance, or in a positional relationship where it is in contact with the imaginary line 2457A when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the second start door 2411A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452A, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below and pushes the second start door 2411A backward against the biasing force of the spring of the start solenoid 2412A. If the worker confirms that the viewing portion 2456A is positioned behind the imaginary line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A at a distance smaller than a predetermined set interval, or that it is in contact with the imaginary line 2457A in a downward view, then the worker can visually confirm that the second start door 2411A is unable to transition to the normal retracted state against the biasing force of the spring of the start solenoid 2412A.

As described above, in the case where the viewing section 2456A is positioned behind the virtual line 2457A at a predetermined distance when the second start door 2411A can transition normally to the retracted state, and positioned behind the virtual line 2457A at a distance smaller than the predetermined distance when the second start door 2411A has difficulty transitioning normally to the extended or retracted state, or in contact with the virtual line 2457A when viewed from below, the size of the viewing section 2456A can be made smaller than, for example, the diameter of the game ball B, and the ease of forming the viewing section 2456A when provided on the lower surface of the second start door 2411A can be increased. Therefore, malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the second start door 2411A can be suppressed, and disadvantages to players and the game halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed can be suppressed, and consequently, the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and game halls can be further increased. Furthermore, the configuration of the viewing section 2456A provided on the lower surface of the second start gate door 2411A in this example may also be applied to, for example, a viewing section 2456A provided on the lower surface of the grand prize gate door 2413A.

In this embodiment, the positional relationship of the viewing section 2456A with respect to the case body 2453A was described in relation to a virtual line 2457A extending along the front edge of the case body 2453A. However, the virtual line 2457A may, for example, extend along the rear edge of the cover body 2454A, or along the front edge of the cover body 2454A, or along the rear edge of the case body 2453A. From the viewpoint of improving the work efficiency of the worker who visually checks the position of the viewing section 2456A with respect to the case body 2453A when performing operational checks during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, it is desirable to arbitrarily set the viewing section 2456A so that it serves as a visual target for the case body 2453A.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the form of the visual inspection section 2456A, which is represented by the symbol "★" in the diagram, has been described. However, the visual inspection section 2456A may have a different shape as long as it serves as a visual reference for the case body 2453A when checking the operation of the second start door 2411A and the big prize door 2413A. Figures 385(a) to 385(d) are schematic diagrams of the first forward and backward movement device 2452A viewed from below, showing the lower surface of the big prize door 2413A, which is provided with a visual inspection section 2456A of a different form. Specifically, the visual inspection section 2456A may be represented by the symbol "●" as shown in Figure 385(a), by the symbol "▲" as shown in Figure 385(b), by the symbol "■" as shown in Figure 385(c), or by a diagram in which multiple wires extending left and right are arranged at predetermined intervals in the front-to-back direction, as shown in Figure 385(d). Furthermore, the visible portion 2456A may be represented by characters such as "し" or "U". However, if the "●" symbol is used, there is a risk that if a player sees it, the circular shape might lead them to think of game ball B, potentially causing misunderstandings (for example, misunderstandings regarding the game ball's launch mechanism). Considering this point, when using the "●" symbol, it is desirable to form the "●" with a maximum width smaller than the diameter of game ball B (e.g., 11 mm) (e.g., 1-5 mm), or to form a partially incomplete "●" symbol (e.g., semi-circular), thereby minimizing the chance of the player being reminded of game ball B.

Furthermore, as in this example, when the second start door 2411A and the main prize door 2413A are unitized, there is a risk that it may become difficult to distinguish between the second start door 2411A and the main prize door 2413A when inspecting the first reciprocating device 2452A (first attacker unit 2400A) from below. Therefore, the appearance of the visibility section 2456A may be different for the second start door 2411A and the main prize door 2413A to prevent errors in worker recognition. Alternatively, the appearance of the visibility section 2456A may be the same for both the second start door 2411A and the main prize door 2413A to improve worker efficiency.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, while a method was described in which the operation of the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A is checked during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1 using the viewing section 2456A provided on the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A as a visual target, the operation of the second start door 2411A and the large prize door 2413A may also be checked, for example, by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452A (first attacker unit 2400A), which has been removed from the game board 5, from the lower side in a gaming hall or the like where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

Figure 386(a) is a partial rear view of a part of the second retraction device 2652A when the prize entry door 2611A is in the retracted state, viewed from the rear side. Figure 386(b) is a partial rear view of a part of the second retraction device 2652A when the prize entry door 2611A is in the extended state, viewed from the rear side. As shown in Figure 386(a) or Figure 386(b), a viewing section 2656A is provided on the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611A, which is visible from the outside of the second retraction device 2652A. The viewing section 2656A is provided so that it can be seen directly or through a transparent portion from the rear side of the second attacker unit 2600A (external to the second attacker unit 2600A) or the rear side of the second retractable device 2652A (external to the second retractable device 2652A) when the second attacker unit 2600A is removed from the game board 5 or when the second retractable device 2652A is removed from the second attacker unit 2600A. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of maximizing the distance change between the position of the prize entry door 2611A when it is extended and when it is retracted, it is desirable that the viewing section 2656A be provided on the front end of the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611A.

In this embodiment, the visible portion 2656A is the symbol "★" shown in the diagram, which is provided on the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611A. The visible portion 2656A may be printed on the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611A, or a sticker-like film member on which the visible portion 2656A is formed may be attached to the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611A. Furthermore, the visible portion 2656A may be formed by raising the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611A to create a convex formation mark, or by recessing the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611A to create a concave formation mark. Furthermore, from the perspective of avoiding damage to the visibility portion 2656A itself, it is preferable that the visibility portion 2656A is integrally formed with the prize entry door 2611A by printing or molding marks, rather than being a seal-like film material.

As shown in Figures 386(a) and 386(b), a viewing section 2456A is provided on the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611A, with an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the game ball B at its tip. While a larger outer diameter than the diameter of the game ball B is preferable for ease of viewing in this example, a configuration approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B is also acceptable.

As shown in Figure 386(a), in the non-winning state of the second forward/backward movement device 2652A, which is in the retracted position of the prize entry door 2611A and in contact with the game ball B to restrict the game ball B from moving toward the prize entry sensor 2601A, the left end of the viewing portion 2656A of the prize entry door 2611A is in contact with the imaginary line 2657A extending along the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A (the left edge when viewing the pachinko machine 1 from the front, which is the right edge in the figure) when viewed from the rear. In other words, in the normal retracted position of the prize entry door 2611A, the viewing portion 2656A is positioned such that the left edge of the "★" marking on the viewing portion 2656A is in contact with the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A when viewed from the rear. Therefore, when the prize entry door 2611A is operated to the retracted position, if the left edge of the "★" marking on the viewing section 2656A is not in contact with the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A when viewed from the rear (for example, if the right end of the viewing section 2656A is in contact with the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A when viewed from the rear), then the prize entry door 2611A is not in a normal retracted position, but rather in a retracted position accompanied by an abnormality that may affect the progress of the game.

As shown in Figure 386(b), in the winning state of the second reciprocating device 2652A, where the prize entry door 2611A is in the extended position and the movement of the game ball B toward the prize entry sensor 2601A is not restricted, the viewing portion 2656A of the prize entry door 2611A is positioned to the left with the largest preset distance from the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A (the left edge when viewing the pachinko machine 1 from the front, which is the right edge in the illustration). In other words, in the normal extended state of the prize entry door 2611A, the viewing portion 2656A is positioned such that the "★" marking on the viewing portion 2656A is positioned to the left with the largest preset distance from the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A (the left edge when viewing the pachinko machine 1 from the front, which is the right edge in the illustration). Therefore, when the prize entry door 2611A is operated to the retracted position, if the left edge of the "★" marking on the viewing unit 2656A is not positioned to the left with the largest preset distance relative to the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A (the left edge when viewing the pachinko machine 1 from the front, which is the right edge in the illustration), then the prize entry door 2611A is not in a normal extended state, but rather in an abnormal extended state that may affect the progress of the game.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the prize entry door 2611A is in the retracted state, the left end of the viewing section 2656A is in contact with a virtual line 2657A that extends along the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A (the left edge when the pachinko machine 1 is viewed from the front, and the right edge in the figure), as can be seen from the outside, which is the rear side of the second retraction device 2652A. When the prize entry door 2611A is in the extended state, the viewing section 2656A is positioned to the left of the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A (the left edge when the pachinko machine 1 is viewed from the front, and the right edge in the figure), with the largest preset distance, as can be seen from the outside, which is the rear side of the second retraction device 2652A. Therefore, by visually inspecting the second retraction device 2652A from the rear side, the visibility of the viewing section 2656A provided on the prize entry door 2611A can be used as a visual guide for the decorative cover 2650A to easily confirm whether the prize entry door 2611A is in the extended position or the retracted position. Thus, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the operation of the prize entry door 2611A can be easily confirmed during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, preventing malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the prize entry door 2611A, thereby minimizing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls.

Furthermore, after the second reciprocating device 2652A (second attacker unit 2600A) is attached to the game board 5, the front of the prize entry door 2611A is easily visible to the player playing the pachinko machine 1. However, the viewing section 2656A in this embodiment is provided on the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611A. Therefore, even if a player peers into the prize entry door 2611A from the front, it is impossible or difficult for the player to see the viewing section 2656A. This prevents the aesthetic appeal of the second attacker unit 2600A and the decorative qualities of the pachinko machine 1 from being compromised when the player sees the viewing section 2656A.

Furthermore, after the second forward/backward movement device 2652A (second attacker unit 2600A) is attached to the game board 5, the game ball B makes contact with the left side of the prize entry door 2611A. However, the viewing section 2656A in this embodiment is provided on the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611A. Therefore, even with the viewing section 2656A provided, it is possible to avoid the viewing section 2656A itself obstructing the flow of the game ball B, and thus prevent the viewing section 2656A from causing problems in the game's progression.

Furthermore, in order to improve the visibility of the viewing section 2656A on the back (rear side) of the prize entry door 2611A, which is visible from the rear side of the second reciprocating device 2652A through the case body 2653A, the case body 2653A and cover body 2654A may be formed to be transparent, either colored transparent or colorless transparent, while the prize entry door 2611A may be formed to be opaque, and the viewing section 2656A may be provided on the back (rear side) of the opaque prize entry door 2611A. This makes it even easier to verify the operation of the prize entry door 2613A using the viewing section 2656A during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the second forward/backward movement device 2652A may be configured to include a locking mechanism that restricts the forward movement of the prize entry door 2611A when it has transitioned to the retracted state, thereby enhancing the effect of suppressing tampering with the prize entry door 2611A. In such a configuration, when checking the operation of the prize entry door 2611A during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the second forward/backward movement device 2652A, which has been removed from the game board 5 after the locking mechanism has been released, from the rear. By pulling the prize entry door 2611A to the left against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring, it is visually confirmed whether the prize entry door 2611A can transition to the normal forward state against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

Furthermore, the viewing section 2656A may be provided at any position on the back (rear side) of the prize entry door 2611A, and the size of the viewing section 2656A may be any size. Using the viewing section 2656A provided on the prize entry door 2611A as a visual indicator for the decorative cover 2650A, it is possible to easily confirm whether the prize entry door 2611A is in the extended state or the retracted state. Below, the positions of each state of the prize entry door 2611A and the positional relationship of the viewing section 2656A with respect to the decorative cover 2650A will be explained in detail. Figure 387(a) is a schematic rear view of the second retraction mechanism 2652A showing the prize entry door 2611A in the retracted position, and Figure 387(b) is a schematic rear view of the second retraction mechanism 2652A showing the prize entry door 2611A in the extended position.

As shown in Figures 387(a) and 387(b), a viewing section 2456A is provided on the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611A, with an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at its tip. In this example, the outer diameter of the viewing section 2456A is preferably smaller than the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of formation, but it may also be approximately the same as the diameter of the game ball B.

As shown in Figure 387(a), when the prize entry door 2611A is in the retracted position, the viewing unit 2656A is positioned to the left of the imaginary line 2657A extending along the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611A can transition to the normal retracted position by the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring by visually inspecting the second forward/backward movement device 2652A, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side, and confirming that the viewing unit 2656A is positioned to the left of the imaginary line 2657A extending along the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A.

Furthermore, when the prize entry door 2611A is in the retracted position, the viewing section 2656A may be positioned such that it contacts the imaginary line 2657A extending along the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A when viewed from the rear (in a rear view, the viewing section 2656A appears to overlap with the imaginary line 2657A). In this configuration, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611A can transition to the normal retracted position by the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring by visually inspecting the second forward/backward movement device 2652A removed from the game board 5 from the rear side, and confirming that the viewing section 2656A contacts the imaginary line 2657A extending along the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A when viewed from the rear.

As shown in Figure 387(b), when the prize entry door 2611A is in the extended position, the viewing section 2656A is positioned to the left of the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A (the left edge when viewing the pachinko machine 1 from the front, which is the right edge in the illustration) with the largest preset distance. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611A in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the second forward/backward movement device 2652A, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side. By pulling the prize entry door 2611A to the left against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring, the worker confirms that the viewing section 2656A is positioned to the left with the largest preset gap relative to the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A (the left edge when viewing the pachinko machine 1 from the front, which is the right edge in the illustration). This allows the worker to visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611A can transition to a normal extended state against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

As described above, when the prize entry door 2611A can transition normally to the retracted state, the viewing unit 2656A is positioned to the left of the imaginary line 2657A extending along the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A. When the prize entry door 2611A can transition normally to the extended state, the viewing unit 2656A is positioned to the left of the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A (the left edge when viewing the pachinko machine 1 from the front, which is the right edge in the illustration) with the largest preset distance. Therefore, by visually inspecting the second retraction device 2652A from the rear side, the operator can use the viewing unit 2656A provided on the prize entry door 2611A as a visual target for the decorative cover 2650A to confirm whether the prize entry door 2611A is in the extended state or the retracted state. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the operation of the prize entry door 2611A can be easily checked during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, preventing malfunctions in the opening and closing operation of the prize entry door 2611A, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls.

Furthermore, the viewing portion 2656A may be provided on the base end side of the prize entry door 2611A. In this configuration, compared to the configuration where the viewing portion 2656A is provided on the front end side of the prize entry door 2611A, the gap between the viewing portion 2656A and the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A when the prize entry door 2611A is extended becomes smaller. Although this reduces the visibility for the operator to confirm that the prize entry door 2611A can transition to the extended state normally, the width of the prize entry door 2611A increases from the front end side to the base end side, thus increasing the ease of forming the viewing portion 2656A on the back side (rear surface) of the prize entry door 2611A. Therefore, malfunctions in the extension and retraction of the prize entry door 2611A can be suppressed, preventing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls. Furthermore, the visibility unit 2656A is not limited to a configuration in which its position relative to the left edge of the decorative cover 2650A is visible. For example, it may serve as a visual target for the left end of the case body 2653A of the second retraction device 2652A or the left end of the cover body 2654A, allowing for easy confirmation of whether the prize entry door 2611A can transition normally to the extended or retracted state.

Furthermore, although the visual indicator 2656A is represented by the symbol "★" in this embodiment, it may have a different shape as long as it serves as a visual indicator when checking the operation of the prize entry door 2611A. Specifically, the visual indicator 2656A may be represented by the symbol "●" (similar to the visual indicator 2456A described above), or by the symbol "▲" (▲), or by the symbol "■" (■), or by a diagram in which multiple lines extending left and right are arranged at predetermined intervals in the front-to-back direction, or by letters such as "し" (shi) or "Ｕ" (U). However, if the symbol "●" is used, there is a risk that if a player were to see it, the circular shape might remind them of the game ball B, leading to some kind of misunderstanding (for example, a misunderstanding regarding the manner in which the game ball is launched). In light of this point, when using the symbol "●" in the diagram, it is desirable to use a symbol with a maximum width smaller than the diameter of game ball B (e.g., 11 mm), or a symbol with a portion missing (e.g., semi-circular), in order to avoid as much as possible reminding players of game ball B.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, while a method for verifying the operation of the prize-winning door 2611A is described in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, using the viewing section 2656A provided on the prize-winning door 2611A as a visual target, the operation of the prize-winning door 2611A may also be verified, for example, by visually inspecting the second forward/backward movement device 2652A (second attacker unit 2600A), which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side in a gaming hall or the like where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

[Example of modifying an attacker unit 2]
Next, as a further different form from the above, a configuration that facilitates confirmation of whether the operation of the first attacker unit 2400B and the second attacker unit 2600B attached to the game board 5 is normal will be described. In the following, the first attacker unit 2400B and the second attacker unit 2600B, which are further modifications of the first attacker unit 2400 and the second attacker unit 2600 described with reference to Figures 140 to 145, will be described with reference to Figure 388, etc. Note that in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the components other than the first attacker unit 2400B and the second attacker unit 2600B are the same as those in the pachinko machine 1 of the embodiment having the first attacker unit 2400 and the second attacker unit 2600 described above, and the same components will be denoted by the same reference numerals.

Figure 388(a) is a top view of the first retractable device 2452B as seen from above, with the second start door 2411B and the big prize door 2413B in the extended position, and Figure 388(b) is a top view of the first retractable device 2452B as seen from above, with the second start door 2411B and the big prize door 2413B in the retracted position. As shown in Figure 388(a) or Figure 388(b), the top surface of the case body 2453B of the first retractable device 2452B is provided with a viewing section 2456B that can be seen from outside the first retractable device 2452B. The viewing section 2456B is provided so that it can be viewed directly or through a transparent portion from the upper surface of the first reciprocating device 2452B, which is outside the first reciprocating device 2452B, when the first attacker unit 2400B is removed from the game board 5, or when the first reciprocating device 2452B is removed from the first attacker unit 2400B.

In this embodiment, the visible portion 2456B is the "★" marking provided on the upper surface of the case body 2453B. The visible portion 2456B may be printed on the inner or outer surface of the upper surface of the case body 2453B, or a seal-like film member on which the visible portion 2456B is formed may be attached to the inner or outer surface of the upper surface of the case body 2453B. Furthermore, the visible portion 2456B may be formed by raising the inner or outer surface of the upper surface of the case body 2453B to create a convex formation mark, or by recessing the inner or outer surface of the upper surface of the case body 2453B to create a concave formation mark. From the viewpoint of avoiding damage to the visible portion 2456B itself, it is preferable that the visible portion 2456B is integrally formed on the case body 2453B by printing or formation marks, rather than being a seal-like film member. Furthermore, the viewing portion 2456B may be provided not only on the upper surface of the case body 2453B, but also on the inner or outer surface of the lower surface of the case body 2453B, or on the inner or outer surface of the side surface of the case body 2453B.

As shown in Figure 388(a), in the non-winning state of the first forward/backward movement device 2452B, which is in the advanced position of the large prize opening door 2413B and in contact with the game ball B, thereby restricting the game ball B from moving toward the large prize opening sensor 2402B, the viewing portion 2456B of the case body 2453B (viewing portion 2456B on the right side of the figure) is located behind the imaginary line 2457B that extends along the rear end edge of the large prize opening door 2413B. Furthermore, in the non-entry state of the first forward/backward movement device 2452B, which is in the extended position of the second start gate door 2411B and contacts the game ball B, thereby restricting the game ball B from moving toward the second start gate sensor 2401B, the viewing portion 2456B of the case body 2453B (viewing portion 2456B on the left side of the figure) is located behind the imaginary line 2457B that extends along the rear edge of the second start gate door 2411B. In other words, in the normal extended position of the big prize gate door 2413B and the second start gate door 2411B, the viewing portion 2456B is positioned such that the "★" marking on the viewing portion 2456B is located behind the imaginary line 2457B that extends along the rear edge of the big prize gate door 2413B and the second start gate door 2411B. Therefore, when the main prize door 2413A or the second start door 2411A is operated to the extended position, if the "★" marking on the visibility unit 2456A is not positioned behind the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the main prize door 2413B or the second start door 2411B (for example, if a part of the visibility unit 2456B overlaps the rear edge), then the main prize door 2413B or the second start door 2411B are not in a normal extended state, but rather in an abnormal state that may affect the progress of the game.

As shown in Figure 388(b), in the winning state of the first forward/backward movement device 2452B, where the large prize door 2413B is in the retracted position and does not restrict the movement of the game ball B toward the large prize sensor 2402B, the viewing portion 2456B of the case body 2453B (viewing portion 2456B on the right side in the figure) is located in front of the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize door 2413B. Also, in the ball-entering state of the first forward/backward movement device 2452B, where the second start door 2411B is in the retracted position and does not restrict the movement of the game ball B toward the second start sensor 2401B, the viewing portion 2456B of the case body 2453B (viewing portion 2456B on the left side in the figure) is located in front of the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the second start door 2411B. In other words, in the normal retracted state of the main prize door 2413B and the second start door 2411B, the visibility unit 2456B is positioned such that the "★" marking on the visibility unit 2456B is located in front of the imaginary line 2457B that extends along the rear edge of the main prize door 2413B and the second start door 2411B. Therefore, when the main prize door 2413A or the second start door 2411A is operated to the retracted position, if the "★" marking on the visibility unit 2456A is not positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the main prize door 2413B or the second start door 2411B (for example, if a part of the visibility unit 2456B overlaps the rear edge), then the main prize door 2413B or the second start door 2411B are not in a normal retracted state, but rather in a retracted state accompanied by an abnormality that may affect the progress of the game.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the large prize door 2413B and the second start door 2411B are in the extended position, the viewing portion 2456B of the case body 2453B (viewing portion 2456B on the right side in the figure) is positioned behind the imaginary line 2457B that extends along the rear edge of the large prize door 2413B and the rear edge of the second start door 2411B, and this can be seen from the outside, which is the upper surface of the first retraction device 2452B. When the large prize door 2413B and the second start door 2411B are in the retracted position, the viewing portion 2456B of the case body 2453B (viewing portion 2456B on the right side in the figure) is positioned behind the imaginary line 2457B that extends along the rear edge of the large prize door 2413B and the rear edge of the second start door 2411B. Since the positional relationship of the first retractable device 2452B being located in front of the imaginary line 2457B extending outwards is visible from the outside, which is the upper surface of the first retractable device 2452B, by visually inspecting the first retractable device 2452B from the top surface before it is attached to the game board 5 or after it has been removed from the game board 5, the viewing section 2456B (viewing section 2456B on the right side in the figure) provided on the case body 2453B can be used as a visual indicator for the big prize opening door 2413B and the second start opening door 2411B, and it is easy to confirm whether the big prize opening door 2413B and the second start opening door 2411B are in the extended position or the retracted position. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the operation of the large prize opening door 2413B and the second start opening door 2411B can be easily checked during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, preventing malfunctions in the opening and closing operation of the large prize opening door 2413B and the second start opening door 2411B, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls.

Furthermore, since the first reciprocating device 2452B is positioned behind the game area 5a, and a decorative surface for decorating the pachinko machine 1 is formed on the front of the game panel 1100 that partitions the rear surface of the game area 5a, even if a player tries to look at the top or bottom of the first reciprocating device 2452B (first attacker unit 2400B) after it has been attached to the game board 5, it is difficult for the player to see the top or bottom of the first reciprocating device 2452B (first attacker unit 2400B). This makes it impossible or difficult for the player to see the viewing section 2456B, and prevents the aesthetic appeal of the first attacker unit 2400B and the decorative appeal of the pachinko machine 1 from being compromised when the player does see the viewing section 2456B.

Furthermore, after the first forward/backward movement device 2452B (first attacker unit 2400B) is attached to the game board 5, the game ball B makes contact with the front surface of the cover body 2454B. However, in this embodiment, the viewing section 2456B is provided on the upper surface of the case body 2453B. Therefore, even when the viewing section 2456B is provided, it is possible to avoid the viewing section 2456B itself obstructing the flow of the game ball, and to suppress the viewing section 2456B itself causing problems in the game's progress.

Furthermore, in order to improve the visibility of the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B, which are visible from the upper side of the first forward/backward device 2452B through the case body 2453B, the case body 2453B and cover body 2454B may be formed to be transparent, either colored transparent or colorless transparent, while the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B may be formed to be opaque, and a viewing section 2456B may be provided on the upper surface of the colored transparent or colorless transparent case body 2453B. This makes it even easier to confirm the operation of the large prize door 2413B and the second start door 2411B using the viewing section 2456B as a visual indicator during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the first forward/backward device 2452B may be configured to further include a locking mechanism that restricts the retraction of the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B when they are in the advanced state, thereby enhancing the effect of suppressing fraudulent activity against the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B. In this configuration, during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, when checking the operation of the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B, after releasing the lock mechanism, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from above. By pushing the second start door 2411B backward against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring, or by pushing the large prize door 2413B backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring, it is visually confirmed whether the second start door 2411B can transition to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring, or whether the large prize door 2413B can transition to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

Furthermore, the second start door 2411B and the grand prize door 2413B may be supported by the first link mechanism or the second link mechanism and move forward or backward within the case body 2453B, or they may be supported by the first link mechanism or the second link mechanism outside the case body 2453B and move forward or backward along the upper or lower surface of the case body 2453B, or they may be supported on the upper or lower surface of the case body 2453B and move forward or backward along the upper or lower surface of the case body 2453B by the first link mechanism or the second link mechanism. When the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B extend or retract within the case body 2453B, the effect of deterring fraud against the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B can be enhanced. On the other hand, when the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B extend or retract outside the case body 2453B, the efficiency of maintenance work for malfunctions or other issues occurring in the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B can be improved.

Furthermore, the viewing section 2456B may be provided at any position on the upper surface of the case body 2453B, and the size of the viewing section 2456B may be any size. The viewing section 2456B provided on the case body 2453B can be used as a visual indicator for the second start door 2411B and the big prize door 2413B, allowing for easy confirmation of whether the second start door 2411B or the big prize door 2413B is in the extended position or the retracted position. The following describes in detail the respective states of the second start door 2411B or the big prize door 2413B and the positional relationship of the viewing section 2456B with respect to the second start door 2411B or the big prize door 2413B.

Figure 389(a) is a schematic top view of the first retraction device 2452B showing the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B in the extended position. Figure 389(b) is a schematic top view of the first retraction device 2452B showing the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B in the retracted position. Figures 389(c) and (d) are schematic top view of the first retraction device 2452B showing the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B in a malfunctioning state. Note that the upper part of the figures represents the front of the first retraction device 2452B, facing the player when it is installed on the game board 5, and the lower part of the figures represents the rear of the first retraction device 2452B, facing away from the player when it is installed on the game board 5.

As shown in Figures 389(a) to 389(d), the upper surface of the case body 2453B is provided with a viewing section 2456B having an outer diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B, located on the side of the large prize opening door 2413B and in the center in the front-to-back direction. In this example, the viewing section 2456B is preferably located on the side of the large prize opening door 2413B on the upper surface of the case body 2453B from the viewpoint of visibility, and may be located at either the left-to-right position on the upper surface of the case body 2453B. In this case, the viewing section 2456B may overlap the retracted large prize opening door 2413B in the vertical direction when viewed from above, or it may not overlap the retracted large prize opening door 2413B in the vertical direction. Furthermore, in this example, the outer diameter of the viewing section 2456B is preferably approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of visibility, but it may also be smaller than the diameter of the game ball B.

As shown in Figure 389(a), when the large prize opening door 2413B is in the extended position, the viewing unit 2456B is positioned behind the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize opening door 2413B, at a predetermined distance. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413B can transition to the normal extended position by the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the top side, and confirming that the viewing unit 2456B is positioned behind the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize opening door 2413B at a predetermined distance.

As shown in Figure 389(b), when the large prize opening door 2413B is in the retracted state, the viewing unit 2456B is positioned forward with a preset distance from the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize opening door 2413B. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the large prize opening door 2413B during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413B can transition to the normal retracted state against the biasing force of the spring of the attacker solenoid by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452B removed from the game board 5 from above and pushing the large prize opening door 2413B backward against the biasing force of the spring of the attacker solenoid, thereby confirming that the viewing unit 2456B is positioned forward with a preset distance from the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize opening door 2413B.

As shown in Figure 389(c), when the large prize opening door 2413B is in an abnormal extended state, the viewing unit 2456B is positioned behind the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize opening door 2413B, at a predetermined distance. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413B is difficult to transition to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the top side, and confirming that the viewing unit 2456B is not positioned behind the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize opening door 2413B at a predetermined distance.

As shown in Figure 389(d), when the large prize door 2413B is in a retracted abnormal state, the viewing unit 2456B is positioned so as not to be in front of the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize door 2413B, with a predetermined distance between them. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize door 2413B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, when the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from above and pushes the large prize door 2413B backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring, the worker can easily visually confirm that the large prize door 2413B is not positioned forward at a predetermined distance from the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize door 2413B, indicating that it is difficult for the large prize door 2413B to transition to its normal retracted state against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As described above, in the configuration in which the viewing section 2456B is provided on the upper surface of the case body 2453B, on the side of the large prize opening door 2413B and in the center in the front-to-back direction, having an outer diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B, an operator who checks the operation of the large prize opening door 2413B during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1 can easily determine whether the large prize opening door 2413B can transition between a normal extended state and a normal retracted state after visually confirming the positional relationship of the viewing section 2456B with respect to the large prize opening door 2413B. Therefore, malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the large prize opening door 2413B can be prevented, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the gaming halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately further enhancing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and gaming halls. Furthermore, the configuration of the viewing section 2456B provided on the upper surface of the case body 2453B in this example may also be applied, for example, to a viewing section 2456B provided on the second start door 2411B side of the upper surface of the case body 2453B.

As shown in Figures 389(a) and 389(c), the upper surface of the case body 2453B is provided with a viewing section 2456B that overlaps vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view and has an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at its front end. In this example, the viewing section 2456B may be provided at either the left or right position at the front end of the upper surface of the case body 2453B, and from the viewpoint of visibility, it is preferable to provide it on the side of the second start door 2411B on the upper surface of the case body 2453B. Specifically, the viewing section 2456B may overlap vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view, or it may not overlap vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view. Furthermore, while the outer diameter of the viewing portion 2456B in this example is preferably smaller than the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of formation, it may also be approximately the same as the diameter of the game ball B.

As shown in Figure 389(a), when the second start door 2411B is in the extended position, the viewing section 2456B is positioned behind the rear edge of the second start door 2411B with a predetermined distance, and is not in contact with the rear edge of the second start door 2411B in a top view. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the second start door 2411B during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the second start door 2411B can transition to the normal extended position by the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring by visually inspecting the first forward/backward device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the top side. This allows the worker to easily visually confirm that the viewing section 2456B is positioned behind the rear edge of the second start door 2411B with a predetermined distance and does not come into contact with the rear edge of the second start door 2411B in a top view.

As shown in Figure 389(c), when the second start door 2411B is in an abnormal extended state, the viewing section 2456B is positioned either behind the rear end edge of the second start door 2411B at a distance smaller than a preset distance, in contact with the rear end edge of the second start door 2411B in a top view, or in front of the rear end edge of the second start door 2411B. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the second start door 2411B during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually inspect the first forward/backward movement device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from above. If the worker confirms that the viewing section 2456B is positioned behind the rear edge of the second start door 2411B at a distance smaller than a preset distance, or that it is in contact with the rear edge of the second start door 2411B in a top view, or that it is positioned in front of the rear edge of the second start door 2411B, the worker can easily visually confirm that the second start door 2411B is having difficulty transitioning to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the spring of the start solenoid 2412B.

As shown in Figures 389(b) and 389(d), the upper surface of the case body 2453B is provided with a viewing section 2456B that overlaps vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view and has an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at its rear end. In this example, the viewing section 2456B may be provided at either the left or right position at the rear end of the upper surface of the case body 2453B, and from the viewpoint of visibility, it is preferable that it be provided on the side of the upper surface of the case body 2453B that is on the second start door 2411B side. Specifically, the viewing section 2456B may overlap vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view, or it may not overlap vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view. Furthermore, while the outer diameter of the viewing portion 2456B in this example is preferably smaller than the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of formation, it may also be approximately the same as the diameter of the game ball B.

As shown in Figure 389(b), when the second start door 2411B is in the retracted position, the viewing section 2456B is positioned in front of the rear edge of the second start door 2411B at a predetermined distance set in advance, and is in a positional relationship where it does not come into contact with the rear edge of the second start door 2411B when viewed from above. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the second start door 2411B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from above, and pushes the second start door 2411B backward against the biasing force of the spring of the start solenoid 2412B. When the worker confirms that the viewing section 2456B is positioned forward at a predetermined distance from the rear edge of the second start door 2411B and does not come into contact with the rear edge of the second start door 2411B in a top view, the worker can easily visually confirm that the second start door 2411B can transition to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the spring of the start solenoid.

As shown in Figure 389(d), when the second start door 2411B is in a retracted abnormal state, the viewing unit 2456B is positioned in front of the rear end edge of the second start door 2411B at a distance smaller than a predetermined distance, or it is in contact with the rear end edge of the second start door 2411B in a top view, or it is positioned behind the rear end edge of the second start door 2411B. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the second start door 2411B during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from above, and pushes the second start door 2411B backward against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring. If the worker confirms that the viewing section 2456B is positioned forward of the second start door 2411B at a distance smaller than a predetermined set distance relative to the rear edge of the second start door 2411B, or that it is in contact with the rear edge of the second start door 2411B in a top view, or that it is positioned backward relative to the rear edge of the second start door 2411B, the worker can easily visually confirm that the second start door 2411B is having difficulty transitioning to its normal retracted state against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring.

As described above, in the configuration in which the viewing section 2456B is provided on the upper surface of the case body 2453B at a position that overlaps vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view, and has an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at its front or rear end, the size of the viewing section 2456B can be made smaller than, for example, the diameter of the game ball B, thereby increasing the ease of forming the viewing section 2456B when it is provided on the upper surface of the case body 2453B. Therefore, malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the second start door 2411B can be prevented, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the gaming halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and gaming halls. Furthermore, the configuration of the viewing section 2456B provided on the second start door 2411B side of the upper surface of the case body 2453B in this example may also be applied to, for example, a viewing section 2456B provided on the large prize door 2413B side of the upper surface of the case body 2453B.

Figure 390(a) is a schematic top view of the first retraction device 2452B showing the second start door 2411B and the big prize door 2413B in the extended position; Figure 389(b) is a schematic top view of the first retraction device 2452B showing the second start door 2411B and the big prize door 2413B in the retracted position; and Figures 389(c) and (d) are top views of the first retraction device 2452B viewed from above, showing the second start door 2411B and the big prize door 2413B in a malfunctioning state. In the above embodiment, we described an embodiment of the visibility unit 2456B that allows the operator to easily visually confirm whether the operation of the large prize door 2413B is normal by visually confirming the positional relationship of the visibility unit 2456B with respect to the second start door 2411B or the large prize door 2413B using Figures 389(a) to 389(d), etc., and an embodiment of the visibility unit 2456B that allows the operator to easily visually confirm whether the operation of the second start door 2411B is normal and also improves ease of formation. Hereinafter, we will describe further embodiments of the visibility unit 2456B using Figures 390(a) to 390(d), etc.

As shown in Figures 390(a) to 390(d), the upper surface of the case body 2453B is provided with a viewing section 2456B having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the game ball B, located on the side of the large prize opening door 2413B and in the center in the front-to-back direction. In this example, the viewing section 2456B is preferably located on the side of the large prize opening door 2413B on the upper surface of the case body 2453B from the viewpoint of visibility, and may be located at either the left-to-right position on the upper surface of the case body 2453B. In this case, the viewing section 2456B may overlap the retracted large prize opening door 2413B in the vertical direction when viewed from above, or it may not overlap the retracted large prize opening door 2413B in the vertical direction. Furthermore, in this example, the outer diameter of the viewing section 2456B is preferably larger than the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of visibility, but it may also be approximately the same as the diameter of the game ball B.

As shown in Figure 390(a), when the large prize opening door 2413B is in the extended position, the front end of the viewing section 2456B is in contact with the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize opening door 2413B when viewed from above. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually confirm that the front end of the viewing section 2456B is in contact with the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize opening door 2413B when viewed from above by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452B removed from the game board 5. This allows the worker to visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413B can transition to the normal extended position due to the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 390(b), when the large prize door 2413B is in the retracted position, the viewing section 2456B is positioned such that its rear end contacts the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize door 2413B when viewed from above. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from above, and pushes the large prize opening door 2413B backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring. When the worker confirms that the rear end of the viewing section 2456B contacts the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize opening door 2413B in a top view, the worker can visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413B can transition to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 390(c), when the large prize opening door 2413B is in an abnormal extended state, the central part of the viewing section 2456B is in contact with the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize opening door 2413B when viewed from above. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually inspect the first forward/backward movement device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from above. If the central part of the viewing section 2456B is in contact with the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize opening door 2413B when viewed from above, the worker can visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413B is difficult to transition to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 390(d), when the large prize door 2413B is in a retracted abnormal state, the viewing section 2456B is positioned such that its central part is in contact with the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize door 2413B when viewed from above. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, when the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from above and pushes the large prize opening door 2413B backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring, the worker can visually confirm that the central part of the viewing section 2456B contacts the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the large prize opening door 2413B in a top view, thereby demonstrating that the large prize opening door 2413B is unable to transition to its normal retracted state against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As described above, in the configuration in which the viewing section 2456B makes contact with the virtual line 2457B in a top view to determine whether the large prize opening door 2413B can transition normally to the extended or retracted state, the positioning of the viewing section 2456B in the front-to-back direction when it is installed on the upper surface of the case body 2453B can be easily performed, and the ease of forming the viewing section 2456B on the upper surface of the case body 2453B can be increased. Therefore, malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the large prize opening door 2413B can be prevented, and disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed can be prevented, and consequently, the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls can be further increased. Furthermore, the configuration of the viewing section 2456B provided on the upper surface of the case body 2453B in this example may also be applied, for example, to a viewing section 2456B provided on the second start-up door 2411B side of the upper surface of the case body 2453B.

The viewing section 2456B shown in Figures 390(a) and 390(c) is similar in configuration to the viewing section 2456B shown in Figures 389(b) and 389(d). The upper surface of the case body 2453B is provided with a viewing section 2456B that overlaps vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view and has an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at its rear end. In this example, the viewing section 2456B may be provided at either the left or right position at the rear end of the upper surface of the case body 2453B, and from the viewpoint of visibility, it is preferable to provide it on the side of the second start door 2411B on the upper surface of the case body 2453B. Specifically, the viewing section 2456B may overlap vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view, or it may not overlap vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view. Furthermore, while the outer diameter of the viewing portion 2456B in this example is preferably smaller than the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of formation, it may also be approximately the same as the diameter of the game ball B.

As shown in Figure 390(a), when the second start door 2411B is in the extended position, the viewing unit 2456B is positioned behind the rear edge of the second start door 2411B, at a predetermined pre-set distance. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the second start door 2411B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually confirm that the second start door 2411B can transition to the normal extended position by the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring by visually inspecting the first retraction device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from above, and confirming that the viewing unit 2456B is positioned behind the rear edge of the second start door 2411B at a predetermined pre-set distance.

As shown in Figure 390(c), when the second start door 2411B is in an abnormal extended state, the viewing unit 2456B is positioned behind the rear edge of the second start door 2411B at a distance smaller than a predetermined set distance, or in contact with the rear edge of the second start door 2411B when viewed from above. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the second start door 2411B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually inspect the first forward/backward movement device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from above. If the viewing unit 2456B is positioned behind the rear edge of the second start door 2411B at a distance smaller than a predetermined set distance, or in contact with the rear edge of the second start door 2411B when viewed from above, the worker can visually confirm that the second start door 2411B is unable to transition to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring.

The viewing section 2456B shown in Figures 390(b) and 390(d) is similar in configuration to the viewing section 2456B shown in Figures 389(a) and 383(c). The viewing section 2456B is provided on the upper surface of the case body 2453B at a position that overlaps vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view, and has an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at its front end. In this example, the viewing section 2456B may be provided at either the left or right position at the front end of the upper surface of the case body 2453B, and from the viewpoint of visibility, it is preferable to provide it on the side of the second start door 2411B on the upper surface of the case body 2453B. Specifically, the viewing section 2456B may overlap vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view, or it may not overlap vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view. Furthermore, while the outer diameter of the viewing portion 2456B in this example is preferably smaller than the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of formation, it may also be approximately the same as the diameter of the game ball B.

As shown in Figure 390(b), when the second start door 2411B is in the retracted position, the viewing unit 2456B is positioned forward of the rear edge of the second start door 2411B, at a predetermined distance. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the second start door 2411B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from above, and pushes the second start door 2411B backward against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring. By confirming that the viewing unit 2456B is positioned forward of the rear edge of the second start door 2411B at a predetermined distance, the worker can visually confirm that the second start door 2411B can transition to the normal retracted position against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 390(d), when the second start door 2411B is in a retracted abnormal state, the viewing unit 2456B is positioned in front of the rear end edge of the second start door 2411B at a distance smaller than a preset distance, or in a positional relationship where it is in contact with the rear end edge of the second start door 2411B when viewed from above. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the second start door 2411B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward device 2452B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from above, and pushes the second start door 2411B backward against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring. If the worker confirms that the viewing section 2456B is positioned forward of the rear edge of the second start door 2411B at a distance smaller than a preset distance, or that it is in contact with the rear edge of the second start door 2411B in a top view, then the worker can visually confirm that the second start door 2411B is having difficulty transitioning to its normal retracted state against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring.

As described above, in the configuration in which the viewing section 2456B is provided on the upper surface of the case body 2453B at a position that overlaps vertically with the retracted second start door 2411B in a top view, and has an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at its front or rear end, the size of the viewing section 2456B can be made smaller than, for example, the diameter of the game ball B, thereby increasing the ease of forming the viewing section 2456B when it is provided on the upper surface of the case body 2453B. Therefore, malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the second start door 2411B can be prevented, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the gaming halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and gaming halls. Furthermore, the configuration of the viewing section 2456B provided on the second start door 2411B side of the upper surface of the case body 2453B in this example may also be applied to, for example, a viewing section 2456B provided on the large prize door 2413B side of the upper surface of the case body 2453B.

In this embodiment, the positional relationship of the viewing section 2456B with respect to the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B was described in relation to the imaginary line 2457B extending along the rear edge of the second start door 2411B and the rear edge of the large prize door 2413B. However, for example, the imaginary line 2457B may extend along the central or front edge of the large prize door 2413B, or along the front edge, central or rear edge of the second start door 2411B. From the viewpoint of improving the work efficiency of the worker who visually checks the position of the viewing section 2456B with respect to the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B during the operation check in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, it is desirable to arbitrarily set the viewing section 2456B so that it serves as a visual target for the imaginary line 2457B.

Furthermore, although this embodiment describes the form of the visual indicator 2456B as indicated by the symbol "★" in the diagram, the visual indicator 2456B may have a different shape as long as it serves as a visual indicator when checking the operation of the second start door 2411B and the big prize door 2413B. Specifically, the visual indicator 2456B may be indicated by the symbol "●", "▲", or "■", or it may be indicated by a diagram in which multiple lines extending left and right are arranged at predetermined intervals in the front-to-back direction. In addition, the visual indicator 2456B may be indicated by letters such as "し" or "Ｕ". However, if the symbol "●" is used, there is a risk that if a player were to see it, the circular shape might remind them of the game ball B, leading to some kind of misunderstanding (for example, a misunderstanding regarding the manner in which the game ball is launched). In light of this point, when using the symbol "●" in the diagram, it is desirable to use a symbol with a maximum width smaller than the diameter of game ball B (e.g., 11 mm), or a symbol with a portion missing (e.g., semi-circular), in order to avoid as much as possible reminding players of game ball B.

Furthermore, as in this example, when the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B are unitized, there is a risk that it may become difficult to distinguish between the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B when inspecting the first reciprocating device 2452B (first attacker unit 2400B) from below. Therefore, the appearance of the viewing section 2456B on the second start door 2411B side and the large prize door 2413B side of the case body 2453B may be different to prevent errors in worker recognition. Alternatively, the appearance of the viewing section 2456B on the second start door 2411B side and the large prize door 2413B side of the case body 2453B may be the same to improve worker efficiency.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, while a method was described in which the operation of the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B is checked during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1 using the viewing section 2456B provided on the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B as a visual target, the operation of the second start door 2411B and the large prize door 2413B may also be checked, for example, by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452B (first attacker unit 2400B), which has been removed from the game board 5, from the lower side in a gaming hall or the like where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

Figure 391(a) is a partial rear view of a part of the second retraction device 2652B viewed from the rear side when the prize entry door 2611B is in the retracted state, and Figure 391(b) is a partial rear view of a part of the second retraction device 2652B viewed from the rear side when the prize entry door 2611B is in the retracted abnormal state. As shown in Figure 391(a) or Figure 391(b), a viewing section 2656B is provided on the back side (rear surface) of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B, which is visible from the outside of the second retraction device 2652B. The viewing section 2656B is provided so as to be visible from the rear side of the second retractable device 2652B, which is outside the second retractable device 2652B, when the second attacker unit 2600B is removed from the game board 5, or when the second retractable device 2652B is removed from the second attacker unit 2600B. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of maximizing the distance, which is the change in position between the position when the prize entry door 2611B is extended and the position when the prize entry door 2611B is retracted, it is desirable that the viewing section 2656B be provided on the back (rear) side of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B, in a position where it contacts the front end of the retracted prize entry door 2611B when viewed from the rear.

In this embodiment, the visible portion 2656B is the "★" marking provided on the back (back) side of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B. The visible portion 2656B may be printed on the back (back) side of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B, or a sticker-like film member on which the visible portion 2656B is formed may be attached to the back (back) side of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B. Furthermore, the visible portion 2656B may be formed by raising the back (back) side of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B to create a convex formation mark, or by recessing the back surface of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B to create a concave formation mark. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of avoiding damage to the viewing portion 2656B itself, it is preferable that the viewing portion 2656B is integrally formed on the back (back surface) of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B by printing or molding, rather than being a seal-like film member. Also, in this example, the outer diameter of the viewing portion 2456B is preferably smaller than the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of formation, but it may also be approximately the same as or larger than the diameter of the game ball B.

As shown in Figure 391(a), in the non-winning state of the second retraction device 2652B, which is in contact with the game ball B and restricts the game ball B from moving toward the prize entry sensor when the prize entry door 2611B is in the retracted position, the viewing portion 2656B of the decorative cover 2650B is in contact with the prize entry door 2611B when viewed from the rear. In other words, in the normal retracted state of the prize entry door 2611B, the viewing portion 2656B is positioned such that the "★" marking on the viewing portion 2656B is completely covered by the prize entry door 2611B. Therefore, when the prize entry door 2611B is operated to the retracted position, if the "★" marking on the viewing unit 2656B is not completely covered by the prize entry door 2611B (for example, if a part of the viewing unit 2656B is visible to the right of the prize entry door 2611B), then the prize entry door 2611B is not in a normal retracted state, but rather in an abnormal state that may affect the progress of the game.

Furthermore, in the winning state of the second reciprocating device 2652B, where the prize entry door 2611B is in the extended position and does not restrict the movement of the game ball B toward the prize entry sensor, the viewing portion 2656B of the decorative cover 2650B is positioned to the left of the tip of the prize entry door 2611B with a predetermined distance when viewed from the rear. That is, in the normal extended state of the prize entry door 2611B, the viewing portion 2656B is positioned such that the "★" marking on the viewing portion 2656B is completely exposed without being covered by the prize entry door 2611B (for example, positioned to the left of the tip of the prize entry door 2611B with a predetermined distance when viewed from the rear). Therefore, when the prize entry door 2611B is extended, if a portion of the "★" marking on the viewing unit 2656B is covered by the prize entry door 2611B, or if the "★" marking on the viewing unit 2656B is located to the left of the tip of the prize entry door 2611B at a distance smaller than the preset distance when viewed from the rear, then the prize entry door 2611B is not in a normal extended state, but rather in an abnormal state that may affect the progress of the game.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the prize entry door 2611B is in the retracted state, the viewing portion 2656B of the decorative cover 2650B is in contact with the prize entry door 2611B when viewed from the rear, and this can be seen from the outside, which is the rear side of the second retraction device 2652B. When the prize entry door 2611B is in the extended state, the viewing portion 2656B of the decorative cover 2650B is set in a position relative to the tip of the prize entry door 2611B when viewed from the rear. Because the positional relationship of the second retraction device 2652B, which is located to the left with a specified spacing, is visible from the outside, which is the rear side of the device, by visually inspecting the second retraction device 2652B from the rear side, the visibility of the viewing section 2656B provided on the decorative cover 2650B can be used as a visual indicator for the prize entry door 2611B, making it easy to confirm whether the prize entry door 2611B is in the extended position or the retracted position. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the operation of the prize entry door 2611B can be easily confirmed during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, preventing malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the prize entry door 2611B, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls.

Furthermore, after the second reciprocating device 2652B (second attacker unit 2600B) is attached to the game board 5, the front surface of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B is easily visible to the player playing the pachinko machine 1. However, in this embodiment, the viewing section 2656B is provided on the back (rear) side of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B. Therefore, even if a player peers at the decorative cover 2650B from the front, it is impossible or difficult for the player to see the viewing section 2656B. This prevents the aesthetic appeal of the second attacker unit 2600B and the decorative appearance of the pachinko machine 1 from being compromised when the player sees the viewing section 2656B.

Furthermore, after the second forward/backward movement device 2652B (second attacker unit 2600B) is attached to the game board 5, the game ball B makes contact with the left side of the prize entry door 2611B. However, in this embodiment, the viewing section 2656B is provided on the back (rear) side of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B. Therefore, even with the viewing section 2656B provided, it is possible to avoid the viewing section 2656B itself obstructing the flow of the game ball B, and to suppress the viewing section 2656B itself causing problems in the game's progress.

Furthermore, in order to improve the visibility of the back (back side) of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B, which can be seen from the back of the second reciprocating device 2652B through the case body, the case body 2653B and cover body 2654B may be formed to be transparent, either colored transparent or colorless transparent, while the prize entry door 2611B may be formed to be opaque, and a viewing section 2656B may be provided on the back (back side) of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B, which is formed to be colored transparent or colorless transparent. This makes it even easier to verify the operation of the prize entry door 2613B using the viewing section 2656B during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the second forward/backward movement device 2652B may be configured to include a locking mechanism that restricts the forward movement of the prize entry door 2611B when it has transitioned to the retracted state, thereby enhancing the effect of suppressing fraudulent activity against the prize entry door 2611B. In such a configuration, when checking the operation of the prize entry door 2611B during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the second forward/backward movement device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5 after the locking mechanism has been released, from the rear. By pulling the prize entry door 2611B to the left against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring, it is visually confirmed whether the prize entry door 2611B can transition to the normal forward state against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

Furthermore, the viewing section 2656B may be provided at any position on the back (rear) side of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B, and the outer diameter of the viewing section 2656B may be any size. Using the viewing section 2456B provided on the decorative cover 2650B as a visual indicator for the prize entry door 2611B, it is possible to easily confirm whether the prize entry door 2611B is in the extended state or the retracted state. The following describes in detail the various states of the prize entry door 2611B and the positional relationship of the viewing section 2456B with respect to the prize entry door 2611B.

As shown in Figure 391(a), when the prize entry door 2611B is in the retracted position, the viewing unit 2656B is positioned behind the prize entry door 2611B when viewed from the rear. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611B can transition to the normal retracted position by the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring by visually inspecting the second forward/backward movement device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side, and confirming that the viewing unit 2656B is positioned behind the prize entry door 2611B when viewed from the rear.

Furthermore, when the prize entry door 2611B is in the extended position, the viewing unit 2656B is positioned to the left of the prize entry door 2611B, with a predetermined distance from the front end. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the second retraction device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side. By pulling the prize entry door 2611B to the left against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring, the worker confirms that the viewing unit 2656B is positioned to the left of the prize entry door 2611B with a predetermined distance from the front end. This allows the worker to easily visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611B can transition to the normal extended position against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 391(b), when the prize entry door 2611B is in an abnormally retracted state, the viewing unit 2656B is positioned so as not to be behind the prize entry door 2611B when viewed from the rear. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, when an operator visually inspects the second forward/backward movement device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear, and confirms that the viewing unit 2656B is not positioned behind the prize entry door 2611B when viewed from the rear, the operator can easily visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611B is difficult to transition to the normal retracted state due to the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

Furthermore, when the prize entry door 2611B is in an abnormal extended state, the viewing unit 2656B will be positioned to the left of the tip of the prize entry door 2611B at a smaller distance than the preset distance. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, when an operator visually inspects the second retraction device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side, and pulls the prize entry door 2611B to the left against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring, the operator can easily visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611B is having difficulty transitioning to a normal extended state against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

As described above, in the configuration in which a viewing section 2656B having a smaller outer diameter than the game ball B is provided on the back of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B so as to be visible from the outside of the second reciprocating device 2652B, by visually inspecting the second reciprocating device 2652B from the back side, the operator can use the viewing section 2656B provided on the back of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B as a visual indicator for the prize winning opening door 2611B, and confirm whether the prize winning opening door 2611B is in the extended position or the retracted position. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the operation of the prize entry door 2611B can be easily checked during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, preventing malfunctions in the opening and closing operation of the prize entry door 2611B, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls.

Figure 392(a) is a schematic rear view of the second retraction mechanism 2652B showing the prize entry door 2611B in the retracted position, and Figure 392(b) is a schematic rear view of the second retraction mechanism 2652B showing the prize entry door 2611B in the extended position. The second retraction mechanism 2652B shown in Figure 392(a) is similar to the viewing section 2656B shown in Figure 337(a) or Figure 391(b), in that the viewing section 2656B is located on the rear of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B. However, it differs from the viewing section 2656B shown in Figures 391(a) or 391(b) in that the viewing section 2656B does not overlap with the prize entry door 2611B in the retracted position in the front-to-back direction.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 392(a), when the prize entry door 2611B is in the retracted position, the viewing unit 2656B is positioned to the right (left in the figure) of the prize entry door 2611B, with a predetermined first distance. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually confirm that the viewing unit 2656B is positioned to the right (left in the figure) of the prize entry door 2611B with a predetermined first distance by visually inspecting the second forward/backward movement device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side. This allows the worker to visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611B can transition to the normal retracted position due to the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

Furthermore, when the prize entry door 2611B is in the extended position, the viewing section 2656B is positioned to the right (left in the illustration) of the tip of the prize entry door 2611B, with a predetermined second distance between them. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the second forward/backward movement device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side, and pulls the prize entry door 2611B to the left (right in the illustration) against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring. When the worker confirms that the viewing unit 2656B is positioned to the right (left in the illustration) with a pre-set second distance relative to the right side (left side in the illustration) of the prize entry door 2611B, the worker can visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611B can transition to a normal extended state against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

Furthermore, in the configuration shown in Figure 392(a), when the prize entry door 2611B is in an abnormal retracted state, the viewing unit 2656B is positioned to the right (left in the diagram) of the prize entry door 2611B, with a distance greater than the preset first distance relative to the right side (left side in the diagram). Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, if the worker visually inspects the second forward/backward movement device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side, and confirms that the viewing unit 2656B is positioned to the right (left in the diagram) of the prize entry door 2611B with a distance greater than the preset first distance relative to the right side (left side in the diagram), the worker can visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611B is difficult to transition to a normal retracted state due to the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

Furthermore, when the prize entry door 2611B is in an abnormal extended state, the viewing unit 2656B is positioned to the right (left in the illustration) of the tip of the prize entry door 2611B, with a distance smaller than a preset second distance. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, when the worker visually inspects the second forward/backward movement device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side and pulls the prize entry door 2611B to the left (right in the diagram) against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring, the worker can visually confirm that the viewing section 2656B is positioned to the right (left in the diagram) with a gap smaller than the pre-set second gap relative to the right side (left side in the diagram) of the prize entry door 2611B, indicating that it is difficult for the prize entry door 2611B to transition to a normal extended state against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

The second retraction device 2652B shown in Figure 392(b) is similar to the viewing unit 2656B shown in Figure 337(a) or Figure 391(b) in that the retracted prize entry door 2611B and the viewing unit 2656B are arranged on the back (rear) side of the decorative surface 2651B of the decorative cover 2650B so that they overlap in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the rear. However, it differs from the configuration of the viewing unit 2656B shown in Figure 391(a) or Figure 391(b) in that the viewing unit 2656B is located on the base end side of the prize entry door 2611B, and the outer diameter of the viewing unit 2656B is approximately the same as the diameter of the game ball B.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 392(b), when the prize entry door 2611B is in the retracted position, the viewing unit 2656B is positioned so as to overlap the prize entry door 2611B in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the rear. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually confirm that the viewing unit 2656B overlaps the base end of the prize entry door 2611B in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the rear by visually inspecting the second forward/backward movement device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5. This allows the worker to visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611B can transition to the normal retracted position due to the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

Furthermore, when the prize entry door 2611B is in the extended position, the viewing unit 2656B is positioned so as not to overlap with the base end of the prize entry door 2611B in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the rear. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the second retraction device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side, and pulls the prize entry door 2611B to the left (right in the illustration) against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring. By confirming that the viewing unit 2656B does not overlap with the base end of the prize entry door 2611B in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the rear, the worker can visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611B can transition to the normal extended position against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 392(b), when the prize entry door 2611B is in an abnormally retracted state, at least a portion of the viewing unit 2656B is positioned so as not to overlap with the prize entry door 2611B in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the rear. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the prize entry door 2611B during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually inspect the second forward/backward movement device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side. If the worker confirms that at least a portion of the viewing unit 2656B does not overlap with the prize entry door 2611B in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the rear, the worker can visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611B is unlikely to transition to a normal retracted state due to the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

Furthermore, when the prize entry door 2611B is in an abnormal extended state, at least a portion of the viewing section 2656B will overlap with the prize entry door 2611B in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the rear. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611B in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, when an operator visually inspects the second retraction device 2652B, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side and pulls the prize entry door 2611B to the left (right in the illustration) against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring, and confirms that at least a portion of the viewing section 2656B overlaps with the prize entry door 2611B in the front-to-back direction when viewed from the rear, the operator can visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611B is having difficulty transitioning to a normal extended state against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

The viewing section 2656B provided on the decorative cover 2650B shown in Figures 392(a) and 392(b) serves as a visual indicator for the prize entry door 2611B, allowing the operator to confirm whether the prize entry door 2611A is in the extended position or the retracted position. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the operation of the prize entry door 2611A can be easily confirmed during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, preventing malfunctions in the extension and retraction of the prize entry door 2611A, thereby minimizing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls.

Furthermore, although the visual indicator 2656B is represented by the symbol "★" in this embodiment, it may have a different shape as long as it serves as a visual indicator when checking the operation of the prize entry door 2611B. Specifically, the visual indicator 2656B may be represented by the symbol "●" (similar to the visual indicator 2456B described above), or by the symbol "▲" (similar to the symbol "■"), or by a diagram in which multiple lines extending left and right are arranged at predetermined intervals in the front-to-back direction, or by letters such as "し" (shi) or "Ｕ" (U). However, if the symbol "●" is used, there is a risk that if a player were to see it, the circular shape might lead them to think of the game ball B, causing some kind of misunderstanding (for example, a misunderstanding regarding the manner in which the game ball is launched). In light of this point, when using the symbol "●" in the diagram, it is desirable to use a symbol with a maximum width smaller than the diameter of game ball B (e.g., 11 mm), or a symbol with a portion missing (e.g., semi-circular), in order to avoid as much as possible reminding players of game ball B.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, while a method was described in which the operation of the prize entry door 2611B is checked using the viewing section 2656B provided on the decorative cover 2650B as a visual target during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the operation of the prize entry door 2611B may also be checked, for example, by visually inspecting the second reciprocating device 2652B (second attacker unit 2600B), which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side in a gaming hall or the like where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

In the above-described modification example 1 of the attacker unit, a configuration in which a viewing section 2456A is provided on the movable piece, such as the second start door 2411A, the big prize door 2413A, or the prize winning door 2611A, and the main body that supports the movable piece, such as the first forward/backward movement device 2452A or the second forward/backward movement device 2652A, was described. In the above-described modification example 2 of the attacker unit, a configuration in which a viewing section 2456B is provided on the main body that supports the movable piece, such as the second start door 2411B, the big prize door 2413B, or the prize winning door 2611B, and the main body that supports the movable piece, such as the first forward/backward movement device 2452B or the second forward/backward movement device 2652B was described. However, the viewing section may also be provided on both the movable piece and the main body, and one viewing section can be used as a visual indicator for the other viewing section to allow the operator to confirm whether the movable piece is in the advanced state or the retracted state. Therefore, in a pachinko machine 1 of this configuration, the operation of the movable piece can be easily checked during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, preventing malfunctions in the extension and retraction of the movable piece, thereby minimizing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls.

[Example 3 of Attacker Unit Modifications]
Next, as a further different form from the above, a configuration that facilitates confirmation of whether the operation of the first attacker unit 2400C and the second attacker unit 2600C attached to the game board 5 is normal will be described. In the following, the first attacker unit 2400C and the second attacker unit 2600C, which are further modifications of the first attacker unit 2400 and the second attacker unit 2600 described with reference to Figures 140 to 145, will be described with reference to Figure 393, etc. Note that in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the components other than the first attacker unit 2400C and the second attacker unit 2600C are the same as those in the pachinko machine 1 of the embodiment having the first attacker unit 2400 and the second attacker unit 2600 described above, and the same components will be described using the same reference numerals.

Figure 393(a) is a bottom view of the first reciprocating device 2452C viewed from below when the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C are in the extended position, and Figure 393(b) is a bottom view of the first reciprocating device 2452C viewed from below when the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C are in the retracted position. As shown in Figure 393(a) or Figure 393(b), the lower surface of the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C of the first reciprocating device 2452C (the surface on the back of the upper surface through which the game balls flow) is provided with a plurality of movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C that are visible from the outside of the first reciprocating device 2452C. Furthermore, the lower surface of the case body 2453C of the first reciprocating device 2452C is provided with a number of body-side viewing sections 2459C that are visible from the outside of the first reciprocating device 2452C. The movable one-sided viewing section 2458C and the body-side viewing section 2459C are provided so as to be visible from the lower surface of the first reciprocating device 2452C, which is the outside of the first reciprocating device 2452C, when the first attacker unit 2400C is removed from the game board 5, or when the first reciprocating device 2452C is removed from the first attacker unit 2400C. In this example, the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and the multiple main body viewing sections 2459C are provided so that they can be viewed directly from the lower side of the first reciprocating device 2452C or through a transparent portion, even when at least the second start port sensor and the big prize port sensor are removed. However, it is preferable that the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and the multiple main body viewing sections 2459C are provided so that they can be viewed directly from the lower side of the first reciprocating device 2452A or through a transparent portion, not only when the second start port sensor and the big prize port sensor are removed, but also when the second start port sensor and the big prize port sensor are attached. When the second start port sensor and the large prize port sensor are installed, the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C are positioned so that they are located inside the through-holes of the second start port sensor and the large prize port sensor when retracted. This allows the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C to be directly visible from the lower side of the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, or visible through a transparent portion, even when the second start port sensor and the large prize port sensor are installed. Furthermore, the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C may be provided not only on the lower surface of the case body 2453C, but also on the inner and outer surfaces of the upper surface of the case body 2453C, or on the inner and outer surfaces of the side surfaces of the case body 2453C.

In this embodiment, the movable one-sided viewing section 2458C and the main body viewing section 2459C are indicated by the "★" symbol on the lower surface (the back surface of the upper surface through which the game balls flow) of the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C, or on the lower surface of the case body 2453C. The movable one-sided viewing section 2458C and the main body viewing section 2459C may be printed on the lower surface of the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C or on the lower surface of the case body 2453C, or a seal-like film member on which the movable one-sided viewing section 2458C or the main body viewing section 2459C is formed may be attached to the lower surface of the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C or on the lower surface of the case body 2453C. Furthermore, the movable one-sided viewing section 2458C and the main body viewing section 2459C may be formed by raising the lower surface of the second start door 2411C and the main prize door 2413C or the lower surface of the case body 2453C to create a convex formation mark, or they may be formed by recessing the lower surface of the second start door 2411C and the main prize door 2413C or the lower surface of the case body 2453C to create a concave formation mark. From the viewpoint of avoiding damage to the movable one-sided viewing section 2458C and the main body viewing section 2459C themselves, it is preferable that the movable one-sided viewing section 2458C and the main body viewing section 2459C are integrally formed with the second start door 2411C, the main prize door 2413C, and the case body 2453C by printing or forming marks, rather than being a seal-like film member.

As shown in Figure 393(a), in the non-winning state of the first reciprocating device 2452C, which has the large prize opening door 2413C in the extended position and contacts the game ball B, restricting the game ball B from moving toward the large prize opening sensor, the multiple body-side viewing sections 2459C of the case body 2453C are located behind the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C of the large prize opening door 2413C. Also, in the non-winning state of the first reciprocating device 2452C, which has the second start opening door 2411C in the extended position and contacts the game ball B, restricting the game ball B from moving toward the second start opening sensor, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple body-side viewing sections 2459C of the case body 2453C is located behind the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C of the second start opening door 2411C. In other words, in the normal extended state of the main prize door 2413C and the second start door 2411C, the multiple movable one-sided viewing units 2458C and the multiple main body viewing units 2459C are arranged such that the "★" markings on the multiple main body-side viewing units 2459C are located behind the "★" markings on the multiple movable one-sided viewing units 2458C, or the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the "★" markings on the multiple movable one-sided viewing units 2458C is located in front of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the "★" markings on the multiple main body-side viewing units 2459C. Therefore, when the main prize door 2413C or the second start door 2411C is operated to the extended position, if the "★" markings on multiple main unit-side viewing units 2459C are positioned behind the "★" markings on multiple movable single-sided viewing units 2458C, or if the virtual line 2457C passing through the center of the "★" markings on multiple movable single-sided viewing units 2458C is not positioned in front of the virtual line 2457C passing through the center of the "★" markings on multiple main unit-side viewing units 2459C, then the main prize door 2413C or the second start door 2411C are not in a normal extended position, but rather in an abnormal position that may affect the progress of the game.

As shown in Figure 393(b), in the winning state of the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, where the large prize door 2413C is in the retracted position and does not restrict the movement of the game ball B toward the large prize sensor, the multiple body-side viewing sections 2459C of the case body 2453C are positioned so that at least a portion of them overlap in the front-to-back direction with the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C of the large prize door 2413C. Also, in the ball-entry state of the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, where the second start door 2411C is in the retracted position and does not restrict the movement of the game ball B toward the second start sensor, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple body-side viewing sections 2459C of the case body 2453C is positioned so that it overlaps in the front-to-back direction with the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C of the second start door 2411C. In other words, in the normal retracted state of the main prize door 2413C and the second start door 2411C, the multiple movable one-sided viewing units 2458C and the multiple main body viewing units 2459C are positioned such that the "★" markings on the multiple main body-side viewing units 2459C overlap at least partially in the front-to-back direction with the "★" markings on the multiple movable one-sided viewing units 2458C, or the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the "★" markings on the multiple movable one-sided viewing units 2458C overlaps in the front-to-back direction with the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the "★" markings on the multiple main body-side viewing units 2459C. Therefore, when the main prize door 2413C or the second start door 2411C is operated to the extended position, if the "★" markings on multiple main unit-side viewing units 2459C overlap at least partially with the "★" markings on multiple movable single-sided viewing units 2458C in the front-to-back direction, or if the virtual line 2457C passing through the center of the "★" markings on multiple movable single-sided viewing units 2458C does not overlap in the front-to-back direction with the virtual line 2457C passing through the center of the "★" markings on multiple main unit-side viewing units 2459C, then the main prize door 2413C or the second start door 2411C are not in a normal retracted state, but rather in a retracted state accompanied by an abnormality that may affect the progress of the game.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the large prize opening door 2413C is in the extended position, the positional relationship between the multiple body-side viewing sections 2459C of the case body 2453C and the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C of the large prize opening door 2413C is visible from the outside, which is the lower surface of the first retraction device 2452C, and when the large prize opening door 2413B is in the retracted position, the multiple body-side viewing sections 2459C of the case body 2453C are at least in the front-to-back direction relative to the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C of the large prize opening door 2413C. Since the positional relationship in which parts overlap is visible from the outside, which is the lower side of the first retractable device 2452C, by visually inspecting the first retractable device 2452C removed from the game board 5 from the lower side, it is possible to easily confirm whether the big prize opening door 2413C is in the extended position or the retracted position by using the multiple body-side viewing sections 2459C provided on the case body 2453C and the multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C provided on the big prize opening door 2413C as visual targets. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the operation of the large prize opening door 2413C can be easily checked during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, preventing malfunctions in the opening and closing operation of the large prize opening door 2413C, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the second start door 2411C is in the extended position, the virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple body-side viewing sections 2459C of the case body 2453C is positioned behind the virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C of the second start door 2411C, which can be seen from the outside, which is the lower surface side of the first retraction device 2452C. When the second start door 2411C is in the retracted position, the virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple body-side viewing sections 2459C of the case body 2453C is positioned behind the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C of the second start door 2411C. Since the positional relationship between the first forward/backward movement device 2452C and the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the movable one-sided viewing section 2458C is visible from the outside, which is the lower side of the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452C removed from the game board 5 from the lower side, it is possible to easily confirm whether the second start opening door 2411C is in the extended position or the second start opening door 2411C is in the retracted position, using the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C provided on the case body 2453C and the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C provided on the large prize opening door 2413C as visual targets. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the operation of the second start door 2411C can be easily confirmed during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, preventing malfunctions in the opening and closing operation of the second start door 2411C, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls.

Furthermore, after the first forward/backward device 2452C (first attacker unit 2400C) is attached to the game board 5, the upper surfaces of the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C are easily visible to the player playing the pachinko machine 1. In contrast, the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C in this embodiment are provided on the lower surfaces of the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C. Therefore, even if a player looks at the second start door 2411C or the large prize door 2413C from above, it is impossible or difficult for the player to see the movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C. This prevents the aesthetic appeal of the first attacker unit 2400C and the decorative qualities of the pachinko machine 1 from being compromised when the player sees the movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C.

Furthermore, after the first forward/backward device 2452C (first attacker unit 2400C) is attached to the game board 5, the game balls B flow down onto the upper surface of the second start door 2411C and the upper surface of the big prize door 2413C. In contrast, the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C in this embodiment are provided on the lower surface of the second start door 2411C and the lower surface of the big prize door 2413C. Therefore, even when multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C are provided, it is possible to avoid the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C themselves obstructing the flow of the game balls B, and to suppress the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C themselves causing problems in the game's progress.

Furthermore, since the first reciprocating device 2452C is positioned behind the game area 5a, and a decorative surface for decorating the pachinko machine 1 is formed on the front of the game panel 1100 that partitions the rear surface of the game area 5a, even if a player were to look at the top or bottom of the first reciprocating device 2452C (first attacker unit 2400C) after it has been attached to the game board 5, it would be difficult for the player to see the top or bottom of the first reciprocating device 2452C (first attacker unit 2400C). This makes it impossible or difficult for the player to see the main unit's viewing section 2459C, thus preventing the aesthetic appeal of the first attacker unit 2400C and the decorative appeal of the pachinko machine 1 from being compromised when the player does see the main unit's viewing section 2459C.

Furthermore, after the first forward/backward device 2452C (first attacker unit 2400C) is attached to the game board 5, the game balls B flow down to the upper surface of the second start door 2411C and the upper surface of the big prize door 2413C. However, in this embodiment, the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C are provided on the lower surface of the case body 2453C. Therefore, even when multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C are provided, it is possible to avoid the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C themselves obstructing the flow of the game balls B, and to suppress the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C themselves causing problems in the game's progress.

Furthermore, in order to improve the visibility of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2456C on the underside of the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C, which are visible from the underside of the first forward/backward device 2452C via the case body 2453C, the case body 2453C and cover body 2454C may be formed to be transparent, either colored transparent or colorless transparent, while the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C may be formed to be opaque, and multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C may be provided on the underside of the colored opaque second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C. This makes it even easier to confirm the operation of the large prize door 2413C and the second start door 2411C using the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C as visual targets during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the first forward/backward device 2452C may be configured to further include a locking mechanism that restricts the retraction of the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C when they are in the advanced state, thereby enhancing the effect of suppressing fraudulent activity against the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C. In this configuration, during the operation check of the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, after releasing the lock mechanism, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below. By pushing the second start door 2411C backward against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring, or by pushing the large prize door 2413C backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring, it is visually confirmed whether the second start door 2411C can transition to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring, or whether the large prize door 2413BC can transition to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

Furthermore, the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C may be supported by the first link mechanism or the second link mechanism and move forward or backward within the case body 2453C, or they may be supported by the first link mechanism or the second link mechanism outside the case body 2453C and move forward or backward along the upper or lower surface of the case body 2453C, or they may be supported on the upper or lower surface of the case body 2453C and move forward or backward along the upper or lower surface of the case body 2453C by the first link mechanism or the second link mechanism. When the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C extend or retract within the case body 2453C, the effect of deterring fraud against the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C can be enhanced. On the other hand, when the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C extend or retract outside the case body 2453C, the efficiency of maintenance work for malfunctions or other issues occurring in the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C can be improved.

Furthermore, the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C may be provided at any position on the underside of the second start door 2411C or the big prize door 2413C, and the size of each viewing section 2458C may be any size. Similarly, the multiple main body viewing sections 2459C may be provided at any position on the underside of the case body 2453C, and the size of each main body viewing section 2459C may be any size. Using the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and the multiple main body viewing sections 2459C as visual indicators, it is easy to confirm whether the second start door 2411C or the big prize door 2413C is in the extended position or whether the second start door 2411C or the big prize door 2413C is in the retracted position. The following describes in detail the states of the second start door 2411C or the main prize door 2413C and the positional relationship between the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C in this configuration.

In the above-described modification example 1 of the attacker unit, the operation of the movable piece is visually observed using the viewing section provided on the movable piece side as a target relative to the case body. Similarly, in the above-described modification example 2 of the attacker unit, the operation of the movable piece is visually observed using the viewing section provided on the case body side as a target relative to the movable piece. However, in this example, where multiple viewing sections 2458C on the movable piece side and multiple viewing sections 2459C on the body side are provided, the operation of the movable piece can be visually observed using the viewing section 2458C on the movable piece side as a target relative to the case body, similar to modification example 1 of the attacker unit. Furthermore, the operation of the movable piece can be visually observed using the viewing section 2459C on the body side as a target relative to the movable piece, similar to modification example 2 of the attacker unit. Therefore, a detailed explanation of these embodiments will be omitted below.

Figure 394(a) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction device 2452C viewed from below, showing the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C in the extended state; Figure 394(b) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction device 2452C viewed from below, showing the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C in the retracted state; and Figure 394(c) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction device 2452C viewed from below, showing the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C in the abnormal extended state. Furthermore, Figure 395(a) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction device 2452C viewed from below, showing the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C in a retracted abnormal state; Figure 395(b) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction device 2452C viewed from below, showing the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C in an advanced abnormal state; and Figure 395(c) is a schematic diagram of the first retraction device 2452C viewed from below, showing the second start door 2411C and the large prize door 2413C in a retracted abnormal state. Note that in each figure, the upper part is the front, facing the player when the first retraction device 2452C is attached to the game board 5, and the lower part is the rear, facing away from the player when the first retraction device 2452C is attached to the game board 5.

As shown in Figures 394(a) to 395(c), on the lower surface of the plate-shaped large prize opening door 2413C, multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C, each having an outer diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B, are arranged horizontally in the center in the front-to-back direction. On the lower surface of the case body 2453C, multiple body-side viewing sections 2459B, each having an outer diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B, are arranged horizontally in the center on the side of the large prize opening door 2413C and in the front-to-back direction. The outer diameters of the movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C and body-side viewing sections 2459C in this example may be larger than the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of visibility, or smaller than the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of formation.

As shown in Figure 394(a), when the large prize opening door 2413C is in the extended position, the virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned forward of the virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C with a predetermined first distance when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the large prize opening door 2413C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily and accurately visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413C can transition to the normal extended position by the biasing force of the spring of the attacker solenoid by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452C removed from the game board 5 from below, and confirming that the virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned forward of the virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C with a predetermined first distance when viewed from below.

As shown in Figure 394(b), when the large prize gate door 2413C is in the retracted position, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, with a predetermined second distance when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413C in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, when the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below and pushes the large prize opening door 2413C backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring, the worker can easily and accurately visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413C is capable of transitioning to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring. This is achieved when the worker confirms that the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned forward of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C with a predetermined second distance in a downward view.

As shown in Figure 394(c), when the large prize gate door 2413C is in an abnormal extended state, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, with a distance smaller than a predetermined first interval when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize door 2413C in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually inspect the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below. If the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned forward with a smaller gap than the pre-set first gap when viewed from below compared to the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, the worker can easily and accurately visually confirm that the large prize door 2413C is unlikely to transition to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 395(a), when the large prize gate door 2413C is in a retracted abnormal state, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, with a distance greater than a preset second interval when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413C in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, when the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below and pushes the large prize opening door 2413C backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring, it is confirmed that the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C at a distance greater than the pre-set second interval when viewed from below. This allows the worker to easily and accurately visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413C is having difficulty transitioning to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 395(b), the large prize opening door 2413C may extend diagonally from the case body 2453C if, for example, an abnormality occurs in the support part on one side in the left-right direction. In such cases, there is a risk that the abnormal extension or retraction of the large prize opening door 2413C cannot be visually confirmed using only one viewing area as a visual indicator. Specifically, if the viewing area is located on either the left-right or right-hand side of the lower surface of the large prize opening door 2413C, an abnormality may occur in the support part on the other side supporting the large prize opening door 2413C, causing the viewing area on one side of the large prize opening door 2413C to be positioned in front of the front edge of the case body 2453C. A worker who visually observes this may mistakenly perceive the operation of the large prize opening door 2413C as normal.

When the large prize opening door 2413C is in an abnormal position, extended at an angle, the virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is inclined at an arbitrary angle relative to the virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413C in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, if the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below and confirms that the virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is inclined at an arbitrary angle relative to the virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C when viewed from below, the worker can easily and accurately visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413C is difficult to transition to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 395(c), when the large prize door 2413C is in an abnormal retracted state with the door retracted at an angle, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is in a positional relationship with respect to the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, at an arbitrary angle when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the large prize opening door 2413C in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, when the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below and pushes the large prize opening door 2413C backward against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring, the worker can easily and accurately visually confirm that the large prize opening door 2413C is difficult to transition to the normal retracted state against the biasing force of the attacker solenoid spring.

As described above, in a configuration in which a plurality of movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C, having an outer diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B, are arranged side by side on the lower surface of the large prize opening door 2413C in the center in the front-to-back direction, and a plurality of main body-side viewing sections 2459C, having an outer diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B, are arranged side by side on the lower surface of the case body 2453C on the large prize opening door 2413C side and in the center in the front-to-back direction, an operator performing an operation check of the large prize opening door 2413C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1 can easily and accurately visually confirm whether the large prize opening door 2413C can transition between a normal extended state and a normal retracted state by using the plurality of movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and the plurality of main body-side viewing sections 2459C as visual targets. Therefore, malfunctions in the opening and closing operation of the large prize door 2413C can be prevented, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately further enhancing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and the amusement halls. The configuration of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C in this example may also be applied, for example, to the configuration of multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C provided on the lower surface of the second start door 2411C or to the configuration of multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C provided on the second start door 2411C side of the case body 2453C. Furthermore, while this example describes virtual lines 2457C passing through the centers of multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and virtual lines 2457C passing through the centers of multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, the virtual lines 2457C may, for example, pass through the front or rear ends of multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C, or through the front or rear ends of multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C. From the viewpoint of improving the work efficiency of the operator visually inspecting the state of the large prize-winning door 2413C, it is desirable to set them arbitrarily.

As shown in Figures 394(a) to 395(c), on the lower surface of the plate-shaped second start door 2411C, multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C, each having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B, are arranged side-by-side in the left-right direction at the rear end in the front-rear direction. On the lower surface of the case body 2453C, multiple body-side viewing sections 2459B, each having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B, are arranged side-by-side in the left-right direction at the rear end on the second start door 2411C side and in the front-rear direction. While the outer diameters of the movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C and body-side viewing sections 2459C in this example are smaller than the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of formation, they may be approximately the same as the diameter of the game ball B, or larger than the diameter of the game ball B, from the viewpoint of ease of visibility.

As shown in Figure 394(a), when the two starter doors 2411C are in the extended position, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C with a predetermined first distance in a bottom view, and the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C is positioned behind the rear end edge of the second starter door 2411C with a predetermined second distance. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the second start door 2411C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually inspect the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below. By confirming that the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned forward with a predetermined first distance relative to the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, and that the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C is positioned backward with a predetermined second distance relative to the rear edge of the second start door 2411C, the worker can easily and accurately visually confirm that the second start door 2411C can transition to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 394(b), when the second start door 2411C is in the retracted position, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C with a predetermined third distance when viewed from below, and the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C is in a positional relationship where it contacts the rear end edge of the second start door 2411C when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the second start door 2411C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below, and pushes the second start door 2411C backward against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring. This allows the worker to easily and accurately visually confirm that the second start door 2411C is capable of transitioning to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring. This is achieved by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below, and by pushing the second start door 2411C backward against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 394(c), when the second start door 2411C is in an abnormal extended state, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is located in front of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C with a distance smaller than a preset first distance in a bottom view, and the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C is located behind the rear end edge of the second start door 2411C with a distance smaller than a preset second distance. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the second start door 2411C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can visually inspect the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below. If the worker confirms that the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned forward of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C at a distance smaller than a preset first distance in a bottom view, and that the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C is positioned backward of the second start door 2411C at a distance smaller than a preset second distance, then the worker can easily and accurately visually confirm that the second start door 2411C is difficult to transition to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 395(a), when the second start door 2411C is in a retracted abnormal state, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C at a distance greater than a preset third interval when viewed from below, and the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C is positioned so as not to contact the rear end edge of the second start door 2411C when viewed from below. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the second start door 2411C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below, and pushes the second start door 2411C backward against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring. When the worker confirms that the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is positioned forward of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C at a distance greater than a predetermined third interval in a downward view, and that the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C does not contact the rear edge of the second start door 2411C in a downward view, the worker can easily and accurately visually confirm that the second start door 2411C is difficult to transition to the normal retracted state against the biasing force of the start door solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 395(b), when the second start door 2411C is in an abnormal position where it is extended at an angle, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is inclined at an arbitrary angle in a bottom view with respect to the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, and is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C with a distance smaller than a preset first distance in a bottom view. The imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C is inclined at an arbitrary angle in a bottom view with respect to the rear end edge of the second start door 2411C, and is positioned rearward with a distance smaller than a preset second distance with respect to the rear end edge of the second start door 2411C. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the second start door 2411C in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward movement device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below, and as a result, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is tilted at an arbitrary angle relative to the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, and a preset first interval is observed relative to the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, as seen from below. When a virtual line 2457C, positioned forward at a distance smaller than the interval and passing through the centers of multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, is inclined at an arbitrary angle relative to the rear edge of the second start port door 2411C in a downward view, and when it is confirmed that the second start port door 2411C is positioned rearward at a distance smaller than a preset second interval relative to the rear edge of the second start port door 2411C, the operator can easily and accurately visually confirm that the second start port door 2411C is unlikely to transition to a normal extended state due to the biasing force of the start port solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 395(c), when the second start door 2411C is in an abnormal retracted state with the door retracted at an oblique angle, the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C is inclined at an arbitrary angle in a bottom view with respect to the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, and is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C with a distance greater than a preset third distance in a bottom view. The imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C is inclined at an arbitrary angle in a bottom view with respect to the rear end edge of the second start door 2411C, and is positioned rearward with a distance of any size from the rear end edge of the second start door 2411C. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the second start door 2411C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the first forward/backward device 2452C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from below, and pushes the second start door 2411C backward against the biasing force of the start solenoid spring, causing the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C to be tilted at an arbitrary angle in a downward view relative to the imaginary line 2457C passing through the center of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, and the imaginary line passing through the center of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C When it is confirmed that the imaginary line 2457C is positioned in front of the imaginary line 2457C at a distance greater than a preset third interval in a downward view, and that the imaginary line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C is inclined at an arbitrary angle relative to the rear end edge of the second start-up door 2411C in a downward view, and that the imaginary line 2457C is positioned rearward at an arbitrary distance relative to the rear end edge of the second start-up door 2411C, the operator can easily and accurately visually confirm that the second start-up door 2411C is unlikely to transition to a normal retracted state against the biasing force of the start-up solenoid spring.

As described above, in the configuration in which a plurality of movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C, each having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B, are arranged side by side on the lower surface of the second start door 2411C at its rear end in the front-to-back direction, and a plurality of main body-side viewing sections 2459B, each having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B, are arranged side by side on the lower surface of the case body 2453C at its rear end on the second start door 2411C side in the front-to-back direction, an operator performing an operation check of the second start door 2411C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1 can easily and accurately visually confirm whether the second start door 2411C can transition between a normal extended state and a normal retracted state by using the plurality of movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and the plurality of main body-side viewing sections 2459C as visual targets. Therefore, malfunctions in the opening and closing operation of the second start door 2411C can be prevented, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately further enhancing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and the amusement halls. The configuration of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C in this example may also be applied, for example, to the configuration of multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C provided on the lower surface of the large prize opening door 2413C or multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C provided on the large prize opening door 2413C side of the case body 2453C. Furthermore, while this example describes virtual lines 2457C passing through the centers of multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and virtual lines 2457C passing through the centers of multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C, the virtual lines 2457C may, for example, pass through the front or rear ends of multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C, or through the front or rear ends of multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C. From the viewpoint of improving the work efficiency of the operator visually inspecting the state of the large prize-winning door 2413C, it is desirable to set them arbitrarily.

Figures 396(a) to 396(d) are schematic diagrams of the first retraction mechanism 2452C, showing the large prize-winning door 2413C in its extended state, viewed from below. Each diagram illustrates other configurations of the movable one-sided viewing section 2458C and the main body-side viewing section 2459C.

As shown in Figure 396(a), the lower surface of the large prize door 2413C may be provided with a plurality of movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B, arranged in the front-to-back direction at the center in the left-to-right direction, and the lower surface of the case body 2453C may be provided with a plurality of body-side viewing sections 2459B having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the game ball B, arranged in the left-to-right direction at the center in the front-to-back direction. In this example, using multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and multiple main body viewing sections 2459C as visual targets, for example, the distance of the rear movable one-sided viewing section 2458C relative to a virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body viewing sections 2459C may be visually observed, or the distance of the front movable one-sided viewing section 2458C relative to a virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple main body viewing sections 2459C may be visually observed, and the operator can determine whether the extended and retracted states of the large prize gate door 2413C are normal. This allows for visual confirmation, and furthermore, for example, by visualizing the inclination of a virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C relative to a virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C, the operator can visually confirm whether the large prize opening door 2413C is in an abnormal advance state where it has advanced diagonally, or whether the large prize opening door 2413C is in an abnormal retraction state where it has retracted diagonally, based on whether the inclination is at a preset angle (a right angle in this example).

As shown in Figure 396(b), the lower surface of the large prize door 2413C may be provided with a plurality of movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B, arranged in the left-right direction in the center of the front-rear direction, and the lower surface of the case body 2453C may be provided with a plurality of body-side viewing sections 2459B having an outer diameter larger than the diameter of the game ball B, arranged in the front-rear direction on one side of the left-right direction. In this example, using multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and multiple main body viewing sections 2459C as visual targets, for example, the distance of the rear main body viewing section 2459C relative to a virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C may be visually observed, or the distance of the front main body viewing section 2459C relative to a virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C may be visually observed, and the operator can determine whether the extended and retracted states of the large prize gate door 2413C are normal. This allows for visual confirmation, and furthermore, for example, by visualizing the inclination of a virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C relative to a virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C, the operator can visually confirm whether the large prize opening door 2413C is in an abnormal advance state where it has advanced diagonally, or whether the large prize opening door 2413C is in an abnormal retraction state where it has retracted diagonally, based on whether the inclination is at a preset angle (a right angle in this example).

As shown in Figure 396(c), the lower surface of the large prize door 2413C may be provided with a plurality of movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at one front end and the other rear end in the left-right direction, and the lower surface of the case body 2453C may be provided with a plurality of body-side viewing sections 2459B having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at one front end and the other rear end in the left-right direction. In this example, using multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and multiple main body viewing sections 2459C as visual targets, for example, the distance between the front movable one-sided viewing section 2458C and the front main body viewing section 2459C may be visually observed, or the distance between the rear movable one-sided viewing section 2458C and the rear main body viewing section 2459C may be visually observed, allowing the operator to visually confirm whether the extended and retracted states of the large prize opening door 2413C are normal, and For example, by visualizing the inclination of a virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C relative to a virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C, the operator can visually determine whether the large prize opening door 2413C is in an abnormal advance state where it has advanced diagonally, or whether the large prize opening door 2413C is in an abnormal retraction state where it has retracted diagonally, based on whether the inclination is at a preset angle (parallel in this example).

As shown in Figure 396(d), the lower surface of the large prize door 2413C may be provided with a plurality of movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at its front and rear ends, arranged in the left-right direction, and the lower surface of the case body 2453C may be provided with a plurality of body-side viewing sections 2459B having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at its front and rear ends, arranged in the left-right direction. In this example, using multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and multiple main body viewing sections 2459C as visual targets, for example, the distance between a virtual line 2457C passing through the center of the front main body viewing section 2459C and a virtual line 2457C passing through the center of the front movable one-sided viewing section 2458C may be visualized, or the distance between a virtual line 2457C passing through the center of the rear movable one-sided viewing section 2458C and a virtual line 2457C passing through the center of the rear main body viewing section 2459C may be visualized, and the extended state and retracted state of the large prize opening door 2413C may be observed. This allows the operator to visually confirm whether the condition is normal or not. Furthermore, for example, by visualizing the inclination of a virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C on the front side relative to a virtual line 2457C passing through the centers of multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C on the rear side, the operator can visually confirm whether the large prize opening door 2413C is in an abnormal position, having advanced diagonally, or whether it is in an abnormal position, having retracted diagonally, based on whether the inclination is at a preset angle (parallel in this example).

Even in the configuration described above, where multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C are provided on the lower surface of the large prize opening door 2413C, and multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C are provided on the lower surface of the case body 2453C, the worker who checks the operation of the large prize opening door 2413C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1 can easily and accurately determine whether the large prize opening door 2413C can transition between a normal extended state and a normal retracted state by using the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C as visual targets. Therefore, malfunctions in the extension and retraction operation of the large prize opening door 2413C can be prevented, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately further enhancing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls. Furthermore, the configuration of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C provided on the lower surface of the main prize opening door 2413C and the multiple body-side viewing sections 2459C provided on the main prize opening door 2413C side of the case body 2453C may be applied, for example, to the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C provided on the lower surface of the second start opening door 2411C and the multiple body-side viewing sections 2459C provided on the second start opening door 2411C side of the case body 2453C.

In this embodiment, a first retractable device 2452C has been described, comprising a second start door 2411C with multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C on its lower surface, a large prize door 2413C with multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C on its lower surface, and a case body 2453C with multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C on its lower surface. However, the first retractable device 2452C may also be configured such that at least one of the second start door 2411C, the large prize door 2413C, and the case body 2453C has multiple viewing sections. The multiple viewing sections can be used as visual indicators to allow the operator to visually confirm whether the second start door 2411C or the large prize door 2413C can transition to a normal extended state or a normal retracted state.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the form of the visual indicators 2458C and 2459C, which are represented by the symbol "★" in the diagram, has been described. However, the visual indicators 2458C and 2459C may have different shapes as long as they serve as visual indicators for checking the operation of the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C. Specifically, the visual indicators 2458C and 2459C may be represented by the symbol "●", "▲", or "■", or by a diagram in which multiple lines extending left and right are arranged at predetermined intervals in the front-to-back direction. In addition, the visual indicators 2458C and 2459C may be represented by characters such as "し" or "Ｕ". Note that if the symbol "●" is used, there is a risk that if a player were to see it, the circular shape might remind them of the game ball B, leading to some kind of misunderstanding (for example, a misunderstanding regarding the launching method of the game ball). In light of this point, when using the symbol "●" in the diagram, it is desirable to use a symbol with a maximum width smaller than the diameter of game ball B (e.g., 11 mm), or a symbol with a portion missing (e.g., semi-circular), in order to avoid as much as possible reminding players of game ball B.

Furthermore, as in this example, when the second start gate door 2411C and the big prize gate door 2413C are unitized, there is a risk that it may become difficult to distinguish between the second start gate door 2411C and the big prize gate door 2413C when inspecting the first reciprocating device 2452C (first attacker unit 2400C) from below. Therefore, the configuration of the movable one-sided viewing section 2458C may be different for the second start gate door 2411C and the big prize gate door 2413C to prevent errors in worker recognition. Alternatively, the configuration of the movable one-sided viewing section 2458C may be the same for both the second start gate door 2411C and the big prize gate door 2413C to improve the worker's work efficiency. Furthermore, the configuration of the main body-side viewing section 2459C may differ between the second start door 2411C side and the main prize door 2413C side of the case body 2453C, thereby preventing errors in recognition by workers. Alternatively, the configuration of the main body-side viewing section 2459C may be the same for both the second start door 2411C side and the main prize door 2413C side of the case body 2453C, thereby improving the work efficiency of workers.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, while a method was described in which the operation of the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C is checked using multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2458C and multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459C as visual targets during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the operation of the second start door 2411C and the big prize door 2413C may also be checked, for example, by visually inspecting the first forward/backward movement device 2452C (first attacker unit 2400C), which has been removed from the game board 5, from the lower side in a gaming hall or the like where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

Figure 397(a) is a partial rear view of a portion of the second retraction mechanism 2652C, viewed from the rear, when the prize entry door 2611C is in the retracted state. Figure 397(b) is a partial rear view of a portion of the second retraction mechanism 2652C, viewed from the rear, when the prize entry door 2611C is in the retracted abnormal state. Figure 398(a) is a partial rear view of a portion of the second retraction mechanism 2652C, viewed from the rear, when the prize entry door 2611C is in the extended state. Figure 398(b) is a partial rear view of a portion of the second retraction mechanism 2652C, viewed from the rear, when the prize entry door 2611C is in the extended abnormal state.

As shown in Figures 397(a) to 398(b), the back side (rear surface) of the prize entry door 2611C is provided with multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2658C that are visible from the outside of the second reciprocating device 2652C. Furthermore, the back side (rear surface) of the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C is provided with multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C that are visible from the outside of the second reciprocating device 2652C. The multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2658C and the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C are provided so that they are visible from the back side of the second reciprocating device 2652C, which is the outside of the second reciprocating device 2652C, when the second attacker unit 2600C is removed from the game board 5, or when the second reciprocating device 2652C is removed from the second attacker unit 2600C. Furthermore, it is desirable that at least one of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C be located on the front end of the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611C, from the viewpoint of maximizing the distance change between the position when the prize entry door 2611C is extended and the position when it is retracted.

In this embodiment, the movable one-sided viewing section 2658C and the main body-side viewing section 2659C are indicated by the "★" symbol in the diagram, which is provided on the back side (back surface) of the prize entry door 2611C or the back side (back surface) of the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C. The movable one-sided viewing section 2658C and the main body-side viewing section 2659C may be printed on the back side (back surface) of the prize entry door 2611C or the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C, or a seal-like film member on which the movable one-sided viewing section 2658C or the main body-side viewing section 2659C is formed may be attached to the back side (back surface) of the prize entry door 2611C or the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C. Furthermore, the movable one-sided viewing section 2658C and the main body-side viewing section 2659C may be formed by raising the back surface (back) of the prize entry door 2611C or the back surface (back) of the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C, creating a convex formation mark, or they may be formed by recessing the back surface (back) of the prize entry door 2611C or the back surface (back) of the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C, creating a concave formation mark. From the viewpoint of avoiding damage to the movable one-sided viewing section 2658C and the main body-side viewing section 2659C themselves, it is preferable that the movable one-sided viewing section 2658C and the main body-side viewing section 2659C are integrally formed on the prize entry door 2611C or the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C by printing or formation marks, rather than being a seal-like film member.

As shown in Figure 397(a), in the non-winning state of the second retraction device 2652C, which is in the retracted position and in contact with the game ball B, thereby restricting the game ball B from moving toward the prize entry sensor, the positional relationship between the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C and the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C, which serve as visual targets, is such that, for example, the inclination of the virtual line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C is set to a preset angle (parallel in this example) with respect to the virtual line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C. In other words, in the normal retracted state of the prize entry door 2611C, the multiple movable one-sided viewing units 2458C and the multiple main body viewing units 2459C are arranged such that the inclination of the virtual line 2657C passing through the center of the "★" marking on the multiple movable one-sided viewing units 2658C is parallel to the inclination of the virtual line 2657C passing through the center of the "★" marking on the multiple main body viewing units 2659C. Therefore, when the prize entry door 2611C is operated to the retracted state, if the inclination of the virtual line 2657C passing through the center of the "★" marking on the multiple movable one-sided viewing units 2658C is not parallel to the inclination of the virtual line 2657C passing through the center of the "★" marking on the multiple main body viewing units 2659C, then the prize entry door 2611C is not in a normal retracted state, but rather in a retracted state accompanied by an abnormality that may affect the progress of the game.

As shown in Figure 398(a), in the winning state of the second reciprocating device 2652C, where the prize entry door 2611C is in the advanced position and does not contact the game ball B, thereby preventing the game ball B from moving toward the prize entry sensor, the positional relationship between the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C and the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C, which serve as visual targets, is such that, for example, the inclination of the virtual line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C is set to a preset angle (a right angle in this example) with respect to the virtual line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C. In other words, in the normal extended state of the prize entry door 2611C, the multiple movable single-sided viewing units 2458C and the multiple main body viewing units 2459C are arranged such that the inclination of the virtual line 2657C passing through the center of the "★" marking on the multiple movable single-sided viewing units 2658C is perpendicular to the inclination of the virtual line 2657C passing through the center of the "★" marking on the multiple main body viewing units 2659C. Therefore, when the prize entry door 2611C is operated to the extended state, if the inclination of the virtual line 2657C passing through the center of the "★" marking on the multiple main body viewing units 2659C is not perpendicular to the inclination of the virtual line 2657C passing through the center of the "★" marking on the multiple movable single-sided viewing units 2658C, then the prize entry door 2611C is not in a normal extended state, but rather in an abnormal state that may affect the progress of the game.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, when the prize entry door 2611C is in the retracted state, the positional relationship in which the inclination of the virtual line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C is at a preset angle (parallel in this example) relative to the virtual line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C is visible from the outside, which is the back side of the second retraction device 2652C. When the prize entry door 2611C is in the extended state, the positional relationship in which the virtual line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C is at a preset angle (parallel in this example). Since the positional relationship in which the imaginary line 2657C passing through the center of the side viewing section 2659C is at a preset angle (a right angle in this example) can be seen from the outside, which is the back side of the second reciprocating device 2652C, by visually inspecting the second reciprocating device 2652C removed from the game board 5 from the back side, it is possible to easily confirm whether the prize entry door 2611C is in the retracted state or the prize entry door 2611C is in the extended state, using the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C and the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C as visual targets. Therefore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the operation of the prize entry door 2611C can be easily checked during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, preventing malfunctions in the opening and closing operation of the prize entry door 2611C, thereby preventing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately increasing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls.

Furthermore, after the second forward/backward movement device 2652C (second attacker unit 2600C) is attached to the game board 5, the front of the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C and the front of the prize entry door 2611C are easily visible to the player playing the pachinko machine 1, whereas the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C are provided on the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611C, and the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C are provided on the back of the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C. Because it is on the reverse side (back side), even if a player were to peer into the second forward/backward movement device 2652C (second attacker unit 2600C) from the front, it would be impossible or difficult for the player to see the multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2658C and the multiple main body viewing sections 2659C. This prevents the aesthetic appeal of the second attacker unit 2600C and the decorative qualities of the pachinko machine 1 from being compromised when the player does see the multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2658C and the multiple main body viewing sections 2659C.

Furthermore, after the second forward/backward movement device 2652C (second attacker unit 2600C) is attached to the game board 5, the game ball B makes contact with the left side of the prize entry door 2611C. In contrast, the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C and the multiple main body viewing sections 2659C in this embodiment are provided on the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611C and the back (rear) side of the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C. Therefore, even with the provision of multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C and the multiple main body viewing sections 2659C, it is possible to avoid the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C and the multiple main body viewing sections 2659C themselves obstructing the flow of the game ball B, and to suppress the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C and the multiple main body viewing sections 2659C themselves causing problems in the game's progress.

Furthermore, in order to improve the visibility of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C and multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C that can be seen from the rear of the second reciprocating device 2652C through the case body 2653C, the case body 2653C and cover body 2654C may be formed to be transparent, either colored transparent or colorless transparent, while the prize winning slot door 2611C may be formed to be opaque, and multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C may be provided on the back (rear) side of the colored opaque prize winning slot door 2611C. This makes it even easier to verify the operation of the prize winning slot door 2613C using the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C and multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, the second forward/backward movement device 2652C may be configured to include a locking mechanism that restricts the forward movement of the prize entry door 2611C when it has transitioned to the retracted state, thereby enhancing the effect of suppressing tampering with the prize entry door 2611C. In such a configuration, when checking the operation of the prize entry door 2611C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the second forward/backward movement device 2652C, which has been removed from the game board 5 after the locking mechanism has been released, from the rear. By pulling the prize entry door 2611C to the left against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring, it is visually confirmed whether the prize entry door 2611C can transition to the normal forward state against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

Furthermore, the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C may be provided at any position on the back (rear side) of the prize entry door 2611C, and the outer diameter of the movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C may be of any size. Using the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C provided on the prize entry door 2611C as visual indicators, it is easy to confirm whether the prize entry door 2611C is in the extended position or the retracted position. Furthermore, the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C may be provided at any position on the back (rear) side of the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C, and the outer diameter of the main body-side viewing sections 2659C may be of any size. Using the main body-side viewing sections 2659C provided on the back of the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C as a visual indicator, it is easy to confirm whether the prize entry door 2611C is in the extended position or the retracted position. The positional relationship between the multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2658C and the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C in each state of the prize entry door 2611C will be described in detail below.

As shown in Figures 397(a) to 398(b), on the back (rear) side of the prize entry door 2611C, multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C, each having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at its tip and base, are arranged vertically on the retracted prize entry door 2611C. On the back (rear) side of the decorative surface 2651C of the decorative cover 2650C, multiple main body-side viewing sections 2459B, each having an outer diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B, are arranged vertically at a position that overlaps with at least a portion of the retracted prize entry door 2611C when viewed from the rear. The outer diameters of the movable single-sided viewing sections 2458C and main body-side viewing sections 2459C in this example may be larger than the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of visibility, or smaller than the diameter of the game ball B from the viewpoint of ease of formation.

As shown in Figure 397(a), when the prize entry door 2611C is in the retracted state, the imaginary line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C is in a positional relationship where it is tilted at a preset angle (parallel in this example) with respect to the imaginary line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C. Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the prize entry door 2611C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker can easily visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611C can transition to the normal retracted state by the biasing force of the spring of the prize entry solenoid when the worker visually inspects the second forward/backward movement device 2652C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side and confirms that the imaginary line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C is tilted at a preset angle (parallel in this example) with respect to the imaginary line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C.

As shown in Figure 397(b), when the prize entry door 2611C is in an abnormal retracted state, the imaginary line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C is in a positional relationship with respect to the imaginary line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C at a different angle than the pre-set angle (parallel in this example). Therefore, in this example, when checking the operation of the prize entry door 2611C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, if the worker can visually inspect the second forward/backward movement device 2652C removed from the game board 5 from the rear side and confirm that the imaginary line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C is in a positional relationship with respect to the imaginary line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C at a different angle than the pre-set angle (parallel in this example), the worker can visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611C is difficult to transition to the normal retracted state due to the biasing force of the spring of the prize entry solenoid.

As shown in Figure 398(a), when the prize entry door 2611C is in the extended position, the imaginary line 2657C passing through the center of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C is in a positional relationship with the imaginary line 2657C passing through the center of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C at a predetermined angle (a right angle in this example). Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611C in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, the worker visually inspects the second forward/backward movement device 2652C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side. By pulling the prize entry door 2611C to the left against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring, the worker can visually confirm that the virtual line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple movable single-sided viewing sections 2658C is at a preset angle (a right angle in this example) relative to the virtual line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C. This allows the worker to visually confirm that the prize entry door 2611C can transition to a normal extended state against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring.

As shown in Figure 398(b), when the prize entry door 2611C is in an abnormal extended state, the imaginary line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C is in a positional relationship with respect to the imaginary line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C at an angle different from a preset angle (a right angle in this example). Therefore, in this example, during the operation check of the prize entry door 2611C in the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1, when the worker visually inspects the second forward/backward movement device 2652C, which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side, and pulls the prize entry door 2611C to the left against the biasing force of the prize entry solenoid spring, the worker can visually confirm that the inclination of the imaginary line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C differs from the pre-set angle (a right angle in this example) relative to the imaginary line 2657C passing through the centers of the multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C, making it difficult for the worker to transition to the normal extended state against the biasing force of the prize entry door solenoid spring.

As described above, on the back side (rear surface) of the prize entry door 2611C, a plurality of movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C, each having an outer diameter smaller than the diameter of the game ball B at its tip and base, are arranged vertically in line with the retracted prize entry door 2611C. On the back side (rear surface) of the decorative cover 2650C, a plurality of main body-side viewing sections 2659C, each having an outer diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the game ball B, are arranged vertically in a position where at least a portion overlaps with the retracted prize entry door 2611C when viewed from the rear. In this configuration, workers who check the operation of the prize entry door 2611C during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1 can easily and accurately visually confirm whether the prize entry door 2611C can transition between a normal extended state and a normal retracted state by using the plurality of movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C and the plurality of main body-side viewing sections 2659C as visual targets. Therefore, malfunctions in the opening and closing operation of the prize entry door 2611C can be prevented, thereby minimizing disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, and ultimately further enhancing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1 for players and amusement halls. In this example, a virtual line 2657C passing through the center of multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C and a virtual line 2657C passing through the center of multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C were described. However, the virtual line 2657C may, for example, pass through the left and right ends of multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C, or through the left and right ends of multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C. From the viewpoint of improving the work efficiency of the operator visually inspecting the state of the prize entry door 2611C, it is desirable to set it arbitrarily.

In this embodiment, the movable one-sided viewing section 2658C and the main body viewing section 2659C are represented by the symbol "★" in the diagram, but they may have different shapes as long as they serve as visual indicators when checking the operation of the prize entry door 2611C. Specifically, the movable one-sided viewing section 2658C and the main body viewing section 2659C may be represented by the symbol "●", "▲", or "■", or by a diagram showing multiple wires extending left and right arranged at predetermined intervals in the front-to-back direction, or by letters such as "し" or "Ｕ". However, if the symbol "●" is used, there is a risk that if a player were to see it, the circular shape might remind them of the game ball B, leading to some kind of misunderstanding (for example, a misunderstanding regarding the manner in which the game ball is launched). In light of this point, when using the symbol "●" in the diagram, it is desirable to use a symbol with a maximum width smaller than the diameter of game ball B (e.g., 11 mm), or a symbol with a portion missing (e.g., semi-circular), in order to avoid as much as possible reminding players of game ball B.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, while a method was described in which the operation of the prize entry door 2611C is checked during the manufacturing process of the pachinko machine 1 using the multiple movable one-sided viewing sections 2658C and multiple main body-side viewing sections 2659C as visual targets, the operation of the prize entry door 2611C may also be checked, for example, by visually inspecting the second forward/backward movement device 2652C (second attacker unit 2600C), which has been removed from the game board 5, from the rear side in a gaming hall or the like where the pachinko machine 1 is installed.

[Variations of test points on the main control board]
Next, we will describe some variations of the test points (also called test pins or check terminals) formed on the main control board 1310. Note that the following variations can be implemented in combination with the other embodiments described above. For example, they can be implemented in combination with one or more of the improvements in ease of detecting defects 1 to 3, or the prevention of peeling of surface-mount type electronic components 1 to 4.

Figure 399 is an enlarged view showing the vicinity of a test point TP formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. As shown in Figure 399(A), in this example, a test point TP is formed in a circular shape on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 as a check terminal. As described above, in this example, of the test points TP formed on the main control board 1310, at least the ground (GND) line and the power line test points are formed as via holes rather than land shapes. Furthermore, the outer shape (size) of the land may also be the same for the ground (GND) line test point TP and the power line test point TP. By making the ground (GND) line test point TP and the power line test point TP the same shape, it becomes difficult to easily distinguish whether it is a ground (GND) line test point or a power line test point, thereby improving security. Furthermore, by using a via-hole shaped test point TP, it becomes possible to insert a portion of the tip of the contact probe (also called a probe) into the through-hole 1310r when performing electrical testing. This reduces the likelihood of the contact probe tip slipping when in contact with the via-hole shaped test point TP, thus preventing short circuits.

Furthermore, in this example, the hole diameter is the same for all via-shaped test points TP. Therefore, it becomes even more difficult to distinguish between ground (GND) line test points TP and power line test points TP, improving security. In addition, it becomes possible to perform electrical inspections on the test points TP formed on the ground (GND) line and power line of the main control board 1310 using a common contact probe, improving work efficiency. Also, when the hole diameter is the same for via-shaped test points TP, a predetermined number of test points TP may be formed (proportionally) according to the magnitude of the current flowing through the circuit (ground (GND) line and power line). For example, multiple test points TP may be formed in circuits with high current. With this configuration, when checking voltage, waveform, and logic during electrical inspection of the main control board 1310, especially for ground, the same stable measurement results can be obtained regardless of which test point TP is used as the reference for the inspection.

Furthermore, some or all of the test points TP formed on at least one of the ground (GND) line and power supply line of the main control board 1310 are positioned closer to the connector supplying power to the main control board 1310 than the test points TP formed on the control signal line. This configuration allows for stable measurement and inspection of voltage, waveform, and logic during electrical testing of the main control board 1310, by minimizing the impedance of the ground (GND) line and power supply line.

Furthermore, in this example, the test points TP formed on the ground (GND) line and the power line of the main control board 1310 are not located near the test points TP formed on the control signal line. This prevents accidental short circuits between the ground (GND) line or power line and the control signal line when, for example, the main control board 1310 is manually inspected, thus preventing failure of electronic components mounted on the main control board 1310 due to such short circuits.

Furthermore, the control signal lines may also have via-hole shaped test points TP, similar to the ground (GND) and power lines, or they may have land-shaped test points TP. If via-hole shaped test points TP are formed on the control signal lines, the hole diameter may be the same as that of the via-hole shaped test points TP formed on the ground (GND) and power lines. This makes it difficult to distinguish between a ground (GND) line test point TP, a power line test point TP, and a control signal line test point TP, thereby improving security.

Furthermore, in the case of via-hole shaped test points TP, the outer shape (size) of the lands formed on the ground (GND) line and power line of the control signal line may be the same. In this case as well, it becomes difficult to distinguish whether a test point TP is on the ground (GND) line, a power line, or a control signal line, thereby improving security.

[Configuration to resolve poor contact at test points]
In this example, the land of the via-hole shaped test point TP formed on the ground (GND) line is formed as a thermal land 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v (a pattern having a cross shape (which may be partially missing) or an X shape (which may be partially missing)) that electrically and physically connects the solid pattern (also called solid ground) and the land of the test point TP.

As described above, the thermal land 1310s' is provided on a solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) and comprises an insulating portion 1310w from which the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a thermal pattern 1310v from which the surrounding copper foil remains. The insulating portion 1310w is formed by removing a part of the copper foil around the land, and this insulating portion 1310w causes the thermal pattern 1310v to be formed in a cross shape or an X shape. The thermal land 1310s' has a smaller contact area with the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) than a normal land due to the thermal pattern 1310v. Thus, because the thermal land 1310s' has a smaller contact area with the ground plane (GND (substrate ground)) than a normal land, heat is less easily transferred to the ground plane (GND (substrate ground)) compared to a normal land. This suppresses the temperature drop when soldering electronic components (suppresses heat dissipation), and allows the solder applied to the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 through the through-hole 1310r to be reliably drawn up to the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310.

Conventionally, in electrical testing performed by inserting a portion of the tip of a contact probe into the through-hole 1310r of a via-hole shaped test point TP, the outer circumference of the tip of the contact probe is brought into contact with the inner corner of the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP. When the land of the via-hole shaped test point TP is formed as a normal land without a thermal pattern 1310v, heat is easily dissipated from the normal land to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)), causing a temperature drop in the land when soldering electronic components. This makes it difficult to draw up the solder attached to the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310 through the through-hole 1310r. Therefore, if the land of the via-hole shaped test point TP is formed as a normal land without a thermal pattern 1310v, the inner circumference corner of the through-hole 1310r of the test point TP will not be covered with solder, and the wiring portion formed by the copper plating on the inner circumference of the through-hole 1310r will be exposed. In this case, if a part of the tip of the contact probe is inserted into the through-hole 1310r of the test point TP during electrical testing, the tip of the contact probe may come into contact with the inner circumference corner of the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP, and the wiring portion at the inner circumference corner of the through-hole 1310r may be damaged. Furthermore, damage to the wiring portion at the inner circumference corner of the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP can cause poor contact between the contact probe and the test point TP during electrical testing, making it difficult to measure accurate values. In particular, since the ground (GND) line serves as the reference point for potential at various locations, if the wiring of the test point TP formed on the ground (GND) line is damaged and contact resistance occurs, there is a problem in that accurate measurements cannot be obtained using a contact probe.

In this example, on the main control board 1310, the land of the via-hole shaped test point TP formed on the ground (GND) line is formed as a thermal land 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v that electrically and physically connects the solid pattern (also called solid ground) and the land of the test point TP, and an insulating portion 1310w from which the copper foil has been removed. This suppresses the temperature drop of the thermal land 1310s' when soldering electronic components, and allows the solder applied to the solder side (back side) of the main control board 1310 to be reliably drawn up to the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310 by the through-hole 1310r. This protects the wiring portion formed by copper plating at the inner corner of the through-hole 1310r by covering it with the drawn-up solder, thus preventing damage to the wiring portion at the inner corner of the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP due to contact with the tip of a contact probe, etc.

Furthermore, solder has lower hardness and higher viscosity compared to the copper foil that makes up the wiring. Therefore, when a contact probe is brought into contact with the solder, it deforms to match the shape of the probe's tip, facilitating contact between the probe tip and the solder. Additionally, the solder covers the surface of the copper foil on the land, protecting it from oxidation. This reduces poor contact with the contact probe, enabling accurate measurement results.

Conventionally, a thermal land 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v (a pattern having a cross shape (which may have a portion missing) or an X shape (which may have a portion missing)) and an insulating portion 1310w that electrically and physically connects a solid pattern (also called a solid ground) and a land, is formed as a land for a through-hole 1310r used for mounting electronic components. It is used to ensure good electrical connection between the electronic component, which is soldered to the mounting surface 1310x by inserting a lead wire into the through-hole 1310r, and the wiring portion of the main control board 1310, by reliably drawing solder from the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, and the wiring portion of the main control board 1310.

In this example, among the test points TP formed on the main control board 1310, at least the test points TP formed on the ground (GND) line and the power line are not land-shaped (also called pad-shaped) without a through-hole 1310r, but via-hole-shaped with a through-hole 1310r that is not used for mounting electronic components. These test points TP are configured to include a thermal pattern 1310v and an insulating portion 1310w. This allows solder applied to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to be reliably drawn up to the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310, and protects the copper-plated wiring portion within the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole-shaped test point TP by covering it with solder. This prevents damage to the wiring portion at the inner corner of the through-hole 1310r, suppressing poor contact between the contact probe and the test point TP, thus enabling accurate measurement values. Furthermore, the test point TP in this example, which includes a thermal pattern 1310v and an insulating section 1310w, is not used for mounting electronic components. Therefore, its size (surface area) is smaller compared to conventional through-holes 1310r used for mounting electronic components, which are configured to include a thermal pattern and insulating section. Since a smaller surface area makes a land heat up more easily but also cool down more easily, configuring the test point TP, which has a smaller surface area than the through-holes 1310r used for mounting electronic components, to include a thermal pattern 1310v and an insulating section 1310w enhances the effect of suppressing temperature drop. This allows the wiring portion formed by copper plating within the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP to be covered and protected with solder.

Furthermore, in this example, on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, a TP frame surrounding the test point TP and a TP mark indicating that it is a test point TP are silk-screen printed in white paint on a solid green resist. This makes it easier to identify the location of the test point TP when inspecting the main control board 1310 during manufacturing, improving work efficiency. Note that after the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1, the main control board 1310 is not inspected using the test point TP. In other words, the TP frame surrounding the test point TP and the TP mark indicating that it is a test point, which are silk-screen printed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, are only necessary information when inspecting the board during manufacturing; they are unnecessary after the board is installed in the pachinko machine 1, as no further inspection is performed afterward.

Therefore, in this example, when the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320, at least a portion of the information related to the test points TP silk-screened on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 (part of the TP frame surrounding the test points TP silk-screened on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, or part of the TP mark indicating that it is a test point TP) is difficult to see. Specifically, when the TP frame or TP mark is viewed from the front, a seal (such as a sealing sticker) is affixed to the part of the main control board box 1320 that overlaps with at least a portion of these (part of the TP frame or part of the TP mark), or the manufacturing date or company logo is engraved, or pin marks are formed by push pins (ejector pins) when removing the board from the mold during injection molding. This makes it easy to determine the location of the test point TP during the manufacturing of the main control board 1310 (before housing the main control board 1310 in the main control board box 1320), while making it difficult to determine the location of the test point TP once the main control board 1310 is installed in the pachinko machine 1 (when the main control board 1310 is housed in the main control board box 1320), thereby improving security.

In the example described above, in addition to forming the land of the via-hole shaped test point TP in the solid pattern as a thermal land 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v, multiple via holes are formed around the test point TP. By forming multiple via holes around the test point TP in the solid pattern, the amount of heat transferred from the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) formed on the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310 when soldering electronic components can be increased, thereby suppressing the temperature drop of the solid pattern. This heats the solid pattern surrounding the thermal land 1310s' of the via-hole shaped test point TP, further suppressing heat dissipation from the thermal land 1310s' of the test point TP to the solid pattern. This makes it easier for solder applied to the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to enter the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP.

Furthermore, in addition to forming multiple via holes around the test point TP, a predetermined number of via holes among the multiple via holes formed around the test point TP may be formed as via holes equipped with thermal lands 1310s', or a predetermined number (one or more) of via holes equipped with thermal lands 1310s' may be formed around the test point TP. As described above, since the thermal lands 1310s' are electrically and physically connected to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) via the thermal pattern 1310v, heat is less likely to be transferred from the thermal lands 1310s' to the solid pattern, and when soldering electronic components, the heat transferred from the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 remains in the thermal lands 1310s', causing the temperature to rise. Then, heat is gradually transferred from the multiple thermal lands 1310s' to the solid ground pattern, causing the temperature of the solid ground pattern around the thermal lands 1310s' of the hole-shaped test point TP to rise. This further suppresses heat dissipation from the thermal lands 1310s' of the test point TP to the solid ground pattern, making it easier for solder applied to the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to enter the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole-shaped test point TP.

Furthermore, in the example described above, the land of the via-hole shaped test point TP is formed as a thermal land 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v, thereby suppressing the temperature drop when soldering electronic components and enabling the solder attached to the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to be reliably drawn up to the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310 by the through-hole 1310r. This protects the wiring portion formed by copper plating within the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP by covering it with solder. However, the test point TP may be made into a land shape without a through-hole 1310r or a via-hole shape with a through-hole 1310r but without a thermal land 1310s', and multiple through-holes may be formed around the test point TP to densely concentrate multiple through-holes 1310r around the test point TP. In this case, compared to forming the test point TP in an area where the through-holes 1310r are not densely packed, it becomes possible to increase the amount of heat transferred to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) in the area where the through-holes 1310r are densely packed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. This suppresses the temperature drop in the area on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 where the test point TP is formed, making it possible to cover and protect the wiring portion formed by copper plating within the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP with solder. In this case, test points, such as those on signal lines where it is difficult to create thermal lands, may be formed in areas of the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 where multiple through-holes are densely located. This makes it easier to draw solder from the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to the mounting surface 1310x, and protects the wiring portion formed by copper plating within the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP by covering it with solder.

Furthermore, the above effects can be achieved even if the test point TP formed on the ground (GND) line is configured as a pad shape (land shape) without a through-hole 1310r, configured so that no electronic components are mounted on it, and further configured as a thermal pad comprising a thermal pattern that electrically and physically connects the solid pattern (also called solid ground) and the pad of the test point TP, and an insulating part from which the copper foil has been removed. In other words, since the temperature drop of the thermal pad when soldering electronic components can be suppressed, when solder paste is applied to the thermal pad when mounting electronic components, specifically when heating the substrate in a reflow oven, it becomes possible to reliably melt this solder paste and cover and protect the thermal pad with solder. This prevents damage to the contact probe tip from contacting the thermal pad, and because the surface of the thermal pad's copper foil is covered with solder, it deforms to match the shape of the contact probe tip when it comes into contact with the solder, facilitating contact between the probe tip and the solder. Furthermore, the copper foil of the thermal pad is protected, suppressing oxidation, thus reducing poor contact with the contact probe and enabling accurate measurement results.

Furthermore, while the above example shows the test point TP formed in a circular shape, it may also be formed in a rectangular shape. Note that forming the test point TP in a circular shape allows it to blend in with through-holes for signal wiring, thereby improving security. Also, when the test point TP is formed in a rectangular shape, the corners dissipate heat more easily than the edges, which can lead to temperature drops or uneven temperatures in the land and pad portions of the test point TP, potentially resulting in incomplete soldering. In contrast, when the test point TP is formed in a circular shape, heat dissipation is uniform, reducing temperature unevenness in the land and pad portions of the test point TP, ensuring reliable soldering, and preventing contact failures.

[Configuration 1: Reinforcing the rigidity of the substrate with thermal lands]
Next, a method for strengthening the rigidity of a substrate (for example, a main control board 1310, a peripheral control board 1510, a dispensing control board 633, a power supply board 630, a decorative board on which LEDs and drivers are mounted, etc.) on which multiple electronic components, particularly surface-mount type electronic components, are mounted and which have a solid pattern (solid ground) will be described. Note that the following description will not include parts that overlap with the embodiments described above. Furthermore, the following modifications can be implemented in combination with the other embodiments described above. For example, they can be implemented in combination with one or more of the improvements in ease of detecting fraud 1 to 3, or the prevention of peeling of surface-mount type electronic components 1 to 4.

In the configuration for resolving poor contact at the test points described above, we have shown a test point TP that has a through-hole 1310r but is not a land shape (also called a pad shape) without a through-hole 1310r, but rather a via-hole shape that is not used for component mounting, and where the land is formed as a thermal land 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v. However, this configuration may also be used to strengthen the rigidity of the substrate.

In other words, by forming the land of the test point TP as a thermal land 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v, it becomes easier to allow solder applied to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to enter the through-hole 1310r compared to when it is formed as a normal land 1310s without a thermal pattern 1310v. This allows the solder to be reliably drawn up to the mounting surface 1310x side of the main control board 1310 and filled into the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP, thereby strengthening the rigidity of the main control board 1310.

As described above, conventionally, thermal lands 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v (a pattern having a cross shape (even if partially missing) or an X shape (even if partially missing)) that electrically and physically connects a solid pattern (also called a solid ground) and a land, are formed as lands for through-holes 1310r used for mounting electronic components. This ensures that the solder attached to the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 is reliably drawn up to the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310, allowing lead wires to be inserted into the through-holes 1310r and soldered to the mounting side 1310x, and the distribution of the main control board 1310 is also improved. This improves the electrical connection between the wires and the circuit board. In this example, of the test points TP formed on the main control board 1310, at least the test points TP formed on the ground (GND) line and the power line are not land-shaped with through-holes 1310r, but rather via-hole-shaped with through-holes 1310r that are not used for component mounting. This ensures that solder applied to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 is reliably drawn up to the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310 and filled into the through-holes 1310r of the via-hole-shaped test points TP. This strengthens the rigidity of the main control board 1310.

As mentioned above, numerous surface-mount electronic components are mounted on the main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, payout control board 633, power supply board 630, and light-emitting board on which LEDs and other light-emitting elements are mounted. Surface-mount electronic components are fixed to the board by soldering their connection terminals to pads formed on the board surface. Compared to lead-type (insertion-hole mounting type, through-hole mounting type) electronic components, which are fixed to the board by inserting lead terminals into through-holes and soldering these terminals to through-holes or lands, surface-mount electronic components are more susceptible to deformation such as lateral impacts and board warping. If a surface-mount electronic component is subjected to a lateral impact or if the board warps due to applied force, it may detach from the board surface (detachment), potentially causing malfunctions in game control.

In this example, in light of the circumstances described above, measures have been taken to suppress the detachment (mounting detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components. The following describes a configuration in which the rigidity of the main control board 1310 is strengthened by test points TP formed on the board. Note that this technical concept is applicable not only to the main control board 1310, but to any board on which surface-mount type electronic components are mounted.

Figure 399(A) is an enlarged view showing the vicinity of the test point TP formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310; Figure 399(B) is an enlarged view of the test point TP with a thermal land 1310s' formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310; Figure 399(C) is an enlarged view of the through-hole 1310r with a normal land 1310s formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310; and Figure 399(D) is an enlarged view showing the state in which the thermal land 1310s' of the test point TP formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 is covered with solder.

As shown in Figures 399(A) and 399(B), in the main control board 1310 of this example, the land of the via-hole shaped test point TP formed on the ground (GND) line of the mounting surface 1310x is formed as a thermal land 1310s' having an insulating portion 1310w where the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a thermal pattern 1310v (a pattern having a cross shape (which may be partially missing) or an X shape (which may be partially missing)) where the surrounding copper foil remains and electrically and physically connects the solid ground pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) and the land of the test point TP.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 399(C), the normal lands 1310s formed on the solid pattern remain with the surrounding copper foil intact and are integrally formed with the solid pattern. In other words, the normal lands 1310s formed on the solid pattern are integrally formed with the solid pattern, and the circular region including the through-holes 1310r formed on the solid pattern is demarcated by not covering it with solder resist (the region of the solid pattern excluding the lands 1310s is covered with solder resist). Since the solid pattern is provided over a wide area on the main control substrate 1310, it is less likely to be heated. This allows heat to be transferred from the normal lands 1310s to the solid pattern, easily lowering the temperature of the lands 1310s. Therefore, solder applied to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control substrate 1310 is less likely to be drawn up by the through-holes 1310r.

In contrast, as shown in Figure 399(B), the thermal land 1310s' has an insulating portion 1310w where the copper foil surrounding the land has been removed, and is electrically and physically connected to the solid ground pattern by the thermal pattern 1310v where the copper foil remains. Therefore, heat is less likely to transfer to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (substrate ground)) from the thermal land 1310s', suppressing the temperature drop when soldering electronic components (suppressing heat dissipation).

This makes it more difficult for heat to transfer from the thermal land 1310s' of the via-hole shaped test point TP to the ground plane, and suppresses the temperature drop of the thermal land 1310s' compared to a normal land 1310s without a thermal pattern 1310v. This makes it easier for solder applied to the solder side (back side) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to enter the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP, allowing solder to be filled into the through-hole 1310r as shown in Figure 399(D). Furthermore, it becomes possible to cover the thermal land 1310s' and thermal pattern 1310v of the mounting side 1310x of the main control board 1310 with solder. Note that in Figure 399(D), hatching corresponding to areas covered with solder resist is not shown to make the solder coverage state easier to understand.

Furthermore, by filling the through-holes 1310r of the via-hole shaped test points TP with solder, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be increased, suppressing warping and bending. Additionally, the solder overflowing from the through-holes 1310r covers the thermal lands 1310s' and thermal patterns 1310v on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, strengthening the adhesion between the solder and the through-holes 1310r, thermal lands 1310s', and thermal patterns 1310v. This effectively suppresses the detachment (mounting detachment) of surface-mount electronic components mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 399(A) and 399(B), in this example, on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, a TP frame surrounding the test point TP and a TP mark indicating that it is a test point TP are silk-screen printed in white paint on a solid green resist. In addition to the TP frame and TP mark, the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 also has a section silk-screen printed in white paint on a solid green resist indicating the attributes of the electronic components to be mounted, such as the part number of the electronic component, the area indicating the position where the electronic component will be placed (and possibly the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the electronic component).

Furthermore, the part number in the notation section is composed of a combination of a symbol corresponding to the type of electronic component installed (for example, the symbol C for a capacitor or the symbol R for a resistor) and a sequentially numbered number (for example, a number assigned sequentially from the smallest number between 1 and 20). On the other hand, the TP mark indicating test point TP in this example, as shown in Figure 399(B), is composed of a combination of a symbol corresponding to the test point (T in this example) and a predetermined number (100 in this example). It is not sequentially numbered with the number that constitutes the part number in the notation section, and uses a number that is separate from the number that constitutes the part number in the notation section (for example, when the number that constitutes the part number in the notation section is assigned sequentially from the smallest number between 1 and 30, the number that constitutes the TP mark indicating test point TP may be composed of a number with one more digit or a round number such as 100, or the number that constitutes the TP mark may be composed of a single digit such as 1, while the number that constitutes the part number in the notation section is assigned sequentially from the smallest number of two or more digits).

Furthermore, the notation area is formed in a rectangular shape to indicate the position where electronic components will be placed. On the other hand, the TP frame surrounding the test point TP in this example is formed in a circular shape.

This makes it possible to represent the TP frame and TP marks, which are silk-screen printed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, using a special format (special symbols) different from the standard markings. This makes it easier to locate the TP frame and TP marks on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 and identify the test points TP, thereby improving work efficiency during inspection.

In this example, the TP mark for test point TP is composed of a combination of a symbol corresponding to the test point and a predetermined number. However, it is also possible to omit the predetermined number and use only a symbol corresponding to the test point (e.g., T). Even in this case, the TP mark can be composed of a special symbol different from the part number in the notation section. This makes it easier to locate the TP mark on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 and identify the test point TP, thereby improving work efficiency during inspection.

Furthermore, in this example, the lands of via-hole shaped test points TP formed on the ground (GND) line of the mounting surface 1310x on the main control board 1310 are formed as thermal lands 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v (a pattern having a cross shape (which may be partially missing) or an X shape (which may be partially missing)) that electrically and physically connects the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) and the land of the test point TP. In addition, as shown in Figure 399(A), the lands of through-holes not used for mounting electronic components are formed as thermal lands 1310s' having the thermal pattern 1310v.

Thus, in this example, a predetermined number of through-holes, including via-hole shaped test points TP, that are not used for mounting electronic components, are formed to have thermal lands 1310s' with thermal patterns 1310v. This increases the rigidity of multiple parts of the main control board 1310, suppressing warping and bending. This, in turn, suppresses the detachment (mounting detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, multiple via-hole shaped test points TP may be provided, and the through-holes of these test points TP may be formed to include thermal lands 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v. Alternatively, only one via-hole shaped test point TP may be provided, and separately from this test point TP, a predetermined number of through-holes with thermal lands 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v and not used for mounting electronic components may be provided. In this case as well, the rigidity of multiple parts of the main control board 1310 can be increased to suppress warping and bending, thereby suppressing the detachment (mounting detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components mounted on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, the system may include at least one via-hole shaped test point TP having a thermal land 1310s' with a thermal pattern 1310v. In this case, the test point TP can be formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 in areas with low rigidity, such as areas where no electronic components are mounted, or in specific areas where rigidity is desired, such as areas where specific electronic components are mounted, thereby increasing rigidity and suppressing warping and bending in those specific areas.

Furthermore, in the example described above, the via-hole shaped test point TP was configured to have a thermal land 1310s' with a thermal pattern 1310v. However, the above effects can be achieved not only with test points TP, but also with any through-hole not used for mounting electronic components, as long as it is equipped with a thermal land 1310s' with a thermal pattern 1310v.

[Configuration 2: Reinforcing substrate rigidity with thermal lands]
In the above configuration 1, which enhances the rigidity of the substrate using thermal lands, a predetermined number of through-holes not used for mounting electronic components (for example, the through-holes 1310r of test point TP) are provided with thermal lands 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v, thereby increasing the rigidity of specific parts of the main control substrate 1310 and suppressing warping and bending. However, in addition to the above, through-holes used for mounting electronic components may also be provided with thermal lands 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v, thereby increasing the rigidity of specific parts of the main control substrate 1310 and suppressing warping and bending.

For example, by combining a configuration similar to the one described above (configuration 1 for strengthening substrate rigidity using thermal lands) with a surface-mount type electronic component delamination prevention method (configuration 1), the rigidity of a specific part of the main control substrate 1310 can be increased to suppress warping and bending. This will be explained below with reference to Figure 400.

Figure 400 is an enlarged view showing a portion of the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. Note that the following description will not cover parts that overlap with the embodiments described above. Furthermore, the following modifications can be implemented in combination with the other embodiments described above. For example, they can be implemented in combination with one or more of the improvements to the ease of detecting fraud 1 to 3, or the prevention of peeling of surface-mount type electronic components 1 to 4.

As shown in Figure 400, in this example, the chip component IC1, a surface-mount type electronic component mounted on the main control board 1310, has its connection terminal IC1a soldered to a pad 1310k formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. Adjacent to the surface-mount type chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area), is a lead-type (insertion-mount type) capacitor MC1. The capacitor MC1 is positioned adjacent to the IC1, separated by a non-mountable area (avoiding the non-mountable area). It is positioned so that it is adjacent without other electronic components in between; through-holes, lands 1310s, vias, test points, etc., other than those for electronic components may be provided). The lead terminal MC1a (in this example, a lead terminal MC1a formed to have two or more bends) is inserted into a through-hole 1310r and soldered to the through-hole 1310r or land 1310s, thereby fixing it to the board.

As described above, the lead terminal MC1a is made of iron, copper, or an alloy thereof (such as CP wire, which is copper-plated iron wire further tin-plated, or tin-plated Cu wire), and in addition to having a predetermined bending strength, using a lead terminal MC1a that is formed to have two or more bends results in higher strength compared to lead terminals that have no bends or are formed to have only one bend.

By inserting the lead terminals MC1a of the lead-type (insertion-mount type) capacitor MC1 configured in this manner into the through-hole 1310r and soldering these lead terminals MC1a to the through-hole 1310r and land 1310s, and then fixing (insertion-mounting) the capacitor to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be increased, and deformation such as warping can be suppressed. Furthermore, since iron has higher bending strength than copper, it is desirable to use a capacitor MC1 having lead terminals MC1a (CP wire) made of iron or an iron alloy.

Furthermore, as described above, the main control board 1310 aims to ensure stable operation of the electronic circuits composed of various electronic components by forming grounds other than the wiring patterns for power and signals using so-called solid ground patterns (ground planes (GND) (board ground)) on both sides of the board. When mounting the lead-type capacitor MC1 to the main control board 1310, the ground-side land employs a thermal land 1310s', which has an insulating portion 1310w where the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a thermal pattern 1310v where the surrounding copper foil remains and which electrically and physically connects to the ground plane (ground plane (GND) (board ground)) via this copper foil.

This suppresses the temperature drop during electronic component mounting, allowing the lead terminals MC1a of the lead-type (insertion-hole type) capacitor MC1 to be more firmly welded to the through-hole 1310r and thermal land 1310s' than to a land 1310s without a normal thermal pattern. This increases the rigidity of the main control board 1310, suppressing the detachment (mounting detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components and improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

In the example described above, a lead-type (insertion-hole type) capacitor MC1 is placed adjacent to a surface-mount type chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted. However, as long as the through-hole 1310r used for mounting the electronic component is configured to have a thermal land 1310s' with a thermal pattern 1310v, the arrangement is not limited to the lead-type (insertion-hole type) capacitor MC1 being placed adjacent to a surface-mount type electronic component. That is, the lead-type (insertion-hole type) capacitor MC1 may be placed at a certain distance or more from the surface-mount type electronic component.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 400, on the main control board 1310, the land of the via-hole shaped test point TP formed on the ground (GND) line of the mounting surface 1310x is formed as a thermal land 1310s' having an insulating portion 1310w where the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a thermal pattern 1310v (a pattern having a cross shape (which may have a portion missing) or an X shape (which may have a portion missing)) where the surrounding copper foil remains and electrically and physically connects with the solid ground (GND (substrate ground)) pattern (which may have a portion missing).

Furthermore, on the main control board 1310, the land of the via-hole shaped test point TP formed on the ground (GND) line of the mounting surface 1310x is formed as a thermal land 1310s' having a thermal pattern 1310v. This makes it easier for solder applied to the solder side (back surface) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to enter the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP, allowing solder to be filled into the through-hole 1310r. By filling the through-hole 1310r of the via-hole shaped test point TP with solder, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be increased, suppressing warping and bending.

Thus, at least one of the through-holes 1310r into which the lead terminals of lead-type (insertion-mount type) electronic components are inserted and soldered (the ground-side land) is configured to have a thermal land 1310s' (a thermal land 1310s' used for mounting electronic components), and the lands of through-holes not used for mounting electronic components (in this example, the lands of the via-hole shaped test point TP) are formed as thermal lands 1310s' (thermal lands 1310s' of the through-holes 1310r not used for mounting electronic components). This further increases the rigidity of the main control board 1310, suppressing warping and bending. This prevents surface-mount type electronic components from detaching (mounting detachment), thereby improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in this example, the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 has a dense region where electronic components are densely arranged and a sparse region where electronic components are sparsely arranged or almost absent. Thermal lands 1310s' used for mounting electronic components are formed in the dense region, while thermal lands 1310s' for through-holes 1310r not used for mounting electronic components are formed in the sparse region. This configuration increases the rigidity of the dense and sparse regions of the main control board 1310, thereby uniformizing the rigidity of the entire main control board 1310 and specific regions near where the thermal lands 1310s' are formed. This suppresses the detachment (mounting detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components, improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

[Configuration 3: Reinforcing the rigidity of the substrate with thermal lands]
In configuration 2, which enhances the rigidity of the substrate with the thermal lands described above, at least one of the through-holes 1310r into which the lead terminals of lead-type (insertion-hole type) electronic components are inserted and soldered (the ground-side land) is configured to have a thermal land 1310s' (a thermal land 1310s' used for mounting electronic components), and the lands of through-holes not used for mounting electronic components (in this example, the lands of via-hole shaped test points TP) are configured to have a thermal land 1310s' (a thermal land 1310s' of the through-hole 1310r not used for mounting electronic components). While the example shows how forming thermal lands 1310s' increases the rigidity of the entire main control substrate 1310 and specific areas near where the thermal lands 1310s' are formed, thereby suppressing warping and bending of the entire main control substrate 1310 and specific areas, this is not limited to thermal lands 1310s' used for mounting lead-type (insertion-hole type) electronic components. Even when pads used for mounting surface-mount type electronic components are configured to have thermal pads with thermal patterns, it is possible to increase the rigidity of specific parts of the main control substrate 1310 and suppress warping and bending. The following explanation will be given with reference to Figure 401.

Figure 401 is an enlarged view showing a portion of the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510. Note that the following description will not cover parts that overlap with the embodiments described above. Furthermore, the following modifications can be implemented in combination with the other embodiments described above. For example, they can be implemented in combination with one or more of the improvements to the ease of detecting fraud 1 to 3, or the prevention of peeling of surface-mount type electronic components 1 to 4.

As shown in Figure 401, in this example, the surface-mount type chip component IC1, which is mounted on the peripheral control board 1510, has its connection terminal IC1a soldered to a pad 1510k formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510. A surface-mount type capacitor MC1' is positioned adjacent to the surface-mount type chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the area where electronic components cannot be mounted). The capacitor is fixed to the board by soldering its two electrodes MC1a' to two pads 1510k and 1510k' formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510.

Furthermore, in the peripheral control board 1510, in order to ensure the stable operation of the electronic circuits composed of various electronic components, grounds other than the wiring patterns for power and signals are formed on both sides of the board using so-called solid ground patterns (ground (GND) (board ground)). When mounting the surface-mount type capacitor MC1' to the peripheral control board 1510, a thermal pad 1510k' is used for the ground side pad, which has an insulating portion 1510i where the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a thermal pattern 1510v where the surrounding copper foil remains and which electrically and physically connects to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (board ground)).

Furthermore, surface-mount type electronic components are mounted by applying solder paste to pads formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510, placing the electronic component on top, and heating it in a reflow oven to melt the solder paste and fuse the electronic component to the pad.

Furthermore, the normal pads 1510k formed on the solid pattern remain without the surrounding copper foil being removed and are integrally formed with the solid pattern. In other words, the normal pads 1510k formed on the solid pattern are integrally formed with the solid pattern, and a circular region containing a specific area of the solid pattern is demarcated by not covering it with solder resist (the area of the solid pattern excluding the pads 1510k is covered with solder resist). Since the solid pattern is provided over a wide area on the peripheral control substrate 1510, it is less likely to be heated. Consequently, the normal pads 1510k formed on the solid pattern are also less likely to be heated, and their temperature does not rise easily. Therefore, there is a risk that the solder paste applied on the normal pads 1510k on the peripheral control substrate 1510 may not melt easily.

In contrast, the thermal pad 1510k' has an insulating portion 1510i where the copper foil surrounding the pad has been removed, and is electrically and physically connected to the solid ground pattern by the thermal pattern 1510v where the copper foil remains. Furthermore, the thermal pad 1510k' is provided in a significantly narrower area compared to the solid ground pattern. Therefore, when heated in a reflow oven, the temperature of the thermal pad 1510k' rises more easily, and heat is less likely to transfer from the thermal pad 1510k' to the solid ground pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)), thus suppressing the temperature drop when soldering electronic components (suppressing heat dissipation). Also, when mounting electronic components, solder paste may be applied in advance to the thermal pads 1510k' where electronic components will not be mounted. In this case, when heated in a reflow oven, the solder paste applied to the thermal pads 1510k' on the peripheral control board 1510 is more likely to melt.

As a result, the temperature of the thermal pad 1510k' rises more easily compared to a normal pad 1510k without an insulating portion 1510i and a thermal pattern 1510v. This makes it easier for the solder paste applied to the thermal pad 1510k' on the peripheral control board 1510 to melt, allowing surface-mount type electronic components to be welded to the thermal pad 1510k' with the solder paste completely melted.

Because the electrodes MC1a' of the surface-mount type capacitor MC1' are more firmly welded to the thermal pad 1510k' than to the pad 1510k which does not have a normal thermal pattern, the rigidity of the peripheral control board 1510 is increased, suppressing the peeling off (detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components and improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, the main control board 1310 may also be provided with thermal pads on which no electronic components are mounted. In this case, when mounting electronic components on the main control board 1310, solder paste may not be applied to the thermal pads on which no electronic components are mounted. When mounting electronic components on the peripheral control board 1510, solder paste may be applied in advance to the thermal pads 1510k' on which no electronic components are mounted to protect the copper foil of the thermal pads 1510k' with solder. Alternatively, when mounting electronic components on the main control board 1310, solder paste may be applied in advance to the thermal pads on which no electronic components are mounted to protect the copper foil of the thermal pads with solder. When mounting electronic components on the peripheral control board 1510, solder paste may not be applied to the thermal pads 1510k' on which no electronic components are mounted. In addition, thermal pads configured in this way may be used as test points TP. In other words, one of the test points TP, which is protected by being covered with solder, and the other, which is not covered with solder, may be provided on the main control board 1310 and the other on the peripheral control board 1510; both may be provided on the main control board 1310 and one on the peripheral control board 1510; or one may be provided on the main control board 1310 and both on the peripheral control board 1510.

Furthermore, the example described above shows a surface-mount type capacitor MC1' positioned adjacent to a surface-mount type chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted. However, as long as the pads used for mounting the electronic components are configured to have a thermal pad 1510k' with a thermal pattern 1510v, the surface-mount type capacitor MC1' is not limited to being positioned adjacent to a surface-mount type electronic component. In other words, the surface-mount type capacitor MC1' may be positioned at a certain distance or more from the surface-mount type electronic component.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 401, on the peripheral control board 1510, the land of the via-hole shaped test point TP formed on the ground (GND) line of the surface (mounting surface) 1510x is formed as a thermal land 1510g' having a thermal pattern 1510v (a pattern having a cross shape (which may be partially missing) or an X shape (which may be partially missing)) that electrically and physically connects the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) and the land of the test point TP.

Furthermore, in the peripheral control board 1510, the via-hole shaped test point TP land formed on the ground (GND) line of the surface (mounting surface) 1510x is formed as a thermal land 1510g' having a thermal pattern 1510v. Therefore, when soldering surface-mount type electronic components, the solder paste applied to the thermal land 1510g' of the peripheral control board 1510 melts more easily. Compared to the case where it is formed as a normal land 1510f without a thermal pattern 1510v, surface-mount type electronic components can be firmly welded to the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board. This increases the rigidity of the peripheral control board 1510, suppresses warping and bending, and improves the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Thus, at least one of the pads to which the electrodes of surface-mount electronic components are soldered (the ground-side land) is configured to have a thermal pad 1510k' (a thermal pad 1510k' used for mounting electronic components), and through-hole lands not used for mounting electronic components (in this example, the via-hole shaped test point TP land) are formed as thermal lands 1510g' (thermal lands 1510g' not used for mounting electronic components). This further increases the rigidity of the peripheral control board 1510, suppressing warping and bending. As a result, surface-mount electronic components are prevented from detaching (mounting detachment), improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, in this example, the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 has a dense region where electronic components are densely arranged and a sparse region where electronic components are sparsely arranged or almost absent. The thermal pads 1510k' used for mounting electronic components are formed in the dense region, while the thermal lands 1510g' of the through-holes 1510r, which are not used for mounting electronic components, are formed in the sparse region. This configuration increases the rigidity of the dense and sparse regions of the peripheral control board 1510, thereby uniformizing the rigidity of the entire peripheral control board 1510 and specific areas near where the thermal pads 1510k' and thermal lands 1510g' are formed. This suppresses the detachment (mounting detachment) of surface-mount type electronic components, improving the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

In the example described above, the rigidity of the peripheral control board 1510 was enhanced using thermal pads 1510k' used for mounting electronic components and thermal lands 1510g' of through-holes 1510r that are not used for mounting electronic components. However, the rigidity of the peripheral control board 1510 may also be enhanced using thermal pads 1510k' used for mounting electronic components and thermal pads 1510k' of through-holes 1510r that are not used for mounting electronic components. That is, even if the part relating to thermal lands 1510g' in the configuration 3 for enhancing the rigidity of the board using thermal lands is replaced with a part relating to thermal pads 1510k', it is still possible to enhance the rigidity of the peripheral control board 1510.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 401, the thermal pads 1510k' used for mounting the electronic components are formed in a rectangular shape, while the thermal lands 1510g' of the through-holes 1510r, which are not used for mounting electronic components, are formed in a circular shape (the same applies to thermal pads 1510k' not used for mounting electronic components). In the rectangular thermal pads 1510k', the thermal pattern 1510v is formed on the edges and has corners, whereas the circular thermal lands 1510g' do not have corners. Also, since heat dissipates more easily at the corners than at the edges, the temperature distribution of the rectangular thermal pads 1510k' is prone to unevenness. On the other hand, the round (circular) thermal land 1510g' without corners allows heat to dissipate uniformly from the entire outer circumference, reducing uneven temperature distribution and preventing areas where the solder is incompletely melted. This ensures reliable soldering and increases the rigidity of the specific control board.

As shown in Figure 401, in this example, one of the thermal lands 1510g' of the through-hole 1510r that is not used for mounting electronic components is used as the test point TP. Furthermore, even when forming thermal pads 1510k' that are not used for mounting electronic components instead of the thermal lands 1510g' of the through-hole 1510r that are not used for mounting electronic components, at least one of the thermal pads 1510k' that are not used for mounting electronic components may be used as the test point TP.

Furthermore, in this case, when mounting electronic components, the thermal lands 1510g' of the through-hole 1510r that are not used for mounting the electronic components used as test points TP can be easily guided into the via-hole shaped through-hole 1510r of the peripheral control board 1510 by the solder applied to the back surface (solder side) 1510y of the peripheral control board 1510. This fills the through-hole 1510 with solder and also covers the thermal lands 1510g' and thermal patterns 1510v on the front surface (mounting side) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510 with solder. Furthermore, when using a thermal pad 1510k', which is not used for mounting electronic components, as a test point TP in place of the thermal land 1510g' of a through-hole 1510r that is not used for mounting electronic components, solder paste may be applied to the thermal pad 1510k' and heated in a reflow oven without placing electronic components on it, thereby covering the thermal pad 1510k' with solder. This covers the copper foil portion of the test point TP with thermal land 1510g' and the test point TP with thermal pad 1510k' with solder, suppressing oxidation of the area of the test point TP that contacts the contact probe and preventing poor contact with the contact probe, thus enabling accurate measurement values during inspection. Note that the thermal pad 1510k' not used as a test point TP may also be covered with solder.

As described above, test points TP equipped with thermal lands 1510g' of through-holes 1510r not used for mounting electronic components, and test points TP equipped with thermal pads 1510k' not used for mounting electronic components, are both formed in a circular shape. Because circular thermal lands 1510g' and thermal pads 1510k' are less prone to uneven heat dissipation compared to rectangular thermal pads 1510k', it is possible to achieve uniformity in the thickness of the solder coating. By uniformly coating the test points TP equipped with thermal lands 1510g' of through-holes 1510r not used for mounting electronic components, fluctuations in measurement values during inspection can be suppressed, and accurate measurement values can be obtained.

Furthermore, if thermal pads without through-holes are made round (circular), since the thermal pad itself is a flat surface, there is no need to fill the through-holes with solder. Solder paste is applied to the flat surface and then melted and solidified. Therefore, even when multiple round (circular) thermal pads of the same size are provided, the thickness of the solder coating on each pad remains nearly constant without variation. This makes it possible to obtain accurate measurements from any test point (TP).

Furthermore, multiple via holes and multiple pads not used for mounting electronic components may be formed around test points TP that have thermal lands 1510g' of through-holes 1510r not used for mounting electronic components, or test points TP that have thermal pads 1510k' not used for mounting electronic components. In this case, when soldering electronic components, the amount of heat transferred from the multiple via holes and multiple pads formed around the test point TP in the solid pattern to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) formed on the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control substrate 1510 can be increased, and the temperature drop of the solid pattern can be suppressed. This allows the surrounding ground plane pattern to be heated when a test point TP has a thermal land 1510g' with a through-hole 1510r that is not used for mounting electronic components, or when a test point TP has a thermal pad 1510k' that is not used for mounting electronic components. This further suppresses heat dissipation from the thermal land 1510g' or thermal pad 1510k' of the test point TP to the ground plane pattern.

In the example described above, a thermal pad 1510k' not used for mounting electronic components as test points TP is provided on the peripheral control board 1510. However, a thermal pad (without through-holes) not used for mounting electronic components as test points TP may be provided on the main control board 1310, or a thermal land (with through-holes) not used for mounting electronic components as test points TP and a thermal pad (without through-holes) not used for mounting electronic components as test points TP may be provided on the main control board 1310. Furthermore, a thermal land (with through-holes) not used for mounting electronic components as test points TP may be provided on the peripheral control board 1510, or a thermal land (with through-holes) not used for mounting electronic components as test points TP and a thermal pad (without through-holes) not used for mounting electronic components as test points TP may be provided on the peripheral control board 1510. Furthermore, the test point TP should be formed in a circular shape, similar to when it is provided on the peripheral control board 1510, as this shape reduces uneven heat dissipation compared to a rectangular shape.

[Configuration 4: Reinforcing the rigidity of the substrate with thermal lands]
In configurations 1 to 3 described above, which enhance the rigidity of the substrate using thermal lands, test points formed on the ground (GND) line and power lines have been explained. However, in addition to one or any combination of these, the following configuration for test points formed on signal lines may also be adopted. While the main control board 1310 will be described below, this technical concept can be applied to any substrate on which test points TP on signal lines are formed (e.g., main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, dispensing control board 633, etc.). This will be explained with reference to Figure 402.

Figure 402 is an enlarged view showing an example of a test point TP formed on the signal line of the main control board 1310 in a modified example. Figure 402(A) is an enlarged view showing an example of a test point TP formed on the signal line of the main control board 1310 and equipped with ordinary lands 1310s not used for mounting electronic components. Figure 402(B) is an enlarged view showing an example of a test point TP formed on the signal line and equipped with ordinary pads 1310k not used for mounting electronic components. Note that the following description will not cover parts that overlap with the above-described embodiments. Furthermore, the following modifications can be implemented in combination with the other embodiments described above. For example, they can be implemented in combination with one or more of the improvements to ease of detecting defects 1 to 3, or the prevention of peeling of surface-mount type electronic components 1 to 4.

As shown in Figure 402(A), the test point TP in this example includes a through-hole 1310r (land 1310s) formed on a signal line and not used for mounting electronic components. Furthermore, the test point TP in this example includes a normal land 1310s that is formed in a circular shape and does not have a thermal pattern.

In this example, the outer edge 1310s1 of the land 1310s is covered by a green solder resist, which is an insulating coating applied to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, leaving only a portion of the copper foil of the signal line exposed. In this example, since it is used as a test point TP, a contact probe needs to be brought into contact with the land 1310s, and at least a portion of the land 1310s is exposed without being covered by the solder resist.

This configuration not only suppresses bending and flexing of the main control board 1310, but also prevents disconnection and peeling of signal lines formed on the main control board 1310.

In other words, by covering a certain area from the outer edge 1310s1 of the signal line land 1310s toward the center with solder resist, it is possible to suppress the peeling of the copper foil from the outer edge 1310s of the land 1310s of the signal line test point TP, even if the main control substrate 1310 is bent or flexed.

This increases the rigidity of the main control board 1310, suppressing warping and bending, thereby preventing surface-mount type electronic components from detaching (mount detachment). This improves the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, even if the main control board 1310 bends or flexes, if these bends or flexes are within a predetermined range, it suppresses the peeling of the copper foil portion of the land 1310s at the test point TP. This allows for accurate inspection, further improving the reliability of the gaming machine.

Similarly, as shown in Figure 402(B), a test point TP having pads 1310k formed on a signal line and not used for mounting electronic components has ordinary pads 1310k that are circular in shape and do not have a thermal pattern.

In this example, the outer edge 1310s1 of the pad 1310k is covered by a green solder resist, which is an insulating coating applied to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, leaving only a portion of the copper foil of the signal line exposed. In this example, since it is used as a test point TP, a contact probe needs to be brought into contact with the pad 1310k, and at least a portion of the pad 1310k is exposed without being covered by the solder resist.

This configuration not only suppresses bending and flexing of the main control board 1310, but also prevents disconnection and peeling of signal lines formed on the main control board 1310.

In other words, by covering a certain area from the outer edge 1310k1 of the signal line pad 1310k toward the center with solder resist, it is possible to suppress the peeling of the copper foil from the outer edge 1310k1 of the pad 1310k at the test point TP of the signal line, even if the main control substrate 1310 is bent or flexed.

This increases the rigidity of the main control board 1310, suppressing warping and bending, thereby preventing surface-mount type electronic components from detaching (mount detachment). This improves the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. Furthermore, even if the main control board 1310 bends or flexes, if these bends or flexes are within a predetermined range, it suppresses the peeling of the copper foil portion of the pad 1310k at the test point TP. This allows for accurate inspection, further improving the reliability of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 402(A) and (B), in this example, the TP frame, which surrounds the test point TP, is silk-screen printed so as to overlap the signal lines connected to the land 1310s and pad 1310k. This increases the peel strength of the signal lines, improving the reliability of the gaming machine. In addition, the TP frame, which surrounds the test point TP, may also be silk-screen printed so as to overlap the solid ground, which is formed over a wide area to the side of the signal lines and is less prone to peeling. This further increases the peel strength of the signal lines, improving the reliability of the gaming machine. Alternatively, the TP mark may also be silk-screen printed so as to overlap the signal lines, or it may be silk-screen printed so as to overlap both the signal lines and the solid ground. In this case as well, the peel strength of the signal lines can be increased, improving the reliability of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, a solid ground plane may be provided around the signal lines and the lands 1310s of the signal lines. In this case, the rigidity of the substrate is increased by the solid ground plane, reducing the effects of substrate warping, etc., and thus suppressing the peeling of the signal lines and the lands 1310s of the signal lines. In this case, multiple signal lines and multiple lands 1310s of the signal lines may be formed so as to sandwich via holes formed in the solid ground plane. By forming these via holes as thermal lands, the rigidity can be further increased, reducing the effects of substrate warping, etc., and thus further enhancing the effect of suppressing the peeling of signal lines and the lands 1310s of the signal lines.

Furthermore, while the above-described test points TP of the signal line include test points TP having through-holes 1310r (lands 1310s) formed on the signal line and not used for mounting electronic components, and test points TP having pads 1310k formed on the signal line and not used for mounting electronic components, it is sufficient for the test points to have at least one of these.

Furthermore, in configurations 1 to 3, which enhance the rigidity of the substrate using thermal lands, test points formed on the ground (GND) line and power lines are made easier to solder by being equipped with thermal lands or thermal pads. In contrast, in this example, test points formed on signal lines are equipped with ordinary lands or ordinary pads, and a certain range from the outer edge toward the center is covered with solder resist applied to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, making solder adhesion more difficult.

In other words, the test point TP in this example is provided with a through-hole 1310r (land 1310s) formed on a signal line and not used for mounting electronic components. Generally, the land 1310s of a through-hole 1310r not used for mounting electronic components has a smaller surface area than the land 1310s of a through-hole 1310r provided for mounting electronic components. In this example, by forming the test point TP, which is provided on an important signal line and is a potential target for fraud, as a land 1310s of a through-hole 1310r not used for mounting electronic components, it is possible to suppress the mounting of fraudulent electronic components. Furthermore, by covering a certain range from the outer edge 1310s1 toward the center of the land 1310s of the through-hole 1310r with solder resist, the surface area of the exposed copper foil is reduced, making it difficult for solder to adhere, thereby making it difficult to mount fraudulent electronic components.

In this way, soldering to test points formed on signal lines becomes more difficult, making it harder to solder unauthorized electronic components to the lands or pads of test points formed on signal lines, thus improving security.

The above example described test point lands and pads formed on signal lines, but any through-holes (lands) or pads formed on signal lines that are not used for mounting electronic components are also acceptable as test points. Even in this case, it is possible to suppress disconnections and delamination of signal lines and improve security.

Furthermore, in addition to the above, or separately (which may be implemented in combination with one or more of the following: improved ease of detecting fraud 1 to improved ease of detecting fraud 3, or prevention of peeling of surface-mount electronic components 1 to prevention of peeling of surface-mount electronic components 4), the lands and pads formed on the signal lines and used for mounting electronic components may be covered with solder resist applied to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, extending from the outer edge towards the center. This configuration not only suppresses the peeling of mounted electronic components and improves the reliability of the pachinko machine 1, but also reduces the exposed area of the copper foil, making it more difficult to identify the signal lines and read the circuits, thus improving security.

[Relationship with the "stopped" state]
In the example described above, the system is configured to monitor for abnormalities such as the opening of the main frame 4 relative to the outer frame 2 or magnetic fields even while the game is in a stopped state, and to display a message indicating that an abnormality has occurred on the performance display device 1600 if an abnormality is detected. However, if the game has already entered a stopped state and gameplay is restricted, the system may choose not to monitor for abnormalities (no detection by the detection sensor (no output of a detection signal)), or not to notify even if an abnormality is detected (no notification is given even if a detection signal from the detection sensor is input to the main control board 1310 or peripheral control board 1510), in which case power consumption can be reduced. However, if abnormality monitoring is not performed, or if an abnormality is not notified, there is a possibility of fraud occurring while the game is in a stopped state. The following describes countermeasures against fraud during the stopped state. Note that only the parts that differ from the above embodiment will be described below, and redundant explanations will not be given.

Furthermore, while the sensor substrate 1052A is described below, this technical concept is applicable to main substrates other than the sensor substrate 1052A, and also to sub-substrates different from the main substrate (for example, decorative substrates provided on the game board 5 on which LEDs are mounted). It is also possible to implement this technology in combination with the other embodiments described above. For example, it is possible to implement this technology in combination with one or more of the following: improved ease of detecting fraud 1 to improved ease of detecting fraud 3, prevention of peeling of surface-mount type electronic components 1 to prevention of peeling of surface-mount type electronic components 4, configurations that strengthen the rigidity of the substrate using thermal lands 1 to configurations that strengthen the rigidity of the substrate using thermal lands, and configurations that cover the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided on the game board according to the first embodiment to configurations that cover the lands of through-holes formed on the front surface (surface mounting surface) of each decorative substrate provided on the game board according to the fourth embodiment.

As described above, the sensor board 1052 on the magnetic sensor 1050, the function display board 1402 on the function display unit 1400, the decorative board on the sub-function display unit, the sensor board of the first start-up sensor 3002 on the first start-up sensor 2002 on the first start-up sensor 2401 on the second start-up sensor 2004 on the second start-up sensor 2401 on the information display unit, etc., which are located on the player side of the main control board 1310 and payout control board 633, which are located on the back side of the main control board 1310 and whose front surface (front mounting surface) is facing away from the player and is accessible from the back side of the pachinko machine 1, are easily targeted for illegal modification. In this example, fraud prevention measures are implemented during the stop-down state by adopting the same configuration as in Modification 1 and Modification 2, which incorporate the above-mentioned fraud prevention measures.

As described above, when the main control MPU 1310a performs the ball counting process (step S107), it counts both the game balls (safe balls) received in the prize slots such as the general prize slot 2001, the first start slot 2002, the second start slot 2004, the large prize slot 2005, and the special prize slot 2006, and the game balls (out balls) received in the out slot 1008, the first sub-out slot 2021, and the second sub-out slot 2022. It then calculates the ratio of the number of balls dispensed to the total number of safe and out balls, that is, the ratio of the number of balls dispensed (total number of prize balls dispensed) to the total number of game balls played into the game area 5a, and stores the calculation result in a base calculation area in a specific region of the main control's built-in RAM.

In this example, when the ball counting process (step S107) is executed, the main control MPU 1310a, in addition to the above-described process, calculates the difference between the number of shots (excluding those processed as foul balls) and the number of balls dispensed (dispensed balls - shots), and stores the calculation result as a "stop counter" in a specific area of the main control's built-in RAM. The stop counter is a counter that indicates the increase or decrease from a predetermined initial value. Furthermore, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether the value of the stop counter has reached a specific value, and if it has, turns on the stop flag. This stop flag is turned OFF when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is restarted and the RAM clear switch is operated, executing a RAM clear process (step S38) that initializes the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a (i.e., the main control's built-in RAM).

Furthermore, in this example, the number of launches (the number of game balls hit into the game area 5a (excluding the number of balls processed as foul balls)) is calculated based on the detection results of a launch sensor (not shown) that detects game balls launched from the ball launching device 540. However, the number of launches (the number of game balls hit into the game area 5a (excluding the number of balls processed as foul balls)) may also be calculated based on the counting results of both game balls (safe balls) received in the general prize slots 2001, the first start slot 2002, the second start slot 2004, the large prize slot 2005, the special prize slot 2006, etc., and game balls (out balls) received in the out slot 1008, the first sub-out slot 2021, and the second sub-out slot 2022.

Furthermore, when the value of the stop counter reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, the system may transition to the above-mentioned stop-stop preparation state without turning on the stop-stop flag, and then turn on the stop-stop flag after the jackpot game has ended. This way, even if the value of the stop counter reaches a specific value during a jackpot game, the system may not transition to the stop-stop state until the jackpot game has ended. In other words, the timing of when the value of the stop-stop counter reaches a specific value and the timing of when the stop-stop state begins may be made different. This delays the start of the stop-stop state, allowing players to continue to have opportunities to win prize balls during a jackpot game without interruption, thus preventing dissatisfaction among players. Furthermore, in this case, when a game ball is received in a prize slot other than the main prize slot 2005 (for example, the general prize slot 2001, the first start slot 2002, the second start slot 2004, or the special prize slot 2006), the machine may choose not to dispense prize balls based on the game ball's acceptance into that slot.

Furthermore, in this example, the pachinko machine 1, as shown in Figure 403, when a timer interrupt processing on the main control side occurs while the machine is in a stopped-play state, even if an abnormality detection means (for example, sensors or switches that input detection signals to the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310, such as a magnetic sensor 1050, vibration sensor, full tank detection sensor 154, ball depletion detection sensor 574, and door frame open switch) detects the abnormality and inputs a detection signal from the abnormality detection means to the input terminal of a predetermined input port of the main control MPU 1310a, the machine is configured not to execute processing based on the input of that detection signal.

Specifically, when the main control timer interrupt processing begins, the main control MPU 1310a determines whether or not it is in a stopped state (step S100a). If it does not determine that it is in a stopped state (NO in step S100a), it executes the processes in steps S100 to S122. If it determines that it is in a stopped state (YES in step S100a), it terminates the main control timer interrupt processing without executing the processes in steps S100 to S122. Whether or not it is in a stopped state is determined by whether or not the stop flag mentioned above is set to ON.

Thus, in this example of pachinko machine 1, even if the main control side timer interrupt processing is performed during the stop-play state, it is invalidated without confirmation of detection by the abnormality detection means. Alternatively, detection by the abnormality detection means may be disabled during the stop-play state, or detection by the abnormality detection means may be disabled by disabling the interrupt setting, thereby preventing the main control side timer interrupt processing from executing during the stop-play state.

Furthermore, in this example, if the pachinko machine 1 enters a "stopped playing" state, when the power to the pachinko machine 1 is turned back on, the RAM clear switch is operated, and a RAM clear process (step S38) is executed to initialize the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a (i.e., the main control's built-in RAM). This releases the stopped playing state and returns the machine to its normal state.

Furthermore, even during the shutdown state, the switch input process (step S104) may be executed to store the detection signal from the abnormality detection means in the input information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM if it is input to a predetermined input port of the main control MPU 1310a. Alternatively, the switch input process (step S104) may not be executed during the shutdown state, so that even if the detection signal from the abnormality detection means is input to a predetermined input port of the main control MPU 1310a, it will not be stored in the input information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM.

Furthermore, if the system is configured to store input information in the input information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM as input information when a detection signal from the abnormality detection means is input to the input terminal of a predetermined input port of the main control MPU 1310a, even during the stop-down state, then the input information will be stored in the input information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM. However, during the stop-down state, abnormality notification corresponding to the input information stored in the input information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM should not be performed. In this case, the input information storage area of the main control's built-in RAM may be initialized and the input information cleared when the stop-down state is released, that is, when the RAM built into the main control MPU 1310a (i.e., the main control's built-in RAM) is initialized.

When the main control MPU 1310a determines that the value of the stop counter has reached a specific value, it turns on the stop flag and outputs a stop signal to the peripheral control board 1510 indicating that the stop flag has been turned on. The peripheral control IC 1510a, which integrates the CPU, RAM, and various I/O interfaces of the peripheral control board 1510 onto a single semiconductor chip, receives a stop signal from the main control board 1310 and then activates specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 (the central decorative board 455 on the top of the door frame top unit 450, the left decorative board 456 on the top of the door frame top, the right decorative board 457 on the top of the door frame top, the upper decorative board 422 on the left side of the door frame left side unit 420, the lower decorative board 423 on the left side of the door frame left side unit 420, and the left decorative lens 272 on the left side of the tray). The decorative circuit board 273, the lower right side decorative circuit board 433 of the right side unit 430 of the door frame, the right side decorative circuit board 278 provided behind the right side decorative lens 277 of the dish, the upper right side decorative circuit board 432 of the right side unit 430 of the door frame, the upper left decorative circuit board 3129 for illuminating the upper left logo decorative section 3122 on the front back, the left front logo decorative section 3121 on the front back, the upper left logo decorative section 3122 on the front back, and the left sub-decorative section 3123 on the front back, the lower logo decorative circuit board 3173 for illuminating the lower logo decorative section 3167 on the front back, and the lower middle decorative section 3161 on the front back (The following are included in the diagram: a decorative substrate 3168 for illuminating the lower front center, a decorative substrate 3169 for illuminating the lower left inner decorative body 3163, a decorative substrate 3170 for illuminating the lower left outer decorative body 3164, a decorative substrate 3171 for illuminating the lower right inner decorative body 3165, a decorative substrate 3172 for illuminating the lower right outer decorative body 3166, a decorative substrate 3152 for illuminating the lower right logo decorative body 3141, a decorative substrate 3151 for illuminating the upper right logo decorative body 3142, etc.) The system controls the illumination of the installed LEDs in a predetermined manner (for example, by lighting them red (or turning them off)) for a predetermined period or until a predetermined clear condition is met; controls the sound output from the speaker in a predetermined manner (for example, "The game has run out. Please stop playing," or a warning sound "buzz buzz," etc.) for a predetermined period or until a predetermined clear condition is met; and controls the display device 1600 to display in a predetermined manner (for example, "The daily payout limit of 100,000 balls has been reached, so gameplay is restricted. Please call an attendant," etc.) for a predetermined period or until a predetermined clear condition is met.

Furthermore, when the main control MPU 1310a turns on the stop flag in the ball counting process (step S107), it stops awarding prize balls in the prize ball control process (step S108), and in the launch permission signal setting process (step S113), the launch permission signal that tells the payout control board 633 that it is permitted to launch game balls B is set to launch stop logic (launch non-permission logic), thus prohibiting the launch of game balls by the ball launching device 540. In the special symbol and special electric prize control process (step S114) and the normal symbol and normal electric prize control process (step S116), the special symbol display and normal symbol display The display of special symbols and regular symbols is stopped, and the LEDs mounted on the function display board 1402 of the function display unit 1400, the LEDs mounted on the decorative board of the sub-function display unit, and the LEDs mounted on the rear upper first decorative board of the information display unit are controlled to emit light in a manner that indicates the lights are stopped (for example, turning off all LEDs, or lighting up all or some of the LEDs (for example, the status indicator) in a predetermined color (for example, red)). A stop signal is then output to the peripheral control board 1510 during the peripheral control board command transmission process (step S120).

This enables the control of the game to stop, restricting gameplay via the main control MPU 1310a, and controlling the LEDs, display devices 1600, speakers, etc., mounted on specific decorative boards on the door frame 3 and game board 5 via the peripheral control IC 1510a in a manner corresponding to the game stop state.

In this example, when a stop signal is input from the main control MPU 1310a, the peripheral control IC 1510a, in a manner corresponding to the stop state, displays the background image for the stop state (for example, black) and a game-unavailable indicator on the entire display device 1600 without displaying decorative patterns or background images for normal play (when play is possible), for a predetermined period of time, displaying "The daily payout limit of 100,000 balls has been reached, so play is restricted. Please call an attendant," followed by "Game Restricted." Among the specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, the door frame 3 is provided. The LEDs mounted on the circuit board (which may be all or some of the lamps and LEDs on the door frame 3) flash red for a predetermined period (e.g., 60 seconds) and then turn off. The LEDs mounted on the circuit board on the game board 5 (which may be all or some of the lamps and LEDs on the game board 5) are then turned off. The speaker then outputs the message "The game has reached its limit. Please end the game." for a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) before muting. When the clear condition is met, the mode corresponding to the limit state ends, and control resumes in the normal mode.

Furthermore, the display modes of the performance display device 1600, such as the background image and the display of the game unplayable indicator when the game is stopped, are static images that do not change in display over time and continue until the clear conditions are met. The light emission mode of the LEDs mounted on the board provided on the door frame 3, one of the specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, is set to an off state without any change in light emission mode, except for a predetermined period after the start of the game stopped state, and continues until the clear conditions are met. The light emission mode of the LEDs mounted on the board provided on the game board 5, one of the specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, is set to an off state without any change in light emission mode and continues until the clear conditions are met. The sound output mode from the speaker is set to a muted state without any change in sound output mode and continues until the clear conditions are met. Furthermore, the control described above for the stopped state is merely an example. The control is not limited to the above example, as long as it adjusts the illumination pattern of the LEDs mounted on the door frame 3 and the LEDs mounted on the game board 5 (among the specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5) according to the stopped state. For example, during the stopped state, each time the main control timer interrupt process is executed, a signal may be output to the LEDs mounted on the door frame 3 and the LEDs mounted on the game board 5 (among the specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5) to adjust their illumination pattern according to the stopped state.

In this example, when the game reaches a "stop-play" state, the performance modes (display mode, light emission mode, sound output mode) of the performance means (performance display device 1600, LEDs mounted on the circuit board on the door frame 3, LEDs mounted on the circuit board on the game board 5, speaker, etc.) provided in the pachinko machine 1 are set to a dynamic mode that changes according to the passage of time for a predetermined period after the start of the stop-play state, and thereafter to a static mode where there is no change or the change is extremely small according to the passage of time.

The above-described behavior when the game is stopped is merely an example, and the game may be controlled in other ways. When the game is stopped, the performance modes (display mode, light emission mode, sound output mode) of the performance means (performance display device 1600, LEDs mounted on a circuit board provided on the door frame 3, LEDs mounted on a circuit board provided on the game board 5, speaker, etc.) provided in the pachinko machine 1 may be immediately set to a static mode without being set to a dynamic mode. For example, when the game reaches its limit, the display device 1600 may, without displaying decorative patterns or the background image shown during normal play (when the game is playable), display the background image for the limit state (e.g., black) and a message indicating that the game is unavailable: "The daily payout limit of 100,000 balls has been reached, and gameplay is restricted." The LEDs on the board installed in the door frame 3 (or all the lamps and LEDs on the door frame 3, or some of them) may be illuminated in white. The LEDs on the board installed in the game board 5 (or all the lamps and LEDs on the game board 5) may be turned off, and the speaker may be muted.

Furthermore, when the game reaches a stop-play state, some of the performance features provided in the pachinko machine 1 (e.g., speakers) may be configured to perform performances in a dynamic manner for a certain period or until the clear condition is met, while other performance features (such as the performance display device 1600, LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the door frame 3, and LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the game board 5) may be configured to perform performances in a static manner until the clear condition is met.

Furthermore, the timing for initiating control of the stop-play state when special conditions are met may be delayed from the timing when the stop-play counter value is determined to have reached a specific value (i.e., control of the stop-play state is not performed within the same interrupt process, but rather in a subsequent interrupt process (for example, the stop-play flag is not turned ON in the interrupt process when the stop-play counter value is determined to have reached a specific value, but is turned ON in a subsequent interrupt process)). In this case, it may be possible to allow the acquisition of prize balls corresponding to the acceptance of game balls into a specific prize slot during a specific period from the timing when the stop-play counter value is determined to have reached a specific value until control of the stop-play state begins.

Furthermore, if the timing for starting control of the stop-out state is configured to be delayed from the timing when it is determined that the value of the stop-out counter has reached a specific value, the display mode of the performance display device 1600 during the specific period from when the value of the stop-out counter reaches a specific value until control of the stop-out state is started, the light emission mode of the LEDs mounted on specific decorative boards provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3, the light emission mode of the LEDs mounted on the function display board 1402 provided on the function display unit 1400, the light emission mode of the LEDs mounted on the decorative board provided on the sub-function display unit, and The illumination patterns of the LEDs mounted on the rear upper first decorative board of the information display unit, the display patterns of the performance display device 1600 during the stop-play state, the illumination patterns of the LEDs mounted on specific decorative boards on the game board 5 and door frame 3, the illumination patterns of the LEDs mounted on the function display board 1402 of the function display unit 1400, the illumination patterns of the LEDs mounted on the decorative board of the sub-function display unit, and the illumination patterns of the LEDs mounted on the rear upper first decorative board of the information display unit may be partially or completely different. For example, when it is determined that the stop-play counter value has reached a specific value, the performance display device 1600 may be given a pre-notification such as "Control of the stop-play state will begin. After the specified period ends, the game will end for today." and when control of the stop-play state begins, the performance display device 1600 may be given an end notification such as "Control of the stop-play state has begun. The game will end for today." This makes it possible to notify the player of the stop-play state in stages.

Furthermore, in the stopped-play state, even if a game ball enters the starting port (either the first starting port 2002 or either the first starting port 2002 or the second starting port 2004), the display of the special symbol variation on the function display unit 1400 and the display of the fourth symbol variation on the sub-function display unit 2250 are not initiated. In this example of pachinko machine 1, when the stopped-play state begins, all LEDs on the function display unit 1400 are turned off, corresponding to the illumination pattern for the stopped-play state, and all LEDs on the sub-function display unit 2250 are also turned off, continuing until the clear condition is met.

In this manner, during the "stopped play" state, the display device 1600 does not display decorative patterns or the background image used during normal play (when play is possible). Instead, it displays the background image for the "stopped play" state (for example, black) and a "play impossible" indicator on the entire screen in a static manner that does not change regardless of the passage of time. This makes it easy for players and arcade staff to notice that the machine has stopped playing.

As described above, in this example, the pachinko machine 1 does not provide warnings or notifications based on the detection of abnormalities by sensors (such as the magnetic sensor 1050) or switches (such as the door frame release switch) while the machine is in a stopped state. Therefore, there is a risk of fraudulent activity against the pachinko machine 1.

In this example, by adopting a configuration similar to that of Modification 1 and Modification 2, which implement the above-mentioned anti-fraud measures, anti-fraud measures are implemented against the sensor substrate 1052A provided on the magnetic sensor 1050 while the device is in a stopped state.

For example, as shown in Figure 372, in the magnetic sensor 1050 of this example, the wiring patterns provided on the sensor substrate 1052A (the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2, the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body 1051A is transmitted, and the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V) created by the power supply board 630) are all formed with substantially the same line width (including a range of about ±10%), and the applications of the wiring patterns 1052A1, 1052A2, and 1052A3 (power supply board By making it difficult to identify which of the following is the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, and +24V) created on board 630, the wiring pattern (GND line) 1052A2 for ground connection, and the wiring pattern (signal line) 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body 1051A is transmitted, and by making it difficult to read the circuit of the sensor board 1052A, unauthorized modification while the device is in a disabled state can be suppressed, thereby improving security.

Furthermore, in the magnetic sensor 1050, the wiring patterns formed on the sensor substrate 1052A are typically such that the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2 and the wiring patterns 1052A1 that supply various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, and +24V) are thicker than the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body 1051A is transmitted. On the other hand, the wiring pattern formed on the sensor board 1052A in this example is configured such that the line width of the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2 and the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V, etc.) are formed to be approximately the same as that of the wiring pattern 1052A3, with reference to the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body 1051A is transmitted. As a result, the line width of the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2 and the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V, etc.) is narrower than usual. Therefore, the peeling strength of the wiring pattern formed on the sensor substrate 1052A is weakened. If a force is applied to remove a specific electronic component mounted on the surface (front surface) of the sensor substrate 1052A while it is in a stopped state, and this force is applied in a direction that peels off the pads to which the connection terminals of that specific electronic component are soldered, the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A, and the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body is transmitted, the wiring pattern formed on the sensor substrate 1052A becomes more easily peeled off. This deters unauthorized modification of the sensor substrate 1052A, thereby improving security.

Furthermore, by forming the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2 on the sensor substrate 1052A without forming a solid ground plane (also called a solid pattern), the pads, the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2, the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which detection signals from the sensor body are transmitted, and the wiring pattern (power line) 1052A1 that supplies various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V) created by the power supply board 630 become more prone to peeling off. Therefore, during the shutdown state, actual damage may occur on the surface (front substrate surface) of the sensor substrate 1052A. If a force is applied that removes a specific electronic component, and this force peels off the pads to which the component's connection terminals are soldered, the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A, and the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body is transmitted, the pads, ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2, and the wiring pattern 1052A3 will peel off, destroying the circuit and preventing unauthorized modification of the sensor board 1052A, thereby improving security.

Furthermore, in the sensor board 1052A of this example, the pads to which each connection terminal of a specific electronic component is soldered (for example, the pads 1052Ab to which each connection terminal 1053a1 of the capacitor 1053a is soldered) are not formed as thermal pads. Therefore, even if the surface of the sensor board 1052A is visually inspected while it is in a disabled state, it is possible to suppress the identification of the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2 from the solid pattern or thermal pads. This makes it more difficult to read the circuit of the sensor board 1052A, thereby suppressing unauthorized modification and improving security while it is in a disabled state.

Furthermore, the sensor substrate 1052A in this example has no markings whatsoever, and no substrate management number is formed on either the front (surface) or rear (back) surface of the sensor substrate 1052A. On the other hand, the case housing the sensor substrate 1052A has the product management number of the magnetic sensor 1050 (e.g., FDUFPA03A) engraved on it. Therefore, even if the substrate surface of the sensor substrate 1052A is visually inspected while it is in a stopped state, it is difficult to determine what function the substrate has. At the same time, the fact that the product management number is engraved on the case housing the sensor substrate 1052A allows for verification of the engraving during the manufacturing process, for example, to determine that the sensor substrate 1052A is housed there, thus preventing installation errors. Note that the product management number engraved on the case housing the sensor substrate 1052A may be engraved in a location visible from outside the case (e.g., the outside of the case), or in a location that is difficult or impossible to see from outside the case (e.g., the inside of the case).

Furthermore, in boards that are susceptible to tampering while in a deactivated state, such as the sensor board 1052A, the board surface is coated with a solid insulating film (solder resist). The wiring patterns formed on the board surface of these boards (for example, the ground connection wiring pattern 1052A2, the wiring pattern 1052A3 through which the detection signal from the sensor body 1051A is transmitted, and the wiring patterns (power lines) 1052A1 that supply various power supplies (DC power supplies such as +5V, +12V, +24V) created by the power supply board 630) are covered by the insulating film (solder resist). Therefore, even if the board surface is visually inspected while in a deactivated state, it becomes difficult to identify the wiring patterns, thus deterring unauthorized modification.

Furthermore, in the case of substrates that are prone to fraudulent activity while the board is in a restricted state, a portion or all of the pads (which may or may not be used for mounting surface-mount electronic components) or through-holes (which may or may not be used for mounting through-hole electronic components) formed on the substrate surface (for example, the outer edge 1310s1 of pad 1310k shown in Figure 402(B) or the outer edge 1310s1 of land 1310s of through-hole 1310r shown in Figure 402(A)) may be covered with a solid insulating film (solder resist) applied to the substrate surface. In this case, in addition to making it difficult to identify the wiring pattern even if the substrate surface is visually inspected while the board is in a restricted state, the surface area of the exposed copper foil is reduced, making it more difficult to weld solder, thereby making it difficult to mount unauthorized components, and thus improving security.

Thus, the sensor board 1052A in this example is designed to enhance security against fraudulent activity during the stop-play state. Furthermore, in this example, the main control board 1310 and the payout control board 633, which are mounted with their front surfaces facing a different orientation (towards the back of the pachinko machine 1) than the sensor board 1052A, also employ the same configurations as those used for improving the ease of detecting fraud (1-3) and strengthening the rigidity of the board using thermal lands (1-4), thereby implementing countermeasures against fraud during the stop-play state.

For example, as shown in Figure 400, in this example, a surface-mount type chip component IC1, which is mounted on the main control board 1310, is soldered to a pad 1310k formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, with its connection terminal IC1a attached. A lead terminal MC1a (in this example, a lead terminal MC1a formed to have two or more bends) is inserted into a through-hole 1310r, and this lead terminal MC1a is soldered to the through-hole 1310r or land 1310s to fix it to the board. The lead terminal MC1a is fixed to the board by soldering it to the through-hole 1310r or land 1310s. The lead terminal MC1a is formed to have two or more bends within the through-hole 1310r (avoiding the non-mountable electronic component area).

Furthermore, the leaded electronic component capacitor MC1 has a conspicuous blue surface, which is different from the green of the resist on the main control board 1310, the black of the surface of the surface-mounted electronic component chip IC1, and the white or yellow of the surface markings and stamping areas. In this example, while the resist on the main control board 1310 and the surface colors of the surface-mounted electronic components are dark green and black, the leaded electronic component capacitor MC1 has a light-colored exterior, and is also blue, which is different from the light white or yellow of the surface markings and stamping areas, making it easily noticeable on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310. Therefore, even if fraud such as alteration of the chip component IC1 is committed on the main control board 1310 while it is in a stopped state, the administrator can more easily identify the surface-mounted electronic component chip IC1 by using the capacitor MC1, which is easily noticeable on the mounting surface (surface) 1310x of the main control board 1310, as a target, and can easily detect fraud against the main control board 1310.

Furthermore, the capacitor MC1, which is a leaded electronic component, is mounted higher than the surface-mount type electronic component, the chip component IC1. Therefore, even if the chip component IC1 is tampered with on the main control board 1310 during the shutdown state, the administrator can easily find the capacitor MC1, which protrudes from the surface of the board, among the multiple electronic components. Using the capacitor MC1 as a target, the surface-mount type electronic component IC1 can be identified even more easily, making it easier to detect any tampering with the main control board 1310.

In this example, the main control board 1310 has its wiring patterns formed on the board surface covered by an insulating film (solder resist). Therefore, even if the board surface is visually inspected while the board is in a stopped state, it becomes difficult to identify the wiring patterns, thus deterring unauthorized modifications. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 402, in this example, the outer edges of the lands and pads of the test points TP formed on the signal lines of the main control board 1310 (a certain range from the outer edge towards the center of the land or pad) are covered with solder resist applied to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. This makes it difficult to identify the wiring patterns even if the board surface of the main control board 1310 is visually inspected while the board is in a stopped state. In addition, it reduces the surface area of the exposed copper foil on the signal lines formed on the main control board 1310, making it difficult to solder, and thus making it difficult to mount unauthorized components and connect them to the signal lines, thus improving security.

Furthermore, by placing a lead-type (insertion-mount type) capacitor MC adjacent to a surface-mount type chip component IC1, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the unmountable area), the rigidity of the main control board 1310 can be increased compared to the case where only surface-mount type electronic components are mounted. Moreover, by placing the lead-type electronic component adjacent to the surface-mount type electronic component, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted (avoiding the unmountable area), the strength of the area of the main control board 1310 where the surface-mount type electronic components are mounted can be partially increased, suppressing deformation such as warping. Therefore, even if fraudulent activity is performed on the main control board 1310 during a stop-game state, it becomes possible to suppress the detachment (detachment) of important electronic components (in this example, the chip component IC1), thereby improving the reliability of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, in this example, the lead terminals MC1a of the capacitor MC, which is a lead-type (insertion-mount type) electronic component, are formed to have two or more bent sections and then soldered to the through-holes 1310r and lands 1310s to fix them to the circuit board. As a result, the strength is higher compared to lead terminals that do not have bent sections or are formed to have one bent section, and the strength in the area of the main control board 1310 where surface-mount type electronic components are mounted is partially increased, suppressing deformation such as warping. Therefore, even if fraudulent activity is performed on the main control board 1310 while the game is stopped, it is possible to suppress the detachment (mounting detachment) of important electronic components (chip component IC1 in this example), thereby improving the reliability of the gaming machine. As described above, the lead terminals MC1a are made of iron, copper or an alloy thereof (such as CP wire, which is copper-plated iron wire further tin-plated, or tin-plated Cu wire), and have a predetermined bending strength. Furthermore, since iron has higher bending strength than copper, it is desirable to use a capacitor MC1 having lead terminals MC1a (CP wire) made of iron or an iron alloy.

Furthermore, in this example, on the main control board 1310, at least one of the through-hole lands to which each lead terminal MC1a of the capacitor MC, which is a lead-type (insertion-mount type) electronic component, is soldered is formed as a thermal land, and the land is physically connected to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (board ground)) formed on the main control board 1310 via the thermal pattern. As described above, thermal lands with a thermal pattern make it more difficult for heat to transfer to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) compared to ordinary lands without a thermal pattern. Therefore, by forming at least one of the through-hole lands to which each connection terminal of a specific electronic component is soldered with a thermal land, the temperature drop when soldering the specific electronic component is suppressed (heat dissipation is suppressed), and the solder applied to the back surface (solder surface 1310y) of the main control board 1310 can be reliably drawn up to the front surface (mounting surface 1310x) through the through-hole. This strengthens the welding of the specific electronic component and improves the rigidity of the substrate. In other words, by forming at least one of the pads or lands to which each connection terminal of a specific electronic component is soldered on the main control board 1310 with a thermal pad or thermal land, the welding of the capacitor IC1, a specific electronic component, becomes stronger. Furthermore, the rigidity of the main control board 1310 is increased. Therefore, even if a force is applied to remove a specific electronic component while the board is stopped, the through-holes and the ground connection wiring patterns (thermal patterns) connected to the solid ground (ground (GND) (board ground)) prevent the ground connection wiring patterns (thermal patterns) from peeling off or the electronic components from falling off.

Furthermore, this configuration may be adopted not only for the main control board 1310, but also for other boards with solid ground patterns (ground (GND) (board ground)) such as the dispensing control board 633 and the peripheral control board 1510. In this case as well, in addition to strengthening the welding of specific electronic components to each board, the rigidity of each board is increased. Therefore, even if a force is applied to remove a specific electronic component while the device is stopped, the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (board ground)) to which the through-holes and ground connection wiring patterns (thermal patterns) are connected can prevent the ground connection wiring patterns (thermal patterns) from peeling off or the electronic components from falling off.

Furthermore, instead of limiting the soldering to through-hole lands where each terminal of a specific electronic component (e.g., ICs, capacitors, transistors, etc.) is soldered, at least one of the pads to which each terminal of a specific electronic component (e.g., ICs, capacitors, transistors, etc.) is soldered may be formed with a thermal pad, and the pad may be physically connected to the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (board ground)) formed on each substrate via the thermal pattern. In this case as well, in addition to strengthening the welding of the specific electronic component to each substrate, the rigidity of each substrate is increased. Therefore, even if a force is applied to remove a specific electronic component while it is in a stopped state, the solid ground pattern (ground (GND) (board ground)) to which the pads and ground connection wiring patterns (thermal patterns) are connected can prevent the ground connection wiring patterns (thermal patterns) from peeling off or the electronic components from falling off.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 364(A), in this example, the spacing between the two through-holes 1310r (including the lands 1310s) for mounting lead-type electronic components (this can be the spacing between the outermost edges of the lands 1310s or the spacing between the centers of the through-holes 1310r) is wider than the width of the outer shape of the surface-mount type electronic component. This configuration ensures that the surface-mount type electronic component fits between the two through-holes 1310r (including the lands 1310s) for mounting lead-type electronic components. This increases the rigidity of the area sandwiched between the two through-holes 1310r (including the lands 1310s) to which each pair of connection terminals MC1a of the lead-type electronic component is soldered, suppressing deformation such as warping. By mounting the surface-mount type electronic component in this rigid area, even if a force is applied to remove a specific electronic component while the circuit is stopped, it is possible to prevent the surface-mount type electronic component adjacent to the lead-type electronic component from peeling off.

Furthermore, as described above, in this example, the outer edges of the lands and pads of the test points TP formed on the signal lines of the main control board 1310 (a certain range from the outer edge toward the center of the land or pad) are covered with solder resist applied to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310. Therefore, if the main control board 1310 is bent or flexed due to fraudulent activity during the stop-down state, compared to a normal land or pad where the outer edges of the lands and pads of the test points TP are not covered with solder resist, it becomes more difficult to peel off the copper foil portion of the land 1310s of the test points TP. This allows for accurate inspection and improves the reliability of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, in the main control board 1310 of this example, as shown in Figures 402(A) and (B), the TP frame, which surrounds the test point TP, is silk-screen printed so that it overlaps the signal lines connected to the lands 1310s and pads 1310k. This silk-screen printing also increases the peeling strength of the signal lines. Therefore, if the main control board 1310 is bent or flexed due to fraudulent activity during the stop-play state, the copper foil portion of the land 1310s of the test point TP is less likely to peel off compared to a case where the TP frame is not silk-screen printed to overlap the signal lines connected to the lands and pads of the test point TP. This allows for accurate inspection and improves the reliability of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, in addition to the above, the main control board 1310 in this example is designed so that the TP frame, which surrounds the test point TP, is silk-screen printed so that it overlaps with the solid ground, which is formed over a wide area on the side of the signal line and is therefore less prone to peeling. This silk-screen printing of the TP frame on the solid ground increases the peeling strength of the signal line. Therefore, if the main control board 1310 is bent or flexed due to fraudulent activity while the game is stopped, the copper foil portion of the land 1310s of the test point TP is less likely to peel off compared to a case where the TP frame is not silk-screen printed to overlap the solid ground. This allows for accurate inspection and improves the reliability of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, in addition to the above, or separately, the main control board 1310 in this example has the TP mark silk-screen printed so that it overlaps the signal line. This silk-screen printing also increases the peeling strength of the signal line. Therefore, if the main control board 1310 is bent or flexed due to fraudulent activity during the stop-play state, it becomes more difficult to peel off the copper foil portion of the test point TP land 1310s compared to a case where the TP mark is not silk-screen printed so that it overlaps the signal line connected to the test point TP land or pad. This allows for accurate inspection and improves the reliability of the gaming machine.

Furthermore, in the main control board 1310 of this example, at least one of the pads or through-hole lands to which the connection terminals of specific electronic components (e.g., ICs, capacitors, transistors, etc.) are soldered is formed with a thermal pad or thermal land having a thermal pattern. This physically connects the pads or lands to the solid ground (GND) (substrate ground) formed on each board via the thermal pattern. Compared to the case where ordinary pads or lands without a thermal pattern are used, this allows solder applied to the solder side (backside) 1310y of the main control board 1310 to fill the through-holes, and allows surface-mount type electronic components to be welded with solder paste applied to the thermal pad completely melted. This increases the rigidity of the main control board 1310, preventing the electronic components soldered to the thermal pads or thermal lands from detaching even if a force is applied to remove a specific electronic component while it is in a stopped state.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, decorative boards that mount LEDs to the circuit boards installed on the door frame 3, which are controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold effects, decorative boards that mount LEDs to the circuit boards installed on the game board 5, decorative boards that mount LEDs to the circuit boards installed on the door frame 3, which are among the specific decorative boards installed on the door frame 3 and game board 5 that emit light in the stopped state (these may partially or completely overlap with decorative boards that mount lamps or LEDs controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold effects), and LEDs mounted on the circuit boards installed on the game board 5, which are among the specific decorative boards installed on the door frame 3 and game board 5. The decorative circuit board on which the LEDs are mounted (which may partially or completely overlap with the decorative circuit board on which the lamps or LEDs whose light emission is controlled by rainbow or gold effects are mounted) is configured to enhance reflective efficiency by coating the LED mounting surface with white solder resist (protective material). Therefore, when the lights are switched off to match the "off state" lighting pattern, the illumination can be brighter and more vividly (clearer), enhancing the effect and making it easier to notice that the lights are switched off. Furthermore, even when the lights are switched off to match the "off state" lighting pattern, the decorative circuit board can be made less conspicuous.

Furthermore, in this example, there are decorative boards that mount LEDs to the circuit boards installed on the door frame 3, which are controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold colors, decorative boards that mount LEDs to the circuit boards installed on the game board 5, and decorative boards that mount LEDs to the circuit boards installed on the door frame 3, which are among the specific decorative boards installed on the door frame 3 and game board 5 that emit light in the state of being stopped when the game is stopped (these may partially or completely overlap with the decorative boards that mount lamps or LEDs controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold colors), and on the door frame 3 and game board 5. On the decorative boards provided, specifically those mounted on the game board 5, the decorative board on which LEDs are mounted (which may partially or completely overlap with the decorative boards on which lamps or LEDs whose light emission is controlled by rainbow or gold effects are mounted) has a marking area on the LED mounting surface that indicates the part number of the electronic component, the area indicating the position where the electronic component should be placed, and other attributes of the electronic component (which may also include the shape of the electronic component, the size of the electronic component, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the electronic component, and the model number of the electronic component). This marking area is silk-screen printed in yellow paint on a solid white resist. Since yellow is a light color like white and is less conspicuous than white, the marking area can be made less conspicuous even when the lights are turned off as the light emission mode for the stopped state. Furthermore, while yellow has a lower reflectivity than white, it still possesses high reflectivity. This allows for uniformity of the reflectivity on the LED mounting surface and suppresses uneven illumination. When the LEDs are switched off, they can emit brighter and more vivid (clearer) illumination, enhancing the visual effect and making it easier to notice that the LEDs are switched off. Alternatively, the markings may be omitted from at least the LED mounting surface. In this case, even when the LEDs are switched off to reflect the stopped state, the markings will not be easily visible. Furthermore, when the LEDs are switched off, uneven illumination can be prevented, enhancing the visual effect and making it easier to notice that the LEDs are switched off. In this case, the markings may be placed on the non-LED mounting surface, or neither the LED mounting surface nor the non-LED mounting surface may have markings.

Furthermore, in this example, the decorative circuit boards on which LEDs are mounted on the circuit board provided in the door frame 3, which are controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold colors, the decorative circuit boards on which LEDs are mounted on the circuit board provided in the game board 5, the decorative circuit boards on which LEDs are mounted on the circuit board provided in the door frame 3, which are among the specific decorative circuit boards provided in the door frame 3 and game board 5 that emit light in the state of being stopped (these may partially or completely overlap with the decorative circuit boards on which lamps or LEDs are controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold colors), and the decorative circuit boards on which LEDs are mounted on the circuit board provided in the game board 5, which are among the specific decorative circuit boards provided in the door frame 3 and game board 5 (these may partially or completely overlap with the decorative circuit boards on which lamps or LEDs are controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold colors), are configured such that the outer periphery of the through-hole lands and pads is covered with white solder resist formed on the surface of the circuit board. Therefore, the area of exposed copper foil on the LED mounting surface can be minimized. This makes the through-hole lands and pads less noticeable even when the LEDs are switched off to reflect the stopped state. Furthermore, it allows for more uniform reflectivity on the LED mounting surface and suppresses uneven illumination, enhancing the visual effect. This makes it easier to notice when the LEDs are switched off.

Furthermore, the above configuration may be adopted only for boards having a solid ground (solid pattern) among the decorative boards that mount LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the door frame 3, which is controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold effects; decorative boards that mount LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the game board 5; decorative boards that mount LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the door frame 3, which is one of the specific decorative boards provided in the door frame 3 or game board 5 that emit light in the state of being stopped when the game is stopped (this may partially or completely overlap with the decorative boards that mount lamps or LEDs controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold effects); and decorative boards that mount LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the game board 5, which is one of the specific decorative boards provided in the door frame 3 or game board 5 (this may partially or completely overlap with the decorative boards that mount lamps or LEDs controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold effects).

Furthermore, the first decorative circuit board on the back of the information display unit, as described above, will also change its illumination pattern during the "stopped" state (for example, turning off all LEDs, or lighting up all or some LEDs in a predetermined color (for example, red) (such as displaying "Stopped" with illumination)). This makes it easy for players and arcade staff to recognize that the machine has stopped.

Furthermore, the first decorative circuit board on the back of the information display unit also includes decorative circuit boards that mount LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the door frame 3, which are controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold colors, decorative circuit boards that mount LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the game board 5, and decorative circuit boards that mount LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the door frame 3, which are designated to emit light in the stopped state when the game is stopped (this may partially or completely overlap with decorative circuit boards that mount lamps or LEDs controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold colors), and specific decorative circuit boards provided in the door frame 3 and game board 5. Similar to the decorative circuit board on which LEDs are mounted on the circuit board of the game board 5 (which may partially or completely overlap with the decorative circuit board on which lamps and LEDs whose light emission is controlled by rainbow or gold effects are mounted), the LED mounting surface may be coated with a light-colored solder resist (protective material), such as white, to improve reflective efficiency. In this case, when the information display illuminates in the light emission mode for the stopped state, it can emit light more brightly and vividly (clearly), enhancing the visual effect and making it easier to notice that the game has stopped.

Furthermore, the LED mounting surface of the first decorative substrate on the back of the information display may be coated with a dark-colored solder resist (protective material) such as green or black. In this case, when the information display illuminates in the illumination mode for the off state, light interference on the LED mounting surface can be suppressed, making it possible to distinguish the illumination from each individual LED. This prevents misinterpretation of the content displayed by the information display, and makes the first decorative substrate on the back less conspicuous when the information display is turned off in the illumination mode for the off state.

Furthermore, the first decorative circuit board on the back of the information display also includes a decorative circuit board that mounts LEDs mounted on a circuit board provided in the door frame 3, which is controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold colors, a decorative circuit board that mounts LEDs mounted on a circuit board provided in the game board 5, and a decorative circuit board that mounts LEDs mounted on a circuit board provided in the door frame 3, which is one of the specific decorative circuit boards provided in the door frame 3 or game board 5 that emit light in the state of being stopped (this may partially or completely overlap with the decorative circuit board that mounts lamps or LEDs controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold colors), and the door frame 3 and Similar to the decorative boards on the game board 5 that mount LEDs mounted on the boards on the game board 5 (which may partially or completely overlap with decorative boards that mount lamps or LEDs whose light emission is controlled by rainbow or gold effects), the LED mounting surface may have a notation area that indicates the part number of the electronic component, an area indicating the position where the electronic component should be placed, and other attributes of the electronic component (which may also include the shape of the electronic component, the size of the electronic component, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the electronic component, and the model number of the electronic component) silk-screen printed with yellow paint on a solid white resist. In this case, even if the information display is turned off as the light emission mode for the stopped state during the stopped state, the notation area can be made less conspicuous. Furthermore, the reflectivity of the LED mounting surface on the first decorative substrate behind the information display can be made more uniform, and uneven illumination can be suppressed. This allows the information display to illuminate more brightly and vividly (clearly) when it is in the "off" state, enhancing the visual effect and making it easier to notice that the display is off.

Furthermore, the markings may not be provided on the LED mounting surface of the first decorative substrate on the back of the information display. Even in this case, when the LEDs are turned off to reflect the stopped state, the markings are less likely to be visible. Also, when the LEDs are turned off to reflect the stopped state, the illumination can be made evenly, enhancing the visual effect and making it easier to notice that the LEDs have stopped. In this case, the markings may be provided on the non-LED mounting surface, or neither the LED mounting surface nor the non-LED mounting surface may have markings.

Furthermore, the first decorative circuit board on the back of the information display may also be configured such that the outer periphery of the through-hole lands and pads is covered with solder resist formed on the surface of the circuit board, similar to the decorative circuit boards that mount LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the door frame 3, which are controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold colors, the decorative circuit boards that mount LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the game board 5, the decorative circuit board that mounts LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the door frame 3, which is one of the specific decorative circuit boards provided in the door frame 3 and game board 5 that emit light in the state of being stopped (this may partially or completely overlap with the decorative circuit board that mounts lamps or LEDs controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold colors), and the decorative circuit board that mounts LEDs mounted on the circuit board provided in the game board 5, which is one of the specific decorative circuit boards provided in the door frame 3 and game board 5 (this may partially or completely overlap with the decorative circuit board that mounts lamps or LEDs controlled to emit light in rainbow or gold colors). In this case, the area of exposed copper foil on the LED mounting surface of the first decorative substrate on the back of the information display can be kept small. Therefore, even when the information display is turned off in the "off state" lighting mode, the through-hole lands and pads become less noticeable. Furthermore, the reflectivity of the LED mounting surface can be made more uniform, and uneven illumination is suppressed, enhancing the visual effect. This makes it easier to notice that the display is off when it is illuminated in the "off state" lighting mode.

Furthermore, the first decorative substrate on the back of the information display may also be configured to have a solid ground (solid pattern), and at least some of the lands (which may or may not have electronic components mounted) and pads (which may or may not have electronic components mounted) of the through-holes formed on the first decorative substrate on the back of the information display may be physically connected to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) via a thermal pattern. This increases the rigidity of the first decorative substrate on the back of the information display, so that even if a force is applied to remove a specific electronic component while the display is stopped, the through-holes and the wiring patterns (thermal patterns) for ground connection are prevented from peeling off, or the electronic components from falling off, due to the solid pattern (solid ground (GND) (substrate ground)) to which the ground connection wiring patterns (thermal patterns) are connected.

The claims and other technical ideas that can be understood from the above embodiments are described below along with their effects.

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted,
Among the multiple boards mentioned above, a specific board (main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, dispensing control board 633, power supply board 630, decorative board on which LEDs and drivers are mounted, etc.)
Ground plane (ground plane, PCB ground, GND),
Multiple test points (check terminals) used for inspecting the implemented electronic components are formed,
A specific test point among the plurality of test points (the ground line test point) comprises an insulating section from which the copper foil has been removed (insulating sections 1310w, 1510i) and a conductive section connected to the solid ground with remaining copper foil (thermal patterns 1310v, 1510v).
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, since the specific test point formed on the specific substrate is configured to include an insulating portion from which the copper foil has been removed and a conductive portion connected to the ground plane with the copper foil remaining, compared to the case where a test point connected to the ground plane is formed without an insulating portion from which the copper foil has been removed, the temperature drop during mounting of electronic components can be suppressed, incomplete melting of the solder can be suppressed, and the specific test point can be covered with solder. Therefore, contact failures when inspection instruments such as contact probes come into contact with the test point can be suppressed, damage can be suppressed, and accurate inspections can be performed, thereby improving the reliability of the gaming machine.

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted,
The aforementioned multiple substrates are
The system includes a specific control board (main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, payout control board 633, power supply board 630, etc.) on which microprocessors (main control MPU 1310a, payout control MPU 633aa, display control MPU, etc.) that perform processing related to gameplay are mounted.
The specific control board includes:
Ground plane (ground plane, PCB ground, GND),
Multiple through-holes (through-holes 1310r, 1510r) are formed,
Among the plurality of through-holes, a plurality of specific through-holes (such as the ground (GND) line through-holes 1310r, 1510r, etc. provided in the solid pattern) are used as test points (check terminals) used for inspecting electronic components mounted on the specific control board.
The special test point (ground line test point) among the multiple test points comprises an insulating section from which the copper foil has been removed (insulating section 1310w, 1510i) and a conductive section connected to the solid ground with remaining copper foil (thermal pattern 1310v, 1510v).
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, a plurality of specific through-holes formed on a specific control board are used as test points for inspecting electronic components mounted on the specific control board. Furthermore, since the special test points among these test points are configured to include an insulating portion where the copper foil has been removed and a conductive portion connected to a ground plane with remaining copper foil, the temperature drop during electronic component mounting can be suppressed compared to the case where the test points are connected to a ground plane without an insulating portion where the copper foil has been removed. Additionally, the rigidity of the specific control board can be strengthened by melting solder and welding it into the interior of the specific through-holes.

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted,
On the front surface (mounting surface 1310x) of the main control board (main control board 1310), which includes a main control means (main control MPU 1310a) that performs processing related to the progress of the game, surface mount type electronic components (e.g., IC 1) and through-hole type electronic components (e.g., capacitor MC1) are mounted,
Ground plane (ground plane, PCB ground, GND),
Multiple through-holes (through-hole 1310r) are formed,
The aforementioned multiple through holes are
The mounting through-holes into which the aforementioned through-hole type electronic components are mounted (for example, the through-hole 1310r into which the lead terminal MC1a of a lead-type (through-hole type) capacitor MC1 is inserted and soldered),
It has an unmounted through-hole (a through-hole 1310r into which lead terminals of a leaded type (insertion-mount type) component are not inserted and soldered) where the aforementioned through-hole type electronic component is not mounted,
Among the aforementioned mounting through-holes, a specific mounting through-hole (the ground-side land of the through-hole 1310r into which the lead terminal MC1a of a lead-type (insertion-type) capacitor MC1 is inserted and soldered) comprises a specific insulating portion (insulating portion 1310w) from which the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a specific conductive portion (thermal pattern 1310v) from which the surrounding copper foil remains and which is connected to the ground plane.
Among the aforementioned non-mounted through-holes, the special non-mounted through-hole (a through-hole 1310r of a ground (GND) line provided in a solid ground) comprises a special insulating portion (insulating portion 1310w) from which the copper foil has been removed from the surrounding area, and a special conductive portion (thermal pattern 1310v) from which the copper foil remains and which is connected to the solid ground.
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, a specific mounting through-hole, where an insertion-type electronic component is mounted, is configured with a specific insulating portion from which the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a specific conductive portion from which the surrounding copper foil remains and is connected to the ground plane. Similarly, a special non-mounted through-hole, where no insertion-type electronic component is mounted, is configured with a special insulating portion from which the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a special conductive portion from which the surrounding copper foil remains and is connected to the ground plane. As a result, temperature drops during electronic component mounting are suppressed, incomplete solder melting is prevented, and solder can enter and weld into the specific mounting through-hole and special non-mounted through-hole. This increases the rigidity of the main control board, suppresses warping and bending, and thus prevents mounted electronic components from falling off and copper foil from peeling, improving the reliability of the gaming machine.

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted,
The system includes specific control boards (main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510, dispensing control board 633, power supply board 630, etc.) which have a solid ground (solid pattern, substrate ground, GND) and whose entire surface is covered with an insulating film (solder resist),
On the surface of the specific control board (mounting surface 1310x, surface (mounting surface) 1510x),
The copper foil portion not covered by the insulating film includes a mounting portion (through-holes and pads on which the electronic components are mounted) where the electronic components are mounted,
The copper foil portion not covered by the insulating film has non-mounted portions (through-holes or pads where electronic components are not mounted) where the electronic components are not mounted.
The specific mounting portion of the aforementioned mounting portion comprises a specific insulating portion (insulating portion 1310w, 1510i) from which the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a specific conductive portion (thermal pattern 1310v, 1510v) that is connected to the ground plane and from which the surrounding copper foil remains.
The special non-mounted portion among the non-mounted portions comprises a special insulating portion (insulating portion 1310w, 1510i) from which the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a special conductive portion (thermal pattern 1310v, 1510v) that is connected to the ground plane and from which the surrounding copper foil remains.
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, the surface of the specific control board is formed with a mounting area where electronic components are mounted on copper foil portions not covered by an insulating film, and a non-mounted area where electronic components are not mounted on copper foil portions not covered by an insulating film. The specific mounting area of the mounting section is configured with a specific insulating area where the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a specific conductive area connected to a ground plane with the surrounding copper foil remaining. The special non-mounted area of the non-mounted section is configured with a special insulating area where the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a special conductive area connected to a ground plane with the surrounding copper foil remaining. As a result, temperature drops during electronic component mounting are suppressed, incomplete solder melting is prevented, and solder is welded to the specific mounting area and the special non-mounted area, increasing the rigidity of the specific control board. Warping and bending are suppressed, thus preventing mounted electronic components from falling off and copper foil from peeling, improving the reliability of the gaming machine.

A gaming machine having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted,
It includes a specific control board (main control board 1310, peripheral control board 1510) having a solid ground (solid pattern, substrate ground, GND),
On the front surface (mounting surface 1310x, top surface (mounting surface) 1510x) of the specific control board,
The mounting area on which the aforementioned electronic components are mounted (through-holes and pads on which the electronic components are mounted),
A non-mounted portion (through-holes or pads where electronic components are not mounted) is formed where the aforementioned electronic components are not mounted.
The specific mounting portion of the aforementioned mounting portion comprises a specific insulating portion (insulating portion 1310w, 1510i) from which the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a specific conductive portion (thermal pattern 1310v, 1510v) connected to the ground plane and with the surrounding copper foil remaining.
The special non-mounted portion of the aforementioned non-mounted portion comprises a special insulating portion (insulating portion 1310w, 1510i) from which the surrounding copper foil has been removed, and a special conductive portion (thermal pattern 1310v, 1510v) connected to the ground plane and in which the surrounding copper foil remains.
The aforementioned specific mounting portion is formed of a square-shaped copper foil portion (a rectangular thermal pad 1510k'),
The aforementioned special non-mounted portion is formed of a circular copper foil portion (a round (circular) thermal land 1510g' or thermal pad 1510k'),
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, the surface of a specific control board is formed with a mounting section where electronic components are mounted and a non-mounted section where electronic components are not mounted. The specific mounting section of the mounting section comprises a specific insulating section from which the surrounding copper foil has been removed and a specific conductive section connected to a ground plane with the surrounding copper foil remaining. The special non-mounted section of the non-mounted section comprises a special insulating section from which the surrounding copper foil has been removed and a special conductive section connected to a ground plane with the surrounding copper foil remaining. The specific mounting section is formed with a square-shaped copper foil section, and the special non-mounted section is formed with a circular copper foil section. As a result, the temperature drop during mounting of electronic components is suppressed, incomplete melting of the solder is suppressed, and solder can be welded to the specific mounting section and the special non-mounted section to increase the rigidity of the specific control board. Warping and bending are suppressed, which prevents mounted electronic components from falling off and copper foil from peeling off, thereby improving the reliability of the gaming machine. Furthermore, because the special non-mounted section, where no electronic components are mounted, is formed with a circular copper foil section, heat dissipation is uniform across the entire outer circumference. This reduces the likelihood of uneven temperature distribution in the special non-mounted section, preventing areas where the solder is incompletely melted and allowing for uniform soldering, thus increasing the rigidity of the specific control board.

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted,
The system includes a specific substrate (main control substrate 1310, peripheral control substrate 1510) having a solid ground (solid pattern, substrate ground, GND) and having substantially the entire surface of the surface covered with an insulating film (solder resist),
On the surface of the specific substrate (mounting surface 1310x, surface (mounting surface) 1510x),
The mounting junctions where electronic components are mounted (through-holes and pads on which electronic components are mounted),
Non-mountable joints where electronic components are not mounted (through-holes and pads where electronic components are not mounted),
A signal pattern (signal line, control signal line, signal wire, wiring pattern for signals) is formed on the front side of the substrate.
The specific non-mountable joint (ground line test point) among the non-mountable joints that connect to the ground plane comprises an insulating portion (insulating portion 1310w, 1510i) from which the copper foil has been removed, and a conductive portion (thermal pattern 1310v, 1510v) from which the copper foil remains and connects to the ground plane.
Of the aforementioned non-mountable joints, the special non-mountable joint (test point of the signal line) connected to the signal pattern on the surface of the substrate is covered at least in part with the insulating film (the outer edge 1310s1 of the land 1310s is covered with a green solder resist, which is an insulating film applied to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, and only a portion of the copper foil of the signal line is exposed).
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, the specific non-mounted joint that connects to the ground plane among the non-mounted joints where electronic components are not mounted is configured with an insulating portion from which the copper foil has been removed and a conductive portion from which the copper foil remains and connects to the ground plane. Therefore, the temperature drop during the mounting of electronic components is suppressed at the specific non-mounted joint, preventing incomplete melting of the solder. This allows solder to be welded to the specific non-mounted joint, increasing the rigidity of the specific substrate. This suppresses warping and bending, preventing mounted electronic components from falling off and preventing the surface-side signal patterns from peeling off, thereby improving the reliability of the gaming machine. Furthermore, the special non-mounted joint that connects to the surface-side signal patterns among the non-mounted joints where electronic components are not mounted is configured so that at least a portion is covered with an insulating film. Therefore, even if warping or bending occurs in the specific substrate, the insulating film prevents the special non-mounted joint connected to the surface-side signal patterns from peeling off, further improving the reliability of the gaming machine.

A gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted,
The system includes a specific substrate (main control substrate 1310, peripheral control substrate 1510) having a solid ground (solid pattern, substrate ground, GND) and where substantially the entire surface of the front substrate on which multiple electronic components are mounted is covered with an insulating film (solder resist),
On the surface of the specific substrate (mounting surface 1310x, surface (mounting surface) 1510x),
Multiple test points used to inspect the implemented electronic components (such as ground line test points and signal line test points),
A wiring pattern for signals on the front surface of the substrate (signal lines, control signal lines, signal lines, and wiring patterns for signals formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510) is formed,
A specific test point among the plurality of test points connected to the ground plane (a test point on the ground line) comprises an insulating portion (insulating portion 1310w, 1510i) where the surrounding copper foil is removed and solder cannot be welded, and a conductive portion (thermal pattern 1310v, 1510v) where the surrounding copper foil remains and solder can be welded.
A special test point (signal line test point) among the plurality of test points connected to the front-side signal wiring pattern comprises a front-side land portion (land 1310s) connected to the front-side signal wiring pattern, and a back-side land portion (land of a through-hole for a signal line formed on the back-side of the solder side of the main control board 1310 or the back-side (solder side) 1510y) of the peripheral control board 1510) connected to a back-side signal wiring pattern (signal line, control signal line, signal line, wiring pattern for a signal formed on the back-side of the main control board 1310 or the back-side (solder side) 1510y) of the peripheral control board 1510),
The aforementioned land portion on the surface of the substrate has a non-weldable portion (a certain range from the outer edge toward the center, which is covered with solder resist applied to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control substrate 1310) where at least a part of it is covered with the insulating film and solder cannot be welded to it.
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, a specific test point connected to a ground plane among multiple test points used for inspecting mounted electronic components is configured with an insulating portion where the surrounding copper foil is removed and solder cannot be welded, and a conductive portion where the surrounding copper foil remains and solder can be welded. A special test point connected to a signal wiring pattern on the front side of the circuit board is configured with a land portion on the front side of the circuit board connected to the signal wiring pattern on the front side of the circuit board, and a land portion on the back side of the circuit board connected to the signal wiring pattern on the back side of the circuit board. Since at least a portion of the land portion on the front side of the circuit board is covered with an insulating film to prevent solder from being welded, it becomes difficult to weld solder to the special test point, which is prone to tampering due to its connection to the signal wiring pattern on the front side of the circuit board. This suppresses the mounting of unauthorized electronic components to the special test point, thereby improving security against tampering with the electronic circuit board.

In a gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted, performing a symbol variation game based on the fulfillment of predetermined starting conditions, and awarding game profits according to the result of the symbol variation game,
A determination means (the part of the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a that determines whether the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value) is calculated based on the gaming benefits granted to the player,
When it is determined that the predetermined value has reached the specified value, the game suppression means (the part controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 to a stop state) controls subsequent gameplay in a suppression manner that is more suppressed than before it was determined that the predetermined value had reached the specified value,
A magnetic detection substrate (magnetic sensor substrate 1050b) on which a magnetic detection means (magnetic detection element MSD) capable of detecting magnetism is mounted,
The magnetic detection notification means is capable of notifying that the magnetic detection board has detected magnetism (a part that controls the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards of the door frame unit (such as the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3) to an abnormal illumination pattern, or/or a part that controls the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative boards provided on the game board 5 side to an abnormal illumination pattern (which may be off, or illuminated in a predetermined color (for example, red))),
The magnetic detection notification means does not notify that the magnetic detection board has detected a magnetism while the game suppression means is controlling the game in a suppressive manner.
The magnetic detection substrate is configured such that no marking sections (front side marking section, back side marking section) indicating part numbers that can identify mounted components are provided on either side of the substrate (front substrate surface and back substrate surface).
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, when a predetermined value is determined to have reached a specific value, subsequent gameplay is controlled in a suppressive manner. For example, by suppressing the granting of game benefits in subsequent games, the game can be stopped, thereby improving the proper management of game machines that have granted a large amount of game benefits. Furthermore, since the magnetic detection board does not notify when it detects magnetism during control in the suppressive manner by the game suppression means, power consumption can be reduced compared to cases where the magnetic detection board notifies when it detects magnetism even during control in the suppressive manner by the game suppression means. Also, while there is a risk of tampering with the magnetic detection board because it does not notify when it detects magnetism during control in the suppressive manner by the game suppression means, the magnetic detection board is configured so that no notation section with part numbers that can identify the components mounted on it is provided on either side of the board. This makes it difficult to understand the circuit of the magnetic detection board, thus suppressing tampering with the magnetic detection means mounted on the magnetic detection board.

In a gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted, performing a symbol variation game based on the fulfillment of predetermined starting conditions, and awarding game profits according to the result of the symbol variation game,
A determination means (the part of the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a that determines whether the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value) is calculated based on the gaming benefits granted to the player,
When it is determined that the predetermined value has reached the specified value, the game suppression means (the part in which the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 controls the game to a stop state) controls the subsequent game in a suppression manner,
A specific substrate (for example, a main control substrate 1310) in which an insulating film is formed over substantially the entire surface of the surface,
An anomaly detection means (for example, a door frame open switch or a main frame open switch) capable of detecting a specific anomaly (for example, a door open anomaly state in which the door frame 3 is opened relative to the main frame 4 or the main frame 4 is opened relative to the outer frame 2),
When the abnormality detection means detects a specific abnormality, it includes an abnormality control means capable of executing error control corresponding to the abnormality (a part that controls the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the door frame unit (such as the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3) to an abnormality notification illumination mode, or/or a part that controls the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates provided on the game board 5 side to an abnormality notification illumination mode (which may be off, or illuminated in a predetermined color (for example, red))),
The abnormality control means, while under control by the game suppression means in a suppression mode, does not execute error control corresponding to the abnormality even if the abnormality detection means detects the specific abnormality.
On the surface of the specified substrate, a specific electronic component (capacitor MC1) and a special electronic component (IC1) from among the plurality of electronic components are arranged adjacent to each other.
The specified electronic component has an exterior color (e.g., light blue) that is different from both the color of the insulating film formed on the surface of the specified substrate (e.g., green) and the color of the special electronic component (e.g., black).
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, when a predetermined value is determined to have reached a specific value, subsequent gameplay is controlled in a suppressive manner. For example, by suppressing the granting of game benefits in subsequent games, the game can be stopped, thereby improving the management of game machines that have granted large amounts of game benefits. Furthermore, during control in the suppressive manner by the game suppression means, even if the abnormality detection board detects a specific abnormality, it does not execute error control corresponding to that abnormality. Therefore, power consumption can be reduced compared to cases where error control corresponding to the abnormality is executed even during control in the suppressive manner by the game suppression means. Also, while there is a risk of tampering with a specific board because the abnormality detection board does not execute error control corresponding to a specific abnormality during control in the suppressive manner by the game suppression means, a specific electronic component with a different color from both the insulating film formed on the surface of the specific board and the color of the special electronic component is mounted near the special electronic component on the specific board. Therefore, when checking whether the specific board has been modified, the specific electronic component can be easily checked using the specific electronic component as a guide, making it easier to detect if the special electronic component has been modified with a fraudulent electronic component.

In a gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted, performing a symbol variation game based on the fulfillment of predetermined starting conditions, and awarding game profits according to the result of the symbol variation game,
A determination means (the part of the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a that determines whether the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value) is calculated based on the gaming benefits granted to the player,
When it is determined that the predetermined value has reached the specified value, the game suppression means (the part in which the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 controls the game to a stop state) controls the subsequent game in a suppression manner,
A specific substrate (for example, a main control board 1310) on which through-hole type electronic components and surface-mount type electronic components are mounted on the front surface,
The system includes an abnormality control means capable of executing error control corresponding to a specific abnormality (for example, a door-open abnormality state in which the door frame 3 is detected as being open relative to the main frame 4 or as being open relative to the outer frame 2), which controls the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the door frame unit (such as the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3) to an abnormality notification illumination mode, or/or a part that controls the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates provided on the game board 5 side to an abnormality notification illumination mode (which may be off or illuminated in a predetermined color (for example, red)).
The abnormality control means does not perform error control corresponding to the abnormality even if the specific abnormality occurs while the game suppression means is controlling the game in a suppressive manner.
A specific electronic component (an inserted-type capacitor MC1) from among the multiple inserted-type electronic components mounted on the surface of the specified substrate, and a special electronic component (a surface-mount type IC1) from among the multiple surface-mount type electronic components, are arranged adjacent to each other, separated by an area where electronic components cannot be mounted.
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, when it is determined that a predetermined value has reached a specific value, subsequent gameplay is controlled in a suppressive manner. For example, by suppressing the granting of game benefits in subsequent games, the game can be stopped, thereby improving the management of game machines that have granted a large amount of game benefits. Furthermore, during control in the suppressive manner by the game suppression means, even if the abnormality detection board detects a specific abnormality, it does not execute error control corresponding to that abnormality. Therefore, power consumption can be reduced compared to when error control corresponding to the abnormality is executed even during control in the suppressive manner by the game suppression means. In addition, even if the abnormality detection board detects a specific abnormality during control in the suppressive manner by the game suppression means, if an unauthorized act is committed against the specific board, the specific electronic component among the multiple insertion-mount type electronic components mounted on the surface surface of the specific board and the special electronic component among the multiple surface-mount type electronic components are arranged adjacent to each other with an electronic component mounting non-removable area in between. This increases the rigidity of the main control board with the specific electronic component, suppressing bending and warping of the main control board, and preventing surface-mount type electronic components from peeling off, thereby improving the reliability of the game machine.

In a gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted, performing a symbol variation game based on the fulfillment of predetermined starting conditions, and awarding game profits according to the result of the symbol variation game,
A determination means (the part of the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a that determines whether the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value) is calculated based on the gaming benefits granted to the player,
When it is determined that the predetermined value has reached the specified value, the game suppression means (the part in which the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 controls the game to a stop state) controls the subsequent game in a suppression manner,
A specific substrate (for example, a main control substrate 1310) in which almost the entire surface of the front substrate on which multiple electronic components are mounted is covered with an insulating film,
The system includes an abnormality control means capable of executing error control corresponding to a specific abnormality (for example, a door-open abnormality state in which the door frame 3 is detected as being open relative to the main frame 4 or as being open relative to the outer frame 2), which controls the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the door frame unit (such as the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3) to an abnormality notification illumination mode, or/or a part that controls the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates provided on the game board 5 side to an abnormality notification illumination mode (which may be off or illuminated in a predetermined color (for example, red)).
The abnormality control means does not perform error control corresponding to the abnormality even if the specific abnormality occurs while the game suppression means is controlling the game in a suppressive manner.
On the surface of the specified substrate, a wiring pattern for surface-side signals (signal lines, control signal lines, signal lines, and wiring patterns for signals formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310 and the surface (mounting surface) 1510x of the peripheral control board 1510) is formed, and multiple test points (such as ground line test points and signal line test points) are also formed.
A specific test point among the plurality of test points (a test point of a signal line formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310) is connected to the signal wiring pattern on the front surface of the board and has a non-solderable portion that is partially covered by the insulating film, making it impossible to weld solder to it (a certain range from the outer edge of the land 1310s of the through-hole 1310 formed as a test point of a signal line formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310, toward the center, and covered by solder resist that is solidly applied to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control board 1310).
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, when it is determined that a predetermined value has reached a specific value, subsequent gameplay is controlled in a suppressive manner. For example, by suppressing the granting of game benefits in subsequent games, it is possible to encourage the stopping of gameplay, thereby improving the management of game machines that have granted a large amount of game benefits. Furthermore, while the game suppression means is controlling the game in a suppressive manner, even if the abnormality detection board detects a specific abnormality, it does not execute error control corresponding to that abnormality. Therefore, power consumption can be reduced compared to when error control corresponding to the abnormality is executed even while the game suppression means is controlling the game in a suppressive manner. Furthermore, even if the abnormality detection board detects a specific abnormality during control by the game suppression mechanism, and does not execute error control corresponding to that abnormality, even if fraud is committed against a specific board, the specific test point connected to the signal wiring pattern on the front surface of the specific board is configured to have a non-solderable portion covered with an insulating film, making it difficult to solder to the specific test point that is easily targeted for fraud due to its connection to the signal wiring pattern on the front surface. This suppresses the mounting of unauthorized electronic components to the specific test point, thereby improving security against fraud against the specific board.

In a gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted, performing a symbol variation game based on the fulfillment of predetermined starting conditions, and awarding game profits according to the result of the symbol variation game,
A determination means (the part of the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a that determines whether the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value) is calculated based on the gaming benefits granted to the player,
When it is determined that the predetermined value has reached the specified value, the game suppression means (the part in which the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 controls the game to a stop state) controls the subsequent game in a suppression manner,
A specific substrate (for example, a main control substrate 1310) in which almost the entire surface of the front substrate on which multiple electronic components are mounted is covered with an insulating film,
The system includes an abnormality control means capable of executing error control corresponding to a specific abnormality (for example, a door-open abnormality state in which the door frame 3 is detected as being open relative to the main frame 4 or as being open relative to the outer frame 2), which controls the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the door frame unit (such as the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3) to an abnormality notification illumination mode, or/or a part that controls the illumination of various LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates provided on the game board 5 side to an abnormality notification illumination mode (which may be off or illuminated in a predetermined color (for example, red)).
The abnormality control means does not perform error control corresponding to the abnormality even if the specific abnormality occurs while the game suppression means is controlling the game in a suppressive manner.
On the surface of the said specific substrate,
Through-holes for mounting electronic components (through-holes on which electronic components are mounted),
Non-mounted through-holes (through-holes where no electronic components are mounted) are formed,
Among the aforementioned non-mounted through-holes, the special non-mounted through-hole (a through-hole formed as a test point for a signal line) has a front-side land (land 1310s) that is electrically connected to the front-side wiring pattern, and a back-side land (a land for a signal line through-hole formed on the solder side 1310 of the main control board 1310) that is electrically connected to the back-side wiring pattern.
The outer edge of the land on the surface of the substrate is covered with the insulating film (the outer edge of the land 1310s of the through-hole 1310, which is formed as a test point for a signal line formed on the mounting surface 1310x of the main control substrate 1310, is covered with solder resist that is applied solidly to the mounting surface 1310x of the main control substrate 1310).
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, when it is determined that a predetermined value has reached a specific value, subsequent gameplay is controlled in a suppressive manner. For example, by suppressing the granting of game benefits in subsequent games, it is possible to encourage the stopping of gameplay, thereby improving the proper management of game machines that have granted a large amount of game benefits. Furthermore, while the game suppression means is controlling the game in a suppressive manner, even if the abnormality detection board detects a specific abnormality, it does not execute error control corresponding to that abnormality. Therefore, power consumption can be reduced compared to when error control corresponding to the abnormality is executed even while the game suppression means is controlling the game in a suppressive manner. Furthermore, even if the abnormality detection board detects a specific abnormality during control in a suppression mode by the game suppression means, and does not execute error control corresponding to that abnormality, even if fraud is committed against a specific board, the special non-mounted through-hole, which has a front-side land electrically connected to the front-side wiring pattern and a back-side land electrically connected to the back-side wiring pattern, is configured so that the outer edge of the front-side land is covered with an insulating film. This makes it difficult to solder to the front-side land of the special non-mounted through-hole, which is easily targeted for fraud by being connected to the front-side signal wiring pattern, thereby suppressing the mounting of fraudulent electronic components to the front-side land of the special non-mounted through-hole and improving security against fraud against specific boards.

In a gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted, performing a symbol variation game based on the fulfillment of predetermined starting conditions, and awarding game profits according to the result of the symbol variation game,
A determination means (the part of the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a that determines whether the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value) is calculated based on the gaming benefits granted to the player,
When it is determined that the predetermined value has reached the specified value, a game suppression means (the part controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 to a stop state) controls the game to a suppression state that suppresses the progress of the game thereafter,
A specific light-emitting substrate (for example, various decorative substrates of a door frame unit (such as the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3)) in which substantially the entire surface of the front substrate on which multiple light-emitting elements are mounted is covered with an insulating film,
The system includes a light-emitting control means for controlling a plurality of light-emitting elements mounted on the specific light-emitting substrate (the peripheral control IC 1510a of the peripheral control board 1510 controls LEDs mounted on various decorative substrates of the door frame unit),
The light emission control means controls a plurality of light emitters mounted on the specific light emission substrate to a manner corresponding to the suppression state (for example, a manner in which they light up in white or red (which does not necessarily have to be flashing)) while the suppression state is being controlled by the game suppression means.
The specified light-emitting substrate includes:
The signal wiring pattern on the surface of door frame unit,
The signal wiring pattern on the back of the circuit board (signal lines formed on the back of the various decorative circuit boards of the door frame unit) and
A through-hole is formed that connects the front-side land (land for signal line through-holes formed on the front surface of various decorative substrates of the door frame unit) which is electrically connected to the front-side signal wiring pattern, and the back-side land (land for signal line through-holes formed on the back surface of various decorative substrates of the door frame unit) which is electrically connected to the back-side signal wiring pattern,
Of the through-holes formed on the specified light-emitting substrate, the specified through-holes on which no electronic components, including the light-emitting element, are mounted (through-holes on which no electronic components are mounted) have a specified surface-side land that is covered at least in part with the insulating film (a certain range from the outer edge of the land of a through-hole provided on a signal line and on which no electronic components are mounted, toward the center, and which is covered with solder resist that is applied in a solid layer to the surface of the various decorative substrates of the door frame unit).
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, when a predetermined value is determined to have reached a specific value, subsequent gameplay is controlled in a suppressive manner. For example, by suppressing the granting of game benefits in subsequent games, the game can be encouraged to stop, thereby improving the management of game machines that have granted large amounts of game benefits. Furthermore, during control in a suppressive manner by the game suppression means, among the through-holes formed on a specific light-emitting substrate on which multiple light-emitting elements controlled according to the suppression state are mounted, specific through-holes where electronic components including light-emitting elements are not mounted are formed to have a specific surface-side land that is at least partially covered with an insulating film. This allows for uniformity of reflectivity on the surface of the specific light-emitting substrate, making it possible to control the multiple light-emitting elements mounted on the specific light-emitting substrate in a manner according to the suppression state, resulting in uniform and efficient illumination. This makes it easier for players to notice that control in a suppressive manner by the game suppression means is in progress.

In a gaming machine (pachinko machine 1, slot machine, etc.) having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted, performing a symbol variation game based on the fulfillment of predetermined starting conditions, and awarding game profits according to the result of the symbol variation game,
A determination means (the part of the main control board 1310's main control MPU 1310a that determines whether the amount of balls dispensed has reached a specific value) is calculated based on the gaming benefits granted to the player,
When it is determined that the predetermined value has reached the specified value, a game suppression means (the part controlled by the main control MPU 1310a of the main control board 1310 to a stop state) controls the game to a suppression state that suppresses the progress of the game thereafter,
It comprises multiple light-emitting substrates on which multiple light-emitting elements are mounted (for example, substrates on which multiple LEDs are mounted on door frame units (such as the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on door frame 3, etc.), and substrates on which multiple LEDs are mounted on the game board 5 side),
During the control of the suppression state by the game suppression means, multiple light-emitting elements mounted on a specific light-emitting substrate (for example, a substrate provided on a door frame unit (such as the door frame left side unit 420, door frame right side unit 430, plate unit 200, and door frame top unit 450 provided on the door frame 3) on which multiple LEDs are mounted) and a special light-emitting substrate (for example, the back-rear-upper first decorative substrate of the information display on the back-rear-upper movable decorative body 3210) on which substantially the entire surface of the surface of the multiple light-emitting substrates is covered with a white insulating film, are controlled to emit light in a manner corresponding to the suppression state.
The special light-emitting substrate is
The signal wiring pattern on the front surface of the front surface of the front surface of the front surface of the front surface of the front surface of the first rear-upper decorative substrate of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210,
A signal wiring pattern on the back surface of the back board (for example, a signal line formed on the back surface of the first decorative board on the back of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210),
The surface has a front-surface-side land that is electrically connected to the front-surface-side signal wiring pattern (for example, a land of a through-hole provided in a signal line formed on the front surface of the back-rear-upper first decorative substrate of the information display of the back-rear-upper movable decorative body 3210), and a through-hole that connects the back-surface-side land that is electrically connected to the back-surface-side signal wiring pattern (for example, a land of a through-hole provided in a signal line formed on the back surface of the back-rear-upper first decorative substrate of the information display of the back-rear-upper movable decorative body 3210),
Of the through-holes formed on the special light-emitting substrate, special through-holes on which no electronic components including the light-emitting element are mounted (for example, through-holes in the signal lines formed on the first decorative substrate on the back of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, on which no electronic components including an LED are mounted) have a special front substrate side land that is covered at least a part of the insulating film (a land of a through-hole on which no electronic components including an LED are mounted, in the signal lines formed on the first decorative substrate on the back of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, on which no electronic components including an LED are mounted, and which has a portion covered with solder resist that is solidly applied to the front substrate surface of the various decorative substrates of the door frame unit, within a certain range from the outer peripheral edge toward the center of the land).
It is characterized by the following:

According to the above invention, when a predetermined value is determined to have reached a specific value, subsequent gameplay is controlled in a suppressive manner. For example, by suppressing the granting of game benefits in subsequent games, the game can be stopped, thereby improving the proper management of game machines that have granted a large amount of game benefits. Furthermore, during control in a suppressive manner by the game suppression means, a special through-hole is formed on a special light-emitting substrate, on which substantially the entire surface of the front surface of the substrate is covered with a green or black insulating film. This special through-hole, on which electronic components including light-emitting elements are not mounted, is formed so that at least a portion of it has a land on the special front surface covered with an insulating film. This allows for uniformity of reflectivity on the front surface of the special light-emitting substrate, and also suppresses the reflection of light from light-emitting elements mounted on substrates other than the special light-emitting substrate from the front surface of the special light-emitting substrate. Therefore, during control in a suppressive manner by the game suppression means, it is possible to prevent the misconception that multiple light-emitting elements mounted on the front surface of the special light-emitting substrate are emitting light.

[Modified examples of the luminous decorative part]
Next, a modified example of the luminous decorative unit detachably provided on the game board 5 will be described in detail with reference to Figures 404 to 409. Figure 404 is a front view showing the game board 5 with the rear front left decorative unit 3120 and the rear rear lower performance unit 3300 attached. As shown in Figure 404, the game board 5 has a plurality of luminous decorative units, and in this embodiment, the luminous decorative units are, for example, the rear front left decorative unit 3120 and the rear rear lower performance unit 3300 described above.

The rear lower display unit 3300 is mounted in the central and lower part of the game board 5 in the vertical direction. As described above, the rear lower display unit 3300 has a rear left movable decorative element 3301 and a rear right movable decorative element 3302 that are adjacent to each other on the left and right. The base ends of the rear left movable decorative element 3301 and the rear right movable decorative element 3302 are supported so that they can rotate around an axis in the front-rear direction and move up and down.

The rear lower display unit 3300 is retracted to a position difficult for the player to see in the normal state of the pachinko machine 1, and is deployed to a position easily visible to the player in specific situations, such as when a specific display occurs or when the power is turned on. When the rear lower display unit 3300 is deployed to its deployment position, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 rotate and rise around their base ends, causing the right side of the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the left side of the rear right movable decorative body 3302 to come into contact with each other. In this embodiment, a large decorative body with the letter "A" in its design appears in the center of the game board 5. Note that the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and the rear right movable decorative body 3302 have the same configuration; therefore, only the rear left movable decorative body 3301 will be described in detail below.

Figure 405 is an exploded perspective view showing the rear left movable decorative body 3301 of the rear lower effect unit 3300. As shown in Figure 405, the rear left movable decorative body 3301 of the rear lower effect unit 3300 has a rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 on which a plurality of LEDs 3315a are mounted on the front mounting surface, and a storage section 3316 in which the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 is housed.

The rear-left movable decorative circuit board 3315 has multiple full-color LEDs 3315a mounted on its front mounting surface, which is positioned to face the player. The multiple LEDs 3315a may include, for example, wide-angle top-view type LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle range around a light axis perpendicular to the front, or wide-angle side-view type LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle range around a horizontal light axis, or they may include not only wide-angle top-view type LEDs and wide-angle side-view type LEDs, but also standard top-view type LEDs and standard side-view type LEDs.

Furthermore, the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 is coated with white solder resist (protective material), and a notation area (not shown) is formed to indicate the mounting positions of the multiple LEDs 3315a and the part numbers of the LEDs 3315a. It is desirable that the notation area be silk-screen printed in a color such as yellow, with a brightness close to that of the white solder resist, and together with the white solder resist, this can suppress uneven illumination on the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315. From this viewpoint, it is preferable that no other electronic components other than the multiple LEDs 3315a are mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315.

The storage section 3316 comprises a case body 3317 formed from transparent resin in a box shape with an open rear, and a cover body 3318 formed from transparent resin in a plate shape. The case body 3317 has a front portion 3317a facing the player, and a plate-shaped side wall portion 3317b formed along the end of the front portion 3317a and extending rearward from the front portion 3317a.

The front portion 3317a of the case body 3317 may be plated, decorated, or otherwise processed, and the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is designed to display a design such as letters or characters (in this example, a design that is a stylized "A"). Furthermore, the front portion 3317a may be entirely light-transmitting in the area where light is shone from the multiple LEDs 3315a mounted on the front mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315, or it may be a mixture of light-transmitting and light-impermeable parts. The light-transmitting parts may be colorless and transparent, or colored and transparent. Furthermore, the light-transmitting parts may be processed to diffuse light, such as by lens cutting, or they may not be processed to diffuse light. Furthermore, the device may also be configured to include a light-transmitting member (such as a diffusion lens) between the front portion 3317a and the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315. In this case, the light-transmitting member and the case body 3317 may be formed as a single unit to create a double-layered structure, or the light-transmitting member and the case body 3317 may be formed as separate components.

Inside the case body 3317, the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 is positioned so that its front mounting surface faces the front portion 3317a. The positioned rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 is then attached to the case body 3317 by fastening members such as screws or bolts. After this, the cover body 3318 is attached to the case body 3317 by fastening members such as screws or bolts to cover the open rear surface of the case body 3317 to which the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 is attached.

The cover body 3318 is formed in a plate shape according to the shape of the case body 3317. That is, in this example, just as the case body 3317 is formed according to the shape of a part of the design depicting the letter "A" (the left side of the design depicting the letter "A"), the cover body 3318 is also formed according to the shape of a part of the design depicting the letter "A" (the left side of the design depicting the letter "A"). Furthermore, the cover body 3318 has a first opening 3318a formed while leaving the edge of the cover body 3318 intact, and a second opening 3318b formed by cutting out a part of the edge of the cover body 3318.

Figure 406(a) is a rear view showing the back of the rear left movable decorative element 3301 of the rear lower display unit 3300, and Figure 406(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 406(a). As shown in Figure 406(a), several electronic components other than the LED 3315a are mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315. These several electronic components include, for example, an LED driver 3315b that controls the illumination of the multiple LEDs 3315a, a resistor 3315c that dissipates power as heat, and a connector 3315d used for external connection. The LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, and connector 3315d may generate heat when the LEDs 3315a are illuminated.

The first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b of the cover body 3318 are formed according to the positions of the heat-generating electronic components, namely the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, and connector 3315d, which are mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315. In a rear view of the rear-left movable decorative body 3301, it is preferable that the inner diameter is larger than the outer diameter of the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d. More preferably, the opening is formed to surround the LED driver 3315b and resistor 3315c, which are partially and densely mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315, with a predetermined spacing.

In the rear left movable decorative body 3301 described above, when multiple LEDs 3315a light up, the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, and connector 3315d dissipate heat, and some of the warmed air inside the storage section 3316 is released to the outside of the storage section 3316 through the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b. However, in conventional pachinko machines 1, air stagnates inside the storage section of the rear left movable decorative body 3301, making it difficult to effectively release the air warmed by the heat dissipation of the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, and connector 3315d when multiple LEDs 3315a light up to the outside. For example, the temperature of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 may rise, causing multiple LEDs 3315a to light up incorrectly, which may cause disadvantage to players and the gaming halls where the gaming machines are installed, and ultimately reduce the reliability of the gaming machine. Furthermore, when attaching the rear left movable decorative element 3301 to the rear lower performance unit 3300, or when attaching the rear lower performance unit 3300 to the game board 5, there is a risk that the worker's hand may come into contact with the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d through the first opening 3318a or the second opening 3318b. For example, if the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d comes into contact with the worker's hand, it may be damaged, causing multiple LEDs 3315a to light up incorrectly, potentially causing harm to players and the game hall where the game machine is installed, and ultimately reducing the reliability of the game machine. The following describes a modified version of the rear left movable decorative element 3301 with the aim of resolving these problems.

As shown in Figure 406(b), in this embodiment, the rear-left movable decorative element 3301 has a cover body 3318 attached to the case body 3317 such that a predetermined gap S1 is formed between the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 and the cover body 3318. Specifically, the front (inner surface) of the cover body 3318 has multiple contact portions 3318c that extend toward and abut against the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315. When the cover body 3318 is attached to the case body 3317, the multiple contact portions 3318c abut against the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315, thereby forming a predetermined gap S1 between the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 and the cover body 3318.

The contact portion 3318c of the cover body 3318 only needs to have a height equal to the predetermined interval S1 from the front (inner surface) of the cover body 3318. For example, it may be formed in a cylindrical shape or a rectangular prism shape. Furthermore, when fixing the cover body 3318 to the case body 3317, or when fixing the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 to the case body 3317, fixing members such as screws or bolts may be inserted through the contact portion 3318c.

Figure 407 is a perspective view showing a portion of the back surface of the rear left movable decorative element 3301 of the rear lower performance unit 3300. As shown in Figure 407, the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative element substrate 3315 has a first area display section 3315f indicating the area corresponding to the first opening 3318a, and a second area display section 3315g indicating the area corresponding to the second opening 3318b, formed when certain conditions are met. The specific conditions are that a predetermined amount of light is shone on the back surface of the rear left movable decorative element 3301. For example, when attaching the rear left movable decorative element 3301 to the rear lower performance unit 3300, or when attaching the rear lower performance unit 3300 to the game board 5, the back surface of the rear left movable decorative element 3301 is facing upwards when the worker views the back surface of the rear left movable decorative element 3301, and the back surface of the rear left movable decorative element 3301 is shone with light from the work area's lighting.

In the rear left movable decorative body 3301 of this embodiment, when light is shone on the back of the rear left movable decorative body 3301, such as when an operator looks at the back of the rear left movable decorative body 3301 in order to attach the rear lower display unit 3300 to the game board 5, a first area display section 3315f is formed on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 by a shadow corresponding to the edge of the first opening 3318a, and a second area display section 3315g is formed by a shadow corresponding to the edge of the second opening 3318b. These first area display section 3315f and second area display section 3315g can inform the operator that the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b are formed on the back of the rear left movable decorative body 3301. Therefore, contact between the worker's hand and the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative board 3315 via the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b is reduced. This prevents damage to the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d, which could cause the rear left movable decorative board 3315 to malfunction and cause harm to players or the gaming halls where the gaming machines are installed. Ultimately, this helps to prevent a decrease in the reliability of the gaming machines.

Preferably, the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 is coated with white solder resist (protective material) on both the front mounting surface and the back mounting surface. The white solder resist coated on the back mounting surface has a high contrast with the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g formed on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 due to the shadows of the edges of the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b. Therefore, when certain conditions are met on the rear left movable decorative body 3301, the operator can easily see the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g. Therefore, contact between the worker's hand and the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative board 3315 via the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b is further reduced. This prevents damage to the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d, which could cause malfunction of the rear left movable decorative board 3315 and result in disadvantages for players and the gaming halls where the gaming machines are installed, and ultimately helps to prevent a decrease in the reliability of the gaming machines.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 has markings indicating the position, orientation, and part numbers of electronic components other than the LED 3315a, such as the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d, printed in a light color such as yellow or pink using silk screen printing. The light-colored markings, along with the white solder resist coated on the back mounting surface, provide a high contrast with the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g formed on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315. This makes it even easier for the operator to visually identify the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g when certain conditions are met on the rear left movable decorative body 3301.

Furthermore, on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315, markings indicating the position, orientation, and part numbers of other electronic components excluding the LED 3315a, such as the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d, may be silk-screen printed in a dark color such as brown or black. Preferably, these dark markings are formed in a position that overlaps with the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g formed on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315. By forming these dark markings overlapping the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g, the contrast with the white solder resist coated on the back mounting surface can be increased, making it even easier for the operator to visually identify the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g when certain conditions are met on the rear left movable decorative body 3301.

Other electronic components besides the LED 3315a, such as the LED driver 3315b, resistors 3315c, or connectors 3315d, preferably those such as resistors 3315c mounted in multiples near the LED driver 3315b, have dark-colored exteriors (such as brown or black) and are preferably mounted in a position that overlaps with the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g. Such resistors with dark exteriors, when formed with the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g overlapping, can achieve greater contrast with the white solder resist coated on the back mounting surface. This makes it even easier for the operator to visually confirm the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g when certain conditions are met on the rear left movable decorative body 3301.

The cover body 3318 may be formed to be opaque or colored transparent, but it is preferable that it be formed to be colorless and transparent from the viewpoint of visibility of the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g formed on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315. For example, if the cover body 3318 is opaque, the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g will be formed larger on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315. However, the cover body 3318 itself may obstruct the visibility of the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g. Furthermore, if the cover body 3318 is colored and opaque, the cover body 3318 and the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g will become integrated, potentially obstructing the visibility of the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g. Therefore, it is preferable that the cover body 3318 be formed to be colorless and transparent, thereby reducing the risk of obstructing the visibility of the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g.

Furthermore, the thickness of the cover body 3318 is preferably in the range of, for example, 0.2 mm to 4.0 mm. Assuming that the electronic components mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 are exposed without protruding through the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b, for example, the mounting height of the tallest electronic component mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 is 1.9 mm (SOP type IC), and the mounting height of the shortest electronic component mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 is 0.2 mm (JIS standard 0402 type chip capacitor, chip resistor, etc.). Therefore, the thickness of the cover body 3318 is preferably 1.9 mm or more, ignoring the gap S spacing S1, but may be formed to be less than 1.9 mm, taking into consideration the size of the gap S spacing S1 described later. Furthermore, the width of the shadow of the first opening 3318a or the second opening 3318b, which forms the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315, is proportional to the thickness of the cover body 3318. From the viewpoint that visibility decreases if the width is excessively small, and that the range indicated by the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g becomes unclear if the width is excessively large, the thickness of the cover body 3318 is more preferably in the range of, for example, 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm.

The cover body 3318 is preferably configured such that the edges forming the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b are chamfered in a flat or curved shape. By chamfering the edges of the cover body 3318 that form the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b, light is diffusely reflected at the edges of the cover body 3318. This further reduces the brightness of the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g formed on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315, thereby further improving the visibility of the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g.

The gap S1 formed between the cover body 3318 and the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 is preferably larger than the height from the back mounting surface of electronic components such as the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315. This prevents the tips of the electronic components mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 from protruding outside the rear left movable decorative body 3301 through the first opening 3318a or the second opening 3318b. For example, when stacking multiple rear left movable decorative bodies 3301 before they are attached to the game board 5, it is possible to prevent electronic components such as the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d from coming into contact with something outside the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and being damaged. Furthermore, since the connector 3315d is taller than the LED driver 3315b and resistor 3315c from the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315, the gap S1 formed between the cover body 3318 and the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 may be smaller than the height of the connector 3315d from the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315.

The gap S1 formed between the cover body 3318 and the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 is preferably in the range of 0.2 mm to 7.0 mm. Assuming that the electronic components mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 are exposed without protruding from the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b, for example, if the mounting height of the tallest electronic component mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 is 1.9 mm (SOP type IC) and the mounting height of the shortest electronic component mounted on the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 is 0.2 mm (JIS standard 0402 type chip capacitor or chip resistor, etc.), then the gap S1 should be 0.2 mm or more. Furthermore, the width of the shadow of the first opening 3318a or the second opening 3318b, which forms the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315, is inversely proportional to the gap S1. From the viewpoint that visibility decreases if the gap is excessively small, and that the range indicated by the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g becomes unclear if the gap is excessively large, it is more preferable that the gap S1 is in the range of, for example, 1.0 mm to 6.0 mm.

In this embodiment, in order to improve the visibility of the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g, the thickness of the cover body 3318 and the gap S spacing S1 are formed with appropriate values relative to the inner diameter of the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b. More specifically, for example, if the gap S spacing S1 is 0.2 mm, the thickness of the cover body 3318 is 1.7 mm or more so that the electronic components do not protrude from the cover body 3318. However, if the gap S spacing S1 is 0.2 mm, the cover body 3318 and the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 are too close together, so there is a risk that the first area display section 3315f and the second area display section 3315g may not be visible. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the first area display unit 3315f or the second area display unit 3315g indicates an area where two SOP-type ICs are mounted side by side, the gap S spacing S1 may be 4.0 mm and the thickness of the cover body 3318 may be 2.0 mm, or the gap S spacing S1 may be 6.0 mm and the thickness of the cover body 3318 may be 3.0 mm.

In this embodiment, the cover body 3318 has been described as being formed in a plate shape and arranged parallel to the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315. However, the cover body 3318 may also be configured to have a partially inclined surface that is inclined with respect to the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 at the positions where the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b are formed. This can improve the visibility of the first area display section 3315f, which is formed by the shadow corresponding to the edge of the first opening 3318a, and the second area display section 3315g, which is formed by the shadow corresponding to the edge of the second opening 3318b. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b are formed by vertically cutting out the cover body 3318. However, the cover body 3318 may also be cut out so that the inner surfaces of the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b are inclined relative to the front and rear surfaces of the cover body 3318. This configuration can improve the visibility of the first area display section 3315f, formed by the shadow corresponding to the edge of the first opening 3318a, and the second area display section 3315g, formed by the shadow corresponding to the edge of the second opening 3318b.

Furthermore, the contact portion 3318c formed on the cover body 3318 may be formed in a shape similar to a weight, for example, by providing a positioning hole in the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 and a projection on the upper part of the support column that is inserted into the positioning hole. In addition to the effect of regulating the distance S1 between the cover body 3318 and the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315, this also facilitates the positioning of the cover body 3318 relative to the case body 3317.

From the viewpoint of improving the stability when the cover body 3318 is attached to the case body 3317, it is preferable that the cover body 3318 has a plurality of contact portions 3318c formed thereon. The plurality of contact portions 3318c are formed so as to surround the periphery of the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b, and together with the first area display portion 3315f formed by the shadow corresponding to the edge of the first opening 3318a and the second area display portion 3315g formed by the shadow corresponding to the edge of the second opening 3318b, they can inform the worker that the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b are formed on the back surface of the rear left movable decorative body 3301. Therefore, the possibility of the worker's hand coming into contact with the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 via the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b is further reduced. Furthermore, if it is difficult to form the multiple contact portions 33318c so as to surround the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b, they may be formed between the openings of the first opening 3318a and the second opening 3318b, thereby improving the strength of the cover body 3318.

Furthermore, multiple ribs perpendicular to the side wall portion 3317b may be formed on the side wall portion 3317b of the case body 3317. When multiple ribs are formed on the inner surface of the side wall portion 3317b, the strength of the case body 3317 can be increased. Additionally, the multiple ribs, formed with a semi-circular pattern, act as a lenticular lens, allowing the side wall portion 3317b to function as a light diffuse reflector for the LED 3315a mounted on the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315. When multiple ribs are formed on the outer surface of the side wall portion 3317b, in addition to increasing the strength of the case body 3317, the outer surface area of the side wall portion 3317b can be increased, thereby improving heat dissipation.

Furthermore, the case body 3317 and cover body 3318 may be configured such that, for example, a flat cover body 3318 with the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 attached is attached to the case body 3317; or a cover body 3318 is attached to a U-shaped case body 3317 with the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 attached; or an opening may be provided on the front portion 3317a side of the U-shaped case body 3317, and the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 may be attached to the case body 3317 side so that electronic components such as the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, and connector 3315d face the opening (in this configuration, the cover body 3318 may be formed as a flat plate without an opening).

Figure 408 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 406. As shown in Figure 408, the multiple openings (three first openings 3318a and one second opening 3318b) formed in the cover body 3318 are in communication with each other through a gap S formed between the cover body 3318 and the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315. Therefore, in the rear left movable decorative body 3301 of this embodiment, when electronic components such as the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d generate heat, the warmed air in the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is released to the outside through one opening, and outside air flows into the rear left movable decorative body 3301 through the other opening, creating an airflow within the rear left movable decorative body 3301. As a result, air stagnation within the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is suppressed, and the heat generated by the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, and connector 3315d when multiple LEDs 3315a are illuminated can be effectively dissipated to the outside. For example, this prevents the temperature of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 from rising, which could cause multiple LEDs 3315a to malfunction and cause harm to players or the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed, and ultimately suppresses a decrease in the reliability of the gaming machine.

The three first openings 3318a and the one second opening 3318b are formed in the cover body 3318 such that at least a portion of them overlap in the vertical direction. Therefore, in the rear left movable decorative body 3301 of this embodiment, when electronic components such as the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d generate heat, the warmed air in the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is released to the outside through the upper first opening 3318a, and outside air flows into the rear left movable decorative body 3301 through the lower second opening 33319b, creating an airflow from bottom to top within the rear left movable decorative body 3301 as shown by the arrows in the figure. As a result, air stagnation within the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is more effectively suppressed, and the heat generated by the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, and connector 3315d when multiple LEDs 3315a are illuminated can be effectively dissipated to the outside. For example, this prevents the temperature of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 from rising, which could cause multiple LEDs 3315a to malfunction and cause harm to players or the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed, and ultimately suppresses a decrease in the reliability of the gaming machine.

The second opening 3318b is integrally formed with a notch 3317c, which is a cutout in a portion of the side wall 3317b of the case body 3317. Therefore, when electronic components such as the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d generate heat, and the warmed air from the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is released to the outside through the upper first opening 3318a, more outside air can be allowed to flow into the rear left movable decorative body 3301 through the lower second opening 3319b, creating an airflow from bottom to top within the rear left movable decorative body 3301, as indicated by the arrows in the figure. As a result, air stagnation within the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is more effectively suppressed, and the heat generated by the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, and connector 3315d when multiple LEDs 3315a are lit can be effectively dissipated to the outside.

Furthermore, since the second opening 3318b is integrally formed with a notch 3317c, which is a cutout of a part of the side wall portion 3317b of the case body 3317, and the rear left movable decorative body 3301 operates in accordance with the effects of the pachinko machine 1, when the rear left movable decorative body 3301 operates, outside air flows into the rear left movable decorative body 3301 from the second opening 3318b through the notch 3317c, and the air inside the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is released to the outside through the first opening 3318a. As a result, an airflow from bottom to top is generated inside the rear left movable decorative body 3301 as shown by the arrows in the figure, which more effectively suppresses air stagnation inside the rear left movable decorative body 3301, and the heat generated by the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, and connector 3315d when multiple LEDs 3315a are lit can be effectively dissipated to the outside.

Of the electronic components such as the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, or connector 3315d, the connector 3315d is preferably a so-called right-angle type, with its mating opening perpendicular to the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315. The right-angle type connector 3315d is mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 such that its mating opening faces the notch 3317c of the second opening 3318b, making it easy to attach and detach the connector to and from its mating opening via the notch 3317c of the second opening 3318b. Furthermore, because the right-angle type connector 3315d has a smaller height from the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 compared to the straight type connector described later, it can suppress interference with the airflow into the rear-left movable decorative body 3301 from the second opening 3318b.

Figure 409 is a cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the rear left movable decorative body 3301. As shown in Figure 409, the connector 3315d may be a so-called straight type, in which the mating opening is parallel to the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315. If the straight type connector 3315d is mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 so as to correspond to the second opening 3318b, it may obstruct the airflow into the rear left movable decorative body 3301 from the second opening 3318b. Therefore, it is preferable that it be mounted on the upper part of the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 so as to correspond to the uppermost first opening 3318a. Such a straight connector 3315d has its tip protruding to the outside of the rear left movable decorative body 3301 through the first opening 3318a. As shown by the arrow in the figure, the heat generated by the LED driver 3315b and resistor 3315c transmitted via the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 can be released from the tip to the outside of the rear left movable decorative body 3301. Furthermore, a straight connector 3315d mounted to correspond to the uppermost first opening 3318a can suppress interference with the airflow inside the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and also facilitates the attachment and detachment of the connector to the mating opening of the connector 3315d. Furthermore, the connector 3315d may be mounted on the upper and lower parts of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315, corresponding to the uppermost first opening 3318a or second opening 3318b, respectively, so as to sandwich the electronic components other than the connector 3315d, such as the LED driver 3315b and resistor 3315c, from above and below.

In the above embodiment, the first opening 3319a and the second opening 3319b are formed to correspond to the positions of electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, and connectors mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315. The first opening 3319a is formed to surround the LED drivers and resistors that are partially densely mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315 with a predetermined spacing. The first opening 3319a is formed to surround the LED drivers and resistors mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315. The rear left movable decorative body 3301 may be configured such that each of the electronic components, including the LED driver and resistor, is exposed to the outside through one first opening 3319a. This configuration generates an upward airflow from below within the rear left movable decorative body 3301 via the multiple first openings 3319a and second openings 3319b, more effectively suppressing air stagnation within the rear left movable decorative body 3301 and effectively dissipating heat generated by the LED driver, resistor, and connector to the outside.

Furthermore, the cover body 3318 of the above embodiment may have a first opening 3319a and a second opening 3319b formed to correspond to the positions of all electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, and connectors mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315, or it may have a first opening 3319a and a second opening 3319b formed to correspond to the positions of at least some of the electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, and connectors mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315. Electronic components for which openings are not formed at positions corresponding to those mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 will have reduced heat dissipation efficiency for heat generated by the electronic components, but this will further suppress contact from outside the rear-left movable decorative body 3301, thereby suppressing damage to the electronic components due to external contact.

In the rear left movable decorative body 3301 described above, when the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is deployed to the deployment position and multiple LEDs 3315a are illuminated, the heated air inside the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is released to the outside through one opening, and outside air flows into the rear left movable decorative body 3301 through the other opening, creating airflow inside the rear left movable decorative body 3301. This allows the heat generated by the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, and connector 3315d when the multiple LEDs 3315a are illuminated to be effectively dissipated to the outside. Furthermore, in addition to the above, when the rear left movable decorative body 3301 is deployed to the deployed position or retracted to the retracted position, external air flows into the rear left movable decorative body 3301 through the notch 3317c of the second opening 3318b, and heated air is released to the outside through the first opening 3318a. This creates airflow within the rear left movable decorative body 3301, allowing for more effective dissipation of heat generated by the LED driver 3315b, resistor 3315c, and connector 3315d when the multiple LEDs 3315a are illuminated. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the temperature rise of the rear left movable decorative substrate 3315, which could cause the multiple LEDs 3315a to malfunction and cause harm to players and the gaming halls where the gaming machines are installed, and consequently, to suppress a decrease in the reliability of the gaming machine.

In the above embodiment, a rear-left movable decorative body 3301 that moves in and out in accordance with the effects of the pachinko machine 1 was described in which a first opening 3318a and a second opening 3318b are formed in the cover body 3318, and a gap S is formed between the rear-left movable decorative substrate 3315 and the cover body 3318. However, the embodiment in which a first opening and a second opening are formed in the cover body and a gap is formed between the decorative substrate and the cover body may also be applied to other decorative bodies having a decorative substrate and a storage part that houses the decorative substrate. The rear-front left decorative unit 3120 will be described below.

The rear front left decorative unit 3120 comprises a rear front left decorative substrate 3128 with multiple LEDs 3128a to 3128i mounted on its front mounting surface, a rear front upper left decorative substrate 3129 with LEDs mounted on its front mounting surface, a rear front lower left decorative substrate 3130 with multiple LEDs 3130a to 3130d mounted on its front mounting surface, and a rear front left second decorative body 3125 and a rear front left decorative body base 3127, which constitute a storage section for housing the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front upper left decorative substrate 3129, and the rear front lower left decorative substrate 3130.

The rear front left decorative base 3127 is made entirely of transparent material and has a flat decorative plate portion 3127a and, in a front view, substrate holding portions 3127b provided on the left side, top side, and bottom side of the decorative plate portion 3127a, excluding the right side. Furthermore, by attaching the rear front left second decorative body 3125 from the front, the rear front left decorative base 3127 can form a box-shaped storage section with an open left side together with the rear front left second decorative body 3125. In detail, the front left decorative substrate 3128 is held on the left side of the substrate holding section 3127b with its front mounting surface facing to the right, the front upper left decorative substrate 3129 is held on the upper side of the substrate holding section 3127b with its front mounting surface facing downward, and the front lower left decorative substrate 3130 is held on the lower side of the substrate holding section 3127b with its front mounting surface facing upward. Then, the second front left decorative element 3125 is attached to the front left decorative element base 3127 from the front, and the front left decorative substrate 3128, the front upper left decorative substrate 3129, and the front lower left decorative substrate 3130 are housed in a storage section composed of the second front left decorative element 3125 and the front left decorative element base 3127.

Furthermore, the rear front left decorative unit 3120 includes a rear front left first decorative element 3124 attached to the front surface of the rear front left second decorative element 3125, and a rear front left third decorative element 3126 attached between the rear front left second decorative element 3125 and the rear front left decorative element base 3127. The rear front left first decorative element 3124, the rear front left second decorative element 3125, and the rear front left third decorative element 3126 are all made of transparent material and illuminate in response to the light emitted by LEDs mounted on the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front left upper decorative substrate 3129, or the rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130.

The multiple LEDs mounted on the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the rear front lower left decorative substrate 3130 may, for example, include wide-angle top-view type LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle range centered on a light axis perpendicular to the front surface, or they may include wide-angle side-view type LEDs capable of emitting light within a 130-degree angle range centered on a horizontal light axis, or they may include not only wide-angle top-view type LEDs and wide-angle side-view type LEDs, but also regular top-view type LEDs and regular side-view type LEDs.

The front mounting surface of the front front left decorative substrate 3128, the front front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the front front lower left decorative substrate 3130 may be coated with white solder resist (protective material), and a notation area (not shown) indicating the mounting positions of multiple LEDs and part numbers may be formed. It is desirable that this notation area be silk-screen printed in a color such as yellow, with a brightness close to that of the white solder resist, and together with the white solder resist, this can suppress uneven light emission on the front front left decorative substrate 3128, the front front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the front front lower left decorative substrate 3130. From a similar viewpoint, it is preferable that no other electronic components, other than the multiple LEDs, are mounted on the front mounting surface of the front front left decorative substrate 3128, the front front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the front front lower left decorative substrate 3130.

The back mounting surfaces of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130 have other electronic components mounted on them, excluding the LEDs. These other electronic components include, for example, LED drivers that control the illumination of multiple LEDs, resistors that dissipate power as heat, and connectors used for external connections. These LED drivers, resistors, and connectors may generate heat when the corresponding LEDs are illuminated.

The storage section of this embodiment, which consists of a rear front left second decorative body 3125 and a rear front left decorative body base 3127, has a plurality of first and second openings formed on its left side surface to correspond to the positions of electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, and connectors mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128. A third opening may be formed on the top surface of the storage section to correspond to the positions of electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, and connectors mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear front left upper decorative substrate 3129, and a fourth opening may be formed on the bottom surface to correspond to the positions of electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, and connectors mounted on the back mounting surface of the rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130. The first, third, and fourth openings are formed leaving the edge of the storage section intact, while the second opening is formed by cutting out a part of the edge of the storage section (for example, the edge formed by the side and bottom surfaces of the storage section). Furthermore, it is preferable that the first to fourth openings have an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the LED driver, resistor, and connector, and more preferably that they are formed to surround the LED driver and resistor, which are partially and densely mounted on the back surface of each substrate, with predetermined spacing between them.

In this embodiment, the rear front left decorative unit 3120 has pre-set gaps between the left side of the storage section (composed of the rear front left second decorative element 3125 and the rear front left decorative element base 3127) and the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, between the top surface of the storage section and the rear front left upper decorative substrate 3129, and between the bottom surface of the storage section and the rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130. Specifically, multiple contact portions are formed on the inner surface of the storage section, extending toward each substrate and contacting each substrate. Each contact portion contacts the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front left upper decorative substrate 3129, or the rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130, thereby creating pre-set gaps between the inner surface of the storage section and the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front left upper decorative substrate 3129, and the rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130.

Furthermore, the contact portion of the storage section only needs to have a height from the inner surface of the storage section that is equal to a predetermined interval. For example, it may be formed in a cylindrical shape or a rectangular prism shape. Also, when fixing the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the rear front lower left decorative substrate 3130 to the rear front left decorative body base 3127, fixing members such as screws or bolts may be inserted through the contact portion.

On the back mounting surface of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130, a region indicator is formed to show areas corresponding to the first to fourth apertures when specific conditions are met such that the front left decorative unit 3120 is illuminated with a predetermined amount of light. These specific conditions include, for example, the illumination of the workspace during the installation of the front left decorative unit 3120 onto the game board 5.

In the rear front left decorative unit 3120 of this embodiment, when an operator looks at the rear front left decorative unit 3120 in preparation for attaching it to the game board 5, shadows corresponding to the edges of the first to fourth openings are projected onto the back mounting surface of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the rear front lower left decorative substrate 3130, forming an area display area. This area display area informs the operator that the first to fourth openings are formed in the rear front left decorative unit 3120. As a result, contact between the worker's hand and the LED driver, resistor, or connector mounted on the back mounting surface of the front left decorative board 3128, the front upper left decorative board 3129, or the front lower left decorative board 3130 is reduced through the first to fourth openings. This prevents damage to the LED driver, resistor, or connector, which could cause malfunctions in the front left decorative board 3128, the front upper left decorative board 3129, or the front lower left decorative board 3130, potentially causing harm to players or the gaming halls where the gaming machines are installed. Ultimately, this helps to prevent a decline in the reliability of the gaming machines.

The front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130 are coated with white solder resist (protective material) on both the front mounting surface and the back mounting surface. The white solder resist coated on the back mounting surface increases the contrast with the area indicator formed by the shadows of the edges of the first to fourth openings, making it even easier for the operator to see the area indicator when certain conditions are met on the front left decorative unit 3120. Therefore, contact between the worker's hand and the LED driver, resistor, or connector mounted on the back mounting surface of the front left decorative board 3128, the front upper left decorative board 3129, or the front lower left decorative board 3130 through the first to fourth openings is further reduced. This prevents damage to the LED driver, resistor, or connector, which could cause malfunctions in the front left decorative board 3128, the front upper left decorative board 3129, or the front lower left decorative board 3130, potentially causing harm to players or the gaming halls where the gaming machines are installed. Ultimately, this helps to prevent a decline in the reliability of the gaming machines.

Furthermore, on the back mounting surface of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130, markings indicating the position, orientation, and part numbers of other electronic components (excluding LEDs), such as LED drivers, resistors, or connectors, are silk-screen printed in a light color such as yellow or pink. The light-colored markings, along with the white solder resist coated on the back mounting surface, provide a high contrast with the area indicators formed by the shadows of the edges of the first to fourth openings on the back mounting surface of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130. This makes it even easier for the operator to see the area indicators.

Furthermore, on the back mounting surface of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130, markings indicating the position, orientation, and part numbers of other electronic components (excluding LEDs), such as LED drivers, resistors, etc., may be silk-screen printed in a dark color such as brown or black. By forming the dark markings in a position that overlaps with the area indicators formed on the back mounting surface of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130, the area indicators can be made even more conspicuous against the white solder resist coating on the back mounting surface, making it even easier for the operator to see the area indicators.

Other electronic components besides the LED, such as LED drivers, resistors, or connectors, that are mounted in multiples near the LED driver, may be mounted on the back mounting surface of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the front lower left decorative substrate 3130 in a position that overlaps with the area indicator, even if they have a dark-colored exterior such as brown or black. This makes the area indicator more prominent against the white solder resist coating on the back mounting surface, making it easier for the operator to see the area indicator.

The storage section, composed of the back front left second decorative element 3125 and the back front left decorative element base 3127, may be opaque or colored transparent. However, from the viewpoint of visibility of the area display section formed on the back mounting surface of the back front left decorative substrate 3128, the back front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the back front lower left decorative substrate 3130, it is preferable to form it as colorless and transparent. For example, if the storage section is opaque, although the area display section is largely formed on the back mounting surface of the back front left decorative substrate 3128, the back front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the back front lower left decorative substrate 3130, the storage section itself may obstruct the visibility of the area display section. Furthermore, if the storage section is colored and transparent, the storage section and the area display section may become integrated, potentially obstructing the visibility of the area display section. Therefore, it is preferable to form the storage section as colorless and transparent to reduce the risk of obstructing the visibility of the area display section.

Furthermore, the thickness of the storage section, which is composed of the rear front left second decorative element 3125 and the rear front left decorative element base 3127, is preferably in the range of, for example, 0.2 mm to 4.0 mm. Assuming that the electronic components mounted on the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130 are exposed without protruding from the first to fourth openings, for example, if the mounting height of the tallest electronic component mounted on the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130 is 1.9 mm (SOP type IC), and the mounting height of the shortest electronic component mounted on the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130 is 0.2 mm (JIS standard 0402 type chip capacitor or chip resistor, etc.), then the thickness of the storage area is preferably 1.9 mm or more, ignoring the gap spacing, but may be formed to be less than 1.9 mm, taking into account the size of the gap spacing. Furthermore, the width of the shadows cast by the first to fourth openings that form the area display area on the back mounting surface of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130 is proportional to the thickness of the housing section. From the viewpoint that excessively small openings reduce visibility, and excessively large openings make the area indicated by the display section unclear, it is more preferable that the thickness of the housing section be in the range of, for example, 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm.

The storage section, composed of the rear front left second decorative element 3125 and the rear front left decorative element base 3127, has its edges, which form the first to fourth openings, chamfered in a flat or curved shape. By chamfering the edges of the storage section that form the first to fourth openings, the diffuse reflection of light at the edges of the storage section is increased. This further reduces the brightness of the area display section formed on the back mounting surface of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the rear front lower left decorative substrate 3130, thereby further improving the visibility of the area display section.

The gap between the storage section, composed of the rear front left second decorative element 3125 and the rear front left decorative element base 3127, and the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front left upper decorative substrate 3129, or the rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130, is preferably larger than the height of the back mounting surface of electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, or connectors. This prevents the tips of electronic components mounted on the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front left upper decorative substrate 3129, or the rear front left lower decorative substrate 3130 from protruding outside the storage section through the first to fourth openings. For example, when stacking and storing multiple rear front left decorative units 3120 before they are attached to the game board 5, this prevents electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, or connectors from coming into contact with external objects and being damaged. Note that since the connector has a greater height from the back mounting surface compared to the LED driver and resistor, the gap may be smaller than the height of the connector from the back mounting surface.

The gap between the storage section, which consists of the rear front left second decorative body 3125 and the rear front left decorative body base 3127, and the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the rear front lower left decorative substrate 3130 is preferably in the range of 0.2 mm to 7.0 mm. Assuming that the electronic components mounted on the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130 are exposed through the first to fourth openings without protruding, for example, if the mounting height of the tallest electronic component mounted on the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130 is 1.9 mm (SOP type IC), and the mounting height of the shortest electronic component mounted on the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the lower left decorative substrate 3130 is 0.2 mm (JIS standard 0402 type chip capacitor or chip resistor, etc.), then the gap S1 should be 0.2 mm or more. Furthermore, the width of the shadows of the first to fourth openings forming the area display area on the back mounting surface of the back front left decorative substrate 3128, the back front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the back front lower left decorative substrate 3130 is inversely proportional to the gap spacing. From the viewpoint that excessively small gaps reduce visibility, and excessively large gaps make the area indicated by the area display area unclear, it is more preferable that the gap spacing be in the range of, for example, 1.0 mm to 6.0 mm.

In this embodiment, to improve the visibility of the area display section, the thickness of the housing section and the gap spacing are formed with appropriate values relative to the inner diameter of the first to fourth openings. More specifically, for example, if the gap spacing is 0.2 mm, the thickness of the housing section is 1.7 mm or more to prevent electronic components from protruding from the housing section. However, if the gap spacing is 0.2 mm, the housing section and the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the rear front lower left decorative substrate 3130 are too close, potentially making the area display section difficult to see. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the area display section indicates an area where two SOP-type ICs are mounted side by side, the gap spacing may be 4.0 mm and the housing section thickness 2.0 mm, or the gap spacing may be 6.0 mm and the housing section thickness 3.0 mm.

In this embodiment, the storage section is described as being formed in a rectangular box shape and arranged parallel to the front left decorative substrate 3128, the front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the front lower left decorative substrate 3130. However, the storage section may also have a partially inclined surface formed at the positions where the first to fourth openings are formed, inclined relative to the front left decorative substrate 3128, the front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the front lower left decorative substrate 3130. This can improve the visibility of the area display section formed by the shadows corresponding to the edges of the first to fourth openings. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first to fourth openings are formed by vertically cutting out the storage section. However, the storage section may also be cut out so that the inner surfaces of the first to fourth openings are inclined relative to each surface of the storage section, thereby improving the visibility of the area display section formed by the shadows corresponding to the edges of the first to fourth openings.

Furthermore, multiple ribs perpendicular to the side wall of the storage compartment may be formed. When these multiple ribs are formed on the inner surface of the side wall, they can increase the strength of the storage compartment. Additionally, the multiple ribs, formed with a semi-circular, uneven surface, act as a lenticular lens, allowing the side wall to function as a light diffuse reflector for the LEDs mounted on the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, rear front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or rear front lower left decorative substrate 3130. When these multiple ribs are formed on the outer surface of the side wall, in addition to increasing the strength of the storage compartment, they can also increase the surface area of the outer side wall, thereby improving heat dissipation.

The multiple first and second openings formed in the storage section, which consists of the rear front left second decorative body 3125 and the rear front left decorative body base 3127, communicate with each other through a gap formed between the storage section and the rear front left decorative substrate 3128. In the rear front left decorative unit 3120 of this embodiment, when electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, or connectors generate heat, the warmed air inside the storage section is released to the outside through one opening, while outside air flows into the storage section through the other opening, creating airflow within the storage section. As a result, the stagnation of warmed air within the storage section is suppressed, and the heat generated by the LED drivers, resistors, and connectors when multiple LEDs are illuminated can be effectively dissipated to the outside of the storage section. For example, this prevents the temperature of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128 from rising, causing multiple LEDs to malfunction and potentially harming players or the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed, thereby suppressing a decrease in the reliability of the gaming machine.

Multiple first openings and one second opening are formed in the storage compartment so that at least a portion of them overlap in the vertical direction. Therefore, in the rear front left decorative unit 3120 of this embodiment, when electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, or connectors generate heat, the warmed air inside the storage compartment is released to the outside through the upper first opening, and outside air flows into the storage compartment through the lower second opening, creating an airflow from bottom to top within the storage compartment. As a result, air stagnation within the storage compartment is more effectively suppressed, and the heat generated by the LED drivers, resistors, and connectors when multiple LEDs are lit can be effectively dissipated to the outside. For example, this prevents the temperature of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128 from rising, causing multiple LEDs to malfunction and potentially harming players or the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed, and ultimately suppressing a decrease in the reliability of the gaming machine.

The second opening is formed by a notch cut out from the left side of the storage compartment and a portion of the bottom surface of the storage compartment. Therefore, in the rear front left decorative unit 3120 of this embodiment, when electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, or connectors generate heat and the warmed air inside the storage compartment is released to the outside through the upper first opening, more outside air flows into the storage compartment through the lower second opening, creating an upward airflow within the storage compartment. As a result, air stagnation within the storage compartment is more effectively suppressed, and the heat generated by the LED drivers, resistors, and connectors when multiple LEDs are emitting light can be effectively dissipated to the outside.

Furthermore, in the rear front left decorative unit 3120 of this embodiment, a third opening is formed on the upper surface of the storage section, and a fourth opening is formed on the lower surface of the storage section. Therefore, when electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, or connectors generate heat, the warmed air inside the storage section is released to the outside through the upper first and third openings, while more outside air flows into the storage section through the lower second and fourth openings, creating an upward airflow within the storage section. As a result, air stagnation within the storage section is more effectively suppressed, and the heat generated by the LED drivers, resistors, and connectors when multiple LEDs are illuminated can be effectively dissipated to the outside. For example, this prevents the temperature of the rear front left decorative substrate 3128, the rear front upper left decorative substrate 3129, or the rear front lower left decorative substrate 3130 from rising, causing multiple LEDs to malfunction and potentially harming players or the gaming hall where the gaming machine is installed. Ultimately, this suppresses a decrease in the reliability of the gaming machine.

Among electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, or connectors, it is preferable that the connector has a mating opening perpendicular to the back mounting surface of the front-left decorative substrate 3128, a so-called right-angle type. A triangle-type connector is mounted on the back mounting surface of the front-left decorative substrate 3128 such that its mating opening faces the notch of the second opening, allowing for easy attachment and detachment of the connector to its mating opening via the notch of the second opening. Furthermore, because the right-angle type connector has a smaller height from the back mounting surface of the front-left decorative substrate 3128 compared to the straight-type connector described later, it can suppress interference with the airflow into the front-left decorative unit 3120 from the second opening.

The connector may be a so-called straight type, where the mating opening is parallel to the back mounting surface of the back front left decorative substrate 3128. A straight type connector, when mounted on the back mounting surface of the back front left decorative substrate 3128 to correspond to the second opening, may obstruct the airflow into the back front left decorative unit 3120 from the second opening. Therefore, it is preferable to mount it on the upper part of the back mounting surface of the back front left decorative substrate 3128 to correspond to the uppermost first opening. Such a straight type connector has its tip protruding to the outside of the back front left decorative unit 3120 through the first opening, allowing heat generated by the LED driver and resistor transmitted through the back front left decorative substrate 3128 to be released from the tip to the outside of the back front left decorative unit 3120. Furthermore, a straight type connector mounted to correspond to the uppermost first opening can suppress obstruction of airflow within the back front left decorative unit 3120 and facilitate the attachment and detachment of the connector to its mating opening. Furthermore, the connector may be mounted on the upper and lower parts of the front left decorative substrate 3128, corresponding to the uppermost first or second opening, so as to sandwich electronic components such as LED drivers and resistors (excluding the connector) from above and below.

In the above embodiment, the first to fourth openings are formed to correspond to the positions of electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, and connectors mounted on the back mounting surfaces of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, and the lower left decorative substrate 3130. The first to fourth openings are formed to surround the LED drivers and resistors, which are partially and densely mounted on the back mounting surfaces of each substrate, with predetermined spacing. However, the first, third, and fourth openings may be formed in multiple locations within the housing so that each of the electronic components, including the LED drivers and resistors mounted on the back mounting surfaces of each substrate, is exposed to the outside through the opening. This creates an upward airflow within the housing through each opening, more effectively suppressing air stagnation within the housing and effectively dissipating heat generated by the LED drivers, resistors, and connectors when multiple LEDs are emitting light.

Furthermore, the storage section of the above embodiment may have first to fourth openings formed to correspond to the positions of all electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, and connectors mounted on the back mounting surfaces of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, and the lower left decorative substrate 3130. Alternatively, the first to fourth openings may be formed to correspond to the positions of at least some of the electronic components such as LED drivers, resistors, and connectors mounted on the back mounting surfaces of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, and the lower left decorative substrate 3130. Electronic components for which openings are not formed at positions corresponding to their mounting positions on the back mounting surfaces of the front left decorative substrate 3128, the upper left decorative substrate 3129, and the lower left decorative substrate 3130 will have reduced heat dissipation efficiency, but will be further prevented from being contacted from outside the front left decorative unit 3120, thereby preventing damage to the electronic components due to external contact.

[Information display]
Next, we will describe a modified example using the information display unit 3213. In recent years, the number of players has decreased significantly, and attracting new players has become an urgent task. However, the games themselves have become more complex than before, and there is a risk that new players will be put off by them. Below, we will describe a modified example that includes an information display unit 3213 that displays information related to the game. Note that in the following description of the information display unit, there may be some overlap in explanation with the information display unit described above.

In this example, instead of the five 7-segment display units on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 described above, an information display unit 3213 using a dot matrix display unit is provided on the rear upper movable decorative body 3210. The information display unit 3213 can switch between displaying information related to the game (game information display mode) and executing game effects (game effect mode).

The information display 3213 is capable of switching its display content when an operating means is operated during a specific period. The information display 3213 can execute, for example, one or any combination of the first to fourth controls. In the first control, the information display 3213 switches its display content when an operating unit such as the performance operation unit 301 is operated while a customer waiting demo performance is being executed. In the second control, the information display 3213 switches its display to show information related to the game when an operating means that can only be operated by a game store employee (for example, when the RAM clear switch provided on the back side of the pachinko machine 1 is pressed or the setting key switch 1311a) is operated. In the third control, the information display 3213 hides its display when an operating unit such as the performance operation unit 301 is operated while a variation performance is being executed on the performance display device 1600, and switches its display content after the variation performance for which the performance operation unit 301 was operated has finished. In the fourth control, when an operation unit such as the performance operation unit 301 is operated while a variation performance is being executed on the performance display device 1600, the information display unit 3213 continues to display the appropriate mode (game information display mode, game performance mode) without switching the display content during the variation performance, and switches the display content after the variation performance in which the operation unit 301 was operated has finished.

Figures 410(A) to (C) are front views showing the information display unit 3213 which displays information related to the game. As shown in Figures 410(A) to (C), the information display unit 3213 is configured to display information related to the game, such as "Big Win," "Hit Left ←," and "Hit Right →," when it is in a state that displays information related to the game (game information display mode). As described above, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, during the time-saving mode (low probability time-saving state (also called time-saving state), high probability time-saving state (also called probability-changing state)), the game is played with the aim of getting the game ball into the second start opening 2004 (so-called "hitting to the right"). Furthermore, during the time-saving mode, the second starting port 2004 is frequently open, making it easier to achieve starting wins (winning a game ball into the first starting port 2002, winning a game ball into the second starting port 2004) than during normal play (low probability non-time-saving mode (also called normal mode), high probability non-time-saving mode), thus creating a favorable situation for the player. However, if the player does not aim to win a game ball into the second starting port 2004 during the time-saving mode (so-called "right-handed shooting"), the player may not be able to enjoy the favorable situation. In the pachinko machine 1 of this example, as shown in Figure 410(C), the information display 3213 displays "Right-handed shooting →" as an indication to encourage the player to aim to win a game ball into the second starting port 2004 during the time-saving mode. This prevents players from being unable to enjoy an advantageous situation even during shortened playtime, thus ensuring that players are not disadvantaged.

Furthermore, in the pachinko machine 1 of this example, during normal play (low probability non-time-saving state (also called normal state), high probability non-time-saving state), the game is designed to be played with the aim of getting the game ball into the first start opening 2001 (so-called "left-handed play"). During normal play, the second start opening 2004 is rarely opened, and the period during which it is open is extremely short compared to time-saving state. Therefore, during normal play, there is a risk of disadvantage to players who aim to get the game ball into the second start opening 2004. For this reason, as shown in Figure 410(B), the pachinko machine 1 of this example displays "Left-handed play ←" on the information display 3213 as an instruction for players to aim to get the game ball into the first start opening 2001 during normal play. This prevents disadvantage to players during normal play.

In the pachinko machine 1 of this embodiment, the information displayed on the dot matrix of the information display unit 3213 can instruct players to shoot to the left (shooting the game balls to the left of the center mechanism 2500) or to shoot to the right (shooting with enough force to contact the impact part 1006 that protrudes inward from the outer rail 1001, which forms part of the periphery of the game area 5a). It can also notify players of a jackpot and instruct them to aim for the balls entering the large prize pocket 2005, thus ensuring that neither experienced nor inexperienced players are disadvantaged.

Furthermore, the information display 3213 may also be used as a dedicated display for displaying information related to the game. In such a configuration, the information displayed on the information display 3213 may be switched when the operating means is operated during a specific period. The information related to the game includes information for guiding the game (e.g., right-handed play, left-handed play) as shown in Figures 410(B) and (C), information regarding the results of the variation performance lottery (first special lottery result, second special lottery result) as shown in Figure 410(A) (e.g., jackpot, miss, probability variation jackpot, time reduction jackpot), setting information related to the probability of winning or losing (e.g., setting value of the pachinko machine 1 set in the setting change process, probability of jackpot occurrence relative to the number of variation performances actually performed), and the number of game balls collected by the out-out port 1008 (out of the game balls launched into the game area 5a). The information may include the number of game balls recovered by the torch 1008, and the number of game balls that entered the specific prize-winning device (one or any combination of the first start port 2002, second start port 2004, big prize port 2005, general prize port 2001, etc. (all of them are also acceptable, for example, the number of game balls that entered the first start port 2002 and the second start port 2004), or it may include information on one or any combination of these game-related items.

In this embodiment, the information display unit 3213 is configured to be installed inside the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002. However, the information display unit 3213 may also be configured to be installed outside the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002. This increases the design flexibility in the area inside the outer rail 1001 and inner rail 1002, allowing for the installation of structures and movable parts to enhance decorative appeal and performance effects. Furthermore, while this embodiment describes an example using a dot matrix display unit for the information display unit 3213, it is not limited to a dot matrix display unit; a 7-segment display unit may also be used to display information related to the game. Additionally, the information display unit 3213 may be configured to be placed on the back side of the pachinko machine 1, displaying game-related information intended for pachinko parlor staff. This increases the design flexibility on the front side of the pachinko machine 1, allowing for the installation of structures and movable parts to enhance decorative appeal and performance effects.

Furthermore, the information display 3213 may have a red monochromatic LED mounted on the first decorative circuit board of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210. Even during the execution of the gold or rainbow effects, the information display 3213 may not display the gold or rainbow effect illumination, but instead emit light in a different color. This ensures that information related to the game displayed on the information display 3213 is reliably conveyed to the player, even during the execution of the gold or rainbow effects. The monochromatic LED may be any other color (such as blue) as long as it is distinguishable from the gold or rainbow effect illumination and allows for the identification of the information display 3213's display content.

The information display 3213 displays important information related to the game. The surface of the first decorative substrate on the back of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (the same color insulating film may be formed on the back mounting surface where LEDs are not mounted, or an insulating film of a different color from the surface may be formed on the back) has a dark-colored insulating film (resist treatment) formed on it. This suppresses light interference on the front mounting surface of the first decorative substrate on the back where LEDs are mounted, allowing the light from each of the multiple LEDs to be seen independently, and enabling the information display 3213 to clearly display various information. Furthermore, while a light-colored (white in this example) insulating film is formed on the surface of the substrate on which the LEDs that perform the gold-colored or rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations are installed, a dark-colored (e.g., green, black, purple, navy blue, etc.) insulating film is formed on the surface of the first rear-upper decorative substrate provided on the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 that displays important information for players and parlor staff. (The same insulating film may also be formed on the back mounting surface where no LEDs are mounted, or an insulating film of a different color from the surface may be formed on the back.) Therefore, in the event of a malfunction in the LED's light emission, it becomes easy to determine whether or not an LED plays an important role based on the color of the insulating film formed on the substrate surface.

On the front surface (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate on the back of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, where the LEDs are mounted, a surface-side marking area indicating the part number corresponding to each LED and the attributes of the electronic component, such as the area indicating the position where the LED should be placed (and possibly including the shape, size, mounting orientation (mounting direction), and model number of the electronic component), is silk-screen printed with white paint (not limited to white, yellow, black, etc.). The area occupied by the surface-side marking area (the area silk-screen printed with white paint (not limited to white, yellow, black, etc.)) on the front surface (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate on the back of the rear upper, where the LEDs are mounted, is smaller than the area occupied by the resist (a dark-colored insulating film (e.g., green, black, purple, navy blue, etc.)). Therefore, the reflection efficiency on the front surface (front mounting surface) where the LEDs are mounted on the first decorative substrate can be made nearly uniform, similar to the case where only resist is formed on the front surface (front mounting surface) where the LEDs are mounted on the first decorative substrate. This suppresses the occurrence of uneven light emission and prevents a decrease in the effect of suppressing interference between the light emitted from each of the mounted LEDs.

Furthermore, the surface-side markings silk-screened on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate on the back where the LEDs are mounted may be arranged to group identical electronic components together. For example, one surface-side marking such as "LED1-5" may be provided for the five LEDs mounted on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate on the back. In this case, compared to the case where a surface-side marking is provided for each electronic component, it is possible to reduce the proportion of the surface-side markings on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate where the LEDs are mounted, thereby making the reflection efficiency on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate where the LEDs are mounted more uniform. Furthermore, the front side markings on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate (rear upper) where the LEDs are mounted may not be silk-screen printed. In this case, the back side markings may be formed on the back mounting surface where the LEDs are not mounted using silk-screen printing, foil-cut characters, mask-cut characters, etc. Alternatively, the front side markings may be formed on the front (front mounting surface) of the first decorative substrate (rear upper) where the LEDs are mounted using foil-cut characters, mask-cut characters, etc.

Furthermore, the LED mounting surface of the first decorative substrate on the back may be configured to only include electronic components with dark-colored (black, green, purple, etc.) exteriors (cases, packages, housings, etc.) (for example, connectors with green housings). Alternatively, all predetermined electronic components, including the LED element packages, may be configured to include only electronic components with dark-colored (black, green, purple, etc.) exteriors (cases, packages, housings, etc.) (for example, one or more (any combination) of LED elements with black packages and connectors with green housings), while electronic components with white or light-colored exteriors are mounted on the non-LED mounting surface. This suppresses the improvement in reflectivity of the LED mounting surface caused by the electronic components mounted on the LED mounting surface of the first decorative substrate on the back, and also suppresses light interference on the LED mounting surface. Therefore, the information displayed on the information display 3213, such as characters, numbers, and patterns, can be clearly displayed, and this information can be reliably conveyed to the player.

As described above, if an abnormality occurs in the pachinko machine 1 while the gold or rainbow effect is being performed, the system is configured to turn off several LEDs on the game board 5 that are responsible for the gold effect's illumination (gold light emission) and the rainbow effect's illumination, and to control the illumination of the LEDs on the door frame 3 to an abnormality notification illumination pattern (flashing red light at maximum brightness (luminosity)). Specific examples of when an abnormality occurs in the pachinko machine 1 include, for example, when the opening of the door frame 3 relative to the main frame 4 is detected (when the opening of the door frame 3 makes it difficult to see the light emitted by the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3), when a vibration sensor (not shown) continuously detects vibration of the game board 5 for a predetermined period (e.g., 30 seconds) (when it is detected that an action such as hitting the pachinko machine 1 is being performed, and the vibration of the pachinko machine 1 causes the light emitted by the LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards provided on the door frame 3 and the game board 5, as well as the display on the performance display device 1600, to blur and become difficult to see), when a detection signal is input from the full-tank detection sensor 154 (when it is detected that the lower tray 202 is full of game balls), and when a ball-out detection sensor This includes minor errors such as when a detection signal is received from sensor 574 (an error with a low probability of cheating, such as when it is detected that no game balls are present in the guidance passage 570a), when a radio wave irradiation cheat is detected (when noise is introduced into the light emission of LEDs mounted on each of the multiple specific decorative boards installed on the door frame 3 and game board 5 due to electromagnetic waves, or when noise is introduced into the display of the performance display device 1600), when a magnetic cheat is detected, when a detection signal is received from the second start opening sensor 2401 when the second start opening 2004 is not open, and when a detection signal is received from the big prize opening sensor 2402 when the game is not in a big win or small win state (errors with a high probability of cheating), etc.

On the other hand, the display on the information display unit 3213 is designed to continue without turning off even if an abnormality occurs during the execution of the gold or rainbow effect. In this way, a specific decorative substrate is provided on the game board 5 and door frame 3 to perform the gold effect illumination (gold illumination) or the rainbow effect illumination during the execution of the gold or rainbow effect. The surface mounting surface (LED mounting surface) on which the LEDs of the specific decorative substrate are mounted displays the attributes of the surface-side electronic components, such as letters and symbols (part numbers of electronic components), areas indicating the position of the electronic components, etc., to avoid confusion with other decorative substrates (and may also include the shape of the surface-side electronic component, the size of the surface-side electronic component, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-side electronic component, and the model number of the surface-side electronic component). LEDs mounted on the surface (where the markings are applied by screen printing using bright and highly saturated inks, such as yellow or yellow-green) will cease their gold-colored or rainbow-colored illumination when an abnormality occurs. However, the rear upper movable decorative body 3215 (LEDs mounted on the rear upper first decorative substrate, where a dark-colored insulating film (such as green, black, purple, or navy) is formed) will continue to display even when an abnormality occurs (continuing a predetermined lighting pattern until the fluctuation time has elapsed), and will be able to display information related to the game and notify players of this information even when an abnormality occurs. Furthermore, if a serious error occurs that meets specific game-stopping conditions (such as an abnormality in the main control board 1310), the game will be stopped, including the launching of game balls and the lottery. Additionally, the lighting patterns of multiple LEDs mounted on the first rear-upper decorative board of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 may be changed to display a message corresponding to the serious error (for example, a "STOP!" message), or multiple LEDs mounted on the first rear-upper decorative board of the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 may be simultaneously turned off. In this case, the occurrence of a serious error can be immediately determined. Moreover, the specific game-stopping conditions are not limited to the serious errors described above (such as an abnormality in the main control board 1310). For example, situations that excessively stimulate gambling tendencies, such as when a large number of balls exceeding a certain threshold (e.g., 100,000 balls) are counted, may also be included.

Furthermore, the information display 3213 may be configured to either continue displaying or be turned off and hidden depending on the type of abnormality. For example, if a minor error occurs, the information display 3213 may continue displaying, while if a serious error occurs, the information display 3213 may be turned off and hidden. This makes it possible to determine the severity of the abnormality.

Furthermore, as described above, when the gold and rainbow effects are executed, the LEDs that perform the gold effect illumination (gold light emission) and the rainbow effect illumination are controlled by the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 in a constant peripheral control processing that is performed approximately every 33.3 ms. In contrast, the LEDs on the first rear-upper decorative board provided on the rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 are controlled by the main control MPU of the main control board 1310 in a main control-side timer interrupt processing that is performed approximately every 4 ms. In this way, the display content of the information display 3213 can be updated at a shorter cycle compared to when the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the LEDs that perform the gold light emission based on the control signal from the main control board 1310. Even if a malfunction occurs and the information display 3213 displays content different from what should be displayed, the display content can be updated immediately (after 4 ms) to change it back to the original display content, thus not causing any disadvantage to the player or others. In other words, the information display unit 3213, which displays important (highly important) information related to the game, outputs control signals at a shorter interval than the LEDs that perform light emission control in response to fluctuating effects such as gold effects and rainbow effects, thereby updating the LED's light emission pattern. This allows the display content of the information display unit 3213 to be changed to normal immediately even if a malfunction occurs, thus preventing the display from showing incorrect information and causing disadvantage to the player. Furthermore, if the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the information display 3213 based on a control signal from the main control board 1310, a communication error may occur between the main control board 1310 and the peripheral control board 1510, potentially causing malfunctions in the information displayed by the information display 3213. However, in this example, by having the main control board 1310 directly control the information display 3213, malfunctions in the information displayed by the information display 3213 are less likely to occur compared to the case where the peripheral control unit 1511 of the peripheral control board 1510 controls the information display 3213, thereby minimizing disadvantages to the player.

In the above embodiments (including all embodiments with modifications), a white solder resist (protective material) is coated on the surface (LED mounting surface) of a specific decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs are mounted. On this white solder resist (protective material), a surface-side marking area is screen printed using yellow ink to indicate the attributes of the surface-side electronic components, such as letters or symbols (part numbers of electronic components) to avoid confusion with the mounted LEDs and other decorative substrates, and areas indicating the position where the electronic components are placed (and may also include the shape of the surface-side electronic components, the size of the surface-side electronic components, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-side electronic components, and the model number of the surface-side electronic components). The multiple LEDs mounted on the specific decorative substrate are shown to emit light in a color similar to the yellow of the surface-side marking area to create a golden effect (gold emission). However, this technical concept can be applied to other effects as well. For example, the surface-side marking area may be screen printed using yellow-green ink, and the multiple LEDs mounted on the specific decorative substrate may emit light in a color similar to the yellow-green of the surface-side marking area to create a golden effect. In other words, this technological concept can be applied to any effect where the light emitted by multiple LEDs mounted on a specific decorative substrate is similar in color to the color of the markings on the surface.

Furthermore, for electronic components other than LEDs mounted on a specific decorative substrate, the marking area on the front side may be omitted, or the marking area on the back side may be provided on the back mounting surface where LEDs are not mounted. Furthermore, on the front mounting surface of a specific decorative substrate where multiple LEDs are mounted, only electronic components having white (including beige, ivory, cream, off-white, and other colors considered (similar) to white) or light-colored exteriors (cases, packages, housings, etc.) may be mounted (for example, one or more (any combination) of LED elements with white packages or connectors with white housings) (including cases where only LED elements with white packages are mounted and no other electronic components are mounted), while on the back mounting surface where multiple LEDs are not mounted, at least electronic components without white or light-colored exteriors may be mounted (for example, resistors with black exteriors, circuits that control the light emission of multiple LEDs (for example, constant current drive circuits), capacitors with brown exteriors, connectors with housings of a color other than white (such as light blue or yellow)). (This is not limited to cases where only electronic components without white or light-colored exteriors are placed on the back surface, but may also include cases where one or both of electronic components without white or light-colored exteriors and electronic components with white or light-colored exteriors are placed.) This suppresses the decrease in reflective efficiency on the surface where the LEDs are mounted, thereby increasing the light output of specific decorative substrates. This allows for uniform illumination of the gold and rainbow-colored effects, resulting in more impactful and engaging visuals, and ultimately enhancing the enjoyment of the game.

Furthermore, the package color of the multiple LEDs mounted on the specific decorative substrate may be white (including colors that are recognized as (similar to) white, such as beige, ivory, cream, ecru, and off-white). In this case, the reduction in reflectivity due to the exterior color of the LEDs themselves mounted on the specific decorative substrate can be suppressed, thereby increasing the light output of the specific decorative substrate. Alternatively, the specific decorative substrate may include a first specific decorative substrate on which both multiple LEDs having white packages and a connector having a white housing are mounted on one surface, and a second specific decorative substrate on which multiple LEDs having white packages are mounted on one surface and a connector having a housing of a different color from white (for example, light blue or yellow) is mounted on the other surface. In this case, connectors with white housings that have a high effect in suppressing the reduction in reflectivity (high reflectivity) are mounted on the same surface as the LED mounting surface (the LED mounting surface, also called the front mounting surface). Conversely, connectors with housings other than white (which may reduce reflectivity) that have a low effect in suppressing the reduction in reflectivity (they may reduce reflectivity, or have housings of other colors besides white, which have high reflectivity (close to white)) are mounted on a different surface from the LED mounting surface (the non-LED mounting surface, also called the back mounting surface). This allows for maintaining high reflective efficiency on the LED mounting surface. It should be noted that this technical concept does not exclude the mounting of electronic components with white exteriors, such as connectors with white housings, on the non-LED mounting surface. By mounting electronic components with white exteriors on the non-LED mounting surface, the reduction in reflective efficiency on the LED mounting surface due to electronic components other than LEDs can be suppressed. Therefore, high reflective efficiency on the LED mounting surface can be maintained, allowing for efficient use of LED light emission and suppressing a decrease in light output.

Furthermore, the above example shows that all specific decorative substrates on which LEDs that perform gold-colored or rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations are mounted are coated with white solder resist (protective material) on their surface. However, this is not limited to this example. Some of the specific decorative substrates on which LEDs that perform gold-colored or rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations are mounted may be coated with a solder resist (protective material) of a color other than white (e.g., green or black) on their surface. Alternatively, all or some of the specific decorative substrates on which LEDs that perform gold-colored or rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations are mounted may be coated with white solder resist (protective material) only on the surface where the LEDs are mounted (forming a white insulating film), while the back surface where the LEDs are not mounted may be coated with a solder resist (protective material) of a color other than white (e.g., a dark color such as green or black) (forming an insulating film other than white). Furthermore, if the boards connected to the specific decorative board by a harness (other boards such as relay boards, driver boards, and decorative boards on which LEDs are mounted) have the same configuration as the connected specific decorative board, that is, the surface of the specific decorative board is coated with white solder resist (protective material), and the surface markings indicating the attributes of the surface-side electronic components (which may also include the shape of the surface-side electronic components, the size of the surface-side electronic components, the mounting orientation (mounting direction) of the surface-side electronic components, and the model number of the surface-side electronic components) are screen printed using bright and saturated inks (for example, bright colors such as yellow or yellow-green) to avoid confusion with mounted electronic components and other decorative boards, then the boards connected to the specific decorative board by a harness (other boards such as relay boards, driver boards, and decorative boards on which LEDs are mounted) may also be coated with white solder resist (protective material) and the surface markings may be screen printed using bright and saturated inks (for example, bright colors such as yellow or yellow-green). In other words, the game board 5 contains a mix of circuit boards coated with white solder resist (protective material) and circuit boards coated with green solder resist (protective material). Therefore, for example, if a malfunction occurs in a specific decorative circuit board and the harness or connections of that board need to be checked, the circuit board connected to that specific decorative circuit board can be quickly identified because it is coated with the same color solder resist (protective material) as the decorative circuit board, or its surface markings are screen-printed using the same color ink. This ensures that the connected circuit board is not mistaken for another circuit board (a circuit board coated with green solder resist (protective material)).

Furthermore, connectors with the same colored casing may be used for both the specific decorative board and the board connected by the harness. In this case, the board connected to the specific decorative board can be identified by the color of the connector's casing, allowing for quick detection of the connected board. Additionally, connectors mounted on the front mounting surface (the side facing the front of the gaming machine) of the boards connected to the specific decorative board by the harness (such as relay boards, driver boards, and decorative boards with LEDs) may also have a white casing. Connectors with casings of a different color may be mounted on the back mounting surface (the side facing the rear of the gaming machine) of the boards connected to the specific decorative board by the harness (this does not exclude cases where connectors with a white casing are mounted on the side without LEDs). This allows for more accurate and quicker detection of the boards connected to the specific decorative board, and also suppresses a decrease in reflective efficiency on the front mounting surface of the boards connected to the specific decorative board by the harness, enabling efficient use of light emission from LEDs and other light-emitting elements in the gaming machine and suppressing a decrease in light intensity.

In the example above, an information display 3213 visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1 was shown. However, the example is not limited to this; an information display visible only from the back of the pachinko machine 1 may also be placed on the back of the pachinko machine 1. In this case, the information display may show information for pachinko parlor staff, etc., regarding the game machine (number of jackpots, error status, number of prize balls paid out, number of balls played, number of balls entered into designated prize slots (this may display the total number of balls entered into all prize slots, or each of multiple prize slots individually, or display them in groups of a predetermined number (including one)), etc.). Furthermore, even when an information display is placed on the back of the pachinko machine 1, it may be controlled in the same way as the information display 3213 visible from the front of the pachinko machine 1 (for example, it may continue to illuminate even when an abnormality occurs).

Furthermore, since the back of the pachinko machine 1 either does not have any light-emitting elements that perform light-emitting effects, or has fewer light-emitting elements compared to the front of the pachinko machine 1, when an information display is placed on the back of the pachinko machine 1, the visibility of the information display is less likely to be obstructed by other light-emitting elements, and the darkened interior of the island equipment makes the display content easier to see compared to when the information display is placed on the front of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, if an information display is placed on the back side of the pachinko machine 1, this information display does not perform any light effects and only displays information to amusement store staff or other persons separate from the players. Therefore, the color of the light is not particularly important, and the amount of light does not need to be very high to allow amusement store staff or other persons to recognize the information. For this reason, a white insulating film is formed on the LED mounting surface of the multiple specific decorative boards that perform the rainbow-colored and gold-colored effects described above, and some or all of the front (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 of the LED mounting surface are covered with a white insulating film. In contrast, a dark-colored insulating film such as green or black may be formed on the LED mounting surface of the rear upper first decorative board of the information display placed on the back side of the pachinko machine 1. Alternatively, in addition to or separately from this, all of the front (front mounting surface) side lands KRDx1 of the LED mounting surface may not be covered with an insulating film. This allows LEDs mounted on the rear upper first decorative substrate, which has a dark insulating coating, to stand out when illuminated in a dark island facility. Furthermore, because the reflectivity is not excessively high, it prevents glare, ensuring that information displayed on the information display is reliably conveyed. Additionally, the dark insulating coating on the rear upper first decorative substrate makes it difficult to identify the wiring pattern formed on the substrate when placed in a dark island facility, thereby improving security.

Various decorative circuit boards, which are installed on the door frame 3 and the game board 5 and perform gold and rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations (gold light emission) and rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations when the gold and rainbow-colored effects are executed, may be installed in decorative bodies (cases, covers, etc.) made of translucent materials. On the other hand, the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (cases, covers, etc.), which houses the rear upper first decorative circuit board that does not perform gold and rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations (gold light emission) and rainbow-colored light-emitting decorations when the gold and rainbow-colored effects are executed, may be made of a non-translucent material. In this case, it becomes possible to determine whether or not LEDs, which play an important role, are mounted on the decorative body (cases, covers, etc.) on which the circuit boards are installed, depending on whether or not the decorative body (cases, covers, etc.) is translucent.

Figure 411(a) is a perspective view showing the front side of the information display 3213, and Figure 411(b) is a perspective view showing the rear side of the information display 3213. Figure 412 is a cross-sectional view showing the section A-A in Figure 411(a). As shown in Figures 411 and 412, the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214, which is provided on the information display 3213 that does not emit gold light when gold light is being emitted, is housed in a rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (which may also be a case or cover). The rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (which may also be a case or cover) has a box-shaped front rear upper movable decorative body 3215 that covers the surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 (the mounting surface of the LED 3214a), and a rear rear upper movable decorative body 3210a that covers the back surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 (the non-mounted surface of the LED 3214a).

Furthermore, the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 may be configured such that the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215 and the rear rear upper movable decorative body 3210a are firmly bonded together by welding or the like, and the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 is firmly housed within it. In this case, the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 can be detached from the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 by destroying a part of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210. With such an information display 3213, the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 cannot be detached from the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 without destroying a part of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (which may also be a case or cover, etc.). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 from being illegally replaced with a non-genuine substrate, thereby preventing harm to players and the gaming halls where the gaming machines are installed when a non-genuine substrate malfunctions, and preventing a decrease in the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

Furthermore, decorative elements (which may include cases or covers) that are installed on the door frame 3 or game board 5 and contain various decorative circuit boards that illuminate the gold or rainbow effects during the execution of the gold or rainbow effects may be designed so that the decorative circuit boards can be removed without damaging any part of the decorative elements. Regarding light-emitting means such as LEDs (light-emitting means of lower importance compared to the information display 3213) installed on the door frame 3 or game board 5 that illuminate the gold or rainbow effects during the execution of the gold or rainbow effects without displaying important information, the light-emitting means can be replaced without damaging the decorative elements (which may include cases or covers), thus facilitating maintenance of the decorative elements.

Furthermore, in the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 of this embodiment, the surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 (the mounting surface of the LED 3214a) is covered only by the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215, and the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215 that covers the surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 (the mounting surface of the LED 3214a) and the rear rear upper movable decorative body 3210a that covers the back surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 (the non-mounted surface of the LED 3214a) are in contact with each other on the back side of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214. In other words, the joint between the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215 and the rear rear upper movable decorative body 3210a is configured to be located on the back side of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214. Therefore, even if light enters the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 from the joint between the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215 and the rear rear upper movable decorative body 3210a, it is possible to suppress light from entering the surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 and to suppress uneven illumination of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214. Furthermore, the joint between the front-side rear-upper movable decorative element 3215 and the rear-side rear-upper movable decorative element 3210a only needs to be configured so that it does not face the front side of the rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214. Even if the front-side rear-upper movable decorative element 3215 and the rear-side rear-upper movable decorative element 3210a abut between the front and back surfaces of the rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214 (with the joint between the front-side rear-upper movable decorative element 3215 and the rear-side rear-upper movable decorative element 3210a abutting so that it is located on the side surface of the rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214), the same effects and advantages as described above can be achieved.

The rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (which may also be a case or cover) may be configured to include interference suppression means to prevent interference between the light emitted from each of the multiple LEDs 3214a mounted on the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214. The front rear upper movable decorative body 3215 of this embodiment has an inner surface portion 3215a facing the player, and an inner surface portion 3215b extending rearward from a part of the inner surface portion 3215a and contacting the surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 (the mounting surface of the LEDs 3214). The front rear upper movable decorative body 3215 also has a plurality of hole-shaped through-parts 3216 that penetrate the inner surface portion 3215a, including the inner surface portion 3215b. The multiple through-holes 3216 are formed to correspond to the multiple LEDs 3214a mounted on the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214. One of the multiple LEDs 3214a mounted on the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 is positioned in each of the multiple through-holes 3216, and the surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 (the mounting surface of the LEDs 3214a) is partitioned by the inner surface portion 3215b. As a result, the direction of light propagation from each of the multiple LEDs 3214a mounted on the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 is restricted, and interference between the light emitted from LEDs 3214a mounted adjacent to the surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 (the mounting surface of the LEDs 3214a) is suppressed, making it easier to individually distinguish the light emission colors of the multiple light-emitting means. Furthermore, because the illuminated LED 3214a and the unlit LED 3214a can be clearly distinguished on the information display unit 3213, information related to the game can be clearly displayed on the information display unit 3213.

Furthermore, as described above, if an abnormality occurs, several LEDs on the game board 5, which are mounted on a specific decorative board and perform the gold effect illumination (gold illumination) and rainbow effect illumination when the gold effect or rainbow effect is executed, will be turned off. At the same time, the information display 3213 will continue to illuminate while maintaining its normal brightness. Therefore, when the brightness inside the game window is reduced during an abnormality, the illumination from the information display 3213 will stand out, making it easier to see the game-related information displayed on the information display 3213. Furthermore, in the event of an abnormality, the LEDs mounted on the door frame 3, which are used to illuminate the gold or rainbow effects when the gold or rainbow effects are performed, are controlled to emit light in an abnormality notification mode (flashing red light at maximum brightness). However, because the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 (which may also be a case or cover) has interference suppression means to suppress the interference of light emitted by each of the multiple LEDs 3214a mounted on the rear upper first decorative board 3214, it is possible to easily distinguish the illumination state of each of the multiple LEDs 3124a mounted on the rear upper first decorative board 3124, even when the LEDs on the door frame 3 are controlled to emit light in an abnormality notification mode (flashing red light at maximum brightness).

In the information display 3213 of this embodiment, a dark-colored solder resist is coated on the front mounting surface of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 on which the LED 3214a is mounted (a dark-colored insulating film is formed). Therefore, even if light emitted from the LED 3214a provided within the through-hole 3216 leaks outside the through-hole 3216, light diffusion can be suppressed.

The rear upper movable decorative body 3210a, which covers the back surface (the non-mounted side of the LED 3214a) of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214, may have only minimal openings. For example, the rear rear upper movable decorative body 3210a, which covers the back surface (the non-mounted side of the LED 3214a) of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214, only needs to have an opening 3210b for the connector 3214b mounted on the back surface (the non-mounted side of the LED 3214a) of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214. This suppresses light from entering the through-hole 3216 formed in the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215 from the back side of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, thereby suppressing the display of incorrect information on the information display 3213 and improving the reliability of the information displayed on the information display 3213.

In this embodiment, the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 is formed by firmly bonding the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215 and the rear rear upper movable decorative body 3210a by welding or the like. However, it may also be formed by firmly bonding the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215 and the rear rear upper movable decorative body 3210a by fitting them together. Specifically, a first contact portion 3217 may be formed extending from the inner surface portion 3215a of the front/rear upper movable decorative body 3215 toward the rear/rear upper movable decorative body 3210a, and a second contact portion 3210c may be formed on the rear side of the rear/rear upper movable decorative body 3210a, extending toward the front/rear upper movable decorative body 3215 and abutting against the first contact portion 3217. A pin and a hole into which the pin is firmly fitted may be formed in either the first contact portion 3217 or the second contact portion 3210c. This configuration allows the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 to be detached from the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 by destroying a portion of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210.

Furthermore, the front-side rear-upper movable decorative body 3215 may have a positioning pin 3218 extending from its inner surface 3215a toward the rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214. The positioning pin 3218 is inserted into a hole 3214c formed in the rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214 when the rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214 is attached to the front-side rear-upper movable decorative body 3215, thereby facilitating the positioning of the rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214 when it is attached to the front-side rear-upper movable decorative body 3215.

The first contact portion 3217, the second contact portion 3210c, and the positioning pin 3218 may be formed in a cylindrical shape or a prismatic shape. The first contact portion 3217 may have a contact surface portion that contacts the second contact portion 3210c and a hole or opening formed in the contact surface portion into which the pin formed in the second contact portion 3210c is inserted (or a pin that is inserted into the hole or opening formed in the second contact portion 3210c), or it may consist only of a pin that is inserted into the hole or opening formed in the second contact portion 3210c. Furthermore, the positioning pin 3218 may be configured as a support surface portion that abuts against the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 and supports the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 together with the inner surface portion 3215b, and a pin formed on the upper part of the support surface portion that is inserted into a hole or opening formed in the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 (or a hole or opening formed in the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 into which the pin is inserted). Alternatively, it may be configured as consisting only of a pin that is inserted into a hole or opening formed in the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214.

In the information display unit 3213 described above, the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215 and the back rear upper movable decorative body 3210a are firmly bonded together by welding or the like, and the back rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 cannot be detached from the back rear upper movable decorative body 3210 without destroying a part of the back rear upper movable decorative body 3210, thereby preventing the back rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 from being illegally replaced with a non-genuine substrate. However, the first rear upper decorative board 3214, on which multiple LEDs 3214a used for highly important lighting effects are mounted, is at risk of being replaced with non-genuine decorative elements and light-emitting boards, along with the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 that houses the first rear upper decorative board 3214. In such cases, even a manager responsible for the pachinko machine 1 would find it difficult to verify whether the decorative elements and light-emitting boards are genuine. Therefore, if a non-genuine light-emitting board is activated, it could cause disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed, potentially reducing the reliability of the pachinko machine 1. The following describes a modification made to the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215 of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210, with the aim of resolving this problem.

[Example 1 of modification to the front, back, and upper rear movable decorative element]
Figure 413 is a perspective view showing the front-back rear upper movable decorative body 3215A and a portion of the rear rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 removed from the front-back rear upper movable decorative body 3215A. Figure 414 is a perspective view showing the front-back rear upper movable decorative body 3215A and a portion of the rear rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 attached to the front-back rear upper movable decorative body 3215A. As shown in Figure 413 or Figure 414, the front-back rear upper movable decorative body 3215A is formed in a box shape with an open rear surface. Unlike the front-back rear upper movable decorative body 3215 of the above-described embodiment, the multiple visible parts 3219A of this embodiment are covered by the rear rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 after the rear rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 is placed from the rear side of the front-back rear upper movable decorative body 3215A, making them invisible from the outside.

In this embodiment, the visible portion 3219A is a "★" mark provided on the front, back, rear upper movable decorative body 3215A. Such a visible portion 3219A is not provided on the front side (front) or outer side of the front, back, rear upper movable decorative body 3215A, but only on the back side (rear). The visible portion 3219A may be printed on the front, back, rear upper movable decorative body 3215A, or a sticker-like film member on which the visible portion 3219A is formed may be attached to the front, back, rear upper movable decorative body 3215A. Furthermore, the multiple visible portions 3219A may be formed by raising the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215A to create convex formation marks, or by recessing the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215A to create concave formation marks, or by combining these forms: printing, attaching a film member, and forming marks. From the viewpoint of avoiding damage or detachment of the visible portions 3219A themselves, it is preferable that the visible portions 3219A are integrally formed on the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215A by printing or forming marks, rather than being a seal-like film member.

In the information display unit 3213 of this embodiment, for example, by housing the highly important rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 in the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215A, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of malfunctions due to unauthorized access to the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 or external factors such as dust. Furthermore, even if the first rear upper decorative board 3214 is illegally replaced with a non-genuine light-emitting board and decorative body containing the light-emitting board, by removing the first rear upper decorative board 3214 from the front rear upper upper movable decorative body 3215A and checking for the presence or absence of multiple visibility sections 3219A formed on the front rear upper upper movable decorative body 3215A, it is possible to confirm whether the front rear upper upper movable decorative body 3215A is genuine or counterfeit. For example, it becomes possible to detect and suppress illegal acts such as the illegal replacement of the first rear upper decorative board 3214 together with the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215A. As a result, it is possible to suppress disadvantages to players and the amusement halls where the pachinko machine 1 is installed due to illegal acts or malfunctions of the first rear upper decorative board 3214, and consequently, to suppress a decline in the reliability of the pachinko machine 1.

In addition, in the information display unit 3213 of this embodiment, the viewing section 3219A is covered by the rear-rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214, which is positioned from the rear side of the front-rear-upper movable decorative body 3215A, making it impossible to see from the outside. Therefore, the viewing section 3219A cannot be seen unless at least a part of the rear-rear-upper movable decorative body 3210 is destroyed and the rear-rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214 is removed from the front-rear-upper movable decorative body 3215A. Therefore, the concealment of the visibility section 3219A can be enhanced, making it difficult to create a visibility section on counterfeit decorative elements that imitate the genuine front/rear/upper rear movable decorative element 3215A. Even if the rear/upper rear first decorative substrate 3214 is illegally replaced with a counterfeit light-emitting substrate and decorative element housing the light-emitting substrate, it is possible to verify whether the front/rear/upper rear movable decorative element 3215A is genuine or counterfeit by removing the rear/upper rear first decorative substrate 3214 from the front/rear/upper rear movable decorative element 3215A and examining the multiple visibility sections 3219A formed on the front/rear/upper rear movable decorative element 3215A.

The multiple viewing sections 3219A may be positioned at any location on the front/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215A, as long as they are covered by the rear/rear/upper first decorative substrate 3214, which is positioned via the rear surface of the front/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215A, making them invisible from the outside. The size of the multiple viewing sections 3219A may be any size, the shape of the multiple viewing sections 3219A may be any shape as long as it is a predetermined shape, and the color of the multiple viewing sections 3219A may be uncolored or colored in any color. The viewing sections 3219A can be used as visual indicators to easily verify whether the front/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215A is genuine or counterfeit.

From the viewpoint of enhancing the concealment of the multiple visible portions 3219A and making it even more difficult to create counterfeit products that are imitations of the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215A, it is preferable that the multiple visible portions 3219A are dispersed and formed on the inner surface of the front, back, upper first decorative substrate 3214 that is covered by the front mounting surface of the front, back, upper movable decorative body 3215A. Specifically, it is preferable that the multiple visible portions 3219A are dispersed and formed on the inner surface portion 3215a on the base end side of the positioning pin 3218, the inner surface portion 3215b on which multiple through portions 3216 are formed, and the inner surface portion 3215c on the apex side of the substrate support projection 3230. In this example, the visible sections 3219A are positioned at different distances from the edge of the installed first decorative substrate 3214, so that all visible sections 3219A cannot be seen from the outside simply by slightly lifting the edge of the first decorative substrate 3214 from the front/rear/upper movable decorative section 3215A. In other words, all visible sections 3219A cannot be seen from the outside unless the first decorative substrate 3214 is completely removed from the front/rear/upper movable decorative section 3215A. This enhances the concealment of the visible sections 3219A and makes it even more difficult to create the visible sections 3219A on counterfeit decorative sections that imitate the genuine front/rear/upper movable decorative section 3215A.

Furthermore, if the information display 3213 of this embodiment is illegally modified to create an unauthorized information display, it is conceivable that an unauthorized electronic component that receives at least an external operation signal may be mounted on the legitimate rear upper first decorative substrate 3214. In such a case, the unauthorized rear upper first decorative substrate may become larger than the legitimate rear upper first decorative substrate 3214, or a predetermined portion of the legitimate rear upper movable decorative body 3210 may be shaved off to form an unauthorized rear upper movable decorative body due to the mounting of the unauthorized electronic component. In consideration of such cases, in this embodiment, the viewing portion 3219A of the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215A is positioned on the inner surface 3215b that abuts the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 and on the inner surface 3215c on the apex side of the substrate support projection 3230 so that when the inner surface of the rear upper movable decorative body 3210 is shaved off, the viewing portion 3219A of the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215A is also shaved off, making the evidence of illegality clear. This allows for verification of the presence or absence of multiple visible sections 3219A, thereby confirming whether or not the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215A has been illegally modified.

Furthermore, the position and number of the multiple visible parts 3219A formed on the inner surfaces 3215a, 3215b, and 3215c of the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215A are preferably formed according to a predetermined forming pattern, for example, according to specific conditions of the pachinko machine 1 (such as the model or, even for the same model, the manufacturing lot). This allows only those who are aware of the existence of the visible parts 3219A in advance (such as the manager of the pachinko machine 1 or the maintenance worker performing maintenance on the pachinko machine 1) to confirm the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215A according to the forming pattern, making it even more difficult to create visible parts 3219A on counterfeit decorative bodies that imitate the genuine front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215A.

One preferred configuration for providing multiple viewing sections 3219A is to position at least some of the viewing sections 3219A in a location where they would be difficult to discover unless the person already knows of their existence (such as the manager of the pachinko machine 1 or the person performing maintenance on the pachinko machine 1). For example, in this embodiment, multiple viewing sections 3219A are provided on the inner surface 3215b where multiple through sections 3216 are formed. The viewing sections 3219A are provided at positions A, which is not surrounded by the multiple through sections 3216, and at position B, which is surrounded by the multiple through sections 3216. In particular, at position B, a smaller visibility section 3219A is positioned to blend in with the multiple penetration sections 3216. This makes it difficult to detect the smaller visibility section 3219A unless the first decorative substrate 3214 is removed from the front/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215A (such as the manager of the pachinko machine 1 or a maintenance worker performing maintenance on the pachinko machine 1). This further makes it difficult to create the visibility section 3219A on counterfeit decorative bodies that imitate the genuine front/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215A.

Furthermore, when arranging a smaller visual indicator 3219A at position B, surrounded by multiple through-holes 3216, in a way that it blends in with the multiple through-holes 3216, another example of making it more difficult for imitators to detect is to make the visual indicator 3219A mimic the shape of the through-holes 3216. For example, if the shape of the through-hole 3216 is a roughly circular hole (e.g., an ellipse), the visual indicator 3219A at position B could be a similar roughly circular mark (e.g., an ellipse). Similarly, if the shape of the through-hole 3216 is a roughly square hole (e.g., a square hole), the visual indicator 3219A at position B could be a similar roughly square mark (e.g., a square). By providing a visual indicator 3219A with a mark similar in shape to the through-hole 3216, it can be made more difficult for imitators to detect.

Figures 415(a) to (d) are rear views showing a part of the front, back, rear upper movable decorative body 3215A. In this embodiment, the form of multiple visibility sections 3219A, which are marked with a "★" symbol, has been described, but the multiple visibility sections 3219A may have different shapes as long as they serve as visual indicators for confirming whether the front, back, rear upper movable decorative body 3215A is genuine or counterfeit. Specifically, the visibility section 3219A may be marked with a "●" symbol as shown in Figure 415(a), a "▲" symbol as shown in Figure 415(b), a "■" symbol as shown in Figure 415(c), a mark with multiple wires extending in one direction and arranged at predetermined intervals on the other side perpendicular to the first, as shown in Figure 415(d), or letters such as "し" or "Ｕ". Furthermore, if a mark is used on the visibility section 3219A, the mark may be partially incomplete (for example, a semi-circular mark in the case of a "●" mark), making it difficult for anyone other than those already aware of the visibility section 3219A's existence (such as the manager of the pachinko machine 1 or the maintenance worker performing maintenance on the pachinko machine 1) to recognize the visibility section 3219A as a visual indicator for checking the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215A.

Furthermore, the size and shape of the multiple visible portions 3219A formed on the inner surfaces 3215a and 3215b of the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215A are preferably formed according to a predetermined forming pattern based on specific conditions of the pachinko machine 1 (such as the model or, even for the same model, the manufacturing lot). This allows only those who are aware of the existence of the visible portions 3219A (such as the manager of the pachinko machine 1 or the maintenance worker performing maintenance on the pachinko machine 1) to verify the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215A according to the forming pattern, making it even more difficult to create visible portions 3219A on counterfeit decorative bodies that imitate the genuine front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215A. Note that in the formation pattern of the multiple visible portions 3219A, the size and shape of the multiple visible portions 3219A may be uniform, or they may differ.

The color of the multiple visible parts 3219A may be any color, but for example, it may be the same color as the front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215A, or a similar color to the front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215A, or a dark color depending on the solder resist coated on the back/rear/upper first decorative substrate 3214. If the multiple visible parts 3219A are the same color or similar color to the front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215A, the visibility of the visible parts 3219A can be reduced, making it difficult for anyone other than the manager of the pachinko machine 1 or the maintenance worker of the pachinko machine 1 to see the visible parts 3219A, and making it even more difficult to create visible parts 3219A on counterfeit decorative bodies that imitate the genuine front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215A. Furthermore, if the multiple visible portions 3219A are dark in color according to the solder resist coated on the first decorative substrate 3214, the diffusion of light when light emitted from the LED 3214a provided within the through-hole 3216 leaks outside the through-hole 3216 can be suppressed.

As shown in Figures 415(a) to (d), the visible portion 3219A formed on the inner surface 3215b of the front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215A may be formed in accordance with a specific arrangement pattern of the multiple through portions 3216 formed on the inner surface 3215b. When the multiple through portions 3216 are formed in accordance with a specific arrangement pattern, it is possible to mislead anyone other than those who already know of the existence of the visible portion 3219A (such as the manager of the pachinko machine 1 or the maintenance worker performing maintenance on the pachinko machine 1) into believing that the visible portion 3219A is a through portion 3216. This enhances the concealment of the visible portion 3219A and makes it even more difficult to create a visible portion on counterfeit decorative bodies that imitate the genuine front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215A.

[Example 2 of modifications to the rear upper movable ornament]
Figure 416 is a perspective view showing a portion of the front-back rear upper movable decorative body 3215B and the rear rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 removed from the front-back rear upper movable decorative body 3215B. Figure 417 is a perspective view showing a portion of the front-back rear upper movable decorative body 3215B and the rear rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 attached to the front-back rear upper movable decorative body 3215B. The rear-open, box-shaped movable decorative body 3215B has multiple viewing sections 3219B formed on it. As shown in Figure 416 or Figure 417, the multiple viewing sections 3219B in this embodiment are formed on the inner surface portion 3215a of the front-back, rear-upper movable decorative body 3215B and on the tip surface portion 3215e of the outer peripheral vertical wall portion 3215d of the front-back, rear-upper movable decorative body 3215B. This differs from the multiple viewing sections 3219A in Modified Example 1 in that it includes some that are not covered by the rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214 which is positioned from the rear side of the front-back, rear-upper movable decorative body 3215B.

In this embodiment, the visible portion 3219B is a mark "★" provided on the front, back, rear upper movable decorative body 3215B. Such a visible portion 3219B is not provided on the front (front side) or outer side of the front, back, rear upper movable decorative body 3215B, but only on the back (rear side). The visible portion 3219B may be printed on the front, back, rear upper movable decorative body 3215B, or a sticker-like film member on which the visible portion 3219B is formed may be attached to the front, back, rear upper movable decorative body 3215B. Furthermore, the multiple visible portions 3219B may be formed by raising the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215B to create convex formation marks, or by recessing the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215B to create concave formation marks, or by combining these forms: printing, attaching a film member, and forming marks. From the viewpoint of avoiding damage or detachment of the visible portions 3219B themselves, it is preferable that the visible portions 3219B are integrally formed on the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215B by printing or forming marks, rather than being a seal-like film member.

In the information display 3213 of this embodiment, for example, by housing the highly important rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 in the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215B, it is possible to suppress unauthorized access to the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 and the occurrence of malfunctions due to external factors such as dust. Furthermore, by forming a viewing section 3219B on the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215B and positioning the viewing section 3219B in a location where it is not covered by the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 even when the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 is housed inside, it is possible to confirm whether the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215B is genuine or counterfeit by checking for the presence or absence of the viewing section 3219B. For example, it becomes possible to detect and suppress unauthorized acts such as the unauthorized replacement of the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214 together with the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215B. Furthermore, because the viewing section 3219B is not covered by the rear upper first decorative circuit board 3214, by recognizing the viewing section 3219B provided on the front rear upper movable decorative body 3215B, it is easy to recognize that this front rear upper movable decorative body 3215B is the component to be checked to determine whether it is genuine or counterfeit. As a result, it is possible to suppress the harm caused to players and gaming halls where gaming machines are installed due to fraudulent activities or malfunctions of the rear upper first decorative circuit board 3214, and consequently, to suppress the decline in the reliability of the gaming machine.

In addition, in the information display 3213 of this embodiment, multiple inner surfaces (inner surface 3215a, tip surface 3215e, etc.) with steps on the back side of the front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215B each have a visibility section 3219B formed thereon. The visibility section 3219B formed on the tip surface 3215e is positioned so that it can be recognized from the back side even when the rear/back/upper first decorative substrate 3214 is attached to the front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215B. Therefore, by recognizing the visibility section 3219B of the front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215B from the back side, it is easy to recognize that this front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215B is a component to be checked for genuine or counterfeit status.

The visibility portion 3219B formed on the tip surface portion 3215e may be provided at any position on the tip surface portion 3215e as long as it is recognizable from the back side of the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215B. The size of the visibility portion 3219B may be any size, and the shape of the visibility portion 3219B may be any shape as long as it is a predetermined shape. The multiple visibility portions 3219B may be uncolored or colored in any color. The visibility portion 3219B can be used as a visual indicator to easily verify whether the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215B is genuine or counterfeit.

Furthermore, the position and number of the visible portions 3219B formed on the tip surface 3215e are preferably formed according to a predetermined forming pattern based on specific conditions of the pachinko machine 1 (such as the model or, even for the same model, the manufacturing lot). This allows only those who are aware of the presence of the visible portions 3219B formed on the tip surface 3215e (such as the manager of the pachinko machine 1 or the maintenance worker performing maintenance on the pachinko machine 1) to verify the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215B according to the forming pattern, making it even more difficult to create visible portions 3219B on counterfeit decorative bodies that imitate the genuine front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215B.

Furthermore, the size of the visible portion 3219B formed on the tip surface portion 3215e may be any size, but from the viewpoint of making it difficult for someone attempting to cheat to recognize its presence, for example, the visible portion 3219B formed on the tip surface portion 3215e may be formed smaller than the other visible portions 3219B. Specifically, the visible portion 3219B formed on the inner surface portion 3215a of the front-side rear-upper movable decorative body 3215B may be made relatively larger than the visible portion 3219B formed on the tip surface portion 3215e, thereby increasing the possibility that someone attempting to cheat will overlook the visible portion 3219B (the visible portion 3219B formed on the tip surface portion 3215e) that is formed in a position not covered by the rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214. Furthermore, even if the rear rear upper movable decorative body 3210a is removed from the front rear rear upper movable decorative body 3215B, it becomes difficult for anyone other than the administrator of the pachinko machine 1 or the maintenance worker of the pachinko machine 1 to see the smaller visible portion 3219B. This makes it even more difficult to create the visible portion 3219B on counterfeit decorative bodies that imitate the genuine front rear rear upper movable decorative body 3215B. When multiple visible portions 3219B are formed on the tip surface portion 3215e, it is preferable that at least some of them are the same size, thereby facilitating verification by someone who already knows the existence of the visible portion 3219B (such as the administrator of the pachinko machine 1 or the maintenance worker of the pachinko machine 1).

Furthermore, in this embodiment, we have described an embodiment in which multiple visibility parts 3219B are represented by a common "★" mark, with the visibility part 3219B formed on the tip surface 3215e and the other visibility parts 3219B. However, the visibility part 3219B formed on the tip surface 3215e and the other visibility parts 3219B may have different shapes, as long as they serve as indicators for confirming whether the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215B is genuine or counterfeit. Specifically, the visibility part 3219B formed on the tip surface 3215e may be represented by a "●" mark, while the visibility part 3219B formed on the inner surface 3215a of the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215B may be represented by a "▲" mark. Furthermore, if the same mark is used for the visible portion 3219B formed on the tip surface 3215e and for other visible portions 3219B, then, for example, the visible portion 3219B formed on the tip surface 3215e may have a partially missing mark (for example, a semi-circular mark in the case of a "●" mark), making it difficult for anyone other than those who already know of the existence of the visible portions 3219B (such as the manager of the pachinko machine 1 or the maintenance worker performing maintenance on the pachinko machine 1) to recognize the visible portion 3219B formed on the tip surface 3215e as a visual indicator for checking the front, back, rear, upper movable decorative body 3215B.

The color of the visible portion 3219B formed on the tip surface portion 3215e may be any color, but for example, it may be the same color as the front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215B, or a similar color to the front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215B, or a dark color depending on the solder resist coated on the back/rear/upper first decorative substrate 3214. If the visible portion 3219B formed on the tip surface portion 3215e is the same color as or similar to the front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215B, the visibility of the visible portion 3219B can be reduced, making it difficult for anyone other than the manager of the pachinko machine 1 or the maintenance worker of the pachinko machine 1 to see the visible portion 3219B, and making it even more difficult to create the visible portion 3219A on a counterfeit decorative body that imitates the genuine front/back/rear/upper movable decorative body 3215B. Furthermore, if the visible portion 3219B formed on the tip surface portion 3215e is dark in color according to the solder resist coated on the rear upper first decorative substrate 3214, then the diffusion of light when light emitted from the LED 3214a provided within the through-hole portion 3216 leaks outside the through-hole portion 3216 can be suppressed.

Furthermore, while the above-described information display 3213 was described in which the rear-rear-upper movable decorative body 3210a is attached to the box-shaped front-rear-upper movable decorative body 3215 so as to cover the rear-rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214, the information display 3213 may also be configured such that the rear-rear-upper movable decorative body 3210a is attached to the box-shaped front-rear-upper movable decorative body 3215 so as to cover at least a portion of the rear-rear-upper first decorative substrate 3214, or the rear-rear-upper movable decorative body 3210a is not attached to the box-shaped front-rear-upper movable decorative body 3215.

The embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described above, but the embodiments described above can be modified as appropriate without departing from the technical concept. That is, the technical concept can be applied even to modifications of some of the embodiments or combinations of the above embodiments.

Furthermore, while we have described a circuit board for a pachinko machine that uses game balls and a storage unit for the circuit board, this can also be applied, for example, to a slot machine that uses coins instead of game balls as the game medium, specifically to a light-emitting circuit board with multiple light-emitting elements used for high-priority purposes and a storage unit for the light-emitting circuit board.

1 Pachinko machine 2 Outer frame 3 Door frame 4 Main body frame 5 Game board 5a Game area 1000 Front component 1100 Game panel 1310 Main control board 2400 First attacker unit 2411 Second start door 2413 Big prize door 2450 Decorative cover 2452 First forward/backward movement device 2453 Case body 2454 Cover body 2456 Visibility section 2457 Virtual line 2458 Movable one-sided visibility section 2459 Main body side visibility section 2600 Second attacker unit 2611 Prize door 2650 Decorative cover 2652 Second forward/backward movement device 2653 Case body 2654 Cover body 2656 Visibility section 2657 Virtual line 2658 Movable one-sided visibility section 2659 Main body side visibility section 3000 Back unit 4100 Decorative circuit board

Claims (1)

A gaming machine having multiple circuit boards on which multiple electronic components are mounted,
The aforementioned plurality of substrates are
The main circuit board for game progression,
It includes a sub-board for game presentation,
The sub - sub
The main side board is ,
A specific main side substrate having a thermal pattern formed connecting multiple connection points to which the terminals of electronic components are soldered, and a ground plane,
The game machine has a non-specific main board which is provided on the front side of the game machine, further forward than the specific sub-side board and the specific main-side board, and on which no thermal pattern is formed,
The aforementioned plurality of electronic components include at least a plurality of surface-mount electronic components,
The plurality of surface-mount electronic components mounted on the specified sub-substrate include a first specified surface-mount electronic component and a second specified surface-mount electronic component having two opposing sets of sides and positioned adjacent to the first specified surface-mount electronic component.
The first specific connection portion to which the first specific connection terminal of the first specific surface mount electronic component is soldered is electrically connected to the ground plane of the specific sub-substrate by a thermal pattern formed so as to be located around the first specific connection portion.
The first specific surface-mount electronic component is placed on a specific side of the second specific surface-mount electronic component.
The second specific surface mount electronic component has a plurality of connection terminals formed along at least one of the two opposing sets of edges that does not include the specific edge.
The second specific connection portion to which the multiple connection terminals of the second specific surface mount electronic component are soldered, and which is located closer to a special side opposite to the specific side than to the specific side, is electrically connected to the ground plane of the specific sub-side substrate by a thermal pattern formed so as to be located around the second specific connection portion.
Furthermore, the thermal pattern of the specified main substrate includes a thermal pattern corresponding to the connection terminals of surface-mount electronic components and a thermal pattern corresponding to the connection terminals of through-hole electronic components.
A gaming machine characterized by the following features.